Ecoregions of Canada's prairie grasslands. J.D. Shorthouse

Chapter 3 

Ecoregions of Canada’s Prairie Grasslands 

Joseph D. Shorthouse 

Department of Biology, Laurentian University 

Sudbury, Ontario, Canada P3E 2C6 

Abstract. The Central Plains of Western Canada comprise the Prairies Ecozone and the Boreal Plains Ecozone. 

The former has the most grasslands and is divided into seven ecoregions: Mixed Grassland, Cypress Upland, 

Moist Mixed Grassland, and Fescue Grassland in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan; Aspen Parkland, which 

extends in an arc from central Alberta and Saskatchewan southeast to southwestern Manitoba; and Lake Manitoba 

Plain and Southwest Manitoba Uplands, but grasslands are more abundant in the first six. The Boreal Plains 

Ecozone extends across central and northern Alberta and Saskatchewan and arcs southeast to western Manitoba. 

This ecozone is divided into 10 ecoregions, but only the Peace Lowland has significant grasslands. This chapter 

briefly describes the physiography, climate, soils, and prominent flora of six of the ecoregions in the Prairies 

Ecozone and one in the Boreal Plains Ecozone for the benefit of future biologists wishing to study the biota of 

prairie grasslands. 

Résumé. Les plaines centrales de l’ouest du Canada englobent l’écozone des prairies et l’écozone des plaines 

boréales. La première renferme le plus de prairies; elle se divise en sept écorégions : la prairie mixte; les hautes 

terres Cypress; la prairie mixte humide; la prairie à fétuque du sud de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan; la 

tremblaie-parc qui s’étend en demi-lune du centre de l’Alberta et du sud-est de la Saskatchewan jusqu’au sudouest 

du Manitoba; la plaine du lac Manitoba; les hautes terres du sud-ouest du Manitoba. Les prairies sont plus 

abondantes dans les six premières de ces écorégions. L’écozone des plaines boréales décrit un arc du centre et 

du nord de l’Alberta et de la Saskatchewan vers le sud-est, jusque dans l’ouest du Manitoba; elle se divise en 

10 écorégions, mais seules les basses terres de la rivière de la Paix renferment d’importantes zones de prairies. 

Ce chapitre décrit brièvement la physiographie, le climat, les sols et les espèces végétales principales de six des 

écorégions de l’écozone des prairies et d’une des écorégions de l’écozone des plaines boréales à l’intention des 

biologistes qui souhaiteront dans le futur étudier les biotes des prairies canadiennes. 

Introduction 

The North American Great Plains has the widest latitudinal range of any ecological region 

on the continent. It extends through parts of three Canadian provinces, 18 states in the 

United States, and states in Mexico (Gauthier and Wiken 2003). About 16% of the Plains 

are found in Canada, representing about 5% of the country’s landmass. The Central Plains 

of western Canada comprises two ecozones: the Prairies Ecozone and the Boreal Plains 

Ecozone (Fig. 1). Together they cover most of Alberta, the lower half of Saskatchewan, 

and western portions of southern Manitoba, and they edge into the Northwest Territories 

and the Peace River region of British Columbia. These ecozones converge in a unique 

ecoregion called the Aspen Parkland, where the southern prairie gradually gives way to tree 

cover. Some information on the features of these ecoregions was taken from websites of 

the governments of the three prairie provinces and from the federal government document 

The State of Canada’s Environment (Environment Canada 1996). Information on climate 

Shorthouse, J. D. 2010. Ecoregions of Canada’s Prairie Grasslands. 

In Arthropods of Canadian Grasslands (Volume 1): Ecology and Interactions in Grassland Habitats. 

Edited by J. D. Shorthouse and K. D. Floate. Biological Survey of Canada. pp. 53-81. 

© 2010 Biological Survey of Canada. ISBN 978-0-9689321-4-8 

doi:10.3752/9780968932148.ch3 

53

54 J. D. Shorthouse 

Fig. 1. Map of the Boreal Plains Ecozone and the Prairies Ecozone. Note the Peace Lowland Ecoregion in 

the northwest. 

comes from the Ecological Stratification Working Group (1996). Scientific names of plants 

are from Moss and Packer (1983) and Harms (2003). 

The Prairies Ecozone is the most northern extension of the Great Plains of North 

America. The relief is typically subdued, consisting of low-lying valleys and plains that 

slope eastward. Since European settlement, the Prairies Ecozone has become one of the 

most extensive agricultural regions in the world. Its total land area is about 47 million ha, 

with 70% classified as cropland, 27% as rangeland, and the remaining 3% as deciduous 

forest. The natural fertility and good moisture-holding capacity of many of the soils in 

the Prairies Ecozone make the area extremely productive for crops. It is now rare to find 

unbroken native grasslands that show no evidence of European settlement. 

The Prairies Ecozone is subdivided into seven ecoregions: Mixed Grassland, 

Cypress Upland, Moist Mixed Grassland, and Fescue Grassland in southern Alberta and 

Saskatchewan; Aspen Parkland, which is north of the Moist Mixed Grassland, and extends 

in an arc from southwestern Alberta up toward Edmonton and then southeast to Manitoba 

(Fig. 2); and Lake Manitoba Plain and Boreal Transition in southern Manitoba (Fig. 2).

Ecoregions of Canada’s Prairie Grasslands 55 

Tallgrass prairie occurs in the southern part of Lake Manitoba Plain (Fig. 2). Only Aspen 

Parkland is contiguous throughout the three prairie provinces (Fig. 2). 

The Prairies Ecozone and its ecoregions receive the most attention in this book. The 

major towns and cities of the prairie grasslands, which serve as reference points for material 

in this and two anticipated volumes, are presented in Fig. 3. The major rivers and dams are 

presented in Fig. 4. 

The Boreal Plains Ecozone comprises 10 ecoregions with scattered patches of 

grasslands in each. The largest of these grasslands is in the Peace Lowland in northwestern 

Alberta and northeastern British Columbia (Fig. 1). Scattered grasslands also occur in 

the Montane Cordillera and the Boreal Cordillera Ecozones of British Columbia and the 

Yukon, as well as in southern Ontario (see Chapter 4). 

Ecoregions of the Prairies Ecozone 

Mixed Grassland Ecoregion 

The Mixed Grassland Ecoregion is the most southern of the prairie ecoregions. It extends 

across southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan from a base along the border 

with the United States (Fig. 2). This semi-arid ecoregion forms part of the shortgrass prairie 

Fig. 2. Map of the Prairies Ecozone showing the location of ecoregions.


Fig. 3. Map of the Prairies Ecozone showing the location of major communities and highways. 

in the Great Plains of North America that extends from southern Canada to Mexico (Bragg 

and Steuter 1996). Shortgrass prairie is characterized by the presence of short and midsized 

species of grass and sedges, as opposed to the much taller grasses found farther to the 

east (Coupland 1992). 

The Mixed Grassland Ecoregion is a treeless plain (Figs. 5 and 6) dominated by grasses 

and forbs. Elevations range from 600 m near Empress, Alberta, to more than 1,300 m 

on the lower slopes of the Cypress Hills, Sweetgrass Hills, and Milk River Ridge. In 

Alberta, the ecoregion covers about 4.8 million ha, or 49% of the total grassland area in 

the province. It is cultivated for crops or is used for pasture, with extensive irrigation in 

the western half. This ecoregion includes several tributaries of the South Saskatchewan 

River but few large lakes, a notable one being Pakowki Lake south of Medicine Hat. In 

Saskatchewan, this ecoregion encompasses about 13% of the province (Acton et al. 1998), 

with about half of the region cultivated for crops and the remainder used for pasture or 

rangeland. Lakes in the area include Clearwater, Old Wives, Fife, Willow Bunch, Big 

Muddy, Crane, and Chaplin. The South Saskatchewan River and Swift Current Creek form 

part of the Saskatchewan–Nelson drainage basin emptying into Hudson Bay. In contrast, 

the Frenchman River and Big Muddy River flow south into the Missouri River drainage 

system to empty into the Gulf of Mexico. The valleys formed by these waters may be


entrenched 100 m or more into the plain. The soils are mainly Brown Chernozemic with 

significant areas of Solonetzic soils. 

The mean annual temperature of the ecoregion is approximately 3.5 °C. In southern 

Alberta, west of the Cypress Upland Ecoregion, mean annual temperatures can exceed 

5 °C. The mean summer temperature is 16 °C and the mean winter temperature is −10 °C. 

The mean annual precipitation ranges from 250 to 350 mm. Moisture deficits in late 

summer are caused by low precipitation and high evapotranspiration. Spring is usually the 

wettest season, with about two-thirds of the annual precipitation falling as rain, most of this 

occurring during June. During the winter months, the amount of snow cover is relatively 

low, as is the number of days of continuous snow cover. More than 30 chinook days per 

year occur along the western border of this ecoregion. 

Grasses and sedges often form 85–95% of the above-ground plant biomass in the 

Mixed Grassland Ecoregion, with forbs, sages, and dwarf shrubs making up the remainder 

(Rowe and Coupland 1984; Coupland 1992). The most common and widespread grass 

communities include mid-sized grasses such as speargrass (Stipa spp.), needle-and-thread 

grass (Hesperostipa comata (Trin. and Rupr.) Barkworth), western wheat grass (Agropyron 

smithii Rydb.), and June grass (Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schultes), as well as short 

Fig. 4. Map of the Prairies Ecozone showing the location of major rivers and dams. Note the salt flats from which 

there is no drainage.


5 

6 

Figs. 5 and 6. Typical habitats of the Mixed Grassland Ecoregion. Fig. 5. Shortgrass prairie near Onefour in the 

southeast corner of Alberta looking south toward Sweetgrass Hills in neighbouring Montana. Fig. 6. Shortgrass 

prairie north of Medicine Hat. Photographs by the author.


grasses such as blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis (Willd. ex Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths), northern 

wheat grass (Elymus lanceolatus (Scribn. and Sm.)), and western porcupine grass (Stipa 

curtiseta Hitchc.). Blue grama and speargrass dominate at the driest sites, along with low 

sedge (Carex duriuscula C. A. Mey) and pasture sage (Artemisia frigida Willd.). Species that 

decrease with grazing pressure include wheat grass, green needlegrass (Nassella viridula 

(Trin.)), and prickly-pear cactus (Opuntia polyacantha Haw.), whereas blue grama, June 

grass, needle-and-thread grass, and pasture sage increase in number (Abouguendia 1996). 

In some habitats, shrubs such as hoary sagebrush (Artemisia cana Pursh) and wild roses 

(Rosa woodsii Lindl.; R. arkansana Porter) are prominent in scattered patches. Patches 

of cactus and pasture sage are common in some areas, with shrubs such as wolf willow 

(Elaeagnus commutata Bernh. ex Rydb.), Saskatoon berry (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.), 

snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus (L.)), and chokecherry (Prunus virginiana L.) growing 

in low-lying areas and coulees. 

Major communities in Alberta include Lethbridge, Taber, Brooks, and Medicine 

Hat, and in Saskatchewan, Swift Current, Kindersley, Maple Creek, Leader, Assiniboia, 

Shaunavon, and Gravelbourg (Fig. 3). 

Cypress Upland Ecoregion 

The Cypress Upland Ecoregion is an outlier of the montane vegetative zone that occurs on 

the lower slopes of the Rocky Mountains. The Cypress Hills straddle the border between 

Alberta and Saskatchewan (Fig. 2) to cover approximately 20,250 ha. They are the highest 

Canadian land elevation east of the Rockies and west of Labrador and consist of three 

separate blocks or hills, one in Alberta and two in Saskatchewan. The hills rise 600 m 

above the surrounding plains and are home to freshwater streams and creeks, lakes, fescue 

grasslands, forests, meadows, marshlands, and ranchlands. On July 28, 1850, Captain John 

Palliser wrote in his journal: “These hills [the Cypress Hills] are a perfect oasis in the 

desert we have travelled” (Beaty, 1975). Hills on the Saskatchewan side are of historical 

importance (Hildebrandt and Huber 1994) because they were the site of the first fort of the 

North-West Mounted Police (Fig. 7). 

The higher elevation of the hills provides for cooler temperatures and increased 

precipitation compared with the surrounding prairies, thereby facilitating the growth of 

trees. The hills were named “myun-a-tuh-gow” (beautiful highlands) by the Cree and 

“ketius netumoo” (hills that shouldn’t be) by the Blackfoot. The name Cypress Hills 

originates from an incorrect translation of the French “montagne aux cyprès.” The term 

“cyprès” was used by French Canadians and Métis to refer to jack pine (Pinus banksiana 

Lamb) and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Douglas ex Louden); there are no cypress trees 

in the Cypress Hills. 

The Cypress Upland is a dissected plateau with elevations that rise abruptly above 

the surrounding plain (Fig. 8), with steeply sloping escarpments and numerous valleys 

and coulees. It formed during the Tertiary period from material that was worn round 

on its long river journey from newly formed western mountains (Acton et al. 1998). 

Coarse gravels formed erosion-resistant armour that protected the underlying sediments 

from removal during the last glacial period. The Cypress Upland consisted of nunataks 

(unglaciated peaks) during the last Ice Age that are now a series of benchlands, often 

referred to as the West, Centre, and East blocks. The hills slope eastward from a maximum 

elevation of 1,465 m on the west side. This ecoregion is drained by the deeply incised 

Frenchman River and the Battle and Swift Current creeks. Several of the north-slope 

drainage basins are closed, with water flowing into shallow saline lakes from where it


evaporates. Most of the hills are within two provincial parks that straddle the Alberta– 

Saskatchewan border. 

The climate of the Cypress Hills is cooler and moister than that of the surrounding 

Mixed Grassland Ecoregion (Acton et al. 1998), with a mean annual temperature of 2.7 °C, 

a mean July temperature of 16 °C, and a mean January temperature of −12.1 °C. Mean 

annual precipitation ranges from 325 to 450 mm, with 244 mm of rainfall occurring from 

May to September. 

With a rise in elevation, the vegetation changes to a submontane fescue prairie at 

the top of the benches and on the south-facing slopes (Fig. 7) and a mix of conifers and 

deciduous trees at the upper elevations (Fig. 8). The forest supports a wide array of plant 

species (see Breitung 1954; Bird 1962; Moss and Packer 1983), including 17 types of 

orchids, and provides habitat for invertebrates and vertebrates that are absent from the 

adjacent grasslands. Four species of trees are native to the Cypress Hills (Newsome and 

Dix 1968): lodgepole pine, white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss), aspen or trembling 

poplar (Populus tremuloides Michx.), and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera L.). 

White spruce forests grow on uplands in cooler and moister areas, such as north-facing 

slopes (Fig. 8) and near springs. Pure stands occur near wetlands, coulees, and creeks, 

but mixed stands with trembling aspen are found on well-drained soils. Aspen woodlands 

occur in many habitats in patches below the lodgepole pine woodland on the north side of 

the plateau. Patches of fescue prairie (Fig. 7) are found on the lower slopes. 

The fescue grasslands are of interest because they do not exist on the dry grasslands 

surrounding the hills and are isolated from those in the foothills farther to the west. Fescue 

grasslands occur at the highest elevations of the Cypress Hills, where the dominant species 

is rough fescue (Festuca campestris Rydb.). Other co-occurring species of grass include 

bluebunch fescue (F. idahoensis Elmer), northern wheat grass, western wheat grass, 

awned wheat grass (Agropyron subsecundum (Link) A. S. Hitchc.), June grass, western 

porcupine grass, and desert wheat grass (A. desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) Schultes) and 

smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) (Best et al. 1971; Rowe and Coupland 1984). 

Common shrubs such as snowberry, cinquefoil (Potentilla spp.), wolf willow, and wild 

roses (Shorthouse 1991) are found among the fescue prairie. 

Great Sand Hills and Grasslands National Park 

Over 120 areas of sand dunes totalling 10,000 km 2 in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba 

are scattered throughout the Prairies and Boreal Plains ecozones. The Great Sand Hills, the 

largest of these areas at about 1,900 km 2 , is located in southwestern Saskatchewan between 

Leader and Gull Lake and slightly east of the Alberta border. The Great Sand Hills area 

is characterized by sand dune grasslands, low hills, saline lakes, pebble plains, stands of 

cottonwood, aspen bluffs, and individual dunes that exceed 15 m in height (Figs. 9 and 10). 

Sand dune fields occur in habitats that are dry and where sand is abundant and subject 

to aeolian processes. These conditions create either rolling or active dunes, stabilized dunes, 

stabilized blowouts, or dune depressions (Hulett et al. 1966; David 1993). Many sand 

dunes in the Great Sand Hills, and elsewhere in Palliser’s Triangle, are classic parabolic 

dunes, which consist of a slip face that is convex in plain view and has wings that extend 

upwind of the dune head (Lemmen et al. 1997). In drier years, wind may move the sand to 

form parabolic dunes (Wolfe and David 1997). 

Although sandy habitats tend to be low in nutrients, the sand’s permeability allows 

for the accumulation of fine sediment, moisture, and nutrients in lower lying areas. This

7 

8 


Figs. 7 and 8. Cypress Hills of southwestern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta. Fig. 7. Aspen, conifers, and 

a field of fescue grasses near the Fort Walsh site on the Saskatchewan side. Fig. 8. North-facing slope with white 

spruce on the Alberta side. Note the prairie below in the distance. Photographs by the author.


9 

10 

Figs. 9 and 10. Great Sand Hills of Saskatchewan. Fig. 9. Grasses, shrubs, and creeping juniper growing on flat, sandy 

areas between the dunes. Fig. 10. Edge of an active dune showing shrubs being buried. Photographs by the author.


accumulation creates a landscape with sparsely vegetated dunes and sand flats (Fig. 9) that 

separate diverse patches of shrubby vegetation. Dune grass assemblages occur on active 

aeolian ridges and, to a lesser degree, on semi-stable dune ridges. Vegetation cover is sparse 

and species composition is variable, depending on moisture and activity of dunes. 

Common plant species of the Sand Hills include sand grass (Calamovilfa longifolia 

(Hook.) Scribn.), sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus (Torr.) A. Gray), Indian rice grass 

(Oryzopsis hymenoides (Roem. and Schult.) Barkworth), and prickly-pear cactus. Sand 

grass is the only Canadian representative of the genus Calamovilfa and is well adapted to 

growth on sand dunes, lakeshores, and open sandy forested sites. Scaly rootstocks, the bulk 

of which mass near the soil surface, bind the sandy soil and keep it from blowing. 

Active dunes frequently bury grasses and shrubs (Fig. 10) but can be colonized by 

grasses such as northern wheat grass, Indian rice grass, sand grass, and sand dropseed. 

Common shrubs on the flats between dunes include creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis 

Moench) (Fig. 9), wild roses, aspen poplar, and wolf willow. On the border of active dunes, 

perennials with extensive rootstocks such as lance-leaved psoralea (Psoralea lanceolata 

(Pursh) Rydb.) persist, as do annuals that can grow through thick deposits of sand, such as 

small lupine (Lupinus pusillus Pursh) and skeletonweed (Shinnersoseris rostrata (Gray) 

Tomb) (Hulett et al. 1966). More typical prairie species such as needle-and-thread grass, 

June grass, and creeping juniper grow on stabilized dunes. In the moister and nutrient-rich 

low-lying habitats, shrubs and trees are common, for example, Saskatoon, white sagebrush 

(Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt.), chokecherry, wild rose, and aspen. 

Most of the Great Sand Hills landscape has been used for ranching over the last hundred 

years, but the majority of land remains in provincial ownership. Cattle fill a niche similar 

to that of bison and, as a result, parts of the ecosystems of the Sand Hills are likely similar 

to what they were in the past. Oil and gas extraction currently pose the greatest threat 

to the ecological integrity of the Great Sand Hills and, indeed, much of Saskatchewan’s 

remaining native grasslands. 

Grasslands National Park, located between Val Marie and Killdeer and abutting the 

Saskatchewan–Montana border, is also important for future grassland studies. The Park 

comprises two regions (the West Block in the Frenchman River Valley and the East Block in 

the Killdeer Badlands) and contains some of the best examples of the harsh, dry conditions 

characteristic of the Mixed Grassland Ecoregion. Surface waters are derived mainly from 

spring runoff such that many creeks (e.g., Breed, Otter, Horse, and Wetheral creeks) and 

small lakes in the park are dry later in the summer. The Park has only two permanent water 

sources, the Frenchman River in the West Block, which is a prime example of a glacial 

meltwater channel, and Rock Creek in the East Block. 

Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion 

The Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion encircles the Mixed Grassland Ecoregion in an 

arc extending from the southwestern interior of Alberta northward from the Montana 

border and curving into Saskatchewan to the east of Red Deer, across to Saskatoon, and 

then southeast through Regina back to the border with the United States, west of the 

Saskatchewan–Manitoba border (Fig. 2). Moisture generally increases and the temperature 

decreases toward the north, west, or east compared with the Mixed Grassland Ecoregion, 

resulting in a change in associated vegetation. Thus, the Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion 

supports the more vigorous growth of grasses (Fig. 11) and shrubs (Fig. 12) than occurs in 

the drier Mixed Grassland Ecoregion. As a result, about 80% of the Moist Mixed Grassland 

Ecoregion is under cultivation.


Physiographically, most of the Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion is a broad plane 

(Fig. 11) interrupted by deep valleys and subdued hilly uplands. Valleys of the Qu’Appelle 

and South Saskatchewan rivers (Fig. 4) are sometimes sunken 100 m or more into the 

plain. Level to gently undulating glacial till plains that seem almost endless typify this 

region. A large, level glacial lake plain called the Regina Plain extends from the base of 

the Missouri Coteau south and west of Moose Jaw to the Moose Mountain uplands east 

of Regina and north to the Qu’Appelle Valley. This former glacial lake, known as Lake 

Regina, was drained by the Qu’Appelle Valley as the glacier receded from the area. Hills 

within the region include Bear Hills north of Rosetown and the Allan Hills southeast of 

Saskatoon. Sand hills within the region include those near Douglas Provincial Park north 

of Moose Jaw. Lakes include Muddy, Trampling, Diefenbaker, Goose, Last Mountain, 

Little Manitou, and Buffalo Pound. 

The mean annual temperature is about 5 °C, with a mean summer temperature of 

about 15.5 °C, which is 1–2 degrees cooler than the Mixed Grassland Ecoregion. The 

mean winter temperature is −11 °C, which is also 1–2 °C cooler than the Mixed Grassland 

Ecoregion. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 350 to 450 mm, about 20% greater 

than in the Mixed Grassland Ecoregion. The southwestern part of the ecoregion in Alberta 

lies in the chinook belt along the face of the Rocky Mountain foothills. Snow cover is 

greater because of more winter precipitation in the chinook belt. More intermittent sloughs, 

potholes, and streams are present in this ecoregion compared with the drier regions in the 

south. Soil types are Dark Brown Chernozemic or Solonetzic associated with sandy to 

clayey lacustrine deposits that developed under prairie grassland influences. 

The vegetation of the Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion is similar to the drier Mixed 

Grassland Ecoregion but is characterized by greater biomass production and a greater 

abundance of species that favour cooler and moister sites. Species such as western 

porcupine grass (Stipa curtiseta Hitchc.), needle-and-thread grass, western wheat grass 

(Agropyron smithii (Rydb.)), and northern wheat grass are more common than occurs 

farther south. A western wheat grass–northern wheat grass community occurs widely 

at mesic sites, whereas fine-textured soils in glacial-lake basins are characterized by 

northern wheat grass–June grass communities. On drier, exposed sites, blue grama is more 

common. More deciduous shrubs such as buckbrush, chokecherry, wolf willow, wild rose, 

and Saskatoon are present here (Fig. 12) than in the Mixed Grassland Ecoregion. The 

most abundant species among the forbs and shrubs throughout the region is pasture sage. 

Although this ecoregion does not extend into Manitoba, patches of grasslands similar 

to those found in the Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion can be found among the aspen 

parkland forests of the southwestern part of the province. 

Major communities in this ecoregion include Fort Macleod, Lethbridge, Drumheller, 

Biggar, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Regina, Estevan, and Weyburn. 

Fescue Grassland Ecoregion 

This ecoregion lies to the west of the Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion in southwestern 

Alberta (Fig. 2) along the eastern face of the Rocky Mountain foothills. It is a small 

but ecologically important ecoregion that is dominated by rough fescue grass (Festuca 

campestris Rydb.) (Aiken and Darbyshire 1990; Aiken et al. 1997). Most ecologists 

consider fescue grasslands to be restricted to this part of the province (Doormaar and 

Willms 1990). However, intermittent patches of fescue also occur along the northern edge 

of the Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion and within the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion in 

Alberta and Saskatchewan and in southwestern Manitoba. Some ecologists consider this

11 

12 


Figs. 11 and 12. Typical habitats of the Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion. Fig. 11. Mixed grass west of Lethbridge 

near Standoff on the Blood Indian Reserve. Fig. 12. Mixed grass north of Saskatoon showing dense grasses and 

deciduous shrubs such as buckbrush, chokecherry, wolf willow, and Saskatoon near some stunted aspen poplars. 

Photographs by the author.


to be evidence of a second Fescue Grassland Ecoregion (Coupland and Brayshaw 1953). 

However, this chapter adopts the view that the Fescue Grassland Ecoregion is restricted to 

southwestern Alberta. 

The Fescue Grassland Ecoregion covers just over 1.3 million ha (approximately 

2%) of Alberta’s total land area. Most of the ecoregion consists of rolling, hummocky, 

dissected till left by glaciation. This ecoregion occurs largely on morainal, glaciolacustrine, 

and outwash deposits along the lower flanks of the foothills at the base of the Rocky 

Mountains and in the Porcupine Hills, the Milk River Ridge, and adjacent plains areas. 

Thus, the ecoregion exists primarily as a narrow band between the Moist Mixed Grassland 

Ecoregion to the east and the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion to the northwest in the foothills. 

The largest of the remaining patches of the Fescue Grassland Ecoregion are in Waterton 

Lakes National Park (Fig. 13) and the McIntyre Ranch (Fig. 14) on the Milk River Ridge 

south of Magrath. Disjunct areas of rough fescue also grow on the lower slopes of the 

Sweetgrass Hills, near the Alberta–Montana border, and on the plateaux of the Cypress 

Hills (see previous section). Elevations in this subregion are much higher than in the other 

two grassland ecoregions. 

Climate in southwestern Alberta is characterized by warm summers, and winters are 

milder than those of the Mixed Grassland and Moist Mixed Grassland ecoregions because 

of the moderating affects of chinook winds. The mean annual temperature is approximately 

3.5 °C, with a mean summer temperature of 14 °C and a mean winter temperature of −8 °C. 

Mean annual precipitation ranges from 400 to 500 mm. Greater snowfall occurs in late 

winter and early spring. The majority of precipitation falls during the growing season. 

The soils of this subregion are predominantly Dark Brown and Black Chernozems. 

Solonetzic soils are absent. The rich soils throughout the region led early farmers to quickly 

convert most of the area into croplands and pastures. 

Alberta has the largest area of rough fescue grassland in the world (Doormaar and 

Willms 1990). Rough fescue grasslands are among the most productive grasslands in 

North America (Doormaar and Willms 1990; Willms et al. 1996), providing valuable 

forage for native and non-native ungulates (Stout et al. 1981; Willms 1987). These 

grasslands have high spring protein and digestible carbohydrate content and are the main 

reason bison once overwintered here. Unfortunately, the fescue grasslands are some of 

the most threatened plant communities in the Canadian prairies. Concern about their 

loss as a result of development, woodland encroachment, the introduction of exotic 

species, and overgrazing has increased because only 5% of the grasslands remain in presettlement 

condition. 

Rough fescue was declared Alberta’s provincial grass in 2003. Although scientists 

are in disagreement (see Pavlick and Looman 1984; Harms 1985), rough fescue has been 

described as a complex of three species: mountain rough fescue (Festuca scabrella), 

plains rough fescue (F. hallii (Vasey) Piper), and northern rough fescue (F. altaica Trin. ex 

Ledeb). If this interpretation is valid, the province is the only jurisdiction in North America 

with three co-occurring species of rough fescue, which converge in southwestern Alberta, 

reflecting a pattern of recolonization following glaciation. 

Mountain rough fescue is also named foothills rough fescue and buffalo bunchgrass. 

This last name refers to the fondness of bison for this grass. It is a perennial bunchgrass 

(growing in dense tufts) with stiff, narrow leaves (

13 

14 


Figs. 13 and 14. Typical habitats of the Fescue Grassland Ecoregion. Fig. 13. Hummocky, glacial moraine in 

the foothills at the base of the Rocky Mountains in Waterton Lakes National Park. Fig. 14. Habitat with dense 

forbs and fescue grasses on the McIntyre Ranch south of Magrath on the south side of the Milk River Ridge. 

Photographs by the author.


Manitoba and North Dakota. This fescue is a dominant species in the grasslands associated 

with the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion north of the Moist Mixed Grassland of Alberta and 

Saskatchewan (Pavlick and Looman 1984; Harms 1985; Aiken and Darbyshire 1990). 

Northern rough fescue occurs from the Rocky Mountains of west-central Alberta and eastcentral 

British Columbia north through the Yukon to Alaska and into central Asia. It grows 

in open woods and moist meadows and dominates ridgetop grasslands in Alberta’s Rocky 

Mountain subalpine regions. Mountain rough fescue and plains rough fescue are believed 

to have evolved under winter grazing by bison. Bluebunch fescue (F. idahoensis Elmer), 

with a range centred in western Montana, also occurs in Alberta’s foothills north of Calgary 

(Looman 1983). 

The northern fescue grasslands associated with the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion occur in 

an arc passing through Drumheller and Coronation and into Saskatchewan. Compared with 

the mixedgrass prairie, plant assemblages here have higher species richness for both grasses 

and forbs (Rowe and Coupland 1984) than does the Moist Mixed Grassland Ecoregion to 

the south. Fescue grasslands in the southern prairies have a greater variety and cover of 

forbs than occurs in the Mixed and Moist Mixed Grassland ecoregions. 

Major communities in the Fescue Grassland Ecoregion include High River, Pincher 

Creek, and Cardston (Fig. 3). 

Aspen Parkland Ecoregion 

The Aspen Parkland Ecoregion is a north–south transition zone between the dry grasslands 

to the south and the boreal forest to the north. It stretches in a broad arc from southwestern 

Alberta northward and then eastward through central and northwestern Alberta, central 

Saskatchewan, and central and southern Manitoba, including nearly all of southwestern 

Manitoba (Fig. 2). In southwestern Alberta, this ecoregion begins north of the Fescue 

Grassland Ecoregion in the foothills on the east side of the Rocky Mountains. The Aspen 

Parkland Ecoregion is no wider than 500 km, being widest in Alberta and southeastern 

Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba. It is also an east–west transition zone between 

the mountains and grasslands in southwestern Alberta. 

In its native state, the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion is characterized by a mosaic of 

trembling aspen (Farrar 1995) found in groves in its southern extent (Fig. 15). Aspen form 

thicker stands in more central and northern parts of the ecoregion (Fig. 16), interspersed 

with northern and plains rough fescues (Pavlick and Looman 1984) or moist mixedgrass 

prairie (Coupland 1961). Grasslands dominated by plains and northern fescue (see 

previous section) are found in open areas between groves in the southern and central parts 

of the ecoregion and then in intermittent patches in more northern parts. A succession of 

gradually taller vegetation from grassland to forest is common in more northern regions 

(Fig. 17). Groves of bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa Michx.) are common in southeastern 

Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba in this ecoregion (Farrar 1995). With only a few 

exceptions, the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion is a uniquely Canadian ecoregion. 

The Aspen Parkland Ecoregion consists of two natural subregions, or sections, referred 

to as Central Parkland and Foothills Parkland. A third subregion of Aspen Parkland is in the 

Peace River Parkland district of northwestern Alberta and adjoining northeastern British 

Columbia. The Peace River Parkland is located in the Peace River region of the province 

and is completely surrounded by boreal forest, cut off from the Central Parkland. The Peace 

River Parkland is generally cooler than the Central Parkland but still supports grasslands 

and now extensive farmland. All three regions are ecologically similar, being distinguished 

mainly by their geographical location.

15 

16 


Figs. 15 and 16. Typical habitats of the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion. Fig. 15. Typical aspen grove near Onoway, 

Alberta. Fig. 16. Typical stand of aspen poplar showing grasses, forbs, and shrubs growing up to the edge of an 

aspen grove north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Photographs by the author.


17 

18 

Figs. 17 and 18. Habitats in the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion. Fig. 17. Fescue grasses, wild roses, and aspen 

encroaching on the grassland in Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan. Fig. 18. Aspen forests being 

cleared and burned east of Red Deer, Alberta. Photographs by the author.


The Central Parkland is the largest section and comprises the main band of aspen 

parkland extending west to east through central Alberta and Saskatchewan down to 

southwestern Manitoba. A continuum of grassland occurs from south to north within and 

around groves of aspen, to aspen parkland, to closed aspen forest in the north. True parkland 

vegetation with continuous aspen forest broken by grassland openings is now rare because 

of large-scale clearing and burning (Fig. 18). In much of the rest of the Central Parkland 

section, native vegetation is scarce because of agriculture. 

The southern part of the parkland is known as grove land, a region dominated by 

grasses but with scattered small clumps of aspens in depressions that collect moisture. As 

the moisture content of the soils increases to the north, so, too, does the abundance of trees 

until, at its northern limit, the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion can be a solid forest. This is a 

zone of constant competition between grassland and boreal vegetation trying to overtake 

one another. Today it is a checkerboard of cropland with a few surviving patches of original 

parkland in the Wainwright area, the Neutral and the Bodo hills, and the Sounding Lake 

sand plain. 

Climate throughout the Central Parkland is continental, with long, cold winters and 

short summers, which tend to be cool to warm. The mean annual temperature for the Central 

Parkland region is 2 °C, with a May-to-September average of 13 °C. The frost-free period 

averages 95 days. Mean annual precipitation is 350–450 mm, with a May-to-September 

average of 300 mm. Precipitation is generally lower than in the boreal forest but is still 

higher than in the grasslands to the south. 

Black and Dark Brown Chernozems predominate under grassland vegetation, whereas 

Dark Gray Chernozems and Luvisolic soils are most common under the moister aspen 

woodlands. Dark Brown Chernozems occur under woodland vegetation on sandy parent 

materials. A strip of Brown Solonetz soils runs through the centre of the subregion from 

Vegreville through Beaverhill Lake and into the Sullivan and Dowling lakes areas. 

Trembling aspen is a clonal species and is well-suited to parkland (Bird 1961). 

Trembling aspen can withstand fire by producing suckers from horizontal roots even if 

the “mother” tree is destroyed. The characteristic uniform height of trees in aspen groves 

reflects the common age of the individuals that likely developed from suckers after a 

disturbance. Aspen produce seeds every year, but reproduction is most often by vegetative 

suckering, or cloning. Suckers can appear 25 m from the parent plant and grow 3 m in a 

single year. Hence, aspen can quickly encroach upon grass-dominated areas after a fire. 

Aspen woodlands support a dense, entangled, species-rich understory (Fig. 16) of midsized 

and small shrubs such as red osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera Michx.), beaked 

willow (Salix bebbiana Sarg.), Saskatoon, and chokecherry. Roses and snowberry are also 

common shrubs in these grasslands. 

Most of the aspen parkland, like the prairies, has been extensively altered for 

agriculture over the last 100 years since settlement first began in the late 19th century. 

Of the 7.35 million original hectares of aspen parkland in Alberta, 90–95% has been 

altered or destroyed, primarily to support agriculture (Bird 1961). The same has occurred 

in Saskatchewan. Although the climate is generally cooler in this part of Alberta and 

Saskatchewan than it is farther south, it is still mild and dry enough to support large-scale 

farming. Most of the agricultural land is used for growing canola, alfalfa, and wheat. Most 

remaining stands of original parkland are less than 1,000 ha and are on marginal soils. Oil and 

natural gas exploration and drilling have also disturbed the natural habitat in many areas. 

The Aspen Parkland Ecoregion in Manitoba occupies the southwestern corner of 

the province in an area nestled between Riding and Duck mountains. It forms part of the


extensive parkland belt between the closed boreal forest cover to the north and northeast 

and treeless grasslands to the west and is a mosaic of trembling aspen, oak groves, and 

rough fescue grasslands. The region slopes gently eastward and is drained by the Souris, 

Assiniboine, Qu’Appelle, and Pembina rivers (Fig. 4). The average annual precipitation in 

the area is about 500 mm. Trembling aspen and shrubs occur on moist sites, with bur oak 

and grassland communities occupying drier sites. Dominant grasses here include fescues, 

wheat grass, and June grass. Patches of the tallgrasses such as big bluestem (Andropogon 

gerardii Vitman), once more common south of Winnipeg, are also found in some areas. 

Of ecological interest is the Shilo area east of Brandon, bordered by the Assiniboine 

River on the south and the Manitoba Escarpment on the east, with the Spruce Woods 

Provincial Forest and Spruce Woods Provincial Park to the north. Here white spruce is 

associated with a ground cover of mostly mixed prairie grasses. Large tracts of fine to 

medium sands, deposited here by glacial meltwater, have been blown into hummocky 

dunes characterized by gentle to strong slopes. 

The historically important Criddle/Vane homestead is situated between Shilo and 

the Assiniboine River. Established in 1882 on a quarter section of virgin grassland that 

contained representatives of the Moist Mixed Grassland and the Lake Manitoba Plains 

ecoregions, it was the former home (Fig. 19) of Norman Criddle, one of Canada’s pioneers 

in entomology. Criddle began his acquaintance with the natural history of the grasslands 

and surrounding forests here, resulting in an enormous number of insect specimens 

labelled with “Aweme, Man., Norman Criddle” in various museums. He established the 

first entomological field station (Fig. 20) in western Canada at the site, which now has been 

designated as part of the Manitoba Provincial Park system. A local historical society has 

renovated the field station. 

The homestead and its surroundings are important because of the broad array of 

information associated with them (Roughley 2000). The Criddles operated a weather 

station, which provided one of the longest continuous records of weather in Canada. They 

made observations and collections of plants and animals, including insects. The natural 

history of the area has likely been studied more intensively than any other locality in 

Canada. It has been the site of important ecological studies, including the interaction 

among fire, fire frequency, and competition within the plant communities (Wilson and 

Shay 1990; Shay et al. 2001). A list and website has been developed for the insects 

collected at Aweme, which by 2004, contained about 2,000 species records and could 

well reach 3,000–4,000 records. 

Two additional areas within the southwestern Manitoba Aspen Parkland Ecoregion are 

collectively known as the Southwest Manitoba Uplands Ecoregion. This ecoregion consists 

of two distinct uplands: the Turtle Mountain Upland, straddling the border with the United 

States in the southwestern portion of the province, and the Pembina Hills Upland located in 

south-central Manitoba. Prior to settlement, the hills were primarily woodland composed of 

trembling aspen and bur oak, with the latter on the drier and warmer slopes. Very dry sites 

on the hills had shrubs with grasses and herbs as ground cover. The Pembina Hills, which 

rise about 200 m above the adjacent Manitoba Plain to the east, is a warmer subdivision and 

outlier of the Boreal Ecoclimatic Region in Manitoba. The Turtle Mountain Ecodistrict is 

an outlier of the Boreal Plains Ecozone to the north and is a prominent wooded upland. The 

vegetation is largely intact and consists of deciduous trees and shrubs with an undergrowth 

of herbs and grasses. 

The cities of Edmonton and Saskatoon are the largest cities completely in the Aspen 

Parkland Ecoregion (Fig. 3). Winnipeg is bordered by tallgrass prairie to the west and south

19 

20 


Figs. 19 and 20. The historically important homestead of the Criddle family southeast of Brandon, Manitoba. Fig. 

19. Remnant patch of tallgrass grassland in a pasture to the south of the Criddle farmhouse. Fig. 20. Remains of 

Norman Criddle’s entomological field laboratory as it was in 2000, in bur oak forest to the west of the farmhouse. 

The laboratory has since been renovated by a local historical society. Photographs by the author.


and Calgary is bordered by grasslands to the east and the Foothills Parkland to the west. 

Other communities include Red Deer, Lloydminster, North Battleford, and Humboldt. 

The communities of Brandon and Souris are in the Manitoba part of the ecoregion. Elk 

Island National Park in Alberta is near the middle of the ecoregion, whereas Prince Albert 

National Park in Saskatchewan is in the northern part of the ecoregion. 

Lake Manitoba Plain Ecoregion 

No living man will see again the long-grass prairie, where a sea of prairie flowers 

lapped at the stirrups of the pioneer. 

—Aldo Leopold, 1949 

The Lake Manitoba Plain Ecoregion stretches northwestward from the southern border 

with North Dakota to Dauphin west of Lake Manitoba (Fig. 2). The Manitoba Escarpment 

near Morden marks the eastern edge of the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion approximately 

110 km southwest of Winnipeg, which is the start of the Lake Manitoba Plain Ecoregion. 

The area where tallgrasses were once found occupies the southern half of this ecoregion 

stretching northward from the border to Winnipeg and westward to Morden. This region is 

the northern extension of the true North American tallgrass prairie, which stretches south 

into the United States to Texas (Risser et al. 1981; Madson 1982; Reichman 1987; Kucera 

1992; Madson and Oberle 1993). Before settlement, the entire ecoregion in Canada was a 

mosaic of trembling aspen, oak groves, and tallgrass grasslands. 

The Lake Manitoba Plain is the lowest and most level of three prairie steppes. It 

is covered by glacial till and by silts and clays, making it lower and smoother than the 

Saskatchewan Plain to the west. Slopes range from level to less than 2% and are smooth 

and long. Sandy, ancient beaches parallel to the escarpment indicate former shorelines of 

glacial Lake Agassiz (Mayer-Oakes 1967). Heavy clay sediments that settled in the deep 

waters of Lake Agassiz that once covered the Red River Valley are found to the east. The 

Red River meanders northward through the ecoregion and empties into Lake Winnipeg 

(Fig. 4), a remnant of former glacial Lake Agassiz. Major tributaries of the Red River are 

the Morris, La Salle, and Assiniboine rivers flowing from the west (Fig. 4) and the Roseau, 

Rat, and Seine rivers, which flow from the east. The Red River Valley is characterized 

by extensive deep, clayey glaciolacustrine glacial lake sediments. These deposits are 

dominantly poorly drained Gleysolic, clay soils characterized by black surface horizons 

with a high organic content. The heavy clay tends to remain wet for some time in the 

spring. Nearly all of these soils are now cultivated and are some of the most productive 

soils found in western Canada. Soils to the north and northwest are Chernozemic. 

The native vegetation in the western and northern parts of this ecoregion once 

consisted of aspen and fescue grasses and many shrubs. In the southern regions, 

extensive stands of tallgrasses grew, along with groves of bur oak (Fig. 21), meadow 

prairie grass, and meadow grass communities, depending on the drainage conditions. 

Fires burning into bur oak-dominated stands maintained the large oaks with a grassy 

understory (Reichman 1987). 

Tallgrass prairie is one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America, with less 

than 1% remaining (Madson and Oberle 1993; Noss et al. 1995). In Manitoba, the natural 

vegetation throughout this ecoregion has largely disappeared as a result of cultivation, the 

reduction in frequency of prairie fires, and the development of an extensive network of 

drainage ditches. The original 6,000 km 2 of tallgrass prairie of the Red River Basin is today

21 

22 


Figs. 21 and 22. Typical remnant patches of bur oak in the Lake Manitoba Plain Ecoregion. Fig. 21. Patch of 

tallgrass prairie at a site near Tolstoi protected by the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Fig. 22. Patch of remnant 

tallgrass prairie alongside a highway in the southeast part of the province. Photographs by the author.


reduced to about 4 km 2 , or about 0.07% of its former area. Recent efforts to identify all 

remaining tallgrass prairie in Manitoba located only 81 ha of prime prairie, as well as 220 

ha of mostly atypical examples, all of it under private ownership. Some of these lands have 

recently received protection under the province’s Critical Wildlife Habitat Program and 

the Manitoba Naturalists Society’s Prairie Patron Program. Small pockets remain near the 

Canada–US border (Fig. 22) in poorly drained locales that were not broken. Some small 

patches with tallgrasses remain as far west as the Criddle/Vane homestead (Fig. 19). Three 

blocks totalling about 2,400 ha near Tolstoi and Gardenton in the south (Fig. 21) have been 

purchased and are maintained by The Nature Conservancy of Canada. The southern block 

contains large, deep marshes, whereas the northern block is drier with scattered sedge 

meadows. The central block is a mix of small prairie openings with large tracts of aspen 

and oak. Manitoba’s tallgrass prairie is considered somewhat different from the tallgrass in 

the United States because it once thrived on poorly drained lowland exposed after glacial 

Lake Agassiz drained. 

The Living Prairie Museum, within the city limits of Winnipeg (Fig. 23), is 12 ha 

of tallgrass prairie and is home to over 160 species of prairie plants. It is periodically 

burned, as fire is necessary to sustain tallgrass ecosystems, and has become a popular 

ecotourism destination. Another urban site, known as the St. Charles Rifle Range, owned 

by the Department of National Defence, is also within the city limits of Winnipeg (see 

Chapters 10 and 11). Today, tallgrass prairie is difficult to identify in some remaining 

sites because heavy grazing has caused the invasion of alien species and, in the absence 

of fire, western snowberry, smooth bromegrass, and aspen poplar commonly overtake 

the sites. 

The Lake Manitoba Plain Ecoregion is the warmest and most humid in the Canadian 

prairies, with an annual temperature of around 2.5 °C. The mean summer temperature is 

16 °C and the mean winter temperature is −12.5 °C. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 

450 to 700 mm. 

The dominant species of grass in the tallgrass remnants are big bluestem, switch 

grass (Panicum virgatum L.), Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash), little bluestem 

(Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash), Canada wild rye, and northern wheat grass 

(Scott 1995). Big bluestem is a tall, warm-season, sod-forming, highly nutritious grass that 

flourishes under a wide range of conditions. Its colour ranges from bluish-green in summer 

to reddish-brown in fall (Figs. 19, 21, and 22). It grows 1–2 m tall and has a fibrous root 

system down to 2 m. Switch grass is most common on prairie lowlands. However, this 

warm-season, sod-forming grass is also found in small upland patches. Its ability to remain 

in an upright position in snow makes for excellent winter habitat for wildlife. Indian grass 

is also a tall, warm-season, sod-forming grass that grows on a variety of soils and provides 

nutritious forage. It grows to a height of 2 m. Little bluestem is a medium-height, warmseason 

bunchgrass common on prairie uplands. In fall and winter, its reddish-brown colour 

makes it one of the most beautiful grasses on the prairie. Though rarely growing taller than 

1 m, it has a dense root system that may reach 2 m deep. 

A distinctive feature of the Lake Manitoba Plain Ecoregion is the riparian forests of 

deciduous trees (Looman and Best 1987). Driving across the flat lowlands of the Lake 

Agassiz basin, one comes across what appears to be an abrupt forest margin, which is often 

only 100–200 m of trees surrounding the banks of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. Dominant 

trees here are American white elm (Ulmus americana L.), basswood (Tilia americana L.), 

green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.), Manitoba maple (Acer negundo L.), and many 

species of Salix.

23 

24 


Figs. 23 and 24. Urban tallgrass and grassland near Peace River, Alberta. Fig. 23. Remnant patch of tallgrass 

prairie within the city of Winnipeg. Note that the site to the right of the patch was burned the previous year. Fig. 24. 

Typical grassy plain in the Peace Lowland Ecoregion west of Peace River, Alberta. Photographs by the author.


Major communities in the Lake Manitoba Plain Ecoregion include Winnipeg, Portage 

la Prairie, Emerson, and Dauphin. 

Boreal Plains Ecozone 

The Boreal Plains Ecozone lies north of the Prairies Ecozone (Fig. 1) and is mostly covered 

with either deciduous or coniferous forests. However, intermittent patches of grasslands 

are found throughout the southern part of the ecozone, such as within the Prince Albert 

National Park (Fig. 17), north of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. The most significant of these 

grasslands occurs in northwestern Alberta and adjoining northeastern British Columbia, an 

ecoregion known as the Peace Lowland (Fig. 1). 

The Boreal Plains Ecozone is part of the flat Interior Plains of Canada, a northern 

extension of the Great Plains of North America, and belongs to the vast boreal forest biome 

that extends across Canada. It occupies a land area of about 67.9 million ha extending from 

Alberta to Manitoba in a wide band from the Peace River district of British Columbia in 

the northwest to the southeastern corner of Manitoba (Fig. 1). Unlike the neighbouring 

Boreal Shield to the east, this ecozone is not bedrock controlled and has few rock outcrops 

and considerably fewer lakes. It comprises nine ecoregions, but only the one known as the 

Peace Lowland (Fig. 24) will be discussed here. 

The subdued relief of this ecozone consists of low-lying valleys and flat plains. Most 

of the major rivers have their origin in the Rockies and flow east across the ecozone and 

are the products of rainfall, snowmelt, and glacial runoff at their headwaters. About 7% of 

the ecozone is covered by fresh water, with Lake Winnipeg and Lake Winnipegosis being 

the largest lake basins. 

The climate of the Boreal Plains Ecozone is influenced by its location in the heart of 

North America. The Rocky Mountains to the west block moisture-bearing winds from the 

Pacific. The result is short, warm summers and long, cold winters. Mean annual temperatures 

vary between −2 and 2 °C; summer mean temperatures range from 13 to 15 °C and winter 

mean temperatures range from −17.5 to −11 °C. Northern Alberta receives an average of 

300 mm precipitation annually, whereas southwestern Manitoba receives 625 mm. The 

annual precipitation throughout the ecozone is greater than the evaporation rate, resulting in 

surplus moisture of up to 100 mm near the southern edge of the ecozone and up to 300 mm 

in the northern and foothills regions. 

Soils of the forested areas of the ecozone are mostly imperfectly drained Gray Luvisols 

developed in loamy conditions under a forest canopy. Soils of the grassland areas in the 

Peace River District and other areas to the east in Saskatchewan and Manitoba are Dark 

Gray Chernozemics. 

Coniferous and deciduous trees cover about 84% of the Boreal Plains Ecozone and 

forestry is the primary industry. Common conifers are white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) 

Voss) and black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.)), balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.)), jack pine 

(Pinus banksiana Lamb.), and tamarack (Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch). The deciduous 

trees are aspen poplar (Populus tremuloides Michx.), balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera 

L.), and white birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.). Less than 20% of the land area is devoted 

to agriculture. Precipitation and surface and groundwater sources are more than adequate 

to meet agricultural demand. This ecozone has traditionally been viewed by some people 

as the next untapped resource frontier. However, the exploration, production, and delivery 

of oil and gas products in the area, along with the removal of trees for lumbering and 

pulp and paper, has resulted in vast roads, railways, and pipeline networks and thousands


of kilometres of seismic exploration lines cut through the forests, providing access to 

previously remote areas. Even so, the relative remoteness and absence of large population 

centres has resulted in little comprehensive ecological study in this ecozone. 

Peace Lowland Ecoregion 

The Peace Lowland Ecoregion is located in northwestern Alberta and northeastern British 

Columbia (Fig. 1). It is composed of gently undulating or sloping lands of mostly till 

deposits associated with the Peace River and its tributaries. Isolated patches of grasslands 

(Fig. 24) are found throughout the region in close proximity to trembling aspen and balsam 

poplar, an understory of mixed herbs, and tall shrubs. The aspen and balsam poplars are 

in turn surrounded by coniferous forests. Grasslands throughout this ecoregion are more 

fragmented than those in the Aspen Parkland Ecoregion. The rivers in this ecoregion are 

incised up to 300 m in the foothills of northeastern British Columbia, where the elevation 

of the valleys is about 750 m. 

This region has shorter, cooler summers and longer, colder winters than does the Aspen 

Parkland Ecoregion to the south. The mean annual temperature is 0.5 °C. The mean summer 

temperature is 13 °C and the mean winter temperature is −14 °C. The frost-free period 

averages about 95 days each year. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 350 to 600 mm. 

Clayey lacustrine deposits are the predominant parent material, along with finetextured 

tills and significant areas of sandy fluvial deposits. Gray Luvisols are the 

predominant soil types, but the abundant vegetative understory and restricted drainage 

have resulted in an abundance of Dark Gray Luvisols, with some Chernozemic and 

Solonetzic soils in the Alberta portion. About 45% of the area is farmland, with annual 

small grains and grasses dominating. 

Grasslands here are dominated by sedges, intermediate oat grass (Danthonia intermedia 

Vasey), western porcupine grass (Stipa curtiseta Hitchc.), bearded wheat grass (Elymus 

caninus (L.)), inland bluegrass (Poa nemoralis L.), old man’s whiskers (Geum triflorum 

Pursh), and low goldenrod (Solidago nana Nutt.). Moss (1952) recorded 154 species of 

vascular plants in the area comprising 29 grasses, 9 sedges, and 96 forbs. Grasslands on 

steep, south-facing slopes along river valleys are dominated by western porcupine grass 

(Stipa curtiseta Hitch), sedges, and pasture sage (Artemisia frigida Willd.). Other common 

species include Columbia needlegrass (Achnatherum nelsonii (Scribn.) Barkworth), June 

grass (Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schult.), and green needlegrass (Nassella viridula 

(Trin.) Barkworth). Many of the grasslands are dotted with willow groves and dense 

thickets of western snowberry (Symphoricarpos occidentalis Hook.) and wild roses (Rosa 

acicularis Lindl. and Rosa woodsii Lindl.). 

The isolated grasslands of the Peace Lowland Ecoregion are remarkable for the presence 

and disjunct occurrence of species that have a more southerly or westerly distribution, 

including prickly-pear cactus Opuntia polyacantha Haw., Richardson’s needlegrass 

(Achnatherum richardsonii (Link) Barkworth), short-stemmed thistle (Cirsium drummondii 

Torr. and A. Gray), and groundsel (Senecio vulgaris L.). Moss (1952) suggested that the 

Peace River grasslands are remnants of a past period of prolonged warmth and dryness, 

between 8,000 and 4,000 years ago, and that the region may have been connected with the 

grasslands of south-central Alberta. 

The main part of the ecoregion is in the Grande Prairie and Peace River areas of 

Alberta, with smaller areas as far north as Fort Vermilion. In British Columbia, grasslands 

are found near Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. Other communities on the Alberta side 

include Fairview and Manning.


Acknowledgements 

I thank Léo Larivière of the Department of Geography at Laurentian University for drawing 

the map showing grasslands of Canada and David Larson for his suggestions on improving 

the text. Funds to visit various sites mentioned in this chapter were provided by an NSERC 

Discovery Grant and Laurentian University. 

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