Canadian Arctic
Canada's Ecozones
An ecozone is an area where organisms and their physical environment form a system.
Most of the features which are used to determine an ecozone are normally thought of as natural—landforms, soils, water features, vegetation and climate. However, where human activities are extensive and are key to sustaining the character of the area, they must also be considered a factor.
“The Terrestrial Ecozones of Canada” is a nationwide ecological framework developed by Environment Canada so that people in different areas, jurisdictions and disciplines share a common standardized geographical reference.
This framework consists of 15 ecozones. Within these are 194 ecoregions.
Arctic Cordillera
This ecozone incorporates vast polar ice fields and has some of the most spectacular alpine glacier scenery in the world.
Massive ice caps and glaciers mask many of the rugged mountains. Some of Canada's highest but least-known peaks are found here, towering over U-shaped valleys and deep fiords that extend many kilometres inland.
This Arctic Cordillera occupies the northeastern fringe of the Northwest Territories and Labrador. These represent the only major mountainous ranges of Canada outside the western Cordillera.
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Atlantic Maritime
The Atlantic Maritime ecozone covers all of the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
Mixed-wood Acadian forests, sand dunes stretched along seaboards, and coastal islands are some of the unique ecosystems of the Atlantic Maritime ecozone.
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Boreal Cordillera
This ecozone is located in the midsection of the Cordilleran system. It covers sections of northern British Columbia and southern Yukon.
Consisting of extensive mountains and valleys separated by wide lowlands, this ecozone spans 444,000 square kilometres.
The Boreal Cordillera ecozone contains most of Yukon's population. Whitehorse is the largest centre with a population of 23,000, while the entire ecozone is
An ecozone is an area where organisms and their physical environment form a system.
Most of the features which are used to determine an ecozone are normally thought of as natural—landforms, soils, water features, vegetation and climate. However, where human activities are extensive and are key to sustaining the character of the area, they must also be considered a factor.
“The Terrestrial Ecozones of Canada” is a nationwide ecological framework developed by Environment Canada so that people in different areas, jurisdictions and disciplines share a common standardized geographical reference.
This framework consists of 15 ecozones. Within these are 194 ecoregions.
Arctic Cordillera
This ecozone incorporates vast polar ice fields and has some of the most spectacular alpine glacier scenery in the world.
Massive ice caps and glaciers mask many of the rugged mountains. Some of Canada's highest but least-known peaks are found here, towering over U-shaped valleys and deep fiords that extend many kilometres inland.
This Arctic Cordillera occupies the northeastern fringe of the Northwest Territories and Labrador. These represent the only major mountainous ranges of Canada outside the western Cordillera.
Back to map
Atlantic Maritime
The Atlantic Maritime ecozone covers all of the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
Mixed-wood Acadian forests, sand dunes stretched along seaboards, and coastal islands are some of the unique ecosystems of the Atlantic Maritime ecozone.
Back to map
Boreal Cordillera
This ecozone is located in the midsection of the Cordilleran system. It covers sections of northern British Columbia and southern Yukon.
Consisting of extensive mountains and valleys separated by wide lowlands, this ecozone spans 444,000 square kilometres.
The Boreal Cordillera ecozone contains most of Yukon's population. Whitehorse is the largest centre with a population of 23,000, while the entire ecozone is