Classification

• Province: Laurentian Mixed Forest
  • Section: Northern Superior Uplands
    • Subsection: Border Lakes
• System: Fire Dependent Woodland

Description:

• The Alder/Willow Wetland, about 2.5% of the BWCAW by surface area
• Slow moving subsurface water with dense, nearly impenetrable cover of tall shrubs
• Signature Species
• Speckled Alder, Alnus incana
• Willows, Salix spp.

Indicator
Species:

Trees

• Black Spruce, Picea mariana
• Jack Pine, Pinus banksiana
• Balsam Fir, Abies balsamea
• Quaking Aspen, Populus tremuloides
• Paper Birch, Betula papyrifera
• White Spruce, Picea glauca

Shrubs

• Moose Maple, Acer spicatum
• Bunchberry, Cornus canadensis
• Beaked Hazel, Corylus cornuta
• Low Bush Honeysuckle, Diervilla lonicera
• Trailing Arbutus, Epigea repens
• Twinflower, Linnaea borealis
• Late Low Blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium

Herbs

• Wild Sarsaparilla, Aralia nudicaulis
• Large Leaf Aster, Aster macrophyllus
• Moccasin Flower, Cypripedium acaule
• Canada Mayflower, Maianthemum canadense
• Grasses and Sedges

Ground Cover

• Dicranum Mosses, Dicranum spp
• Running Clubmoss, Lycopodium clavatum
• Schreber's Feathermoss, Pleurozium schreberi
• Hair Cap Moss, Polystrichum commune

Plants of the Fir/Birch Community

Trees

• Balsam Fir, Abies balsamea
• Paper Birch, Betula papyrifera
• Black Spruce, Picea mariana
• White Cedar, Thuja occidentalis
• White Spruce, Picea glauca
• Quaking Aspen, Populus tremuloides

Shrubs

• Moose Maple, Acer spicatum
• Bunchberry, Cornus canadensis
• Beaked Hazel, Corylus cornuta
• Low Bush Honeysuckle, Diervilla lonicera
• Twinflower, Linnaea borealis
• Dewberry, Rubus flagellaris

Herbs

• Wild Sarsaparilla, Aralia nudicaulis
• Large Leaf Aster, Aster macrophyllus
• Blue Bead Lily, Clintonia borealis
• Canada Mayflower, Maianthemum canadense
• Sweet Bedstraw, Galium spp.
• Rose Twisted Stalk, Streptopus rosea
• Starflower, Trientalis borealis
• Violets, Viola spp
• Grasses and Sedges

Ground Cover

• Dicranum Mosses, Dicranum spp
• Ground Pine Clubmoss, Lycopodiumobscurum
• Schreber's Feathermoss, Pleurozium schreberi

Plants of the Upland White Cedar Community

Trees

• White Cedar, Thuja occidentalis
• Balsam Fir, Abies balsamea
• Paper Birch, Betula papyrifera
• White Spruce, Picea glauca

Tall Shrubs

• Moose Maple, Acer spicatum
• Red Osier Dogwood, Cornus sericea
• American Yew, Taxus canadensis

Short Shrubs

• Bunchberry, Cornus canadensis
• Twinflower, Linnaea borealis
• Dewberry, Rubus flagellaris
• Thimbleberry, Rubus parvifolia

Herbs

• Wild Sarsaparilla, Aralia nudicaulis
• Large Leaf Aster, Aster macrophyllus
• Blue Bead Lily, Clintonia borealis
• Gold Thread, Coptis trifolia
• Sweet Bedstraw, Galium
• Canada Mayflower, Maianthemum canadense
• Bishop's Cap, Mitella nuda
• One Flowered Pyrola, Moneses uniflora
• One Sided Pyrola, Pyrola secunda
• Rose Twisted Stalk, Streptopus rosea
• Starflower, Trientalis borealis
• Violets, Viola spp.
• Grasses and Sedges

Ground Cover

• Dicranum Mosses, Dicranum spp
• Clubmosses, Lycopodium spp
• Schreber's Feathermoss, Pleurozium schreberi
• Other Feathermosses,

Landform & Topography:

Soils & Hydrology:

Identification:

• The Spruce/Fir Forest, about 20% of the BWCAW by surface area
• The cool moist circumpolar spruce/fir forest of the north
• Signature Species
  • Balsam Fir, Abies balsamea
  • White Spruce, Picea glauca
  • Paper Birch, Betula papyrifera
• Sub-types
  • The Black Spruce/Feathermoss Community
  • The Fir/Birch Community
  • The Upland White Cedar Community

• Spruce Grouse, Dendragapus canadensis
• Great Grey Owl, Strix nebulosa
• Chickadees,
• Nuthatches,
• Pine Siskin, Carduelis pinus
• Ruby Crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula
• Gold Crowned Kinglet, Regulus satrapa
• Swainson's Thrush, Catharus ustulatus
• Northern Parula Warbler, Parula americana
• Magnolia Warbler, Dendroica magnolia
• Yellow Rumped Warbler, Dendroica coronata
• Black Throated Green Warbler, Dendroica virens
• Blackburnian Warbler, Dendroica fusca
• Bay Breasted Warbler, Dendroica castanea
• Cape May Warbler, Dendroica tigrina
• Ovenbird, Seiurus aurocapillus
• White Throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis
• Dark Eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis
• Red Crossbill, Loxia curvirostra
• White Winged Crossbill, Loxia leucoptera
• Evening Grosbeak, Hesperiphona vespertina
• Pine Grosbeak, Pinicola enucleator

• Moose, Alces alces
• Snowshoe Hare, Lepus americanus
• Red Squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Natural
History

• History

Other
Communities:

Last updated on 30 June, 2004