Ecosystem Classification of the Northwest Territories
Northern landscapes, with their vast forests, numerous wetlands, bogs, lakes and rivers, play an important role in enhancing our environment by producing clean air and clean water. These landscapes can be grouped and described as smaller ecological regions (ecoregions), using several physical characteristics at a variety of scales.
The Northwest Territories (NWT) is developing an ecologically based landscape classification for environmental assessment, cumulative effects management, biodiversity monitoring and reporting, forest resource analysis and planning, wildlife habitat evaluation and conservation, and protected areas identification.
The NWT Ecosystem Classification Program began in 2004 – its purpose to revise the ecozones and ecoregions of the NWT, as they were defined under the national ecosystem classification system (A National Ecological Framework for Canada - 1996). The revision process recognises the need to obtain an updated and more relevant ecosystem classification that reflects best current information and analytic techniques, and that can be used to better manage natural resources in the NWT. Ecosystem classification revisions and mapping have been completed for three regions of the NWT (Taiga Plains, Taiga Shield, Cordillera). This work is due to be completed for the tundra regions of the mainland NWT (Southern Arctic) by early 2011. Ecosystem classification revisions and mapping for the remainder of the Northwest Territories (Arctic Islands) is expected to be completed by mid-2012.
Ecological classification and mapping for the NWT are presented within an ecoregion framework for continental North America that includes four levels, from very large level I ecoregions that represent ecosystems of global extent (biomes), to relatively small level IV ecoregions that may cover only a few hundred square kilometres.
Under the revised ecosystem classification, the NWT will include three level I ecoregions, nine level II ecoregions, 18 level III ecoregions and upwards of 150 level IV ecoregions.
For more information on completed NWT Ecosystem Classification projects:
Taiga Plains
Taiga Shield
Cordillera
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