Boreal wetlands are important areas for biodiversity and ecological services, such as maintaining water quality and supply and regulating global climate. Evergreen Park has a diversity of wetland types from graminoid fens to tamarack, conifer, mixedwood, and hardwood swamps! This impressive array of wetland types provides numerous opportunities for wetlands training, research and demonstrations. Explore this page to learn more about the wetlands at Evergreen Park and stay tuned for updates as we continue to learn about wetlands at Evergreen Park.
Wetland mapping
In 2016 Ducks Unlimited Canada’s (DUC) remote sensing team mapped wetlands at Evergreen Park using a combination of LiDAR, satellite imagery, and field data. Using the DUC Enhanced Wetland Classification nine wetland types have so far been identified within the mapped areas.
Why map wetlands?
It’s hard to manage what we don’t know. Wetlands in Canada’s north are abundant and diverse, and while they are very important ecosystems they can also be challenging to work in. Using desktop inventories and imagery, on-the-ground experience, or a combination of both to map wetlands can help us all better understand the areas we work in.
Mapping wetlands at Evergreen Park has helped us better understand the diversity of wetland types and will be important information for planning activities at the Boreal Wetland Centre. Information about wetland types and locations can help us decide the best areas to use for training, where to put certain types of demonstration, what research questions we may be able to address, where to put paths and access points, and many other important decisions.
Wetland diversity at Evergreen Park
Wetlands at Evergreen Park are changing
While we don’t know the cause, analysis of historical imagery from the 1960’s show that wetlands at Evergreen Park are changing. Areas that were once graminoid (grassy) fens show extensive shrub and tree growth. These changes have resulted in some of the interesting wetlands we see today, such as tamarack swamps with over a meter of organic soil!
Example of vegetation encroachment into graminoid fen from 1961 to 2016.
Example of vegetation encroachment into graminoid fen from 1961 to 2016.
What comes next?
There is lots more to learn about the wetlands at Evergreen Park. From mapping wetlands in other areas of the park, to better understanding peat depths, and exploring the drivers behind wetland change, we are excited to better understand this system. Contact us if you are interested in learning more about the wetlands at Evergreen Park.