Boreal Hardwood Transition
(Area - 26,512,396 ha)
Description - As the name implies, this area is a transition
zone between the mixed hardwood forest to the south and the boreal forest to the north.
Northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan are in this physiographic area, as is much of
southern Ontario and a small area of southeast Manitoba. The Great Lakes are a prominent
ecological force in this area, affecting microclimates and forest community composition.
These forest communities are a heterogeneous matrix with various oaks, maples, birch, and
pines representing the southern element and spruces, tamarack, and balsam fir of boreal
origin. Aspen is a common early successional species throughout.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Conservation recommendations and needs - This area remains heavily forested, but the nature of that forest has changed substantially since European settlement. Because pre-settlement disturbances were rare, much of the forest was in a mature or old-growth condition. Within this transition zone between major forest types, small-scale environmental differences created an extremely varied mix of forest types. Timber harvest strategies have greatly reduced the average age of the forest and it has become much more homogeneous in both species composition and age. The habitat needs of priority forest birds in this system must be well-understood, and that knowledge assimilated into forest management techniques that will maintain an appropriate extent and diversity of conditions over large landscapes. Within the largely forested physiographic area lies the entire breeding range of Kirtland’s Warbler, and it is a very high priority to continue the intensive fire and cowbird control management underway there. Also, although they are limited in area in comparison to forest, wetland and grassland habitats are in need of conservation attention.
 Return to Physiographic Area Map |
 Return to Partners in Flight Home Page |