Garth Lenz

Boreal

   
This area, located in the extreme northwest of British Columbia, marks the western boundary of the boreal region. On the border of the Yukon and Southeast Alaska, the western flank of these mountains descends into Alaska's Tongass Rainforest and British Columbia's Great Bear Rainforest. Far from the Tar Sands, the greatest remaining coastal temperate and marine ecosystem is threatened by the proposal to build a 750 mile pipeline to pump 550,000 barrels a day of tar sands crude to the coast. Once there, it would be shipped to Asia through difficult to navigate waters where a relatively small B.C. Ferry ran aground and sunk in 2006.24
   
The boreal forest of northern Canada is perhaps the best and largest example of a largely intact forest ecosystem. Canada's boreal forest alone stores an amount of carbon equal to ten times the total annual global emissions from all fossil fuel consumption.20
     
  
The Caracajou River winds back and forth creating this oxbow of wetlands as it winds it way to join the Mackenzie flowing north to the Beaufort Sea. This region, almost entirely pristine, and the third largest watershed basin in the World, is the setting for the proposed Mackenzie Valley National Gas Pipeline to fuel the energy needs of the Alberta Oil Sands mega-project.24
   
The Tombstone Valley in the Northern Yukon. This is a portion of the winter range of the Porcupine Caribou herd. Although not nearly as well know as the breeding grounds in ANWR this area to is also threatened ny the possibility of mining and pipeline development.
   
     
  
Proposed Unesco World Heritage Site.Manitoba.
  
The forests along the north shore of Lake Superior represent the southern border of the boreal region in Ontario. The forests in this transitional zone are particularly beautiful in Autumn when they take on the more colorful characteristics of their predominantly deciduous neighbors of the south. It is estimated that only 10% of this southerly region of the Ontario's boreal forest remains as intact habitat.20
   
     
  
   
Clearwater River Alberta. The Clearwater flows into the Athabasca at Fort McMurray, in the heart of the Alberta Tar Sands.
   
Located immediately adjacent to a tar mine, forests and wetlands like this are key habitat for a variety of species. The Canadian boreal is the breeding ground and nursery for almost half of all bird species found in North America.20
     
  
A tributary of the Slave River winds its way through the vast Athabasca Delta, the world’s largest freshwater delta. A
  
The proposed Taku River Wilderness Area is nestled in the Northweat corner of B.C., bordered by Southeast Alaska and the Yukon. the Taku River meets the sea near Juneau, Alaska. It straddles the coastal range and comprises both boreal and coastal temperate forests. As one crosses the mountainm and descends into the valley, the boreal forests quickly give way to massive cedars, Sitka Spruce, and Western Hemlock as found in the neighboring Tongass Forest.
   
Big Bear Island Lake.Churchill River.Saskatchewan,Canada
     
  
Located just 70 miles downstream for the Alberta Tar Sands, it is threatened by toxins leaching from the tar ponds, as well as the approximately 250,000 olympic swimming pools of water annually drawn from the Athabasca River by the Alberta Tar Sands.20
   
Athabasca Delta
   
     
  
   
  
     
  
Proposed Taku River Wilderness Area.Northern B.C. near Alaska/Yukon Border. This area is threatened by the potential of a reopened mine and the building of an all-season industrial road. This road would cut through the traditional territory of the Taku River Tlingit, closely following their historic
  
  
Utikuma Lake,Northern Alberta.
     
  
North Shore of Lake Superior.Northern Ontario
   
  
Athabasca River and Delta
     
  
   
Located just 70 miles downstream from the Alberta Tar Sands, the Athabasca Delta is the world's largest freshwater delta. It lies at the convergence of North Americas four major flyways and is a critical stopover for migrating waterfowl and considered one of the most globally significant wetlands.20