Open left menu wood buffalo. The largest national park in North America is Wood Buffalo. What is Wood Buffalo National Park famous for?

Wood Buffalo

Wood Buffalo National Park is the largest not only in Canada, but throughout America. The park was created in 1922, much later than famous parks Canada. It stretches in the north-west of the country, 283 kilometers from south to north and 161 kilometers from west to east. The total area of ​​the national park is about 4.5 million hectares. The territory of the park is coniferous and mixed forests, meadows, open plains, in places swampy plains and tundra woodlands, numerous rivers and lakes. There are no roads, so Wood Buffalo serves as a safe haven for the only surviving herd of bison, for the preservation of which, in fact, the park was created. When Wood Buffalo was first created, there was only one herd of shaggy forest bison remaining, numbering 1,500 head. There is only one road for independent tourist excursions through the entire territory of the park, and travel conditions are strictly specified

The most interesting thing about the Wood Buffalo forests is the wood bison that has survived only here. From the high bank of the river, the sight of herds of these huge animals grazing in the valley makes an unforgettable impression. On the wide floodplains of the Peace and Athabasca Rivers, covered with rich water meadows, these ancient bulls find beautiful forest pastures. The abundance of turf and willow in the undergrowth of the poplar undergrowth, as well as the huge area of ​​sedge meadows, provides them with food in winter. The wood bison is, apparently, the original form that inhabited the vast expanses of Eurasia and America in the pre-glacial and glacial eras, the descendants of which were the ancestors of the steppe bison of America and the bison of Europe. Wood bison in northeastern Siberia went extinct just a few thousand years ago, but they survive here in northern Canada.

Wood Buffalo National Park, created in 1922, was given the main task of preserving wood bison, of which no more than one and a half thousand remained even then.

The Canadian bison reaches a height of about two meters, a length of up to three meters and weighs up to 900 kilograms. Bison were once found throughout the Great Plains of the United States and Canada. Now the distribution range of the steppe and forest varieties of bison is actually limited to the territory of Wood Buffalo Park.

During the European colonization of America, bison roamed the plains of the United States and Canada in large herds. At that time there were about 60 million of them. Indian tribes used them for food. Later, during the wars between the colonists and the Indians, bison were exterminated in such incredible numbers that by the end of the 19th century there were negligible numbers left. And they remained only thanks to the efforts of the New York Zoological Society.

In the second half of the 1920s, more than 6 thousand steppe bison were brought to national park Wood Buffalo. But this did not solve the problem: tuberculosis was introduced with new individuals, and free crossing of bison from two populations threatened the existence of the forest subspecies. Therefore, it was decided to maintain a purebred herd of wood bison in a secluded, isolated part of the national park. Thus, 18 animals were settled in a special reserve on the banks of the Mackenzie River. In addition, the habitat areas of forest and steppe bison were reliably divided.

Since 1925, the bison has been protected by law as a rare species. Therefore, its numbers are steadily growing. Thus, in 1950, 13 thousand steppe, forest and hybrid bison lived in Canada. This is the largest herd on the American continent. In 1959, the first 10 licenses for shooting bison in the vicinity of the park were already issued.

Wood Buffalo Park is an ideal place for bison: flooded sedge meadows, various shrubs and poplar undergrowth provide reliable food for the animal in summer and winter.

The park is also home to other wild animals: bears, lynxes, wolves. Quite a lot of moose and beavers, porcupines and skunks. There are more than 200 species of birds. The rarest species of white whooping cranes, of which there are only a few dozen left on earth. The dense wilds of the Wood Buffalo forest swamps are the only place where these huge birds, similar to our white cranes - the Siberian Crane, live in the tundra of Yakutia, nest. Whooping cranes also winter in one single place - in the marshy sea meadows of Texas. Previously, these cranes were more numerous and widespread, but due to the reduction of places suitable for their habitat and extermination by people in the past, these wonderful birds are now in danger of extinction.

It must be said that zoologists in Canada and the USA are doing everything possible to preserve birds. Their nesting and wintering areas are protected. During the migration of cranes, their migratory flocks are protected by following them on special planes. These efforts are bearing fruit, and last years the number of birds is growing. Recently, American zoologists began joint experiments on artificial incubation of eggs and raising chicks in Patuxent scientific center(USA). The necessary knowledge and skills for this were previously accumulated when raising chicks in ordinary North America sandhill crane, and the operation itself to remove and transport the eggs is carried out with great organization over several days. One egg is taken from each nest; It is believed that this will not harm the breeding of birds in Wood Buffalo, since, although cranes lay two eggs, in the wild, as a rule, only one chick survives from each pair. There are now about twenty white cranes living in Patuxent and about fifty more in suburban conditions.

Many other interesting rare animals live in Wood Buffalo National Park, including reindeer, black-tailed and white-tailed deer, lynx, and elk.

There is only one road for tourists through the vast territory of the park, along which excursions are allowed without the escort of park staff. There are specially designated places on this road where you can only stop. The park security has radio communications equipment, and patrol services are carried out by airplanes and helicopters.

We will meet natural features one of Canada's nature reserves. Let's find out how ecotourism is developing in Wood Buffalo National Park.

Alberta and the Northwest Territories are two of Canada's largest provinces. picturesque park-reserve Wood Buffalo. It is located between the two lakes Bolshoye Nevolnichye and Athabasca, occupying an area of ​​44 thousand square kilometers. The park is protected by the state and UNESCO, so any violations here are punishable by law.

Wood Buffalo - natural features

Wood Buffalo has a fairly cold climate, so there are more travelers here in the spring and summer. But this period lasts only a few months, although in other seasons the national park amazes with its beauty and charm.

Wood Buffalo Park area

Eagle owl - another inhabitant of Wood Buffalo

The entire territory of the Wood Buffalo Nature Reserve is covered with conifers and mixed forests, meadows, plains, tundras. Lakes and rivers flow through the area, the largest of which are the Athabasca and Peace Rivers. Together they form a fairly large delta, which is located near Lake Athabasca. Unlike the park, not a single road passes through the park. Therefore, favorable conditions were created here for the breeding of bison. To preserve their population, the park was built. Now the number of individuals reaches 2.5 thousand.

Found in forests and plains reindeer, caribou, beavers, pelicans, a type of whooping crane.

Eco-tourism in Wood Buffalo

Despite the cool climate, tourists flock to Wood Buffalo throughout the year. There are many trails here that differ in length and complexity of passages. Usually these are convenient and short trails, as well as difficult and multi-day routes. Each of the trails passes through pristine nature, allowing you to see rare species animals, enjoy panoramic views. But the routes bypass bird nesting areas so as not to interfere with their development and increase in population.

Families come to the reserve's campsites to relax.

In addition to hiking, travelers have the opportunity to go boating and canoeing. Typically, water routes follow rivers such as Atabska, Quatre Forches, Peace River, and Slave. You can use them to reach settlements located on the shores of the straits - Fort Chipuyani, Fort McMurray, Fort Fitzgerald.

One of the most visited places is the beaver dam, located in the south of the park. Scientists have been studying this structure for many years, since the length of such crossings is only 10 to 100 meters.

Canada is a relatively young country. There are no medieval castles here, but many houses and towns preserve the memory of the times of the formation of this country. Yet the most important attractions of Canada are natural wonders, known for their untouched nature and pristine purity. The country's national parks have long gained fame around the world. Therefore, tourists from all over the world strive to admire the untouched nature of Canada and touch the history of the formation of the country.

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Since Canada is famous for its caring attitude To environment, then it would be unfair not to say anything about the country’s numerous national parks. One of the largest in the world and the largest in Canada is Wood Buffalo National Park, a wood bison park listed as a UN World Heritage Site.

The name of the park was not chosen by chance. In 1922, it was created precisely for the sake of preserving these powerful animals. Today, the park is home to the largest herd of wild bison, numbering more than 2.5 thousand individuals.

Here, on an area of ​​44 thousand kilometers among conifers and mixed forests, shrubs and grasses provide excellent conditions for 47 species of mammals, including caribou and musk rats, American black bear and wolves, beavers and muskrats. The park is home to 227 bird species, including the whooping crane, great gray owl And snowy owl. The national park welcomes visitors at any time of the year, and each season presents a unique and amazing spectacle of the celebration of the untouched nature of Wood Buffalo.

There are many more unique parks in Canada, one of them is.

On one of the slopes of Mount Royal is the largest necropolis in North America, the size of which is very impressive: the length of the paths is 58 km, and the area is almost 1.5 square meters. km. The cemetery is not inferior in popularity and importance to the Parisian Père Lachaise and the Moscow Novodevichy: people are buried there famous personalities Canada has great artists, politicians, and athletes. Cavalli - the author of the Canadian anthem, Georges Cartier - the founder of the confederation, E. Nelligan - a Canadian poet of French origin and other celebrities found eternal rest here.

The cemetery initially served as a burial place only for Catholics, but now it is allowed to bury representatives of other religions. Notre-Dame-des-Neiges is included in the list of National Monuments of Canada and is protected by the state. Here are the ashes of the famous hockey player Maurice Richard (“Rocket”), who became a folk hero of Canada for outstanding achievements in sports and for participation in the liberation movement in Quebec. The cemetery area is very picturesque, well-groomed and spotlessly clean. Lush tree crowns respectfully shade the austere monuments, devoid of excessive pretentiousness and pomp.

This wonderful “island” of magnificent diversity of wildlife was born in 1931 as a symbol of confrontation Great Depression, which swept America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. V. For the ownership of a truly beautiful mini-reserve of plants and animals, Montreal owes its debt to the then mayor Camillin Houdot and a group of enthusiastic botanists, designers and architects who developed and implemented a bold project for those times.

Now Botanical Garden, being updated and improved every year, is one of the best among its peers in terms of quantity and variety rare trees, bushes and other vegetation. Thematic garden areas representing the flora of Japan, China, and the Alps are located on 75 hectares. The view-style areas were designed: English garden, aquatic plants, medicinal, poisonous, a garden of azaleas, rhododendrons and others - a total of 30 thematic gardens and 10 exhibition greenhouses. As a tribute to the Aboriginal peoples of Canada, the First Nations Garden has been created, in which trees typical of the north grow; plants that fed and healed the indigenous population.

The beauty and abundant diversity of everything that is found here amazes and delights, revealing a lot of new things from the world of flora and fauna. Tens of thousands of roses, orchids, and rhododendrons were planted (in total, 99% of all plants in half of Canada are represented). Squirrels, ducks, herons, and turtles are found in abundance. On the basis of the Garden there are research institutes of botany, an observatory, a pet zoo for children, and an insectarium.

Yoho National Park

Anyone who visits Yoho for the first time and learns the translation of the name from the Indian completely agrees with it, because otherwise than “Wow!” I can't say enough about these amazing places. The surrounding landscapes stun the imagination of seasoned travelers with their original originality and majestic beauty. Here at every step you can exclaim with admiration: “Wow!” when you see a sparkling glacier or a rapidly flying waterfall, an emerald-colored lake or mighty Canadian pine trees.

Here, many names are associated with the indigenous population: it was the Indians who christened the treacherous mountain river with dangerous current“Kicking horse”, and famous for its height (381 m) seasonal waterfall formed from melting mountain ice, “That’s great!” Another 30-meter waterfall is no less wittily nicknamed “Laughing” for the sound of the water, similar to the devil’s laughter.

The fauna here is unusually rich: they are found in large quantities deer, moose, bears, badgers, roe deer. A huge number of different birds (180 species) arrange bird markets on the banks of reservoirs. For tourists, wide highways have been laid here, hotels have been built and modern infrastructure has been created, allowing you to have a wonderful time among pristine nature.

The one-of-a-kind 1000 Islands National Park is located in unusual place: among the St. Lawrence River, starting from Lake Ontario and occupying 80 km of the river bed. These extraordinary places cannot be called anything other than a miracle of nature. If you examine the reserve from above, you get the impression that someone’s powerful hand took and scattered picturesque islands, islets and islets among the river surface. Actually, the perspicacious Indians composed just such a legend, observing natural phenomenon from the surrounding mountains: God, angry with sinful people, decided to take the Earth away from them, but, while lifting it, he dropped it, breaking it into pieces and pieces.

There is a completely scientific explanation for the origin of the “1000 Islands”. According to geologists, the river, becoming more powerful and full-flowing, flooded the ancient rocky formations, leaving only their peaks on the surface, which became islands. Their sizes range from 100 sq. km up to 100 sq. m. The unique archipelago is considered priceless natural gift, declared a National Park back in 1914. Soon after this, the islands began to be sold, and houses were built on many of them, and life began to boil. Vacationers loved to come here, eager to enjoy the peace and tranquility that reigns here.

The largest and most populated is Wolf Island, where there is excellent developed infrastructure, quite a lot of people live permanently. Also remarkable is the slightly smaller o. Hut, with a unique architectural landmark - Bolt's Castle. As the romantic legend says, a certain J. Bolt built it for his beloved wife, who suddenly died. Shocked by her death, he abandoned the construction site and left here forever. Not long ago, the current owner (purchased the island for $1) completed the castle and opened an interesting museum in it, which tourists eagerly visit. Visiting an unusually beautiful unique reserve the biosphere delivers a lot positive emotions and unforgettable impressions. Read more about Thousand Islands Park in our article.

Another natural phenomenon of Canada is the alpine Peyto Lake, named after its discoverer, located in a rocky gorge at an altitude of 1860 m above sea level in Banff National Park. The stunningly beautiful body of bright turquoise color stretches 1 km 800 m in length and 800 m in width and is a mesmerizing sight. Tens of thousands of tourists strive to admire the unique lake in order to see with their own eyes the colorful masterpiece of nature.

The steep banks are overgrown with dense coniferous forest, creating a beautiful frame unique lake. In winter it is surrounded by a silvery necklace of pines and firs covered with snow; the rest of the year - dark green velvet needles. The unusual color of the lake is explained by the presence of special minerals that flow along with glacial water from the surrounding rocks and color the reservoir a beautiful turquoise color.

Photographers have plenty to do here, shooting enchanting landscapes from different angles. Avid fishermen will not be bored either: despite the icy water, there is a lot of fish in the lake, which are only allowed to be caught with a fishing rod a strictly limited number of times. (Canadians value environmental balance). Now, among this divine pristine state, comfortable camp sites have appeared, from where climbs into the mountains are organized to view the delightful panorama of Lake Peyto from the tops.

There is a man-made peninsula in Montreal, created at the end of the 19th century to protect the city from the turbulent, eroding flow of the river. San Lawrence, threatened with flooding. It was called the guard cape or Mackay pier, on which already in the 20th century. set up a cozy park on the occasion of the industrial exhibition Expo-67. The cape was expanded with bulk crushed stone, mined in large quantities during the construction of the metro, and connected by the Concord capital bridge with the island. St. Helena.

Now the Cité de Havre park is a quiet green recreation area for Montrealers, where there is no annoying city noise, there are shady alleys for walking, and excellent bicycle paths. A real landmark of the cape is the architectural residential complex, built as an innovative solution to the theme “Habitat-67”. His project was developed by a little-known Canadian designer of that time, Safdie, and was intended to show modern urban trends in the construction of suburban housing in unity with nature.

The massive structure consists of 354 block modules, forming 146 apartments of different sizes and layouts. Each of them is equipped with an individual terrace intended for green spaces. The unusual building became a sensation at the exhibition and the beginning brilliant career Safdie. And the Cité de Le Havre park is becoming increasingly popular among vacationers.

This majestic temple is a younger brother, a smaller copy of the famous Roman Cathedral of St. Peter, built in Montreal on the initiative of Bishop Ignace Bourget. The Italian cathedral impressed the bishop so much that he ordered the construction of an exact copy of St. Peter's Cathedral instead of the burned-out Cathedral of St. James. The architect who was entrusted with the project traveled to Rome, and, having examined the original, did not take on the construction. But nevertheless, the cathedral was erected and consecrated in 1894, receiving the name Marie-Reine-du-Mont” (Virgin Mary, Lady of the World).

Today, the replica of the Roman cathedral is the third largest church in the province of Quebec, declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 2000. The temple conducts all religious ceremonies, including baptism, performed in a unique marble font with a sculpted Crucifix, considered the standard of Quebec church sculpture. The magnificent cathedral building is crowned with 13 statues of the patron saints of Montreal, and next to it, on a high pedestal, the initiator of the construction, Bishop Bourget, is immortalized in bronze.

The interior interiors of the temple are beautiful, decorated with 9 paintings with scenes about the history of Montreal, depicting national heroes and stages of faith development. A wonderfully executed statue of the Virgin Mary (sculptor Sylvia Doust) is installed in the chapel of the temple. The altar is equipped with a canopy - an exact copy Italian, created as a work of art, from gold and copper sheets, decorated with statues of angels and papal paraphernalia.

The very first and largest in area of ​​all subsequent national parks in Canada was organized in 1885 in the province of Alberta, the capital of which is Calgary, famous for hosting the Winter Olympics. Banff Territory - Forested Rocky Mountains; snowy peaks, sparkling glaciers; wonderful mountain lakes with crystal water; picturesque waterfalls, alpine meadows. Banff – tens of kilometers of ski slopes, excellent roads, hundreds of cool hotels and campsites, richest world fauna.

Travelers from all over the world come here to see the unearthly beauty northern nature; breathe, or rather, enjoy clean air with pine aromas; go canoeing, gondola riding, and skiing. The most beautiful lakes: Peyto, Moraine, Lake Louise, Lake Crescent, fed by glaciers, attract to themselves with their cosmic pristineness and watercolor cold beauty. The surrounding landscapes take your breath away and make your heart skip a beat: is such beauty really possible on Earth?! Similar beauty surrounds the Icefield Parkway, linking Banff to Jasper Park. It was laid back in the 70s of the last century among the most picturesque places.

The park is famous for its hot sulfur springs, which have healing properties. Based on them, there is a Canadian bathhouse, where many tourists strive to go. A trip to Banff Park is a wonderful vacation and close communication with wildlife against the backdrop of magical paintings. read our article.

The eloquent name itself speaks about that part of the city. which has been preserved since its founding, when Montreal was still called Ville Marie (1642-1643). Future city began as a fort built under the leadership of the Frenchman Paul de Chaumedy, intended to convert the indigenous population of Canada to Christianity by French settlers. Gradually, the fort turned into a city with all its inherent attributes: houses, temples, and a prison. Having survived numerous fires, the city survived; wooden houses were replaced by stone ones, streets and sidewalks were developed.

To this day, the old medieval street cladding and architectural landmarks of the 17th and 18th centuries have been preserved here. c., which are carefully protected by society and the state: the old hospital of the Hotel-Dieu-de-Montreal, the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice. The main architectural monument of Old Montreal is the Notre Dame Church, built in 1829, when the British ruled Montreal, which was reflected in the style of construction. The cathedral, designed not in a strictly Catholic spirit, but in a Gothic spirit, rises high with its towers. The entire building seems light and airy, elegant and colorful, thanks to the high stained glass windows, sculptural decorations of the facade, and arched vaults.

The magnificent building of the Town Hall is also impressive - beautiful architectural structure British era. One of the oldest monuments of Old Montreal deserves attention - Nelson's Column, erected in 1804 on New Market Square. There is its own Champ de Mars in the old town, which stretches from the Town Hall to the Ville-Marie highway, where the stonework of the fort has been preserved. Explore Old Montreal - a journey into Canada's historical past.

This mountain region- priceless treasure wildlife, a repository of fantastic beauty, a rich variety of landscapes. It is here that the famous Banff, Jasper, Wood Buffalo and Waterton Lakes National Parks are located, a picturesque part of the Rocky Mountains with the highest peak - Mount Robson. The Canadian Cordillera contains the richest storehouse of natural resources - the Whistler region; the huge Columbia Glacier (an area of ​​325 sq. km is occupied by ice fields - natural skating rinks for sports); deep Fraser canyons, Johnston.

Here you can see beautiful lake North America - Lake Louise, the mighty Athabasca and Lower waterfalls and others. Scientists have discovered multiple remains of dinosaurs, which played a significant role in the interpretation of the theory of earthly evolution. The ecologically clean waters of the Cordillera are generally considered to offer the best fishing. Canadian Cordillera - unsurpassed beauty and rich variety nature.

Wood Buffalo is the largest national park in Canada, covering large territory than Switzerland. It spreads across the northeastern part of Alberta and goes deep into southern part Northwest Territories.

Wood Buffalo National Park is home to some of the last remaining free-ranging bison herds in the world, a nesting site for the endangered whooping crane, and has the world's largest beaver dams. Thanks to all this, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Data

• Migration route. In the southern part of the park is one of the largest freshwater deltas in the world - the Peace Athabasca. All four North American migratory routes converge on the delta each spring and fall, and the last remaining flock of migratory whooping cranes nests in a remote corner of the taiga each summer.
• Protected area. In 1982, the International Union for Conservation of Nature designated Wood Buffalo National Park a protected area to protect the Peace-Athabasca Delta and the nesting grounds of the whooping crane. These two areas have been designated as Ramsar sites under the Ramsar Convention, which focuses on identifying and protecting critical habitat for migratory birds.
• Scenery. The park's diverse landscape includes boreal forests, salt flats, and various karst landforms. The boreal plains near Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories are the most accessible and popular within the park.
• Wild nature. Wood Buffalo is home to such elusive species as black bears, wolves, moose, foxes, beavers and sandhill cranes.
• River country. The Slave, Peace and Athabasca rivers flow through the park, providing excellent hiking and camping opportunities.

"Jasper National Park" - Area - more than 10.8 thousand square meters. km. There are hotels here ski slopes, golf courses and other recreational infrastructure. Jasper National Park. Juniper. IN National Park There is one of the oldest glaciers on Earth - the Athabasca Glacier. Is largest reserve in the Rocky Mountains and is included in the list of objects world heritage UNESCO.

“Canada in the world” - Germany Berlin. Indigenous population. Canada ranks third in timber reserves, after Russia and Brazil. Great Britain, London. Automated equipment is used for harvesting. Forestry industry. The majority of the population lives in cities, mostly small ones. Mining - uses the richest mineral resources.

“Features of Canada” - You should be warned about being late. Working hours: Monday - Friday 8.00-17.00. They immediately switch to "you". " Best friends do best business"They strive to emphasize cordiality everywhere. The cultural characteristics of Canada. They also ask how the family is doing during business meetings. FLOWERS Accepted during visits.

"Geography of Canada" - Geography of Canada. Victoria Island. Largest cities. Toronto Ottawa Montreal. Nature of Canada. Mount Robson National Park. Canada.

“Development Canada” - 2. Evolution of the distribution of tax revenues and equalization funds. 10. Canadian history of development. 3. 6. Regional development– plans, programs, schedules. 8. 1. 9.

"Canada" - The height of the waterfalls is 53 meters. The width of the American Falls is 323 meters, the Horseshoe Falls is 792 meters. Area - 9984 thousand square meters. km. (second place in the world). In the west of the country along the Pacific coast stretches Mountain country Cordillera. There are many nesting migratory birds and game birds. To the south of the tundra there is a wide strip of forests.

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