| Alberta Mountains forest | |
|---|---|
 Spruce forest aroundLake Louise inBanff National Park | |
 | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Nearctic |
| Biome | Temperate coniferous forests |
| Borders | |
| Bird species | 179[1] |
| Mammal species | 57[1] |
| Geography | |
| Area | 39,800 km2 (15,400 mi2) |
| Country | Canada |
| Provinces | |
| Climate type | Highly variable |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | Relatively Stable/Intact[2] |
| Habitat loss | 56.25%[1] |
| Protected | 63.85%[1] |
TheAlberta Mountain forests are atemperate coniferous forestsecoregion ofWestern Canada, as defined by theWorld Wildlife Fund (WWF) categorization system.[2]
This ecoregion covers theRocky Mountains ofAlberta including the eastern outliers of theContinental Ranges. Located almost entirely in Alberta and taking in the Alberta–British Columbia border fromBanff north toJasper andKakwa Wildlands Park, this is an area of glaciers and high mountains covered with a forest of tall trees. The highest points are the mountains around theColumbia Icefield, the largestice field in the Rockies.
The mountain valleys have a mild climate with warm, dry summers and snowy winters, but the high mountain sides have a harsher climate. Average summer temperatures are 12 °C going down to −7 °C in winter.[2]
Trees include trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii), white spruce (Picea glauca), subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa)[2] and Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) as minor component in the central and southern part of the ecoregion.
These mountains are home to good numbers of large mammals. All five species ofNorth Americandeer inhabit this ecoregion includingwoodland caribou(Rangifer tarandus caribou),elk(Cervus elaphus),moose(Alces alces andersoni),mule deer(Odocoileus hemionus), andwhite-tailed deer (northern Rocky Mountains/tawny white-tail)(Odocoileus virginianus ochrourus).Bighorn sheep(Ovis canadensis), andmountain goat(Oreamnos americanus) can also be found here. Predators in the mountains and forests includelynx(Lynx canadensis),coyote (Canis latrans),grizzly bear(Ursus arctos horribilis),black bear(Ursus americanus cinnamomum),cougar(Puma concolor couguar),red fox (Vulpes vulpes), andwolf(Canis lupus). Smaller wildlife such assnowshoe hare (Lepus americanus), andAmerican pygmy shrew (Sorex hoyi) can be found here as well and theBanff Springs snail (Physella johnsoni) which isendemic toBanff National Park. Birds includeTownsend's warbler (Setophaga townsendi),Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana),Black-billed magpie (Pica hudsonia),veery (Catharus fuscescens), andbald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).[2]
80% of these forests are intact although some is being removed for urban development and tourism in the valley areas. Large areas of natural habitat remain in Banff National Park,Jasper National Park, Kakwa Wildlands,Willmore Wilderness Park, andGhost River Wilderness Area.
This ecozone corresponds to the human region calledAlberta's Rockies.
53°00′00″N118°00′00″W / 53.0000°N 118.0000°W /53.0000; -118.0000