Classification

• Province: Laurentian Mixed Forest
  • Section: Northern Superior Uplands
    • Subsection: Border Lakes
• System: Fire Dependent Woodland

Description:

• The Alder/Willow Wetland, about 2.5% of the BWCAW by surface area
• Slow moving subsurface water with dense, nearly impenetrable cover of tall shrubs
• Signature Species
• Speckled Alder, Alnus incana
• Willows, Salix spp.

Indicator
Species:

Trees

• White Cedar, Thuja occidentalis
• Tamarack, Larix laricina
• Black Spruce, Picea mariana
• Balsam Fir, Abies balsamea
• Paper Birch, Betula papyrifera
• Black Ash, Fraxinus nigra

Shrubs

• Speckled Alder, Alnus incana
• Red Osier Dogwood, Cornus sericea
• Juneberries,Amelanchier spp.
• Leatherleaf,
• Bunchberry, Cornus canadensis
• Creeping Snowberry, Gaultheria hispidula
• Labrador Tea,Ledum groenlandicum
• Twinflower, Linnaea borealis
• Marsh Cinquefoil, Potentilla palustris
• Dewberry, Rubus
• Willows, Salix spp.
• American Yew, Taxus canadensis
• Late Low Blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium
• Velvet Leaf Blueberry, Vaccinium myrtilloides

Herbs

• Marsh Marigold, Caltha palustris
• Two Seeded Sedge, Carex disperma
• Three Seeded Sedge, Carex trisperma
• Blue Bead Lily, Clintonia borealis
• Goldthread, Coptis trifolia
• Wood Horsetail, Equisetum sylvaticum
• Tawny Cotton Grass, Eriophorum virginicum
• Orange Jewelweed, Impatiens capensis
• Canada Mayflower, Maianthemum canadense
• Bishop's Cap, Mitella nuda
• Cinnamon Fern, Osmunda cinnamomea
• Bog False Solomon's Seal, Smilacina stellata
• Starflower, Trientalis borealis
• Wild White Violet, Viola macloskeyi
• Clubmosses, Lycopodium spp.
• Blue Flag Iris, Iris versicolor
• Pyrolas, Pyrola spp.
• Bedstraws, Galium spp.
• Asters, Aster spp.
• Club Spur Orchid
• Blunt Leaf Orchid

Ground Cover

• Sphagnum Moss, Sphagnum spp
• Feather Moss,
• Dicranum Moss, Dicranum spp
• Hair Cap Mosses,
• Ribbed Bog Moss,
• Mnium
• Thuidium

Landform & Topography:

Soils & Hydrology:

Identification:

• A swamp is a forested wetland and the swamp of the north woods is dominated by the Northern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) the parent of the many varieties of domesticated Arborvitae shrubbery.
• Peat depth of 1' - 10', surface of humocks and hollows
• Water flows just below the surface, filling the hollows except in the driest periods
• Surface water pH 6.0 - 7.0, relatively rich in magnesium, calcium, and other nutrients
• The Mixed Conifer Swamp Forest, only about .5% of the BWCAW by surface area
• Dense forest with subsurface water
• Signature Species
  • White Cedar, Thuja occidentalis
  • Black Ash, Fraxinus nigra
• Sub-types
  • Mixed Conifer/Cedar Swamp Forest
  • Black Ash/Elm Swamp Forest

• Barred Owl, Strix varia
• Spruce Grouse, Dendragapus canadensis
• Ovenbird, Seiurus aurocapillus
• Northern Waterthrush, Seiurus noveboracensis

• Moose, Alces alces

Natural
History

• History

Other
Communities:

Last updated on 30 June, 2004