Ecoregions

Moving from north to south, the Saskatchewan ecoregions are:

  1. Taiga Ecoregions:
    • Selwyn Lake Upland; and Tazin Lake Upland
    • smallest ecoregions covering only 7% of Saskatchewan's land mass
    • long harsh winters and short cool summers
    • temperatures decrease from west to east due to a stronger continental effect in the eastern part of the zone
    • overall precipitation is low, and decreases from south to north
    • dominant vegetation: lichen woodland with open Black Spruce stands
  2. Boreal Shield Ecoregions:
    • Athabasca Plain; and Churchill River Upland;
    • covers approximately 33% of Saskatchewan's land mass and is associated with the Canadian Shield in the province
    • long cold winters, and short warm summers
    • temperatures decrease from the southwest to the northeast areas of this region
    • overall precipitation decreases northward into the Taiga.
    • dominant vegetation: closed Black Spruce forest
  3. Boreal Plain Ecoregions:
    • Mid-Boreal Upland; Mid-Boreal Lowland; and Boreal Transition
    • covers approximately 27% of the province's land mass
    • accommodates the changeover from sub arctic to humid continental climate conditions
    • long, cold, snowy winters and short, warm, moist summers
    • temperatures decrease northward as well as westward
    • annual precipitation decreases from the south end to the north end of the region
    • dominant vegetation: mixed wood and coniferous forest
  4. Prairie Ecoregions:
    • Aspen Parkland; Moist Mixed Grassland; Mixed Grassland; and Cypress Upland
    • covers approximately 33% of the province's land mass
    • variations in temperature and precipitation range from humid continental in the northeast to semi-arid conditions in the southwest area of the region
    • long cold winters and short, very warm summers characterized by storm events
    • temperatures decrease with an increase in altitude and latitude
    • overall precipitation is low and increases most markedly eastward
    • dominant vegetation: grassland

For more information on Saskatchewan Ecoregions: Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre