Wood National Park. What is Wood Buffalo famous for? Yoho National Park

home It is not easy for those who have never been to Wood Buffalo to imagine the greatness of this place. National Park

Wood bison is the translation of the name of the protected area Wood Buffalo National Park, which is located in the northwest of Canada and occupies flat expanses of over 44 thousand square meters. km. It is the largest national park on the American continent, with a total length of 283 km from north to south and 161 km from east to west. Administratively, the park is located in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and the Northwest Territories, and geographically lies between Lakes Athabasca and Great Slave.

Most of the national park is occupied by bodies of water - lakes, rivers, swamps. Having visited Wood Buffalo, you can see one of the most beautiful and huge inland deltas, which was created by nature. It is created by the Athabasca and Peace Rivers, the waters of which flow into Lake Athabasca. The park is predominantly flat, but towards the west, towards the Caribou Mountains, the terrain begins to change. Due to their proximity to the Pole, the protected lands have another advantage for tourists. In winter and autumn, park guests have an amazing opportunity to watch the wonderful reflections of light in the sky - the northern lights. Wood Buffalo's vegetation is varied and rich. The park contains coniferous and mixed forests, shrubs, woodlands typical of the tundra, meadow flowers and grasses, as well as the typical herbaceous flora of wild prairies. All this in combination with local climatic features

The permanent inhabitants of the national park are moose, several species of deer (black-tailed and white-tailed deer, caribou), marmots, hares, porcupines, musk rats, skunks and beavers. Interestingly, in this area, researchers discovered a beaver dam, the length of which was 850 m. This is considered a world record, since the length of such structures is usually no more than 100 m. In addition to the listed animals in the park there are American black bears, wolves, wapiti, lynxes, as well as more than two hundred species of birds. Among birds, white whooping cranes and pelicans attract increased attention, but their nesting sites are protected by environmentalists and are therefore closed to tourists.

Along with this, as the name of the park implies, the main inhabitants of Wood Buffalo are American bison, for the sake of preserving the population, of which the protected area was created. These massive animals are somewhat similar in appearance to the European bison. Bison weigh about a ton, their body reaches three meters in length and two meters in height. Biologists distinguish steppe and forest subspecies of the animal; both of them are represented in the park and, largely thanks to the protection of Wood Buffalo, still live on our planet. At the time of the creation of the national park, which was 1922, the number of forest bison was not more than one and a half thousand; today the herd reaches 2.5 thousand individuals and is recognized as the largest on the mainland. The number of steppe bison is significantly larger than forest bison and reached the limit of 10 thousand animals back in the 1960s.

The special nature of Wood Buffalo was the reason for its inclusion in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which occurred in 1983 and influenced the travel of tourists to these places. However, getting to the national park is not so easy. First you need to fly to the Canadian city of Edmonton, then take a charter flight or car to either Fort Chipuyan, in the province of Alberta, or to the city of Fort Smith, in the province of the Northwest Territories, which provide access to protected areas . Fort Smith, where Wood Buffalo National Park is located, is accessible via the McKenzie Highway, while Fort Chipuyan, where the main office is located, is accessible highway no, only by air.

When planning a tourist trip to the park, you need to take into account that there are almost no roads in Wood Buffalo. There is only one car route for excursions in the protected area, and a large number of rules for driving a car, violation of which is subject to hefty fines. To compensate for this, there are many walking routes to suit every taste. If you wish, use short paths or choose complex, long hiking trails that require some experience. The likelihood of a close encounter with predators (wolves, lynxes) is minimal, since they are by nature cautious and shy away from human society.

In Canada, tourists are allowed boat trips on big rivers. By renting a regular boat or canoe in Fort Smith, you can sail to Fort Chipuyan, Fort McMurray or Fort Fitzgerald and enjoy the beautiful views of Wood Buffalo from an unusual angle.

Those wishing to explore natural attractions for several days can stay in the towns that are adjacent to the national park - Fort Smith, Hay River, Yellowknife and Fort Simpson. Locals They would be very happy to rent out a room or house; camping sites or hotel rooms are also acceptable. The campsite is under the authority of Wood Buffalo, which provides parking permits.

The world's largest inland river delta

Our planet is abundant amazing places, which simply need to be protected. One of these places is Wood Buffalo Park, which occupies the northwestern part of Canada.

Wood Buffalo National Park is the largest in the entire American continent and one of the largest in the world. It stretches for 283 km from south to north and 161 km from west to east.

The area of ​​the national park is approximately 4.5 million hectares. The life of the inhabitants of Wood Buffalo is connected with two reservoirs, Athabasca and Great Slave.

The year of foundation of this protected area is considered to be 1922. It was then that the issue of preserving the habitats of the “screaming” crane, which today exists only in this territory, became acute.

Of course, the technical and scientific processes of our civilization have destroyed the natural habitats of many animals. Therefore, there is another wild animal, the disappearance of which led to the creation of a protected zone.

At the time of the creation of the reserve, throughout its vast territory there was only one herd of forest shaggy bison, numbering several hundred heads. This area is also home to many mammals.

1983 brought even greater protection and support to the park thanks to the work of UNESCO.

Landscape and climate

Most of the area of ​​the national park belongs to various bodies of water. Wood Buffalo has an impressive natural delta created by the Athabasca and Peace Rivers.

The park is dominated by plains, but as you move west, the terrain changes. The protected area is close to the pole. This proximity gives the inhabitants and visitors of the national park the Northern Lights.

Wood Buffalo's plant world is unusual and rich. In the national park, the vegetation consists of coniferous and mixed forests, while shrubs, herbs and flowers decorate this majestic landscape, creating a striking contrast.

The combination of the special landscape with the climate of the reserve makes it possible for many birds and animals to coexist perfectly here.

Fauna of the reserve

There were times when the earth North America were home to numerous bison and American bison. At first, their numbers were influenced by the everyday needs of the North American Indians. Later, the meat and skin of this apparently strong animal became of interest to the colonialists. Everything could have ended disastrously if the Canadian government had not intervened and banned hunting of this species.

The bison population was saved in the same way. Today, Wood Buffalo is a reserve in which about two and a half thousand bison are protected.

Wood Buffalo also protects whooping cranes and pelicans.

The reserve has become a place where any of its inhabitants are reliably protected, since hunting them is prohibited by law, for violation of which there are penalties different types administrative and criminal liability.

The material was prepared by the editors of the site yaturisto.ru

Wood Buffalo National Park is a national park in the provinces of Alberta and Northwest Territories, Canada. Founded in 1922. This is the largest national park on the American continent, with a total length of 161 km from east to west and 283 km from north to south.

Administratively, it is located in the Canadian provinces of the Northwest Territories and Alberta, geographically located between Great Slave Lake and Lake Athabasca.

A significant part of the national park is occupied by bodies of water - rivers, lakes, swamps. When visiting Wood Buffalo, you can see one of the largest and most beautiful inland deltas created by nature. It is formed by the Peace River and Athabasca River, the waters of which flow into Lake Athabasca.
The park is dominated by plains, although towards the western side, adjacent to the Caribou Mountains, the terrain begins to change. Due to its proximity to the Pole, the protected lands have another attraction for tourists. In autumn and winter, visitors to the park have a unique opportunity to observe wonderful reflections of light in the sky - the northern lights.

Wood Buffalo's flora is rich and varied. Here there are mixed and coniferous forests, shrubs, woodlands typical of the tundra, meadow grasses and flowers, as well as typical herbaceous vegetation of wild prairies.
All this in combination with local climatic features - long cold winters, which are replaced by warm short summer– creates favorable conditions for the habitat of numerous animals and birds.

Moose, several species of deer (white-tailed and black-tailed deer, caribou), hares, marmots, musk rats, porcupines, skunks and beavers are permanent residents of the national park.
Interesting fact: on these lands, researchers recorded a beaver dam 850 m long, which is considered a world record (usually the length of such structures does not exceed 100 m). In addition to the fauna mentioned above, the park is home to American black bears and wapiti, wolves and lynxes, as well as over 200 species of birds.
Among the birds Special attention Pelicans and white whooping cranes are attracted to the area, but the nesting sites of the latter are protected by environmentalists and are closed to tourists.

At the same time, as the name of the reserve suggests, the main inhabitants of Wood Buffalo are American bison, for the sake of preserving the population of which the park was created. These massive animals are somewhat reminiscent of the European bison, weighing about a ton (900 kg), their body reaches 2 m in height and 3 m in length.
Biologists distinguish between forest and steppe subspecies of bison; both are represented in Wood Buffalo and, largely thanks to the protection of this protected area, still live on our planet.
At the time of the creation of the national park (1922), the number of forest shaggy bison did not exceed one and a half thousand; now the herd reaches 2,500 animals and is recognized as the largest on the continent. The number of steppe bison is noticeably higher and crossed the 10 thousand mark back in the 1960s.

The unique nature of Wood Buffalo became the reason for its inclusion in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which happened in 1983 and provoked a pilgrimage of tourists to these areas. Meanwhile, getting to the national park is not so easy.
First, you need to take an air flight to the city of Edmonton (Canada), after which you can travel by car or charter flight (your choice) to either the city of Fort Smith (province of the Northwest Territories), or to the village of Fort Chipuyan (province of Alberta), which open access to protected lands.
Fort Smith, where the Wood Buffalo Park Administration is located, is accessible by the McKenzie Highway, while Fort Chipuyan, where the main office is located, has no convenient road access, only air.

Bison - an inhabitant of the forests of Wood Buffalo National Park

When planning a tourist trip, you need to take into account that there are practically no roads in Wood Buffalo. Only one automobile route has been created for excursions by the national park, while great amount rules for driving a car, violation of which is punishable by hefty fines. To compensate, there are many walking routes to suit every taste.
If desired, you can use short walking paths or choose complex and long hiking trails that require some experience in such hikes. The risk of close encounters with predators (lynxes, wolves) is minimal - they are naturally cautious and avoid human society.

In Canada, tourists are allowed to travel on large rivers. By renting a canoe or boat from Fort Smith, you can sail to Fort Chipuyan, Fort Fitzgerald, or Fort McMurray and enjoy beautiful scenery Wood Buffalo from an unusual angle.

Those wishing to explore natural attractions for several days have the opportunity to stay in cities neighboring the national park - Fort Smith, Yellowknife, Hay River and Fort Simpson.
Local residents will be happy to rent out a house or room, and hotel rooms and camping areas are also available. The latter are at the disposal of the Wood Buffalo administration, which issues parking permits.

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

In Canada's two largest provinces, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, is the picturesque Wood Buffalo National Park. 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 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.

Except 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 swim along them to 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.