Hello again from the beautiful boreal forest otherwise known as the taiga. Boreal forests are located in North America and Russia. They mostly evergreens like the Eastern Red Cedar and the Douglas Fir pictured above. You might even use a Douglas Fir as your Christmas tree.
Average temp. in winter (low/high): -65 degrees F/30 degrees
Average temp. in summer (low/high: 30 degrees F/ 70 degreees F
Average Precipitation: 30-84 cm
Boreal Forests contain many animals including several species. The endangreed species are: the Grizzly Bear, the Canadian Lynx, and the Wolverine. All of these were hunted for fur or meat throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. There are now severe hunting restrictions in place to help the species recover.
However the boreal forest is also home to some great conservation successes like the bald eagle.
Boreal forests contain several rivers and lakes which are home to fish like salmon. They contain some interesting land forms. These include permafrost, soil that is permanently frozen, and muskegs. A muskeg is a patch of land which looks solid but when stepped on it has a jello-like consistency.
Boreal Forests have been heavily impacted by logging and pollution , particularly acid rain. If you want to get a glimpse of what is left of the unspoiled wilderness you can take a cruise to Alaska or bike across the Chiloctin range in British Colombia. You will be blown away by the natural beauty. If you go, I suggest packing clothes that be layered. And if going in winter, definitely bring a parka and some hats and gloves.
See you soon. I'll be somewhere warmer next time!
Sources: http://library.thinkquest.org/C0113340/main.php?section=biomes&topic=desert http://www.ecotourdirectory.com/ http://www.bcmag.ca/ http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/taiga.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/C0113340/text/impact/impact.taiga.html
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