Gros Morne NP, Newfoundland, Canada Photograph by Amy Freestone   Eastern North America: The island of Newfoundland in Canada Boreal Forests/Taiga   6,300 square miles (16,300 square kilometers) -- about the size of Hawaii Relatively Stable/Intact

· A Rugged Island
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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A Rugged Island

Steep slopes range from sea level to 2674 feet (815 m) high. Ridged and bare rock hills are common on this island. The ecoregion has cool summers and cold, snowy winters.

Special Features

This ecoregion contains the northernmost extension of the Appalachian Mountain system in North America. Here, the arctic hare reaches the southern limit of its North American range.

	The sap of balsam fir has some very interesting historical uses: It was once sold in stores as chewing gum and was used as a wound bandage and as a waterproof cement.

Wild Side

Dwarf black spruce and balsam fir are the most common forest trees of this ecoregion. Some areas have dwarf Kalmia and mosses. Exposed sites support a mix of evergreen and deciduous shrubs. Moose, caribou, lynx, and martens live in these majestic forests.

Cause for Concern

Between 80 percent and 90 percent of the ecoregion remains intact. Very high elevations have been affected by transmission corridors (lines for hydroelectricity) and by mineral exploration and extraction. At lower elevations, wood harvesting for domestic use and for commercial pulp and paper production threatens the island's forests. Use of all-terrain vehicles is also a threat.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.