Elk Island National Park of Canada Spring 2005

Elk Island Location National Park of Canada Elk Island National Park is located in central Activities Alberta, a mere 45 km east of Edmonton. Elk Island became Canada's sixth national park Visitors to Elk Island can enjoy bird watching, 2 in 1913. It represents a 194 km part of kayaking, canoeing and sailing on Astotin Climate Canada's Southern Boreal Plains and Lake, or walking. The park has a beach for Plateaux Natural Region. This Region is also sunbathing, but prime swimming is not The park has continental climate conditions. represented by three other national parks: recommended here as the lakes contain The mountains to the west tend to block the Prince Albert, Riding Mountain, and Wood swimming itch. A semi- serviced Pacific air. Air that does cross the mountains Buffalo. The only completely fenced-in park campground offers 80 sites. Fishing is not has been largely drained of moisture during its in the system, it is literally an "island" of Vegetation offered in the park as there are only minnows passage through the mountains. The resulting nature surrounded by grain fields, in the lakes and ponds. The park does offer a pastureland, industries, and towns. Elk dry air makes the area prone to extremes in The park's main tree species in this transition small golf course and playground near the Island is located in the Prairie Ecozone. temperature. Southern air masses from the zone is trembling aspen, but one can also find picnic area and campground, as well as United States and arctic air masses from the balsam poplar, black spruce, white spruce, interpretive events. In the winter, the park north produce hot summers and cold winters. tamarack, and white birch. The grass and maintains several well-marked ski trails. sedge meadows contain many prairie Winter is a wonderful time for wildlife species. Some 450 species of plants are viewing. found in the park, including horsetails, Geology marigolds, willows, currants, orchids, and Elk Island has hilly terrain with elevation asters. The world's smallest flowering plant, changes of 30-60 m. The landscape is known as the wolffia, may also be seen in the park. a dead-ice moraine, an area where glacial ice melted in place rather than retreat as part of the Wildlife main ice sheet. The deposits of glacial debris Astotin that were left behind produced a terrain of Lake rolling hills and hollows. Wildlife played a role in the establishment of 2 Moss the park as early as 1906 when a 41 km elk Lake sanctuary was set aside. In 1907, 400 plains bison were re-introduced to what was then Oster Lake called Elk Park. Today 44 mammal species are known to occur in the park, including

Tawayik moose, elk, white-tailed deer, beaver, coyote, Mud Lake Lake muskrats, porcupines, Canada's largest herd

Little N of plains bison, and a small herd of wood Tawayik Lake bison. Overhunting has extirpated all large Goose Lake predators (except coyote), including black For more information, contact:

Flying bears, grizzly bears, lynx, and wolf. The Superintendent Bailey Shot Elk Island National Park Lake Trumpeter swans can be found in Elk Island, Lakes R.R. #1, Site 4 as well as some 230 other woodland, meadow, Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta and wetland birds, including ducks, gulls, T8L 2N7 terns, grebes, loons, owls, flycatchers, Telephone: (780) 992-2950 0 3 245 m Fax: (780) 992-2951 © Parks Canada woodpeckers, warblers, and swallows. Most Web Site: www.pc.gc.ca/elkisland of these species nest in the park. Elk Island National Park of Canada Spring 2005

Elk Island Location National Park of Canada Elk Island National Park is located in central Activities Alberta, a mere 45 km east of Edmonton. Elk Island became Canada's sixth national park Visitors to Elk Island can enjoy bird watching, 2 in 1913. It represents a 194 km part of kayaking, canoeing and sailing on Astotin Climate Canada's Southern Boreal Plains and Lake, or walking. The park has a beach for Plateaux Natural Region. This Region is also sunbathing, but prime swimming is not The park has continental climate conditions. represented by three other national parks: recommended here as the lakes contain The mountains to the west tend to block the Prince Albert, Riding Mountain, and Wood swimming itch. A semi- serviced Pacific air. Air that does cross the mountains Buffalo. The only completely fenced-in park campground offers 80 sites. Fishing is not has been largely drained of moisture during its in the system, it is literally an "island" of Vegetation offered in the park as there are only minnows passage through the mountains. The resulting nature surrounded by grain fields, in the lakes and ponds. The park does offer a pastureland, industries, and towns. Elk dry air makes the area prone to extremes in The park's main tree species in this transition small golf course and playground near the Island is located in the Prairie Ecozone. temperature. Southern air masses from the zone is trembling aspen, but one can also find picnic area and campground, as well as United States and arctic air masses from the balsam poplar, black spruce, white spruce, interpretive events. In the winter, the park north produce hot summers and cold winters. tamarack, and white birch. The grass and maintains several well-marked ski trails. sedge meadows contain many prairie Winter is a wonderful time for wildlife species. Some 450 species of plants are viewing. found in the park, including horsetails, Geology marigolds, willows, currants, orchids, and Elk Island has hilly terrain with elevation asters. The world's smallest flowering plant, changes of 30-60 m. The landscape is known as the wolffia, may also be seen in the park. a dead-ice moraine, an area where glacial ice melted in place rather than retreat as part of the Wildlife main ice sheet. The deposits of glacial debris Astotin that were left behind produced a terrain of Lake rolling hills and hollows. Wildlife played a role in the establishment of 2 Moss the park as early as 1906 when a 41 km elk Lake sanctuary was set aside. In 1907, 400 plains bison were re-introduced to what was then Oster Lake called Elk Park. Today 44 mammal species are known to occur in the park, including

Tawayik moose, elk, white-tailed deer, beaver, coyote, Mud Lake Lake muskrats, porcupines, Canada's largest herd

Little N of plains bison, and a small herd of wood Tawayik Lake bison. Overhunting has extirpated all large Goose Lake predators (except coyote), including black For more information, contact:

Flying bears, grizzly bears, lynx, and wolf. The Superintendent Bailey Shot Elk Island National Park Lake Trumpeter swans can be found in Elk Island, Lakes R.R. #1, Site 4 as well as some 230 other woodland, meadow, Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta and wetland birds, including ducks, gulls, T8L 2N7 terns, grebes, loons, owls, flycatchers, Telephone: (780) 992-2950 0 3 245 m Fax: (780) 992-2951 © Parks Canada woodpeckers, warblers, and swallows. Most Web Site: www.pc.gc.ca/elkisland of these species nest in the park.