It's the most northerly, active sand dune region in the world.
Fire is a natural and important part of the boreal forest ecosystem.
Wetlands are less numerous in this region, with Lake Athabasca a gargantuan exception. Other prominent features of the region include eskers, drumlins and flutings, which mark the path of the glaciers during the last ice age. Young and open stands of jack pine are prevalent in the sandy, dry soil, with pine-spruce forests found in the drumlin areas, and white birch and black spruce common in lower slopes of the dunes. Populations and diversity are low compared to elsewhere in the Shield. Localized populations of moose, black bear and timber wolf are most prominent.