Knowra Wood Buffalo National Park Wood Buffalo National Park Canada’s largest national park spans northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. It protects boreal wilderness, free-ranging bison, and the nesting grounds of endangered whooping cranes.
Whooping Crane : A rare North American crane whose only self-sustaining wild population nests in Wood Buffalo National Park. The park protects the nesting grounds of the species’ last naturally reproducing wild flock.
Peace–Athabasca Delta Hydrology : The seasonal water flows and flooding processes that sustain the Peace–Athabasca Delta. Delta flooding replenishes wetlands and affects habitat across the park.
Wood Buffalo National Park Act : The 1922 federal legislation that established Wood Buffalo National Park. The act created the park to protect northern bison and their range.
UNESCO World Heritage Convention : An international treaty establishing a system to identify and protect cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value. The convention frames international recognition and scrutiny of the park’s conservation status.
Wood Bison : The largest living subspecies of American bison, native to northern Canada. The park contains one of the principal free-ranging populations of this northern bison subspecies.
Wildfire in Canada : Uncontrolled fires that burn Canadian landscapes, including forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Fire is a natural ecological force in the park’s boreal and grassland habitats.
National Parks of Canada : A federal system of protected areas established to preserve representative natural regions and provide public access. Wood Buffalo is part of this national system and remains Canada’s largest park.
Oil sands : Naturally occurring deposits of sand, water, clay, and bitumen, concentrated in northeastern Alberta. Oil-sands development and associated pollution are concerns for ecosystems downstream of the park.
Salt Plains : Flat landscapes where evaporating groundwater leaves mineral-rich salt deposits at the surface. These unusual habitats provide mineral licks used by wildlife in the park.
Bison Migration : Seasonal movement by bison between feeding, breeding, and sheltering areas. Bison movements connect habitats across the park and influence vegetation and nutrient cycling.
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