Natural Landscape Types

Non-Sandy Upland

• a variety of landscapes that are morainal or glacio-lacustrine in nature
• note: there are sandy ground moraines and sandy glacio-lacustrine deposits that are included under the sandy upland - sandy plain theme

Glacial Lakebed

• predominantly fine-grained glacial lake deposits
• may also include ground moraines with a thin veneer of fine glacial lake deposits
• this theme does not apply in Foothills, Rocky Mountain and Canadian Shield natural regions

Ground Moraine

• flat to undulating moraine of low relief, included draped and stagnation moraine
• while this theme is generally consistent across all regions, some areas of hummocky moraine are lumped into ground moraine in the Foothills Parkland Subregion since it is a minor component in this environment
• predominantly-sandy phases are included under sandy plain
• this term does not apply in Foothills, Rocky Mountain and Canadian Shield natural regions

Hummocky Moraine

• moderately to strongly undulating knob and kettle topography including stagnation, ridged-end and ice-thrust moraine
• this term does not apply in Foothills, Rocky Mountain and Canadian Shield natural regions

Bedrock

• applies only to upland Precambrian bedrock outcrops in the Canadian Shield Kazan Upland Subregion.
• all other bedrock types occur under valley/ridge themes

Sandy Upland

• a variety landscapes that are characterized by thick deposits of coarse sand
• includes some areas of sandy moraine and lake deposits, as well as the more typical dune fields, kames and outwash plains
• this theme is not represented in Foothills and Rocky Mountain natural regions

Sandy Plain

• fairly level and sandy terrain derived from ice-contact fluvial or lacustrine deposits and, in rare circumstances, on sandy morainal materials
• this theme is not represented in Foothills or Rocky Mountain natural regions

Dune Field

• sandy deposits arranged by wind into dune formations
• although there are minor dunes in the mountains, this theme is not represented at this level in Foothills and Rocky Mountain environments

Kame Moraine  

• hummocky sandy terrain that has been deposited in mounds by meltwater in contact with glacier ice; a group of interconnecting kames
• this is a significant landscape in only Central Parkland and Athabasca Plains subregions

Valley/Ridge

• landscape type encompassing a variety of valley slopes, ridge tops, flood plains, river channels and river terraces
• in Foothills and Rocky Mountain natural regions, this includes most of the uplands

Exposed Slope

• non-vegetated, exposed bedrock or erosional slopes typically associated with river valleys
• this theme is confined to Grassland and Parkland natural regions as well as Subarctic, Lower Boreal Highlands and Central and Dry Mixedwood subregions of the Boreal Forest Natural Region

Protected Slope

• vegetated slopes typically associated with river valleys
• this theme is confined to Grassland and Parkland natural regions as well as Subarctic, Lower Boreal Highlands, Central Mixedwood and Dry Mixedwood subregions of the Boreal Forest Natural Region

Valley Wall / Ridge

• any slopes and ridges above the elevation of the stream-influenced valley floor
• this theme is confined to Foothills and Rocky Mountain natural regions as well as "foothills" portions of Foothills Fescue and Foothills Parkland subregions

Valley Floor / Stream

• stream-influenced valley bottoms including stream channels and related riparian woodland and shrubbery

Wetland

• an area where the land is saturated with water often enough and of a long enough duration to promote formation of water-altered soils, growth of water-tolerant vegetation and biological processes adapted to wet environments
• includes riparian vegetation. 

Alkali Wetland

• wetlands with minimal or no peat accumulation with high levels of salinity or alkalinity (>3 ppm), dominated by halophytic vegetation
• tend to remain free of ice cover longer than freshwater wetlands
• these may tend to become dry alkali flats, playas or dry lake basins during drought years

Mineral Wetland

• wetlands with mineral or mixed mineral and organic soils with minimal peat accumulation
• water levels may fluctuate
• includes marshes, swamps and shallow open water vegetation in areas outside Parkland and Grassland natural regions

Organic Wetland

• wetlands with significant peat accumulation (≥40 cm) of poorly decomposed, predominantly moss or sedge-derived peat and relatively stable water levels
• includes bog and fen vegetation

Lake

• any naturally occurring, sizeable, permanent, relatively deep body of water, whether fresh or alkaline, with well defined beds and banks

Glacier-Snowfield

• a permanent/persistent accumulation of snow and ice
• typically found above snow line
• occurs only in the Rocky Mountains - Alpine Subregion