The largest national park in North America is Buffalo Wood. What is Wood Buffalo famous for? Lodges and Campgrounds in Wood Buffalo

For those who have never been to Wood Buffalo, it is not easy to imagine all the greatness of this place. The Forest Bison National Park is the translation of the name of the protected area Wood Buffalo National Park, which is located in the northwest of Canada and occupies flat expanses of over 44 thousand square meters. km. It is the largest national park on the American mainland, with a total length of 283 km from north to south and 161 km from east to west. Administratively, the park is located in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and the Northwest Territories, and geographically lies between the Athabasca and Big Slave lakes.

Most of the national park is occupied by water bodies - lakes, rivers, swamps. Having visited Wood Buffalo, you can see one of the most beautiful and huge inland deltas created by nature. It is created by the Athabasca and Peace River, which flow into Lake Athabasca. Plains predominate in the park, but closer to the west, towards the Caribou mountains, the relief begins to change. Due to the proximity to the pole, the conservation lands have another advantage for tourists. In winter and autumn, guests of the park have an amazing opportunity to watch the wonderful tints of light in the sky - the northern lights.

The vegetation in Wood Buffalo is varied and rich. In the park, there are coniferous and mixed forests, shrubs, light forest characteristic of the tundra, meadow flowers and grasses, as well as the characteristic herbaceous flora of wild prairies. All this, in combination with the local climatic features - long cold winters, which are replaced by short warm summer days - create wonderful conditions for many animals and birds.

The permanent inhabitants of the national park are moose, several species of deer (black-tailed and white-tailed deer, caribou reindeer), marmots, hares, porcupines, musk rats, skunks and beavers. Interestingly, in this area, researchers discovered a beaver dam, the length of which was 850 m.This is considered a world record, since usually the length of such structures is not more than 100 m.In addition to the listed animals, there are American black bears, wolves, wapiti, lynxes in the park, as well as over two hundred species of birds. Among birds, white American cranes and pelicans attract increased attention, but their nesting sites are protected by environmentalists, and therefore are closed to tourists.

Along with this, as the name of the park suggests, the main inhabitants of Wood Buffalo are American bison, for the sake of preserving the population, which was created a conservation area. These massive animals are somewhat similar in appearance to the European bison. Bison weigh about a ton, their body reaches three meters in length and two meters in height. Biologists distinguish the steppe and forest subspecies of the animal, both of them are represented in the park and, largely thanks to the protection of Wood Buffalo, still live on our planet. At the time of the creation of the national park, and this is 1922, the number of forest bison was not more than one and a half thousand, today the herd reaches 2.5 thousand individuals and is recognized as the largest on the mainland. The number of steppe bison is significantly larger than forest bison, and in the 1960s it reached the border of 10 thousand heads.

The special nature of Wood Buffalo was the reason for its inclusion in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which happened in 1983 and influenced the travel of tourists to these places. However, getting to the national park is not so easy. First you need to make an air flight to the Canadian city of Edmonton, then take a charter flight or by car to get either to the town of Fort Chipuyan, in the province of Alberta, or to the city of Fort Smith, in the province of the Northwest Territories, which provide access to protected areas ... Fort Smith, which houses the Wood Buffalo National Park Authority, can be reached via the McKenzie Highway, while Fort Chipuyan, where the headquarters branch is located, has no adapted highway, only an air route.

When considering a tourist trip to the park, it should be borne in mind that there are almost no roads to Wood Bufallo. There is only one car route for excursions in a nature conservation area, while there are a large number of rules for moving by car, violation of which is subject to impressive fines. To compensate for this, there are many hiking trails for every taste. If you wish, you can use not long paths or choose difficult long hiking trails for which you need some experience. The likelihood of a close encounter with predators (wolves, lynxes) is minimal, since they are inherently cautious and shy away from human society.

In Canada, tourists are allowed boat trips on large rivers. By renting a regular boat or canoe at Fort Smith, you can sail to Fort Chipuyan, Fort McMurray or Fort Fitzgerald and enjoy the wonderful views of Wood Buffalo from an unusual angle.

Those wishing to get acquainted with natural attractions for several days can stay in the towns that are in the vicinity of the national park - Fort Smith, Hay River, Yellowknife and Fort Simpson. Locals will gladly rent out a room or a house; camping sites or hotel rooms are also acceptable. The campsites are subordinate to the Wood Buffalo Administration, which grants parking permits.

Wood Buffalo is the largest national park in Canada, covering more than Switzerland. It stretches across the northeastern part of the province of Alberta and deepens into the southern part of the Northwest Territories.

Wood Buffalo National Park is home to some of the last remaining free-range herds of bison in the world, a breeding ground for endangered American cranes, and also has the world's largest beaver dams. Thanks to all this, it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Facts

• Migration route. In the southern part of the park is one of the world's largest freshwater deltas - Pis Athabasca. All four North American migratory routes converge on the delta every spring and fall, and the last remaining flock of migratory American cranes nests in a remote corner of the taiga every summer.
• Protected area. In 1982, the International Union for Conservation of Nature made Wood Buffalo National Park a protected area to protect the Peace Athabasca Delta and the breeding grounds of the American crane. These two areas have been designated as Ramsar areas under the Ramsar Convention, which focuses on the identification and protection of critical habitats for migratory birds.
• Landscape. The varied landscape of the park includes boreal forests, salt flats and various karst landforms. The boreal plains near Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories are the most accessible and popular within the park.
• Wild nature. Wood Buffalo is home to elusive species such as black bears, wolves, moose, foxes, beavers and cranes.
• River country. The Slave, Peace and Athabasca rivers flow through the park, providing excellent opportunities for hiking and camping.

The world's largest inland river delta

Our planet is replete with amazing places, which simply need to be protected. One of these corners is Wood Buffalo Park, which occupies the northwestern part of Canada.

Wood Buffalo National Park is the largest in the entire American continent and one of the largest in the world. It stretches for 283 km from the south to the north and 161 km from the west to the east.

The area of ​​the national park is approximately 4.5 million hectares. The life of the inhabitants of Wood Buffalo is associated with two bodies of water, Athabasca and the Great Slave.

The year of foundation of this protected area is considered to be 1922. It was then that the question of preserving the habitats of the “screaming” crane, which today exists only in this area, was acute.

Of course, the technical and scientific processes of our civilization have destroyed the natural habitats of many animals. Therefore, there is another wild animal, the disappearance of which became the reason for the creation of a protected zone.

At the time of the creation of the reserve, on its entire vast territory there was only one herd of shaggy forest bison, numbering several hundred heads. This area is also home to many mammals.

1983 brought even more protection and support to the park thanks to the work of the UNESCO organization.

Landscape and climate

Most of the area of ​​the national park belongs to various water bodies. Wood Buffalo has an impressive natural delta created by the Athabasca and Peace Rivers.

Plains reign in the park, but if you move to the west, the relief changes. The protected area is close to the pole. This neighborhood gives the inhabitants and visitors of the national park the northern lights.

The Wood Buffalo plant world is unusual and rich. In the national park, vegetation is collected in coniferous and mixed forests, and shrubs, grasses and flowers adorn this majestic landscape, forming a striking contrast.

The combination of the special landscape with the climate of the reserve makes it possible for many birds and animals to coexist perfectly here.

Fauna of the reserve

There was a time when the lands of North America were home to numerous bison and American bison. At first, their numbers were influenced by the everyday needs of the North American Indians. Later, the meat and skin of this outwardly strong animal interested the colonialists. Everything could have ended in disrepair if the government of Canada had not intervened, which banned hunting for this species.

The bison population was saved in the same way. Today, Wood Buffalo is a nature reserve in which about two and a half thousand bison are under protection.

Wood Buffalo also protects American cranes and pelicans.

The reserve has become a place where any of its inhabitants is reliably protected, since hunting for them is prohibited by law, for violation of which various types of administrative and criminal liability are provided.

Material prepared by the editors of the site yaturisto.ru

To those who have never been to Wood Buffalo, it is difficult to imagine all the splendor of this place. Forest bison national park, namely, this is how the name of the reserve is translated (Wood Buffalo National Park), located in the northwest of Canada and covers flat expanses of 44,807 sq. km. It is the largest national park on the American continent, with a total length of 161 km from east to west and 283 km from north to south. Administratively, it is located in the Canadian provinces of the Northwest Territories and Albert, geographically located between Lake Big Slave and Lake Athabasca.

A significant part of the national park is occupied by water bodies - rivers, lakes, swamps. Visiting Wood Buffalo, you can see one of the largest and most beautiful inland deltas created by nature. It is formed by the Peace River and Athabasca, whose waters flow into Lake Athabasca. Plains predominate in the park, although closer to the western side, adjacent to the Caribou Mountains, the relief begins to change. Due to its proximity to the pole, the protected lands have another attraction for tourists. In autumn and winter, visitors to the park have a unique opportunity to observe the wonderful play of light in the sky - the northern lights.

The flora of Wood Buffalo is rich and varied. Here you can find mixed and coniferous forests, shrubs, open woodlands characteristic of the tundra, meadow grasses and flowers, as well as typical herbaceous vegetation of wild prairies. All this, in combination with local climatic features - long cold winters, which are replaced by warm short summers - creates favorable conditions for the habitation of numerous animals and birds.

Moose, several species of deer (white-tailed and black-tailed deer, caribou reindeer), hares, marmots, musk rats, porcupines, skunks and beavers are permanent residents of the national park. An interesting fact: on these lands, the researchers recorded a beaver dam with a length of 850 m., which is considered a world record (usually the length of such structures does not exceed 100 m.). In addition to the mentioned representatives of the fauna, American black bears and wapiti, wolves and lynxes, as well as over 200 species of birds live in the park. Among birds, pelicans and white cranes attract particular attention, but the nesting places of the latter are protected by environmentalists and are closed to tourists.

At the same time, as the name of the reserve suggests, the main inhabitants of Wood Buffalo are American bison, for the sake of saving the population of which the park was created. These massive animals are somewhat reminiscent of the European bison, weigh about a ton (900 kg), their body reaches 2 m in height and 3 m in length. Biologists distinguish between forest and steppe bison subspecies, both represented in Wood Buffalo and largely thanks to the protection of this protected area, they still live on our planet. At the time of the creation of the national park (1922), the number of shaggy forest bison did not exceed one and a half thousand, now the herd reaches 2,500 heads and is recognized as the largest on the continent. The number of steppe bison is noticeably higher, and in the 1960s it crossed the 10 thousand mark.

The unique nature of Wood Buffalo became the reason for its inclusion in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which happened in 1983 and provoked a pilgrimage of tourists to this region. Meanwhile getting to the national park is not so easy... First, you need to fly to the city of Edmonton (Canada), then by car or a charter flight to get (by choice) either to the city of Fort Smith (province of the Northwest Territories), or to the settlement of Fort Chipuyan (province of Alberta), which open access to protected lands. Fort Smith, where the Wood Buffalo Park Administration is located, is accessible via the McKenzie Highway, while Fort Chipuyan, where the headquarters branch is located, does not have a convenient road, only air.

When planning a tourist trip, you need to take into account that there are practically no roads in Wood Buffalo. Only one car route has been created for excursions by the national park, while there are a huge number of rules for traveling by car, violation of which is punishable by impressive fines. As compensation, there are many hiking trails for every taste. If you wish, you can use short walking paths or choose difficult and long hiking trails that require some experience of such hikes. The risk of a close encounter with predators (lynxes, wolves) is minimal - they are by nature cautious and avoid human society.

In Canada, tourists are allowed to travel by boat on large rivers. By hiring transport (canoe or boat) at Fort Smith, you can sail to Fort Chipuyan, Fort Fitzgerald or Fort McMurray and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Wood Buffalo from an unusual perspective.

Those wishing to explore natural attractions for several days have the opportunity to stay in cities adjacent to the national park - Fort Smith, Yellowknife, Hay River and Fort Simpson. Locals will gladly rent out a house or room; hotel rooms and camping grounds are also available. The latter are at the disposal of the Wood Buffalo administration, which issues parking permits.

In conclusion, it should be noted that Wood Buffalo operates year-round as a tourist destination and is beautiful in any season... A visit to it will not leave indifferent everyone who is in love with nature, and will give an amazing experience for a lifetime.

Wood Buffalo is a national park in the provinces of Alberta and the Northwest Territories, Canada. Founded in 1983. It is the largest national park in Canada, covering an area of ​​44 807 km 2. Within the boundaries of the park are wooded plateaus, scarred by forest fires, a plateau eroded by glaciers, a significant freshwater delta formed by the three largest rivers, saline plains and the best examples of karst relief in North America. It also includes the largest virgin grass and sedge prairie in North America, providing the best habitat for bison. The park has a long tradition in the use of natural livelihoods. It was inhabited quite recently, as soon as the glaciers retreated, by nomadic groups of Mikesu - Cree belonging to the first nations, some of which continue to hunt, set snares and fish here. The climate is characterized by one of the longest and coldest winters and short, warm summers; reservoirs are ice-free only in June, July and August.

The 47 mammal species that live here include the Canadian caribou deer, arctic fox, American black bear, elk, beaver and muskrat, and 227 bird species have been recorded, including the falcon, bald eagle, tawny owl and snowy owl. The reserve is also known for the fact that the largest wild herd of American bison on the continent (about 2500 heads) lives on its territory. The population of the American crane is approximately 140 individuals, of which 40 are breeding pairs. This is an amazingly beautiful bird, snow-white, 1.5 m in height, wingspan - 2.6 m. Twice a year, these fabulous birds overcome a dangerous path of 4,300 km to their winter apartments in Texas. Back in 1941, there were only 15 American cranes left.

On the territory of the camp there are 36 sites designated for camping. Several of them are located on Pine Lake (60 km from Fort Smith), the most extensive is Kettle Point Group Camp, it is intended for large groups of tourists. This campsite must be reserved in advance. If you need to organize an overnight stay in the park, you must obtain permission from the Wood Buffalo administration.

Wood Buffalo is open to the public all year round and each season has its own delights. The park has many hiking trails of varying length and difficulty, from very short walking trails to long and difficult ones. Almost any trail allows you to see the indescribable beauty of the surrounding nature around. Since wild animals behave very carefully in nature, the likelihood of encountering them while walking is very small, but you can see a lot of interesting things from afar. The park is interesting not only for travelers, but also for serious wildlife researchers. So in Wood Buffalo Park, in its southern part, the world's longest beaver dam was discovered, its length is about 850 meters (usually 10-100 meters). Many interesting materials on the development of the region and the conservation of the region's wildlife can be seen in the collection of the Fort Smith Museum. At Fort Smith it is possible to rent a boat or canoe and sail Wood Buffalo along the waterway to Fort Fitzgerald, Fort McMurray, Fort Chipuyani. On large rivers, such as Athabasca River, Quatre Forches River, Peace River, Slave River, motorboats are allowed.