Amur Leopard – Panthera Pardus Orientalis

Distinguishing Features – The Amur leopard is well adapted to the harsh climate of its range. The hairs of its summer pelt are 2.5 cm long but in winter they are replaced by 7 cm long ones. Apart from its long winter coat the Amur leopard is easily told apart from other leopard subspecies by … Read more

Trailing Arbutus – Epigaea Repens

General – perennial, evergreen, hemicryptophyte, subshrubs, autotrophic, monoclinous, with adventitious roots and with fibrous roots, 0.02-0.4 m tall, with rhizomes. Trailing Arbutus Leaves – alternate, 1 per node, spaced evenly along stem; petiolate, petiole 0.4-3(-5) cm long, hairs short and unbranched, erect. Flowers – formed on short shoots, monomorphic, with sepals and petals readily distinguishable … Read more

Siberian Tiger – Panthera Tigris Altaica

Distinguishing Features – The Siberian tiger bears the typical markings of all tigers and is the largest of all the wild cats. A male can weigh more than 300 kg. and measures 2.7 – 3.6 m. long from its head to the tip of its tail, the female is a little smaller. Habitat They are … Read more

Pine Marten – Martes Americana

Distinguishing Features – Overall colouration, lustrous fur, varying from pale buff to dark brown; underparts paler brown. Ears, pale with whitish edges. Body, long; feet, dark brown; claws, semi-retractable. Size Male: .54 – 63 m (1.8 – 2.1 ft) Female: .48 – .6 m (1.6 – 2 ft) Habitat Throughout Northwestern Ontario, preferring mature coniferous … Read more

Woodland Horsetail “Wood Horsetail”- Equisetum Sylvaticum

General – slender perennial from deep, creeping rhizomes; stems die back each year, erect, hollow, 15 – 60 cm tall; 2 markedly different stem types; fertile stems unbranched at first, later have mostly compound branches, green to tan; sterile stems much branched, usually single, green, with 10 – 18 minutely spiny ridges; many branches, again … Read more

Balsam Poplar – Populus Balsamifera

The balsam poplar is the northernmost North American hardwood. Other names are tacamahac, cottonwood, or heartleaf balsam poplar. General – medium to large-sized, averaging 23 – 30 m (75 – 100 ft) high, broadleaved hardwood. Crown narrow, pyramidal with thick, ascending branches. Branchlets moderately stout, round, shiny reddy-brown, orange lenticels, buds are reddish-brown to brown, … Read more

Eastern Newt – Notophthalmus Viridescens

Distinguishing Features – Small. Overall colouration, reddy brown or green and have small black dots scattered about; undersides, yellow or yellow-orange with small black dots. Skin, rough. Four toes on the front feet and five on the back. Size 6.3 – 10 cm (2.5 – 4 in) Habitat Found in southern regions of Northwestern Ontario, … Read more

Green Alder – Alnus Crispa

General – A tall and spreading shrub, 3 – 8 m tall; bark thin, dull, reddish to greyish brown, smooth or slightly grooved; twigs slender, yellowish green to reddish brown, coated with very short grey hairs; buds slender, stalked, covered with grey hairs. Green AlderLeaves – Opposite, simple, 6 – 8 cm wide, 3-lobed, end … Read more

Sweden – Forests and Forestry

Sweden extends from the southern Baltic Sea to north of the Arctic Circle. The country has an area of 450,000 km (174,000 sq. mi.) and is 1,600 km long, equal to the distance from the southern tip of Sweden to southern Italy.                            … Read more