MORICE RIVER ER #81

ORIGINAL PURPOSE

To preserve, for research purposes, forest ecosystems representative of the western edge of the Sub-Boreal Spruce Zone.

The reserve is situated in an area of irregular topography near the western edge of the Nechako Plateau. Just beyond, to the northeast, are the Bulkley Ranges. The plateau surface in the reserve is at about the 800 m level. The western half of the reserve, on the plateau surface, is quite flat. To the east, the reserve slopes strongly toward the Morice River, which forms its eastern boundary. The river here has a well entrenched single channel, fairly rapid flow, and very little active floodplain development. Soils are mostly Gray Luvisols and Brunisols.

Vegetation in the reserve was incompletely described prior to a forest fire which burned almost its entire area in May 1983. However, trees known to be present include Engelmann and white spruce hybrids , black spruce, subalpine fir, lodgepole pine, paper birch, trembling aspen, and black cottonwood. Aerial photos indicate that most of the flatter uplands supported dense stands of lodgepole pine or spruce, more open woods containing aspen occurred on southeast-facing slopes near the river, and a few cottonwoods were present along the riverbank. Slopes near the river provide important range for Moose,Mule Deer and American Black Bear

Significant Species : Blue Listed Back’s Sedge Carex backii The pictures below are from the Go Botany website: