Trees of the Beaver Boardwalk
As you walk around the Beaver Boardwalk, look at the trees. You may notice there are not many tree species – only six in fact. That’s characteristic of the forests that grow in the Alberta Foothills.
Black Spruce
Picea mariana; A slow growing, tree with a characteristic club-like cluster of branches at the top. Often found in cold,
wet areas.
White Spruce
Picea glauca; Mature trees are 30+ metres tall and cylindrical in shape. Young trees are more conical in shape. Shade tolerant and found throughout upland forest
Lodgepole Pine
Pinus contorta; Prefers full sun but can be found in many environments. Easily identified by long sharp-pointed needles in bunches of two.
Balsam Poplar
Populus balsamifera;
Prefers moist soils and lots of light. Young trees have smooth, yellowish-grey bark that grows thick and deeply grooved with age.
Trembling Aspen
Populus tremuloides;
Found in moist areas with well-drained soils. Smooth round leaves are carried on strongly flattened leaf stems, that cause the leaves to twist and flutter (tremble) in a slight breeze.
Tamarack
Larix laricina; A small sized conifer that grows in fen wetlands. Green leaves in clusters of 10-20 needles that turn golden and fall from the tree in autumn.