NORTHWESTERN FORESTED
MOUNTAINS
This ecological region extends from Alaska south through southern Yukon, interior British
Columbia and the Alberta foothills, through northern California and over into Nevada. It contains
the highest mountains of North America and some of the continent’s most diverse mosaics
of ecosystem types, ranging from alpine tundra to dense conifer forests to dry sagebrush and
grasslands. There are major river systems, including the headwaters to both the Fraser and
Columbia rivers. The basis for aggregating all this diversity into one ecological region is topographic—the
chains of mountains that traverse its whole length. This region of 800,000 people
is a major tourist area for skiing, hiking and other outdoor recreational pursuits. Substantial
forestry and mining activity occur throughout.