June 1, 2016
On a rainy day like today, it’s hard to ignore the influence water has on the landscape. Though you probably don’t think of yourself this way, roughly 60% of you is made up of the stuff. Similarly, many people think of the Boreal as an endless expanse of trees, trees and more trees. The fact is, the Boreal in Manitoba is incredibly wet. Around 40% of it (200,000 km2) is wetlands. Lakes account for 83,000 km2, half of which is made up of Lake Winnipegosis, Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg.
They are not simply IN the Boreal, they ARE the Boreal.
Waters nourish the life that inhabits the terrestrial Boreal. Wetlands act as incredible filters and control water that would otherwise flood the landscape. As water passes through, wetlands absorb excess nutrients and ensure the amounts entering our lakes do not reach problematic levels.
Development of the Boreal impacts wetlands and their ability to function. Protection and wise management is key to a healthy future for Lake Winnipeg, Lake Manitoba and the thousands of other water bodies that make up the Boreal landscape.
Photo courtesy of Lake Manitoba by Nebojsa Novakovic.