Western Cordillera

The remarkable cordillera, one of Canadas landform regions, takes up the

western part of Canada including provinces such as Yukon and British Columbia. This
beautiful landscape was created through folding, faulting and volcanic activity by the
North American and Pacific plate colliding. Its enriched with many beneficial industries
including farming, mining, logging and more. The Western Cordillera is home of
Canadas only remaining glaciers.Great introduction!

Physical Geography
The beautiful Cordillera landscape includes many tall mountain ranges including
the Eastern Mountains, the Coast Mountains, and also includes the Interior Plateaus.
The Eastern mountains division of the Western Cordillera is made up of two mountain
ranges; the Rocky mountains, one of Canadas youngest mountains, and the Columbia
mountains. Both mountains are separated by a deep valley, known as the Rocky
mountain trench, which was created by erosion along a zone of faults. The Columbia
mountains are not as tall as the Rocky mountains because they are older and had been
eroding. The Rocky mountains are the most eastern range in the Cordillera and forms
the continental divide. The Columbia mountains are made up of sedimentary, and
metamorphic rock layers below the surface. Similar to the Eastern mountains, the Coast
mountains are divided into two ranges by a deep trough. The two ranges are the Coast
mountain range which is located on the mainland, and the Island mountain range, which
is located on the offshore islands. The Coast mountains are made up of igneous and
metamorphic rock. The interior plateaus are generally found in the center of the

Cordillera. It is composed of igneous and metamorphic rock containing valuable metals

such as copper, zinc, and gold. (Good explanation)
Further into the breathtaking region, the Cordillera generally has a maritime
climate as it has a low temperature range and its precipitation tends to be high. The
region is moist and mild and some of the locations in the Cordillera are among the
wettest regions on the planet. Valleys in the Cordillera are warmer and the windward
slopes tend to be wetter. Also, since the Pacific Ocean moderates the temperatures of
the Cordillera, the winters are above freezing and the summers are cooler. Winters in
the northern part of this region can last up to 8 months.
The Cordillera also has a great variety of vegetation. Many evergreens such as
Douglas fir, western red cedar, and western hemlock grow to great heights on moist and
windward sloped mountains. They are generally not found in the southern parts of the
Cordillera because there is not enough precipitation capable to support their growth. In
the higher elevations, the absence of vegetation begins to increase compared to
vegetation further down the mountains. On dryer and leeward slopes, vegetation such
as grasses and cacti are found. Some of the other species found at the Cordillera are
sagebrush, rabbitbrush, bunchgrass, pine grass, mountain avens, and many more.
Many animals that can be spotted in this particular region include large or small
herbivores and carnivores. Some examples are caribou, moose, mountain goats, grizzly
bears, cougars, beavers, coyotes and more. Waterfowl found in the region include
mallard, gadwall, redhead, and the famous Canada goose. A few of the fascinating
insects located at the Cordillera also include the red turpentine beetle, the boreal spittle

bug, and the migratory grasshopper. The wondrous Cordillera is also home to species
of fish, frogs, molluscs, snakes and birds of prey.

Human Activities
The Cordillera contains 6 national parks including one of the oldest in Canada,
Banff National Park. However, there is also several provincial parks located there as
well. Further down the slopes, as well as dry valleys are perfect for recreational
activities such as hunting, fishing, biking, hiking, and horseback riding. When the region
transitions into the warmer seasons, major lakes may act as tourist attractions along
with the many beaches. (This part could have been expanded on a bit - how does the
physical geography explained earlier influence the human geography)?

Really well done, overall. Very mature writing style.

Bibliography
" Physical Regions of Canada ." Physical Regions. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
"Western Cordillera Landform Region." Western Cordillera Landform Region. N.p., n.d. Web. 27
Apr. 2016.
"Western Cordillera." Western Cordillera. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2016

"Human Activities in the Montane Cordillera Ecozone." Human Activities in the Montane
Cordillera Ecozone. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
"Western Cordillera." The Physical Regions of North America. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.

Perfect Bibliography!

Western Cordillera
Your journey is just around the corner

Start an amazing adventure at the alluring region, the Western Cordillera.

This delicate landscape features young mountains, and hundreds of species
of animals and vegetation. It also happens to be home to Canadas only
remaining glaciers. Come see several of Western Cordilleras national parks,
or relax by the many lakes. You can also do some exciting activities, from
lively horseback riding to reaching new heights on the tall mountains. Treat

yourself to heaven on earth, at the Western

Cordillera.

Excellent poster! All the required information is included, and more!

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Westerncordillera.ca