Characteristics:

• aspen forests interspersed with shrubland and grassland; remnant grasslands are rare and aspen stands are largely confined to sites not suitable for agriculture
• forests support furbearers, ungulates and songbirds; grasslands provide habitat for small mammals and raptors and support some of Alberta's rarest plants; wetlands are important to waterfowl and amphibians
• coolwater streams are home to fast growing, more sediment tolerant fish such as walleye and northern pike.
• predominant land uses are agriculture, country residential

Environmental Risks:

• impacts to small areas of remnant native vegetation
• ungulate timing restrictions in river valleys
• loss of soil or soil productivity
• noise and disturbance of to rural residents