Chapter 5: Vegetation

5.7: Riverine Gallery Forest in the Valley of the Little Saskatchewan River South of Rivers

The Little Saskatchewan River 1 flows southward across the area, and at the time the photo was taken, the channel was full of water, but several boulder barriers across the stream can be identified 2.

The large scale of the photograph makes it possible to identify individual deciduous trees 3 and the rounded shadows they throw 4. Deciduous forest—here mainly aspen (Populus tremuloides) and bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa)—occupies wetter land on either side of the river channel 5 as well as small “draws” leading down to the river 6. Low-lying bushes—dark-toned but without obvious tree crowns— cover an area in the southwest 7, and patches of light-toned grass also occur 8. The latter should not be confused with land that has been cropped and which shows the linear patterns associated with cropping 9. A track leading down to the river 10 probably originates at a farm building off the photo to the east. Small dark spots in the northeast may be cattle 11.

Figure 5.7: Riverine Gallery Forest in the Valley of the Little Saskatchewan River South of Rivers

Figure 5.7

Vertical air photo: A20774-17

Flight height: 9820 feet a.s.l.; lens focal length: 6 inches

Date: July 2, 1968

Scale: 1:16,800 (approx.)

Location: Township 12; Range 21 WI

Map sheets: 1:250,000 62F Virden

1:50,000 62F/16 Alexander