1. AMAZING CANADA By Jessie

2. The Cordillera The Cordillera is Canada’s Western most region, sitting to the east of the pacific ocean, and north of the American West Coast. It includes British Columbia, the Yukon, and small pieces of Alberta and Northwest Territories. It’s extents are 69° 37’ 47.7644” north, 141°0’ 34.2756” west, 49°1’11.4924” south, and 114°51’6.8664” east.

3. The cordillera is a rugged region, full of parallel mountains, valleys, trenches and plateaus. Pressure from tectonic plates created the regions many mountains, pushed them up from volcanic rock, and water and glacial erosion, that slowly scraped away rock and deposited it away, gave the landscape its rugged look. Diagram of how Fold Mountains are created Canadian Rocky Mountains; fold mountains

4. The region is home to many different types of vegetation; its most well-known being evergreen tree rich coniferous forests, but this region has much more diversity than one would expect! The region also has many open woodlands; with trees and grass, parklands; with long grass and cottonwood trees, grasslands; a grassy place with no trees, and tundras; that no trees and many shrubs and mosses on the ground, sprinkled around in the north. The region is full of many different trees, grasses, and ecosystems, making the Cordillera a very diverse place in terms of topography.

5. Settlement patterns in the Cordillera are mostly smaller areas that are very densely populated, separated by mountains. The many mountains of the Cordillera create a sort of wall around the settlements in the Cordillera, make it difficult for people to spread out and expand, and forcing them all into spaces which are less rugged. Human settlement patterns in the cordillera are also dictated by the climate. The further north that you go, the colder it gets, and while there are mountains all throughout the Cordillera, people are even less willing to create big settlements in places where it is extremely cold. Movement

6. Resources The cordillera has many resources that are relatively easy for people to obtain and use; the easiest to guess being forestry. The region’s many trees make this a seemingly endless resource, which people are quick to gather, and process, using paper and pulp mills. This industry has 52.0 thousand people employed and created $1068 million dollars in 2014. However despite its positive economic impact, this industry is not the best for the environment. In recent years new efforts have begun to make the forestry industry more sustainable, but that does not undo the damage which has occurred in the past. Clearcutting – cutting down all the trees in one area of land – causes soil erosion, ruins ecosystems and puts species are risk. Less trees also means that there is less carbon and pollution that’s in the air getting filtered and cleaned. To get to, retrieve and transport the newly cut wood, roads have to be build, which further destroys soil and the nature environment. The forestry industry is as harmful as it is valuable to the Cordillera, but the more we learn about the risks the more we also try to prevent them. Gordon River Clearcut in Port Renfrew, BC

7. Another valuable industry to the region is mining, since the Cordillera holds many minerals deposits, such as coal, gold, and copper. This industry has 51.3 thousand people employed and created and made 4348.7 million dollars in 2013. While this industry is just about as valuable as the materials they are looking for, the impacts of it results in soil erosion, ground water loss, and other negative effects, such as clear cutting of trees and taking away animals habitats. To transport the goods, roads need to be built which further harm the environment. The money making never ends, under the harsh rule of capitalism, and with the last major natural, resource from the region, being fishing. Being close to the ocean, and having many rivers, makes fishing an easy resource, which is equally beneficial to the region, having about 1,700 employees as of 2013 and making 102.3 million dollars in 2011. Over fishing has been and still is a problem, as it can ruin ecosystems and lead to species becoming endangered or extinct.

8. Where to visit A good place to visit in the Cordillera would be the Vancouver Aquarium, which is located in Stanley Park, close to the Sea wall, as it is a fun and beautiful place to visit for many reasons. While it is a manmade place, built for cultural reason, it also shows many of the Cordillera’s values, specially about the environment. The Vancouver Aquarium showcases many marine animals native to Canada and the Cordillera region, and teaches about the environment where they naturally live, and how one can help preserve and protect it. As well, otters. What other argument is needed? Aquarium Location: 49°18' 1.5372'' N 123°7' 51.0168'' W

9. Citations for the Cordillera ■Cranny, Michael William. Horizons: Canada's Emerging Identity. Don Mills, ON: Pearson, 2009. Print. ■"Deforestation in British Columbia." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.. ■"The Cordillera by Haley." Regional Writing. Web. 20 Feb. 2016. ■"The British Columbia Economic Accounts." BC GDP by Industry Chained Dollars 1997 - 2014. Stats. Statistics Canada. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.. ■"British Columbia's Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector 2012 Edition." - BC Stats British Columbia's Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. ■2013 British Columbia Financial and Economic Review. Victoria B.C.?: Ministry of Finance, 2013. Web. ■"Employment by Major Industry Group, Seasonally Adjusted, by Province (monthly) (British Columbia)." Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. Web. 19 Feb. 2016. ■Cranny, Michael William. Horizons: Canada's Emerging Identity. Don Mills, ON: Pearson, 2009. Print.

10. The Interior Plains The Interior Plains sit in the middle of Canada and stretch over most of the prairies, and the Northwest Territories. It’s extents are 70° 30' 23.6700'' north, 49° 1' 11.4924'‘ south, 120° 28' 33.8664‘ west, and 97° 8' 28.0068'‘ east.

11. Topography and Vegetation The interior plains are mostly flat, and made up of sedimentary rock, formed by rivers depositing minerals thousands of years ago, that fused together due to pressure. Oil can only be formed and found in sedimentary rock. The Interior Plains are made up of mostly grasslands, with short grass and very few trees, and parklands, that has longer grass and trees scattered around. Diagram of how Sedimentary rock is formed “The hillsides around Drumheller, Alberta, with layers of sedimentary rock creating bands of colour” Native grasslands in southern Saskatchewan

12. Place Grasslands National Park is the only mixed- grass conservation site in all of Canada and a great place to visit. As a guest you are able to see the natural ecosystem, which include many types of wild flowers and grasses, see bison roaming and grazing, and see what the land could have looked like before settlers turned over the land. The park sits in Mankato, Saskatchewan, above the state of Montana, relatively close to the Canadian – U.S border. Grasslands National Park’s ecosystem is completely undisturbed, and shows what the entirety of the Plains could look like without human temperament. This presents a unique opportunity to see and experience a true Canadian landscape. Location: 49° 7' 17.4900'' N 107° 26' 12.0336'' W

13. Settlement Since the Interior Plains are mostly flat, it is one of the few regions of Canada where the population is free, and able, to spread out as much as it wants. Due to the landscape is there nothing preventing people from putting as much distance between each other as they want. The only factor which affects settlement patterns in the Plains is the climate. The further north one goes, the colder it gets, making it unpleasant and more difficult to live it, which makes people unwilling to move there.

15. The Interior Plains of Canada are mostly made up of sedimentary rock, which is where a majority of natural energy resources are found. One of the main industries is energy which comes in the form of oils and natural gases. The energy industry in the interior plains has employed 155.8 thousand people, and has made over 92 billion dollars. However, the downside to this is the negative affects this has on the landscape around mining and quarry sights. Not only do roads have to be built to transport any goods that are found, but open pit mining means a loss of ground water, soil erosion and destruction of the environment. As well, new study’s say that the Alberta oil sand may have more environmental risks, such as the release of gases which add to air pollution. Open pit mining in Canada’s oil sands

16. Citations for the Interior Plains ■Cranny, Michael William. Horizons: Canada's Emerging Identity. Don Mills, ON: Pearson, 2009. Print. ■"Grasslands National Park: Introductions." Parks Canada. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.. ■Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.. ■"Employment by Major Industry Group, Seasonally Adjusted, by Province (monthly) (British Columbia)." Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. Web. 19 Feb. 2016. ■"Environmental Health Risks of Alberta Oil Sands Likely Underestimated: Study." The Globe and Mail. Web. 20 Feb. 2016. ■“Highlights of Alberta Economy.” Alberta Government. Web. 11 Feb. 2016..

17. Canadian Shield The Canadian Shield is Canada’s largest region, and wraps around Hudson’s Bay, and covers most of Quebec, Ontario, Nunavut, and some sections of Manitoba and Labrador. It’s extents are 69° 55' 15.1428‘ north, 103° 51' 53.0856'‘ west, 44° 34' 15.2544‘ south, and 55° 39' 24.2568'‘ east.

18. Topography and Vegetation The Canadian Shield is a rocky region, with bare, hard rock, and wetlands. Mostly made up of metamorphic rock, this region’s face was created largely by glacial erosion, which smoothed it down, leaving kettle lakes and a rough surface in its wake. Despite the bland description of the land, the Canadian Shield is home to many types of vegetation, such as pine, spruce, and cedar trees from coniferous and mixed forests, and shrubs, grasses and mosses from tundra’s up north. Diagram of glacial erosion and deposition Marsh habitat Presqu'ile Park, Ontario, Canada.

19. Movement Despite being one of the biggest regions in Canada, the Canadian Shield is not densely populated. This is due to what makes up most of the shield: hard, metamorphic rock. This rock, which was created over time due to heat and pressure, is what makes up much of the Shield, and makes it hard to build pretty much anything. One would need to blast the rock out to build foundations, roads, wells, anything that needs support from the bottom to hold it up. Many settlements in the Shield are resource towns, which pop up all around it, purely to extract one thing, usually a mineral, but don’t become huge cities.These settlements remain functional and populated until the resource runs out, then those whole lived their usually move, as there is nothing to boost or keep the economy stable. Since the Canadian Shield extends north, another factor which limits population is the cold, and the tundra’s that are present.

21. Resources The Canadian Shield has many minerals, such as copper, gold, diamond, lead, and nickel, in it, and mining is a huge industry, though the employment numbers are not too high; only 42.3 thousand, the GDP that the industry brings in is much more impressive, at around 8,634 million. Getting to these precious minerals and metals, however is difficult, and usually requires open mining to take place, destroying the natural landscape, and ruining ecosystems. Open pit mining takes away large amounts of soil and rock, and leads to soil erosion, and ground water loss. Noranda Copper Mines Canada ranks fourth in the world in copper mining. This operation is located at Murdochville, Québec Kidd Creek mine, Timmins, Ontario.

22. Place Canada’s capital city resides in the Canadian shield, and where better to visit that the place where all of Canada’s important decisions are made. The parliament buildings are located in downtown Ottawa, by the Ottawa river, and are a very impressive sight. Gathering over 3 million visitors annually, Parliament Hill is a strong cultural symbol, which represents Canada’s connection with Europe, as well as our independence as a country. (Also since the roof is made out of copper, it’s going to turn green as it oxidized, which is pretty funky.) The East Block (left) and West Block (beyond), with its Mackenzie Tower, frame the south facade and Peace Tower of the Centre Block Location of Parliament Hill: 45° 25' 24.9384'' N75° 42' 3.3444'' W

23. Citations for the Canadian Shield ■Cranny, Michael William. Horizons: Canada's Emerging Identity. Don Mills, ON: Pearson, 2009. Print. ■"Employment by Major Industry Group, Seasonally Adjusted, by Province (monthly) (Ontario)." Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. ■"Ontario Gross Domestic Product." Ontario Gross Domestic Product. Web. 17 Feb. 2016. ■"Resource Towns." The Canadian Encyclopedia. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. ■"Parliament Hill." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.

24. The St. Lawrence Lowlands The St. Lawrence Lowlands are in fact a very tiny region in Canada, squished between the Canadian Shield, the Appalachians and the U.S border. Around it are the great lakes, Huron, Erie and Ontario, and it includes lower parts of Quebec and Ontario. The regions extents are 46° 50' 8.7756'‘ north, 81° 42' 19.1592'' west, 43° 38' 2.7132'' south, and 76° 11' 24.6696'' east.

25. Topography and Vegetation The Lowlands are, as the name implies, low, and was created by sheets of ice melting and reforming over it during the ice age. This process pushed soil from the Canadian Shield and deposited it in the Lowlands and receding lakes left bluffs throughout the Lowlands. The soil in the Lowlands is very fertile and the region is mainly mixed forests and filled with cedar, hemlock, maple, and birch trees and many more. Diagram of how coastal erosion and bluffs are formed Mixed forest in the St. Lawrence Lowlands

27. Movement The St. Lawrence Lowlands has the highest population density in all of Canada and it is not a mystery as to why. The region is fertile, the landscape forgiving and easier to deal with than most of Canada, and since the whole region is very southern, the climate of the whole region is very similar. With no physical or climate based barriers, the St. Lawrence Lowlands seem like the great place to live, and about half of the Canadian population seem to agree with that.

28. Resources The soil of the Lowlands is extremely fertile, which makes agriculture and farming much easier than in other regions in Canada. Primary agriculture employs 79.4 thousand people, and creates 4,163 million dollars in GDP. Despite seeming much less bad than other natural resources, farming actually has a big effect on the land, and sometimes it’s negative. Not only are the indigenous plants usually pulled out and killed, but introduction of foreign plants and bugs can destroy and change ecosystems forever. Pesticides result in the death of bugs which are sometimes essential for other plants and animals, and it takes away homes for many animals that used to live in the area. As well, over time, soil loses it nutritionals, and artificial fertilizers are needed, and it can take years for soil to return to its natural state. Mining is also a big industry in both Quebec and Ontario, and it stretches into the Lowlands too. Mining employs 42.3 thousand people, and creates about 8.6 million dollars. Area of the St. Lawrence Lowlands Farm in the Lowlands

29. Place to Visit The Niagara Falls are a famous landmark, not only in Canada but the world. The three falls go along the U.S – Canadian border, between Ontario and New York, and have the highest flow rate of any water fall in the world. These falls connect two great lakes together, and were formed by a receding glacier and water erosion. While the Falls are a naturally formed landmark, it also holds value economically, not only in tourism, but in hydroelectric power. Location of the Niagara Falls: 43.0799°N 79.0747°W

30. Citations for the St. Lawrence Lowlands ■Cranny, Michael William. Horizons: Canada's Emerging Identity. Don Mills, ON: Pearson, 2009. Print. ■"Employment by Major Industry Group, Seasonally Adjusted, by Province (monthly) (Ontario)." Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. ■"Ontario Gross Domestic Product." Ontario Gross Domestic Product. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. ■"Niagara Falls." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.

31. The Appalachians The Appalachian’s are the most eastern region in Canada, going along the south east side of the Canadian shield, and out into some islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The region’s extents are 51° 31' 8.3928'‘ north to 43° 25' 58.7172” south, and 72° 16' 5.0376'' west to 52° 58' 33.8664'‘ east.

32. Topography and Vegetation The Appalachian Region is very bumpy, which small mountains, rolling hills, highlands and valleys and fjords along the coast. Coastal fjords are formed by glaciers carving up the land and These all come from an old mountain range which were eroded down to leave the current landscape. Sedimentary rock was pushed up to form the rolling hills, which, again, were smoothed down due to erosion. An old volcanic range left also left ingenious and metamorphic rock throughout the region. Most of this region is filled with mixed forests, with a few coniferous forests throughout, and in Newfoundland, open woodland, with scattered trees and shrubs. Illustration of how a fjord is created Prince Edward Island, Canada.

33. Movement The Appalachian’s is quite a small region, so wherever people do settle, there is not a lot of space. While it is very hill-y it is easier to spread out despite the hills than in a region with many mountains, the limited space creates the many issues that the most region’s in Canada shares. And, since it is a southern region, climate plays little to no effect on where people settle, so the only limiting factor for the Appalachian’s is the physical size of the region, as oppose to anything inside it.

34. Resources The landscape of the Appalachians is more forgiving than other place in Canada, and while it is not as fertile as the Lowlands, agriculture is still a good natural industry, which employs about 3 thousand people as of January 2016, a drop from the 3.2 thousand of December, however it could be due to weather and climate changes. Agriculture created about 299.7 million dollars in GDP, a 3.7% drop from 2013. Farming pushing native plants out of where they live and can introduce invasive species of bugs, animals and plants into their habitats. As well, as one plants is grown in one spot for a long period of time, the soil loses the nutrients that it has, which is why farmers use crop rotation, and it can lead to soil erosion, and the decline of bugs and animals which used to live, feed, or breed in the area where a farm occupies. Fishing is also a big industry in the Appalachians as most of the region is close to the ocean. Fishing and aquaculture creates about 9,500 jobs, and accounts for over 350 million dollars annually. Like with any other resource, over using it can lead to bad things, and fishing is no different. Over fishing can lead to many problems, such as creating missing gaps in food chains, and putting entire fish species at risk. PEI farm Deep sea tuna fishing on PEI.

35. Place Gros Morne national park is full of great things to do as see. As a heritage site, the park is full of history about the land and how it was formed (plate tectonic). As well, there are many other activities that the park offers such as kayaking, hiking, backpacking, and many museums about the park. It is located on the West Coast of Newfoundland, north east of Bonne Bay. Park is located 49° 39' 7.2540'' N 57° 45' 20.7288'' W Interior of park

36. Citations for Appalachians ■Cranny, Michael William. Horizons: Canada's Emerging Identity. Don Mills, ON: Pearson, 2009. Print. ■ "Employment by Major Industry Group, Seasonally Adjusted, by Province (monthly) (Prince Edward Island)." Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. Web. 21 Feb. 2016. ■"The Physical Regions of Canada: The Appalachians." Horizons. 18. Web. 17 Feb. 2016. ■"Gros Morne National Park." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. ■"Top Destinations: Gros Morne National Park." Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada – Official Tourism Website. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.

37. The Arctic The Arctic Region is Canada’s northern most region, as it sits above the Canadian Shield, Cordillera, and Plains, and stretches outwards into the Arctic Ocean. It’s boundaries are a little confusing, but it’s extents are 82° 59' 29.2236'‘ north, 67° 39' 18.7560‘ south, 133° 17' 10.0788'‘ west and 133° 17' 10.0788'‘ east.

38. Topography and Vegetation The Arctic region of Canada is diverse with Lowlands, fold mountains and plains. Mountains were formed due to pressure from the Canadian Shield pushing up ranges of fold mountains. Mostly tundra, this region’s vegetation is very limited, mostly mosses and shrubs close to the ground, as there is not enough moisture, and too strong of winds, to support larger plants. Formation of fold mountains A typical tundra landscape in Nunavut.

39. Movement There are not many big settlements in the Arctic as both the climate and the topography make it undesirable and difficult to live in. Since it is very northern, it is cold very often, and well into the negatives during its coldest mouths. The landscape also doesn’t help, as it’s difficult to grow food in many areas, and due to mountains. However, melting ice have revealed resources which exist in the arctic; such as natural gases, and since there is sedimentary rock, possibly oil, and has made them more assessable, which could mean that in the future, much like with the Canadian shield, there may be more resource based towns which exist in the Artic, and a greater population of people who live there.

40. Resources While the Arctic is full of resources, due to the climate it is quite hard to reach them, however, for the natural resources which we are able to reach create quite a bit of cold hard cash. Quarrying and mining – typically for diamonds and other metals, but possible energy resources are expected to be there too - created a GDP of about 439.2 million in 2014, which grew from the 310.4 million which was the GDP in 2010. However, despite these high numbers, mining only accounts for about 2.4% of employment. Mining and quarrying have a negative affect on the land as, not only do roads have to be built, but it causes soil erosion and ground water loss, and it can take a very long time to the environment to return to its natural state afterwards. Jericho Diamond Mine pit Nunavut Canada

41. Place Baffin Island would an interesting visiting place, since it is the largest island in Canada, yet still quite small to the rest of it. Baffin Island is part of Nunavut, above Hudson’s Bay. The islands wildlife is quite interesting and it features many iconic and stereotypical Canadian animals, such as caribou, arctic hares, foxes and polar bears. The northern lights can be viewed from the island and one is able to dogsled (what else would you want in life besides 12 dogs….). Baffin Island is probably the most Canadian place in all of Canada, (Canada, dare I say it, pre colonization), so it would definitely be a very interesting trip. Location of Baffin Island: 69°N 72°W Polar bear on Baffin Island

42. Citations for the Arctic ■Cranny, Michael William. Horizons: Canada's Emerging Identity. Don Mills, ON: Pearson, 2009. Print. ■"Mining the Land: The Resource Industry in Nunavut." TheIndependentca. Web. 20 Feb. 2016. ■"Baffin Island, Nunavut, Iqaluit, Canada, Jobs, Maps, Photos, Weather." BAFFIN ISLAND.CA. Web. 18 Feb. 2016. ■"Baffin Island." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.

43. THE END See ya later space cowboy