Impressions - Greenbough Esker

The huge Greenborough [Greenbough] Esker is the most conspicuous landform in the [area] and greatly affects the form and constitution of the vegetation. Beautiful intolerant upland forests of Red Pine, White Pine and some Jack Pine cover the ridge top, with Large-toothed Aspen, White Birch and White Spruce and Trembling Aspen being locally important. The undergrowth is typical of dry, drought-resistant shrub and herbaceous sandy vegetation throughout the site district. Extraordinary peatlands have developed in the postglacial kame deposits on either side of the southern [end] of the esker. Ponding and stagnant ice blocks have permitted the formation of a complex series of open graminoid fen-like peatlands, surrounded by Black Spruce - Larch forest. Some form deep kettles in esker and kame sands, while others are more open, creek-side sites, with shrub-rich areas as well. Typical bog vegetation dominates much of this areas but in several a variety of unusual peatland species with fen affinities were found ... The size and condition of the esker landform is also unmatched in either site district [5-9 and 5-10], despite the degree of disturbance to it …

Above from the Natural Heritage Information Centre

For more information and lots of photos, see: http://www.mcelroy.ca/notes/greenbough.html