Special Places: Eco-lessons from the National Parks in Atlantic Canada

Student Information Sheet: Gros Morne National Park of Canada

The Earth’s history is literally at your feet in Gros Morne National Park*

What’s in the park?

Gros Morne National Park of Canada is famous for its amazing rocks, fossils and mountains. People come from all over the world to learn about its incredible geology; the rocks and fossils show the history of the Earth’s formation. Visitors can even walk on an ancient ocean floor!

© Parks Canada / Don Pentz

The rocks of Gros Morne help explain how the world’s continents move around. Geologists think that North America collided with Europe, long ago. As the continents pushed against each other, mountains were squeezed up. Also, a very rare event occurred: a small piece of ocean floor was pushed up onto land in what is now the park.

This piece of ocean floor, called the Tablelands, is a red table-topped mountain. It looks very different from the Long Range Mountains around it and it has different rocks, soils and plants.

The Long Range Mountains rise majestically over the coastal lowland and ocean. One of these mountains, called Gros Morne, gives the park its name. You can also find deep fjords (FEE-ORDS) and deep valleys that were dug out by big glaciers (thick sheets of ice). Fjords are long, narrow ocean inlets or lakes with steep cliffs.

The coastal lowland has many bogs (swamps), low rocky shores and wide sandy beaches. In the intertidal zone (the area of shoreline between the limits of high and low tide), there are mussels, periwinkles, crabs and many kinds of seaweed. Gros Morne is a great place to see intertidal life in rocky pools.

Gros Morne National Park has many different habitats (homes) because of the mountains and ocean. There is a great variety of plants and animals, including some usually found only in the Arctic.

The mountain slopes are mostly covered by Boreal forest of evergreens such as spruce and balsam fir. The mountain tops are flat and rocky with few trees; the tops have low plants such as lichens and shrubs and Arctic species such as Arctic hare.

Some of the animals found in Gros Morne are black bear, caribou, lynx, red fox, marten, weasel and rock ptarmigan. There are also some of the animals that have been introduced (brought in) to Newfoundland such as moose, snowshoe hare and red squirrel.

About 120,000 visitors come to the park each year to see the incredible mountain and ocean scenery. They also like to hike, camp, see wildlife and learn about the park’s amazing geology.

In 1973 Gros Morne National Park was created to protect the mountains and coastal lowlands of western Newfoundland. It protects a special part of Canada for our future.

Why is this park special?

Gros Morne National Park is special because it protects some very rare examples of mountains, tablelands and fjords. In fact, these are so special that the park was made a World Heritage Site. This means that the whole WORLD wants it protected.

The park is also special because it protects part of the Boreal or northern forest of Canada. It protects Boreal plants and animals such as the lynx and caribou. Even though much of Canada is covered with Boreal forest, mining and logging have disturbed more than half of it. Canada needs Boreal forest that still has all of its plants and animals. Gros Morne National Park and the many other national and provincial parks can help.

The park also has animals and plants normally found in the Arctic regions of Canada. Among these are the Arctic hare and the rock ptarmigan.

Gros Morne National Park is also special because it is home to endangered species such as the harlequin duck and Newfoundland pine marten.

What is the park concerned about?

The park is concerned about the environment both inside and outside the park. Things that happen to the forest and ocean outside the park can affect the plants and animals inside the park. Animals such as caribou and moose roam freely and do not know where the park begins and ends.

The park pays careful attention to the activities of visitors and people who live in nearby communities. They do this to make sure that our natural areas and wildlife are protected for everyone to see.

The park is also studying how introduced plants and animals, such as moose and snowshoe hare, might change natural forests and wildlife populations.

Protecting endangered species is another concern. The park plays an important role in protecting animals and many species of rare plants.

References

*Schneider, Dan. “Mother Nature Meets Father Time,” Nature Canada, (Winter 2000), p.30.

Parks Canada Web site: www.parkscanada.gc.ca