Just a couple hours north of Winnipeg lies the Fisher Bay area, on the southwest basin of Lake Winnipeg. This land is home to wildlife such as wolves and moose, foxes and bears, and a huge variety of songbirds. Shallow beaches and rocky reefs can be found throughout the waters of the Bay, providing habitat for a myriad of fishes and birds, many of which are endangered.

Ochiwasahow: The Fisher Bay Area

Co-published CPAWS Manitoba and the Wilderness Committee Vol.24 - No.04 Spring 2007

Fisher Bay aerial by Ron Thiessen.

nature:
 the wondrous boreal region

Fisher Bay and the lands that surround it are part of the treasured boreal forest ecosystem. Manitobans and people abroad are continually inspired by the fundamental value of the boreal forest’s mosaic of interconnected wildlands—a myriad of spruce, pine, aspen and birch trees growing in harmony with pure rivers, lakes and wetlands. Every Manitoban relies on the boreal for a home, a career, or basic necessities such as fresh water, climate regulation, oxygen and food.

Marsh skullcap by Eric Reder.







The campaign by scientists, conservation organizations, and the public to protect Canada’s boreal forests is quickly growing, and for good reason. The boreal region is the world’s greatest source of fresh water. Thousands of lakes, rivers and streams offer a supply of precious water that is naturally purifi ed as it passes through the many marshes and wetlands. Dubbed the “northern lungs of the planet”, the vegetation fi lters our air and transforms carbon dioxide into oxygen. As the largest single land storehouse of carbon, it also plays an important role in regulating the global climate. Given that 25% of the Earth’s remaining intact forests are in Canada, we have a huge responsibility to ensure big wild places continue to fl ourish as an essential part of the Earth’s life support system. An urgent push for protection of wild boreal areas is critical for our future.