The forests of the Bonavista Peninsula fall under the boreal forest ecosystem that stretches across Canada. Most forest stands are composed mainly of black spruce, balsam fir, with a mix of white spruce and tamarack larch. Hardwood species, such as white birch and trembling aspen, are also present in the boreal forest. This forest ecosystem is prone to catastrophic events such as insect outbreaks and forest fires that can cause complete stand replacement.
A variety of forest stand types fall under the boreal forest ecosystem. Forest types are classified based on the dominant tree species and the common types of ground vegetation. For example many of our trails pass through a balsam fir forest type with ground vegetation consisting of labrador tea, sheep laurel and a variety of mosses. Black spruce forest types with kalmia as the ground vegetation are also common in the region.
Wetlands are also common to the landscape of the Bonavista Peninsula. They have been classified as bogs, fens, marshes, swamps and shallow water wetlands. The sites are highly sensitive and have a much greater biodiversity than other landscapes in the region. Terrestrial Barrens are also common throughout the region, consisting of Kalmia and Crowberry.