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Region profile

Sverdrup Islands Lowland

Sverdrup Islands Lowland is an ecoregion linked mainly to the Sverdrup Islands group in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, characterized by short cool summers, long cold winters, rolling to hilly land surfaces, discontinuous vegetative cover, and wildlife including muskox and polar bear, with high hydrocarbon potential.

Zone

Arctic

Common Name

CEC Level III Code

2.1.1

CEC Level II Code

2.1 Northern Arctic

Overview Eco Snapshot Calendar Habitat Seed Mix

Overview

About This Region

The Sverdrup Islands Lowland, part of the Northern Arctic ecozone, features generally soft, poorly consolidated Mesozoic rocks. Vegetation is sparse but includes key flora like mosses, lichens, sedge, and cottongrass, along with arctic willow and Dryas spp. These plants are crucial resources for pollinators. Wildlife includes arctic hare, arctic fox, muskox, and caribou. While low temperatures and barren soil limit biodiversity, the presence of flowering plants indicates a potential, albeit delicate, environment for high-arctic pollinators. Factors affecting these species include extreme cold, limited growing seasons, and potential human impacts from hydrocarbon exploration. (Character count: 489)

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Region facts

At a glance

Category	Details
Aliases	Sverdrup Islands Lowland
Geographic Range	The Sverdrup Islands Lowland ecoregion is primarily associated with the Sverdrup Islands group, including Prince Patrick, Mackenzie King, Borden, Ellef Ringnes, and Amund Ringnes, located within Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
Climate Snapshot	This area experiences short cool summers and long, cold winters, with a mean annual temperature of approximately -18°C, a summer mean of -1.5°C, and a winter mean of -32°C, and annual precipitation ranging from 100 to 150 mm.
Terrain Profile	The land surface is rolling to hilly, with coastal lowland areas rising to hills and plateaus that reach as much as 425 meters above sea level, consisting of colluvial, alluvial, morainal, and marine deposits intermixed with exposed bedrock.
Vegetation Cover	Vegetative cover is often discontinuous, dominated by mosses, lichens, sedge, and cottongrass, with infrequent occurrences of low-lying arctic willow and purple saxifrage.
Wildlife Habitat	The Sverdrup Islands Lowland is home to muskox, arctic hare, arctic fox, caribou, seal, polar bear, ptarmigan, and king eider.

Eco snapshot

What shapes this region

Climate pattern

Very short growing season; flowering windows can be brief
Exposure (wind, cold) often limits plant height and density
Microclimates (small local weather differences) may exist in sheltered pockets, but they’re not guaranteed

Vegetation profile

Vegetative cover is often discontinuous, dominated by mosses, lichens, sedge, and cottongrass, with infrequent occurrences of low-lying arctic willow and purple saxifrage.

Wildlife profile

The Sverdrup Islands Lowland is home to muskox, arctic hare, arctic fox, caribou, seal, polar bear, ptarmigan, and king eider.

Why pollinators matter here

Flowering plants can be scattered, so each bloom patch can matter locally
Short seasons mean pollinators need reliable, concentrated food sources when flowers are available
Disturbance and trampling can have long-lasting impacts because regrowth is slow
In many places, “gardening” is not realistic—so the best impact often happens in more plantable regions

Seasonal timing

Planting seasons

Timing varies by microclimate; use this as a flexible guide.

Seasonal timing

Late winter/early spring: planning and sourcing (for your home region)
Spring: start small plantings when conditions allow (home region)
Summer: maintain blooms and water as needed (home region)
Late summer/fall: add late-blooming plants and leave habitat standing (home region)

Quick seasonal checklist

Choose native plants suited to your actual planting location
Aim for continuous bloom (early–mid–late season)
Keep a pesticide-free plan from day one
Add nesting and shelter features, not just flowers

Yearly needs

Pollinator calendar

What pollinators need throughout the year, and what to do about it.

Season	What pollinators need most	What you can do
Late winter/early spring	Early food sources and safe places to emerge	In your home region: plan a small patch, choose early-blooming natives, and avoid spring pesticide applications.
Spring	Steady nectar/pollen and nesting sites	In your home region: plant or pot up early bloomers, leave some bare soil, and keep some stems/leaf litter for shelter.
Summer	Continuous bloom, water, and shade/shelter during heat or wind	In your home region: add mid-season flowers, provide a shallow water dish with stones, and keep a mix of sun and shelter.
Late summer/fall	Late blooms to fuel overwintering and migration	In your home region: plant late bloomers, reduce mowing, and leave seedheads and stems standing.
Winter or Dry Season	Undisturbed shelter (in soil, stems, leaf litter)	In your home region: don’t “over-tidy,” delay heavy cleanup, and protect nesting areas from disturbance.

What You Can Do

Make a difference for native habitats.

Turn this knowledge into action. Whether you plant a single pot or a whole garden, you are building a vital bridge for local biodiversity.

Join the movement to restore our shared habitats.

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Native plants

Plants that thrive in this region

Alders

Alders are fast-growing trees in the genus Alnus that are especially useful in damp spots and along edges where you want quick cover and early-season pollen for insects.

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Asters

Asters are late-season wildflowers that bring a burst of daisy-like blooms when many gardens are winding down, making them a reliable choice for pollinator-friendly planting.

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Birches

Birches are graceful trees in the genus Betula, known for their often light-colored bark and early-season pollen and catkins that support springtime insects.

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Blueberries & huckleberries

Blueberries and huckleberries (genus Vaccinium) are berry-producing shrubs with spring flowers that can support pollinators and later feed people and wildlife—great for gardens, schoolyards, and even large containers.

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Clovers

Clovers are small, easygoing plants in the genus Trifolium that can add nectar and pollen to gardens, lawns, and pots while helping cover bare soil.

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Fireweed

Fireweed is a tough, fast-growing wildflower in the genus Chamerion that brings bright pink blooms and lots of pollinator activity to sunny, open spaces.

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Fleabanes

Fleabanes (genus Erigeron) are easygoing wildflowers with daisy-like blooms that can brighten gardens, schoolyards, and balcony pots while offering steady nectar and pollen for many small pollinators.

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Goldenrods

Goldenrods are tough, sunny wildflowers in the genus Solidago that light up late-season gardens with golden blooms and provide reliable nectar and pollen when many other flowers are fading.

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Kinnikinnick

Kinnikinnick is a tough, low-growing evergreen groundcover in the genus Arctostaphylos (often called bearberry) that forms a tidy mat and offers small spring flowers followed by red berries.

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Manzanitas

Manzanitas are tough, beautiful western shrubs with urn-shaped flowers that can feed early-season pollinators and evergreen leaves that keep gardens looking good year-round.

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Poplars, aspens & cottonwoods

Poplars, aspens, and cottonwoods (genus Populus) are fast-growing trees best known for their fluttering leaves and soft “cottony” seeds. They can support early-season pollinators with spring catkins, but they’re also big, thirsty, and often short-lived in small yards—so they’re best chosen with space and roots in mind.

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Rushes

Rushes are tough, grass-like wetland plants (genus Juncus) that thrive in damp soil and help create calm, sheltered habitat at the edges of ponds, rain gardens, and low spots.

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Sedges

Sedges (genus Carex) are grass-like plants that form tidy clumps and thrive in many garden conditions, especially where soil stays a bit damp. They add texture, cover bare ground, and can support small wildlife by providing shelter and nesting material.

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Willowherbs

Willowherbs (genus Epilobium) are easygoing wildflowers that pop up in sunny, open spots and offer simple, nectar-rich blooms that many small pollinators can use.

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Willows

Willows are fast-growing trees and shrubs in the genus Salix that offer some of the earliest pollen and nectar of the year, making them a strong choice for pollinator-friendly yards, parks, and school grounds.

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