Ecological land classification–ecoregions

In the 1950s, Angus Hills developed the first comprehensive, hierarchical, ecological land classification system for describing ecosystems utilizing climate and geological landforms. In 2009 the Science and Information Branch of the MNRF revised Ontario’s ELC and published “The Ecosystems of Ontario, Part 1: Ecozones and Ecoregions”. As with Rowe’s, the source layer does not include all great lakes water, so the total area is less than the provincial total.

Total area by land class and ecoregion (hectares)

Land classHudson Bay LowlandsOntario ShieldMixedwood PlainsTotal
Water1,668,9658,729,663351,17110,749,799
Wetland7,504,4401,778,729193,0649,476,232
Field/Agriculture 491,1074,903,8195,394,926
Other365,6521,051,607701,3832,118,642
Treed Wetland9,607,9844,476,998886,09114,971,074
Forest5,658,82549,194,9261,226,25256,080,003
Total Area24,805,86665,723,0308,261,78098,790,676

Total area by land class and ecodistrict (hectares)

EcodistrictCrownParks and protected areasOtherTotal
0E2,326,4141,471,2144,0473,801,675
1E5,793,800872,40031,4166,697,615
2E14,135,445105,97465,15814,306,576
2W15,069,5851,024,468203,56616,297,619
3E11,376,3091,064,5121,238,47713,679,298
3S5,204,6061,372,95246,0896,623,647
3W6,991,8471,519,714372,0208,883,581
4E3,139,211670,272264,6684,074,150
4S4,766,683927,520273,2005,967,403
4W1,255,657514,687257,7972,028,141
5E3,719,056775,7123,343,8897,838,657
5S99,17720,832210,526330,535
6E103,46161,3245,833,0795,997,865
7E76,20112,5022,175,2122,263,915
Total Area74,057,45110,414,08314,319,14298,790,676

Map of ecoregions and ecozones

map of Ecological land classification - ecoregions including Hudson Bay Lowlands, Ontario Shield, and Mixedwood Plains.

Enlarge map of ecoregions and ecozones

Area by ecoregion

pie chart of area by ecoregion, including army green for Hudson Bay Lowlands, dark green for Ontario shield and grey for Mixedwood plains.