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Explorer's
Guide to

Ecosystems
A short guide to
walking, talking,
thinking, and seeing
the world like an
ecologist.
Definition:
An ecosystem is the sum of all living and non-living things in a landscape and the set of relationships that link them. The science of ecology is the study of ecosystems.


In Stanley Park


Visual Exploration Guide

 

Open ocean and intertidal areas up to the highest level of wave splash along the shore Marine
   
 
Natural freshwater ecosystems including lakes, ponds, and streams Aquatic
   
  Natural vegetated landscapes covered by standing water for part of the year Wetland
               
 
Landscapes dominated by man-made structures including marinas, buildings, and roads
Urban
  Gardens, sports fields, and lawns maintained for recreational use
Cultivated
  Natural areas subject to repeated human alteration and impact
Disturbed
  Natural terrestrial landscapes dominated by trees
Forest




Stanley Park offers us a window that opens upon the larger world - an observatory - a place to witness events of the planet at first hand and to reconnect to that ancient and natural world that sustains all that we, as humans, do and hope to do. As you walk through Stanley Park you can see evidence of the accelerating handiwork of mankind and the changes that we've made to the landscape. As a naturalist I've found it helpful to remind myself that this place, like every other place on the face of the planet has changed with our coming. I leave you with the phrase altered landscapes as a guide so that you might begin to see what many do not, so that you can recognize our handiwork, our impact on the natural landscape, and begin to ask questions that so many never ask. Stanley Park is a little more than 100 years old. What did its landscapes look like when City of Vancouver was little more than a dream? What will the next 100 years bring?



 
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Stanley Park Explorer
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http://www.stanleyparkexplorer.ca


Produced by Peter Woods
Interpretive Programs and Design Services
Vancouver BC [604] 644-0110
naturalist@stanleyparkexplorer.ca
 
 
 
 
Revised: Apr 21 2008