Duck Mountain

Duck Mountain Provincial Park.

Ron Garnett (Airscapes)

(51°38’N, 101°38’W; Map sheet 62 N/12). Duck Mountain is located in east-central Saskatchewan, straddling the Manitoba border about 25 km east of Kamsack. It is an upland region, rising 240 m above the surrounding plain. Only one-fifth is located in Saskatchewan; the rest is in Manitoba. It is one of several Saskatchewan uplands (Pasquia Hills, Porcupine Hills) that form part of the Manitoba escarpment, developed from eroded Cretaceous rocks, dipping gently to the southwest. The landscape is characterized by rolling topography formed during glacial deposition under stagnant, melting ice. Ecologically, Duck Mountain represents a southern extension of the boreal forest: white spruce, aspen and birch grow, but there are also boggy areas along creeks, and pockets of native grassland on drier, south-facing slopes. More than 180 bird species (e.g., bald eagles, grouse, Woodpeckers) and 35 animal species (e.g., moose, fox, mink) have been recorded—many normally found in the boreal Forests to the north. Developed for timber in the early part of the 20th century, much of the present-day aspen forest is over ninety years old. The centre portion of the upland includes Duck Mountain Provincial Park, which covers some 26,000 ha and offers a variety of recreational services for both summer and winter visitors.

Marilyn Lewry