If you go north far enough, and stick a forest down, you get Taiga. Boreal Forests consist mainly of coniferous evergreen trees. The term 'taiga' originates in Russia, but has come to be used in North America also. Think the great wooded lands in Northern Canada and Russia.

With harsh winters and short summers, the taiga is a place of extreme temperatures. In Verkhoyansk, Russia, there have been recorded extremes of 32C and -60C. Humidity is high, also.

The growing season in a forest is typically around 50-100 days (2-4 months)

The trees in the boreal forest are typically coniferous, with dark, needle-like leaves which are extremely cold tolerant. They remain on the tree year-round, allowing them to take advantage of the sun as soon as it's warm enough, rather than wasting all spring growing leaves.

The cone-shape of most coniferous trees allows heavy loads of snow to shed off. This prevents branches from breaking off.

• Trees: spruce, fir, pine

• mosses and lichens

• Trees: sugar maple

• Trees: larch (tamarack) - a deciduous coniferous tree

• Trees: alder, birch, aspen

• Trees: sequoia, redwood

• Small mammals: chipmunk, shrew, weasle

• Birds (resident): finches, sparrows, ravens, evening grosbeak, pine siskin, red crossbill, woodpecker

• Birds (migratory): wood warblers

• bat

• hawk

• hare

• elk

• wapiti

• beaver

• wolverine, fisher, pine martin, mink, ermine, and sable

• moose

• bear

• fox

• wolf

• lynx