A little bit about the terrain...

The terrain in which I am in here in the arctic is much different then I would have expected. The research center is positioned in a transition zone between the arctic tundra and the boreal forest. This region is rather flat because we are near the water. There are no mountains in the distance, just flat terrain for as far as the eye can see. However, the forest and transitional zone's terrain has conifer trees randomly growing about. The ground cover in the forest and transitional zone is beautiful... it is a spongy matt that covers the forest floor. When you walk on the spongy forest floor you sink about 8 - 10 inches down. This is because the forest floor is covered with several mosses, lichen, and short plants. The diversity in species creates a beautiful color scheme. Deep reds, grey, greens, and yellows. There are several berries that grow low to the ground also and they enhance the beauty of the forest floor even more. The floor of the tundra is not as spongy but still has some beautiful colors. However, there are few trees in the tundra because of the intense winds that blow over the ground.