Birch Creek Entering the Yukon Flats, Alaska
Taken on Jun. 29, 2014
This photograph shows Birch Creek, one of the smaller rivers flowing through the Yukon Flats. The mosaic of closed-canopy forest and open wetlands is typical, and interestingly, the areas farther from the rivers do not necessarily have denser cover, as much of the poor drainage is driven by permafrost, and the rivers can deposit well-drained substrates that facilitate tree growth. Note also oxbow lakes and wetlands filling in the river's former channel in the foreground.
