This subarctic wilderness is home to more than 1,500 species of
vascular plants, mosses and lichens. They form the foundation of
the park's ecosystems and define the habitat characteristics for
all of the more famous and recognizable denizens of Denali
National Park such as moose, wolves, eagles, caribou and grizzly
bears. Without the rich and diverse vegetation communities that
blanket the park landscape, this area would be entirely barren
of animal life. Therefore, preserving the precious botanical
resources of the park is central to preserving and maintaining
the entire intact subarctic ecosystem here. One of the great
joys of discovering the botany of Denali and Alaska's other
large natural areas is the intact nature of the plant
communities that exist here. The distribution and abundance of
the species that you will see in this land is the result of the
natural processes of birth, growth, and dispersal of native
species. This rich and intact tapestry woven by the multitude of
interactions of species with