the park has high levels of biodiversity because it is at the meeting point of several biogeographical provinces: boreal conifer forests ("taiga"), broadleaf forests, and steppe. because over 90% of the park has forest cover, it is an area of broad protection for forest plant communities. the light conifers of the taiga (pine and larch) mix with broadleaf (linden, oak, elm, maple) and small-leaved (birch and aspen) trees. rocky outcrops provide openings for smaller flowering plants. over 800 flowering plant species have been recorded in the park, with 117 being listed as rare or vulnerable. there are limited non-forest areas of the park, including an areas known as the "bear meadow" that features lop-sided onion, a type of wild onion.