Qinngua Valley
The valley is situated about 50 kilometres (31 mi) from the sea and protected from the cold winds coming off the interior glaciers of Greenland. In total, over 300 species of plants grow in the valley. The forest in Qinngua Valley is a thicket consisting mainly of downy birch (Betula pubescens) and gray-leaf willow (Salix glauca), growing up to 7–8 metres (23–26 ft) tall. Growing sometimes to tree height is the Greenland mountain ash (Sorbus decora), which is usually a shrub. Green alder (Alnus alnobetula) is also found in the valley.
It is possible that other forests of this type once existed in Greenland but were cleared by early settlers for firewood or building material. The valley may have been protected natural area since 1930, but the statute of protection is from 2005.
Although nearly all of ice-free Greenland has an Arctic tundra climate (ET in the Köppen climate classification), Qinngua Valley may have a sub-arctic (Dfc) climate.
References
- ^ "Qinngua Valley". Wondermondo. Retrieved 2015-01-20.
- ^ "The Forest Plantations in the Greenlandic Arboretum". Retrieved 2019-07-05.
- ^ "Regelsæt database". lovgivning.gl. Retrieved 2023-08-06.