Gander Lake

Gander Lake, NL (Photo: Piers Evans/NCC-CNC)

In the heart of Newfoundland lies an expanse of land blanketed by boreal forest, rocky shorelines and winding watersheds. Composed mainly of boreal forest, central Newfoundland experiences the most continental climate on the island. The region is prone to dry spells and hot summers, making forest fires more common here. As a result, resilient native trees like black spruce, white birch and trembling aspen do well here.

In 2025, a sustainable paper production company, Domtar, donated four large parcels of forested lands and waters along the Southwest Gander River and Gander Lake, near the communities of Glenwood and Appleton. What became the Gander Lake Nature Reserve is the largest land donation NCC has received during our 54-year history working in Atlantic Canada. The area is densely forested with both young and old stands of balsam fir and black spruce mixed with stands of white birch, white pine and trembling poplar. As a newly protected area, the property will be cared for by stewardship staff and community members.

Bog buckbean (Photo: Parker Sullivan)

The southern shoreline of Gander Lake is dotted with sandy pocket beaches among rocky outcrops, while the land beyond gently rises to hilly uplands and scattered wetlands. Rivers flow through the low points, including the Southwest Gander River and together with the Northwest Gander River, these are the two primary tributaries feed the lake and the main stem of the Gander River below. Both the Northwest and Southwest Gander rivers are scheduled Atlantic salmon rivers and offer angling opportunities as well as beautiful scenery. Wildlife native to central Newfoundland includes caribou, lynx, black bears and smaller mammals like red fox and beaver. Other notable species in the area include threeway sedge, large purple fringed orchid and rusty blackbird.

Other protected areas within central Newfoundland include Terra Nova National Park, which falls under the management of Parks Canada. The nearest established protected area is the Jonathan’s Pond Provincial Park Reserve. This project could link two potential future conservation areas: the province’s proposed Rodney Pond Wilderness Reserve and the Charlie’s Place protected area proposed by Qalipu First Nation.

Currently, less than three per cent of the Central Newfoundland Ecoregion is protected. With your help, we can conserve even more important habitat here.