Discover How Communities Interact with Their Natural Environments

Every community you live in or learn about is shaped by the natural environment around it. Rivers, forests, oceans, and mountains all affect how people live, work, and get the things they need. You will discover how people across Canada interact with their environments every day.

Understanding this connection helps you see why Changing Landscapes happen and how communities must adapt over time. As you explore this topic, you will build on what you already know about Climate and Geography Impact and Where People Live.

Communities in provinces like Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador are built around the ocean. The ocean provides food, jobs, and a way of life for the people who live there.

Fishers go out to sea to catch fish, and the tides affect when they can safely leave and return. A wharf is where boats dock to unload their catch, and a harbour keeps boats safe from rough water. You can also explore how Community Environmental Effects shape these coastal places.

Many communities in northern Canada are surrounded by the boreal forest. Logging is a major industry there, providing jobs for many families. Because trees are a renewable resource, new ones can be planted to replace those that are cut down.

Communities near rivers like the St. Lawrence depend on fresh water for drinking, farming, fishing, and transportation. Rivers make the nearby soil very rich and fertile, which is great for growing crops like corn, wheat, and vegetables. You will also learn about Resource Industries that depend on these natural environments.

Mountain communities in British Columbia are shaped by steep slopes, forests, and snowy winters. People there work in logging, mining, and tourism. In winter, visitors come to ski and snowboard, which helps the local economy.

Indigenous peoples like the Syilx (Okanagan) and Nlaka'pamux have lived in these mountain regions for thousands of years. They have deep knowledge of how to live sustainably with the land, hunting deer, fishing for salmon, and gathering plants. This connects to what you will learn about Human-Animal Relations: Domestication, Hunting and Fishing.

Harbour: A harbour is a safe place where boats can shelter from rough water and storms. You can think of it as a protected parking spot for boats near the shore.

Tides: Tides are the daily rising and falling of the ocean's water level. They affect when fishers can safely go out to sea and return to shore.

Fishery: A fishery is the industry of catching and selling fish. It is central to the economy of many Atlantic coastal communities.

Wharf: A wharf is a platform built along the water where boats can dock to load and unload their catch or supplies.

Estuary: An estuary is a rich habitat where a river meets the ocean. It is home to many plants and animals because it mixes fresh water and salt water.

Logging: Logging is the industry of cutting down trees to sell the wood for lumber, paper, and other products. It provides many jobs in forest communities.

Renewable resource: A renewable resource is something from nature that can be replaced after it is used. Trees are a renewable resource because new ones can be planted to grow back.

Watershed: A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into the same river or lake. Watersheds are important because they protect the water supply for communities.

Permafrost: Permafrost is ground that stays frozen all year round. It is found in Canada's northern regions and affects how buildings and roads must be built.

Flood plain: A flood plain is the flat land beside a river that gets covered with water when the river overflows its banks, especially in spring. This land is often very fertile for farming.

Conservation: Conservation means taking care of natural resources like rivers and lakes so they are not wasted or harmed. Freshwater conservation keeps clean water available for everyone.

Adapt: To adapt means to change the way you live to suit your natural surroundings. For example, people near flood-prone rivers build raised houses to stay safe.

Livelihood: A livelihood is the way a person earns money or food to support their family. Many people in river and coastal communities have livelihoods connected to fishing or farming.

Mountain pass: A mountain pass is a lower gap through mountains that allows people and goods to travel between communities on either side.

Avalanche: An avalanche is a large amount of snow that suddenly slides down a mountain slope. Mountain communities must be aware of this danger, especially in winter and spring.

People in different communities find clever ways to live with their natural surroundings. Near rivers, some houses are built with raised floors to stay safe during spring floods. Communities also build flood barriers and move valuables to higher ground before flooding season.

In mountain communities, roads wind around steep slopes to connect towns. People stock up on supplies before heavy snowfall blocks the roads in winter. You can explore more about these adaptations when you study Human Effects and Sustainable Environmental Protection Practices.

You have already learned about Human Effects on Nature, Protecting Our World, and Weather and Life. These topics help you understand why communities must care for their environments. You also explored Types of Landforms: Mountains, Valleys and Plains and Types of Water Bodies: Oceans, Lakes, Rivers, which give you the geographic foundation for this topic.

You learned about Community Environmental Protection Values, Environmental Consequences of Economic Activities, and Small vs Large Communities Environmental Impact Analysis. These ideas all connect to how communities interact with their environments. You also explored Regional Biodiversity: Plants and Animals Across Diverse Ecosystems, Individual Environmental Responsibility, and Recreational Environmental Impact: Outdoor Activities and Ecosystem Effects.

This topic connects to many other important ideas in Social Studies. You will explore Geographic Features and Natural Processes to understand the land and water that shape communities. You will also study Human Geography to see how people settle in different places.

Learning about Environmental Protection and Parks and Conservation will show you how communities work to protect their natural environments. You will connect these ideas to Sustainable Development and Regional Characteristics.

You can use Geography Tools and Understanding Maps to explore where different communities are located. This topic also prepares you for Ecosystems, Natural Resources, Geographic Areas, Major Landforms and Water Bodies: Mountains, Rivers, Oceans, Natural Resource Types and Distribution Patterns, Human Settlement Patterns and Distribution, and World Climates.