Alberta's landscapes can be divided into six broad natural regions. Each natural region contains a mix of similar vegetation, soil and landform features.

The Grassland Natural Region (shown here in yellow) is a flat-to gently rolling plain with a few major hill systems. It is at the northwestern edge of the North American Great Plains. In Alberta, the Grassland Natural Region is divided into four subregions: the Dry Mixedgrass, Mixedgrass, Foothills Fescue and Northern Fescue.

The Aspen Parkland Natural Region (shown in orange) forms a broad transition between the grasslands to the south and the forests to the north. In its native state, it is a mosaic of grasslands and aspen forests. In Alberta, three subregions are recognized: Central Parkland, Foothills Parkland and Peace River Parkland.

The Foothills Natural Region (shown here in grey) extends along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains in a gradually widening belt northward. It also includes several outlying hill masses. It is characterized by extensive forests, most commonly lodgepole pine on the uplands, especially following fire. The Foothills Natural Region is further divided into the Lower and Upper Foothills.

The Rocky Mountain region (shown in purple) contains the most rugged topography in Alberta. There are three subregions which reflect changes in environmental conditions associated with differences in altitude. The Montane Subregion is characterized by a pattern of open forests and grasslands occuring at low elevations in southwestern Alberta. Occurring at higher elevations, the Subalpine is characterized by closed forests. The Alpine includes vegetated areas, bare rock, and glaciers above treeline.

The Boreal Forest Natural Region (shown in green) is Alberta's largest natural region. Besides great expanses of forests comprised of white spruce, balsam fir, aspen, balsam poplar or jack pine, there are extensive wetlands. Five subregions are recognized: Dry Mixedwood, Central Mixedwood, Wetland Mixedwood, Sub-Arctic, Peace River Lowlands and Boreal Highlands.

The Canadian Shield Natural Region (shown in pink) extends only peripherally into the far northeast corner of Alberta. It includes the Athabasca Plain Subregion, underlain mostly by sandy soils, and the Kazan Upland Subregion, characterized by outcroppings of Precambrian granitic bedrock. Both subregions are charcterized by open forests of jack pine with black spruce in wet areas.

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