This ecoregion lies south and west of Chesterfield Inlet and incorporates the terrain around Mallery, Wharton and Dubawnt lakes. The mean annual temperature is approximately -10.5°C with a summer mean of 6°C and a winter mean of -26.5°C. The mean annual precipitation ranges 225-300 mm. This ecoregion is classified as having a low arctic ecoclimate. It is characterized by a nearly continuous cover of shrub tundra vegetation, consisting of dwarf birch, willow, northern Labrador tea, Dryas spp., and Vaccinium spp. Tall dwarf birch, willow, and alder occur on warm sites; wet sites are dominated by willow, sedge, and moss. Composed of nearly flat-lying sandstones and volcanic rocks, most of the surface of the ecoregion is characterized by sandy flats sparsely covered with vegetation. Its southwestern section consists of rolling terrain composed of massive Archean rocks forming broad, sloping uplands and lowlands, where small and medium sized lakes are common. Turbic and Static Cryosols developed on level to undulating discontinuous veneers of sandy morainal and fluvioglacial deposits are the dominant soils. Permafrost is continuous with low to medium ice content in the eastern half of the region, and continuous with a low ice content in the western half. The ecoregion has high mineral potential. Characteristic wildlife includes caribou, grizzly bear, muskox, moose, arctic hare, arctic fox, wolf, wolverine, weasel, otter, raptors, and waterfowl. Land uses in the interior are limited to some trapping, hunting, and fishing.
This ecoregion is part of the Southern Arctic ecozone.