This ecoregion is very limited in extent near the international border, lying between the Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake in Ontario. It correlates with the Northern Minnesota Wetlands Ecoregion in the United States. It is marked by warm, moist summers and cold winters. The mean annual temperature is approximately 2°C. The mean summer temperature is 15.5°C and the mean winter temperature is -12.5°C. The mean annual precipitation ranges 600-700 mm. This mixed forest includes a succession from trembling aspen, paper birch, and jack pine to white spruce, black spruce, and balsam fir. Warmer portions of the ecoregion support red and sugar maple, and white pine. The ecoregion takes in a portion of the Severn Upland, which is underlain by massive, crystalline, acidic, Archean bedrock that forms broad, sloping uplands and lowlands. Bedrock outcroppings and Dystric Brunisols occur on ridged to hummocky, discontinuous, sandy morainal deposits on uplands. Lowlands are covered by rock-bound lakes, fine, carbonate-rich sediments, and deep organic deposits. Significant inclusions are Mesisols, Fibrisols, and clayey Gray Luvisols. Wetlands are widespread and characterized by bowl bogs that are treed and often surrounded by peat margin swamps. Characteristic wildlife includes moose, black bear, wolf, lynx, snowshoe hare, and woodchuck. Bird species include the pileated woodpecker, hooded merganser, and other waterfowl. The major land uses are forestry, water-oriented recreation, and tourism. Over 30% of the ecoregion is in mixed farming or grazing. The major community is Fort Frances. The population of the ecoregion is approximately 16 800.
This ecoregion is part of the Boreal Shield ecozone.