{"id":9009,"date":"2026-11-09T06:10:24","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T10:10:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/backlandscoalition.ca\/?page_id=9009"},"modified":"2026-11-09T06:27:08","modified_gmt":"2026-11-09T10:27:08","slug":"element","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/backlandscoalition.ca\/?page_id=9009","title":{"rendered":"“Element”"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is an \u201cElement\u201d?<\/strong>
\nThe Nova Scotia ELC (Ecological Landscape Classification) recognizes 5 levels of ecosystem organization:
\n1. Ecozone
\n2. Ecoregion
\n3. Ecodistrict
\n4. Ecosection
\n5. Ecosite<\/p>\n

See the ELC for NS (2017)<\/a>, pp` 16-18 for details of how those are derived.<\/p>\n

The same hierarchy is employed in the ELA (Ecological Landscape Analysis)\u00a0Reports<\/a> for each Ecodistrict.\u201dElements\u201d are not a separate level in this hierarchy, but rather are a mapping unit or polygon delineated\u00a0 \u201cby combining ecosections with similar climax vegetation and natural disturbance interpretations\u201d*, the objective being to delineate within an Ecodistrict, \u201ca landscape ecosystem containing characteristic site conditions that support similar potential vegetation and successional processes\u201d*. Thus \u201can individual Ecodistrict can contain several Elements, each potentially comprising more than one ecosection.\u201d**<\/p>\n

Clear as mud?<\/em> This document may help: Ecological Forestry: A Nova Scotia Approach to Woodland Stewardship<\/a>, Department of Lands and Forestry, Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forestry Home Study Module 18, August 2020.
\n__________________
\n*Source of the quote: Ecological Landscape Analysis, Ecodistrict 610: Annapolis Valley 2019 Update for Part 1 and 2<\/a><\/small>
\n**Source of the quote: In the response to a question I asked of ChatGPT, and that I was able to verify<\/small><\/small><\/p>\n

The spatial distribution of the 5 hierarchical levels, and of the hybrid (my term) Elements can be viewed on the NS Provincial Landscape Viewer.<\/p>\n

Example showing Ecodistrict 770 in SW Nova Scotia and Elements within that district.
\n

\"\"<\/a>

Screenshot<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Screenshot<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What is an \u201cElement\u201d? The Nova Scotia ELC (Ecological Landscape Classification) recognizes 5 levels of ecosystem organization: 1. Ecozone 2. Ecoregion 3. Ecodistrict 4. Ecosection 5. Ecosite See the ELC for NS (2017), pp` 16-18 for details of how those … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":8932,"menu_order":10,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-9009","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/backlandscoalition.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9009","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/backlandscoalition.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/backlandscoalition.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/backlandscoalition.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/backlandscoalition.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9009"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/backlandscoalition.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9009\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9018,"href":"http:\/\/backlandscoalition.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9009\/revisions\/9018"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/backlandscoalition.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/8932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/backlandscoalition.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9009"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}