Spirit Island, Alberta is a spiritual place for the Stoney Nakoda First Nation people, who consider mountains the physical representations of ancestors. Since this island is surrounded on three sides by the same mountain range, it makes this a special location. How tragic it is, to see that half of the majestic trees on the island are dead or dying, having been invaded by the mountain pine beetle. The ‘island’ (which is one for only part of the year), is situated on Maligne Lake, in the Jasper National Park, part of the UNESCO Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site.

2nd place - PMC Plants & Planet