Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge is covered in large part by boreal forest. This forest type also extends around the Arctic region, and comprises one third of the planet’s total forest system. Overlying discontinuous areas of 
permafrost, this forest is a mosaic of successional plant communities driven by fire and sensitive to varying environmental conditions. Black and white spruce are the dominant tree species, with other areas containing alder, birch and willows. White spruce, paper birch, aspen, and balsam poplar are found on well-drained riparian and upland sites of the refuge. Black spruce, the refuge’s most common tree, is found on poorly drained soils. Black spruce of Interior Alaska are often scraggly, tilted trees with few live branches. The accumulation of dead and downed limbs allows fire to easily climb the trees and reach the fire-dependent cones growing near the top. The short limbs and conical shape prevents falling snow from accumulating and breaking branches. The dark evergreen needles help absorb the sun’s warmth and allow photosynthesis to begin early in the spring.
The boreal forests of Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge are interspersed with numerous 
waterbodies, ranging from meandering rivers and streams to lakes, ponds, and wetland areas spread as far as the eye can see. A small portion of Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge is covered by tundra. Both ecosystems support a variety of specialized plants adapted to withstand the frigid arctic temperatures and short growing seasons. Although Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge receives little precipitation each year, the underlying permafrost inhibits drainage of surface water. The result is a wet, soggy landscape, where even a quarter inch of elevation change influences the species growing.
Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge is home to over 130 species of birds, 30 species of mammals, and 16 species of fish. 
Predator/prey relationships here function as they have for centuries. Look closely for the small mammals of the refuge, including snowshoe hares and yellow-cheeked voles. Watch moose browse on willow branches and the occasional caribou graze on lichens in the winter, while wolves and lynx hunt for their prey. The refuge welcomes visitors with numerous opportunities for wildlife sightings. Be sure to observe animals from a distance and allow them to go about their business.
Wildland fire is an essential part of the ecoregion.
