Quesnel area on the Fraser River to Stuart Lake. Natural history The Stuart River's watershed is forested with lodgepole pine, spruce, cottonwood, aspen, Douglas fir, and some birch. Understory trees include willow, dogwood, and alder. There are also open grassy hills with dwarf juniper and open, park-like stands of aspen and spruce. The area provides deer, moose, and elk with winter ranges and riparian feeding areas. A small elk herd lives in the area. Trumpeter swans winter along the upper Stuart. The river supports sturgeon and one of the highest-quality wild sockeye salmon runs in the world. In some years, up to one million sockeye salmon migrate up the river system to the spawning grounds in tributary streams and rivers north of Stuart Lake. See also List of tributaries of the Fraser River List of British Columbia rivers Steamboats of the Upper Fraser River in British Columbia References Rivers of British Columbia Tributaries of the Fraser River Cariboo Land District