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613:(KPC) and the Alaska Pulp Company (APC). These contracts were for 50 years, and divided up the forest into areas slated for APC logs and areas slated for KPC logs. These two companies conspired to drive log prices down, conspired to drive smaller logging operations out of business, and were major and recalcitrant polluters of their local areas. These long term contracts guaranteed low prices to the pulp companies — in some cases resulting in trees being given away for less than the price of a hamburger. Since 1980, the US Forest Service has lost over a billion dollars in Tongass timber sales.
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fertilization; by contrast, flowering plants create the food supply for a seed only after it is triggered by fertilization. The
Pacific temperate rainforests now remains the only region on Earth of noteworthy size and significance where, due to unique climatic conditions, the conifers flourish as they did before being displaced by flowering plants. The northern Pacific temperate rain forests are relatively young, emerging in the past few thousand years following the retreat of the
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369:. In sheer mass of living and decaying material - trees, mosses, shrubs, and soil - these forests are more massive than any other ecosystem on the planet. In part, this is due to the rarity of fire. Unlike drier forests, which burn periodically, temperate rain forests are naturally subject to only small-scale disturbances, such as blow-downs and avalanches.
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once thrived throughout the rain forest zone and beyond. Black bears can still be found throughout the forest's range, while grizzlies are largely confined to areas north of the Canada–US border. These forests have some of the largest concentrations of grizzly bears in the world, mainly due to the
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begins where the fjords of southeast Alaska end, and marks the transition into "sub-polar rain forest". Here the forest occupies only a very narrow strip between the ocean and the icy alpine zone. The cedar trees no longer thrive in this harsher climate, and the dominant trees are limited to Sitka
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period), they quickly prevailed, causing most conifers to become extinct, and those that survived to adapt to harsh conditions. Perhaps the most significant difference in this change is that the primitive conifers invested their energy in the basic food supply for every seed, with no certainty of
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An even larger percentage of the productive forest has been logged. Much of the land is rock, ice, muskeg, or less productive forest on steep slopes. The stereotypical old growth is limited to lowland flats and valleys, which have been preferentially targeted for logging. Historically, the most
148:, as also defined by the World Wildlife Fund. The Pacific temperate rain forests are characterized by a high amount of rainfall, in some areas more than 300 cm (10 ft) per year and moderate temperatures in both the summer and winter months (10–24 °C or 50–75 °F).
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common protocol has been to place protected areas in the mountains, leaving the valleys to the timber industry. So while some very large areas are protected as parks and monuments, very little of the highest-value habitat has been protected, and much of it has already been cut.
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Beyond the northern end of
Vancouver Island, is the "perhumid rain forest zone". Douglas fir wanes as a dominant species, and the forest is primarily made up of western red cedar, Sitka spruce, and western
627:, reverting the 2001 roadless area protections established under President Clinton. However, the Tongass was exempted from that ruling and it is unclear what the fate of its vast roadless areas will be.
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The most controversial timber sales in the
Tongass are in the roadless areas. In September 2006, a landmark court decision overturned President George W. Bush's repeal of the
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Beginning at the
California/Oregon border, and extending through the north end of Vancouver Island is the "seasonal rain forest zone". The major tree species here are
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The rain forest exists in a complicated landscape of islands and fjords, and many species depend on both the forest and the ocean.
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are also common, especially at lower elevations and along stream banks, and are vital to the ecosystem, in part because of their
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rarely set foot into these forests because they prefer colder, drier and snowier biomes which are most common in the inland
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380:. The differences in climate from south to north create several major forest zones, characterized by different species.
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was at the center of logging controversies in Oregon and
Washington. Other wildlife species of note include the
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compared to the coast, but small sightings of moose have been reported along the
British Columbia coast.
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324:, which were the most diverse group of trees and constituted the greatest majority of large trees. When
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Half a million acres (2,000 km) of the
Tongass was selected by native corporations under the 1971
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463:. Among the collection were 500 species previously unknown to science. Common individuals include
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116:(other definitions exist). The Pacific temperate rainforests lie along the western side of the
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Many of the most iconic photos of these forests include a large bear somewhere in the frame.
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Dense growths of epiphytes and mosses cover the trees, and the understory vegetation is lush.
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Endangered
Ecosystems of the United States: A Preliminary Assessment of Loss and Degradation
673:. Graham Osboe (photography). White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green Publishing Company.
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on the best sites is at least four times greater than that of any comparable area in the
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are one of the primary species of the rainforest, spawning in the forest streams. The
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234:), while those in the coastal forests are home to both species mentioned, as well as
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182:. In the WWF's system, the ecoregions of the Pacific temperate rainforests are the
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Pacific temperate rainforests have been subject to ongoing large-scale industrial
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The northern limits of the rainforest are scattered in thin bands in the northern
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in Canada is home to the rare white variant of the black bear known as the
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nests in old growth trees at night, but feeds in the ocean during the day.
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At the southern limit in northern
California is the "coast redwood zone".
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The ecosystem of
Pacific temperate rainforests is so productive that the
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554:, also known colloquially as the "spirit bear." The endangered
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This rain forest spans a wide range of latitude - from about
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cover the trees, and lush vegetation is present everywhere.
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Plant communities of the West Coast of the United States
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Clearcutting Canada's Rainforest: Status Report 2005
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Temperate Rainforests of the Northern Pacific Coast
671:Rainforest: Ancient Realm of the Pacific Northwest
769:Temperate coniferous forests of the United States
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443:The first survey to systematically explore the
218:The forests in the north contain predominantly
270:are found in this ecoregion. Dense growths of
16:Temperate rainforest in the Pacific Northwest
834:Flora of the West Coast of the United States
794:Ecozones and ecoregions of British Columbia
455:yielded 15,000 new species, a third of all
415:spruce, and western and mountain hemlock.
320:periods), the landscape was dominated by
192:British Columbia mainland coastal forests
69:Learn how and when to remove this message
348:
312:About 200 million years ago (during the
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85:Temperate rain forests, such as this in
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32:This article includes a list of general
829:Flora of the Northwestern United States
804:Fauna of the Northwestern United States
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620:. Much of this area has been clearcut.
158:These rainforests occur in a number of
112:region on the planet as defined by the
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734:Southeast Alaska Conservation Council
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200:Central and Southern Cascades forests
151:This ecoregion is a subregion of the
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744:http://www.canadianrainforests.org/
618:Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act
208:Northern California coastal forests
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546:region's rich salmon streams. The
170:, sometimes with an understory of
38:it lacks sufficient corresponding
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266:). Notably, many of the world's
642:Redwood National and State Parks
515:, and numerous other organisms.
268:largest and tallest tree species
184:Northern Pacific coastal forests
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879:Plant communities of California
784:Ecoregions of the United States
196:Central Pacific coastal forests
749:Trust for Sustainable Forestry
728:British Columbia's Rainforests
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864:Forests of Washington (state)
764:Pacific temperate rainforests
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102:Pacific temperate rainforests
92:, often grow right up to the
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849:Forests of British Columbia
839:Flora of Washington (state)
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166:, but are predominantly of
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894:Temperate Northern Pacific
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328:emerged (in the following
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869:Coast of British Columbia
814:Flora of British Columbia
459:known to exist in all of
799:Ecoregions of California
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213:
204:Klamath-Siskiyou forests
607:Tongass National Forest
53:more precise citations.
611:Ketchikan Pulp Company
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162:, which vary in their
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138:British Columbia Coast
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854:Forests of California
774:Temperate rainforests
637:Olympic National Park
548:Great Bear Rainforest
521:Western United States
352:
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248:Pseudotsuga menziesii
110:temperate rain forest
106:western North America
84:
789:Ecoregions of Alaska
779:Ecoregions of Canada
570:, mountain lion and
420:Prince William Sound
240:Sequoia sempervirens
130:Prince William Sound
118:Pacific Coast Ranges
889:Nearctic ecoregions
819:Flora of California
164:species composition
142:Northern California
114:World Wildlife Fund
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310:
284:trees such as the
232:Tsuga heterophylla
153:Cascadia bioregion
98:
87:British Columbia's
874:Plants by habitat
859:Forests of Oregon
844:Forests of Alaska
586:since the end of
477:black-tailed deer
393:western red cedar
244:coast Douglas-fir
122:Pacific Northwest
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564:marbled murrelet
532:marbled murrelet
453:Vancouver Island
378:60 degrees north
374:40 degrees north
355:West Coast Trail
326:flowering plants
252:western redcedar
224:Picea sitchensis
90:Vancouver Island
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49:this article by
40:inline citations
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809:Flora of Alaska
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449:Carmanah Valley
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401:western hemlock
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294:nitrogen fixing
228:western hemlock
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172:broadleaf trees
108:is the largest
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428:Kodiak Island
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256:Thuja plicata
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588:World War II
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552:Kermode bear
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493:banana slugs
442:
424:Kenai Fjords
397:Sitka spruce
371:
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337:of the last
311:
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220:Sitka spruce
217:
210:ecoregions.
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136:through the
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65:
56:
37:
667:Davis, Wade
556:spotted owl
543:black bears
505:shrew moles
501:black slugs
389:Douglas fir
188:Haida Gwaii
51:introducing
758:Categories
700:References
680:1890132241
596:Washington
572:sitka deer
560:bald eagle
432:Cook Inlet
426:, eastern
335:ice sheets
330:Cretaceous
260:shore pine
160:ecoregions
120:along the
34:references
489:bullfrogs
485:red foxes
481:ensatinas
376:to about
272:epiphytes
128:from the
124:Coast of
94:shoreline
59:June 2012
689:41346323
669:(2000).
631:See also
469:opossums
465:raccoons
439:Wildlife
407:hemlock.
322:conifers
318:Jurassic
314:Triassic
288:and the
282:Hardwood
168:conifers
730:Essays.
605:In the
584:logging
578:Logging
473:coyotes
447:in the
367:tropics
363:biomass
345:Ecology
339:ice age
300:History
47:improve
687:
677:
592:Oregon
528:Salmon
461:Canada
399:, and
276:mosses
258:) and
226:) and
206:, and
180:shrubs
134:Alaska
36:, but
648:Notes
517:Moose
509:gulls
290:alder
214:Flora
176:ferns
685:OCLC
675:ISBN
594:and
568:wolf
541:and
513:mice
410:The
316:and
274:and
178:and
100:The
451:of
250:),
242:),
140:to
132:in
104:of
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656:^
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262:(
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
