Download Pacific Coastal Temperate Rainforest of North America

Pacific Coastal Temperate Rainforest
of North America
Pacific Coastal Temperate Rainforest
of North America
Extending 2,500 miles in a narrow coastal corridor from
the far edge of Prince William Sound in southcentral
Alaska, along coastal British Columbia, through Portland,
Oregon and Seattle, Washington, and to northern
California, the Pacific coastal temperate rainforest of
North America represents the largest area of coastal
temperate rainforest in the world.1
A coastal temperate rainforest is defined by the
following characteristics:2
• Location within 93 miles of the coast
• High annual precipitation ( 33 inches - 105 )
• Over 100 days of precipitation seasonally, with
10% during the summer months
• Dominance by numerous coniferous species
• Some of the greatest biomass accumulation and
highest productivity levels of any rainforest in the
world--temperate, tropical, or boreal
Biodiversity
The Pacific coastal temperate rainforest of North
America is rich in biodiviersity--home to approximately:3
• 350 bird and mammal species
• 48 species of amphibians and reptiles
• 25 tree species
• Hundreds of species of fungi and lichens
• Thousands of species of insects, mites, spiders,
and other soil organisms
ctrf
coastal temperate rainforests
Remaining mature
temperate rainforest
Developed temperate
rainforest
Snow / ice / barren
Figure 1: Current status of the Pacific coastal
temperate rainforest of North America
“When one tugs at a single
thing in nature, he finds it
attached to the rest of the
world.” -John Muir
Tree species
The Pacific coastal temperate rainforest of North
America is primarily inhabited by coniferous species,
species dominance varies based on location:
• Alaska to Vancouver Island: Sitka spruce,
western hemlock, and mountain hemlock
• Vancouver Island to Oregon: Douglas fir, red
cedar, Sitka spruce, and western hemlock
• Oregon to California: Douglas fir and redwoods
Current State of Forest Intactness
Alaska and British Columbia have 90% and 68% of
their respective coastal temperate rainforest regions
still intact. The southern end of the Pacific coastal
temperate rainforest of North America (Washington,
Oregon, and California) contains 5% of its original
coverage.7
30
Ecosystem Services
Policy and Management
Political boundaries in the Pacific coastal temperate
rainforest of North America require that ecosystem
management decisions are linked between various
federal, state/provincial, and local governments.
• Over 90% of land in southeast Alaska is public land
and is managed for public use4
• British Columbia has five million acres protected
under historic land use agreements with 19 million
acres under strict land use management5
• The Northwest Forest Plan covers 24.5 million acres
in Oregon, Washington, and northern California
that are managed by a variety of Federal agencies6
ctrf
coastal temperate rainforests
Millions of Acres
From southcentral Alaska to northern California, the
Pacific coastal temperate rainforest of North America
provides communities with a wide range of valuable
services. For example, the biome offers a vibrant
habitat for returning salmon and these nutrient rich
fish provide nutrition for surrounding communities and
wildlife. In return forests reap the benefits of important
nutrients such as the nitrogen and phosphorous these
fish provide. Numerous ecotourism companies take
advantage of the breath-taking scenery of the region.
The indigenous people of this region, including the
Tlingit, Haida, Comox, Chehalis, Takelma, Pomo, have
turned to the forests for centuries for subsistence,
medicine, and spiritual enlightenment.
Historic
25
Current
20
Protected
15
10
5
0
BC
AK
WA
OR
CA
Figure 2: Historic, current, and protected areas in the Pacific coastal
temperate rainforest of North America
Cover Photo: Deception Pass, Washington, © Steve Brown
Back Photo: Fireweed © Bruce McKay (left), CTRF in Oregon Sam Beebe (center),
Red Columbine © Tim Samoff (right)
Figure 1 and 2. Wolf, Edward C., Andrew P. Mitchell, and Peter K. Schoomaker. The
Rain Forests of Home: An Atlas of People and Place, Part 1: Natural Forests and
Native Languages of the Coastal Temperate Rain Forest. Portland, Or., Ecotrust.
1995.
1. US Forest Service - Caring for the Land and Serving People. US Forest Service.
Retrieved. 05 Apr. 2012. <http://www.fs.fed.us>.
2. Barbour, Michael G., and W. D. Billings. North American Terrestrial Vegetation.
Cambridge Cambridgeshire: Cambridge, 1988. Print.
3. Kellogg, Erin. Coastal Temperate Rain Forests: Ecological Characteristics, Status
and Distribution Worldwide. Portland, OR. Ecotrust. 1992.
4. US Forest Service - Caring for the Land and Serving People. US Forest Service.
Retrieved. 05 Apr. 2012. <http://www.fs.fed.us>.
5. The Nature Conservancy. Protecting Nature. Preserving Life. Nature Conservancy.
Retrieved. 05 Apr. 2012. <http://www.nature.org/>.
6. Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) Overview. Fact Sheet: About the NWFP.
Retrieved. 05 Apr. 2012. <http://www.reo.gov/general/aboutNWFP.htm>.
7. Hagen, Bettina Von., and Peter K. Schoonmaker. Rainforests of Home: Profile of a
North American Bioregion. Washington, DC. 1998.