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British Columbia mainland coastal forests (WWF ecoregion NA0506)

Western British Columbia
Western British Columbia (c) 2005 Daniel P. Duran

British Columbia mainland coastal forests map
Source of bioregions data: Olson, D. M. and E. Dinerstein. The Global 200: Priority ecoregions for global conservation. (PDF file) Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 89:125-126.

Distinctiveness (1=highest,4=lowest): 1 (globally outstanding)
Many species reach their northern or southern limit in this ecoregion.  It contains one of the most extensive mountain-fjord complexes in the world.*

Conservation Status (1=most endangered, 5=most intact): 2 (endangered)
About 40% is fully intact habitat.  Logging in the low and mid-elevation forests has had the most impact.  Fragmentation by logging and transportation corridors threatens species that need large intact tracts.*

Characteristic species*
 
Tsuga heterophylla  (western hemlock)
Thuja plicata  (western red cedar)

Abies amabilis (amabilis fir)

Tsuga mertensiana  (mountain hemlock)
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis  (Alaska cedar)

Carex spp. (sedge)

Associated habitats

southwestern British Columbia slope forest southwestern British Columbia slope forest southwestern British Columbia slope forest southwestern British Columbia slope forest
western slope forests, British Columbia (c) 2005 Daniel P. Duran  hires  hires   hires   hires

forest, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA forest, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA forest, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA forest, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA
montaine forest, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, Washington (right: periodic disturbance from avalanches) (c) 2005 Steven J. Baskauf   hires   hires   hires   hires

treeline, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA treeline, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA treeline, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA treeline, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA treeline, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA
treeline, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, Washington (c) 2005 Steven J. Baskauf   hires   hires   hires   hires   hires

tundra, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA tundra, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA tundra, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA
tundra, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Ntl. Park, Washington (c) 2005 Steven J. Baskauf   hires   hires   hires

forest, Ross Lake NRA, WA forest, Ross Lake NRA, WA forest, Ross Lake NRA, WA
montaine forest, Ross Lake NRA, Washington (c) 2005 Steven J. Baskauf   hires   hires   hires

Skagit River, WA Skagit River, WA
riparian area, Skagit River, western Washington (c) 2005 Steven J. Baskauf   hires   hires

* Ricketts, T.H., E. Dinerstein, D.M. Olson, C.J. Loucks, et al.  (1999) Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America: A Conservation Assessment.  World Wildlife Fund - United States and Canada.  Island Press, Washington, D.C. pp. 220-221.

Except as noted, images copyright 2002-2005 Steve Baskauf - Terms of use