Bioimages home      (click on an image to enlarge)
view this page in its intended navigation context

Central Pacific Coastal Forests (WWF ecoregion NA0510)

Hall of Mosses, Hoh rain forest, Olympic Ntl. Park, Washington
Hall of Mosses, Hoh rain forest, Olympic Ntl. Park, Washington  (c) 2005 James H. Bassett


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)
Among the richest North American temperate coniferous forests for amphibians and birds.*

Conservation Status (1=most endangered, 5=most intact): 2 (endangered)
About 4% intact habitat in small, fragmented blocks.  Threatened by logging, agriculture, and development.*

Characteristic species*
 
Pseudotsuga menziesii  (Douglas fir)
Tsuga heterophylla  (western hemlock)
Thuja plicata  (western red cedar)
Abies grandis  (grand fir)
Picea sitchensis  (Sitka spruce)
Pinus monticola  (western white pine)
Abies amabilis (amabilis fir)
Quercus garryana  (Oregon white oak)
Cornus nuttallii  (Pacific dogwood)
Arbutus menziesii  (Pacific madrone)
Tsuga mertensiana  (mountain hemlock)
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis  (Alaska cedar)
Pinus contorta  (lodgepole pine)

Associated habitats

Temperate rain forest, Hoh valley, Olympic National Park, Washington

Hoh rain forest, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA moss, Hoh rain forest, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA
left: hillside, right: moss on branches (c) 2005 Steven J. Baskauf   hires   hires

Nurse log, Hoh rain forest, Olympic Ntl. Park, Washington Nurse log, Hoh rain forest, Olympic Ntl. Park, Washington Sword ferns, Hoh rain forest, Olympic Ntl. Park, Washington
left: beginning nurse log, center: mature nurse log, right: sword ferns (c) 2005 James H. Bassett   hires,  (c) 2004 Maurice J. Kaufmann  hires hires

salmon-spawning stream, Hoh rain forest, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA salmon hatchlings, Hoh rain forest, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA
left: salmon spawning stream, right: stream bed with small salmon (c) 2005 Steven J. Baskauf   hires   hires

 

Riparian forest, Hoh River, Olympic National Park, Washington

Hoh River, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA Hoh River, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA Hoh River, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA
(c) 2005 Steven J. Baskauf   hires   hires   hires

 

Lakes and adjacent forests, Lakes Crescent and Quinault, Olympic National Park, Washington

Lake Crescent, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA Lake Crescent, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA Lake Quinault, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA Lake Quinault, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA
left two images: Lake Crescent, right two images: Lake Quinault (c) 2005 Steven J. Baskauf   hires   hires   hires   hires

 

Sitka spruce coastal forest, Olympic National Park, Washington

Coast, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA Coast, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA Mist along coast, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA trees in mist along coast, Olympic Ntl. Park, WA
Picea sitchensis (Sitka spruce) is one of the few trees that can tolerate the salt spray present in the fog along the coast. (c) 2005 Steven J. Baskauf  hires   hires   hires   hires

 

Tree farm, Olympic Peninsula, Washington

tree plantation sign, Olympic peninsula, WA recent clearcut, Olympic peninsula, WA seed trees in clearcut, Olympic peninsula, WA tree plantation, Olympic peninsula, WA
Most of the west and northwest side of the Olympic Peninsula outside Olympic National Park consists of tree farms.  Far left: These "plantations" contain one (Pseudotsuga menziesii, Douglas fir) or few species of fast-growing conifers.  They are scheduled to be clearcut on an approximately 50 year rotation (left center)  Right center: Recent clearcut with scattered "seed trees" left standing to reseed the area.  Far right: This management practice results in large areas of single-species, uniform-aged stands -- biological deserts in comparison to the old-growth forests of the park.  (c) 2005 Steven J. Baskauf  hires   hires   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. 222-224.

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