Prior to the arrival of Europeans, forests dominated the Pacific Northwest. Many different types of forest habitats blanked the region. The characteristics of each forest are dependent upon physical factors such as elevation and climate. Today there are only a few areas of undisturbed old-growth forest. These forests escaped disturbance by logging, fires, avalanches, earthquakes, or other natural events. Most of the area that was originally forested now reflects various stages of succession.
Succession describes the evolutionary changes that occur in ecosystems. Nowhere in the Pacific Northwest has succession been as closely observed as the recovery of Mount Saint Helens following the volcanic eruption triggered by a magnitude 5.2 earthquake on May 18, 1980.
Northwest forests include:
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Remember to check the Course Progress Chart for Due Dates.
Use the Forest module Learning Experiences Chart to plan your week's activities.
Temperate Rainforest (Sitka spruce and Douglas fir) |
| Old Growth Forest (Western red cedar and western hemlock |
| Second-growth Forest (Douglas fir) |
| Deciduous Forest (Bigleaf maple and black cottonwood) |