Pacific Temperate Rainforests - A Global Ecoregion
One of only seven temperate rain forest ecosystems on Earth
Snapshot: Ecoregion 72
Size:
295,000 sq. km (114,000 sq. miles)
Habitat type:
Temperate Coniferous Forests
Geographic Location:
North America: West Coast of United States and Canada
Conservation Status:
Critical/Endangered
Did You Know!
Redwood trees can grow to be more than 300 feet (90 m) tall - taller than the Statue of Liberty!
About the Area
This Global ecoregion is made up of these terrestrial ecoregions: Northern California coastal forests; Central Pacific coastal forests; Northern Pacific coastal forests; Queen Charlotte Islands; British Columbia mainland coastal forests.
The Pacific Temperate Rainforests are amongst the richest and most diverse temperate forests on earth. They are one of only seven temperate rain forest ecosystems, and the only one in North America.Local Species
Lots of water makes these forests highly productive harbouring tree species such as Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), Yellow cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis), Western red cedar (Thuja plicata), Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii).
Selected species include the Pacific giant salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus), Olympic salamander (Rhyacotriton olympicus), Red-backed vole (Cletherionomys californicus), Red bat (Lasiuris borealis), Spotted owl (Strix occidentalis), the ferocious Folding-trap door spider (Antrodiaetus pugnax), and the Marbled murrelet (Brachyrampus marmoratus) - birds that nest high up on redwood trees.
Threats
Intensive commercial logging has destroyed more than 90 percent of the native forests of this ecoregion.
Resources
• NationalGeographic.com
