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ECOSYSTEMS > INLAND OREGON
A forest is a complex and constantly changing ecosystem dominated by trees. Because of all that flora, forests are often more wetter than surrounding areas with moisture falling as precipitation and then running across the surface of the land as streams, creeks or rivers. Although many people consider them the same thing, it’s the high density of trees which differentiates a forest from a woodland. In fact, in some forests the trees are packed so tightly together it would be impossible for you to even squeeze between them. In these kinds of forests, wildlife is often smaller and lives either high in the canopy or deep below the understory. Coastal forests, like those we’ll examine here, are usually coniferous and confined to a narrow geographical area reaching from northern California to British Columbia.
A forest is a complex and constantly changing ecosystem dominated by trees. Because of all that flora, forests are often more wetter than surrounding areas with moisture falling as precipitation and then running across the surface of the land as streams, creeks or rivers. Although many people consider them the same thing, it’s the high density of trees which differentiates a forest from a woodland. In fact, in some forests the trees are packed so tightly together it would be impossible for you to even squeeze between them. In these kinds of forests, wildlife is often smaller and lives either high in the canopy or deep below the understory. Coastal forests, like those we’ll examine here, are usually coniferous and confined to a narrow geographical area reaching from northern California to British Columbia.
Types of forests:
Alder patches often result from a catastrophic change to the environment, such as a wildfire, and help restore the soil for other plantlike.
The trees here grow so large they have the greatest biomass on Earth!
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Managed lands are those specifically administered by state or federal agencies to ensure a wide number of uses.
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These forests once covered 12 million acres in both California and Oregon. Learn how they still play a vital role today.
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Valued as both economic and ecological asset, the preservation of these ancient forests is an ongoing struggle.
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Features related to forests:
Endangered Oregon: The Northern Spotted Owl and Old Growth Forests: During the 1980s and 90s, the northern spotted owl was perhaps the most controversial animal in the Pacific Northwest. Learn how a small bird of prey became an icon for the protection of a large and ancient ecosystem.
How Fire Shapes the Forest: Wildfire plays an important ecological role in keeping forests healthy. In Oregon, "old growth forests" may have only been possible thanks to extensive wildfires hundreds of years ago.
Oregon's Sustainable Forests: From the paper in your computer’s printer, to the supporting beams in your home’s walls and roof, to the Christmas or decorative trees you buy at a nursery, Oregon is one of the country’s leading suppliers of all things wood. But maintaining this valuable resource for the next generation is a matter of science, conservation and careful planning.
Wildfire: Fire is a natural force of renewal in wild areas, but it can also have a devastating impact on human communities. Learn how wild fire helps shape the environment around us.
How Fire Shapes the Forest: Wildfire plays an important ecological role in keeping forests healthy. In Oregon, "old growth forests" may have only been possible thanks to extensive wildfires hundreds of years ago.
Oregon's Sustainable Forests: From the paper in your computer’s printer, to the supporting beams in your home’s walls and roof, to the Christmas or decorative trees you buy at a nursery, Oregon is one of the country’s leading suppliers of all things wood. But maintaining this valuable resource for the next generation is a matter of science, conservation and careful planning.
Wildfire: Fire is a natural force of renewal in wild areas, but it can also have a devastating impact on human communities. Learn how wild fire helps shape the environment around us.
