British Columbia mainland coastal forests
Encyclopedia
British Columbia mainland coastal forests is a temperate coniferous forest ecoregion
the Pacific
coast of North America
, as defined by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) categorization system.
up to 150 km inland to the crest of the Coast Mountains
, extending along the western front of the northern Cascade Range
in northwestern Washington. Specific areas include the Pacific
and Kitimat Ranges
of the Coast Mountains, the Nass Ranges
and the basin of the Nass River
. An exclave of the ecoregion occupies the eastern slope of the Olympic Mountains
on Washington's Olympic Peninsula
. The landscape is a mixture of coastal lowland with many steep valleys, inlets, and fjords. The climate is drier on the inland mountains than right on the coast and the average annual temperature in the valleys is 6.5°C.
) and amabilis fir (Abies amabilis); mountain forest of mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana), amabilis fir and yellow cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis); and alpine tundra
with sedge (Carex
) meadows and lichen
-covered rocks.
a rare white subspecies of the American Black Bear
(Ursus americanus) found on Princess Royal Island
and elsewhere, Grizzly Bear
(ursus arctos), Black-tailed Deer
(Odocoileus hemionus), moose
(Alces alces), Migratory Woodland Caribou
(Rangifer tarandus caribou), Grey Wolf (canis lupus), Red Fox
(vulpes vulpes), mountain goat
(Oreamnos americanus), American Mink
(mustela vision), marten
(martes americana), North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis), American Beaver
(castor canadensis) and Snowshoe Hare
(lepus americanus). Birds include Spotted Owl
, Blue Grouse
(Dendragapus obscurus) and many waterbirds.
on the British Columbia/Washington border and the following parks in British Columbia: Kitlope Heritage Conservancy Protected Area, Garibaldi Provincial Park
, Hakai Luxvbalis Conservancy Area, Fiordland Recreation Area, Gitnadoiks River Provincial Park
, Golden Ears Provincial Park
, Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary
, Pinecone Burke Provincial Park
, Homathko River-Tatlayoko Protected Area and Swan Lake Provincial Park
.
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, as defined by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) categorization system.
Setting
The WWF defines the ecoregion as the mainland coast of British ColumbiaBritish Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
up to 150 km inland to the crest of the Coast Mountains
Coast Mountains
The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...
, extending along the western front of the northern Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
in northwestern Washington. Specific areas include the Pacific
Pacific Ranges
The Pacific Ranges are the southernmost subdivision of the Coast Mountains portion of the Pacific Cordillera. Located entirely within British Columbia, Canada, they run northwest from the lower stretches of the Fraser River to Bella Coola, north of which are the Kitimat Ranges.The Pacific Ranges...
and Kitimat Ranges
Kitimat Ranges
The Kitimat Ranges are one of the three main subdivisions of the Coast Mountains in British Columbia, Canada, the other being the Pacific Ranges to the south and the Boundary Ranges to the north...
of the Coast Mountains, the Nass Ranges
Nass Ranges
The Nass Ranges are a mountain range north of the Skeena River, west of Hazelton, and northeast of Terrace, British Columbia, Canada. It is associated with the Hazelton Mountains, which in turn form part of the Interior Mountains.-Volcanic eruption:...
and the basin of the Nass River
Nass River
The Nass River is a river in northern British Columbia, Canada. It flows from the Coast Mountains southwest to Nass Bay, a sidewater of Portland Inlet, which connects to the North Pacific Ocean via the Dixon Entrance...
. An exclave of the ecoregion occupies the eastern slope of the Olympic Mountains
Olympic Mountains
The Olympic Mountains is a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. The mountains, part of the Pacific Coast Ranges, are not especially high - Mount Olympus is the highest at - but the western slopes of the Olympics rise directly out of the Pacific...
on Washington's Olympic Peninsula
Olympic Peninsula
The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington state of the USA, that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle. It is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean, the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the east by Puget Sound. Cape Alava, the westernmost point in the contiguous...
. The landscape is a mixture of coastal lowland with many steep valleys, inlets, and fjords. The climate is drier on the inland mountains than right on the coast and the average annual temperature in the valleys is 6.5°C.
Flora
There are three distinct types of vegetation on this coast: the forests of the coastal plain dominated by western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), western red cedar (Thuja plicataThuja plicata
Thuja plicata, commonly called Western or pacific red cedar, giant or western arborvitae, giant cedar, or shinglewood, is a species of Thuja, an evergreen coniferous tree in the cypress family Cupressaceae native to western North America...
) and amabilis fir (Abies amabilis); mountain forest of mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana), amabilis fir and yellow cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis); and alpine tundra
Alpine tundra
Alpine tundra is a natural region that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude. Alpine tundra is distinguished from arctic tundra, because alpine soils are generally better drained than arctic soils...
with sedge (Carex
Carex
Carex is a genus of plants in the family Cyperaceae, commonly known as sedges. Other members of the Cyperaceae family are also called sedges, however those of genus Carex may be called "true" sedges, and it is the most species-rich genus in the family. The study of Carex is known as...
) meadows and lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
-covered rocks.
Fauna
Mammals of the area include the Kermode bearKermode bear
The Kermode bear , also known as a "spirit bear" , is a subspecies of the American Black Bear living in the central and north coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is noted for about 1/10 of their population having white or cream-coloured coats...
a rare white subspecies of the American Black Bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
(Ursus americanus) found on Princess Royal Island
Princess Royal Island
Princess Royal Island is the largest island on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is located amongst the isolated inlets and islands east of Hecate Strait on the British Columbia Coast. At , it is the fourth largest island in British Columbia...
and elsewhere, Grizzly Bear
Grizzly Bear
The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America...
(ursus arctos), Black-tailed Deer
Black-tailed Deer
Two forms of black-tailed deer or blacktail deer occupying coastal temperate rainforest on North America's Pacific coast are subspecies of the mule deer. They have sometimes been treated as a species, but virtually all recent authorities maintain they are subspecies...
(Odocoileus hemionus), moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
(Alces alces), Migratory Woodland Caribou
Migratory Woodland Caribou
The migratory woodland caribou , also known as the forest caribou or woodland caribou , is a subspecies of the caribou...
(Rangifer tarandus caribou), Grey Wolf (canis lupus), Red Fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
(vulpes vulpes), mountain goat
Mountain goat
The Mountain Goat , also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus of true goats...
(Oreamnos americanus), American Mink
American Mink
The American mink is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America. Because of this, it is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the...
(mustela vision), marten
Marten
The martens constitute the genus Martes within the subfamily Mustelinae, in family Mustelidae.-Description:Martens are slender, agile animals, adapted to living in taigas, and are found in coniferous and northern deciduous forests across the northern hemisphere. They have bushy tails, and large...
(martes americana), North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis), American Beaver
American Beaver
The North American Beaver is the only species of beaver in the Americas, native to North America and introduced to South America. In the United States and Canada, where no other species of beaver occurs, it is usually simply referred to as "beaver"...
(castor canadensis) and Snowshoe Hare
Snowshoe Hare
The Snowshoe Hare , also called the Varying Hare, or Snowshoe Rabbit, is a species of hare found in North America. It has the name "snowshoe" because of the large size of its hind feet and the marks its tail leaves. The animal's feet prevent it from sinking into the snow when it hops and walks...
(lepus americanus). Birds include Spotted Owl
Spotted Owl
The Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis, is a species of true owl. It is a resident species of forests in western North America, where it nests in tree holes, old bird of prey nests, or rock crevices. Nests can be between 13 and 66 yards high and usually contain two eggs...
, Blue Grouse
Blue Grouse
The genus Dendragapus, contains two closely related species of grouse that have often been treated as a single variable taxon . The two species are the Dusky Grouse and the Sooty Grouse...
(Dendragapus obscurus) and many waterbirds.
Threats and preservation
This is a well-preserved ecoregion with about 40% of original forest intact. Most disturbance has occurred in the valleys rather than the mountain tops and logging is ongoing. Blocks of intact habitat can be found in the Skagit ValleySkagit Valley
The Skagit Valley lies in the northwestern corner of the state of Washington, USA. Its defining feature is the Skagit River, which snakes through local communities which include the seat of Skagit County, Mount Vernon, as well as Sedro-Woolley, Concrete, Lyman-Hamilton, and Burlington.The local...
on the British Columbia/Washington border and the following parks in British Columbia: Kitlope Heritage Conservancy Protected Area, Garibaldi Provincial Park
Garibaldi Provincial Park
Garibaldi Provincial Park, also called Garibaldi Park, is a wilderness park located in British Columbia, Canada, about 70 kilometres north of Vancouver. The park is located to the east of the Sea to Sky Highway between Squamish and Whistler and covers an area of over 1,950 square kilometres...
, Hakai Luxvbalis Conservancy Area, Fiordland Recreation Area, Gitnadoiks River Provincial Park
Gitnadoiks River Provincial Park
Gitnadoiks River Provincial Park is a 58,000 hectare provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It is centred around the Gitnadoix River, a tributary of the Skeena River in Northwestern British Columbia, 50 km west of Terrace...
, Golden Ears Provincial Park
Golden Ears Provincial Park
Golden Ears Provincial Park is a Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada at 555.9 km². It is named after the prominent twin peaks which are commonly referred to as Golden Ears...
, Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary
Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary
Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. Established August 1994, northeast of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, the purpose of the park is to protect the north coast grizzly bear by preserving a part of the ecosystem in which they live.At in size,...
, Pinecone Burke Provincial Park
Pinecone Burke Provincial Park
Pinecone Burke Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. It extends from the southwest corner of Garibaldi Provincial Park, west of Pitt Lake and Pitt River to include Burke Mountain in the City of Coquitlam. Most of the park is unserviced wilderness with very rough trails...
, Homathko River-Tatlayoko Protected Area and Swan Lake Provincial Park
Swan Lake Provincial Park
-External links:...
.
See also
- List of ecoregions in the United States (WWF)
- North Cascades (ecoregion) - Level II ecoregion in the CEC/EPA system
- Cascades (ecoregion)Cascades (ecoregion)The Cascades ecoregion is a Level III ecoregion designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, and California...
- Level III ecoregion in the CEC/EPA system - Coast Range (ecoregion)Coast Range (ecoregion)The Coast Range ecoregion is a Level III ecoregion designated by the Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, and California...
- Level III ecoregin in the CEC/EPA system - Pacific Maritime Ecozone (CEC) - equivalent to EPA Level II ecoregion in Canada
- List of ecoregions in the United States (EPA)#Marine West Coast Forest, EPA equivalent to Pacific Maritime Ecozone