Hoh Rainforest
Encyclopedia
The Hoh Rainforest is located on the Olympic Peninsula
in western Washington state, USA
. It is one of the few temperate rainforests in the U.S., and also one of the largest. Within Olympic National Park
, the forest is protected from commercial exploitation. This includes 24 miles (38.6 km) of low elevation forest (394 to 2,493 feet) along the Hoh River
. The Hoh River valley was formed thousands of years ago by glaciers. Between the park boundary and the Pacific Ocean, 48 km (29.8 mi) of river, nearly all of the forest has been logged within the last century.
that are soon colonized by Red Alder (Alnus rubra). Giant trees topple into the river increasing the diversity of aquatic habitats.
), Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum), Red Alder, Vine Maple (Acer circinatum), and Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa
) are also found throughout the forest.
Many unique mosses and lichen
s are also present in the rainforest, such as lettuce lichen (Lobaria oregana
), which "requires the cool, moist conditions found under the canopy of old-growth forests" and is consumed by deer, elk, and other animals.
(Pseudacris regilla), Northern Spotted Owl
(Strix occidentalis caurina), Bobcat
(Lynx rufus), Cougar (Felis concolor couguar), Raccoon
(Procyon lotor), Olympic Black Bear
(Ursus americanus altifrontalis), Roosevelt elk
(Cervus canadensis roosevelti), and Black-tailed Deer
(Odocoileus columbianus).
The area is also home to the Banana slug
(Ariolimax columbianus), which has recently been threatened by the encroachment of a new species of slug, the Black slug
(Arion ater), an invasive species
from Northern Europe.
and views of maples draped with large growths of spikemoss
.
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...
in western Washington state, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is one of the few temperate rainforests in the U.S., and also one of the largest. Within Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park is located in the U.S. state of Washington, in the Olympic Peninsula. The park can be divided into four basic regions: the Pacific coastline, alpine areas, the west side temperate rainforest and the forests of the drier east side. U.S...
, the forest is protected from commercial exploitation. This includes 24 miles (38.6 km) of low elevation forest (394 to 2,493 feet) along the Hoh River
Hoh River
The Hoh River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington, located on the Olympic Peninsula. About long, the Hoh River originates at the Hoh Glacier on Mount Olympus and flows west through the Olympic Mountains of Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest, then through the foothills in a...
. The Hoh River valley was formed thousands of years ago by glaciers. Between the park boundary and the Pacific Ocean, 48 km (29.8 mi) of river, nearly all of the forest has been logged within the last century.
Climate
Annual precipitation ranges from 141 to 165 in (358.1 to 419.1 cm). Summers are relatively dry, but only by comparison to the rest of the year. The late fall, winter and spring floods cause the Hoh River to regularly erode its banks, change its course, and deposit fresh terraces of alluviumAlluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
that are soon colonized by Red Alder (Alnus rubra). Giant trees topple into the river increasing the diversity of aquatic habitats.
Flora
The dominant species in the rainforest are Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) and Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla); some grow to tremendous size, reaching 95 metres (311.7 ft) in height and 7 metres (23 ft) in diameter. Coast Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii), Western Redcedar (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...
), Bigleaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum), Red Alder, Vine Maple (Acer circinatum), and Black Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa
Populus trichocarpa
Populus trichocarpa is a deciduous broadleaf tree species native to western North America. It is used for timber, and is notable as a model organism in plant biology. Its full genome sequence was published in 2006...
) are also found throughout the forest.
Many unique mosses 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...
s are also present in the rainforest, such as lettuce lichen (Lobaria oregana
Lobaria oregana
Lobaria oregana, also known as lettuce lichen, is a species of foliose lichen occurring in North American old-growth forests, such as the Hoh Rainforest in Washington State. Taking its common name from its lettuce-like appearance, the lichen grows in the tree canopy but falls to the forest floor,...
), which "requires the cool, moist conditions found under the canopy of old-growth forests" and is consumed by deer, elk, and other animals.
Fauna
Many native fauna also make the Hoh Rainforest their home, including the Pacific Tree FrogPacific Tree Frog
The Pacific Tree Frog has a range from the West Coast of the United States to British Columbia, in Canada. They live from sea level to more than 10,000 feet in many types of habitats, reproducing in aquatic settings. They are the only frogs that go "ribbit"...
(Pseudacris regilla), Northern Spotted Owl
Northern Spotted Owl
The Northern Spotted Owl, Strix occidentalis caurina, is one of three Spotted Owl subspecies. A Western North American bird in the family Strigidae, genus Strix, it is a medium-sized dark brown owl sixteen to nineteen inches in length and one to one and one sixth pounds. Females are larger than males...
(Strix occidentalis caurina), Bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
(Lynx rufus), Cougar (Felis concolor couguar), Raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
(Procyon lotor), Olympic 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 altifrontalis), Roosevelt elk
Roosevelt elk
The Roosevelt elk , also known as Olympic elk, is the largest of the four surviving subspecies of elk in North America...
(Cervus canadensis roosevelti), and 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 columbianus).
The area is also home to the Banana slug
Banana slug
Banana slug is a common name for three species of air-breathing land slug in the genus Ariolimax. These slugs are often yellow in color and are sometimes spotted with brown like a ripe banana....
(Ariolimax columbianus), which has recently been threatened by the encroachment of a new species of slug, the Black slug
Black slug
The black slug also known as black arion, European black slug, or large black slug, scientific name Arion ater, is a species of large land slug, a terrestrial slug in the family Arionidae, the roundback slugs.-Description:...
(Arion ater), an invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
from Northern Europe.
Sights
The Hoh Rainforest is home to a National Park Service ranger station, from which backcountry trails extend deeper into the national park. A short, popular trail near the visitor center is the Hall of Mosses Trail, which gives visitors a feel for the local ecosystemEcosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
and views of maples draped with large growths of spikemoss
Spikemoss
Selaginella is a genus of plants in the family Selaginellaceae, the spikemosses. Many workers still place the Selaginellales in the class Lycopodiopsida . This group of plants has for years been included in what, for convenience, was called "fern allies". S...
.
In Fiction
- The Other (2008) by David GutersonDavid GutersonDavid Guterson is an American novelist, short story writer, poet, journalist, and essayist.-Early life:David Guterson was born May 4, 1956, in Seattle, Washington. During his childhood, he attended Seattle public schools and later attended the University of Washington where he earned Bachelor of...
centers on a young man who chooses to live in isolation in the Hoh Rainforest, and who comes to be known as "The Hermit of the Hoh."