Coastal Forest
In the wet, coastal prairies of Olympic National Park lies many bog plants that thrive off the acidic environment. Any of the following plants can be found:
- Wild cranberry
- Crowberry
- Bog laurel
- Labrador tea
- Sundew
- Sphagnum
Temperate Rain Forest
There are many features that constitute a temperate rainforest. The main one is RAIN! The Pacific Ocean provides an immense amount of precipitation in the valleys and there can be anywhere between 12 to 14 feet of rain every year.
The temperature stays between a comfortable range- above freezing and below 80°F.
The plant life can be broken down into the five categories below:
Temperate Rainforests in Olympic National Park: Quinault, Queets, Hoh, and Bogachiel river valleys.
The temperature stays between a comfortable range- above freezing and below 80°F.
The plant life can be broken down into the five categories below:
- Epiphytes - plants such as mosses, ferns, and lichens that grow on other plants
- Large Trees - particularly conifers and deciduous trees (some main species you may find are Sitka spruce and Western Hemlock).
- Fun fact: These giants can reach over 250 ft tall and reach 30 to 60 feet in their circumference (making them a little hard to hug).
- Fun fact: These giants can reach over 250 ft tall and reach 30 to 60 feet in their circumference (making them a little hard to hug).
- Nurse Logs - some seedlings may fall and take root on already decaying trees strewn upon the forest floor. As the wood rots away, the space under the new tree remains and causes the root structure to appear as though it is on stilts.
- Dead Wood - the importance of the dead wood can often be overlooked. With the size of the trees, they may not completely decays for hundreds of years. These years are spent providing key nutrients to growing organisms ranging from mosses to trees to animals.
- Roosevelt Elk - Olympic National Park houses the largest population of Roosevelt Elk, which is responsible for providing the canopy above the forest (therefore regulating temperature).
Temperate Rainforests in Olympic National Park: Quinault, Queets, Hoh, and Bogachiel river valleys.
Lowland
The Olympic Peninsula Lowlands house some of the largest, oldest trees in the park. The trees have grown for centuries and rise to staggering heights of over 30 stories tall. The forest is classified as "Old Growth" on the basis of typically being Douglas-fir/Western Hemlock that are older than 200 years old, have large amounts of downed wood on the ground below, bear a multi-layered canopy, and possess standing dead trees known as 'snags'.
Why so tall?
These forests grow to magnificent heights due to a combination of the mild climate, deep soils, and heavy rainfall.
Lowland Forests in Olympic National Park: Sol Duc/ Elwha Valleys, Lake Crescent trails, or around Staircase.
Why so tall?
These forests grow to magnificent heights due to a combination of the mild climate, deep soils, and heavy rainfall.
Lowland Forests in Olympic National Park: Sol Duc/ Elwha Valleys, Lake Crescent trails, or around Staircase.
Montane
When elevation increases, growing conditions become more challenging and are classified as a Montane forest. These forests begin around 1,500 to 2,000 feet and transition again to subalpine forests at 4,000 feet. Within Olympic National Park, certain conditions allow certain species to be more prevalent than others:
Montane Forests in Olympic National Park: Hurricane Ridge and Deer Park
- West Side (wetter conditions) - Silver fir and Western hemlock
- East Side (drier conditions) - Silver fir (only on cooler, north-facing slopes)
- South-facing Slopes (sunnier conditions) - Douglas fir and Western hemlock
- The region is highly susceptible to fire, which has also helped shaped the terrain into its current shape
Montane Forests in Olympic National Park: Hurricane Ridge and Deer Park
Subalpine
Above 4,000 are the challenged subalpine forests that must endure the harsh conditions of hurricane winds, ice, and snow. Technically, this forest region is transitional between dense forest and alpine tundra. The zone of trees slowly decreases in size as conditions for growth become less and less sustainable for life. The treeline at Olympic is usually between 5,000-6,000 feet due to temperature and snow. The topography of the mountains in addition to the snow affects each other via broken branches, damage caused by avalanches, or prolonged winter months. Surprisingly to some, the summer brings dry conditions that can be catalysts for fires. Luckily tree clusters are relatively small and prevent large-scale disaster.
Information Retrieved from:
-https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/forests.htm
-https://www.nps.gov/olym/learn/nature/forests.htm