Whatcom County lies on the edge of a large Mediterranean climate zone that gives Bellingham and the surrounding areas the alluring temperature climate we all enjoy as residents. Warm, mild winters and hot dry summers coupled with high annual precipitation, anywhere from 75 cm near the coast to 580 cm in the mountains, has made the area a prime location for dense forests (Van Pelt, 2007). Prior to Euro- American settlement, all of western Washington was forested with the exception of about 10.3% which included land above the alpine timberline and non- forested prairies or wetlands. Of the 89.7% of forests, about 96% of them were coniferous (Van Pelt, 2007).
The main types of coniferous forests historically present in Whatcom were Western Hemlock, Pacific Silver fir, Mountain hemlock and alpine. The latter three were all primarily located in the North Cascades and with the rest of the county dominated by Western hemlock. Within Whatcom hemlock forests a mix of tree species including Pacific silver fir, Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, Noble fir and Western Red Cedar were present. Mature stands were characterized, and continue to be in old growth stands today, by clear understories and diverse vertical and horizontal canopy. More simply stated, trees grew to different heights which provided a greater number of habitat niches that could support a greater amount of biological diversity than is possible with monoculture stands. This type of forest composition is often referred to as the “climax community” and represents a stable set of species. However, no natural system is ever static and stands were maintained by natural disturbances like wind topple and wildfire. Wildfire in the Whatcom area was not always natural and often had a helping ...
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Shortleaf pine tends to grow rather slowly in the early stages of its life when compared to its closest competitor, loblolly pine. Therefore it cannot compete for the best sites under natural regeneration, but, because of it's tolerance of a wide range of site conditions, shortleaf pine is found naturally in areas where loblolly pine will not grow effectively. It is for this reason that shortleaf pine was chosen for this site instead of loblolly. When planted artificially, it was found that after the first few years of development, shortleaf pine will match loblolly in height growth on the better sites and will surpass loblolly on the poorer sites (Harrington, 1987). Because of this, shortleaf pine is the most commonly regenerated pine in the northern and western parts of its range where the site conditions are not as ideal as in the southern part of its range.
Poulson, T. L., & Platt, W. J. (1996). Replacement patterns of beech and sugar maple in Warren Woods, Michigan. Ecology, 1234-1253.
These are very difficult questions for me personally to answer because I live in the Pacific Northwest, and I have seen the beauty of the old growth forests first-hand.
When one of the worst earthquakes ever hits the town of San Francisco panic ensues, but not for everyone. On April 18, 1906, at 5:15 am the city of San Francisco was demolished by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake which also led to many fires being started. There was $350m in estimated damages, and 400-750 people perished in the earthquake and fire. Around 490 city blocks were destroyed, causing 250,000 people to become homeless (A Brief Account, SF Tourism Tips). In the aftermath of the earthquake there were many eyewitness accounts written about it. The eyewitness account, “Comprehending the Calamity,” by Emma Burke and the eyewitness account,"Horrific Wreck of the City" by Fred Hewitt both describe the same event, but they both have very different
Zielinski, E. (2012, April 25). The Northwest Forest Plan. Retrieved from U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT: http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/history/sidebars/ecosystems/Northwest_Forest_Plan.html
The plots, blackberry rambles, pine barrens, and spacious groves of great eastern forest was an ecological kaleidoscope of garden chestnut, hickory, and oak…Early European explorers marveled at the trees that were spaced so that the forest “could be penetrated even by a large army”… English squatters encountered forested
The plants growing among Montana’s peaks and valleys range from tall evergreen trees to grasses. The mountainous areas are covered with forests. However, at each level, from the mountaintops to the valleys, there are different, distinct collections of plant life. The mountainsides are largely covered with towering spruce, pine, cedar, and Douglas fir trees (Av2
America’s federal forest management dates back to the mid 1870’s when Congress decided to create the U.S. Department of Agriculture to maintain the forestry. This environmental department represented the growth in America’s industry and the depletion of forests. Yet, as it was defeating the initial purpose, more natural resources were being lost from their area and the government had not acknowledged the damage. The conservationist Gifford Pinchot, created an impact on society by taking a stand to conserve the natural resources by leading the United States Forest service, embracing scientific forest, and contributed to Roosevelt’s decision to protect wildlife, thus paving the way for natural conservation in the future.
The area of Black Forest was settled in pre-colonial times by numerous native Indian tribes like the Utes and the Comanche’s. These groups were eventually driven out by various other groups like the Arapahoe and Cheyenne tribes who prior to settlement drove out the native Kiowa tribes, the Arapahoe and Cheyenne consequently, were the last known native inhabitants of the area. These native tribes made great use of the land which was abundant with natural and valuable crops and trees. With vegetation such as the Ponderosa Pines which provided fuel and materials for building, and the corn and wheat crops used for multifaceted tools and cooking items, the various indigenous groups were well suited to their surrounding location. White settlers began to inhabit the area in earnest around the mid 1800’s and eventually became the dominant group of the range by the 1860’s. This eventually led to the perpetual settlement and commercialization of the area and it later became known for its lumber, cattle and crop farming, ranching, and potatoes. By the late 1880’s Black Forest was predominantly shipping out cattle, potatoes, crops such as corn, wheat and hay. However ...
Many old-growth forests across the landscape of northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan contain a mixture of tree species rather than a monoculture. Many researchers have put forward ideas to explain the competition and co-existence of tree species in such communities. A theory explaining competition and co-existence between two species is gap regeneration. Gap regeneration is when a gap is created upon death of a plant individual and a new individual, sometimes of the same species as died and sometimes not dependent on environmental heterogeneity, takes its place (Kenneth Lertzman). Canopy gaps during gap regeneration can be explained by either reciprocal replacement or habitat preference . In a reciprocal replacement, seedlings of one species would be found predominately under large trees ...
study of the San Andreas fault system." (USGS) When the 1906 earthquake struck scientist set
In the last decade, from the Rockies to New England and the Deep South, rural and suburban areas have been beset by white-tailed deer gnawing shrubbery and crops, spreading disease and causing hundreds of thousands of auto wrecks. But the deer problem has proved even more profound, biologists say. Fast-multiplying herds are altering the ecology of forests, stripping them of native vegetation and eliminating niches for other wildlife. ' 'I don 't want to paint deer as Eastern devils, ' ' said Dr. McShea, a wildlife biologist associated with the National Zoo in Washington, ' 'but this is indicative of what happens when an ecosystem is out of whack. ' ' The damage is worse than anyone expected, he and other scientists say. Higher deer densities have affected growth, survival, and reproduction of many plant species which have aesthetic, economic or ecological value. In some cases, many species of trees have also been shown to have reduced growth as a result of high deer density (Environmental Benefits of Hunting, 1). Deer prefer certain plant species over others and frequently feed on economically valuable tree species. For example, they prefer oak and sugar maple seedlings, as well as acorns, over less palatable species like American Beech and striped maple. Thus, less marketable species are more likely to survive to maturity,
There was a massive earthquake in San Francisco during the year of 1906. The country of United States went through great loss because of this massacre. Nearly 250,000 people had become homeless as the result of this great earthquake. Winchester pointed out the question: How unprepared was America when this disaster hit? He compared the San Francisco earthquake to the Katrina hurricane in 2005.
The ecozone's forests are composed of 12.8% mixedwood, 2.1% deciduous, and 0.2% coniferous trees. The forest cover spans from 3 to 16%, and 40% of Ontario's rare plants are exclusive to the Carolinian forests. The Wood Poppy, Small-whorled Pogonia, Prickly Pear Cactus, and Cucumber Tree are species listed as Endangered. Wild Raspberry, Black-eyed Susans, Clover, Goldenrod, and Trilliums are widespread in forest ecosystems. Thickets and abandoned fields are h...
Thomson, Steve. "Saving B.C's Forests through the Trees." The Filipino Post 12-18 July 2012: 12. Print.