Prior to industrial
logging a slender
band of coastal
temperate rainforest,
slightly more than
80 kilometers wide,
stretched from Kodiak
Island in Alaska
through British
Columbia, Washington,
and Oregon to Mendacino
California, a distance
of over 3,000 kilometers.
Referred to as the
Pacific Temperate
Rainforest it was
the largest temperate
rainforest in the
world. Yet, temperate
rainforests have
always been among
the rarest ecosystems
in the world, originally
comprising less
than 0.2 percent
of the earth's land
surface. Today,
approximately one-half
of the earths temperate
rainforests have
been logged. Clayoquot
Sound, on the west
coast of Vancouver
Island, has the
distinction of harboring
the largest remaining
contiguous tract
of temperate coastal
rainforest on earth.
Over 25% of all
remaining temperate
rainforest is in
Clayoquot Sound
and its adjacent
river valleys.
What makes a temperate
rain forest different
from other rainforests?
The main difference
is temperature and
location. Tropical
rainforests (jungles)
occur in hot, equatorial
regions near the
interior of continents,
whereas temperate
rainforests occur
in cool, high-latitude
regions along the
moist, fogbound
margins of continents.
There are many outstanding
features that distinguish
temperate coastal
rainforests:
- Proximity
to the Ocean
- Temperate rain
forests depend
on proximity to
the ocean to moderate
seasonal variations
in temperature,
creating milder
winters and cooler
summers than continental
climate zones.
Many temperate
rain forests have
summer fogs that
keep the forests
cool and moist
in the hottest
months.
-
Coastal
mountains
- Temperate rain
forests occur
where mountain
ranges are close
to the coast;
coastal mountains
increase rainfall
on the ocean-facing
slopes.
- High
Rainfall
- Warm, moisture-laden
wind off the ocean
cools as it rises
over the coastal
mountains. Cool
air will not hold
moisture so its
released in the
form of rain which
falls on the narrow
strip of land
between the ocean
and the mountains.
Rainfall varies
from a minimum
of 2,000 mm per
year to over 6,000
mm per year, depending
on latitude. Henderson
Lake on the west
coast of Vancouver
Island receives
approximately
6,650 millimeters
of rain per year
(that's 6.65 meters)
making it the
wettest location
in North America!
- High
Biomass
- temperate rain
forests sustain
the highest levels
of biomass of
any terrestrial
ecosystem and
are notable for
ancient trees
of massive proportions.
On the northwest
coast these giants
include: Coast
Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga
menziesii),
Sitka Spruce (Picea
sitchensis),
Western Red Cedar
(Thuja plicata),
Western Hemlock
(Tsuga heterophylla),
Pacific Silver
Fir (Abies
amabilis),
and Coast Redwood
(Sequoia sempervirens).
Some of these
trees reach several
hundred to a thousand
years in age.
Today these large
trees are quite
rare, however,
occurring in only
small areas of
Western North
America, southwestern
South America
and northern New
Zealand.
Temperate rain
forests may be predominantly
coniferous trees
(cone-bearing plants)
with deciduous trees,
broadleaf evergreens,
plants and shrubs
making up the understory.
While the plants
that make up the
temperate rain forest
are important, the
animals that live
there are equally
vital. Mammals found
in the forest include
the Roosevelt elk,
black-tailed deer,
cougar, black bear,
river otter, Douglas
squirrel, jumping
mouse, and shrew.
Birds such as the
bald eagle, western
robin, winter wren,
pileated woodpecker,
stellers jay, gray
jay, junco, and
raven make their
homes in the thick
forest canopy.
West of the temperate
rainforest of British
Columbia lies the
Pacific Ocean with
its abundance of
fish species and
charismatic mammals
such as Orca, Humpback
and Minke whales,
Steller sea lions
and harbour seals,
Pacific white sided
dolphins, Dalls
and harbour porpoise,
and sea otters.
At the interface
between the forest
and the sea lies
yet another of the
most productive
ecosystems in the
world, the intertidal
zone. The length
of the intertidal
zone along British
Columbia alone,
including the mainland
coast and thousands
of offshore islands,
stretches for more
than 27,000 km (16,900
miles). From protected
saltwater lagoons
to wave hammered
headlands the number
of species adapted
to this highly variable
coastline is virtually
unfathomable. Some
of the more common
marine invertebrates
include different
kinds of sea stars,
sea urchins, chitons,
barnacles, oysters,
mussels, sea cucumbers,
crabs, clams, and
chitons.
With so much to
see and so many
places to explore,
it's no wonder coastal
British Columbia
is known as one
of the world's premier
kayaking destinations.
At Steller Sea Kayaking
we look forward
to exploring this
wonderful coast
with you and with
your friends!
|
