Conifer Canopy
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The Conifer Canopy are a group of the five most common conifers, that tend to dominate the upland forests of the region. Conifers are adapted to our climate, where photosynthesis can occur during fall and spring before Deciduous Canopy has their leaves. Our maritime temperate conifer forests are among the greatest biomass accumulation forests on the earth, with trees living hundreds to over a thousand years old.
The Five Lowland Conifer Canopy Species
Generally listed here from moisture loving to more Drought-tolerant, these species also vary meaningfully in Wildfire tolerance and their tolerance of waterlogged soil, and their shade tolerance. Seed is generally wind-borne, and large areas of lowland have been cleared, so natural recovery involves conifer canopy marches over land leaping around 80m per generation.
- Picea sitchensis (Sitka spruce) - is only found at low elevations in proximity to marine waters, and is tolerant of shade and very wet sites.
- Thuja plicata (western red-cedar) - tolerant of shade and wet sites, but with thin bark, intolerant of fire. Very culturally significant.
- Tsuga heterophyla (Western hemlock) - can grow in shade, and is intolerant of fire, and is the natural climax species over much of lowland Salish Sea.
- Abies grandis (grand fir) - can grow in shade, fire intolerant, less prevalant than the other four, but locally abundant.
- Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) - This fire resistant species does not tolerate or recruit in shade and rots with wet feet.
The Outliers
- Pinus monticola (Western white pine) - A five-needle pine, much less common, but once locally abundant on dry sites.
- Pinus contorta (shore pine) Not very common, however it tolerates Acidic Bog conditions and salt spray, and so is found along shorelines or on the edges of some wetlands.
High Elevation Conifer Forest
Above around 3000 feet (1000 m), silver fir becomes common, and ultimately gives way to an alpine forest with a different suite of species upto tree line. Some species are more or less common depending on aspect, drought, fire, and snowload, as you go over the cascade crest and back down to lower elevations in the Columbia Basin
- Abies procerus (silver fir) can be dominant at mid elevations
- Chamecyparus nootkatensis (nootka cedar/yellow cedar)
- Abies lasiocarpa (sub-alpine fir)
- Picea engelamnii (Engleman spruce)
- Larix occidentalis (Western larch) -
Dryland Conifer Forest
At lower elevations in the Columbia Basin we switch to species that are
- Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine) - sometimes called yellowbellies these are long three-needled pines with thick fire resistant bark.
- Pinus contorta (lodgepole pine/shore pine) - lodgepole pine comes into its prime in mid-elevation dry forests where it forms fire-prone monotypic stands.
- Pseudotsuga menzeisii (Douglas-fir)
- Juniperus occidentalis (Rocky Mountain juniper)
