Temperate Rainforests

Temperate Rainforests are found along the western coastal areas of North and South America where cool, moist air allows the trees to grow over 300 feet high. Temperate rainforests can also be found in Japan, Norway, New Zealand, Southern Australia and England. The temperate rainforest sees between 60 and 200 of inches a year, about 12 inches from the fog alone, and the temperature can range from zero degrees in the winter to about 80 degrees in the summer. According to Rainforest Biome, an informational website run by the National Center for Ecology, there are about 10-20 species of trees, mostly coniferous, that live in the temperate rainforests. These trees can live between 500-1000 years and grow to be 100-300 feet high with diameters eight feet across in width, some tress even larger.

The largest trees are the Giant Sequoia and the Coastal Redwoods. I grew up among the Coastal Redwoods and remember thinking that the tree tops reached heaven. I often went exploring and felt like I was in an ancient, enchanted forest as the fog would creep in and old trees lay decomposing as ferns, fungi, moss and large mushrooms grew upon them. I also remember pulling over on Highway 20 and as I looked out over the mountain side I was shocked to see an area that was barren, clear cut of the giant redwood trees. At the time clear cutting had become a big issue. Environmentalists were working to stop the practice and yet my neighbors and friend's families relied on the logging industry for their livelihood. Soon, the Spotted Owl became the great hope for the environmentalists. The Spotted Owl was on the endangered species list and was found to be living in the rainforests of the Northwest.

Of course, the Spotted Owl is not the only animal living in the temperate rainforests. Bears, wolves, cougars, bobcats, elk, deer and many other small animals call the temperate rainforest there home. While not as many species of animals live in the temperate rainforest as the tropical rainforests, the animals of the temperate rainforest live on the ground level.

Along with the Spotted Owl, the other animals needed protection from clear cutting. Today, clear cutting has been replaced with selective harvesting and legislation has tightened regulations within the logging industry. However, clear cutting does still happen.



Rainforest Biomes - http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/nceas-web/kids/biomes/rainforest.htm#