British Columbia mainland coastal forests facts for kids

Quick facts for kids British Columbia Mainland Coastal Forests
Forest on Mount Garibaldi
Ecology
Realm	Nearctic
Biome	Temperate coniferous forests
Borders	List Cascade Mountains leeward forests Central and Southern Cascades Forests Central Pacific coastal forests Fraser Plateau and Basin complex Haida Gwaii forests Northern Pacific coastal forests Northern transitional alpine forests Pacific Coastal Mountain icefields and tundra Puget lowland forests
Bird species	221
Mammal species	78
Geography
Area	120,500 km2 (46,500 sq mi)
Countries	Canada and United States
States	British Columbia and Washington
Conservation
Conservation status	Critical/Endangered
Habitat loss	0.4161%
Protected	17.38%

Imagine a huge natural area where plants and animals live together because the climate and land are similar. That's an ecoregion! The British Columbia mainland coastal forests is one of these special places. It's a type of temperate coniferous forest found along the Pacific coast of North America. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) describes it as a very important natural area.

Where are these Forests?

This ecoregion covers the mainland coast of British Columbia, a province in Canada. It stretches about 150 kilometers (93 miles) inland, reaching up to the top of the Coast Mountains. It also extends into the northwestern part of Washington in the United States, along the western side of the northern Cascade Range.

Some specific areas within this ecoregion include the Pacific Ranges and Kitimat Ranges of the Coast Mountains. It also covers the Nass Ranges and the area around the Nass River. There's even a small part of this ecoregion on the eastern side of the Olympic Mountains in Washington's Olympic Peninsula.

The land here is a mix of low coastal areas with many steep valleys, deep inlets, and long, narrow fjords. The weather changes as you go inland. The mountains further from the coast are usually drier than the areas right by the ocean. The average yearly temperature in the valleys is about 6.5 degrees Celsius (43.7 degrees Fahrenheit).

What Plants Grow Here?

The British Columbia mainland coastal forests have three main types of plant life:

Coastal Plain Forests

These forests are found in the lower areas near the coast. The most common trees here are:

• Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla)
• Western red cedar (Thuja plicata)
• Amabilis fir (Abies amabilis)

Mountain Forests

As you go higher up the mountains, the trees change. Here you'll find:

• Mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana)
• Amabilis fir (Abies amabilis)
• Yellow cedar (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis)

Alpine Tundra

Even higher up, above the tree line, is the alpine tundra. This area is too cold and windy for tall trees. Instead, you'll see:

• Meadows with sedge (Carex) plants
• Rocks covered in lichen

What Animals Live Here?

This ecoregion is home to many amazing animals!

Mammals

You can find a variety of mammals, including:

• The rare Kermode bear, which is a special white type of American black bear (Ursus americanus). These unique bears are found on Princess Royal Island and other places.
• Grizzly bears (Ursus horriblis)
• Black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
• Moose (Alces alces)
• Migratory woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou)
• Grey wolves (Canis lupus)
• Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)
• Mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus)
• American mink (Mustela vison)
• Marten (Martes americana)
• North American river otter (Lontra canadensis)
• American beaver (Castor canadensis)
• Snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus)

Birds

Many different bird species live here too, such as:

• Spotted owl
• Blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus)
• Lots of different waterbirds that live near the coast and rivers.

Protecting these Forests

Intact forest in the Cascade Falls Regional Park, near Mission, British Columbia.

These forests are quite well-preserved, with about 40% of their original trees still standing. Most of the changes to the land have happened in the valleys, not so much on the mountain tops. However, logging (cutting down trees for wood) is still happening.

Luckily, there are large areas of untouched forest that are protected. You can find these in places like the Skagit Valley, which is on the border between British Columbia and Washington.

Many parks and protected areas in British Columbia help keep these forests safe. Some of these include:

• Kitlope Heritage Conservancy Protected Area
• Garibaldi Provincial Park
• Hakai Luxvbalis Conservancy Area
• Fiordland Conservancy
• Gitnadoiks River Provincial Park
• Golden Ears Provincial Park
• Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary (a special place for grizzly bears!)
• Pinecone Burke Provincial Park
• Homathko River-Tatlayoko Protected Area
• Swan Lake Provincial Park

These protected areas are super important for keeping the plants and animals of the British Columbia mainland coastal forests safe for the future!