Doty Hills facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Doty Hills |
|
---|---|
![]() Forestry in the Doty Hills
|
|
Highest point | |
Peak | Unnamed peak |
Elevation | 2,487 ft (758 m) |
Geography | |
Country | United States |
State | Washington |
Region | Western Washington |
Range coordinates | 46°42′35″N 123°19′21″W / 46.70972°N 123.32250°W |
Parent range | Willapa Hills |
Geology | |
Type of rock | Tertiary volcanic |
The Doty Hills are a group of hills located in southwest Washington State. They are found in both Lewis County and Grays Harbor County. These hills are north of a town called Doty, Washington and west of Chehalis.
The Doty Hills are nestled between the Black Hills to their north and the Willapa Hills to their south. They are considered a part of the larger Willapa Hills area, which is a specific type of landform region.
Contents
Exploring the Doty Hills: Geography and Rocks
The highest point in the Doty Hills is an unnamed peak. This peak stands at about 2,487 feet (758 meters) tall. It's even listed among Washington State's top 200 peaks based on how much it rises above the land around it.
The rocks that make up these hills are mostly volcanic rocks from a very old time period called the Tertiary period. You can find special crystals called Augite within a type of rock called porphyry tuff. Another mineral, Natrolite, has also been discovered near Lincoln Creek in the Doty Hills.
Natural Resources: What the Hills Offer
The Doty Hills are rich in natural resources, especially when it comes to trees and potential for clean energy.
Forestry: Growing Trees for Wood
The unpopulated areas of the Doty Hills are used for tree farms. These farms grow conifer trees, which are trees that have needles and cones. The hills get a lot of rain, over 80 inches (203 cm) each year, and have a cool, often cloudy climate. These conditions are perfect for growing many types of trees.
Some of the native trees you'd find here include Pacific silver fir, Douglas fir, and western hemlock. These trees are important for the timber industry.
Wind Power: Harnessing the Wind
In 2009, there was a plan to build a large wind farm in the Doty Hills. It was going to be called the Coyote Crest Wind Park. This project aimed to create 120 megawatts of electricity using wind turbines. The wind farm would have been built on land leased from a company called Weyerhaeuser, which owns a lot of tree farm land.
This project would have been the first big wind farm in the coastal hills of the Pacific Northwest. However, in 2013, the company decided to put the project on hold. This was because there wasn't enough demand for new renewable energy at that time.