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Forests of Western Washington and Oregon (page
1 of 7) July 8, 2006 |
 We spent most of our June this year in western Washington and Oregon. We traveled
through the Cascade mountain range and west to the coast, through an area that once included a significant
portion of the world's temperate rain forest. Friends who heard where we were going all said things like "I hear that part of the country is beautiful", and "The big forests are so lush and green". These statements proved to be both true and
false. Things are beautiful, lush, and green, if you're in one of the relatively few protected areas where old growth forests still exist. Otherwise, there is little left in terms of forests that are worth seeing. I've visited these places in the past, when real forests were
somewhat easier to find. Back then there were nearly as many log trucks on the road as cars. There still are, but the trucks are carrying smaller logs because the big trees are essentially gone. I could write pages about the value of
America's old growth forests,
and about how logging has decimated salmon fishing and brought countless species to the brink of extinction. Instead, I thought I would simply post some snapshots that were taken with a cheap point and shoot camera as we drove between National
Parks and other protected places, along with a couple of shots taken during previous trips, and one (on this page) taken by another party long ago. If you are interested in some very basic forest facts, there's a short article posted here.
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| Text is Copyright 2006 Dean M. Chriss, dmcPhoto.com |
