Soft layers of moss and pine needles carpet the ground as dappled sunlight or misty rain filters through the forest canopy’s branches. Western Washington woodlands can be enchanting. Fortunately these magical places are abundant, covering half the state’s soil. Affording beauty and recreation as well as economic value, they endure as one of the area’s most important natural assets.
In Native Trees of Western Washington, Washington State University’s Kevin Zobrist examines regional indigenous trees from a forestry specialist’s unique perspective. He explains basic tree physiology and a key part of their ecology–forest stand dynamics. He groups distinctive varieties into sections, describing common lowland conifers and broadleaved trees, high-elevation species found in the Olympic Mountains and western side of the Cascades, and finally, those with a very limited natural range and small, isolated populations. Numerous full-color photographs illustrate key traits.
In addition, Zobrist discusses notable features, offering information about where to find particular species. He includes brief lists of some common human uses, citing Native American medicines, food, and materials, as well as commercial utilization from the time of European settlement to the present day. The result is a delightful and enlightening exploration of western Washington timberlands.
Table of Content
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
What is a tree?
Coniferous vs. broad-leaved trees
Basic tree physiology
Why trees grow where they do
What does it mean to be native?
Identifying a species
The cycle of forest development
Lowland Conifers
1. Douglas-fir
2. Western hemlock
3. Western redcedar
4. Grand fir
5. Sitka spruce
6. Western white pine
7. Lodgepole/shore pine
8. Pacific yew
Lowland Broad-leaved Trees
9. Red alder
10. Bigleaf maple
11. Black cottonwood
12. Bitter cherry
13. Pacific willow
14. Scouler’s willow
15. Pacific madrone
16. Cascara
17. Pacific dogwood
18. Paper birch
19. Oregon white oak
20. Oregon ash
21. Pacific crabapple
High-elevation Species
22. Mountain hemlock
23. Pacific silver fir
24. Noble fir
25. Subalpine fir
26. Alaska yellow cedar
27. Engelmann spruce
28. Whitebark pine
Isolated Populations
29. Ponderosa pine
30. Quaking aspen
31. Seaside juniper
32. Golden chinkapin
Species Lists
Species by family
Species by shade tolerance
Site tolerances of lowland species
Glossary
References
Index of Common and Scientific names
About the Author
About the author
Kevin W. Zobrist is a Washington State University Extension professor.More ebooks from the same author(s) / Editor
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