Typically a dense coniferous forest, with shrub-dominated understories, including seral plant communities composed of Douglas-fir which progress directly to climax.
Found in lower to middle elevations, ranging from sea level to approximately 700 m, in the southwestern portion of the province. This unit occurs on the Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island, east of the Vancouver Island range and south of Kelsey Bay. It is also found in a narrow strip along the mainland coast, south of Bella Coola and in the southern portion of the Fraser Valley as well as east and north of Chilliwack into the drainages of the upper Fraser River and the eastern Coast Mountains.
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A well developed canopy dominated by Douglas-fir; lesser amounts of western redcedar, shore/lodgepole pine and bigleaf maple commonly occur. Salal typically dominates the understory, secondary species include dull Oregon-grape, ocean-spray and baldhip rose. The herb layer is usually sparsely populated with bracken fern, vanilla-leaf and sword fern. Stepmoss is almost always present in the moss and lichen layer; Oregon-beaked moss and red-stemmed feathermoss are often abundant.
Early successional stages are dominated by ocean-spray, red huckleberry, salal and dull Oregon-grape.
Atypical sites can be identified by the dominance of falsebox and Douglas maple within the shrub layer, along with the presence of tall Oregon-grape. The herb layer is often dominated by Hooker's fairybells, while cattail moss is the most abundant species present in the moss and lichen layer.
This unit lies in the rainshadow of the Vancouver Island and Olympic mountains, resulting in warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Typically occurs on dry, steep, southfacing slopes with shallow soils.
Green, R.N. and K. Klinka. 1994. A Field Guide to Site Identification and Interpretation for the Vancouver Forest Region, Land Manage. Handb. 28, B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Typically a dense coniferous forest that includes plant communities that progress through long-lived Douglas-fir seral stages to a varied climax of western redcedar and grand fir.
Restricted to low elevations along southeastern Vancouver Island from Bowser to Victoria, the Gulf Islands south of Cortes Island and a narrow strip along the Sunshine Coast. Elevational limits range from sea level to approximately 150m.
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Typically a dense coniferous forest dominated by Douglas-fir, grand fir and western redcedar. Salal, Oregon-grape and baldhip rose characterize the shrub layer. Regenerating western redcedar and grand fir are commonly found under this dense closed canopy. Common herbaceous species include sword fern, three-leaved foamflower and vanilla-leaf. Oregon-beaked moss dominates the moss and lichen layer; additional common species include step moss, electrified cat's tail moss and palm tree moss.
Early successional stages are dominated by ocean-spray, red huckleberry, salal and dull Oregon-grape. Bigleaf maple and red alder are commonly found in early forested stages.
This unit lies in the rainshadow of the Vancouver Island and Olympic mountains, resulting in warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Typically this unit occurs on mesic to more moist sites.
Green, R.N. and K. Klinka. 1994. A Field Guide to Site Identification and Interpretation for the Vancouver Forest Region, Land Manage. Handb. 28, B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Typically a dense coniferous forest, with shrub-dominated understories, found along outer coastal plains.
Occurs in a narrow fringe along the outer coast of southern Vancouver Island widening to cover the northern portion of Vancouver Island, the windward side of the Queen Charlotte Ranges and the Coast Mountains up the Mainland Coast to the Alaskan border. The elevational limits range from sea level to 600m.
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Generally an open, scrubby canopy dominated by western redcedar and western hemlock; with minor amounts of Sitka spruce, yellow-cedar and lodgepole pine often present. Salal is the most prominent species in a thick shrub layer; conifer regeneration, Alaskan blueberry, false azalea and red huckleberry are also common. Deer fern, bunchberry and false lily-of-the-valley characterize a limited herb layer. The dense moss and lichen layer is predominantly composed of step moss, lanky moss and Oregon-beaked moss.
Early successional stages usually contain red huckleberry, oval-leaved blueberry, salal and cordillian bunchberry. Later forested stages include lodgepole pine, western hemlock, black huckleberry, salal, Alaskan blueberry, deer fern and moss.
Found on a wide range of sites, usually flat or gentle slopes, over moderately well to imperfectly drained materials. Soil types range from deep organic horizons to thin lithic layers over bedrock. Sites are typically mesic to slightly dry.
The shrub layer of wetter sites varies considerably, but is usually composed of false azalea, salmonberry and red elderberry, while the canopy remains of similar composition. Common herbaceous species include sword fern, sedges, skunk cabbage, oak fern, foamflowers, spiny wood fern and queen's cup.
Green, R.N. and K. Klinka. 1994. A Field Guide to Site Identification and Interpretation for the Vancouver Forest Region, Land Manage. Handb. 28, B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Banner, A., W. MacKenzie, S. Haeussler, S. Thomson, J. Pojar and R. Trowbridge. 1993. A Field Guide to Site Identification and Interpretation for the Prince Rupert Forest Region. Land Manage. Handb. No. 26., B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.