3.31.12 Pack Forest, WA

Date: 3.31.12
Location: Pack Forest, Washington
Weather: The sky was covered by a heavy blanket of thick clouds. There were a few sprinkles of rain, but not much. The temperature was in the mid 50s I would guess.
Climate: The forest was lush (very little, if any, area uncovered by either thick plants or mosses), mostly green/browns, and moist. I would therefore conclude that the climate of that region is fairly mild.

Observations and things taught/learned:

On the drive to Pack Forest, I learned that lichen is a combination of fungus and algae, (they wrap around each other to form what we know as lichen) and therefore, they are more susceptible to pollution (which is why lichen are less common in the city because whichever sensitivities one has the other reacts to as well and also partly the reason they thrive in Packwood forest).

The canopy of the forest was formed predominantly by Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylia) trees overhead. Douglass fir needles spiral around the branches and have pointy buds. Hemlock needles are softer, and rather than spiraling, they form platform-like flat structures. The top of Western Hemlock trees, when seen from a distance, often droop. Below the canopy were various bushy plants: Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis), Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis), Red Huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium), and Red-Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum). All of these were blooming except for the Red Huckleberry. The understory below these taller shrubs consisted mostly of Salal (Gaultheria shallon), Common Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), Dull Oregon Grape (Mahonia nervosa), English Ivy (Hedera helix), and various mosses and lichen. (though Salal, Common Bearberry, Dull Oregon Grape, and are considered a shrub, they were considerably lower to the ground than the others).

Farther up the slightly sloping trail (about ¼ mile), the soil became more wet and marshy. This is where we first start seeing Madrones (Arbutus menziesii) mixed into the canopy. Little streams ran about 40ft wide across the slope, making crossing the area without wetting shoes and socks difficult. The water emerged from little holes directly from the ground or just ran over the ground winding its way through the plants. Growing in the water I/we discovered an unidentifiable black/brown-topped mushroom (posted on iNaturalist). The marshy area had a lesser number of coniferous trees, a lesser density of understory plants, and a slight increase in fallen trees and branches. Most of the trees in this area were Red Alders (Alnus rubra). [Perhaps the conifers need firmer soil because of weaker root structures? Or maybe the water washes away some of the nitrogen in the soil making it harder for them to get the nutrients they need? Perhaps the alders acquire oxygen more easily than conifers enabling them to live in wet regions while the conifers cannot?]. A few minutes later I discovered a stream about 1-2ft wide farther up the slope where most of the water originated. I also found a three-leafed plant with a white flower budding growing right next to the 1-2ft stream. I believe the plant to possibly be Western Trillium (Trillium ovatum) (also posted on iNaturalist).

Other miscellaneous notes:
-Packwood forest is a glacial area.
-The red tops of alders are male catkins.
-Robins peck in mowed, grassy fields.
-Holes about 2-5 inches wide in dead tree trunks are homes for some kind of owl.
-Why was it someone said the Hemlock would not prevail?

Species list mentioned in Daily Journal:
-Douglas-Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
-Western Hemlock (Tsuga heterophylia)
-Indian Plum (Oemleria cerasiformis)
-Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)
-Red Huckleberry (Vaccinium parvifolium)
-Red-Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum)
-Salal (Gaultheria shallon)
-Common Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
-Dull Oregon Grape (Mahonia nervosa)
-English Ivy (Hedera helix)
-Madrones (Arbutus menziesii)
-Red Alders (Alnus rubra)

• Western Trillium (Trillium ovatum)

Other Species seen:
-Hooded Bone Lichen (Hypogumnia physodes)
-Tree-Ruffle Liverwort (Porella navicularis)
-Common Witch's Hair (Alectoria sarmentosa)
-Lungwort (Lobaria pulmonaria)

Posted on April 2, 2012 05:36 AM by chimeravo