Temperate Rain Forest (Marine West Coast Forest)The temperate rain forest,
or sometimes called the marine west coast
forest, is known for its lush vegetation
occurring along narrow margins of the Pacific
Northwest in North America. However, the
temperate forest lacks the diversity that the tropical
rain forest has. The rain forest of the Pacific
Northwest is composed of a few species of broadleaf
and needle leaf trees, huge ferns, and a thick
undergrowth. Lying on the windward slopes of the
Cascade and Coast Ranges, this forest receives over a
hundred inches a year in marine
west coast climate, as much precipitation as
some tropical rain forests. 
Figure
13.11 Marine West
Coast forest of Redwoods National Park The temperate rain forest is home to some of the largest trees and oldest living organisms on earth - the coast redwoods. Exceeding 200 to 300 feet in height and having diameters over 20 feet, these trees can live well over a thousand years. The redwood forest floor is covered and epiphytes dangle from the trees. The cool and shady redwood forests of North America create a habitat for a variety of animals, including the northern spotted owl, Stellar's Jay, banana slugs, Pacific tree frog, and black bear. Old growth forests of Douglas fir,
spruce, cedar and hemlock have been devastated by
logging. With only 10% of the original forest left,
biodiversity loss is a great concern to ecologists.
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