Temperate Rainforests

Temperate rainforests are among the rarest ecosystems in the world, and originally comprised less than .02 per cent of Earth's land surface. Approximately half of all original temperate rainforests have been logged.

These forests used to thrive on every continent except Africa and Antarctica, but those in Europe and Asia were long-ago logged into oblivion. Today, large tracts of temperate rainforest are found only in British Columbia, Alaska and Chile with smaller areas remaining in Australia and New Zealand. In North America, these forests originally spread from California to Alaska, but 95 per cent have been cut in California, Oregon and Washington

Despite massive deforestation in tropical rainforests - which cover one-fortieth of their former range - at least 36 hectares of tropical forest still stands for every intact hectare of temperate rainforest.

The world's temperate rainforests are found in the middle latitudes of both the northern and southern hemispheres. Where milder climates prevail, deciduous tree species dominate, while coniferous tree species prevail where colder winters occur.

Favorable growing conditions - a moderate climate, minimal changes in the seasons, and ample rainfall - allow trees to grow all year in temperate rainforests, and they often grow to enormous proportions. For example, in Washington State's Olympic Peninsula, a 127-metre (420 foot) Douglas fir was chopped down in 1895. Redwoods dominated California's temperate rainforests, and this fir tree was taller than a modern-day Redwood by 18 metres (60 feet). In the temperate rainforests of New Zealand and Australia, several giant species of eucalyptus, leatherwood, sassafras, and species of pine once flourished, while Sitka spruce, cedar and hemlock towered in the coastal forests of British Columbia and southeastern Alaska.

Coastal temperate rainforests have four defining characteristics: a proximity to oceans, presence of coastal mountains, cooler summer temperatures and high rainfall levels.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the coastal temperate rainforest is the blurred boundary between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. This phenomenon is incredibly illustrated by the amazing salmon forest story.

British Columbia, on Canada's Pacific coast, holds one-quarter of the  remaining coastal temperate rainforest in the world. This is the largest intact tract left on Earth. And over 50 per cent of these forests have been logged. Conservation of the ecological and cultural diversity of this unique region, including a shift to ecosystem-based management from industrial logging methods, is a primary focus of the David Suzuki Foundation forestry program.

Working with several First Nations, the Suzuki Foundation helped to achieve the first step towards this change when the government of British Columbia and these First Nations reached an historic agreement in April 2001.

Read more about forestry issues in British Columbia