Near Bend, Oregon, USA Photograph by John Morrison   Western North America: Western United States Temperate Coniferous Forests   21,300 square miles (55,200 square kilometers) -- not quite as big West Virginia Critical/Endangered

· Eagles to Otters
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Eagles to Otters

Magnificent old-growth forests of ponderosa pine, western larch, and Douglas-fir once covered the slopes of the Eastern Cascades but are now found only in remnant patches. The current mixture of shrublands, grasslands, and coniferous forests in the Eastern Cascades Forests ecoregion provides habitat for animals ranging from eagles to otters.

Special Features

With steep, rugged mountains, high volcanic peaks, and a wide variety of soil types, this ecoregion encompasses a mix of shrublands, grasslands, and coniferous forests.

	Male elk have antlers that can be 5 feet (1.5 m) and weigh more than 30 pounds (13 kg).

Wild Side

In the Eastern Cascades Forests ecoregion, the remaining patches of old-growth forests of ponderosa pine, western larch, and Douglas-fir are home to a variety of wildlife including wolverines, martens, lynx, and great gray owls. Ponderosa pine groves are found on drier slopes and are quite open due to frequent fires. Elk and mule deer graze on bunch grasses; pileated woodpeckers nest in old trees with cavities, while otters swim in the rivers and streams with salmon, rainbow trout, and other fish. A variety of birds such as blue and ruffed grouse, band-tailed pigeons, mountain quail, spotted owls, as well as goshawks are common in this ecoregion, as are waterfowl such as Canada geese, bufflehead ducks, great blue herons, and various song birds. More than 250 species of plants and animals from this ecoregion are listed as endangered or threatened by the United States government, including 45 species of native fish.

Cause for Concern

Old growth forests of ponderosa pine, western larch, and Douglas-fir in this ecoregion are threatened by logging. Old growth Ponderosa forests are now very rare. In addition, shrub-steppe communities and riparian areas are being degraded by extensive livestock grazing and invasion of exotic species. Fire suppression throughout the region has resulted in forest cover that is more susceptible to catastrophic fire and outbreaks of insect pests and disease. Road building is breaking up patches of habitat and leading to the spread of noxious weeds. And wetlands and aquatic ecosystems are threatened by hydroelectric dams and flood control.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.