British Columbia’s Inland Rainforest

The vast temperate rainforests of coastal British Columbia are world renowned, but much less is known about the other rainforest located 500 kilometres inland along the western slopes of the interior mountains. The unique integration of continentality and humidity in this region favours the development of lush rainforest communities that incorporate both coastal and boreal elements. The domain of grizzly bears, ancient forests, and plant species with a maritime affinity, the rainforest is also home to the mountain caribou, mountain hemlock, and alpine tundra, species more closely linked to a cold continental climate. In British Columbia's Inland Rainforest, scientists bring together, for the first time, a broad spectrum of information about the ecology, management, and conservation of this distinctive ecosystem. Accessibly written and generously illustrated, the chapters examine the physical, social, economic, and ecological dimensions of the rainforest. They also look at how the delicate balance of this ecosystem has been threatened by human use and climate change. In the past, governments encouraged the forest industry to clearcut the "decadent" old stands and replace them with rapidly growing young trees of other species. More recently, out of concern for the ecological consequences of such practices, researchers have begun to examine alternative management strategies. This book offers a vision that combines various strategies in order to balance the conservation of the inland rainforest as a fully functioning ecosystem with human use of its diverse resources.