Siuslaw National Forest
The Siuslaw National Forest is a National Forest in the U.S. state of Oregon. The National Forest was established in 1908 and extends into several sections a total of 217 km along the coast of Oregon.
Geography
The 2549 km ² national forest covers most of the Oregon Coast Range. The altitude ranges from sea level to 1249 m, with which he is one of only two national forests of the continental United States that border an ocean. The National Forest extends from the coast to 44 km inland. In the forest there are 30 natural lakes and over 1900 km rivers and streams. The four largest rivers that flow from the national forest in the Pacific Ocean, are the Nestucca, Alsea, Siuslaw, and Umpqua River. Two-thirds of the area of Forst are in Lane and Lincoln County, the remaining areas are located in Tillamook, Douglas, Yamhill, Benton, Coos, and Polk County.
U.S. Highway 101 runs parallel to National Forest along the coast, while the Highways 26, 6, 18, 22, 20, 34, 126 and 38 cross the forest and the Coast Range, connecting the coast with Portland and the Willamette Valley.
Climate
The climate is an embossed by the Pacific maritime climate with up to 2500 mm annual rainfall, falling mainly in winter. Winter temperatures are mild by -1 and 4 ° C, so snow is rare. Summers are at 16 ° C warmer and drier, where it is cooler and often foggy on the coast.
Flora and Fauna
The abundant rainfall provide the conditions for a temperate rainforest. In the National Forest, there are two distinct vegetation zones, the Sitka spruce forest and the American West Hemlockzone. The Sitka spruce needs a moist and cool climate and grows in Oregon only up to a distance of up to five kilometers from the coast. In the heartland of Oregon, it is too hot and dry for them, there, in the mountains of the Coast Range, dominated by a forest of western hemlock and Douglas- American. Other species are giant trees of life, red alder and Oregon maple trees.
By clear-cutting and road construction, much of the forests were destroyed in the 19th and especially the 20th century, so that the National Forest today usually consists of secondary forest. By 1994 the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management with Northwest Forest Plan is to be decided converted forestry clear-cutting of a more sustainable forest management, accountable to the remaining virgin forests and endangered animals and plants.
In the National Forest 26 amphibian and reptile species, 235 bird species, over 200 species of fish and 69 species of mammals occur. The largest mammals are Roosevelt elk and black bears live in the forests and the endangered spotted owl and bald eagle. The numerous rivers and streams are spawning grounds for king and silver salmon and rainbow and Cutthroatforellen, swim the rivers to spawn upstream.
Protected areas and tourist destinations
Marys Peak
With 1249 meters of altitude Marys Peak is the highest mountain in the Oregon Coast Range and the National Forest. The mountain is because of its rich, unique landscape and plant a designated Scenic Botanical Area and the most famous peak west of Corvallis. On clear days the view from the top of the ocean goes to the Cascade mountain range.
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is located within the National Forest between Florence and Coos Bay. The Oregon Dunes are the largest area of coastal sand dunes in North America. The 31 km ² national Recreation Area contains beautiful sandy beaches, 30 lakes, several hiking trails and spectacular coastal scenery.
Cascade Head Scenic Research Area
Cascade Head is an eight kilometers north of Lincoln City is located headland on the coast of Oregon. To the south of the Cape of Salmon River empties into the Pacific.
1934, a 4811 hectare area was protected as Cascade Head Experimental Forest to investigate the typical coastal rain forest of Sitka spruce and western hemlock American scientific. In 1936, a weather station was erected on the site, which is an official stop on the National Weather Service even today. In 1974, the 3913 -acre Cascade Head Scenic Research Area was established, which covers the western part of the jungle, overgrown with prairie grass headlands Cascade Head and Hart's Cove and the mouth of the Salmon River in the south. The combination of the two areas showed a diverse research program, which is why the whole area was in 1980 designated by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. The diverse ecosystems provide habitat for more than 350 animal species, including the endangered spotted owl for the Marmelalk, the silver salmon and for the Oregon Silver Spot Butterfly. The renatured Salmon River is a spawning area for salmon and as habitat for young fish. Riverside lie alder forests in the hinterland of the rain forests of the Oregon Coast.
The area is managed by the Forest Service and the Pacific Northwest Research Station of the USDA Forest Service, cooperation partners are the Nature Conservancy, the 109 acres of grounds of the Cape include universities in Oregon and Washington as well as various authorities Oregon.
Sand Lake Recreation Area
The Sand Lake Recreation Area is located about 24 km south-west of Tillamook between Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda on the coast. The 435 -acre area includes open sand dunes, which are bounded by dense forests and the Pacific coast. The sand dunes begin at a bay and extend about 5.6 km northeast. On three sides of the dunes are surrounded by a coastal mixing needle forest. The dune area is an example of an extended parabolic dunes. The vegetation consists of coastal pines and European beach grass. In and on Sand Lake said, 364 acres of bay you can fish, collect crabs and shells, swimming, kayaking, watching and animals. The area has a campground, the Recreation Area is open all year and popular because of the sand dunes, especially in off-road drivers.
Cape Perpetua Scenic Area
The 240 m high Cape Perpetua is a point of land between Newport and Florence. The surrounding 109 km ² Scenic Area is developed for tourists with a visitor center and numerous hiking and walking trails. A visit to the Scenic Area is chargeable.
A total of 37 km of hiking and walking trails in the area. Because of the cool, moist maritime climate, there are the Cape a Sitka spruce forest. One of the oldest Sitka spruce in the region is nearly 600 years old, about 56 m high and has a circumference of about twelve meters. Several trails lead through the forest and down to the shore, where there are tide pools and rocks, where the sea posing spectacular water fountains at appropriate sea conditions. From the vantage point on the Cape results in clear weather a panoramic view of more than 240 km from Cape Foul Weather to Cape Blanco. In spring and autumn you can watch from the Cape gray whales on their migration.
To the Native Americans of the region remember mountains of shells, for the Indians was the region with its rich deposits of fish, mussels, crabs, berries and wild an important food source. In the 1930s, workers of the Civilian Conservation Corps put a shelter on the Cape. The cottage briefly served during the Second World War as a lookout.
Wilderness Areas
In the National Forest are three small Wilderness Areas, which were established in 1984. The three lined with forest of Sitka spruce, western hemlock and Douglas- American and dense undergrowth areas do not correspond to a typical high alpine Wilderness Areas. The three coastal forest areas are quite small, together comprise only about 90 sq km and have few or no roads and only a few overnight accommodations for hikers.
Drift Creek Wilderness Area
The Drift Creek Wilderness is located eleven kilometers north of Waldport and south of Newport. The 23 km ² Wilderness Area boasts the largest remaining virgin forest of the Oregon Coast Range.
The steep rocky canyon of the Drift Creek and the steep slopes give the impression of a mountainous landscape, but the wooded hills actually only rise to about 450 m elevation. Soaked by more than 3000 mm annual rainfall of soil along the streams of up to 15 cm thick cushions of moss covered.
A total of twelve kilometers hiking trails lead through the area.
Cummins Creek Wilderness Area
The Cummins Creek Wilderness is 17 km south of Waldport and 24 km north of Florence. The 37 km ² Wilderness Area is divided by the up to 730 m high Cummins Ridge into two halves. Canopy of alder and maple trees Cummins and Bob Creek flowing through dense rainforest westward to the Pacific.
The nine -kilometer Cummins Ridge Trail is the only way that leads to more than 300 m high slopes in the midst of the Wilderness Area. The Oregon Coast Trail runs through the neighboring land, to the Wilderness Area borders the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area and the Neptune State Park.
Rock Creek Wilderness
The 30 km ² Rock Creek Wilderness is located south of Waldport and north of Florence on the Pacific coast. The Rock Creek in the center of the area and Big Creek on the southern border flow through the densely forested area and empty into the Pacific. On a high mountain ridge between the rivers Oregon Silver Spot Butterfly's come before.
Due to the rough terrain cause no marked paths.