North American Temperate Rainforest: November 2013

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Clean Water Act 303(d) Impairments & Olympic Assessment

Clean Water Act 303(d) Impairments (http://www.nature.nps.gov/water/HIS/parkreport.cfm)

(http://www.npca.org/about-us/center-for-park-research/stateoftheparks/olympic/olympic.pdf)

Sources

"Olympic National Park Statistics." National Park Service. 28 Feb. 2013. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nature.nps.gov/water/HIS/parkreport.cfm>.

"Washington Facts." National Geographic. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/united-states/washington-facts/>.

"The Park Ranger and the Museum Curator." Library of Economics and Liberty. 21 Nov. 2010. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2010/11/the_park_ranger.html>.

"公共電視台新聞網." 公視新聞網. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://news.pts.org.tw/detail.php?NEENO=251653>.

"å¥§æž—åŒ¹å…‹åœ‹å®¶å…¬åœ’." - ç»´åŸºç™¾ç§‘ï¼Œè‡ªç”±çš„ç™¾ç§‘å…¨ä¹¦. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/奧林匹克國家公園>.

Dale, Cameron, and Sam Greenberg. "Human Impact - Hoh Rainforest." Hoh Rainforest. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://hohrainforest.weebly.com/human-impact.html>.

Maynes, Barb. "Visitors Cautioned to Keep at Least 100 Feet Away From Hoh Rain Forest Elk and Other Park Wildlife." National Parks Service. National Parks Service, June-July 2010. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nps.gov/olym/visitors-cautioned-to-keep-at-least-100-feet-away-from-hoh-rain-forest-elk-and-other-park-wildlife.htm>.

"Hohrainforest - Human Impact." Hohrainforest - Human Impact. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://hohrainforest.wikispaces.com/Human Impact>.

"Inforain Map Archive: Status of the Coastal Temperate Rain Forest, 1995." Inforain Map Archive: Status of the Coastal Temperate Rain Forest, 1995. Pacific GIS, 1 Jan. 1995. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.inforain.org/maparchive/mAdtl.php?mbID=401>.

"Inforain Map Archive: Coastal Temperate Rain Forest, Original Distribution." Inforain Map Archive: Coastal Temperate Rain Forest, Original Distribution. Pacific GIS, 1 Jan. 1995. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.inforain.org/maparchive/mAdtl.php?mbID=400>.

"Olympic National Park 3-minute Tour." YouTube. YouTube, 30 Apr. 2013. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQa62nVQQyc>.

"Visiting the Hoh Rain Forest." National Park Service. 22 Nov. 2013. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/visiting-the-hoh.htm>.

McKee, Arthur, George LaRoi,, and Jerry F. Franklin. Structure, Composition, and Reproductive Behavior of Terrace Forests, South Fork Hoh River, Olympic National Park. Tech. Print.

Fonda, R. W. "Forest Succession in Relation to River Terrace Development in Olympic National Park, Washington." Ecology 5th ser. 55 (1974). JSTOR. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/1940346?uid=2&uid=4&sid=21103002432167>.

"Places." National Parks Service. National Parks Service, 22 Nov. 2013. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nps.gov/olym/historyculture/places.htm>.

Hamilton, John. Olympic National Park. Edina, MN: ABDO Pub., 2009. Print.

"Park History." Olympic National Park & Forest History. 2013. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.olympicnationalparks.com/olympic-peninsula-history.aspx>.

Evergreen Escapes. Evergreen Escapes. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://evergreenescapes.com//wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Olympic-Pen_Beach-1.jpg>.

Evergreen Escapes. Evergreen Escapes. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://evergreenescapes.com//wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Olympic-Pen_HohRain-1.jpg>.

Explore Olympics. Explore Olympics. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://exploreolympics.com/reports/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/dtop1.jpg>.

12most. 12most. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://12most.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/rain-forest.jpg>.

Blogspot. Blogspot. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJZ_5Uu6bqAsCTYTQp7fw9ak_vEWGkKbMysNvNnUFU3DDm67rQdEdQ167Gbio9Y-MATAazD4pMOmmN5WStGgyIPj0mw4yfEA5GpTHmWswkn5Zw3RSQbvPqu00cDMMGACXyi4E2mhzY2XQ/s1600/P8050527.jpg>.

Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Elwha_River_-_Humes_Ranch_Area2.JPG>.

USDA. USDA. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/PA_WIDConsumption/simplegetfile?dDocName=STELPRDB5375741&url=/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/stelprdb5375741.p.jpg>.

USDA. USDA. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/PA_WIDConsumption/simplegetfile?dDocName=STELPRDB5375701&url=/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/stelprdb5375701.p.jpg>.

USDA. USDA. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/PA_WIDConsumption/simplegetfile?dDocName=STELPRDB5375686&url=/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/stelprdb5375686.p.jpg>.

USDA. USDA. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/PA_WIDConsumption/simplegetfile?dDocName=STELPRDB5375716&url=/Internet/FSE_MEDIA/stelprdb5375716.p.jpg>.

Flickr. Flickr. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://farm1.staticflickr.com/182/441566931_1e78cf5997_o.jpg>.

National Park Service. National Park Service. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/upload/OLYMmap2012-1600x1100.jpg>.

"USA_Washington_relief_location_map." Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Web. 27 Nov. 2013. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/USA_Washington_relief_location_map.jpg>.

Status of the Coastal Temperate Rain Forest

(http://www.inforain.org/maparchive/maps/69225_current_state2.gif)

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Improving Human Impacts on the Temperate Rainforests

In order to improve human impact on the rainforests in Washington, individuals and surrounding communities must begin to support the overall well-being of the ecosystem. By educating people about the significance of the rainforest, the public will feel the need to protect the rainforest. Within the lands, visitors should be conscious of others’ behavior on rainforest. As encountering visitors throw trash behind or develop new hiking trails, we share responsibility to address these behaviors right away.

(http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs15/i/2006/363/b/f/
Do_Not_Feed_Squirrels_by_hosmer23.jpg)

Secondly, we should pay more attention on underlying threats of the rainforest outside the lands. For example, the federal government should increase the severity and number of regulations and sanctions on deforestation in hopes of weaken global warming’s affect on the rainforest and preventing automotive pollution from further contaminating the rainforest.

Thirdly, restricting the distance between visitors and animals within the lands is necessary. Since animals are an essential part of the rainforest, as visitors recklessly feeding the animals, this behavior itself not only threatens visitors’ safety, but also increases possibilities of introducing illness to animals, which might destroy the food chain in the ecosystem.

(http://www.nps.gov/olym/naturescience/images
/Lillian-Glacier-1905-2010-pair_1.jpg)

Finally, Olympic National Park should dispatch scientific experts to supervise the rainforest regularly and, according to the scientific reports, establish adjustment programs to maintain or improve the ecological health.

Based on the suggestions above, the existing problems can be mitigated and the rainforest can be enjoyed by future generations for the near unlimited recreational access the national park offers.

（1）我认为除了政府的法律干涉外，雨林还需要得到个体及社区的支持和保护。应该对人们进行保护雨林的教育，使他们有一定的意识去自发保护雨林。在国家公园内，人们应该有意识地在观赏途中注意自己的行为，除了自己不丢垃圾外，还应该在看到他人丢得垃圾主动捡起，制止他人寻僻新道路的行为，应该切身处地地思考如何保护这样一片重要的自然瑰宝，而不应该只以游玩的心态去逛雨林。

(http://www.sciencemag.org/site/multimedia/slideshows/341.6145.482/repeat_01.jpg)

（2）其次，除了将眼光着眼于对于园内的管理，还应该将眼光放于院外可能威胁雨林的存在因素。例如应该管理在国家公园附近的砍伐行为，想办法降低全球变暖对于雨林的伤害，及隔离城市中脏雾进入国家公园内。

(http://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/teachers/
assets/images/pwr/park/olym/C6D0E334-155D-
4519-3EF8D62695DA405B/C6D0E334-155D-4519-3EF8D
62695DA405B.jpg)

（3）限制游客与动物的距离，因为动物也可以被考虑入雨林生态系统的一份子，若人们进行肆意喂养动物的行为，不仅会使他们自己的生命安全得不到保障，还会存在引入病菌，使动物生病，影响生态系统中食物链的可能性。

（4）最后应该派遣固定科技人员定期对雨林进行监测，并且根据鉴定结果，给出继续保持原样或对于全球环境问题所给出的调整法案。

根据以上的措施，应该可以缓解雨林所体现的新问题，并且尽可能保持这块生态系统的原生态面貌，使更多后代可以得益于此自然界馈赠的礼物。

Future Prospects for the Olympic NP

The current conservation status of rainforest on Olympic Peninsula in Washington is very good. As the federal government has reserved parts of this park as a wilderness area, deforestation and hunting have been significantly reduced and human disturbance has been minimized as the previous post describes.

Lake Crescent (http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8063/
8246717827_0f7c623a13_o.jpg)

However, within these years, the temperate rainforest has encountered new challenges. If these problems persist, the rainforest people have enjoyed in the past may not be around for future generations. Under the threat of hunters, deforestation, water pollution, air pollution, and climate change the future for the Olympic National Park looks bleak if nothing is done to curb the increase in threats. Even though the government has developed numerous measures to protect the rainforest, global environmental problems remain prevalent.

我认为目前奥林匹克国家公园中得雨林的保护状态还是OK的，毕竟在政府的法力条例的管理下，若干年前的砍伐打猎行为已经得到了有效控制，使人们对于国家内的生态环境伤害尽量降到最低。但是近年来，随着游客增加所导致的问题若得不到有效地控制及解决，若干年后，今天所展现在人们眼前的雨林很有可能危在旦夕。因为现在汽车尾气排放所导致的全球变暖就对雨林有着间接影响，可能人们认为在奥林匹克国家公园中所做得管理措施已经足够充足，可是若不解决全球性的环境问题，同样存在着使雨林消失的可能性。

Current Human Impacts on the Olympic Temperate Rainforests

In order to protect the rainforest from which the future generation will be able to enjoy the benefits, in 1938, Olympic National Park was formally founded in Washington. With the establishment, the government strictly prohibited the deforestation and restricted the hunting within the land, which reduced the disturbance from human beings. Using the most scientific method to preserve rainforest on Olympic Peninsula in Washington, the Olympic National Park provided the fauna and flora in rainforest with more comfortable habitat and coordinated development between human beings and nature.

Hoh Rainforest (http://www.polyploid.net/wamaps/clallam
-jefferson/hoh-rainforest_1Aug08_3073-78.jpg)

As of today, human impact has been minimal and the rainforest is in 'good' condition. Park rangers, after obtaining knowledge about the rainforests, have transitioned from supporting and protecting the ecosystem to managing humans, alleviating human influence on the temperate rainforests. In addition, there is only one main road available for vehicles to access the rainforests. To maintain close contact with rainforest, visitors have had to use hiking and back-country trails.

Although numerous measures were rigorously administered, especially within these three years, humans have started to adversely affect the rainforest in Washington. More visitors have been attracted to the area and as a result more trash has been left behind, contributing to basal pollution. Moreover, some visitors developed their own hiking trails instead of using the original walking trails. In addition, studies have been conducted on the adverse effects of deforestation on the environment. Things like the impact of removing rotting logs from the forest floor or studies on forest succession in relation with river terraces all relate back to deforestation and the successive negative impacts the process develops down the line.

Deforestation near Lake Quinault (http://www.nagelphotography.com/
p709613494/h2E14464F#h2e14464f)

Besides negative human impact within the lands, right outside of the park, mass deforestation has been occurring. Western Hemlock and Douglas-fir are the main staple for Washington's timber industry: both of which grow naturally on the peninsula. Large plots of land have been clear cut to feed the lucrative industry, unfortunately destroying old-growth forests and the natural landscape. Of course, as these trees are cut down, erosion and water pollution have now become an issue.

为了防止雨林由于人们乱砍乱伐所导致的消失，使后代人无法再享受由雨林带来的便利，于1938年，奥林匹克国家公园正式成立，并且规定严禁在公园境内砍伐，限制打猎。这项政策的出台，无疑减少了人类对于雨林的破坏，以最自然科学的方式保护了原滋原味的生态系统，使各种动植物有更加舒适的生活栖息地，并且更加拉近了人与自然的关系，促进了人与自然以更加和谐的方式共同发展。

我认为得益于合理的人类管理方法，近年里，人类做到了以最原始的方式呈现雨林，并且对于奥林匹克国家公园中雨林的影响是微乎其微的。例如在雨林中有着名为park ranger的管理人员，他们出于好奇，选择更加深入的了解雨林。在充分了解完后，将得到的知识运用于管理人类对于雨林的干扰而非管理雨林本身便减少了人类对于雨林的生态破坏。并且在整个奥林匹克国家公园境内，只有一条供汽车行驶的主干道路。为了更好的接触雨林，人们只能选择通过园内的步行道去近距离地观赏这自然界的珍宝。

然而即使在再严格的管理中，尤其是这几年，我认为人类对于雨林的影响更趋于负面。越来越多游客的造访使许多新问题逐渐进入视线中。例如在观赏中，人们会随手丢弃随身携带的垃圾，造成对于原生态环境的污染。此外，一些旅客不按照原定的规划道路行走而选择自己开发爬山道路的行为无疑使雨林危在旦夕。除了人们对于公园境内的不良影响外，在境外，仍然存在着在主干道路附近大量乱砍乱伐的现象。并且，以长期角度来看，如今有人类所带来的汽车尾气排放及所带来的全球变暖现象同样使雨林面临着巨大挑战，城市上空悬浮的脏雾可能给在奥林匹克国家公园中的雨林造成巨大破坏。

Video: Olympic National Park Tour

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQa62nVQQyc

Historical State of the Temperate Rainforests in the Olympic National Park

Northern Spotted Owl (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zNH-Z92VFDA/TDvfgyg2V
gI/AAAAAAAAEBQ/_wrBkvTroVQ/s1600/web-Northern-spotted-owl-07.jpg)

Established as a national forest reserve in 1897 by President Cleveland and as a national park in 1938 by President Roosevelt, the Olympic National Park and its 922,000 acres has remained almost virtually untouched. In 1981, 43 years after its conception and 481 years after its first inhabitants started living on the peninsula, the park was named a World Heritage Site due to the "tremendous natural diversity and exceptional natural beauty that are well-conserved" (www.olympicnationalparks.com) and later as an international biosphere reserve. Even today it is known for being "the best example of intact and protected temperate rainforest in the Pacific Northwest" (www.olympicnationalparks.com). The park is home to four very different biomes-coastline, alpine, temperate rainforest, and temperate dry forest- and 11 large river systems, a large number of endemic species, and one of the longest undeveloped coastlines in the lower United States.

Orographic Precipitation (http://www.sonoma.edu/users/f/
freidel/global/figure%2002-20.jpg)

In particular, the Olympic rainforests develop on the western side of Mt. Olympus due to the effect of orographic precipitation. There are two main rainforests: the Hoh and Quinault Rain Forests. Thousands of years ago, the peninsula was surrounded by glaciers. Free from ice, the area became a haven for animals thereby producing the many hundreds of endemic species found in the park such as the Northern Spotted Owl, the Marbled Murrelet, and the Bull Trout.

Marbled Murrelet (http://www.avesphoto.com/website/
pictures/MURMAR-12.jpg)

Historically, coniferous trees like Sitka Spruce, Douglas-fir, Western Redcedar, and Western Hemlock covered the area with epiphytes like moss and lichens hanging from the trees. On an annual basis, the temperate rainforests receive around 150 inches of rain. Those coniferous trees have become part of the 366,000 acres of old-growth forests that exist on the peninsula today. The only inhabitants of the peninsula remained Native Americans until European settlers came and began settling the land. Overall, the Olympic temperate rainforests looked and appeared exactly like the prehistoric land dinosaurs roamed and it has remained pretty much so until even today.

List of Endemic species:
(http://www.nps.gov/olym/naturescience/endemic-animals.htm)
Mammals
Olympic marmot - Marmota olympus
Olympic yellow-pine chipmunk - Tamias amoenus caurinus
Olympic snow mole - Scapanus townsedii olympicus
Olympic Masama pocket gopher - Thomomys mazama melanops
Olympic ermine - Mustela erminea olympica
Amphibians
Olympic torrent salamander - Rhyacotriton olympicus
Fish
Olympic mudminnow - Novumbra hubbsi
Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)
Hulbirt's skipper - Hesperia comma olympica
Orthoptera (grasshoppers)
Olympic grasshopper - Nisquallia olympica
Coleoptera (beetles)
Mann's gazzelle beetle - Nebria danmanni
Quileute gazelle beetle - Nebri acuta quileute
Tiger beetle - Cicindela bellissima frechini
Mollusks
Arionid slug - Hemphllia dromedarius
Arionid jumping slug - Hemphillia burringtoni

Arionid Jumping Slug (http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=TVj991ExTwQ#t=24)