Federal Research Natural Areas in Oregon and Washington A Guidebook for Scientists and Educators. 1972. Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Portland, Oregon. the south via the Columbia River (U.S. Highway 830), Carson, and the Wind River valley, following Forest Highway 30 and Forest Road N411 to Hemlock Ranger Station (Wind River Ranger District). Just west of the ranger station Old-growth Douglas-fir - western turn onto Forest Road N417, which crosses the hemlock stands growing in a valley in southwestern corner of the natural area about 3.2 the southern Washington Cascade km. (2 miles) from the station (fig. WR-1). The Range. eastern edge of the natural area can be reached and is crossed by Forest Road N400, a low The Wind River Research Natural Area was standard road which leads north from Forest established on March 28, 1934, to exemplify the Road N417 about 0.8 km. (0.5 mile) west of the old-growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) - ranger station. western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) forests A trail crosses section 20 and follows the which originally covered many valleys in western northern edge of section 21, connecting Forest Washington's Cascade Range. The 478-ha. Roads N417 and N400 and providing access to (l,180-acre) tract is located in Skamania County, the southern half of the natural area. The Washington, and is administered by the Wind northern half is probably easiest to reach by River Ranger District (Carson, Washington), cross-country travel from Forest Road N 46 Gifford Pinchot National Forest. It is also a part which climbs the eastern slopes of Trout Creek of the Wind River Experimental Forest, a 4,380- Hill just west of the natural area boundary. ha. (10,815-acre) area maintained by the Pacific The nearest commercial accommodations are Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station in Stevenson, about 24 km. (15 miles) away. for research and demonstration of management However, there are several improved forest techniques in the Douglas-fir type (U.S. Forest camps in adjacent portions of the Wind River Service 1951). The tract occupies portions of valley. sections 8, 17, 20, and 21, T. 4 N., R. 7 E., Willamette meridian (fig. WR-1). Boundaries are based on legal descriptions except for the southern boundary in section 20 which is 90 m. ENVIRONMENT (300 ft.) north of and parallel to Trout Creek. The natural area lies at 45°49' N. latitude and 121°58' The natural area occupies gently sloping or W. longitude. undulating topography on the lower slopes of the Wind River valley and Trout Creek Hill, an extinct shield volcano (fig. WR-1). Topography is somewhat steeper in the northwestern corner and at the extreme eastern edge of the natural ACCESS AND area on the slopes of Trout Creek Hill and ACCOMMODATIONS Bunker Hill, respectively. Portions of the area (e.g., in the NW1/4 of section 21) are nearly flat It is easiest to reach the natural area from and relatively moist. There is also significant area of swamp, marsh, and open water along the 1 Description prepared by Dr. J. F. Franklin, U.S. western base of Bunker Hill, probably created, at Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forestry least in part, by beaver (Castor canadensis) activity Sciences Laboratory, Corvallis, Oregon. (fig. WR-2). Ele- WR-l vations range from 335 to 610 m. (1,100 to itic" intergrade; it may better fit the Sols Bruns 2,000 ft.) Acides great soil group. A typical profile located Bedrock in the natural area consists almost in flat topography in the eastern part of the entirely of olivine basalts of Pleistocene Recent natural area is as follows: age (Wise 1970). These materials are part of the flows which originated on Trout Creek Hill. Wise (1970) has provided some petrological information on these basalts. Trout Creek Hill is surmounted by two cinder cones, and bedrock in the natural area is rarely encountered due to various surface deposits. Most of these, if not all, are composed of volcanic ejecta of unknown sources. The lower slopes of Bunker Hill, at the extreme eastern edge of the natural area, are occupied by Eocene to Oligocene andesitic to rhyodacitic pyroclastic rocks belonging to the Ohanapecosh Formation (Wise 1970). A cool, moist climate prevails. Precipitation is seasonal, peaking during winter months and reaching lowest levels during the summer. Summer drought periods of 2 months' duration have been recorded (Steele 1952). Much of the winter precipitation occurs as snow, and at least some snow cover typically blankets the natural area during most of the winter. The following climatic data are for the Hemlock Ranger Station located about 3 km. (2 miles) southeast of the natural area and are probably quite representative of conditions there (Wind River Station in U.S. Weather Bureau 1965); additional climatic data are summarized by Steele (1952): Soils have not been mapped within the natural These soils are certainly not developed primarily area. However, at least some profiles are similar from residual parent materials. Volcanic ejecta morphologically to the Stabler shotty loam soil appear to make up the bulk of the surface soil series described from nearby areas during a and have probably been deposited by both wind Skamania County soil survey (Anderson et al. and water. Layering of parent materials is 1956). This series was categorized as a "Brown apparent in many profiles, including the one Podzolic - Brown Later- described above. WR-2 In general, soils become stonier, shallower, and fir have not yet attained a dominant over- and more podzolic from east to the west, and story position. Western red cedar is most com- from lower to higher elevations within the mon in the eastern extremity of the natural area. natural area. Stand growth and mortality in the natural area have been studied since 1947 (table WR1). Site productivity is only moderate, with an average BIOTA Douglas-fir site index of 130 (a low class III) For convenience all 478 ha. (1,180 acres) of indicating Douglas-fir dominants should average the natural area can be classified as SAF cover 40 m. (130 ft.) in height at the index age of 100 type 230, Douglas-Fir - Western Hemlock years. The 350-year-old stand contains a total (Society of American Foresters 1954), and stand volume of 1,053 cu. m. per ha. (96,880 bd. Kuchler's (1964) Type 2, Cedar - Hemlock - ft. per acre) and is making considerable annual Douglas Fir Forest. Localized areas could growth despite its advanced age (table WR-1). probably be typed as SAF type 224, Western Most of the growth is offset by mortality in the Hemlock. Some of the swampier ground on the Douglas-fir and western white pine, however. An eastern edge of the natural area has substantial epidemic of Douglas-fir bark beetles (Dendroc- amounts of western red cedar (Thuga plicata), and tonus pseudotsuga), which climaxed during 1951 there is some acreage of open water and marsh. to 1953, and wind-throw (fig. WR-2) have been The natural area is located within the Tsuga the chief causes of mortality in Douglas-fir. heterophylla Zone of Franklin and Dyrness Mountain pine beetles (Dendroctonus monticolae) (1969). However, it contains a surprising number and white pine blister rust (cronartium ribicola) of subalpine or montane (Abies amabilis Zone) have practically eliminated the western white elements, considering the low elevation it pine. Some western hemlock have been lost to occupies; e.g., an abundance of Pacific silver fir windthrow and dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium (Abies amabilis), occasional noble fir (Abies pro campylopodum) infections. cera), and the moss Rhytidiopsis robusta. This may Forest stands in the natural area are pro- be partially due to valley microclimatic gressing toward a climax of western hemlock and influences. Pacific silver fir, a process accelerated by heavy Most of the natural area is occupied by 350- mortality in the Douglas-fir overstory. Although year-old forest stands but there are some small Pacific silver fir is below its normal elevational areas of younger age classes (fig. WR-1). Most range as a climax species for this part of the notable is the approximately 70-year-old Cascade Range, it is reproducing throughout Douglas-fir stand located south of Forest Road most of the natural area. In many stands Pacific N417 in section 20. This stand dates from the silver fir seedlings and saplings are as abundant 1902 Yacolt Burn. Two small areas along the as, or more so than, those of western hemlock. northeastern boundary of the natural area were The growth and mortality data (table WR-1) accidentally logged when the adjacent, then further illustrate the course of stand succession private, forest lands were cut 50 to 60 years ago; with heavy losses of Douglas-fir and western they are now occupied by a second-growth white pine from the overstory. Douglas-fir stand. Typical understory dominants vary con- Tree species found within the natural area siderably with local site conditions. Over much include Douglas-fir, western hemlock, western of the area, small trees form a second canopy red-cedar, Pacific silver fir, western white pine level 5 to 10 m. (15 to 35 ft.) in height, made up (Pinus monticola), and noble fir. The relative of vine maple (Acer circinatum), Pacific dogwood importance of the species, in terms of stand (Cornus nuttallii), and Pacific yew (Taxus volume, is shown in table WR-l. The exact brevifolia) (fig. WR-2). A composition of the stands varies through the natural area. In some, Douglas-fir has been completely replaced by western hemlock and Pacific silver fir, while in others the hemlock WR-3 shrub layer is typified by Berberis nervosa, doned right-of-way can be located only with Vaccinium pnrvifolium, Gaultheri shallon, Vaccinium difficulty.