Coastal Pacific Northwest Research Articles

The potential role of climate in the distribution and zonation of the introduced seagrass Zostera japonica in North America

The current distribution of the introduced seagrass Zostera japonica is restricted to the mid- to upper intertidal zone in the coastal Pacific Northwest region of North America. The climate in this region is cool and wet, becoming hotter and dryer with increasing distance southward. Since temperature is likely to be an important factor affecting distribution of this species, growth of two populations located near the northern and southern limits of its established range along the Pacific Coast of North America were measured in an experimental setting across a range of temperatures typical of those in the field during the growing season (10, 20, and 30 °C). The effects of temperature and population were both significant. Leaf elongation, growth, and areal productivity rates of the northern population were consistently lower than those of the southern population. Across the range of temperatures, mean leaf elongation rates ranged from 0.47 to 1.40 cm 2 shoot −1 d −1; mean growth rates ranged from 0.19 to 0.52 mg dry wt shoot −1 d −1. Mean areal productivity ranged from 0.54 to 1.92 g dry wt m −2 d −1. Maximum rates of leaf elongation, growth, and areal productivity for both populations were observed at 20 °C. However, leaf elongation, growth, and areal productivity of the northern population declined markedly at 30 °C, whereas no comparable declines were observed for the southern population. This suggests that Z. japonica populations near the southern limits of its established range may be better adapted to warmer temperatures than populations near the northern range limits and further range extensions southward along the California coast may be likely. These differences could be important in predicting the outcome of competitive interactions between native and introduced seagrass species, and in determining future patterns of distribution and zonation of Pacific Coast seagrasses.

Individual tree growth response to variable-density thinning in coastal Pacific Northwest forests

We examined 5-year basal area growth of nearly 2600 trees in stem-mapped plots at five locations differing in site characteristics, species composition, and management history on the Olympic Peninsula in Western Washington, USA. Our objectives were to determine if internal edges, the boundaries within the stand between components of the variable-density thinning, influenced individual tree growth, and whether incorporation of individual tree local competition indices in growth prediction models could account for treatment and edge effects. Treatment significantly affected tree growth at all sites, with trees in the thinned matrix displaying on average over 25% greater basal area growth than trees in unthinned patches. Proximity to canopy gaps created as part of the variable-density thinning increased basal area growth of trees in the thinned matrix by nearly 11%. In addition, growth of trees close to skid trails was 11% greater than trees located away from the trails. Past thinning history, and its effect on initial stocking rate, appeared to affect the magnitude of the edge effects. Blocks that had received earlier commercial thinnings, and thus had lower stocking at the onset of the study, displayed lower growth responses than previously unthinned blocks. Including local competition indices in the models generally reduced growth prediction error; however, the indices examined did not fully account for treatment or edge effects. Our results suggest that not accounting for internal edges in spatially complex stands could result in errors in projected growth of trees, although these edge effects are highly variable. Failure to account for the effects of internal edges could affect not just estimates of future stand yield, but also projections of future stand structure.

Oak Woodland Restoration: Understory Response to Removal of Encroaching Conifers

Oregon white oak (or Carry oak, Quercusgarryana) woodlands and savannas of the coastal Pacific Northwest are legacies of an anthropogenic fire regime that ended with European settlement in the mid-1 800s. Historically, these oak stands had a sparse overstory and an understory dominated by fire-tolerant grasses and forbs. Post-settlement fire suppression resulted in widespread invasion and subsequent overstory dominance by conifers, causing mortality of shade-intolerant oak trees and shifting understory plant communities to shade-tolerant species. In a study on four southwestern Washington sites, our objective was to determine the effects of overstory conifer removal, primarily Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga rnenziesii), on microclimate, native and non-native understory cover, and sapling growth. Overstory conifer removal created a warmer, drier understory microclimate during summer months. Conifer removal had little effect on native understory cover during five years post-treatment; however, cover of non-native plants, primarily grasses and woody understory species, increased significantly during the same period. Height growth of Oregon white oak and Douglas-fir saplings exhibited a delayed, but positive, response to overstory conifer removal, although the treatment response of Douglas-fir was 133% greater than that of oak. Increases in non-native understory cover and the rapid growth of young Douglas-fir indicate the importance of pre- and post-treatment understory management to control undesirable plants and promote native species such as Oregon white oak.

Release of Oregon White Oak from Overtopping Douglas-fir: Effects on Soil Water and Microclimate

Many former Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) woodland and savanna stands in the coastal Pacific Northwest have been invaded by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) during the past century as a result of fire suppression. Douglas-fir overtop and suppress the shade-intolerant oak, causing its eventual mortality. Removal of Douglas-fir is necessary for restoration of these oak ecosystems, but such action will influence belowground and near-ground conditions, affecting residual trees and understory communities. In a three-year study on a glacial outwash soil near Olympia, Washington, we compared soil and microclimate conditions near overtopped and released oak trees to determine how soil water content (SWC), throughfall, soil and air temperature, and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) are affected when oak is released from overtopping Douglas-fir. In each year, volumetric SWC near all trees declined from ~0.25 m3 m−3 to ~0.10 m3 m−3 during the growing season, but this decline was delayed approximately one month i...

Copepod feeding selectivity on microplankton, including the toxigenic diatoms Pseudo-nitzschia spp., in the coastal Pacific Northwest

As part of the Pacific Northwest ECOHAB project, we measured clearance rates and feed- ing selectivity of calanoid copepods off the coast of Washington State, USA, during fall of 2003. We tested the hypothesis that copepods discriminate amongst prey, particularly against the toxic diatoms Pseudo- nitzschia spp. in natural assemblages from this highly productive, upwelling environment. Seven graz- ing experiments were conducted across and along the shelf using the copepods Calanus pacificus, Metridia pacifica, Acartia longiremis and a small community assemblage dominated by Acartia spp., with minor contributions from Pseudocalanus spp., Paracalanus spp. and Oithona spp. Three general patterns emerged from our experiments. First, all copepods, except A. longiremis in 1 experiment, showed neutral preference or discriminated against Pseudo-nitzschia, but preference did not appear related to cellular domoic acid concentrations. Second, the dominant prey biomass contributors in each experiment were cleared at low rates relative to other prey types. In most cases the dominants were the diatom Thalassiosira spp. or the autotrophic dinoflagellates Ceratium spp. and Prorocentrum spp. The third pattern was high preference for microzooplankton. High clearance on microzooplankton can result in trophic cascades, which were evident in our size-fractionated chlorophyll data. These patterns indicate that copepods could have both direct and indirect effects on the plankton community compo- sition on the Washington coast. However, our estimates of total potential grazing suggest that copepod grazing impact on Pseudo-nitzschia populations is negligible.

Abundance and Production of Riparian Trees in the Lowland Floodplain of the Queets River, Washington

Riparian zones associated with alluvial rivers are spatially dynamic, forming distinct vegetative mosaics that exhibit sharp contrasts in structure and processes related to the underlying biophysical template. The productivity of riparian plants, especially trees, influences streamside community characteristics as well as the forms and fluxes of organic matter to adjacent streams – thereby strongly impacting patterns of channel morphology, water flow, sedimentation, and habitat in rivers. As part of a comprehensive investigation of riparian dynamics in coastal rain forest rivers of the Pacific Northwest (USA), we examined riparian tree abundance (density, basal area, and biomass) and rates of production (basal area growth [BAI] and bole wood biomass increase [P]) of seven common species – red alder (Alnus rubra), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa), vine maple (Acer circinatum) and willow (Salix spp.) – in the lowland floodplain of the Queets River (Olympic National Park), Washington. Measurements were made annually for three years (1999 – 2001) in 16 permanent plots on three biophysical templates that formed a toposequence – active floodplain, young terrace and mature terrace. Stem density was highest in the active floodplain (∼27,000 stems/ ha), decreasing in the young terrace (∼2,700 stems /ha) and the mature terrace (∼500 stems/ha). Basal area and total stem biomass were lowest in the active floodplain (∼16 m²/ha and ∼18 Mg dry weight/ha, respectively) and higher on the young terrace (∼32 m²/ha and ∼134 Mg dry weight/ha) and on the mature terrace (∼69 m²/ha and ∼540 Mg dry weight /ha). Total plot-scale BAI was not significantly different among the physical templates with mean values ranging from approximately 1.4 (low terrace) to approximately 2.8 m²/ha/y (active floodplain). In contrast, P was significantly higher on the mature terrace (10.3 Mg/ha) than the active floodplain (3.2 Mg/ha) but there was no significant difference between young terrace (6.5 Mg/ha) and mature terrace. For the entire Queets River floodplain (57 km2 over 77 km of river length), the mature terrace contributed 81% of the total annual production (28,764 Mg) whereas the active floodplain and young terrace accounted only for 5 and 14%, respectively. Overall, we show that riparian trees grow quickly in this coastal Pacific Northwest system and that the older riparian forests on mature terraces are the main contributors to stem production at the plot and floodplain scales for at least 350 years after stand initiation. This suggests that, in combination with the rapid lateral migrations of many alluvial rivers, the older riparian forests on those terraces are important and sustained sources of organic matter (especially large woody debris, LWD) that, over decades to centuries, shape the character of coastal rivers in the Pacific Northwest.

First Report of Powdery Mildew of Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh.) Nutt. Caused by Erysiphe (Microsphaera) berberidis (DC.) Lév in Canada

Mahonia aquifolium (Tall Oregon Grape) is a plant native to British Columbia and the coastal Pacific Northwest of the USA. The first discovery of powdery mildew of Mahonia aquifolium in the USA was reported in Washington State in 2003. In Canada, powdery mildew of Oregon grape was discovered in the early summer of 2004 in Victoria, BC. To our knowledge, this is the first record of powdery mildew caused by E. berberidis on Oregon grape in Canada. Accepted for publication 15 May 2005. Published 21 June 2005.

Vulnerability to wind damage in managed landscapes of the coastal Pacific Northwest

Managed forested landscapes in the coastal Pacific Northwest follow a pattern of transition from dominance by naturally regenerated second growth to dominance by planted stands. This transition should have dramatic influence on many characteristics of these landscapes and the larger region, including susceptibility to wind damage. In this paper, inventory and spatial information from an example landscape are integrated using the Landscape Management System to produce alternative management scenarios and evaluate the projections using a wind damage vulnerability rating system. Planted Douglas-fir stands tend to develop higher height to diameter ratios in the dominant trees, are thinned more often, and tend to have more exposed windward edges; characteristics which increase susceptibility to wind damage. In this analysis, the increasing vulnerability factors are mostly compensated for by the reduced rotation lengths expected in the plantations. The pattern of transition in managed landscapes generates an associated pattern of vulnerability to wind damage. Homogeneously and heterogeneously aged landscapes have distinct patterns of vulnerability. These differences could be harnessed to enhance the particular goals associated with managing individual ownerships.

Pore water pressure assessment in a forest watershed: Simulations and distributed field measurements related to forest practices

A distributed shallow groundwater model related to slope stability is described to assess the spatial distribution of pore water pressure in steep forested terrain in British Columbia. Additionally, effects of timber harvesting and roads on measured changes in pressure head during rainstorms were evaluated for the first time to assess the need for incorporating different hydrological components in the event‐driven distributed model. Although explicit spatial quantification of pore water pressure requires many measurements for accurate prediction, model performance using average parameter values was reasonable when compared with pressure heads measured at nine spatially distributed sites. Increases in maximum pressure head (varying from 9 to 28 cm) between preharvesting (after road construction) and postharvesting rainstorm events were observed in seven of nine sites. The remaining two sites showed either a small decrease (≈5 cm) or similar peak pressure heads following harvesting. Peak pressure head evaluated at one piezometer located 46 m downslope of the road decreased substantially (≈50 cm) after road construction during moderate rainstorms and then recovered following harvesting. Piezometric responses in sites upslope of the road were not affected by road construction but did increase after harvesting. Moderate storms caused the largest relative increases in pressure head between preharvesting (after roads) and postharvesting conditions; such increases were small during large storms, lending support to the idea that timber harvesting in temperate forests enhances hydrologic response only during small and moderate storms. Since landslides in coastal Pacific Northwest are typically caused by large winter rainstorms, it appears more justified to include better spatial representation of soil physical and engineering parameters in the distributed shallow groundwater model compared to specifying evapotranspiration; road hydrology may, however, need to be included.

First Report of Powdery Mildew of Mahonia aquifolium Caused by Microsphaera berberidis (Erysiphe berberidis) in North America

Mahonia aquifolium is a widely-grown plant in the coastal Pacific Northwest. This report documents for the first time a powdery mildew on M. aquifolium in North America caused by a fungus fitting the description of Microsphaera berberidis. Accepted for publication 14 January 2003. Published 6 February 2003.

The effect of short day treatments on containerized Douglas-fir morphology, physiology and phenology

The effect of short day treatments (‘blackout’) on Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) container seedlings at the time of lift and following cold storage was investigated. Variables measured included height, root collar diameter (RCD), root growth capacity (RGC), photosynthetic efficiency after −18 °C freezing (PEF), and days to terminal bud break (DBB). From one to four blackout dormancy induction treatments were started on three dates (July 12, July 26, and August 10) with 10 or 20 d between multiple blackouts. Increasing the number of blackout treatments resulted in lower RCD, lower DBB in the late winter/early spring, and higher PEF in the early fall. Later blackout start dates decreased PEF in the early fall, and increased overall height and late fall RGC as compared to earlier blackout start dates. Nurseries growing Douglas-fir seedlings from coastal Pacific Northwest provenances should be aware that blackout regimes can decrease RGC in the late fall, and cause quicker dormancy release in the early spring. Coastal Douglas-fir can be lifted and planted in the early fall, when RGC and DBB are relatively high. If planting between February and April is necessary, seedlings given blackout should be cold stored in January to maintain an adequate level of dormancy, RGC and PEF.

Riparian aquatic interaction simulator (RAIS): a model of riparian forest dynamics for the generation of large woody debris and shade

Streams depend on riparian forests to supply many important functions such as delivery of large woody debris (LWD), organic matter, and nutrients into the aquatic ecosystem and to provide shade to help maintain cool water. Both forests and streams are dynamic, and inputs from the riparian forest are constantly replenished as organic matter and nutrients are processed and transported. Forest stand dynamics have been intensively studied and foresters have developed a good understanding of tree growth and mortality to support commercial forest management. In recent years, the relationships between aquatic functions and adjacent forest stand characteristics have been increasingly quantified by ecologists. Management of riparian forests to protect aquatic functions and water quality has received considerable attention in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere. For scientific knowledge to be useful to decision-makers, the complex set of riparian relationships, increasingly well understood individually, need to be collectively and objectively linked in a form that can be easily used by scientists and non-scientists alike to develop management strategies for riparian forests. In this paper we describe an analytical system that quantitatively links widely used forest growth forecasting systems for coastal Pacific Northwest forest types to the riparian ecological functions of large woody debris recruitment and shade. The riparian aquatic interaction simulator (RAIS), with its user-friendly interface, allows managers to forecast aquatic functions for up to 300 years. RAIS provides these forecasts over a range of critical input variables and produces realistic estimates of riparian functions when compared with published research. RAIS is available at http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/rais.html

Monitoring stand structure in mature coastal Douglas-fir forests: effect of plot size

National and regional interest in the distribution and trends of forest habitat structure and diversity have placed demands on forest inventories for accurate stand-level data. A primary need in the coastal Pacific Northwest of the United States is information on the extent and rate of development of mature forest structure. The objective of this study was to evaluate alternative sampling schemes within a standard national cluster plot design able to efficiently determine density of large live trees and snags, tree mortality, and tree species richness. A simulation approach used stem maps from 19 permanent forest plots dominated by mature Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) of at least 1 ha in size that had been sampled for up to 23 years. Clustered subplots sampling between 0.5 and 81% of the stand area were randomly located in stands to select mapped trees. Estimation error analysis compared the percent difference between sample data and full-stand values by subplot size for 30 iterations per subplot size per stand. Comparison with analyses of regional inventory plots allowed greater inference concerning results. Samples of at least 40% of a stand (four 18 m radius subplots) were required to reduce errors for estimated density of large trees (≥122 cm DBH) below 25% of true density at least 66% of the time. For mortality, subplots sampling at least 50% of a stand were needed to reach errors below 50% of true mortality at least 66% of the time. However, for trees <75 cm DBH, the standard inventory sample of 0.07 ha with four 7.3 m radius subplots did meet these accuracy levels for density and mortality. Relatively large plots were required to estimate species richness within one species of true richness, particularly for the relatively diverse smaller tree size classes. Efficient sampling of species richness could use species lists, instead of measuring many small trees on large plots. Reducing sample errors to acceptable levels will increase the utility of inventory plot data to evaluate stand structure, successional development, carbon sequestration, species diversity, and ground-truth for remote sensing.

The earthquake threat in southwestern British Columbia: A geologic perspective

Ten moderate to large (magnitude 6–7) earthquakes have occurred in southwestern British Columbia and northwestern Washington in the last 130 years. A future large earthquake close to Vancouver, Victoria, or Seattle would cause tens of billions of dollars damage and would seriously impact the economies of Canada and the United States. An improved understanding of seismic hazards and risk in the region has been gained in recent years by using geologic data to extend the short period of instrumented seismicity. Geologic studies have demonstrated that historically unprecedented, magnitude 8 to 9 earthquakes have struck the coastal Pacific Northwest on average once every 500 years over the last several thousand years; another earthquake of this size can be expected in the future. Geologic data also provide insights into the likely damaging effects of future large earthquakes in the region. Much of the earthquake damage will result directly from ground shaking, but damage can also be expected from secondary phenomena, including liquefaction, landslides, and tsunamis. Vancouver is at great risk from earthquakes because important infrastructure, including energy and transportation lifelines, probably would be damaged or destroyed by landslides and liquefaction-induced ground failure.

Respiration from coarse woody debris as affected by moisture and saprotroph functional diversity in Western Oregon.

Decomposing coarse woody debris (CWD) is a conspicuous and important component of forest ecosystems. Seasonal temperature and precipitation patterns influence heterotroph activity, which determines the rate of CWD decomposition. We tested the hypothesis that moisture content and heterotroph community composition influence carbon flux in freshly-cut Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) logs. To evaluate the effects of physical penetration of bark and wood and transmission of basidiomycete compared with ascomycete fungi by insects, 360 experimental logs were assigned to five replicate sites, each with 12 heterotroph×moisture treatment combinations in 1995. Half of the logs in each heterotroph treatment received normal rainfall and half were placed individually under elevated clear plastic tents to reduce water inputs. Respiration was measured every 1-3 months. In 1996 and 1997 a different log representing each treatment combination was harvested from each replicate and analyzed for the presence of inoculated and colonizing fungi. Logs inoculated with decay fungi had higher respiration than uninoculated logs but this effect only approached significance (P=0.08) during the first season. Respiration was significantly higher in sheltered than in exposed logs. Our results indicate that respiration and wood decomposition rates may be depressed by high moisture content in the wet forests of the coastal Pacific Northwest.

Soil seed banks in young, closed-canopy forests of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington: potential contributions to understory reinitiation

During early stand development, coniferous forests of the coastal Pacific Northwest commonly pass through a period of dense shade and intense competition during which the abundance and diversity of understory plants decline dramatically. In young, managed forests, silvicultural thinning has been proposed to enhance the structural and floristic diversity of the understory. Although germination of buried seeds is likely to be stimulated by thinning, we know little about the composition of the soil seed bank in these forests. We used the greenhouse emergence method to assess the potential contribution of the seed bank to understory reinitiation in 40- to 60-year-old, closed-canopy forests on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. Seed banks were well developed (610-7009 germinants/m2), containing 46 native and exotic species representing a diversity of life forms. However, many common forest understory species were absent; only 11 species were typical understory plants and these comprised &lt;10% of all germinants. In contrast, 30% of all species and 50% of all germinants were exotic, ruderal forbs. Wind-dispersed annuals and perennials dominated litter samples, whereas ruderal forbs and graminoids with limited dispersal dominated soil samples. Our results suggest that silvicultural thinning will enhance the establishment of ruderal, exotic species but will contribute little to the regeneration from buried seed of the vast majority of forest understory plants.Key words: canopy closure, forest understory, seed germination, soil seed bank, succession, understory reinitiation.

24-H Design Storm for Coastal British Columbia

Data from the Seymour River watershed in southwestern British Columbia were used to develop a 24-h design storm for the coastal region. The study showed that there is only a small variation in the time distribution of the storm with elevation, and comparison with the results of other studies and data from other stations showed that the findings of this work are transferable to other areas of the region. Simulation of the streamflow in a watershed of the region revealed that the developed 10% time probability curve and the Soil Conservation Service Type IA curve reproduce the observed peak flows. Analysis of the spatial distribution of the annual extreme 24-h storms showed that the mean annual precipitation, which increases up to an elevation of 400–800 m, and then levels off or even decreases, can be used as an index for the estimation of the 24-h extreme rainfall. Although the study has been concentrated on the coastal British Columbia, there are indications that the results may be applicable to the greater region of the coastal Pacific Northwest.

PRECIPITATION DISTRIBUTION IN COASTAL BRITISH COLUMBIA1

ABSTRACT: The spatial distribution and the temporal and spatial variation of the annual, seasonal, and monthly precipitation in two mountainous watersheds in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, have been analyzed using a detailed database for 1971–1990 in the Capilano and Seymour watersheds. The analysis showed that the precipitation increases up to the mid‐position of the watersheds, and then either levels off or decreases. Precipitation on mountain slopes and in the valley at the same distance from the beginning of the slope is similar, and the barrier height is identified as the dominant parameter which influences the precipitation distribution. The temporal variation of the precipitation is the smallest at the mid‐position of the watersheds. This variability is the least in the fall and winter and largest in the summer. Correlation between the precipitation accumulations at various stations is large, ranging from 0.80 for the wet period of October‐March to 0.65 for the dry period of April‐September for distances less than 32 km. Comparison with other studies and the analyses of precipitation and runoff data from coastal British Columbia showed that the results of this study are perhaps general and thus transferable to similar areas in the coastal Pacific Northwest.

Isotopic provenance of Paleogene sandstones from the accretionary core of the Olympic Mountains, Washington

Conventional modal sandstone data from Paleogene units of the Pacific Northwest are not precise enough to pinpoint source areas and constrain displacement histories of accreted sedimentary terranes. Isotopic provenance study, used in conjunction with traditional basin-analysis techniques, provides a powerful means of identifying source areas. Analysis of Rb-Sr data in both wholerock and detrital white micas of Paleogene sandstones from allochthonous units in the eastern core of the Olympic Mountains and coeval autochthonous sandstones from coastal Pacific Northwest shows that the Needles-Gray Wolf and Grand Valley lithic assemblages of the core came from the same source as sandstones of the Chuckanut Formation and Puget Group in northern Washington. The source of these units is isotopically distinct from the source for units farther south, such as the Tyee Formation in Oregon. Chemical compositions, conventional K-Ar age determinations, and oxygen- and hydrogen-isotope compositions of white micas support this conclusion. Similar analyses of sandstones from the Western Olympic lithic assemblage and the Yakutat terrane of southeastern Alaska suggest that these two units have a similar source, but that they differ slightly from sandstones of the eastern Olympic core and autochthonous Washington units. The overall composition of sandstones (lithic arkosic), and the very high initial-Sr values (>0.710), moderately high δ 18 O values (∼+9) and Mesozoic age for detrital white mica of Olympic core rocks and sandstone of the Yakutat terrane suggest a source in the high-rank metamorphic and plutonic rocks from the eastern part of the Omineca Crystalline Belt in southeastern British Columbia. Furthermore, rapid uplift of this source area during Eocene time is consistent with the depositional age of the Olympic rocks. Sediment derived from this source area was transported westward by major river systems that crossed the low-lying North Cascade Range and supplied the deposits of the autochthonous units of the northern Washington coast and the offshore equivalents before the latter were accreted to form the Olympic core. Limited data from the Yakutat terrane suggest that it lay offshore of southern British Columbia sometime during middle Eocene to early Oligocene time, consistent with paleomagnetic and some paleontologic interpretations, and subsequently migrated northward by plate motions.

Economic and Marketing Implications of Special Forest Products Harvest in the Coastal Pacific Northwest

Abstract The special forest products industry has recently become an important factor in forest management. Plants common to the understories of many Pacific Northwest United States and coastal British Columbia forests are harvested, processed, and marketed worldwide in floral greens markets as supplements and complements in floral arrangements. The industry employed over 10,000 people in Washington, Oregon, and southern British Columbia in 1989, and generated an estimated $128.5 million in sales. Forestland managers are discovering the advantages associated with leasing harvesting rights to the producers and harvesters of these products. A mail survey was used to sample special forest products businesses in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia during 1989. Descriptions of plant materials harvested and their value are presented and discussed. Business characteristics and total industry affects are discussed. The industry's impacts on the regional economies and the industries marketing strategies including channels of distribution, product development, market product development, and future market opportunities are also discussed. West. J. Appl. For. 6(3):67-72.