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Cause for Concern in the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Alaska
Nearctic
•
Temperate Coniferous Forests
Central British Columbia Mountain forests
Logging is the most serious threat to the Central British Columbia Mountain Forests. It is now moving into all of the major valleys and, along with increased road access, the rate of habitat loss is increasing significantly in some places. Although three-fourths of the ecoregion remains as intact habitat, all of the commercially viable forests are slated to be logged within the next 50 years. This would result in the loss of the remaining forest. Another threat to wildlife is Williston Lake, a huge reservoir that is blocking movement of wildlife across the Rocky Mountains. Mineral exploration and mines are also responsible for some habitat loss and degradation.
Most of the Central Pacific Coastal Forests ecoregion was once forested, but now only about four percent of it is considered to be intact habitat -- unaffected by logging or other human uses. The only protected habitats remaining are found in national and provincial parks. Some areas have been permanently altered by roads, agriculture, and development. And some habitat types have almost been destroyed, including coastal temperate rain forests that once existed in Oregon. In addition to logging, the ecoregion faces continued threats from pollution, grazing, burning, introduced species, road building, and excessive recreational impact.
The great beauty of the Rocky Mountains has drawn humans for centuries. Unfortunately, homebuilding and downhill ski resort development are now expanding into higher elevation habitats, while the roads that are built to accommodate this development are rapidly destroying lower elevation habitats. This development is particularly harmful in disrupting the movements of herds of elk and bighorn sheep. In addition, this ecoregion has been under threat from logging, hard-rock mining, oil and gas development, domestic livestock grazing, introduction of exotic species, and pollution from the Denver area. Lynx and wolverines are rare or even extinct in the region. Grizzly bears and wolves were hunted out decades ago.
Old growth forests of ponderosa pine, western larch, and Douglas-fir in this ecoregion are threatened by logging. Old growth Ponderosa forests are now very rare. In addition, shrub-steppe communities and riparian areas are being degraded by extensive livestock grazing and invasion of exotic species. Fire suppression throughout the region has resulted in forest cover that is more susceptible to catastrophic fire and outbreaks of insect pests and disease. Road building is breaking up patches of habitat and leading to the spread of noxious weeds. And wetlands and aquatic ecosystems are threatened by hydroelectric dams and flood control.
For many centuries, naturally occurring fires have maintained conditions that are suitable for the species that evolved here. But humans have suppressed these fires, which has allowed other species to move into this ecoregion and compete with the native ones. Furthermore, much of this ecoregion has been converted to citrus farms and housing developments. As a result, only about 10-15 percent of the original scrub habitat remains.
Only about 25 percent of this ecoregion remains as natural habitat, so conservationists and scientists are alarmed at the rapidly expanding logging practices that threaten the area. It is estimated that between 15 and 20 percent of the remaining forests are scheduled for cutting within the next 20 years. This will result in additional habitat fragmentation. Wetlands in the region have already been seriously damaged by agricultural development, hydroelectric impoundments, pulpwood harvesting, and livestock grazing.
The major threats to wildlife in this ecoregion include livestock grazing, gold mining, localized clearing, and building roads for microwave communication sites. In lowland areas, fire suppression and livestock grazing have been particularly harmful and have promoted the spread of invasive species such as Russian thistle and wheatgrass.
Despite the incredible biological richness of this ecoregion, only 10 percent is legally protected from logging. This is alarming, considering the growing threats from logging, mining, road-building, and grazing by sheep and cattle. Within the last decade, logging has destroyed several of the only known habitats for some endemic species of spiders, land snails, and other invertebrates. Only a quarter of the ecoregion is considered to be relatively intact, and many species have already been lost, including bighorn sheep and grizzly bears. Many of the larger rivers and tributaries have been severely degraded by dredging for gold, toxic runoff from mining operations, and sedimentation from poorly managed logging practices. Introduced species, such as the brown trout, have also altered many natural communities, especially in aquatic habitats.
Much of the cypress forests of the Middle Atlantic Coastal Forests have been lost to logging. Wetland communities and bottomland forests have also been hard hit by urbanization and coastal development such as resorts, conversion to agriculture and pine plantations, fire suppression, ditching and draining of wetlands, and damming of rivers. In some areas, poaching of carnivorous plants and black bears is also a problem.
From logging and mining to oil and gas development, this ecoregion is facing growing threats from humans. Domestic livestock grazing and the introduction of exotic species alter natural communities in valleys and in riparian areas. And growing recreational use of remote areas disturbs grizzly bears. Although there are large blocks of habitat left in this ecoregion, scientists are worried that increased human activities such as road building and housing development, particularly along valleys, are breaking the important connections among these habitat blocks. As more and more people occupy the region, it will become more and more important to ensure that wildlife is able to move safely between protected blocks of habitat.
