Cordilleran forest

The Cordilleran forest is a biome located in North America, situated between the Pacific coniferous forest and the northern Great Plains, and south of the interior boreal forest.1

Tree Distribution

• West: Dominated by cedar and Douglas fir, with Sitka and Engelmann spruce at higher elevations.1
• East: Features more pine and spruce, with lodgepole pine and white spruce forming dense stands.1
• Intermontane Plateaus and Ridges: Characterized by western hemlock and yellow or sugar pine, interspersed with parkland.1

Tree distribution is influenced by elevation and aspect. Wetter, lower elevations support tall, dense fir woods, while higher slopes are blanketed by spruce. Drier exposures are abundant in pine. Above the tree line, subalpine firs give way to alpine tundra and eventually ice and snow.1

Wildlife

This region is a significant game preserve, hosting elk and deer in the fir-spruce forests, antelope in the parkland, and goats in alpine pastures. Predators include mountain lions and wolves, while grizzly bears inhabit higher, less accessible areas. Black bears are common in lower forests, and the wolverine also resides here. Mountain trout are plentiful in the streams.1