TEMPERATE FORESTS
The temperate forests in western Washington may not have as many species of plants as a tropical rainforest. But when it comes to the quantity of plant life per acre, these forests win hands-down. In the Gifford Pinchot National Forest located in southern Washington state, many of the trees are over 500 years old.

Jerry "Forest" Franklin, a professor of ecosystem analysis at the University of Washington, has been researching the vital role these ancient giants play in the ecosystem. Besides understanding the forest's role in the environment, Franklin is also trying to come up with ways to keep the forests healthy and preserve the biodiversity of the ecosystem by inventing better methods of logging.

Once covered with a thick blanket of trees, today less than 8 percent of the Evergreen State's ancient forests remain. Satellite images of the Puget Sound area around Seattle show a 40 percent loss of tree cover since the 1970s.

Jerry Franklin discusses the awesome power of the 500 year-old Douglas Fir behind him.

In one year, an average tree INHALES 26 pounds of carbon dioxide - the amount put out by a car during a 11,300 mile trip - and EXHALES enough oxygen to keep a family of four breathing for a year. The vegetation lost in the Puget Sound over the past twenty years would have eliminated 35 million pounds of pollutants from our region every year!

Besides cleaning the air, insects and animals rely on the temperate forests for food and shelter. The Northern spotted owl is one forest denizen that is facing extinction due to logging. With better logging techniques and an increased interest in sustainable - or "green" - building - where old lumber and materials are recycled and reused in new buildings, we can hopefully preserve the ecosystems that makes the Pacific Northwest the natural wonderland that we know and love.

Visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/waterandland/forestry.aspx to see what King County is doing to preserve our forests .

To learn more on sustainable building, visit http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/greenbuilding/index.asp

Now, find out what you can do!

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For every tree planted in the United States, four die or are cut down.

Click to see the loss
of forests around the
Puget Sound

Puget Sound in the 1970's

courtesy of American Forests