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North Cascades Outstanding Biodiversity Features
- Important habitats for wide-ranging carnivores. The North Cascades is one of the few ecoregions in Washington with a variety of large carnivores, including lynx, gray wolf, grizzly bear, and wolverine.
- Semi-natural or natural vegetation is prevalent. The North Cascades ecoregion contains large stretches of relatively intact vegetation, including low elevation western hemlock–Douglas-fir–western red cedar forests.
- Home to several boreal species. These species, including several rare plants, are at the southern edge of their geographic ranges.
- Major concentration of over-wintering bald eagles along the Skagit River. The eagles, feeding on salmon, are perhaps the largest concentration in the U.S. outside of Alaska
For details of this ecoregion within Washington, click a subheading in the left column.
View the more general description of this ecoregion in North America
Boreal: Occurring in the high northern latitudes (boreal regions). >back
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