State 1
Reference State

This state results in an old growth western hemlock and western redcedar forest. Fire return intervals are far apart due to its moist environment. It is highly dynamic in its seral stages after major disturbance with many tree species capable of establishing and growing to mature age. Western white pine used to be a dominant tree in this state establishing after a severe fire and be a major overstory component in the mature to old growth phase, however, the white pine blister rust epidemic in the 1930s reduced it to a minor component in stand composition of current forests. White pine stabilized the site for long periods due to its disease and insect resistance. Currently Western Larch, Douglas-fir, Grand fir, cedar, and hemlock have taken its place in early stand establishment through the mature and old growth phases. This has led to more root rot in mature stands with Douglas-fir, Grand fir, cedar, and hemlock. Eventually, western hemlock and western redcedar dominate regeneration in mature stands and a hemlock-cedar forest develops without major disturbance. This state can be floristically rich with shrubs and herbs when canopy gaps are created. Major shrub species include big huckleberry, twinflower, pachistima, prince’s pine, pyrola, honeysuckle, and rose. Herbs include queencup beadlily, violet, western rattlesnake plantain, wild ginger, sword fern, Hooker fairybells, and twisted stalk. A key understory tree species in this ecological site is paper birch. It is usually more prominent early to middle seral stages and notable snags present in mature to old growth phases. Another key seral species descriptive of this ecological site is Sitka alder. It is present during the stand initiation phase located in moisture receiving areas. Redstem and snowbrush ceanothus species can be prominent in fire disturbed areas. Black cottonwood is also prominent seral species and usually died out by the mature forest phase.

Community 1.1
Reference Phase - Old Growth Hemlock-Cedar Forest

Figure . Old Growth Hemlock – Cedar Forest

Old growth stands of western hemlock and western redcedar 200+ years old. Grand fir, Douglas-fir, and western larch may be present in the overstory. Second level overstory mostly western hemlock, western redcedar. . Natural regeneration mostly western hemlock and some western redcedar, some grand fir, Douglas-fir, and white pine possible. Canopy openings from windthrow or root rot advance understory forb/shrub vegetation, and hemlock and cedar regeneration. Large volume of down and dead wood. Without major disturbance this community phase will perpetuate itself with hemlock and cedar. Forest Overstory: Old growth stand dynamics with overstory of WH, and WRC. Some DF, GF, and WL may be present. Mid-level canopy dominated by WH and WRC. Large snags present. Understory vegetation increases in canopy openings due to root rot or wind fall. Forest Overstory Characterization Summary (tree, tree fern and vine species > 13 feet in height) Forest Canopy (all species > 13' height) Low Canopy Cover % 75 RV Canopy Cover % 85 High Canopy Cover % 95 Overstory - Plant Type: Tree Name Symbol Nativity Cover grand fir Abies grandis ABGR N western larch Larix occidentalis LAOC N Rocky Mountain Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca PSMEG N western redcedar Thuja plicata THPL N western hemlock Tsuga heterophylla TSHE N Forest Understory: Forest regeneration dominated by WH and WRC. Forb and shrub component with good ground cover in areas of canopy openings from wind fall or root rot. Forest Understory Canopy Cover Summary (all species < 13 feet in height) Understory - Plant Type: Forb/Herb Name Symbol Nativity pipsissewa Chimaphila umbellata CHUM N bride's bonnet Clintonia uniflora CLUN2 N western rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia GOOB2 N liverleaf wintergreen Pyrola asarifolia PYAS N sidebells wintergreen Pyrola secunda(syn) PYSE N Understory - Plant Type: Shrub/Subshrub Name Symbol Nativity twinflower Linnaea borealis LIBO3 N Utah honeysuckle Lonicera utahensis LOUT2 N myrtle pachistima Paxistima myrsinites PAMY N thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus RUPA N thinleaf huckleberry Vaccinium membranaceum VAME N Understory - Plant Type: Tree Name Symbol Nativity Cover grand fir Abies grandis ABGR N western white pine Pinus monticola PIMO3 N western redcedar Thuja plicata THPL N western hemlock Tsuga heterophylla TSHE N

Community 1.2
Stand Initiation

Stand replacing fire creates seedbed for natural regeneration. Natural regeneration species composition depends on available seed source and level of disturbance. Western white pine can no longer dominate natural regeneration due to blister rust. Western larch has taken over to a lesser degree and can dominate natural regeneration after hot burns exposing mineral soil and good seed dispersal years. Otherwise mixed species natural regeneration will occur with the whole tree species mix of this ecological site occurring. Severe disturbance can advance shrub competition from ceanothus species, alder, willow, snowberry, and ribes spp. which deter natural regeneration. Paper birch and black cottonwood can also be present in this early stage.

Community 1.3
Stem Exclusion

Figure 1. Dense early mature stand of mixed cedar-hemlock, Douglas-fir, western larch, and grand fir.

Dense pole to early mature stands 20 to 100 years old. Stand composition depending on natural regeneration. Stands could be consist of mainly western hemlock and western redcedar, solid stands of western larch, or a mix of western larch, western white pine, Douglas-fir, and grand fir. Western hemlock and western redcedar may be present in understory of these mixed stands. Due to high moisture and ash depth in soils sites can carry high stand densities. Understory vegetation is depauperate.

Community 1.4
Understory Reinitiation

Figure 2. Mature stand with canopy gaps.

Canopy gaps for overstory mortality allow understory shrubs and herbs to increase. Stand competition, Armillaria root rot, bark beetles, and defoliators causes mortality in hemlock, grand fir and Douglas-fir. Western redcedar and western hemlock dominate regeneration. Overstory dominated by cedar and hemlock, however, western larch, Douglas-fir, and grand fir can compose of good percentage of the overstory depending on initial stand establishment. Snags and downed wood scattered throughout stand.

Pathway 1.1A
Community 1.1 to 1.2

Stand Replacing Fire. Succession of shrubs and tree regeneration following fire. Tree species regeneration dependent on seed source. This pathway moves 1.1 (Old Growth) to Plant Community phase 1.4 (Stand Initiation).

Pathway 1.1B
Community 1.1 to 1.4

Reference Phase - Old Growth Hemlock-Cedar Forest

Understory Reinitiation

Overstory mortality form root rot, insects, and windthrow create canopy gaps for understory plants to release moving Plant Community to 1.4. Mixed severity fires could also create gaps for understory establishment, however, occur infrequently.

Pathway 1.2A
Community 1.2 to 1.3

Time. Tree regeneration grows into dense pole stands excluding understory moving Plant Community 1.2 Stand Initiation to 1.3 Stem Exclusion.

Pathway 1.3B
Community 1.3 to 1.2

Stand replacing fire

Pathway 1.3A
Community 1.3 to 1.4

Stem Exclusion

Understory Reinitiation

Time. Crown competition from dense pole to early mature stands. Root rot, bug kill, and wind fall create canopy gaps. This pathway moves 1.3 Stem Exclusion to Plant Community 1.4 Understory Initiation.

Pathway 1.4A
Community 1.4 to 1.1

Understory Reinitiation

Reference Phase - Old Growth Hemlock-Cedar Forest

Pathway 1.4B
Community 1.4 to 1.2

Stand replacing fire

State 2
Historical - White Pine

Before the 1910 outbreak of western white pine blister rust N. Idaho and parts of NE WA were covered with white pine stands from pole to old growth stages. Severe fires over large acreages allowed white pine to establish and dominate the area. Mature to old growth stands of pine stabilized the area due to its root rot and insect resistance. A mixed understory of shrubs and forbs existed due to sufficient light coming through the white pine canopy. Cedar and hemlock regeneration would also have been present. Large fires again would allow the white pine to establish and the cycle would start again. The blister rust epidemic basically wiped out the white pine and eliminated this stable forest cycle. In its place Douglas-fir, grand fir, western larch, cedar, and hemlock increased in abundance through the growth stages. More root rot and insect mortality are now present in the stands. In addition, more cedar-hemlock stands reach old stages without a white pine component. To address the white pine blister rust problem cooperative forestry organizations developed a blister rust resistant white pine that has been planted on hemlock and cedar sites. White pine can now be seen growing on these harvested areas.

State 3
Shrubfields

Multiple severe fires keep site in a shrub field state.

State 4
Root Rot

With the increased abundance of Douglas-fir, grand fir, and hemlock in stand development since the white pine bister rust epidemic Armillaria root rot has increased creating pockets to large areas of shrub/small deciduous trees. These root rot areas can exist for long periods until resistant species establish. In areas with metasedimentary parent material this situation is amplified. Species resistant to Armillaria include western larch, white pine, and western redcedar (after seedling stage).

Transition T2A
State 1 to 2

Loss of white pine dominance in seral and late seral overstory plant community due to white pine blister rust. Crossed a threshold where shade tolerant cedar and hemlock took over mature to old growth forests.

Transition T1B
State 1 to 3

Severe fire causing soil degradation or reoccurring fires in stand initiation phase keep state in a shrub state.

Transition T1C
State 1 to 4

Root rot, mainly Armillaria, killing hemlock, Douglas-fir, and grand fir creates small to large areas dominated by shrubs or small deciduous trees.

Restoration pathway R1A
State 2 to 1

To return to the historical state of white pine dominant late seral forests landscape level planting of blister rust resistant white pine after large stand replacing fires or clearcut regeneration harvests.

Restoration pathway R3A
State 3 to 1

Site by site analysis to determine feasibility of tree planting.

Restoration pathway R4A
State 4 to 1

Where feasible, planting blister rust resistant white pine, western larch, and western redcedar in root rot pockets.