Facilitating the protection and restoration of species and ecosystems at risk on BC’s South Coast
Coastal Western Hemlock
As a species coastal western hemlock, along with Douglas-fir and western redcedar are probably the most easily recognizable conifer species on the South Coast. As a broader community, the coastal western hemlock biogeoclimatic zone extends from Alaska to Oregon, occurring at low to middle elevations (sea level to ~900 metres on windward aspects up to 1050 metres on leeward aspects).
Coastal western hemlock ("CWH") is mainly found on the west side of the Cascades and coastal mountains along BC's coast. The Georgia Depression and uplands of the Fraser Lowlands are dominated by this community. The Mountain Hemlock zone is usually the subalpine zone found above "CWH". While coastal western hemlock as a species is widely distributed, within the biogeoclimatic zone it represents, there are a number of rare ecological communities on the South Coast. Four of these are red-listed (threatened/endangered) and nine are blue-listed (special concern) including: western hemlock / queen's cup, western hemlock - western redcedar / deer fern, western hemlock - amabilis fir / deer fern , western hemlock / flat-moss,
Download Species Fact Sheet in PDF
RESOURCES
For further information see:
This report describes terrestrial ecosystems of British Columbia within the framework of the British Columbia Ministry of Forests' biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification.
A source for authoritative conservation information on thousands of plants and animals and hundreds of ecological communities in BC. From here connect to all provincial and federal recovery plans (including the SARA Registry), COSEWIC (Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada), Identified Wildlife guidance and conservation requirements for specific species and ecological communities of conservation concern impacted by forestry activities) and links to E-Flora and E-Fauna (the Electronic Atlas of the Plants and Wildlife of British Columbia).
A joint venture resource providing comprehensive information on a range of species and ecological communities specific to the Coast Region of BC (including the South, Central and North Coast, Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii).
Environmental guidelines for urban and rural land development in BC.
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