Riparian Ecosystems
闊葉樹林(Chinese)

Big-leaf maple together with red alder and black cottonwood constitute Riparian Young Deciduous Forest.

Riparian ecosystems occur on floodplains adjacent to lakes, streams and rivers where high soil moisture and light conditions support distinct soils and plant communities. They vary in width from less than one metre along stream banks to more than 100 metres near large rivers.

Riparian ecosystems support a disproportionately high number of vascular plant, moss, amphibian and small mammal species for the area they occupy. Structurally diverse forest features, such as snags, downed logs and a multi-layered/uneven-aged canopy, offer a concentration of varied habitat niches. In addition, their association to rivers and streams, and surrounding coniferous forests create specific microclimates and habitats preferred by certain species. Although fragmented, riparian ecosystems may still function as important wildlife corridors due to their linear nature.

Riparian ecosystems play important roles in aquatic habitat protection. The variety of dense vegetation provides shade, bank stability, and increased channel habitat to streams and rivers. Floodplains act as storage sites for surface water, protect river channels and reduce erosion by regulating rainfall run-off. Soil microorganisms and vegetation in riparian ecosystems filter out harmful sediment and nutrient from agricultural fields.

Direct impacts such as logging, land development, river engineering and floodplain filling are responsible for the damage to or removal of riparian vegetation.

Deforestation activities and increased impervious surfacing are indirect impacts which can cause significant increases in the size, duration and frequency of flood events. Such changes in hydrologic regime accelerate bank erosion and influence the replacement of coniferous trees with flood tolerant species.

闊葉樹林(Deciduous Forest)
最近自然歷史步行導覽活動
最近綠色文化生態旅遊活動

通常當土地上的森林被砍伐殆盡時，它同時損失其中大部份甚富營養的表土。隨著風吹來的種子，開始緩慢地 在這片土地上重生。一年生的花草首先來到，數年後，才由多年生的植物，如野生鮭莓(Strawberry)與荷包牡丹(Pacific bleeding-heart)所取代。這些先驅植物死去的殘留物，逐漸地堆積成新的土壤，接著有鮭莓或其他落葉植物，如赤楊木(Red Alder)等相繼落葉生根。

接著，由於喜愛潮濕的大葉楓 (Big-leaf maple)迅速地成長，其樹蔭終於導致赤楊木的逝去， 同時他們也提供紅柏(Red Cedar)與鐵衫 (Hemlock)種子陰涼的適當生長環境。因此在春天時節, 您 可能可以找到美麗的三葉花(Trillium)與獨特的綠色香草(Vanilla Leaf)。

闊葉樹的葉子，也因為闊葉樹的普遍而到處可見。其中的澱粉和糖，是許多各種不同生物，夏天生活所賴以維生的食物。闊葉樹為了要保護它的葉子，在葉片中製造了一些毒素，但是並不能嚇退啃食它葉片的生物。闊葉 樹的葉片供給昆蟲的所需，然後又養活其他的生物，因為昆蟲本身也是其他動物的食物。

新生的闊葉林，大多為赤楊樹與三角葉楊樹。灌木則以潮濕土壤生長為主的鮭莓 (Salmonberry)，尖塔木(Hardheck)、柳樹(Willow)、黑莓(Blackberry)。你可以在這裡發現歌雀(Song Sparrow)、斑點唧雀(Towhee)、金冠戴菊鳥(Golden-Crowned Ringlet)、叢山雀(Bushtit)、撲動鴷 (Flicker)、黑頭雀(Chickadee)、黑眼燈草雀(Junco)、庫柏士鷹(Cooper’ Hawk)、紅尾鷹(Red-tailed Hawk)。

初春森林內，你不難為陽光下閃閃發亮，成串白花的印弟安李花 (Indian-Plum)所吸引，因為它們是最早開的野 花之一。本地的原住民通常少量生吃，煮熟，或乾吃。未成熟時較苦澀，成熟深藍色的果實，酷似小李子，十分甜美可口。原住民也曾將其嫩枝嚼碎，或燒灰混合魚油塗於傷口治療。樹皮泡茶，藉以清火與提神。