why so few hardwoods in the PNW?

[Larry Caldwell]

In article <35B52F95.C15B2DCC at forestmeister.com>, 
redoak at forestmeister.com says...

> So why are conifers dominate in the PNW, a mild wet climate?

You been listening to the press releases again, Zorzin.  The PNW is wet 
in the winter.  In the summer we often go 90 days with no rain at all, 
and the whole region turns into a tinderbox.  We have a fire climax 
ecology, where everything in sight burns to the ground every 50 years or 
so.

Douglas Fir is a disaster opportunist.  Give it direct sunlight and it 
will form a forest in a couple decades.  Give it shade and you have 90% 
dead seedlings.

-- Larry