North America has 80 species of conifers (pine  trees).  Some of the extraordinary and powerful are the world tallest trees, ( Redwood, Douglas firs), and oldest trees ( Redwood, Giant Sequoias).   The Pacific Northwest reflects a great diversity of western mountain ranges, including Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada, Klamath,Cascades, Mount Saint Helen, Mount Rainier.

In Washington state, Mountains support :

~ ( an approximate) human populations of 7,958 millions

500 species of birds  ( pollinators)

600 native species of bees ( leading pollinators)

Black bear and grizzly bear 

Gray wolf ( endangered) & coyotes 

The pine forest in the Pacific Northwest plays an important part in maintaining a balance temperature in the temperate and subtropical California dreamin.  Conifer forest can withstand intense cold and drought.  .  The annual precipitation/ rainfall is 150 inches.  Moreover, the ENSO, La Niña, and El Niño phase change the average rainfall.   In 2025, the ocean currents and winds bring monsoon on the other side of the Pacific ( Asian countries, China, Japan….), continue to the Atlantic coast of North America.  On the  other hand, 80% of Pacific Northwest is going through a dry summer season . There are 150 unique rivers in Washington.

The Pacific Northwest hydrological cycle is not balanced, compares to previous years. The rainy season has reduced significantly in the past decade. Washington has experienced low precipitation in central, and eastern regions.  Only 5% of rainfall this season and that is not a  complete cycle .  Deforestation, human activities, have been the main culprit of decreasing rainfall, land forest/ surface.

What’s going on?

In the West Coast, the greatest Pacific,  there are high and low  elevation. Wildfires have been an ecological and evolutionary force in the mountains of conifer forests ( the course of nature unstoppable ).  These fires, help to open the pine cones for the seeds to get to the rich soil.  Wildfires varied from frequent to ( 5-20 years interval). But in recent years, drought spell and rising temperatures have been threatening crops and forests.  Wildfires have been the most talked about in the weather forecast.

Washington State has 22 million acres of forest land, and between 2007 and 2019, Washington has lost 307,000 acres of land forest.  Just recently POW weather forecast predicted a drought spell in the west coast.  The Pacific Northwest/ Western states have to revamp the mountain ranges and forest ecosystem in order to fix hydrological cycle.  This is the natural process that is extremely vital for the evergreen Pacific Northwest region. 

Glocal Forest Watch. https://www.globalforestwatch.org

Rajwantee Robinson