Olympic National Park

The Quinault Valley

Some of the largest trees in the world live deep in the Quinault Valley. These trees receive a lot of attention and are the main attraction in this old growth forest. The trees, however, are not the whole story and age is not the defining characteristic of old growth; it is as much the diversity of life and the forest floor as it is the trees. A complex layer of detritus and fallen wood covering the ground provides the foundation of this ecosystem. It is an extremely rich biomass with hundreds of years of fallen debris at various stages of decomposition. Unlike second-growth forests where the trees grow at the same rate forming a dense, tightly packed canopy, the trees here are of all different sizes and ages resulting in gaps that allow a variety of species to survive—and they flourish on every surface. You won't find a downed log or snag that isn't carpeted with moss and young plants. This rich surface layer is also the perfect environment for smaller insects and rodents, which in turn are food for the larger animals in the forest. Everything has its place and purpose here. You can't hike through this valley without an overwhelming sense of how balanced and complex the ecosystem of the forest is; the trees are only the most noticeable part.

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