North Central Washington

Searching for signs of glaciers.

Research

The purpose of this web page is to publish research and reports from North-Central Washington.

Adventures in hyperspace

Ecosystems and Classification

Classification of Vascular Plant Communities of The North Cascades Using Discreet Space Boundary Analysis. 2005. Classification of North Cascades Plant Associations, by George Wooten and Peter Morrison. Ordination of 1,433 ecology plots distributed throughout the North Cascades were classified into 14 broad sets of plant associations. The major axis of variation corresponded to east-west geographic position. The secondary axis corresponded to a wet-dry gradient. Plant communities of the North Cascades spanned three full species turnovers along the primary east-west gradient.

Field Studies

Ecosystem Management

Mapping whitebark pine in the North Cascades. A long-term plan to conserve a key ecosystem.

Travel Management Screens for Problem Roads on National Forests. Conservation Northwest's 2009 prioritization of road segments for Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest road restoration projects. An overview map can be viewed here. Note that several minor edits were made after these documents were released, as well as producing more detailed maps for seleected subwatersheds.

Sinlahekin Wildlife Area Restoration Plan. A long-term plan to reduce fuels and restore fire regimes in the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area.

Long term woody biomass supply in the Methow Valley, Washington, by Dave Demyan and George Wooten. This research is based on net primary productivity, without addressing the important role of fire in ecosystems. Implementation is based on principles described in the paper, Environmental Impacts and Mitigation Measures for Biomass Harvest Forest Thinning, by the same authors.

Wetlands

Wetland Mapping on the Loomis Forest. A new method and a test of the National Wetlands Inventory, by Pacific Biodiversity Institute of Winthrop, Washington.

Background Research

Roadless areas

Unprotected Wildlands in Washington State (1998) by Pacific Biodiversity Institute of Winthrop, Washington.

Roadless areas of the Western Okanogan National Forest. A description of the largest roadless areas still remaining in Western Okanogan County in 1996. Contains links to campfire stories.

Geology

Fluvioglacial Channels in North-central Washington.

Wildlife

Birds of Costa Rica - 1996. Mary, Shelly and George, with Alexander Villegas leading..

Chemistry

References to toxic chemicals.