Submit Club Submit Event Olympic National Forest Quinault Valley Clubmoss draped in long tendrils from the branches of big leaf maples, diffuse light shimmering through a high canopy of evergreens, and an emerald carpet of mosses, ferns, lichens and tiny plants, all characterize the Olympic rain forest. Some of the largest Douglas-fir, Sitka spruce, Western red cedar and Western hemlock are known to exist in the Olympic rain forest. Some are over 300 feet tall and over 60 feet around. The rain forest is a never ending drama of birth, growth, death and renewal. As giant trees topple and decay, they become seed beds providing ideal nutrients and support for the next generation of trees.
Mosses grow throughout the rain forest.
The mosses and lichens that drape the big leaf maple, vine maple and other trees do not kill or otherwise harm the trees, other than the occasional broken limb due to weight. In fact, the tree sends special roots from the branches to capture the moisture and nutrients collected in the moss. The rain forest is home to more than trees and plants. Deer and elk graze on the tender shoots of lush plants. Smaller mammals such as river otter, Douglas squirrel, jumping mouse and shrews thrive in this unique rain forest environment.