This image captures the essence of the mesmerizing beauty of a temperate rainforest ecosystem at its best. The moss-laden branches of old-growth trees and a lush understory offer one of the most captivating scenes one may experience in this type of forest ecosystem.
It has been said that the Hoh Rainforest has the greatest weight of living matter on Earth and is certainly one of the most striking temperate rainforests in the world, with its ancient mossy trees. Here, Bigleaf Maple trees (Acer macrophyllum), covered in mosses and lichens, were captured on a rainy day in May.
This precious place is part of a vast Pacific Northwest rainforest that once stretched from Oregon’s southern coast to southeastern Alaska. Because of development, very few temperate rainforests remain along this stretch today, and only a few pockets exist elsewhere in the world.
