Inland Temperate Rainforest
The Inland Temperate Rainforest extends from the headwaters of the Fraser and Columbia Rivers along the western side of the Rockies across the US border to the northern parts of Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
The heart of British Columbia
The Inland Temperate Rainforest stretches from the headwaters of the Fraser and Columbia Rivers to the northern extremes of Washington, Idaho, and Montana. It is the only place on earth where temperate rainforests are found so far from any ocean. Here, weather systems from the Pacific Ocean collide with the Columbia
Mountains to create lush interior forests, habitat for many
unique plants and animals. Mountain caribou are one of the hundreds of species of wildlife that rely on the Inland Temperate Rainforest.
Conservation Northwest works closely with Canadian and US allies to protect Canadian old-growth forests and wildlife across the border. We use outreach, education, collaborative efforts, and industry and government accountability. Our work maintains a landscape that supports wide-ranging species such as mountain caribou, grizzly bears, lynx, and bull trout.
Logging is big industry here and it's the US timber market driving the cutting of old-growth forests in the Inland Temperate Rainforest. The province of British Columbia exports two-thirds of the wood products from its old-growth forests to customers in the US.
We support a vibrant timber industry and lumber trade between our two countries. But that industry must be ecologically sustainable. To that end we encourage Americans and Canadians to buy wood products only if they are from sustainable and certified sources. Protecting older forests is elemental to protecting rare forest wildlife, including mountain caribou.
