Botany

Botanizing at Crater Lake

Nancy-camera
Nancy Cherry Eifert with her Canon 5D MarkII working on huckleberry photography. Photo by Larry Eifert patiently waiting as usual.

 

  • Biotic Communities of Crater Lake National Park Crater Lake National Park ranges in elevation from about 3,800 feet in the southwest corner of the park to just over 8,900 feet at Mount Scott. Most of the rim area is situated near the 7,000 foot elevation level, although, the Watchman and Hillman Peak areas on the western side of the lake are slightly in excess of 8,100 feet. Vegetation grades from a mixed conifer forest dominated by ponderosa pine at the south entrance to high elevation mountain hemlock and whitebark pine forest at the rim. Other forest types include lodgepole pine, white fir, Douglas fir, and shasta red fir”….[General Management Plan/Enviro index-gmp-2005, Environmental Impact Statement, Crater Lake National Park, 2005]
  • “The flora of Crater Lake National Park is typical of the vegetation found throughout the Southern Cascades. Generally, the vegetation of the region reflects a mosaic of forested areas and open non- forested areas. Climate, topography, soil development, and fire history all affect the composition and distribution of existing plant communities. Because of this natural species diversity, the park is regarded by many as a sanctuary for native forest and meadow communities, with limited introductions of non- native species. Approximately 20,250 hectares (50,000 acres) of late seral forest exist throughout the park. Fire suppression and historic logging activities have altered forest structure and species composition throughout portions of the park and surrounding areas.

    WW1016-1024
    Looking down the amazing throat of a monkeyflower – a bee would see this. Photo by Robert Mutch
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