From Northern British Columbia, Canada, to California,
a rugged spine of mountains stretches for almost 1,500 miles parallel to
the Pacific coast of North America. Along the slopes and in the valleys of
these mountains, the humus-rich soil nourishes mixed softwood forests in
vast abundance.
The majority of Western Red Cedar (Thuja plicata) grows
in coastal forests. Western Red Cedars grow also in the drier interior
forests of British Columbia, Washington, Idaho and Montana where they are
smaller in stature with a tight knotted growth characteristic. Cedars
rarely grow in pure stands but are generally found in association with
other species. Western Red Cedar forests are predominantly managed
forests, in which controlled harvests, natural regeneration and
reforestation programs ensure a perpetual harvest.
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