Mountain hemlock zone

British Columbia's coastal subalpine lands lie within the mountain hemlock zone (MH zone). Dense, closed-canopy forests are characteristic of the lower part of this ecological zone. At higher elevations, forests thin out to open parkland, heath and meadow. Here, the growing season is shorter because the climate is colder and the snowpack deeper.

Tree species descriptions

The MH zone provides wildlife habitat for many species, especially during the warmer summer months. It occupies subalpine elevations along the entire B.C. coast. It also extends north into Alaska and south along the Washington and Oregon coast. In the south, the zone ranges from 900 to 1800 metres above sea level; in the north, it ranges from 400 to 1000 metres above sea level.

The MH zone is located between the densely forested coastal western hemlock zone and the treeless alpine tundra zone. Much of Strathcona Park on Vancouver Island and Garibaldi Park on the south coast mainland lie within the MH zone.

Subzone/variants in the MH zone

Tree species descriptions:

• mm subzone, variant 1 (PDF, 186KB)
• mm subzone, variant 2 (PDF, 187KB)
• wh subzone (PDF, 180KB)