Virtual Tour of Rainforest Reserve

Onion Peak in the Rainforest Reserve.\Photo by Tom Horning.

The North Coast Land Conservancy has been establishing its Rainforest Reserve, providing continuous protected habitat from the coastal mountain peaks to the Cape Falcon Marine Reserve offshore, for a number of years.  The conservancy now offers a virtual tour of the species protected by the reserve, led by biologist Mike Patterson.  The event, “Flora and Fauna of the Rainforest Reserve,” is free and open to all, and takes place on Wednesday, June 16, 6 p.m.

As the NCLC describes the topic:

“Discover the wild and wonderful Rainforest Reserve, a coastal landscape of epic proportions. Since long before we humans first ascended its peaks to soak up its breathtaking views, these mountains have been home to an abundance of rare and diverse plants and wildlife. What may look like an ordinary coastal forest is actually quite extraordinary. Within this evergreen realm thrives a complex community of plants and animals—from dragonflies to elk and eagles. Some of the plant and animal species found in the Rainforest Reserve live nowhere else on the planet. Relics of an ancient volcanic event, these peaks—islands in the sky—were once isolated by an oceanic moat. That isolation gave rise to a unique landscape of incredible diversity, not unlike the famed Galapagos Islands. Presenter Mike Patterson will discuss some of the common, and not so common, plants and animals that characterize the Rainforest Reserve.

Mike Patterson is a biologist, educator, and professional counter of things—birds, butterflies, moths, flowers. He lives in Astoria and blogs about birds and more at surfbirds.com/community-blogs/northcoastdiaries.

This program is free, but registration is required.   To register, go here.