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Chapter 1: Forests of North America
Conifers grow best where there are short summers and long winters. This is the
case in the northern sections of North America and other continents. Some of these
areas may have heavy snow for about half of the year.
These trees are perfectly adapted for their cold, snowy environment. The needles
on the trees often have a coating that feels somewhat waxy; this helps prevent the loss
of water. The branches are long and bend easily, which allows them to ride out the
heavy snow that falls.
The floor of a conifer forest is different from that of other forests. When the needles
of these trees die, they fall to the ground and pile up. The ground takes on a soft, almost
spongy feel underfoot. The needles are rather acidic, which makes the soils of conifer
forests less fertile than others. Conifer trees can grow to great heights and often block
Mixed Forests
Not all forests are made completely of either deciduous or coniferous trees.
“Mixed forests,” with some of both types of trees, are especially common in the
eastern regions of the United States and Canada, as well as around the Great
Lakes. These forests include trees such as oaks, beeches, maples, and birches,
as well as pines, firs, and spruces.
The forest in Denali National Park, Alaska, contains both coniferous trees, such as
pines, and deciduous trees, such as birches.