Ecosystem

On the simplest level, you can divide Alaska into 3 main ecosystems: temperate rainforest, boreal forest, and tundra.  The Southcentral region (circled in red) has two of these: temperate rainforest and boreal forest.  You may notice that the dividing line between these is exactly the coastal mountain ranges.  That is because the warm, wet climate on the ocean side of the mountains promotes temperate rainforest species (just like in the Southeast region), and the colder, drier climate north of the mountains creates a boreal forest.

We can see this transition in the communities around the region. In areas north of the mountains, such as Soldotna, Anchorage, Palmer, Talkeetna, and Glenallen, the tree species are primarily white and black spruce, aspen, birch, and cottonwood. In communities along the coast, such as Homer, Seward, Girdwood, and Valdez, the tree species include Sitka spruce, mountain hemlock, and other flora associated with the rainforests.

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