What is wildlife and why is it important to the forest?

Each species and group of wildlife has its own role in the forest ecosytem. Some of these functions are well-understood, others less so. What becomes increasingly obvious is the complex relationships among living things in the forest community.

Mammals. Mammals are the first group that most people think of when we talk about wildlife. These are the furry creatures we are most comfortable with. Forest mammals include predators like bears and mountain lions, herbivores such as deer, rodents that turn over the soil and serve as food to many other species, and bats which provide insect control.

Birds. Everyone likes to watch birds; they add delightful color, movement, and sound to the forest. In addition, predators such as owls and hawks keep the rodent population in check. Some birds disperse seeds, pollinate plants, or control insects. Movement through a bird¹s digestive system is necessary for the germination of some seeds.

Reptiles. This is a group of wildlife that some people find less than desirable, however, even snakes, lizards, and the like play an important role in the ecosystem. These are both predators of and prey for other species. Recently it was learned that western fence lizards cleanse ticks¹ blood of Lyme¹s Disease, a very handy trick.

Amphibians. Frogs and salamanders are another largely overlooked group in the forest. These are prey for a number of other animals and help control the insect population.

Fish. Humans like to eat fish as do many other species. It is now recognized that anadromous fish (those that move from freshwater to the ocean and back, e.g. salmon or steelhead) bring nutrients from the ocean to the terrestrial ecosystem.

Invertebrates. This is unfortunately the most undervalued group in the forest. Invertebrates are those animals that lack backbones—the worms, slugs, spiders, insects, etc. Besides providing food to many other species, invertebrates serve other functions—many are decomposers, they have the essential job of recycling nutrients through the ecosystem. Others are predators that keep down the pest population. Soil-dwelling invertebrates help aerate and build the soil. These also include important pollinators, necessary to plant reproduction.