Moss Harvest I

One characteristic of Pacific Northwest forests that you are not likely to miss is moss.  And neither have the non-timber forest product harvesters for over 50 years (Peck 2006a).

Red alder (Alnus rubra) (far left) were once targeted for harvest, but by now have mostly been harvested for timber or already stripped of moss.  Understory vine-maple (Acer circinatum) (center, right) are now the primary host.  As you can see, the moss can be removed very cleanly, leaving bare bark behind.

Mossy vine maple stems are everywhere once you start looking!

These thick mats would be harvested by hand, after free climbing the trees, stuffed into coffee bean bags, and packed out on the backs of the harvesters.

Sometimes, however, the moss is missing.