Subalpine Fir-Spruce Type 



Important Statistics 

 CFL Area (thousand acres) 



56.1 

 Net Volume 



114,038 Mft3 

 333,315 MBFS 



Percentage of CFL Total 

 4.8 



6.5 

 7.1 



Commercial stands of the subalpine fir-spruce type were sampled at 

 elevations from 4,100 to 9,200 feet. Besides subalpine fir and spruce (Picea 

 species) the most common associated tree species were lodgepole pine and 

 whitebark pine. The sample estimated this forest type to consist of about 40 

 percent subalpine fir and 30 percent spruce on a cubic foot basis. On the 

 drier, more exposed sites, stands of this type contain very few, if any, 

 spruce trees. 



Forest stands of this type tend to be uneven aged and heavily stocked 

 under natural conditions. Subalpine fir is highly shade tolerant and grows in 

 cold, moist climates. It is not a preferred timber species due to the brittle 

 nature of its wood and its susceptibility to heart rot. However, subalpine fir 

 is growing in importance as logging moves higher into the mountains. 



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