Salmo Research Natural Area Colville National Forest , USFS Canadian Rockies Ecoregion Cell(s): Subalpine fir/Cascades azalea-fools huckleberry Western hemlock/Queen's cup Western larch forest Western red cedar/devil's club Western white pine forest Mid-elevation stream and riparian system

Access by road and trail; road closed in winter, but south boundary is snowmobile accessible

The 563 ha Salmo RNA is located on a steep, dissected, north-facing slope in the Colville National Forest, Pend Oreille County, Washington. Elevations range from 1158 to 2080 m. The predominant community on the upper slope of the RNA is subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa)/Cascades azalea (Rhododendron albiflorum)-fool's huckleberry (Menziesia ferruginea). The shrub cover is dense and includes Cascades azalea, fool's huckleberry, Sitka alder (Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata), big huckleberry (Vaccinium membranaceum), Sitka mountain ash (Sorbus sitchensis var. sitchensis), and Cascade mountain ash (Sorbus scopulina var. cascadensis). Due to its limited distribution in Washington, Idaho, and Montana, the abundance of Cascades azalea in the area is of interest. Mixed forests of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), western red cedar (Thuja plicata), western white pine (Pinus monticola), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), grand fir (Abies grandis), mountain larch (Larix occidentalis), and lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) occur on the lower slopes. The understory is a mix of shrubs and forbs, and mosses are also abundant. Western hemlock with either lady-fern (Athyrium) or devil's club (Oplopanax horridus) occurs along streams and in very moist areas. Several saxifrages are also found in these areas, including Leptarrhena pyrolifolia, Tellima grandiflora, Parnassia fimbriata, and Saxifraga arguta. A number of species of arboreal lichens are abundant in the old-growth tress in the natural area. Mountain caribou, an endangered species, depends on the lichens for winter food. Other rare and endangered species found in the area include grizzly bear, gray wolf, wolverine, marten, and Canadian lynx. Strong winds occasionally cause windthrow and wind breakage. The following insects and diseases have also impacted the area: Engelmann spruce spruce beetle, mountain pine beetle, larch casebearer, white pine blister rust, and Indian paint fungus.