Location Name: Mack Creek - MACKCR

Parent: Andrews Mack Creek Watershed - WSMACK

Vegetation:

The old growth Mack Creek reach flows through old-growth forest in which Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), and western redcedar (Thuja plicata) form a nearly closed canopy over the stream channel. Bigleaf maple (Acer macrophyllum) also grow within the riparian zone. Upstream of the road crossing, Mack Creek drains the largest uncut portion of the Andrews Forest. Its forest cover, due to the north-facing aspect, has experienced no fires in 450+ years and is unusually rich in old-growth relative other uncut areas of the Andrews (Weisberg, 1998). Hence, the old-growth reach is unique within the Andrews Forest and probably has few analogues in the Western Cascades.The riparian zone within the clearcut reach contains abundant willow (Salix spp.) along the channel margins and on mid-channel bars, as well as some vine maple (Acer circinatum) and mature red alder (Alnus rubra). The clearcut reach, in contrast, may be more representative of many 3rd-order streams on public forest land today.