Wind River Experimental Forest NEON - United States of America

Wind River Experimental Forest (WREF) is a terrestrial NEON field site located 60 km (37 mi.) northeast of Vancouver, WA. The 42 km2 (10,400 acre) site lies within the Wind River Experimental Forest in the south central area of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, which is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. While best known for its old-growth Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) stands, the forest is a mosaic of tree ages due to management practices and wildfire history. Known as the cradle of forestry in the Pacific Northwest, the Wind River Experimental Forest has a long history of ecology and silviculture studies. WREF is located in NEON's Pacific Northwest Domain (D16), which is bounded by the Pacific on the west and Canada on the north. It includes the eastern halves of Washington and Oregon and parts of northern California. The Domain hosts three other field sites: two aquatic and one additional terrestrial. It is near the MART aquatic site.