Temperate rainforests are typically found near extensive bodies of water and towering mountain ranges. They are primarily concentrated along coastal regions, although certain inland mountain ranges can also host temperate rainforests, thanks to the distinctive weather conditions brought about by significant elevation variations. While some temperate rainforests can be quite expansive, the majority tend to be relatively compact. This is due in part to the limited availability of temperate regions that receive substantial rainfall, as well as the impacts of agricultural activities and urban development.
Appalachian Temperate Rainforest
Stretching from northern Georgia to western North Carolina, the Appalachian temperate rainforest is perched atop one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. Warm air from the Gulf of Mexico leads to precipitation when it reaches the mountainous landscape, and the Appalachian forests average more than 60 inches of rainfall per year.
Valdivian Temperate Rainforest
The Valdivian temperate rainforest is found on the west coast of Chile and Argentina, on the wet, western slopes of the Andes mountain range. After the Pacific rainforests in North America, it’s the second-largest temperate rainforest in the world. Isolated by the coastline to the west, the imposing peaks of the Andes to the east, and the Atacama Desert to the north, the region functions as an inland island of sorts that supports a number of plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world.
Fiordland and Westland Temperate Rainforests
The South Island of New Zealand is home to two connected temperate forests known respectively as the Fiordland and Westland forests. Both are on the west coast of the island, where mountain topography creates a rain shadow effect. Some parts of the region see as much as 433 inches of precipitation annually.
Fragas do Eume
Situated in northwestern Spain, the Fragas do Eume is a small stretch of temperate rainforest that straddles the Eume River. European oak is the dominant species, though alder, chestnut, birch, and ash trees thrive as well. The dense forest canopy, combined with its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, creates a dark, humid environment on the forest floor that supports 20 fern species and about 200 lichen species. The forest is preserved as a 22,000-acre natural park.
Knysna-Amatole Rainforests
The continent of Africa has only two enclaves of temperate rainforest—the Knysna and Amatole forests in South Africa. Though they are often referred to in conjunction, the two are distinct forests. The Knysna extends along the southern coast, while the Amatole is further inland on the slopes of the Amatole mountain range. The forests receive about 20 to 60 inches of rainfall per year, and are often cloaked in fog that rolls in from the Indian Ocean.
