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Westland Cloud Forest


Westland Cloud Forest
Photo Information
Copyright: Steve Reekie (LordPotty) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1449 W: 146 N: 3764] (12035)
Genre: Landscapes
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-01-22
Categories: Mountain
Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8
Exposure: f/2.8, 1/30 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-01-29 15:12
Viewed: 2016
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This was taken high in the West Coast forest,just below the tree line,as we descended from the alpine section of the Croesus Track,crossing from Blackball to Barrytown.

Most of the cloud forest here is comprised of Nothofagus (Beech) and Kamahi (an endemic New Zealand species.
Cloud forests of various kinds are found around the world.
Here is some information about them that I found in Wikipedia:

A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a high incidence of low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and vegetation, in which case they are also referred to as mossy forests. Mossy forests usually develop on the saddles of mountains, where moisture introduced by settling clouds is more effectively retained.
Characteristics
Typically, there is a relatively small band of altitude in which the atmospheric environment is suitable for cloud forest development. This is characterized by persistent mist or clouds at the vegetation level, resulting in the reduction of direct sunlight and thus of evapotranspiration. Trees in these regions are generally shorter and more heavily stemmed than in lower altitude forests in the same regions, and the moisture promotes the development of an abundance of vascular epiphytes. This results in abundant moss and fern covering, and frequently flowers such as orchids may be found. Soils are rich but boggy, with a preponderance of peats and humus. Within cloud forests, much of the precipitation is in the form of fog drip, where fog condenses on tree leaves and then drips onto the ground below.

The definition of cloud forest can be ambiguous, with many countries not using the term (preferring such terms as Afromontane forest and upper montane rain forest, or more localised terms such as the Peruvian yungas, and the laurisilva of the Atlantic Islands), and occasionally subtropical and even temperate forests in which similar meteorological conditions occur are considered to be cloud forests.

Distribution of cloud forests:

Tropical and subtropical cloud forests exist in the following countries:
Angola
Australia
Bolivia
Brazil
Brunei
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Colombia
Costa Rica
Democratic Republic of Congo
Dominica
Ecuador
El Salvador
Fiji
Gabon
Guatemala
Guyana (Pakaraima Mountains)
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Jamaica (Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park)[2]
Kenya
Madagascar
Malaysia
Mexico
Federated States of Micronesia
Mozambique
Myanmar
Nicaragua
Oman
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Philippines
Rwanda
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
Trinidad and Tobago
United States (Hawaiʻi, Puerto Rico)
Venezuela
Vietnam

Temperate cloud forests:

Although far from being universally accepted as true cloud forests, several forests in temperate regions have strong similarities with tropical cloud forests. The term is further confused by occasional reference to cloud forests in tropical countries as "temperate" due to the cooler climate associated with these misty forests.

Distribution of temperate cloud forests:

Argentina
Australia - Lamington National Park (Queensland)
People's Republic of China - Yunnan Plateau, mountains of southern and eastern China
Colombia - Serranía de Macuira mountain range, in the middle of La Guajira Desert.
Dominican Republic - Western provinces such as Barahona
Haiti
Japan - parts of Yakushima Island
New Zealand - parts of Fiordland, Mt Taranaki and Mount Cargill, near Dunedin.
Portugal - Azores and Madeira
South Africa
Spain - Canary Islands (laurisilva)
Taiwan

As you can see in the Wikipedia article,our New Zealand forests are placed in the Temperate Cloud Forest category.

Hope you like this shot from 'Middle Earth"
Thanks for looking,

Steve
valy67, jusninasirun, elizabeth, eqshannon, mohaiminawang, meyerd, haraprasan, gannu, ramthakur, oanaotilia, ferranjlloret, Gert-Paassen, bartove, saeedabbasi has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Steve


I like the trees. the levels of the green and the atmosphere.

Best Regards

Murilo

Hi Steve,

Reminded me of Lord of the Rings. Excellent dreamy shot with lichen and light works well with these big trees. Well framed and good exposure.

TFS and warmest regards,
Jusni

Kewl Steve...looks like something very exotic, and patterns of like energy and...something I ate...or lets say ingested...wow would cover it.. I love this almost abstract notion...You certainly had an eye for it this time guy!
B;

Hi Steve,

Beautiful nature,trees branches with full of lichen & fresh.Good POV and original colout.TFS.

regards
mohaimin

Hi Steve,

an incredible sight, this great picture of a foggy cloud forest. You made the fog look really good, a thing difficult to achieve in photography. And you had some problems to overcome due to lack of sufficient light. Thanks for the explanations in the note too.

Best regards
Dietrich

Namastay Steve,
A nice capture of this beautiful tropical forest. You have shot it in a nice composition with very good natural light. Thanks a lot for sharing.

Sincerely
Hara

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1168 W: 261 N: 3035] (13835)
  • [2009-01-30 2:31]

Hi Steve,

A very nice capture,almost looks like a bit spooky forest to me,must be great to see this atmosphere in the real,thanks for sharing and have a nice weekend

Paul

  •      
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 4 N: 3262] (14691)
  • [2009-01-30 4:01]

Steve, Lovely mix of colors and a good note. The tones are beautiful and looks natural. Good landscape shot. TFS Ganesh (PS I am sorry I am finished with my all bank balance today).

I have seen such lichen and moss covered trees in the Himalayas, Steve, but in your picture they overwhelm the senses with their rich profusion.
You have used the ambient light in the forest to create a very realistic impression of the place.
Thanks for sharing the picture and all the best.
Ram

Hi Steve
What a mysteroius place!
I feel like being in the world of the Lord of the Ring.
A bit overexposed in the right upper corner but the colours and the mist that you've caught give the picture wonderful atmosphere.
Congratulations
Ania

Ciao Steve, fantastic light in a magic forest, very well done, ciao Silvio

Hi Steve,
A very interesting document, good shot, well composed. TFS and best regards. Ferran.

Beautiful natureof a foggy cloud forest.
good shot, well composed.
Eyal

Hello Steve - again !
I just realized now that I never really looked into your gallery, during the 3 yeas I am on TN - I still wonder why... This picture is absolutely amazing ! The forest looks old, mysterious, almost like in a fairy tale - I couldeasily imagine a troop of mves walking in there ! :-) Great mood, great atmosphere. Just makes me want to jump in a plane and come visit this place ! :-)
Very well done !
Valerie.

Hi dear Steve ,
So nice foggy forest.It has lovely atmosphere.
I like foggy forest so much.

Thanks for sharing
Regards
Saeed

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