Ronald J. Taylor

Ronald J. Taylor Research Natural Area (RNA) was established to represent an alpine mosaic with krummholz tree groups in the western North Cascades. The RNA includes snowfields and glaciers with steep slopes. Mesic herb, dwarf shrub, snowbed, tree clump, dry graminoid, herb-field, fell-field, vegetation stripe, and krummholz are dominant plant communities of the subalpine and alpine zones.  Mesic herb communities are present on fairly well to well drained sites while the dwarf shrub community is present in mesic areas or sporadically along the lower flanks of the ridge. Subalpine aster (Aster sibiricus) and pale gentian (Gentiana glauca) are sensitive species present in the RNA.