An Immoderation of Mosses

If you believe in moderation as a foundational philosophical principle, the Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park, Washington, might not be for you. Mosses cover, drape from and envelop nearly everything that stays still for very long, and the excess of mosses goes so far that different types of moss often appear to overtake each other (I wonder whether in Darwinian competition or in symbiosis?). The sensory result as you might imagine is tremendous beauty, as it often is when nature's greatest exuberances are on full display.

 

This semi-closeup is of a stand of conifers of some sort, with all but their topmost branches long having exchanged needles for vibrant coats of mosses. I became somewhat obsessed with trying to interestingly photograph these scenes where the moss-laden branches of nearby trees interlocked like impenetrable emerald turnstiles. It's a bit of a jumble to be sure, but if the goal is to show how omnipresent, or immoderate, the moss coverage is in many parts of the Hoh, this might do the trick.

 

Thanks for viewing!

 

Done