Ravenwood
Heavily forested conifer woods cover a landscape of hilly, hard packed dirt that has been further reinforced by a massive network of roots and the microbiomes that keep them healthy. This is a temperate forest, with much of it remaining cold enough, year round, to maintain ice in the ice houses. Snow has a habit of remaining on the ground year round in some of the shadier places of the wood.
The environmental effects are, it is supposed, the fault of a weather anomaly caused by the intense heat wafting upwards from the central structure, know as Rolfe Tower. That structure is surrounded by concentric (more or less) rings of streets, homes and businesses, neatly divided up and aesthetically balaced until the outskirts of that city are reached. There, the forest takes over once again; thick, foreboding and deadly. Much of the folklore in Ravenwood regards being surrounded by that dark, cold forest.
Geography
Located on the western plateau of the continental plateau of The City of the Lights, water is never a problem from both a arainfall and a groundwater perspective. Wells can be dug at fifteen feet throughout the forest, if one is able to get down through the thick tangle of roots, tree and otherwise.
Ecosystem
Ravenwood's ecosystem is characterized by intricate ecological relationships. To wit, pollinators such as bees, Lunar Moths, and various birds, help in the reproduction of flowering plants. Dispersers, like squirrels and chipmunks, spread seeds around the forest as they digest their own food. These examples are only a very few of the processes that are essential for the survival and regeneration of plant species.
Localized Phenomena
The weather in Ravenwood stays significantly colder year round than other places in the same relative lattitudes. It is theorized that this is due to the intense heat rising from the central tower, moving cold air down in an opposing column.
Climate
The climate is characterized by high precipitation throughout the entire year. Winters are cool and moist, while summers are relatively mild.
Fauna & Flora
Massive conifers, such as fir, and sitka spruce, abound. Red cedar and white pine are also some of the more populous trees of the regions, as are redwoods and monterey pine. It is all the ceiling for a diverse understory featuring thousands of types of ferns, mosses, lichen and various shrubberies. The forest floor is covered with a thick layer of decaying plant material, which helps to enrich the soil and encourages new plants growth.
Warm blooded animals such as black bears, elk, deer, cougar, and other sundry small mammals can be found in these forests. Bird species like owls, woodpeckers, and songbirds are also common. Additionally, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates contribute to the overall biodiversity of the ecosystem, strengthening the local ecosystem all the more.
Warm blooded animals such as black bears, elk, deer, cougar, and other sundry small mammals can be found in these forests. Bird species like owls, woodpeckers, and songbirds are also common. Additionally, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates contribute to the overall biodiversity of the ecosystem, strengthening the local ecosystem all the more.
Natural Resources
Timber, NTFPs1 like wild edible mushrooms, and water products, diverse wildlife and a wealth of usable flora. Carbon sequestration is also an important part of the forest systems, though it is certainly less noticeable.
History
This forest is old; very, very old. It has been the purview of Count Rolfe Rodrigo Schartenheiney the IV for nearly 1500 years.
Tourism
There is no tourism, into the Ravenwood. There is only one official road into the interior forest, where the hamlets and towns surrounding the central tower have all been built. The woods are known to be dangerous, with overly smart wolves stalking like guard patrols.
1 Non timber forest products
Alternative Name(s)
Wolf Wood
Type
Forest, Boreal (Coniferous)
Location under
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