Northeastern Highlands (ecoregion)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Northeastern Highlands ecoregion is a Level III ecoregion designated by the
United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
(EPA) in the
U.S. states In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
of
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
,
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
,
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
,
Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
,
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
,
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, and
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. The
ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...
extends from the northern tip of Maine and runs south along the
Appalachian Mountain Range The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
into eastern Pennsylvania. Discontiguous sections are located among New York's
Adirondack Mountains The Adirondack Mountains (; a-də-RÄN-dak) form a massif in northeastern New York with boundaries that correspond roughly to those of Adirondack Park. They cover about 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2). The mountains form a roughly circular ...
, Catskill Range, and
Tug Hill Tug Hill, sometimes referred to as the Tug Hill Plateau, is an upland region in northern New York State, famous for heavy winter snows. The Tug Hill region is east of Lake Ontario, north of Oneida Lake, and west of the Adirondack Mountains. The r ...
. The largest portion of the Northeastern Highlands ecoregion encompasses several sub mountain ranges, including the
Berkshires The Berkshires () are a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and northwest Connecticut. The term "Berkshires" is normally used by locals in reference to the portion of the Vermont-based Green Mountains that ex ...
,
Green Mountains The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont. The range runs primarily south to north and extends approximately from the border with Massachusetts to the border with Quebec, Canada. The part of the same range that is in ...
, Taconic, and White Mountains. The
mountainous A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...
region is underlain by
metamorphic rock Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock to new types of rock in a process called metamorphism. The original rock (protolith) is subjected to temperatures greater than and, often, elevated pressure of or more, causin ...
and
glacial till image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...
. The ecoregion is flanked by several others including the: Acadian Plains and Hills,
Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands The Eastern Great Lakes and Hudson Lowlands region extends along the south shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River to Lake Champlain, and south down the Hudson River. It is primarily within the state of New York, with sma ...
, Northeastern Coastal Zone, Northern Allegheny Plateau,
Ridge and Valley The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending ...
, and Northern Piedmont ecoregions. The elevation generally ranges from to at the top of
Mount Washington Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River. The mountain is notorious for its erratic weather. On the afternoon of April 12, 1934, ...
, the region's highest and most prominent point. The region is characterized by hot humid summers and cold snowy winters. The nutrient-poor
spodosols In soil science, podzols are the typical soils of coniferous or boreal forests and also the typical soils of eucalypt forests and heathlands in southern Australia. In Western Europe, podzols develop on heathland, which is often a construct of huma ...
and other cryic soil types of the region support
boreal Boreal may refer to: Climatology and geography *Boreal (age), the first climatic phase of the Blytt-Sernander sequence of northern Europe, during the Holocene epoch *Boreal climate, a climate characterized by long winters and short, cool to mild ...
(north) and broadleaf (south) forests that cover the majority of the region.
Ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide funds ...
,
forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests, woodlands, and associated resources for human and environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands. Th ...
, and
agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
are the predominant land uses of the sparsely populated region.Griffith, G.E., Omernik, J.M., Bryce, S.A., Royte, J., Hoar, W.D., Homer, J.W., Keirstead, D., Metzler, K.J., and Hellyer, G., 2009, Ecoregions of New England (color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs): Reston, Virginia, U.S. Geological Survey (map scale 1:1,325,000). Though much of the region was once cleared to make farmland, much of it has reverted into natural forested areas. To a lesser extent,
dairy A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting or processing (or both) of animal milk – mostly from cows or buffaloes, but also from goats, sheep, horses, or camels – for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on ...
and
crop A crop is a plant that can be grown and harvested extensively for profit or subsistence. When the plants of the same kind are cultivated at one place on a large scale, it is called a crop. Most crops are cultivated in agriculture or hydroponic ...
s are still grown in lowland valleys and
beef cattle Beef cattle are cattle raised for meat production (as distinguished from dairy cattle, used for milk production). The meat of mature or almost mature cattle is mostly known as beef. In beef production there are three main stages: cow-calf operat ...
on
upland pasture Upland pasture (rough grazing and/or semi-natural rough grazing) is a type of semi-natural grassland located in uplands of rolling foothills or upon higher slopes, greater than 350 meters (1148.29 feet) and less than 600 meters (1968.50 feet) from ...
s. The ecoregion has been subdivided into thirty-three Level IV ecoregions. Native wild animals of the area include
American black bear The American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), also called simply a black bear or sometimes a baribal, is a medium-sized bear endemic to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most widely distributed bear species. American black bear ...
,
white-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...
,
moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult mal ...
,
bobcat The bobcat (''Lynx rufus''), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUC ...
,
coyote The coyote (''Canis latrans'') is a species of canis, canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf. It fills much of the same ecologica ...
,
skunk Skunks are mammals in the family Mephitidae. They are known for their ability to spray a liquid with a strong, unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Different species of skunk vary in appearance from black-and-white to brown, cream or ginge ...
,
raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...
,
chipmunk Chipmunks are small, striped rodents of the family Sciuridae. Chipmunks are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia. Taxonomy and systematics Chipmunks may be classified either as ...
,
squirrel Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. Squ ...
,
opossum Opossums () are members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia () endemic to the Americas. The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 93 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered North ...
,
porcupine Porcupines are large rodents with coats of sharp spines, or quills, that protect them against predation. The term covers two families of animals: the Old World porcupines of family Hystricidae, and the New World porcupines of family, Erethizont ...
,
fisher Fisher is an archaic term for a fisherman, revived as gender-neutral. Fisher, Fishers or The Fisher may also refer to: Places Australia *Division of Fisher, an electoral district in the Australian House of Representatives, in Queensland *Elect ...
,
eastern turkey The Eastern Anatolia Region ('' tr, Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi'') is a geographical region of Turkey. The most populous province in the region is Van Province. Other populous provinces are Malatya, Erzurum and Elazığ. It is bordered by the Black Se ...
,
northern bobwhite The northern bobwhite (''Colinus virginianus''), also known as the Virginia quail or (in its home range) bobwhite quail, is a ground-dwelling bird native to Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Cuba, with introduced populations elsewhere in th ...
,
great blue heron The great blue heron (''Ardea herodias'') is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North America and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and the Galápagos ...
, ducks,
loons Loons (North American English) or divers (British English, British / Irish English) are a group of aquatic birds found in much of North America and northern Eurasia. All living species of loons are members of the genus ''Gavia'', family (biolog ...
, and a host of other bird, reptile, amphibian, and fish species. The Northeastern Highlands ecoregion was within the range of other large mammals at the onset of European settlement, including
boreal woodland caribou The boreal woodland caribou (''Rangifer tarandus caribou''; but subject to a recent taxonomic revision. See Reindeer: taxonomy), also known as woodland caribou, boreal forest caribou and forest-dwelling caribou, is a North American subspecies of ...
— which inhabited northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine — as well as
American bison The American bison (''Bison bison'') is a species of bison native to North America. Sometimes colloquially referred to as American buffalo or simply buffalo (a different clade of bovine), it is one of two extant species of bison, alongside the ...
, which judicious estimates have placed in western portions of the Catskills and Adirondacks.
Puma Puma or PUMA may refer to: Animals * ''Puma'' (genus), a genus in the family Felidae ** Puma (species) or cougar, a large cat Businesses and organisations * Puma (brand), a multinational shoe and sportswear company * Puma Energy, a mid- and d ...
and
eastern elk The eastern elk (''Cervus canadensis canadensis'') is an extinct subspecies or distinct population of elk that inhabited the northern and eastern United States, and southern Canada. The last eastern elk was shot in Pennsylvania on September 1, ...
also once inhabited a majority of the region. Before European settlement, the region was inhabited by two principal indigenous groups: the Algonquian and Iroquoian peoples. The Algonquian community represents one of the largest and most geographically dispersed Native American language groups. They held prominence along the Atlantic Coast and within the inland areas adjacent to the
St. Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (french: Fleuve Saint-Laurent, ) is a large river in the middle latitudes of North America. Its headwaters begin flowing from Lake Ontario in a (roughly) northeasterly direction, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, connecting ...
and the vicinity of the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
. On the other hand, the Iroquoian peoples form an
ethnolinguistic Ethnolinguistics (sometimes called cultural linguistics) is an area of anthropological linguistics that studies the relationship between a language and the nonlinguistic cultural behavior of the people who speak that language. __NOTOC__ Examples ...
collective originating from the eastern expanse of North America. Their traditional territories, often denoted as "Iroquoia" by scholarly circles, extend from the northern mouth of the St. Lawrence River down to present-day
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
in the southern reaches.


Level IV ecoregions


58a. Taconic Mountains

The
Taconic Mountains The Taconic Mountains or Taconic Range () are a range of the Appalachian Mountains, running along the eastern border of New York State and adjacent New England from northwest Connecticut to western Massachusetts, north to central western Vermont. ...
ecoregion runs north-south for along New York's eastern border, spanning eastern New York, southwestern Vermont, far western Massachusetts, and the northwest corner of Connecticut. The range exhibits a rugged appearance despite lower elevations compared to the nearby Catskills and Adirondacks, with elevations of and local relief of . Predominantly metamorphic bedrock gives rise to a varied landscape of steep and gentle slopes, narrow valleys, springs, and caves due to soluble
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
. The humid continental climate, frost-free growing season of 90-135 days, and slightly elevated precipitation characterize the region. The northern-southern expanse leads to discernible forest type shifts.
Northern hardwood forest The northern hardwood forest is a general type of North American forest ecosystem found over much of southeastern and south-central Canada, Ontario, and Quebec, extending south into the United States in northern New England, New York, and Pennsyl ...
s thrive on cooler mid-to-high elevation sites, housing sugar maple, American beech, American basswood, and yellow birch, with spruce-fir at highest elevations. Oak-hickory forests with species like
northern red oak ''Quercus rubra'', the northern red oak, is an oak tree in the red oak group (''Quercus'' section ''Lobatae''). It is a native of North America, in the eastern and central United States and southeast and south-central Canada. It has been introdu ...
and
shagbark hickory ''Carya ovata'', the shagbark hickory, is a common hickory in the Eastern United States and southeast Canada. It is a large, deciduous tree, growing well over tall, and can live more than 350 years. The tallest measured shagbark, located in Sa ...
dominate lower, drier slopes.
Pitch pine ''Pinus rigida'', the pitch pine, is a small-to-medium-sized pine. It is native to eastern North America, primarily from central Maine south to Georgia and as far west as Kentucky. It is found in environments which other species would find unsuit ...
and
bear oak ''Quercus ilicifolia'', commonly known as bear oak or scrub oak, is a small shrubby oak native to the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. Its range extends in the United States from Maine to North Carolina, with reports of a few popula ...
cover the highest elevations in the south. Isolated old-growth forests remain in
Mount Washington State Forest Mount Washington State Forest is a state forest in the Mount Washington, Massachusetts. The forest conjoins with New York state and the state of Connecticut in the southern Taconic Mountains of the southwestern Berkshire region of Massachusett ...
and
Mount Everett State Reservation Mount Everett State Reservation is a public recreation area in the towns of Mount Washington and Sheffield, Massachusetts, that offers panoramic views of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York from the summit of Mount Everett. The reservation ...
. The area is sparsely populated with minimal agricultural use; forests encompass most of the region. It borders the Taconic Foothills to the west, the Rensselaer Plateau to the center, and the Western New England Marble Valleys to the east, with a small border with the Champlain Lowlands to the north. Taconic Ridge State Park and Taconic Trail State Park are components of the Taconic Mountains region, providing protected spaces for both conservation and recreation. Taconic Ridge State Park spans areas of New York and Massachusetts. This park includes portions of the
Taconic Crest Trail The Taconic Crest Trail is a hiking trail in the Taconic Mountains in the northeastern United States. The trail extends from U.S. Route 20 in Hancock, Massachusetts, less than east of the New York border, north along the ridgecrest of the Taconi ...
. Taconic Trail State Park, located in Massachusetts, encompasses several woodlands and offers a network of trails, including sections of the
Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail (also called the A.T.), is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tr ...
. The highest peak in the Taconic Mountains is
Mount Equinox Equinox Mountain is a mountain in Bennington County, Vermont, United States, in the town of Manchester. The mountain is the highest peak of the Taconic Range, and the highest point of Bennington County. It is one of thirteen peaks in Vermont wit ...
in Vermont at . Despite being mostly private property, it contains sizable state forests, parks, and protected preserves. Conservation efforts involve organizations like the
Berkshire Natural Resources Council The Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) is a non-profit land conservation and environmental advocacy organization formed in 1967 that protects and maintains more than 50 properties and of conservation restrictions around the Berkshires in ...
and
The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. it works via affiliates or branches in 79 countries and territories, as well as across every state in the US. Founded in 1951, The Natu ...
, with designated areas under the
Forest Legacy Program The Forest Legacy Program was established in the 1990 United States farm bill to protect environmentally important forest lands that are threatened by conversion to nonforest uses. It provides federal funding for conservation easements and fee simp ...
.


58aa. Acid Sensitive Adirondacks

The Acid Sensitive Adirondacks derive their name from the underlying bedrock which has a low acid-neutralizing capacity and is one of the regions of the Northeastern Highlands that has been most affected by
acid rain Acid rain is rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it has elevated levels of hydrogen ions (low pH). Most water, including drinking water, has a neutral pH that exists between 6.5 and 8.5, but acid ...
. The Acid Sensitive Adirondacks constitute the largest level IV region of the
Adirondack Mountains The Adirondack Mountains (; a-də-RÄN-dak) form a massif in northeastern New York with boundaries that correspond roughly to those of Adirondack Park. They cover about 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2). The mountains form a roughly circular ...
. Acid rain has acidified the region's lakes to the point where they are uninhabitable for fish; terrestrial effects of acid rain have resulted in leaching of calcium and release of aluminum, which has resulted in tree mortality. Tree cover in the region is dominated by conifers including
red Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondar ...
,
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, and
black spruce ''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of the province of Newfoundland and Labra ...
, as well as
balsam fir ''Abies balsamea'' or balsam fir is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada (Newfoundland west to central Alberta) and the northeastern United States (Minnesota east to Maine, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to ...
,
red maple ''Acer rubrum'', the red maple, also known as swamp maple, water maple, or soft maple, is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern and central North America. The U.S. Forest Service recognizes it as the most abundant nativ ...
,
yellow birch ''Betula alleghaniensis'', the yellow birch, golden birch, or swamp birch, is a large tree and an important lumber species of birch native to northeastern North America. Its vernacular names refer to the golden color of the tree's bark. In the pa ...
, and
black cherry ''Prunus serotina'', commonly called black cherry,World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference, Second Edition'. CRC Press; 19 April 2016. . p. 833–. wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a deciduous tree or shrub of the g ...
. The Acid Sensitive Adirondacks are in the southwestern portion of the
Adirondack Park The Adirondack Park is a part of New York's Forest Preserve in northeastern New York, United States. The park was established in 1892 for “the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure”, and for watershed protection. The park ...
and are composed of the Independence River Wild Forest, the Black River Wild Forest, and the Moose River Plains. The western gateway community of Old Forge is central to the eco-region.


58ab. Northern and Western Adirondack Foothills

The Northern and Western Adirondack Foothills encompass a curved expanse in upstate New York, encircling the higher elevations of the Adirondacks to the north, west, and southwest. This area serves as a transitional zone between the mountainous terrain and the adjacent lowlands. The landscape gradually ascends from around in elevation across a span of . The area is blanketed by thick glacial deposits, which hinder stream drainage in multiple sections. Despite its steep incline, the region generally features a high water table and abundant wetlands, an unusual characteristic. The narrowest and most abrupt elevation shifts occur in the southwest and western sectors. Conversely, the northern part of the region widens slightly, showcasing a more gentle gradient and smoother slopes. Originally, spruce trees dominated the forests here. However, extensive logging activities led to their depletion, with only a few specific soil types supporting their resurgence. Presently, the area is dominated by second-growth northern hardwood forests, including tree species like sugar maple, American beech, black cherry, and yellow birch. The western foothills and northern
outwash An outwash plain, also called a sandur (plural: ''sandurs''), sandr or sandar, is a plain formed of glaciofluvial deposits due to meltwater outwash at the terminus of a glacier. As it flows, the glacier grinds the underlying rock surface and ca ...
areas host substantial populations of eastern white pine, while aspen and birch prevail more in the north. Areas with shallow or water-saturated soils foster coniferous forests composed of red spruce, white spruce, black spruce, and balsam fir. Notably, bogs are home to dominant black spruce and tamarack trees, accompanied by understory vegetation such as
sheep laurel ''Kalmia angustifolia'' is a flowering shrub in the family Ericaceae, commonly known as sheep laurel. It is distributed in eastern North America from Ontario and Quebec south to Virginia. It grows commonly in dry habitats in the boreal forest, ...
and
labrador tea Labrador tea is a common name for three closely related plant species in the genus ''Rhododendron'' as well as an herbal tea made from their leaves. All three species are primarily wetland plants in the heath family. The herbal tea has been a ...
. Agricultural activities are limited in this vicinity, primarily focused on cultivating
forage crops Fodder (), also called provender (), is any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock, such as cattle, rabbits, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. "Fodder" refers particularly to food given to the animals (includin ...
. Logging stands as a more active land use, with significant public lands preserved for wildlife habitats and recreational and tourism pursuits. Surrounding the Acid-Sensitive Adirondacks, except for the northeast where it borders the Central Adirondacks in a single location, this region holds a unique position. Towards the northeastern extremity, where the foothills envelop the Adirondacks, the Eastern Adirondack Foothills border it. This adjoining region, distinguished ecologically, is treated as a distinct entity. Lowering in elevation, the Northern and Western Adirondack Foothills neighbor the Upper St. Lawrence Valley to the north and west, along with the
Mohawk Valley The Mohawk Valley region of the U.S. state of New York is the area surrounding the Mohawk River, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and Catskill Mountains, northwest of the Capital District. As of the 2010 United States Census, th ...
to the south and southwest.


58ac. Eastern Adirondack Foothills

The Eastern Adirondack Foothills serve as a pivotal intermediary zone nestled between the western Adirondacks and the lowlands situated to the east. This geographical domain envelops the eastern and southeastern peripheries of the Adirondack Mountains, manifesting climatic and geological distinctions that set it apart from the
foothills Foothills or piedmont are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range, higher hill range or an upland area. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills and the adjacent topograp ...
encompassing the mountains' northern, western, and southwestern sectors. In the northern expanse of this locale, the predominant
bedrock In geology, bedrock is solid Rock (geology), rock that lies under loose material (regolith) within the crust (geology), crust of Earth or another terrestrial planet. Definition Bedrock is the solid rock that underlies looser surface mater ...
substratum primarily comprises
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
and
anorthosite Anorthosite () is a phaneritic, intrusive igneous rock characterized by its composition: mostly plagioclase feldspar (90–100%), with a minimal mafic component (0–10%). Pyroxene, ilmenite, magnetite, and olivine are the mafic minerals most c ...
formations. Meanwhile, the southern reaches of this area showcase a blend of these foundational rock types in conjunction with others. The climatic conditions prevailing within this region exhibit characteristics of a
humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
. Particularly pronounced in the northern domain, the
rain shadow effect A rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side. Evaporated moisture from water bodies (such as oceans and large lakes) is carrie ...
induces lower precipitation levels than those typically encountered in the broader surroundings. However, the moisture content remains sufficiently elevated to sustain luxuriant forests. The topographical configuration is accentuated by the presence of expansive valleys incised by the Saranac and
Ausable Au Sable or Ausable may refer to various places: Michigan *Au Sable Township, Iosco County, Michigan **Au Sable, Michigan, an unincorporated community in the above township *Au Sable Township, Roscommon County, Michigan New York *Au Sable, New Y ...
rivers in the northeast. These valleys facilitate the penetration of milder climatic influences from lower-lying areas into the foothills. In the southern sector, the landscape assumes a more rugged demeanor, accompanied by a relatively abrupt transition. This results in a semblance of climatic consistency throughout this extensive north-south stretch, thereby mitigating the impact of colder winters as one proceeds northward. The average frost-free interval spans between 90 and 145 days. Historically, the
primeval forest An old-growth forestalso termed primary forest, virgin forest, late seral forest, primeval forest, or first-growth forestis a forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, and thereby exhibits unique ecological featur ...
cover encompassing this realm was characterized by northern hardwood forests, interspersed with select species from the Appalachian oak forest biome at the lower gradients that abut the
Hudson Valley The Hudson Valley (also known as the Hudson River Valley) comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in the U.S. state of New York. The region stretches from the Capital District including Albany and Troy south to ...
and Champlain Lowlands. Despite its modest population density, the Eastern Adirondack Foothills are more settled than their higher-altitude counterparts within the Adirondacks. The majority of development is concentrated along major thoroughfares traversing the territory, converging within a handful of petite municipalities situated along these arterial routes. Geographically, this region is flanked along a substantial length of its perimeter by the Champlain Lowlands to the east. To the south, it interfaces with the Hudson Valley in the southeast and the
Mohawk Valley The Mohawk Valley region of the U.S. state of New York is the area surrounding the Mohawk River, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and Catskill Mountains, northwest of the Capital District. As of the 2010 United States Census, th ...
in the southwest. At its northern extremity, it abuts the Northern and Western Adirondack Foothills—a distinct geological and climatic precinct. On its western boundary lie the elevated Central Adirondacks and the Adirondack High Peaks, while at the southern terminus, it interfaces with the Acid Sensitive Adirondacks, which also enclose a discrete enclave encircled by the Eastern Adirondack Foothills. This region's multifaceted identity thus emerges as an interface between diverse geological formations, climatic influences, and ecological nuances, further accentuated by the subtle interplay of human settlements,
agricultural economics Agricultural economics is an applied field of economics concerned with the application of economic theory in optimizing the production and distribution of food and fiber products. Agricultural economics began as a branch of economics that specif ...
, ecotourism prospects, and the recreational havens presented by its parks and natural spaces.


58ad. Central Adirondacks

The Central Adirondacks, a mid-elevation region of the Adirondacks, feature acid-neutralizing bedrock, protecting waterways from acidification. Spanning an irregular shape within the Adirondack region, this area has elevations of , with low-to-moderate relief mountains and hills. Historically covered by spruce and white pine forests, the landscape now holds earlier-successional hardwood communities, conifer-heavy variants of northern hardwood forests, and lakeside mixes of pine. While sparsely populated, the region supports small towns, tourism, recreation, and logging. Almost entirely forested, it is bordered by the Acid Sensitive Adirondacks to the west and, to the east, by the higher-elevation Adirondack High Peaks and the Eastern Adirondack Foothills to the north and south. Reported land use and towns within the Central Adirondacks highlight its limited agricultural presence, with extensive public land used primarily for tourism, recreation, and logging. It is central to the
Adirondack Park The Adirondack Park is a part of New York's Forest Preserve in northeastern New York, United States. The park was established in 1892 for “the free use of all the people for their health and pleasure”, and for watershed protection. The park ...
, a vast state-protected area in Upstate New York, renowned for its diverse ecosystems, outdoor recreational opportunities, and extensive forested landscapes.


58ae.

Tug Hill Plateau Tug Hill, sometimes referred to as the Tug Hill Plateau, is an upland region in northern New York State, famous for heavy winter snows. The Tug Hill region is east of Lake Ontario, north of Oneida Lake, and west of the Adirondack Mountains. The r ...

The Tug Hill Plateau Eco-region, located in upstate New York, is a distinctive landscape shaped by its unique combination of geographical factors. Spanning an elevated area east of
Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...
and the Tug Hill Upland, this plateau experiences a humid continental climate with precipitation influenced by both lake effect and
orographic lift Orographic lift occurs when an air mass is forced from a low elevation to a higher elevation as it moves over rising terrain. As the air mass gains altitude it quickly cools down adiabatically, which can raise the relative humidity to 100% and cr ...
. These meteorological phenomena bring substantial rainfall and snowfall to the region, creating belts of high precipitation downwind of the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lakes ...
. The core of the Tug Hill Plateau rises due to its underlying Oswego sandstone, which is less erodible compared to the surrounding shales and siltstones. This elevation, combined with the plateau's flat topography covered by dense glacial till, contributes to a landscape of swamps and
bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...
s. The area's high annual precipitation and relatively flat terrain have led to the formation of numerous wetlands. Similar to the Rensselaer Plateau, the Tug Hill Plateau is notable for its expansive forested lands that play a vital role in supporting wildlife habitat and maintaining water quality. The region's history includes a period of widespread logging and farm abandonment, followed by reforestation efforts with successional hardwoods and large pine plantations. Tug Hill State Forest and
Tug Hill Wildlife Management Area A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...
collectively form a vital conservation corridor within eco region. These protected areas play a role in preserving the region's natural environment and diverse ecosystems. Tug Hill State Forest encompasses of forests, wetlands, and uplands, providing recreational opportunities like hiking, camping, and wildlife observation. On the other hand, Tug Hill Wildlife Management Area is dedicated to wildlife conservation and offers a haven for various species. These interconnected conservation areas contribute significantly to maintaining the ecological balance of the Tug Hill Plateau, showcasing the region's commitment to safeguarding its natural heritage.


58af. Tug Hill Transition

The Tug Hill Transition Eco-region encircles the Tug Hill Plateau in New York state, forming a distinctive doughnut-shaped area that serves as a bridge between the plateau and the surrounding lowlands. This region features sloping topography, a contrast to the adjacent areas it borders. Geologically, it differs from the plateau, characterized by siltstone and shale, leading to more fertile soils suitable for agriculture. The transition is marked by waterfalls along its central border with the plateau, leading into deep gorges. The climate in this region resembles that of the plateau, but with slightly less intensity. It experiences a humid continental climate with relatively higher precipitation in conjunction with cool temperatures. The proximity to
Lake Ontario Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...
and orographic lift contribute to the increased moisture content in the air, resulting in elevated precipitation levels. The frost-free growing season averages 100-140 days, falling between the plateau's and the surrounding lowlands' durations. The original forest cover, comprising northern hardwoods like sugar maple, American beech, yellow birch, and eastern hemlock, has been mostly cleared. The current landscape is a mix of cultivated farmland and regenerating forests. These forests are in earlier successional stages and include a combination of tree species such as sugar maple,
black cherry ''Prunus serotina'', commonly called black cherry,World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference, Second Edition'. CRC Press; 19 April 2016. . p. 833–. wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a deciduous tree or shrub of the g ...
, white ash, and red maple. Tug Hill State Forest and Tug Hill Wildlife Management Area create an essential conservation corridor, preserving the region's diverse ecosystems and natural environment. Tug Hill State Forest offers recreational activities in forests, wetlands, and uplands, while Tug Hill Wildlife Management Area focuses on wildlife conservation. Together, they maintain the ecological equilibrium of the Tug Hill Plateau and underscore the region's dedication to protecting its natural heritage.


58ag.

Rensselaer Plateau The Rensselaer Plateau is a small plateau located in the central portion of Rensselaer County, New York; it generally encompasses significant parts of the towns of Berlin, Stephentown, Sand Lake, Poestenkill, and Grafton, along with small secti ...

Nestled in the heart of
Rensselaer County, New York Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 161,130. Its county seat is Troy. The county is named in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the l ...
, the Rensselaer Plateau constitutes a distinctive and geologically intriguing area. This small, roughly circular region is characterized by a geological composition centered on
greywacke Greywacke or graywacke (German ''grauwacke'', signifying a grey, earthy rock) is a variety of sandstone generally characterized by its hardness, dark color, and poorly sorted angular grains of quartz, feldspar, and small rock fragments or lit ...
, a robust quartzite-dominated sandstone renowned for its erosion-resistant nature. Elevation within the plateau ranges from , with its terrain marked by gentle undulations and a minor local relief, generally reaching , save for the periphery where elevation differences peak at . The presence of occasional
shale Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4) and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especial ...
and conglomerate deposits alongside a rocky
glacial till image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...
further accentuate the region's geological makeup. The prevailing thin soils punctuate the uplands, interspersed with a network of kettle ponds and small
wetland A wetland is a distinct ecosystem that is flooded or saturated by water, either permanently (for years or decades) or seasonally (for weeks or months). Flooding results in oxygen-free (anoxic) processes prevailing, especially in the soils. The ...
s. Amidst the distinct geological framework, the Rensselaer Plateau boasts an ecosystem characterized by attributes more commonly found in northern latitudes. The climate here is notably colder than the neighboring low-lying areas, with a frost-free growing season spanning 90 to 135 days. The forest canopy predominantly comprises a medley of
northern hardwoods The northern hardwood forest is a general type of North American forest ecosystem found over much of southeastern and south-central Canada, Ontario, and Quebec, extending south into the United States in northern New England, New York, and Pennsylv ...
, accompanied by the likes of
red spruce ''Picea rubens'', commonly known as red spruce, is a species of spruce native to eastern North America, ranging from eastern Quebec and Nova Scotia, west to the Adirondack Mountains and south through New England along the Appalachians to western ...
,
balsam fir ''Abies balsamea'' or balsam fir is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada (Newfoundland west to central Alberta) and the northeastern United States (Minnesota east to Maine, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to ...
, and various wetland vegetation communities. Acidic
sphagnum bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...
s, graced with black spruce and
tamarack ''Larix laricina'', commonly known as the tamarack, hackmatack, eastern larch, black larch, red larch, or American larch, is a species of larch native to Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland, and als ...
, and
sedge meadows A hydrosere is a plant succession which occurs in an area of fresh water such as in oxbow lakes and kettle lakes. In time, an area of open freshwater will naturally dry out, ultimately becoming woodland. During this change, a range of different lan ...
lend a unique texture to the landscape. Adjacent to wetlands, spruce flats host an ensemble of red spruce, white spruce, black spruce, and balsam fir. Notably, south-facing slopes around the periphery feature pockets of Appalachian oak–hickory forest, once graced by the presence of the
American chestnut The American chestnut (''Castanea dentata'') is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree of the beech family native to eastern North America. As is true of all species in genus Castanea, the American chestnut produces burred fruit with edible nuts. ...
. Having undergone logging activities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the current forest stands on the plateau have regenerated as second-growth forests. Despite being relatively modest in protected public lands, this region hosts remarkably intact forest cover, rendering it a sanctuary of significant wildlife value. Its sparse population and limited agricultural activity mirror the challenge posed by its rocky, nutrient-poor soils and abbreviated growing season. The allure of tourism and recreational pursuits, coupled with modest mining endeavors related to the greywacke, contribute to the region's economy. Noteworthy public lands encompass
Cherry Plain State Park Cherry Plain State Park is a state park located in Rensselaer County, New York in the United States. The park is located in Cherry Plain at the southwest part of the Town of Berlin, near the Massachusetts border. Outdoor recreational opportunit ...
, Pittstown State Forest, and
Grafton Lakes State Park Grafton Lakes State Park is a state park located in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The park is in the central part of the Town of Grafton and north of the hamlet of Grafton on NY Route 2, northeast of Albany. The park contains t ...
, collectively preserving the essence of this exceptional region. The Rensselaer Plateau is hemmed in by the Taconic Foothills in most directions, with an exception to the east where it directly abuts the
Taconic Mountains The Taconic Mountains or Taconic Range () are a range of the Appalachian Mountains, running along the eastern border of New York State and adjacent New England from northwest Connecticut to western Massachusetts, north to central western Vermont. ...
. This eastern boundary is demarcated by a slender, steep-walled valley, chiseled by the meandering course of the Little Hoosic River.


58b. Western New England Marble Valleys


58c.

Green Mountains The Green Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Vermont. The range runs primarily south to north and extends approximately from the border with Massachusetts to the border with Quebec, Canada. The part of the same range that is in ...
/ Berkshire Highlands

The Green Mountains (Vermont)/Berkshire Highlands (Massachusetts) are part of the same level IV ecoregion, but are defined by different names per their political state boundaries. The region is dominated by steep mountainsides with prominence up to . Like most of the Northeastern Highlands ecoregion, the bedrock consists of metamorphic and glacial till and the soils are acidic, coarse, and low in nutrients. The area is primarily second growth forest, which has returned as a mixed conifer and hardwood stand. Common tree species include
red oak The genus Oak, ''Quercus'' contains about 500 species, some of which are listed here. The genus, as is the case with many List of the largest genera of flowering plants, large genera, is Taxonomic rank#Ranks in botany, divided into subgenus, subgen ...
,
sugar maple ''Acer saccharum'', the sugar maple, is a species of flowering plant in the soapberry and lychee family Sapindaceae. It is native to the hardwood forests of eastern Canada and eastern United States. Sugar maple is best known for being the prima ...
,
American beech ''Fagus grandifolia'', the American beech or North American beech, is a species of beech tree native to the eastern United States and extreme southeast of Canada. Description ''Fagus grandifolia'' is a large deciduous tree growing to tall, w ...
,
yellow birch ''Betula alleghaniensis'', the yellow birch, golden birch, or swamp birch, is a large tree and an important lumber species of birch native to northeastern North America. Its vernacular names refer to the golden color of the tree's bark. In the pa ...
,
eastern hemlock ''Tsuga canadensis'', also known as eastern hemlock, eastern hemlock-spruce, or Canadian hemlock, and in the French-speaking regions of Canada as ''pruche du Canada'', is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It is the state tree of ...
,
white pine ''Pinus'', the pines, is a genus of approximately 111 extant tree and shrub species. The genus is currently split into two subgenera: subgenus ''Pinus'' (hard pines), and subgenus ''Strobus'' (soft pines). Each of the subgenera have been further ...
, white ash,
basswood ''Tilia americana'' is a species of tree in the family Malvaceae, native to eastern North America, from southeast Manitoba east to New Brunswick, southwest to northeast Oklahoma, southeast to South Carolina, and west along the Niobrara River to ...
,
tamarack ''Larix laricina'', commonly known as the tamarack, hackmatack, eastern larch, black larch, red larch, or American larch, is a species of larch native to Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland, and als ...
,
black spruce ''Picea mariana'', the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories. It is the official tree of the province of Newfoundland and Labra ...
,
balsam fir ''Abies balsamea'' or balsam fir is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada (Newfoundland west to central Alberta) and the northeastern United States (Minnesota east to Maine, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to ...
, and
white birch ''Betula papyrifera'' (paper birch, also known as (American) white birch and canoe birch) is a short-lived species of birch native to northern North America. Paper birch is named for the tree's thin white bark, which often peels in paper like ...
. This region includes the towns of Killington,
Waterbury Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut on the Naugatuck River, southwest of Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury is the second-largest city in New Haven County, Connecticut. According to the 2020 US Census, in 202 ...
, and
Stowe, Vermont Stowe is a town in Lamoille County, Vermont, United States. The population was 5,223 at the 2020 census. The town lies on Vermont Routes 108 and 100. It is nicknamed "The Ski Capital of the East" and is home to Stowe Mountain Resort, a ski faci ...
, and
Charlemont, Massachusetts Charlemont is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 1,185 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Charlemont was first colonized by Moses R ...
. The primary land use includes active tourism, such as
skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IO ...
,
hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...
,
biking Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...
, and
snowmobiling A snowmobile, also known as a Ski-Doo, snowmachine, sled, motor sled, motor sledge, skimobile, or snow scooter, is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow. It is designed to be operated on snow and ice and does not ...
, as well as forestry, maple syrup production, cattle, and
hay Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated ...
production. This region is also home to several state parks and national woodlands including the
Green Mountain National Forest Green Mountain National Forest is a United States National Forest, national forest located in Vermont, a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest typical of the New England/Acadian forests ecoregion. The forest supports a variety of wildlife, includi ...
,
Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Born in Vermont, Coolidge was a History of the Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer ...
, Camels Hump,
Mount Mansfield Mount Mansfield is the highest mountain in Vermont with a summit that peaks at above sea level. The summit is located within the town of Underhill, Vermont, Underhill in Chittenden County, Vermont, Chittenden County; the ridgeline, including som ...
, and
Okemo Okemo Mountain Resort is a ski resort located in the town of Ludlow, Vermont, United States. The resort experienced 600,000 skier visits in 2009. Parents Magazine rated it the Top US Family Snow Resort. History Okemo was founded in 1955 b ...
State Forests, and
Woodford Woodford may refer to: Places Australia *Woodford, New South Wales *Woodford, Queensland, a town in the Moreton Bay Region *Woodford, Victoria Canada * Woodford, Ontario England *Woodford, Cornwall * Woodford, Gloucestershire *Woodford, Greate ...
,
Molly Stark Molly Stark, née Elizabeth Page (February 16, 1737 – June 29, 1814) was the wife of General John Stark, made famous by his battle cry during the American Revolutionary War. Described as "mother of 11 children, homemaker, patriot, and def ...
, Lake Shaftsbury,
Fort Dummer Fort Dummer was built in the winter of 1724 in what is now the Town of Brattleboro in southeastern Vermont. Today, it is notable as the first permanent European settlement in Vermont. The original site of the fort is now lost below the waters of ...
, Emerald Lake, Lowell Lake, Lake St. Catherine, Camp Plymouth,
Mount Ascutney Mount Ascutney is a mountain in the U.S. state of Vermont. At , it is the second-highest peak in Windsor County, Vermont, Windsor County. (The highest peak in the county is Gillespie Peak in the Joseph Battell Wilderness.) Mount Ascutney is a mon ...
, Wilgus, and Hazen's Notch state parks.


58d. Lower Berkshire Hills


58e. Berkshire Transition


58f. Vermont Piedmont


58g. Worcester/Monadnock Plateau


58h.

Reading Prong The Reading Prong is a physiographic subprovince of the New England Uplands section of the New England province of the Appalachian Highlands. The prong consists of mountains made up of crystalline metamorphic rock. Location The Reading Prong st ...


58i. Glaciated Reading Prong/Hudson Highlands


58j. Upper Montane/Alpine Zone

The Northeastern Upper Montane/Alpine Zone is largely discontiguous, as it appears only at the highest peaks in the region. The ecozone is characterized by shallow acidic soils and nadir soils and by a short (40-80 day) frost-free season. The region is typically the coldest of the Northeastern Highlands. Precipitation is high in all seasons. (Mt. Mansfield is Vermont's wettest location with ~ of precipitation on average; Mt. Washington in New Hampshire tips the scales with an average of of precipitation per year.) The Upper Montane Zone generally occurs above where mountain birch, balsam fir and black spruce are dominant. Above the tree line at , alpine meadows and low-growing shrubs persist; these include lapland rosebay, northern blueberry,
dwarf birch ''Betula nana'', the dwarf birch, is a species of birch in the family Betulaceae, found mainly in the tundra of the Arctic region. Description It is a monoecious, deciduous shrub growing up to high. The bark is non-peeling and shiny red-copper ...
, bog blueberry, highland rush, bigelow's sedge and shrubby fivefingers. These peaks, island refuges, are relics of a larger ecosystem that covered New England when the last glaciers melted in the region ~12,000 years ago. These unique ecosystems are home to several insect species, like the endangered White Mountain fritillary butterfly. The
American pipit The buff-bellied pipit or American pipit (''Anthus rubescens'') is a small songbird found on both sides of the northern Pacific. It was first described by Marmaduke Tunstall in his 1771 ''Ornithologia Britannica''. It was formerly classified as a ...
is a unique bird species and the only obligate alpine nesting bird in New England.


58k. Green Mountain Foothills

The Green Mountain Foothills (aka Champlain hills) form a transitional ecoregion between the northern Green Mountains on the east to the Champlain Lowlands on the west. This region is hilly and ranges in elevation from , with the high point on Fletcher Mountain (). The area is composed mostly of frigid spodosols; sandy, coarse-loamy, and fine-loamy soils and a dense mixed forest. The region, although reforested, it still mosaiced by dairy, hay, and pasture crops. The Green Mountains Foothills Eco-region is home to several state parks. Among these parks, Jamaica State Park stands out for its setting along the
West River West River may refer to: Rivers Canada *West River (Antigonish, Nova Scotia) in Antigonish County, Nova Scotia * West River (Pictou, Nova Scotia) in Pictou County, Nova Scotia * West River (Halifax, Nova Scotia) in Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia * West ...
, offering picnicking, camping, and water-based activities.
Fort Dummer State Park Fort Dummer was built in the winter of 1724 in what is now the Town of Brattleboro in southeastern Vermont. Today, it is notable as the first permanent European settlement in Vermont. The original site of the fort is now lost below the waters of ...
, situated on a historical site, provides hiking trails and views of the
Connecticut River Valley The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island ...
. Gifford Woods State Park has forested areas and is near the Appalachian Trail.


58l. Northern Piedmont

The Northern Piedmont ecoregion in Vermont is distinguished from the Vermont Piedmont by it northern location and associated colder climate. It is sometimes referred to as the Northern Vermont Piedmont and is distinct from the Northern piedmont ecoregion extending from New York to
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. Bedrock in this Vermont region is mostly
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
,
phyllite Phyllite ( ) is a type of foliated metamorphic rock created from slate that is further metamorphosed so that very fine grained white mica achieves a preferred orientation.Stephen Marshak ''Essentials of Geology'', 3rd ed. It is primarily compo ...
,
mica Micas ( ) are a group of silicate minerals whose outstanding physical characteristic is that individual mica crystals can easily be split into extremely thin elastic plates. This characteristic is described as perfect basal cleavage. Mica is ...
,
schist Schist ( ) is a medium-grained metamorphic rock showing pronounced schistosity. This means that the rock is composed of mineral grains easily seen with a low-power hand lens, oriented in such a way that the rock is easily split into thin flakes o ...
,
quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tect ...
, and
slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic rock. ...
, with lesser areas composed of granite
gneiss Gneiss ( ) is a common and widely distributed type of metamorphic rock. It is formed by high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic processes acting on formations composed of igneous or sedimentary rocks. Gneiss forms at higher temperatures an ...
; hence it is different from surrounding granite mountain ranges. The Northern Piedmont is mountainous with large open valleys, making it better suited to farming than the hillier terrain of the neighboring Green Mountains, though the colder climate means that cropping or grazing seasons are short (100-140 growing days). The climate is more seasonal than in the southerly
humid continental A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
range, with a seasonal summer
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
which is twice that of winter
snowfall Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...
. Trees in the region are similar to those in the Green Mountains, wherein northern hardwoods dominate on lower elevation terrain and mixed hardwood and hemlock or spruce–fir forests are supported on upland terrain. Agriculture abounds in the
Northeast Kingdom The Northeast Kingdom (also, locally, "The Kingdom" and abbreviated NEK) is the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Vermont, approximately comprising Essex County, Vermont, Essex, Orleans County, Vermont, Orleans and Caledonia County, Vermont, ...
and commonly includes production of
hay Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated ...
, cattle corn,
oat The oat (''Avena sativa''), sometimes called the common oat, is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other cereals and pseudocereals). While oats are suitable for human con ...
s, vegetables, and grazing land. The area is sparsely populated, but includes Vermont's capitol, Montpelier ( the least populated state capital in the US) and the city of
Barre Barre or Barré may refer to: * Barre (name) or Barré, a surname and given name Places United States * Barre, Massachusetts, a New England town ** Barre (CDP), Massachusetts, the central village in the town * Barre, New York, a town * Barre (c ...
. Brighton State Park is located in the Northern Piedmont. This area and the Quebec/New England Boundary Mountains support the most
moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult mal ...
in Vermont and New Hampshire.


58m. Quebec/New England Boundary Mountains

The Boundary Mountains extend between Quebec and New England from northeast Vermont into Central Maine. The
Longfellow Mountains The Longfellow Mountains are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains System, located within the North Maine Woods region of northwestern Maine. They extend across the state from northern New Hampshire northeastward to the Provinces and territories o ...
(named for
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include "Paul Revere's Ride", ''The Song of Hiawatha'', and ''Evangeline''. He was the first American to completely transl ...
) are within this region, as is Maine's
Baxter State Park Baxter State Park is a large wilderness area permanently preserved as a state park in Northeast Piscataquis, Piscataquis County in north-central Maine, United States. It is in the North Maine Woods region and borders the Katahdin Woods and Wate ...
. The area is dominated by low, open mountains, interspersed with deep ponds. Likewise,
Lake Willoughby Lake Willoughby is a lake in the town of Westmore in Orleans County in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, United States. The lake's southern end is surrounded by the Willoughby State Forest. This state forest includes Mount Pisgah, Mount Hor, c ...
, a
National Natural Landmark The National Natural Landmarks (NNL) Program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only national natural areas program that identifies and recognizes the best ...
in Vermont, is a good example of a
fjord In physical geography, a fjord or fiord () is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created by a glacier. Fjords exist on the coasts of Alaska, Antarctica, British Columbia, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Ice ...
-like deep lake surrounded by tall mountains. Like the other Northeast Highland ecoregions, the Quebec/New England Boundary Mountains are cold, yet humid continental with an average of 85-125 frost-free days. The region is mostly forested and dominated by conifers, with some mixed and deciduous forests. High elevation regions are mostly spruce-fir, red spruce, balsam fir, and
mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...
,
paper Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, rags, grasses or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through fine mesh leaving the fibre evenly distributed ...
, and
yellow birch ''Betula alleghaniensis'', the yellow birch, golden birch, or swamp birch, is a large tree and an important lumber species of birch native to northeastern North America. Its vernacular names refer to the golden color of the tree's bark. In the pa ...
. The area is sparsely populated and there is little farming; the region is mostly used for hunting, recreation, and maple syrup production.


58n. White Mountain Foothills


58o. Northern Connecticut Valley

The Northern Connecticut Valley is a narrow region along the
Connecticut River The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges at Long Island ...
, bordering Vermont and New Hampshire and running between more mountainous surroundings to the east and west. The landscape comprises floodplains, terraces, and glacial deposits, with a humid continental climate. Diverse forest covers include Appalachian oak-hickory, sugar maple-oak-hickory, northern hardwood, and pine-oak-heath sandplain forests, alongside wetlands. Altered significantly by agriculture, urbanization, and transportation corridors, the area retains some forest cover, particularly along upland margins. Visitors can traverse both sides of the river, using
Interstate 91 Interstate 91 (I-91) is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of the region. The Interstate generally follows the course of the Connecti ...
on the Vermont side for access or exploring older highways like New Hampshire Routes 10 and 12, and
U.S. Route 5 in Vermont U.S. Route 5 (US 5) is a part of the United States Numbered Highway System that runs from New Haven, Connecticut to the Canada–United States border at Derby Line, Vermont. In Vermont, the road runs south–north from the Massachusetts ...
, which wind through several villages. While formal attractions are limited, the region boasts numerous hidden gems. In
Post Mills, Vermont Post Mills is an unincorporated community in the town of Thetford, Orange County, Vermont, United States. History Post Mills was the site of the T.H. Chubb Rod Factory, which was, in the late 19th and early 20th century, the largest fishing rod ...
, travelers can encounter the whimsical "
Vermontasaurus ''Vermontasaurus'' is a , folk art representation of a dinosaur at the Post Mills Airport in the town of Thetford Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between No ...
," a sculpture crafted from recycled wood. Brian Boland, the sculptor and a renowned hot-air balloon designer, adds a touch of adventure with his balloon rides and exhibits of hot-air balloons and airships at
Post Mills Airport Post Mills Airport is a privately owned, public use airport in Orange County, Vermont, United States. It is located within the central business district of the Village of Post Mills. Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter locati ...
. The Upper Valley is adorned with historical sites like the Cornish-Windsor Bridge, the longest vintage covered bridge in the U.S., and
Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park in Cornish, New Hampshire, preserves the home, gardens, and studios of Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848–1907), one of America's foremost sculptors. This was his summer residence from 1885 to 1897, his perma ...
. This site features several sculptures, including the angel motif "Amor Caritas".
Mount Ascutney Mount Ascutney is a mountain in the U.S. state of Vermont. At , it is the second-highest peak in Windsor County, Vermont, Windsor County. (The highest peak in the county is Gillespie Peak in the Joseph Battell Wilderness.) Mount Ascutney is a mon ...
and its surrounding state park, offer opportunities for camping, hiking, mountain biking, and
hang gliding Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised foot-launched heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite frame covered ...
. The region also encompasses horseback riding experiences at Open Acre Ranch, where riders can traverse private trails which overlook the Vermont hills and New Hampshire's White Mountains.


58p. White Mountains/Blue Mountains

The White Mountains Eco-region spans portions of New Hampshire and Maine. This region is known for the White Mountains, which include several peaks over in elevation. Some well-known peaks within this eco-region include
Mount Washington Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River. The mountain is notorious for its erratic weather. On the afternoon of April 12, 1934, ...
, Mount Adams, and
Mount Lafayette Mount Lafayette is a mountain at the northern end of the Franconia Range in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, United States. It lies in the town of Franconia in Grafton County, and appears on the New England Fifty Finest list of the most ...
. The White Mountains Eco-region is marked by a mix of forested areas, lakes, and viewpoints. The area's ecosystem is predominantly cold and humid continental, with an average of 85-125 frost-free days, similar to the adjacent New England Boundary Mountains. The region experiences distinct seasons, with winter bringing heavy snowfall, making it a hub for winter sports and recreation. Forests dominate the landscape, with conifers taking center stage in the high elevation areas. Species like spruce, fir, red spruce, balsam fir, and birch, including mountain, paper, and yellow birch, flourish in these colder climates. Mixed and deciduous forests are also present, adding to the region's biodiversity. The eco-region's natural environment extends to its lakes and rivers, some of which are flanked by tall mountains, creating fjord-like features similar to
Lake Willoughby Lake Willoughby is a lake in the town of Westmore in Orleans County in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, United States. The lake's southern end is surrounded by the Willoughby State Forest. This state forest includes Mount Pisgah, Mount Hor, c ...
in Vermont. The White Mountain range is a National Forest and has an array of state parks; these include as
Franconia Notch State Park Franconia Notch State Park is a public recreation area and nature preserve that straddles of Interstate 93 as it passes through Franconia Notch, a mountain pass between the Kinsman Range and Franconia Range in the White Mountains of northe ...
, Crawford Notch State Park, and
White Lake State Park White Lake State Park is a public recreation area in Tamworth, New Hampshire. The state park surrounds White Lake, a typical glacial lake. It is open year-round and offers swimming, hiking, non-motorized boating, picnicking, trout fishing, win ...
, provide opportunities for hiking, camping,
picnicking A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding ...
, and
wildlife observation Wildlife observation is the practice of noting the occurrence or abundance of animal species at a specific location and time, either for research purposes or recreation. Common examples of this type of activity are bird watching and whale watching ...
, all within the backdrop of the White Mountains.{{fact, date=October 2023


58q. Sunapee Uplands


58r. Sebago-Ossipee Hills and Plains


58s. Western Maine Foothills


58t. Upper St. John Wet Flats


58u. Moosehead-Churchill Lakes


58v. St. John Uplands


58w. International Boundary Plateau


58x. Taconic Foothills


58y.

Catskill High Peaks The Catskill High Peaks are all of the mountains in New York's Catskill Mountains above in elevation whose summits are separated either by ''or'' a vertical drop of at least between it and the next nearest separate summit. By usual standards, ...


58z. Adirondack Peaks


See also

*
New England Uplands The topography of the New England Uplands section is that of a maturely-dissected plateau with narrow valleys, and the entire area is greatly modified by glaciation. It is the most widespread of the geomorphic sections in the New England Province, e ...


References

Ecoregions of the United States