Northeastern Highlands (ecoregion)

Northeastern Highlands Ecoregion
A mountain forest in Vermont
Northeastern Highlands region denoted in forest green
Ecology
Realm	Nearctic
Biome	temperate broadleaf forest
Geography
Area	122,406.62 km2 (47,261.46 sq mi)
Country	United States
Elevation	365 meters
Coordinates	42°N, -73°W
Climate type	Warm summer humid continental
Soil types	Spodosols

The Northeastern Highlands ecoregion is a Level III ecoregion designated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. states of Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The ecoregion extends from the northern tip of Maine and runs south along the Appalachian Mountain Range into eastern Pennsylvania. Discontiguous sections are located among New York's Adirondack Mountains and the Catskill Range. The largest portion of the Northeastern Highlands ecoregion encompasses several sub mountain ranges including the Berkshires, Green Mountains, Taconic, and White Mountains.

The mountainous region is underlain by metamorphic rock and glacial till. The ecoregion is flanked by several others including the: Acadian Plains and Hills, Eastern Great Lakes Lowlands, Northeastern Coastal Zone, Northern Allegheny Plateau, Ridge and Valley, and Northern Piedmont ecoregions. The elevation generally ranges from 182 meters (597 ft) to 1,916.6 meters (6,288 ft) at the top of Mount Washington, the region's highest and most prominent point. The region is characterized by hot humid summers and cold snowy winters. The nutrient-poor spodosols and other cryic soil types of the region support boreal (north) and broadleaf (south) forests that cover the majority of the region. Ecotourism, forestry, and agriculture are the predominant land uses of the sparsely populated region. 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 and crops are still grown in lowland valleys and beef cattle on upland pastures. The ecoregion has been subdivided into thirty-three Level IV ecoregions.

Native wild animals of the area include American black bear, white-tailed deer, moose, bobcat, coyote, skunk, raccoon, chipmunk, squirrel, opossum, porcupine, fisher, eastern turkey, northern bobwhite, great blue heron, ducks, 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; these included boreal woodland caribou, which inhabited northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, as well as American bison, which judicious estimates have placed in western portions of the Catskills and Adirondacks. Puma and eastern elk, too, once inhabited a majority of the region.

Level IV ecoregions

Northeastern Highlands Level IV

Mt. Frissell, the highest point in Connecticut and part of the Taconic Mountain Range (58a)

58aa. Acid Sensitive Adirondacks

Upper Cascade Lake, Adirondack Mountains

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. The Acid Sensitive Adirondacks constitutes the largest level IV region of the Adirondack Mountain range. 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, white, and black spruce, as well as balsam fir, red maple, yellow birch, and black cherry.

58ae. Tug Hill Plateau

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 and the Tug Hill Upland, this plateau experiences a humid continental climate influenced by both lake effect and orographic effect. These meteorological phenomena bring substantial rainfall and snowfall to the region, creating belts of high precipitation downwind of the Great 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 bogs. 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.

Incorporating both natural forces and human interventions, the Tug Hill Plateau Eco-region showcases a balance between its geographical elements and the efforts to preserve its unique ecological characteristics.

58c. Green Mountains/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 764 meters (2,507 ft). 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, sugar maple, American beech, yellow birch, eastern hemlock, white pine, white ash, basswood, tamarack, black spruce, balsam fir, and white birch.

Mount Mansfield State Forest, located in Green Mountain Highlands (58c) and Upper Montane/Alpine ecoregions (58j). Low scrub areas show contrasting montane vegetation on the right of image versus conifers (left).

This region includes the towns of Killington, Waterbury, and Stowe, Vermont, and Charlemont, Massachusetts. The primary land use includes active tourism, such as skiing, hiking, biking, and snowmobiling, as well as forestry, maple syrup production, cattle, and hay production. This region is also home to several state parks and national woodlands including the Green Mountain National Forest, Calvin Coolidge, Camels Hump, Mount Mansfield, and Okemo State Forests, and Woodford, Molly Stark, Lake Shaftsbury, Fort Dummer, Emerald Lake, Lowell Lake, Lake St. Catherine, Camp Plymouth, Mount Ascutney, Wilgus, and Hazen's Notch state parks.

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 ~2,002.5 mm (78.84 in) of precipitation on average; Mt. Washington in New Hampshire tips the scales with an average of 2,463.8 mm (97.00 in) of precipitation per year.)

The Upper Montane Zone generally occurs above 3,500 feet (1,070 m) where mountain birch, balsam fir and black spruce are dominant. Above the tree line at 4,500 feet (1,370 m), alpine meadows and low-growing shrubs persist; these include lapland rosebay, northern blueberry, dwarf birch, 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 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 122 to 457 meters (400 to 1,499 ft), with the high point on Fletcher Mountain (653 meters (2,142 ft)). 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 captivating state parks that offer a blend of natural beauty and recreational opportunities. These parks provide a glimpse into the diverse landscapes of Vermont and the surrounding region. Among these parks, Jamaica State Park stands out for its serene setting along the West River, offering picnicking, camping, and water-based activities. Fort Dummer State Park, situated on a historical site, provides hiking trails and panoramic views of the Connecticut River Valley. With its rich history and natural splendor, Gifford Woods State Park showcases beautiful forested areas and is near the Appalachian Trail. These state parks in the Green Mountains Foothills Eco-region allow visitors to explore and appreciate the region's distinctive landscapes while enjoying a range of outdoor activities.

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. Bedrock in this Vermont region is mostly limestone, phyllite, mica, schist, quartzite, and slate, with lesser areas composed of granite gneiss; 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 range, with a seasonal summer monsoon which is twice that of winter snowfall. 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.

Island Pond, Vermont and the adjacent lake of the same name, as seen from Brighton State Park's day-use beach in the Northern Piedmont ecoregion (58l).

Agriculture abounds in the Northeast Kingdom and commonly includes production of hay, cattle corn, oats, 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. Brighton State Park is located in the Northern Piedmont. This area and the Quebec/New England Boundary Mountains support the most moose in Vermont and New Hampshire.

Lake Willoughby in Quebec/New England Boundary Mountain ecoregion (58m), October 2021

58m. Quebec/New England Boundary Mountains

The Boundary Mountains extend between Quebec and New England from northeast Vermont into Central Maine. The Longfellow Mountains (named for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) are within this region, as is Maine's Baxter State Park. The area is dominated by low, open mountains, interspersed with deep ponds. Likewise, Lake Willoughby, a National Natural Landmark in Vermont, is a good example of a fjord-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, paper, and yellow birch. The area is sparsely populated and there is little farming; the region is mostly used for hunting, recreation, and maple syrup production.

58o. Northern Connecticut Valley

The Northern Connecticut Valley is a narrow region along the Connecticut River, bordering Vermont and New Hampshire. It extends from 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.

The Northern Connecticut River Valley Eco-region is a captivating area offering a blend of scenic beauty, artistic creativity, and outdoor adventures. Visitors can traverse both sides of the river, using Interstate 91 for quick access or exploring older highways like New Hampshire Routes 10 and 12, and U.S. Route 5 in Vermont, which wind through charming fields and villages.

While formal attractions are limited, the region boasts numerous hidden gems. In Post Mills, Vermont, travelers can encounter the whimsical "Vermontasaurus," a 122-foot-long 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.

The Upper Valley is adorned with historical sites like the Cornish-Windsor Bridge, the longest vintage covered bridge in the U.S., and the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. This site features exquisite sculptures, including the angel motif "Amor Caritas," along with the scenic beauty of the grounds and sculptures.

Outdoor enthusiasts can explore Mount Ascutney and its surrounding state park, offering opportunities for camping, hiking, mountain biking, and hang gliding. The region also encompasses horseback riding experiences at Open Acre Ranch, where riders can traverse private trails and enjoy breathtaking views of the Vermont hills and New Hampshire's White Mountains.

58p. White Mountains/Blue Mountains

The White Mountains Eco-region spans across portions of New Hampshire and Maine, encompassing a diverse landscape characterized by its rugged beauty and unique ecological features. This region is known for the White Mountains, which include numerous peaks over 4,000 feet in elevation, making it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. Some of the most well-known peaks within this eco-region include Mount Washington, Mount Adams, and Mount Lafayette.

The White Mountains Eco-region is marked by a mix of forested areas, pristine lakes, and breathtaking vistas. 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 beauty extends to its pristine lakes and rivers, some of which are flanked by tall mountains, creating fjord-like features similar to Lake Willoughby in Vermont.

Much like the New England Boundary Mountains, the White Mountains Eco-region is a hub for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, hunting, and recreation. The area is valued for its scenic beauty, and it attracts visitors from around the country who come to explore its trails, enjoy its natural wonders, and experience its unique environment. Additionally, maple syrup production is a notable economic activity in the region, contributing to the local economy.

The White Mountain range is a National Forest and is adorned with an array of captivating state parks that showcase the region's natural beauty and offer a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. These parks, such as Franconia Notch State Park, Crawford Notch State Park, and White Lake State Park, provide opportunities for hiking, camping, picnicking, and wildlife observation, all within the stunning backdrop of the White Mountains. These preserved areas play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of the region while also offering visitors a chance to connect with nature.

In terms of cities, North Conway stands out as a bustling hub nestled within the White Mountain range. Known for its charming streets, shopping outlets, and access to various outdoor activities, North Conway draws tourists seeking both recreational opportunities and a taste of small-town New England charm. Another significant city is Conway, known for its proximity to popular attractions like Cathedral Ledge and Echo Lake State Park. These cities, while smaller in scale, serve as gateways to the majestic landscapes of the White Mountain range, providing a mix of convenience and natural splendor to residents and visitors alike.

See also

New England Uplands