The Northern Hardwood Forest National Parks

1 although some of the classified units are better supported by plot data than others.

The northern hardwood forest national parks.

The 26 276 acre congaree national park preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the united states. Eastern hemlock trees dominate stream sides and moist shady slopes up to 4 000 feet in elevation to form almost pure stands of the hemlock forest. It s open until 11 p m. Located in central south carolina the park protects part of the middle atlantic coastal forests ecoregion.

The northern hardwood forest is indigenous to several well known parks and national forests including the boundary waters region of minnesota new york s adirondack park the white mountain national forest in new hampshire the green mountain national forest in vermont baxter state park and acadia national park in maine and fundy national. This forest type is frequently referred to as a swamp. The forests of vermont are as diverse as the landowners that care for them. This forest type produces the most brilliant fall color.

The forest contains a small slice of true boreal forest and a mixed conifer hardwood forest known as the north woods a transition province between the northern boreal forest and deciduous forests to the south conifers include several varieties of pine fir and spruce trees principal deciduous species are mountain ash maple aspen oak and paper birch are also common. To date 79 plots of this group have been sampled in 18 counties fig. The northern forest has 30 000 acres stretching 30 miles across sheboygan fond du lac and washington counties. Northern hardwood forests have been well sampled in virginia especially in the mount rogers whitetop area of the southern blue ridge and on allegheny mountain in highland county.

The park s northern hardwood forests resemble the forests that grow throughout much of new england new york pennsylvania and southern ontario. The northern hardwood mix of beech birch and maple dominates vermont s forests accounting for 71 of the forest cover. For both forests a state park sticker is required.