Ecological Community Information
Draft Ecological Communities of New York State (Edinger et al. 2002) - PDF downloads (by section) of the 2002 draft version of Ecological Communities of New York State by Greg Edinger et al.
Ecological Communities of New York State (Reschke 1990) - PDF downloads (by section) of the 1990 version of Ecological Communities of New York State by Carol Reschke.
Conservation Guides - These comprehensive factsheets about individual rare species and natural community types are designed to help land managers, decision-makers, planners, scientists, consultants, students, and the interested public better understand the biodiversity that characterizes New York. Conservation Guides include information on biology, identification, habitat, distribution, conservation, and management. Guides for many of New York's rare species and natural community types have been completed and are updated periodically, and more are continually being added to the Guides website. Follow the link provided in the box at the right of this page entitled NYNHP Conservation Guides.
Environmental Resource Mapper - This interactive mapping application can show you the general areas where rare animals, rare plants, and rare and significant natural communities (such as forests, wetlands, and other habitat types) have been documented by the NY Natural Heritage Program. The Environmental Resource Mapper also displays locations of New York regulated freshwater wetlands and of protected streams, rivers, and lakes. These maps are intended as one source of information for landowners, land managers, citizens, local officials, and project sponsors engaged in land use decision making, conservation, or environmental assessment.
Ecology Program:
An ecological community is a variable assemblage of interacting plant and animal populations that share a common environment. As part of the New York Natural Heritage Program inventory, a classification has been developed to help assess and protect the biological diversity of the state. The Natural Heritage Program inventory work allows us to maintain a regularly updated database of information on rare animals, rare plants, and significant natural communities of New York State. This inventory also provides a ranking system for determining priorities for conservation and management of New York State's significant natural areas.
This map shows the currently known distribution of significant natural communities in New York. As no comprehensive surveys of the state have been conducted, there are surely more significant natural communities than are shown. If you know of one that you think may be missing, please use the Natural Heritage Reporting Form (two-page MS Word document) and submit your findings to the NY Natural Heritage Program.
More about Ecological Community Information:
- DRAFT Ecological Communities of New York State (Edinger et al. 2002) - PDF downloads (by section) of the 2002 Draft Ecological Communities of New York State by Greg Edinger et al.
- Ecological Communities of New York State (Reschke 1990) - PDF downloads (by section) of the 1990 version of Ecological Communities of New York State by Carol Reschke.
