Northeastern Mountain Spruce-Fir Forest

EVT 7374Acadian-Appalachian Montane Spruce-Fir Forest
CES201.566GNRTreeConifer-hardwood
Summary
This is the matrix forest system in the montane spruce-fir region of the northern Appalachian Mountains, extending east through the Canadian Maritimes. It occurs mostly upwards of 457 m (1500 feet) elevation and is restricted to progressively higher elevations southward. Northward, it is often contiguous with Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest (CES201.565). This system often forms a mosaic of strongly coniferous patches and mixed patches, with occasional smaller inclusions of northern hardwoods, but is overall more than 50% coniferous. Picea rubens and Abies balsamea are the dominant conifers. Gaps formed by wind, snow, ice, and harvesting are the major replacement agents; fires may be important but only over a long return interval.
Source: NatureServe Explorer
Distribution
This system is found at higher elevations of northern New England and the Adirondacks, extending north along the mountains and higher hills into Canada and occurring southward in the Catskills.
Source: NatureServe Explorer
Ecologically Associated Plant Species

Plant species that characterize this ecosystem type, organized by vegetation stratum. These are species ecologically associated with the ecosystem, not confirmed present in any specific area.

Tree canopy

Abies balsamea, Betula alleghaniensis, Betula cordifolia, Picea glauca, Picea mariana, Picea rubens

Short shrub/sapling

Linnaea borealis

Herb (field)

Clintonia borealis, Dryopteris campyloptera, Oxalis montana
Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment
Ecologically Associated Animals (4)

Animal species ecologically associated with this ecosystem type based on NatureServe assessment. These are species whose habitat requirements overlap with this ecosystem, not confirmed present in any specific roadless area.

Mammals (2)

Common NameScientific NameG-Rank
Northern Flying SquirrelGlaucomys sabrinusG5
North American Red SquirrelTamiasciurus hudsonicusG5

Birds (2)

Common NameScientific NameG-Rank
Boreal ChickadeePoecile hudsonicusG5
Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensisG5
Source: NatureServe Ecological System assessment
Component Associations (4)

Plant community associations that occur within this ecological system. Associations are the finest level of the U.S. National Vegetation Classification (USNVC) and describe specific, repeating assemblages of plant species. Each association represents a distinct community type that may be found where this ecosystem occurs.

NameG-Rank
Abies balsamea - (Betula papyrifera var. cordifolia) ForestGNR NatureServe
Picea rubens - Abies balsamea - Betula spp. - Acer rubrum ForestGNR NatureServe
Picea rubens - Abies balsamea / Sorbus americana ForestG4 NatureServe
Picea rubens - Fagus grandifolia - Betula alleghaniensis / Viburnum lantanoides ForestGNR NatureServe
State Conservation Ranks (5)

Subnational conservation status ranks (S-ranks) assigned by Natural Heritage Programs in each state where this ecosystem occurs. S1 indicates critically imperiled at the state level, S2 imperiled, S3 vulnerable, S4 apparently secure, and S5 secure. An ecosystem may be globally secure but imperiled in specific states at the edge of its range.

StateS-Rank
MASNR
MESNR
NHSNR
NYSNR
VTSNR
Roadless Areas (22)

Inventoried Roadless Areas where this ecosystem is present, identified from LANDFIRE 2024 Existing Vegetation Type spatial analysis. Coverage indicates the proportion of each area occupied by this ecosystem type.

Maine (1)

AreaForestCoverageHectares
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest6.9%168.21

New Hampshire (15)

AreaForestCoverageHectares
JobildunkWhite Mountain National Forest82.6%1,222.38
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest72.5%4,648.95
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest69.4%9,061.11
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest66.0%2,404.71
WatervilleWhite Mountain National Forest64.0%1,116.72
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest63.7%4,333.86
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest60.9%3,720.15
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest58.1%6,763.5
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest57.3%10,862.28
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest55.9%2,387.34
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest55.9%2,088.27
Mt. Wolf - Gordon PondWhite Mountain National Forest40.0%1,915.65
Cherry MountainWhite Mountain National Forest35.2%1,247.04
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest34.5%636.21
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest24.1%1,665.9

Vermont (6)

AreaForestCoverageHectares
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests30.9%228.6
Lye Brook Addition 09085Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests23.7%106.92
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests17.4%646.56
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests11.1%392.94
Woodford 09086Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests6.7%66.51
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests4.7%33.39
Methodology and Data Sources

Ecosystem classification: Ecosystems are classified using the LANDFIRE 2024 Existing Vegetation Type (EVT) layer, mapped to NatureServe Terrestrial Ecological Systems via a curated crosswalk. Each EVT is linked to the USNVC (U.S. National Vegetation Classification) hierarchy through pixel-level co-occurrence analysis of LANDFIRE EVT and NatureServe IVC Group rasters across all roadless areas.

Vegetation coverage: Coverage percentages and hectares are derived from zonal statistics of the LANDFIRE 2024 EVT raster intersected with roadless area boundaries.

Ecosystem narratives and community species: Sourced from the NatureServe Explorer API, representing professional ecological assessments of vegetation composition, environmental setting, dynamics, threats, and characteristic species assemblages.

IVC hierarchy: The International Vegetation Classification hierarchy is sourced from the USNVC v3.0 Catalog, providing the full classification from Biome through Association levels.

Component associations: Plant community associations listed as components of each NatureServe Ecological System. Association data from the NatureServe Explorer API.

State ranks: Conservation status ranks assigned by NatureServe member programs in each state where the ecosystem occurs.