Includes bibliographical references (p. 325-332) and index.

About the New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau -- Natural communities ; The biophysical environment ; Ecological patterns and regions -- Alpine and Subalpine. Alpine tundra ; subalpine -- Rocky Ground. Rocky ridges ; Cliffs ; Talus -- Forests. Acadian spruce, fir forests ; Laurentian mixed forests ; Appalachian oak and pine forests ; Rich woods -- Peatlands. Bogs and poor fens ; Medium and rich fens ; Swamps. Poor swamps ; Rich swamps -- Marshes. Drainage marshes ; Sand plain basin and sandy pond shore marshes -- River Channels and Floodplains. River channels ; Floodplain forests -- Seacoast. Estuaries ; Sand dunes ; Rocky shores -- Global and state rank codes for natural communities -- Natural communities of New Hampshire (with state rank).

This book explores New Hampshire's mosaic of natural communities. In photos, drawings, and text, this book takes you on a tour of landscapes as varied as alpine meadows, tidal marshes, riverbanks, forests, ponds, dunes, and cliffs. Readers will gain a new understanding and appreciation for the state's exceptional natural heritage. Natural communities are recurring associations of plants and animals found in particular physical environments. They are the dynamic habitats in which native species live. Based on more than twenty years of ecological research, the New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau developed the classification of the nearly 200 natural community types presented in this guide. The communities are organized into eight categories: alpine and subalpine, rocky ground, forests, peatlands, swamps, marshes, river channels and floodplains, and seacoast. With photographs, informative text, and recommended places to visit, this book provides an important common language for conservation planning and informed land stewardship. Whether used as a field guide or an at home resource, this book will help readers reconnect with their surroundings, and understand the places they value.