The Appalachian mixed mesophytic forests is an

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of ...

of the

temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest is a temperate climate terrestrial habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature, with broadleaf tree ecoregions, and with conifer and broadleaf tree mixed coniferous forest ecoregions. These f ...

biome A biome () is a biogeographical unit consisting of a biological community that has formed in response to the physical environment in which they are found and a shared regional climate. Biomes may span more than one continent. Biome is a broader ...

, as defined by the

World Wildlife Fund The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. (WWF) is an international non-governmental organization founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. It was formerly named the Wo ...

. It consists of mesophytic plants west of the

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...

in the

Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

. This ecoregion consists of the following EPA level III ecoregions: * Southwestern Appalachians (ecoregion) * Central Appalachians (ecoregion) * Western Allegheny Plateau (ecoregion)

Setting

This ecoregion is located in the plains and hill country west of the Appalachians in northwest

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...

and east central

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

, eastern

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

, western

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

and

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, most of

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...

, western

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, southeastern

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

and western

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. This ecoregion also occurs in scattered disjuncts in the

Ozark The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant porti ...

and Ouachita Mountains of

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

, and extreme eastern Oklahoma. These forests are known for their rich diversity of plants and animals, which is due to several contributing factors, especially that the area was an unglaciated refugium for many species. It shares species with the high elevation Appalachian-Blue Ridge forests to the east, the hardwood forests to the west, and the mixed hardwood/ conifer forests to the south.

Climate

The climate varies from

humid continental A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

in the north to

humid subtropical A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

in the south.

Flora

They are one of the most biologically diverse

temperate forest A temperate forest is a forest found between the tropical and boreal regions, located in the temperate zone. It is the second largest biome on our planet, covering 25% of the world's forest area, only behind the boreal forest, which covers abou ...

regions on earth. It has an unusually diverse tree

flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' ...

, with as many as 30 tree species at a single site including many relics of the ancient forest that once covered North America more widely. Along with the forest there is a rich undergrowth of

fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes exce ...

fungi A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...

herbaceous plant Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent wood, woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennial plant, perennials, and nearly all Annual plant, annuals and Biennial plant, biennials. Definition ...

s, shrubs and small trees as well as areas of

glade Glade may refer to: Computing * Glade Interface Designer, a GUI designer for GTK+ and GNOME Geography *Glade (geography), open area in woodland, synonym for "clearing" **Glade skiing, skiing amongst trees ;Places in the United States * Glade, Kan ...

heath A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a cooler a ...

, shale,

peat bog A bog or bogland is a wetland that accumulates peat as a deposit of dead plant materials often mosses, typically sphagnum moss. It is one of the four main types of wetlands. Other names for bogs include mire, mosses, quagmire, and muskeg; a ...

and

cranberry Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus ''Oxycoccus'' of the genus '' Vaccinium''. In Britain, cranberry may refer to the native species '' Vaccinium oxycoccos'', while in North America, cranberry ...

bog.

Mesophytic forests

Mesophytic forests are found on deep and enriched soils in sheltered topography such as coves and low-elevation slopes. They are often found near small streams. The herb layer is very rich and, in undisturbed areas, the trees can grow very large. Typical trees include sugar maple ('' Acer saccharum''), beech (''

Fagus grandifolia ''Fagus grandifolia'', the American beech or North American beech, is a species of beech tree native to the eastern United States and extreme southeast of Canada. Description ''Fagus grandifolia'' is a large deciduous tree growing to tall, w ...

''), tuliptree ('' Liriodendron tulipifera''), basswood ('' Tilia americana''), northern red oak ('' Quercus rubra''), cucumber tree (''

Magnolia acuminata ''Magnolia acuminata'', commonly called the cucumber tree (often spelled as a single word "cucumbertree"), cucumber magnolia or blue magnolia, is one of the largest magnolias, and one of the cold-hardiest. It is a large forest tree of the Easte ...

''), and black walnut (''

Juglans nigra ''Juglans nigra'', the eastern American black walnut, is a species of deciduous tree in the walnut family, Juglandaceae, native to North America. It grows mostly in riparian zones, from southern Ontario, west to southeast South Dakota, south ...

''). Other trees found here are eastern hemlock (''

Tsuga canadensis ''Tsuga canadensis'', also known as eastern hemlock, eastern hemlock-spruce, or Canadian hemlock, and in the French-speaking regions of Canada as ''pruche du Canada'', is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It is the state tree of ...

''), white ash (''

Fraxinus americana ''Fraxinus americana'', the white ash or American ash, is a species of ''ash tree'' native to eastern and central North America. The species is native to mesophytic hardwood forests from Nova Scotia west to Minnesota, south to northern Florida, ...

''), sweetgum (''

Liquidambar styraciflua American sweetgum (''Liquidambar styraciflua''), also known as American storax, hazel pine, bilsted, redgum, satin-walnut, star-leaved gum, alligatorwood, or simply sweetgum, is a deciduous tree in the genus ''Liquidambar'' native to warm temper ...

''), and yellow buckeye ('' Aesculus flava'').

Dry calcareous forests

The southern Ridge and Valley/Cumberland dry calcareous forests occur on dry to dry- mesic

calcareous Calcareous () is an adjective meaning "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate", in other words, containing lime or being chalky. The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines. In zoology ''Calcareous'' is used as an ad ...

habitats on low

escarpment An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that forms as a result of faulting or erosion and separates two relatively level areas having different elevations. The terms ''scarp'' and ''scarp face'' are often used interchangeably with ''esca ...

s of the Cumberland Plateau. They are often found on deep soils in a variety landscapes within their range. Trees are mainly oaks and hickories, with other species less abundant. Oaks include white oak (''

Quercus alba An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ...

''), northern red oak ('' Quercus rubra''), post oak (''

Quercus stellata ''Quercus stellata'', the post oak or iron oak, is a North American species of oak in the white oak section. It is a slow-growing oak that lives in dry areas on the edges of fields, tops of ridges also grows in poor soils, and is resistant to r ...

''), chinkapin oak (''

Quercus muehlenbergii ''Quercus muehlenbergii'', the chinquapin (or chinkapin) oak, is a deciduous species of tree in the white oak group (''Quercus'' sect. ''Quercus''). The species was often called ''Quercus acuminata'' in older literature. ''Quercus muehlenbergii ...

''), and Shumard oak ('' Quercus shumardii''). Hickories include shagbark hickory ('' Carya ovata''). Other trees can be sugar maple ('' Acer saccharum''), eastern red-cedar (''

Juniperus virginiana ''Juniperus virginiana'', also known as red cedar, eastern red cedar, Virginian juniper, eastern juniper, red juniper, and other local names, is a species of juniper native to eastern North America from southeastern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico a ...

''), or pines.

Appalachian cove forests

Appalachian cove forests are found in sheltered concave slopes with a moist environment. Characteristic tree include yellow buckeye ('' Aesculus flava''), sugar maple ('' Acer saccharum''), white ash (''

''), basswood ('' Tilia americana''), tuliptree ('' Liriodendron tulipifera''), Carolina silverbell ('' Halesia tetraptera''), eastern hemlock (''

''), beech (''

''), cucumber tree (''

''), and Fraser magnolia (''

Magnolia fraseri ''Magnolia fraseri'', commonly known as Fraser magnolia, mountain magnolia, earleaf cucumbertree, or mountain-oread, is a species of magnolia native to the south-eastern United States in the southern Appalachian Mountains and adjacent Atlantic an ...

'').

Dry-mesic oak forests

Dry-mesic oak forests cover large areas at lower and middle elevations on flat to gently rolling terrain. Mature stands have a variety of oak and hickory species adapted to dry- mesic conditions. Oaks include northern red oak ('' Quercus rubra''), white oak (''

''), black oak (''

Quercus velutina ''Quercus velutina'', the black oak, is a species of oak in the red oak group (''Quercus'' sect. ''Lobatae''), native and widespread in eastern and central North America. It is sometimes called the eastern black oak. ''Quercus velutina'' was p ...

''), and scarlet oak (''

Quercus coccinea ''Quercus coccinea'', the scarlet oak, is a deciduous tree in the red oak section ''Lobatae'' of the genus ''Quercus'', in the family Fagaceae. It is primarily distributed in the central and eastern United States. It occurs on dry, sandy, usual ...

''); hickories include mockernut hickory (''

Carya tomentosa ''Carya tomentosa'', (mockernut hickory, mockernut, white hickory, whiteheart hickory, hognut, bullnut) is a tree in the Juglandaceae or walnut family. The most abundant of the hickories, common in the eastern half of the US, it is long lived, ...

''), shagbark hickory ('' Carya ovata''), red hickory ('' Carya ovalis''), and pignut hickory (''

Carya glabra ''Carya glabra'', the pignut hickory, is a common, but not abundant species of hickory in the oak-hickory forest association in the Eastern United States and Canada. Other common names are pignut, sweet pignut, coast pignut hickory, smoothbark ...

''). In addition, red maple (''

Acer rubrum ''Acer rubrum'', the red maple, also known as swamp maple, water maple, or soft maple, is one of the most common and widespread deciduous trees of eastern and central North America. The U.S. Forest Service recognizes it as the most abundant nati ...

''), sweet birch ('' Betula lenta''), and yellow birch ('' Betula alleghaniensis'') are common; sugar maple ('' Acer saccharum'') is occasional. In areas that have been recently disturbed, white pine ('' Pinus strobus''), Virginia pine (''

Pinus virginiana ''Pinus virginiana'', the Virginia pine, scrub pine, Jersey pine, Possum pine, is a medium-sized tree, often found on poorer soils from Long Island in southern New York south through the Appalachian Mountains to western Tennessee and Alabama. The ...

''), or tulip tree ('' Liriodendron tulipifera'') can be abundant. Areas of impeded drainage sometimes harbor small wetlands, including non-forested

seep A seep or flush is a moist or wet place where water, usually groundwater, reaches the earth's surface from an underground aquifer. Description Seeps are usually not of sufficient volume to be flowing beyond their immediate above-ground location. ...

s or forested wetlands with red maple (''

''), swamp white oak (''

Quercus bicolor ''Quercus bicolor'', the swamp white oak, is a North American species of medium-sized trees in the beech family. It is a common element of America's north central and northeastern mixed forests. It can survive in a variety of habitats. It forms ...

''), or black tupelo ('' Nyssa sylvatica'').

Dry oak forests and woodlands

The Allegheny-Cumberland dry oak forest and woodland forest system is found on acidic soils on the Allegheny and Cumberland plateaus, and ridges in the southern Ridge and Valley. The forests are typically dominated by white oak (''

''), southern red oak ('' Quercus falcata''), chestnut oak ('' Quercus prinus''), scarlet oak (''

''), with lesser amounts of red maple (''

''), pignut hickory (''

''), and mockernut hickory (''

''). A few shortleaf pines (''

Pinus echinata ''Pinus echinata'', the shortleaf pine, is a species of pine native to the southeastern United States. Description The tree is variable in form, sometimes straight, sometimes crooked, with an irregular crown. The tree reaches heights of with a ...

'') or Virginia pines (''

'') may occur, particularly adjacent to

s or following fire. Sprouts of chestnut ('' Castanea dentata'') can often be found where it was formerly a common tree.

Low-elevation pine forests

Southern Appalachian low-elevation pine forests occur on a variety of topographic and landscape positions, including ridgetops, upper- and mid-slopes, and in lower elevations (generally below ) such as mountain valleys. These forests dominated by shortleaf pine (''

'') and Virginia pine (''

''). Pitch pine ('' Pinus rigida'') may sometimes be present. Hardwoods are sometimes abundant, especially dry-site oaks such as southern red oak ('' Quercus falcata''), chestnut oak ('' Quercus prinus''), and scarlet oak (''

''), but also pignut hickory (''

''), red maple (''

''), and others. The shrub layer may be well-developed, with hillside blueberry ('' Vaccinium pallidum''), black huckleberry ('' Gaylussacia baccata''), or other acid-tolerant species most characteristic. Herbs are usually sparse but may include narrowleaf silkgrass ('' Pityopsis graminifolia'') and Goat-rue ('' Tephrosia virginiana'').

Montane oak forests

Montane oak forests occur on exposed ridges and on south- to west-facing slopes at middle elevations. Soils are thin and nutrient-poor and trees are often stunted and wind-flagged. Northern red oak ('' Quercus rubra'') and white oak (''

'') are common, as are sprouts of American chestnut ('' Castanea dentata''). Winterberry (''

Ilex montana ''Ilex montana'', the mountain winterberry (or "mountain holly" which is more typically ''Ilex mucronata''), is a species of holly native to the Eastern United States, ranging along the Appalachian Mountains from southeast Massachusetts to northe ...

''), flame azalea ('' Rhododendron calendulaceum''), catawba rhododendron ('' Rhododendron catawbiense''), and great rhododendron (''

Rhododendron maximum ''Rhododendron maximum'' — its common names include great laurel, great rhododendron, rosebay rhododendron, American rhododendron and big rhododendron — is a species of ''Rhododendron'' native to the Appalachians of eastern North America, fr ...

'') are common shrubs.

Hemlock-northern hardwood forests

Hemlock-northern hardwood forests are found at higher elevations. They include yellow birch ('' Betula alleghaniensis''), mountain maple ('' Acer spicatum''), sugar maple ('' Acer saccharum''), beech (''

''), and eastern hemlock (''

''). Mountain laurel (''

Kalmia latifolia ''Kalmia latifolia'', the mountain laurel, calico-bush, or spoonwood, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae, that is native to the eastern United States. Its range stretches from southern Maine south to northern Florida, ...

'') and rhododendron ('' Rhododendron'' spp.) are found in the understory.

Spruce-fir forests

Spruce-fir forests occur at the highest elevations, above . Their environment is cool and wet, with frequent fog and precipitation. Red spruce (''

Picea rubens ''Picea rubens'', commonly known as red spruce, is a species of spruce native to eastern North America, ranging from eastern Quebec and Nova Scotia, west to the Adirondack Mountains and south through New England along the Appalachians to western ...

'') and Fraser fir ('' Abies fraseri'') dominate the forest canopy.

Bogs

Cranberry bogs harbor species typical of ecoregions found to the north. These species include cranberry and blueberry (''

Vaccinium ''Vaccinium'' is a common and widespread genus of shrubs or dwarf shrubs in the heath family (Ericaceae). The fruits of many species are eaten by humans and some are of commercial importance, including the cranberry, blueberry, bilberry (whort ...

'' spp.), bog rosemary (''

Andromeda glaucophylla ''Andromeda polifolia'', common name bog-rosemary, is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae, native to northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere. It is the only member of the genus ''Andromeda'', and is only found in bogs in ...

''), and buckbean (''

Menyanthes trifoliata ''Menyanthes'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Menyanthaceae containing the single species ''Menyanthes trifoliata''. The North American form is often referred to as ''M. trifoliata'' var. ''minor'' Michx. It is known ...

''). These bogs are relicts that have survived since the last

glacial period A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betwe ...

Other habitats

More unique, restricted habitats within these forests include

s, heath barrens, shale barrens, and

sphagnum ''Sphagnum'' is a genus of approximately 380 accepted species of mosses, commonly known as sphagnum moss, peat moss, also bog moss and quacker moss (although that term is also sometimes used for peat). Accumulations of ''Sphagnum'' can store wa ...

bogs. These often support endemic plants and land snails.

Prehistoric period

During the Last Glacial Maximum about 18,000 years ago, the influence of Arctic air masses and boreal vegetation extended to about 33° N. latitude, the approximate latitude of

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1. ...

and

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

. Forests of the glacial period were dominated by various spruces ('' Picea'' spp.) and

jack pine Jack pine (''Pinus banksiana'') is an eastern North American pine. Its native range in Canada is east of the Rocky Mountains from the Mackenzie River in the Northwest Territories to Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, and the north-central and ...

; fir (''

Abies Firs (''Abies'') are a genus of 48–56 species of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Pinaceae. They are found on mountains throughout much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. The genus is most closely related t ...

'' spp.) was abundant in some locations. With the exception of the absence of certain prairie elements, the understories of these forests were generally typical of modern spruce-fir forests within and near

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

Temperate deciduous forest Temperate deciduous or temperate broad-leaf forests are a variety of temperate forest 'dominated' by trees that lose their leaves each year. They are found in areas with warm moist summers and cool winters. The six major areas of this forest type ...

s dominated from about 33° to 30° N. latitude, including most of the glacial Gulf Coast from about 84° W. longitude. Regional climate was similar to or slightly drier than modern conditions. Oak, hickory, chestnut, and southern pine species were abundant. Walnuts, beech, sweetgum, alder, birch, tulip poplar, elms, hornbeams ('' Carpinus'' spp.), basswoods, and others that are generally common in modern southern deciduous forests were also common then.

Grass Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns a ...

es,

sedge The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus '' Carex'' ...

s, and sunflowers were also common. Daniel Boone National Forest Tater Knob

Fauna

The woodlands of the area are rich in wildlife. In particular they are important habitat for migrating birds including

wood warbler The wood warbler (''Phylloscopus sibilatrix'') is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe, and just into the extreme west of Asian Russia in the southern Ural Mountains. This warbler is stro ...

vireo The vireos make up a family, Vireonidae, of small to medium-sized passerine birds found in the New World (Canada to Argentina, including Bermuda and the West Indies) and Southeast Asia. "Vireo" is a Latin word referring to a green migrato ...

s, and

thrushes The thrushes are a passerine bird family, Turdidae, with a worldwide distribution. The family was once much larger before biologists reclassified the former subfamily Saxicolinae, which includes the chats and European robins, as Old World flyca ...

. The rivers of the ecoregion have the highest species richness of any

freshwater ecosystem Freshwater ecosystems are a subset of Earth's aquatic ecosystems. They include lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, springs, bogs, and wetlands. They can be contrasted with marine ecosystems, which have a larger salt content. Freshwater habitats ...

. In particular, there are a large number of

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

fish and shellfish species.

Threats

This ecoregion is considered critically endangered with 95% of the habitat degraded or converted to commercial forest. Large areas have been destroyed and fragmented through surface mining, including

mountaintop removal Mountaintop removal mining (MTR), also known as mountaintop mining (MTM), is a form of surface mining at the summit or summit ridge of a mountain. Coal seams are extracted from a mountain by removing the land, or overburden, above the seams. Thi ...

. Large areas have also been logged and then converted to plantations of fast-growing tree species, such as

Loblolly Pine ''Pinus taeda'', commonly known as loblolly pine, is one of several pines native to the Southeastern United States, from East Texas to Florida, and north to southern New Jersey. The wood industry classifies the species as a southern yellow pine. ...

(''Pinus taeda'') which are then used to produce

wood pulp Pulp is a lignocellulosic fibrous material prepared by chemically or mechanically separating cellulose fibers from wood, fiber crops, waste paper, or rags. Mixed with water and other chemical or plant-based additives, pulp is the major raw mate ...

, which is particularly a problem in the Cumberland Plateau of

. Another threat to habitats come from growing numbers of

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the re ...

. Major rivers in the ecoregion, such as the

Tennessee River The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other name ...

, have been dammed. This has resulted in the threatened or

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...

status of many species of native fish, amphibians, and shellfish.

Natural areas

The remaining forest is mostly found in protected areas. * Alabama ** Monte Sano State Park ** Oak Mountain State Park **

Talladega National Forest The Talladega National Forest is located in the U.S. state of Alabama and covers 392,567 acres (613.39 sq mi, or 1,588.66 km2) at the southern edge of the Appalachian Mountains. Before it was bought by the federal government in the 1930s, t ...

*** Cheaha Wilderness ** William B. Bankhead National Forest *** Sipsey Wilderness * Georgia **

Cloudland Canyon State Park Cloudland Canyon State Park is a Georgia state park located near Trenton and Cooper Heights on the western edge of Lookout Mountain. One of the largest and most scenic parks in Georgia, it contains rugged geology, and offers visitors a ran ...

* Kentucky ** Blanton Forest State Nature Preserve **

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area The Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, commonly known as Big South Fork, preserves the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries in northeastern Tennessee and southeastern Kentucky. Within it are reminders of ...

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park The Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park located at the border between Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, centered on the Cumberland Gap, a natural break in the Appalachian Mountains. The park lies ...

Daniel Boone National Forest The Daniel Boone National Forest (originally the Cumberland National Forest) is a national forest in Kentucky. Established in 1937, it includes of federally owned land within a proclamation boundary. The name of the forest was changed in 1966 ...

*** Beaver Creek Wilderness **

Kentenia State Forest Kentenia State Forest is a state forest in Harlan County, Kentucky, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primaril ...

** Kentucky Ridge State Forest ** Robinson Forest * Maryland ** Garrett State Forest ** Potomac State Forest * Ohio ** Ales Run Wilderness Area **

Beaver Creek State Park Beaver Creek State Park is a public recreation area in Columbiana County, Ohio in the United States. The park is near East Liverpool on the banks of Little Beaver Creek. Remnants of the historic Sandy and Beaver Canal can be found throughout t ...

** Blue Rock State Forest ** Brush Creek State Forest ** Brush Creek Wilderness Area ** Burr Oak State Park ** Clear Creek Nature Preserve ** Crown City Wildlife Area ** Dean State Forets ** Egypt Valley Wilderness Area ** Fernwood State Forest ** Highlandtown Wilderness Area ** Hocking State Forest ** Mohican-Memorial State Forest ** Muskingum River State Park **

Perry State Forest Perry State Forest is a state forest in Perry County, Ohio, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily locate ...

** Pike State Forest ** Salt Fork State Park ** Shade River State Forest ** Shawnee State Forest ** Strouds Run State Park ** Tar Hollow State Forest ** Tri-Valley Wilderness Area **

Wayne National Forest The Wayne National Forest is located in the south-eastern part of the US state of Ohio, in the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau. It is the only national forest in Ohio. Forest headquarters are located between The Plains and Nelsonville, Ohio, on ...

** Wolf Creek Wilderness Area ** Woodybury State Wilderness Area **

Zaleski State Forest Zaleski State Forest is a state forest in the U.S. state of Ohio, located primarily in Vinton County, with areas in Athens County as well. The 28,000 acre (110 km²) forest surrounds Lake Hope State Park in Vinton County, and borders the ...

* Pennsylvania ** Black Moshannon State Park **

Forbes State Forest Forbes State Forest is a Pennsylvania state forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #4. The main offices are located in Laughlintown in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Mount Davis, the highest peak in Penn ...

** Gallitzin State Forest ** Laurel Hill State Park **

Laurel Ridge State Park Laurel Ridge State Park is a List of Pennsylvania state parks, Pennsylvania state park that passes through Cambria County, Pennsylvania, Cambria, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Fayette, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, Somerset, and Westmoreland Co ...

** Moraine State Park **

Ohiopyle State Park Ohiopyle State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on in Dunbar, Henry Clay and Stewart Townships, Fayette County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The focal point of the park is the more than of the Youghiogheny River Gorge that passes thro ...

** Prince Gallitzin State Park **

Raccoon Creek State Park Raccoon Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park on Raccoon Creek in Hanover and Independence townships in Beaver County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is about from the city of Pittsburgh, near Hookstown. Raccoon Creek S ...

** Roaring Run Natural Area * Tennessee **

** Catoosa Wildlife Management Area **

Fall Creek Falls State Park Fall Creek Falls State Resort Park is a state park in Van Buren and Bledsoe counties, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The over park is centered on the upper Cane Creek Gorge, an area known for its unique geological formations and scenic waterf ...

** Frozen Head State Park ** Prentice Cooper State Forest ** Scott State Forest ** South Cumberland Recreation Area ** South Cumberland State Park * Virginia ** Parts of

Jefferson National Forest The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests is an administrative entity combining two U.S. National Forests into one of the largest areas of public land in the Eastern United States. The forests cover of land in the Appalachian Mountai ...

*** Stone Mountain Wilderness * West Virginia **

Babcock State Park Babcock State Park is a state park located along the New River Gorge on wooded in Fayette County, West Virginia. It is located approximately 20 miles away from the New River Gorge Bridge. Located near the park headquarters, the Glade Creek G ...

** Beech Fork State Park ** Blackwater Falls State Park **

Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge The Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge (CVNWR) in Tucker County, West Virginia, was the 500th National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) to be established in the United States. The refuge preserves a moist valley with unique wetlands and uplands at a rel ...

** Canaan Valley Resort State Park ** Cedar Creek State Park ** Chief Logan State Park **

Coopers Rock State Forest Coopers Rock State Forest is a state forest in Monongalia and Preston counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Its southern edge abuts Cheat Lake and the canyon section of Cheat River, a popular whitewater rafting river in the eastern Unite ...

** Gauley River National Recreation Area **

Holly River State Park Holly River State Park is a state park located in Webster County, West Virginia. Situated on the Left Fork of the Holly River near the town of Hacker Valley, it is the second largest park in the West Virginia state park system with a total of ...

** Kanawha State Forest **

Monongahela National Forest The Monongahela National Forest is a national forest located in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. It protects over of federally managed land within a proclamation boundary that includes much of the Potomac Highlands Regi ...

*** Cranberry Wilderness *** Dolly Sods Wilderness ***

Otter Creek Wilderness The Otter Creek Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness area located in the Cheat-Potomac Ranger District of Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, USA. The Wilderness sits in a bowl-shaped valley formed by Otter Creek, between McGowan Mountain an ...

*** Roaring Plains West Wilderness

References

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