Current Forest Composition

Adaptation Forest has characteristic elements of northern hardwood forests, which are found in the northern regions of the U.S., from Minnesota to Maine and south along the Appalachian Mountains. Northern hardwood forests are diverse and complex forest ecosystems that are dominated by a mix of deciduous hardwood trees. Portions of the property are also characterized as "rich, mesic forest," a variant of the northern hardwood forest, where sugar maple is often dominant and there is a diverse herbaceous layer with abundant spring ephemerals (e.g. blue cohosh, baneberry, wild leeks, trout-lily and spring beauty), in a moist, nutrient-rich environment.

The main tree species found in Adaptation Forest are sugar maple, red maple and beech, with secondary components of red oak, black & yellow birches, white ash and bitternut hickory and smaller components of white pine and eastern hemlock. The forest also currently contains a 3-acre stand of Norway Spruce and a 2-acre stand of red pine at its lower elevations that have been recommended for removal due to threat from pests and disease. See Adaptive Priorities for more information. 

A legacy of the forest’s pasture history is the prevalence of some invasive species, such as Japanese barberry, which are more successful on the compromised soils of forestland that seeded onto open land. The recent selective logging by the prior owner has also resulted in an increased prevalence of blackberries where sunlight has increased, unlocking seeds stored on the forest floor. The blackberries should naturally decline in coming years as younger saplings reduce the amount of available light.

Adaptation Forest is also an important ecosystem for wildlife and provides habitat for a variety of birds, insects and mammals, including white-tailed deer, black bear, fox, raccoon, porcupine, and fisher cats.