Biodiversity of the Monongahela National Forest

This blog will explore the biodiversity of the Monongahela National Forest. The Monongahela is the fourth largest National Forest in the northeast, occupying over 921,000 acres along the highlands of the Allegheny Mountains in southeastern West Virginia. The Monongahela is one of the most biodiverse National Forests due to the wide range of elevations, slopes, aspects and habitats it encompasses. The dense forest ecosystems making up the Monongahela range from high elevation red spruce forests to northern hardwood forests to drier oak-hickory and pine stands. The Monongahela stretches from 900 feet on the valley floor to 4,863 feet at the highest point in the State, Spruce Knob. The diversity of ecosystems within the Monongahela support a wide variety of flora and fauna, The Monongahela is home to at least 75 tree species, over 225 bird species, 72 fish species, over 2000 plant species including eight federally listed threatened or endangers species. Having lived and worked my entire life among the Monongahela National Forest, I have often taken its beauty and majesty for granted.

What is Biodiversity?

The Center for Biological Diversity defines biodiversity as, “the variability among living organisms on the earth, including the variability within and between species and within and between ecosystems.” Biodiversity can be viewed at three levels: 1) genetic biodiversity (i.e. variation in the genetic makeup of individuals or populations within a species), 2) species biodiversity (i.e. the variety of species within an area) and 3) ecosystem biodiversity (i.e. the variety of ecosystems in an area) (adapted from World Wildlife Fund).