The Piedmont Ecoregion

The term "piedmont" means foothills:  the Piedmont ecoregion lies at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains, with a topography that ranges from rugged to gently rolling.  It is made up of a mosaic of metamorphic rocks varying from mafic rocks that weather to high-nutrient soils to acidic rocks that weather to more sterile soils. (Learn more about the rock types and their influence on plants here.)  The variation in topography and soils leads to a mix of natural communities:  fire-influenced woodlands on acidic south-facing ridges, mesic forests on deep, fertile soils, and rock outcrops with panoramic views. 

Prior to European settlement, Native Americans fostered a landscape that was a complex blend of old-growth forest, prairies, rock outcrops, and woodlands.  Much diversity and topsoil was lost as settlers cleared the forests, farmed intesively, and built large urban areas, destroying and fragmenting habitats.  But many beautiful reminders of the past remain, which help guide efforts to restore the natural communities of the ecoregion, and provide inspiration for those efforts.

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Forest and Woodland Natural Communities
Mesic Forests 
Floodplain, Riparian and Bottomland Forests 
​Oak-Pine-Hickory Forests 
Woodlands and Edges  
Montane Longleaf Pine Woodlands  

Open Communities: meadows, rock outcrops, glades
Upland Prairies (Meadows) and Savannas  
​​Glades, Barrens, and Woodlands  
​Wet Meadows and Thickets, Marshes, Seepage
Cliffs and Bluffs 
​Granite Outcrops
Ultramafic Woodlands and Barrens