Natural Communities of North Georgia
  • Home
  • Piedmont
    • Piedmont Overview
    • Mesic (Moist) Forests
    • Oak-Pine-Hickory Forests
    • Bottomland/Floodplain Forest
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Prairies and Savannas (Upland)
    • Wet Meadows and Marshes
    • Granite Outcrops
    • Glades, Barrens, and Woodlands
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Flatwoods (Upland Depression Swamps)
  • Blue Ridge
    • Blue Ridge Overview
    • Northern Hardwoods
    • Montane Oak Forests
    • Fertile Cove Forests
    • Acidic Cove Forests
    • Oak Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • High Elevation Outcrops
    • Mafic Dome Rock Outcrops
    • Rock Outcrops, Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Mountain Bogs
    • Seepage Wetlands
    • Spray Cliffs
    • Montane Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Cumberland Ridge & Valley
    • Cumberland Ridge & Valley Overview
    • Mesic Forests
    • Dry Calcareous Forests
    • Acidic Oak-Pine Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Calcareous (Cedar) Glades
    • Calcareous Cliffs
    • Calcareous Prairies and Barrens
    • Acidic Glades and Barrens
    • Acidic Cliffs and Outcrops
    • Flatwoods
    • Acidic Seepage Wetlands
    • Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Impact of Rock Type on Plant Composition
  • Plant Adaptations to Deciduous Forests



                   The Piedmont Ecoregion of Georgia: Overview

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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 intensively, and built large urban areas, destroying and fragmenting habitats.  But many beautiful reminders of the past rem
ain, which help guide efforts to restore the natural communities of the ecoregion, and provide inspiration for those efforts.

Upland Forest and Woodland Natural Communities of the Georgia Piedmont
Mesic (Moist) Hardwood Forests  
​Oak-Pine-Hickory (Dry-Mesic) Forests 
Pine-Oak Woodlands and Edges  
Montane Longleaf Pine Woodlands  


Open Natural Communities: Meadows, Rock Outcrops, Glades
Upland Prairies (Meadows) and Savannas  
​​Glades, Barrens, and Woodlands  
Cliffs and Bluffs  
​Granite Outcrops
Ultramafic (Serpentine) Woodlands and Barrens


Wetland Natural Communities
Bottomland, Shady Seepage, and Floodplain Forests
Wet Meadows and Marshes
Flatwoods (Upland Depression Swamps; Monticello Glades)


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​Contents of this site are based on the book The Natural Communities of Georgia, which can be purchased from the University of Georgia Press, Amazon, and other vendors.
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This site is a work in progress: comments and suggestions are welcome.  Email: ​naturalcommsga@gmail.com

  • Home
  • Piedmont
    • Piedmont Overview
    • Mesic (Moist) Forests
    • Oak-Pine-Hickory Forests
    • Bottomland/Floodplain Forest
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Prairies and Savannas (Upland)
    • Wet Meadows and Marshes
    • Granite Outcrops
    • Glades, Barrens, and Woodlands
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Flatwoods (Upland Depression Swamps)
  • Blue Ridge
    • Blue Ridge Overview
    • Northern Hardwoods
    • Montane Oak Forests
    • Fertile Cove Forests
    • Acidic Cove Forests
    • Oak Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • High Elevation Outcrops
    • Mafic Dome Rock Outcrops
    • Rock Outcrops, Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Mountain Bogs
    • Seepage Wetlands
    • Spray Cliffs
    • Montane Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Cumberland Ridge & Valley
    • Cumberland Ridge & Valley Overview
    • Mesic Forests
    • Dry Calcareous Forests
    • Acidic Oak-Pine Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Calcareous (Cedar) Glades
    • Calcareous Cliffs
    • Calcareous Prairies and Barrens
    • Acidic Glades and Barrens
    • Acidic Cliffs and Outcrops
    • Flatwoods
    • Acidic Seepage Wetlands
    • Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Impact of Rock Type on Plant Composition
  • Plant Adaptations to Deciduous Forests