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Southern New England Coastal Plains and Hills

Ecoregion in NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA

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The Southern New England Coastal Plains and Hills ecoregion covers much of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southeastern Massachusetts, and is diverse in its characteristics and habitats. The landforms of the ecoregion are irregular plains with low hills and some open high hills with relief of about 100 to 400 feet. Elevations range up to about 1000 feet, with the highest elevations found in western Connecticut. Bedrock types are mostly granites, schist, and gneiss, although some soft marble occurs in western Connecticut. Surface materials are mostly glacial till, with some stratified deposits in valleys. Soil patterns are complex and heterogeneous where the numerous, small, till-covered bedrock hills rise above the valleys and general level of outwash. Coarse-loamy and sandy, mesic Inceptisols and some Entisols are typical. Historically, forests were dominated by a mix of oaks, American chestnut, hickories, other hardwoods, and some hemlock and white pine. As with many other areas of New England, these forests were cleared, either for agriculture and grazing or for the production of charcoal. A variety of dry to mesic successional oak and oak-pine forests cover the region today, along with some elm, ash, and red maple that are typical of southern New England’s forested wetlands.

— EPA

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