New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau is under the New Hampshire Division of Forest & Lands (part of DNCR)
The Natural Heritage Bureau has extensive information on NH’s natural resources and plant inventories. Providing excellent scientific analysis of NH’s wondrous natural communities for people to experiences.
Mount Sunapee State Park is home to a unique exemplary natural community system, including rare ancient forest. According to the New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau (NHB) and its published reports, the state park contains a 1,774-acre exemplary northern hardwood-conifer forest system, the largest documented forest system of this type in New Hampshire.
Here is the current map from 2024 NHB Slide Show Presentation at the June, 2024, Mt. Sunapee Advisory Commission. NHB completed an extensive inventory within Mt. Sunapee State Park and expanded this exemplary northern hardwood-conifer forest system.
Below is the 2024 expanded area within the Mt. Sunapee State Park. Now 1,773 acres.
To see see the complete NHB Slide Show Presentation Upland Ecological Integrity Assessment of the Northern Hardwood – Conifer Forest Ecological System at Mt. Sunapee
Below is the 2015 report shows the location of the exemplary natural community in Mount Sunapee State Park.
Studies at Mount Sunapee State Park by the New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau
- Old Forests and Rare Plants at the Mount Sunapee Ski Lease Area – 1999 (pdf 5 MB)
- Findings and Conclusions Regarding Exemplary Old Forest in Polygon 23 – 1999 (pdf 2 MB)
- Natural Heritage Inventory of the East Bowl at Mount Sunapee State Park – 2003 (pdf 3 MB)
- Evaluation of Proposed Ski Lease Area Expansion on Mount Sunapee – 2004 (pdf 3.6 MB)
- Addendum to Evaluation of Proposed Ski Lease Area Expansion on Mount Sunapee – 2015 (pdf 1.1 MB)
Additional Natural Heritage Bureau documents
Natural Communities of New Hampshire (pdf 2.4 MB)
Natural Community Systems of New Hampshire (pdf)
Rare Plants, Rare Animals, and Exemplary Natural Communities in New Hampshire – listed by town (pdf 1.7 MB)
Visiting New Hampshire’s Biodiversity: Old Forest In Franconia Notch State Park (pdf 1.4 MB)
Contact the NH Natural Heritage Bureau for more information about these reports.
The Natural Heritage Bureau is in the Division of Forests and Lands, PO Box 1856, Concord, New Hampshire 03302-1856. Phone (603) 271-2214.