Underpaid Genius

As the cool of autumn starts to take over Beacon, I thought I’d share one observation about why Beacon is special: we are living in the Northern Forests ecological region of North America.

Here’s a map of (most) of the US, and as you can see there is an appendage of the Northern Forests (labeled 5.0 and mostly spread across Canada) that comes down the mountains of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticutt, and crosses the Hudson river here in southern Dutchess county and Putnam county.

Here’s a blow-up and map showing Beacon:

Or looking at the various mountains and county lines:

Mount Beacon is the highest peak in the Hudson Highlands, so we are at the extreme southern range of the Northern Forests, and surrounded by the green area in the topmost image, the Eastern Temperate Forests. We have a distinct flora and fauna, sharing more in common with Vermont and the Catskills than areas much closer.

With global climate change, we are likely to lose the distinction of being a island of the north here in the south, though. But for the time being, enjoy it.

(cross-posted at beaconstreets)