© Mike Norton (Colorado)
Featured Ecosystems in Colorado
© Charlie Johnson Featured Ecosystems Featured Image
Colorado is well known for the majestic beauty of the Rocky Mountains, where more than 50 peaks reach over 14,000 feet high – a place where summers are short and winters are long. Below our alpine zone are coniferous and aspen forests that dominate most of the Rocky Mountain montane zone.
What many don’t realize is that nearly 40% of Colorado is not mountainous at all, but rather is covered by flat or rolling prairies, dissected in places by rugged canyons. Read on for descriptions of the state's largest and most prominent ecosystems.
Featured Ecological Systems in Colorado
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Iconic Ecosystems in Colorado
Iconic ecosystems are those that "say Colorado" - rugged alpine, mountains clad in spruce-fir and aspen, wooded foothills, and rolling prairies.
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Disappearing Landscapes in Colorado
While Colorado is fortunate in that there are no truly "disappearing" landscapes, there are several ecological systems in our state that are declining in extent and condition. Read on to learn more.