Natural Geography
© Betsy Leppo | PNHP Natural Geography in Pennsylvania
Effective conservation often requires working across the relatively straight lines of humankind's jurisdictional boundaries, looking instead to more naturally defined areas. "Natural geographies" like ecoregions, watersheds, and corridors provide valuable frameworks for shaping on-the-ground land and water protection efforts.
Natural Geography of Pennsylvania
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© Nicholas Tonelli (Tionesta Natural Area)
Ecoregions of Pennsylvania
Ecoregions reflect broad ecological patterns occurring on the landscape. Using ecoregions as a framework for assessing the distribution and status of species and ecosystems makes biological sense, compared to using politically derived lines like county, state or national boundaries.
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© Nicholas Tonelli (West Branch, Susquehanna River)
Watersheds
Nearly two-thirds of Pennsylvania drains into the Atlantic Ocean via the Potomac, Susquehanna and Delaware Basins. Much of the remainder of the western half of the state is drained through the Ohio Basin towards the Gulf of Mexico, while a small portion is drained to the north via the Erie and Genesee basins.
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© Nicholas Tonelli (Edge Effect)
Corridors in Pennsylvania
Wildlife corridors serve as migratory pathways and allow species to move through a landscape in search of better conditions. Corridors are especially important in Pennsylvania due to convergence of southern and northern species and large numbers of migratory species native to the state.
