Wooded Communities
Communities dominated by trees where the resulting shade dictates the understory composition.

Dry Woods
Occurs on well drained soil on ridges or slopes with south or west exposures. Soils are often thin, sandy or gravelly. Over story is typically oak-hickory.

Mesic Woods
Rich woodlands often dominated by beech and sugar maple. They occur on well-drained but moisture retentive soils in flat areas, as well as, north or east facing slopes.

Wet Mesic Woods
Woodlands that are seasonally saturated or briefly inundated during flooding events. These woods occur typically on floodplains or along the border of wet upland woods. Common trees include sycamore, black walnut, and green ash.

Wet Woods
Woods that are seasonally inundated, typically in the spring. These woods may occur on floodplains or flat upland woods. Characteristic overstory trees include red and silver maples, green ash and several species of oaks.

Savannas
Areas dominated by widely spaced or scattered trees so that the canopy is open or not complete. Usually dominated by various oaks with a mixture of woodland, prairie, and edge species in the understory. Typically maintained by fire.

Prairies
Open communities of grasses, sedges and a rich variety of wildflowers typically maintained by fire.

Dry Prairie
Occurs on well-drained upland soils, often on sloping, sandy, or gravelly sites. Typical grasses include Little Bluestem, Side-Oats Grama, and Prairie Dropseed.

Mesic Prairie
Occurs on well-drained rich moisture retentive soils in flat or gently rolling terrain. Typical grasses include Big Bluestem, Indian Grass, and Prairie Dropseed.

Wet Mesic Prairie
Occurs in seasonally saturated areas in flats prairies. Typical grasses are Big Bluestem and Switchgrass.

Wet Prairie
Prairies that are seasonally inundated in low spots or flat wet terrain. Typical grasses include Switchgrass, Blue-Joint Grass, and Prairie Cordgrass. Like all prairies it is typically maintained by fire.
Wetland Communities

Sedge Meadow
An open wetland community occurring on saturated or seasonally inundated locations. Typically dominated by various species of sedges, especially Tussock Sedge.

Shallow Water Emergent
An area typically inundated for much of the growing season, but with under 1 foot of water depth. These areas are often exposed in mid to late summer as the water level recedes. Typically dominated by Bulrushes, Burreed, Arrowhead, and Rushes.

Deep Water Emergent or Floating Leaf Community
Areas typically inundated with 1 to 3 feet of water. These areas are normally rarely exposed even in dry weather. Typical plants include water lilies and various submerged species.

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