NHESP Natural Communities

The NHESP Natural Communities datalayer consists of polygons that represent the extent of various natural communities of biodiversity conservation interest in Massachusetts. These polygons are based on records of natural communities maintained in the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) database. Program scientists classify and delineate natural community polygons by analyzing "on-the-ground" field data and available information about the landscape (particularly topographic maps and aerial photographs). All sites in the NHESP database have been visited by NHESP biologists or by other biologists who have submitted reports on community occurrences that NHESP biologists have reviewed and accepted. Aquatic community types are not included. The polygons are spatially represented at 1:25,000 or 1:24,000. The natural community types are from Swain, P.C. and J. B. Kearsley. 2001, Classification of the Natural Communities of Massachusetts, Version 1.3. Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program. The classification is available as pdf files from http://www.nhesp.org or as paper copies purchased from NHESP. The draft classification names and describes 105 natural community types found in Massachusetts.

The datalayer is based on information on natural communities determined by NHESP to be of biodiversity conservation importance on a statewide basis. It is not intended to be part of a comprehensive vegetation map of the state. Additional verified natural community occurrences received during and after the preparation of this datalayer will be included in future iterations of the datalayer.

These polygons are not related to "Priority Habitat" or "Significant Habitat" as defined by the regulations of the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA). Natural Communities are not protected under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act, but the rare species that may occur within some of these natural communities are protected by that law.