Cold winter temperatures, short growing seasons, steep slopes with rocky soil, and poorer air quality all contribute to a stressful high elevation environment that supports fewer living organisms than in the milder lower-elevation habitats. In fact, the summit area is one of the few sensitive subalpine communities of the state, home to 12 plants on the state's list of threatened and endangered species and 22 other plant and animal species considered rare or sensitive. As we pass from lowlands to mountaintop, there is a shift in the types of plants and animals found and how they look. There are more lichens and mosses at high elevations. These plants lie low to the ground and are insulated by deep snows in the winter.
Trees become shorter and often bent, their response to more extreme weather.
Some species disappear and are replaced by others found only at higher elevations. Altering the forest canopy, increased recreation demands, and development can all change the characteristics of the forest environment and the variety of organisms within it. Effects in small, localized areas are of great concern when considering the cumulative impact in forests across the state. With a wealth of natural resources in our state, the key to sustainability is to recognize what we have and how best to manage it. Recognizing the limitations of our natural resources to withstand additional stress is the role of Vermont's resource managers.