Assemblages of Plants and Animals
Vermont hosts over 80 natural communities ranging from The Limestone Bluff Cedar Pine Forest (banner photo) to Dry Oak Forests to Dwarf Shrub Bogs. 
Natural communities are assemblages “of organisms, their physical environment, and the natural processes that affect them.” (Wetland, Woodland, Wildland, 2000) Vermont Master Naturalists explore the natural communities that give each town its unique character. Gus Goodwin leads VMN Richmond naturalists on a hike through a Silver Maple Ostrich Fern Riverine Floodplain Forest identifying trees and assessing soil texture (above) and VMN Burlington naturalists (’17) visit a Pine-Oak-Heath Sandplain Forest (bottom.) Banner photo by Sean Beckett; Richmond photos by Kate Blofson.
Illustration by Libby Davidson
Vermont Master Naturalist Program 