On this page you can learn more about the habitats and natural resources of Amherst and how we conserve them.
The predominant natural habitat in Amherst is forest, comprised of Appalachian oak-pine forests (8,733 acres or 40% of the town) and hemlock-hardwood-pine forests (4,740 acres or 22%). These forests are interspersed across town with smaller areas of grasslands (1,782 acres or 8%), wet meadows (1,234 acres or 6%), temperate swamps (837 acres or 4%), peatlands (461 acres or 2%), lakes and ponds (305 acres or 1%). ACC manages 2,600 acres of these natural habitats as conservation land. This principally involves protecting land from development. We actively manage some properties to promote healthy ecosystems and enhance wildlife habitat.
Use our Habitats Mapping Tool to locate and identify natural habitats in town. You can even do it on your smartphone while hiking.