Northern Ridge and Valley
(Area - 4,561,879 ha)
Description - The Northern Ridge and Valley extends from
southeastern Pennsylvania, through northwestern New Jersey and southeastern New York
nearly to the base of the Adirondack Mts. It includes portions of several major river
valleys, including the Hudson, Delaware, and Susquehanna Rivers. Ecologically, this is a
transitional area, with forested ridges grading from primarily oak-hickory forests in the
south to northern hardwood forests further north. Pine-oak woodlands and barrens and
hemlock ravine forests are also important along ridges, whereas bottomland and riparian
forests are important in the valleys, which are now largely cleared for agricultural and
urban development. Roughly 50% of the physiographic area is forested today, the vast
majority occurring at higher elevations. About 40% of the area is in agricultural
production, primarily a mixture of dairy pastureland and corn. Over 200,000 ha is state
forest land in PA and NJ; other important public lands include High Point State Park (NJ)
and Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge.
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Conservation recommendations and needs - This area is under increasing pressure from growing urban areas around Albany, Harrisburg, and outlying suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. Suburban and second-home development continues to fragment forests and devour pastureland, open shrub habitats and wetlands. Reduction of forest understory and regeneration due to overpopulation of white-tailed deer, as well as forest-health problems caused by insect and disease outbreaks, also represent major conservation issues for forest birds in remaining tracts. The small proportion of forest land in public (mostly state) ownership presents an important opportunity for implementing conservation objectives. In particular, identification and protection of important sites for breeding Cerulean Warblers should be a high priority. Active management for Golden-winged Warblers, where feasible, should also be a high priority, especially identification and study of remaining sites where Golden-winged Warblers may persist in sympatry with expanding Blue-winged Warblers. In addition to breeding habitat, the ridges and river valleys of this physiographic area represent major flyways for migratory passerines, raptors, and waterfowl. Ongoing efforts to monitor migration and stopover (e.g. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary) should be fully supported and enhanced. Specific conservation recommendations for this physiographic area include:
• determine range of suitable habitats and identify present breeding sites for Golden-winged Warbler in this region;
• identify and designate Bird Conservation Areas (BCA), within which long-term sustainability of priority forest bird populations is a primary management objective;
• identify present-day concentrations of Cerulean Warbler within the region; determine protection status and specific threats at these sites;
• identify, and either acquire, mange or restore grasslands > 50 ha with potential to support Henslow’s Sparrow or Upland Sandpiper.
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