Mahoosucs Unit
Grafton Twp, Riley Twp

Vital Statistics:

• Size: 9,974 acres
• Regulated: 733 acres
• Non-Regulated: 9,241 acres
• Upland: 9,980 acres
• Forested Wetland (NWI): 0 acres
• Non-Forested Wetland: 2 acres
• Open Water: 11 acres
• Roads: trails-20 miles
• Biophysical Region: Mahoosucs/Rangeley Lakes
• BPL Region: West

Rare Species and Exemplary Natural Community Table for Mahoosucs Unit

Type	Common Name	Latin Name	S-RANK	G-RANK	State Status	EO-RANK
Exemplary Natural Communities	Beech - birch - maple forest		S5	N/A	N/A	B
	Dwarf heath - graminoid ridge		S2	N/A	N/A	B
	Fir - heartleaf - birch subalpine forest		S3	N/A	N/A	A
	Red spruce - mixed conifer woodland		S4	N/A	N/A	E
	Spruce - northern hardwoods forest		S4	N/A	N/A	A
	Tarn		S2	N/A	N/A	E
Rare Plants	Alpine sweet-grass	Hierochloe alpina	S1	G5	T	B
	Alpine sweet-grass	Hierochloe alpina	S1	G5	T	E
	Appalachian fir-clubmoss	Huperzia appalachiana	S2	G4G5	SC	D
	Bigelow’s sedge	Carex bigelowii	S2	G5	SC	B
	Boreal bentgrass	Agrostis mertensii	S2	G5	T	C
	Cutler’s goldenrod	Solidago multiradiata	S2	G5T4	T	D
	Lapland diapensia	Diapensia lapponica	S2	G5	SC	B
	Lapland diapensia	Diapensia lapponica	S2	G5	SC	E
	Mountain sandwort	Minuartia groenlandica	S3	G5	SC	B
	Mountain sandwort	Minuartia groenlandica	S3	G5	SC	E
	Mountain sandwort	Minuartia groenlandica	S3	G5	SC	E
	Mountain sandwort	Minuartia groenlandica	S3	G5	SC	E
	Northern comandra	Geocaulon lividum	S2	G5	SC	B
	Northern comandra	Geocaulon lividum	S2	G5	SC	B
	Northern comandra	Geocaulon lividum	S2	G5	SC	E
	Northern comandra	Geocaulon lividum	S2	G5	SC	E
	Silverling	Paronychia argyrocoma	S1	G4	T	C
Rare Animals	None found

Description

Extending from 1,120 feet to 3,980 feet in elevation, the Mahoosuc ecological reserve is second to only Bigelow in elevational gradient, and it is one of the three largest reserves. Most of the reserve (8,458 acres) has been classified as sub-alpine forest, and 259 acres have been classified as alpine ridge -- the most alpine habitat of any of the thirteen ecological reserves. This alpine ridge, traversed by the Appalachian Trail, supports numerous populations of rare plants.

Less than 10% of the reserve was classified as regulated timberland, primarily the hardwood and mixed wood stands on the lower slopes. Most of these stands have been selectively harvested in the past, but some areas, including a beech-birch-maple forest in Mahoosuc Notch, show no evidence of cutting. At intermediate elevations, some transitional conifer-dominated stands also show no signs of past harvesting, with trees over 245 years old.

The reserve also includes the 10-acre, 37-foot deep Speck Pond, a sub-alpine tarn. Only two acres within the reserve are wetland.

Resources

Mahoosuc Management Unit—Management Plan. 1998. Department of Conservation Bureau of Public Lands, Augusta, Maine. 58 pp.