North Carolina’s Regions and Their Wildlife – A Deep Dive into the Ecosystems of the Mountains, Piedmont, Sandhills, and Coastal Plains Regions

From an ecological perspective… what makes North Carolina special?

Perhaps it’s our state’s rich biodiversity, shaped by its unique geographical location—positioned around the midpoint of the East Coast, where plant and wildlife species from both the north and south overlap in their regions. 

Maybe its the varied geology and landscape, from the barrier islands to the highest mountain west of the Mississippi River, which inspired 17th century English explorer John Lawson to comment, “One Part of this Country affords what the other is wholly Stranger to.”

Maybe it’s the centuries old ancient bald cypress trees of the Black River, the oldest trees in the Eastern United States. Or the Southern Appalachians, home to nearly forty different salamander species, representing the highest salamander diversity in the world.

Or it could be the unique species found only here, such as the endangered Red Wolf, the arboreal Hickory Nut Gorge salamander, or the rare Saint Francis Satyr.

Or… maybe it’s all of these elements combined. Our natural heritage—from Mount Mitchell to Nags Head, from salamanders to wolves, from Venus flytraps to longleaf pines—forms a tapestry of North Carolina. This natural wealth may even shape our state’s cultural identity. Roderick Nash, in Wilderness and the American Mind, suggests that “wild places [are valued] as documents, sources of information about the human past,” and that losing these areas is like losing rare books, risking cultural amnesia.

Our natural spaces and their wildlife are essential to what defines North Carolina. Losing them would be akin to losing invaluable cultural artifacts, often irreplaceable. To prevent this, we must appreciate the significance of these spaces across our state.

As 2024 draws to a close, we’re highlighting our state’s natural heritage. In three posts, we will celebrate the unique importance of each region, across the Mountains, the Piedmont, the Sandhills, and the Coastal Plain.

The North Carolina Mountains and Their Wildlife

The combination of rocky outcrops, fertile soil, diverse topography, and shallow hardpan fosters unique ecological communities throughout the North Carolina Mountain region. These include mountain cove forests, spruce-fir forests, mountain bogs, grassy balds, mountain streams, and more.

Keep reading to learn more about the members of the NC mountain ecosystem, including Carolina northern flying squirrels, brook trout, elk, and bog turtles.

The North Carolina Piedmont and its Wildlife

Photo Background: Erin Price-Erwin, NCWF Photo Contest Submission

Geologically, North Carolina displays a gradient of aging, weathering, and erosion, with the Piedmont positioned between the older mountainous terrain and the younger coastal areas. Consequently, the Piedmont is often described as an “erosional terrain”, with erosion having shaped the Piedmont over time into a gently rolling landscape, dotted with remnant hills. The Piedmont also encompasses a range of habitat types, including dry coniferous woodlands, floodplain forests, lakes and reservoirs, mesic forests, riverine aquatic communities, and small wetlands (NCWRC). The variability of ecotypes within the Piedmont allows for a diversity of wildlife in the region.

Keep reading to learn more about the members of the NC Piedmont ecosystem, including old-field deermice, brown-headed nuthatches, monarch butterflies, and more.

The North Carolina Sandhills and Their Wildlife

Gopher frog (left) by Photo: Jeff Hall, NCWRC

The Sandhills region of North Carolina, located in the south-central part of the state, spans across eight counties: Richmond, Scotland, Hoke, Cumberland, Harnett, Lee, Montgomery, and Moore. This unique area is characterized by its sandy soils, which can reach depths of up to 80 feet in some locations, though more commonly, the sandy layer is between five and ten feet deep (NC Forest Service). The well-drained, low-nutrient soils create a typically dry environment, challenging for many plants. However, despite these seemingly inhospitable conditions, the Sandhills are one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in North America, demonstrating a fascinating ecological paradox (Wildlife Society).

Keep reading to learn more about members of the NC Sandhills ecosystem, including Carolina gopher frogs, post-burn datana moths, southern hognose snakes, red-cockaded woodpeckers, and more.

The North Carolina Coastal Plain and Its Wildlife

North Carolina’s Coastal Plain covers approximately 45% of the state’s land area and consists of two sub-regions, the Inner Coastal Plain and the Outer Coastal Plain (The North Carolina Atlas).  The Inner Coastal Plain is situated between the Piedmont to the west and the border of the Outer Coastal Plain to the east. This region is very flat and converges with the more hilly terrain of the Piedmont. However, it is still higher in elevation and more well drained than the Outer Coastal Plain. The Outer Coastal Plain, also called the Tidewater region, includes the state’s seaside coastal features of the barrier islands (Outer Banks), sounds, marshes, and lower river systems.

Keep reading to learn more about the members of the NC Coastal Plain ecosystem, including tundra swans, loggerhead sea turtles, black rails, red wolves, and more.