BioMap2 is designed to guide strategic biodiversity conservation in Massachusetts by focusing land protection and stewardship on the areas that are most critical for ensuring the long-term persistence of rare and other native species and their habitats, exemplary natural communities, and a diversity of ecosystems.
Summary report and interactive map
The BioMap2 Core Habitats and Critical Natural Landscapes are viewable through an interactive mapping program. BioMap2 Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscape overlap in many locations. Together, Core Habitat and Critical Natural Landscape identify 2.1 million acres that are key to the protection of our state's biodiversity.
Additional Resources for
Core Habitat
Core Habitat identifies key areas to ensure the long-term persistence of species of conservation concern, exemplary natural communities, and intact ecosystems across the Commonwealth.
The specific subcomponents of Core Habitat are:
- Species of Conservation Concern - includes native Massachusetts species that are listed under the state Endangered Species Act or listed in the State Wildlife Action Plan
- Priority Natural Communities- includes natural communities with limited distribution and the best examples documented of more common types of communities
- Aquatic Core- identifies core habitat for fish and other Species of Conservation Concern
- Forest Core - identifies the best examples of large, intact forests that are least impacted by roads and development, providing critical "forest interior" habitat for numerous woodland species
- Wetland Core - identifies the most intact wetlands within less developed landscapes
- Vernal Pool Core - identifies the highest quality most interconnected clusters of Potential Vernal Pools and the habitat between them
Additional Resources for
Critical Natural Landscape
Critical Natural Landscape identifies larger landscape areas that are better able to support ecological processes, disturbances, and wide-ranging species.
The specific subcomponents of Critical Natural Landscape are:
- Foraging Habitat for Tern Species - identifies the offshore habitat used by MESA-listed Roseate, Arctic, Common, and Least Terns when foraging for food (see Species of Conservation Concern)
- Landscape Blocks - are large areas of high quality intact and predominately natural vegetation
- Upland Buffers of Wetland Core - identifies upland areas adjacent to all Wetland Cores
- Upland Buffers of Aquatic Core - identifies upland areas adjacent to all Aquatic Cores
- Upland Habitat to Support Coastal Adaptation - identifies upland areas adjacent to existing salt marshes where these habitats might move to as sea levels rise