U.S. Ecoregions

I really love maps. They're such an efficient and accessible way to convey information, especially for a visual person. One of my favorite map subjects is ecoregions. Ecoregions are regions defined by geology, vegetation, climate, soil, and other characteristics, and they're great because each classification and differentiation tells you enough about the area that you can build a solid mental impression, especially if grouped with a nice landscape photography site like Terra Galleria and a childhood of cross-country travel. The EPA has some good maps on its site, and I've reproduced some of my favorites below. It's interesting to think about the differences between the maps and why some mapmakers thought they were worth pointing out while others didn't.

The above map is my favorite map of the US. There are things it misses - the Yellowstone Rockies, Bighorns, and Black Hills are all pretty unique, yet are grouped as the same ecoregion - but if you start picking apart mountain ranges too much things get complicated pretty quickly. It calls out the Sandhills, a somewhat surreal area probably less than a thousandth of the country knows exists. In fact, what I love most about this map is how it differentiates the western and central plains, which often are neglected for the flashier mountainscapes at their doorsteps.

The map above is a bit simplistic, but that's probably about right for most people. When you get out West there are some pretty stark changes in the landscape, which a highly differentiated map doesn't emphasize.

This map is probably the closest to what you'll see if you actually travel between regions. I doubt anyone would notice a difference between the Snake River Valley and the Wyoming Basin, other than the backdrops. The map puts more of an emphasis on mountains than basins/plateaus, and is one of the few to include the Basin Ranges in Nevada, a nice touch. Also, the jagged and vivid color outlines illustrate just how much more interesting the West is than the East. Just in case you forgot.

But this post wouldn't be complete without some sentimentality thrown in, so here goes: these regions are a reminder of how geographically insignificant state lines really are. States are just jurisdictions, a patchwork of property rights that lays claim to the land but doesn't actually influence it. As any South Dakotan knows, an East River farmer has more in common with a downstate Minnesotan than with his West River rancher brethren. The simplicity of rivers, lakes, and latitude are measurable etches, caged by welcome signs and outstretched commerce clause jurisprudence. But they only hold place on paper or a hundred feet below the land surface, a scratch compared to the significant but transitional personality of ecology. Or if you'd like a more favorable spin: it's nice the states share the mountains and deserts.