RRINR blog
Finding information about the correct names of ecoregions of the United States is not always as easy as one might think. Primary and secondary sources often use names that are different from official names. For example, one writer may use the term hardwoods, while another refers to hardwood forests. The single letter “S” in the spelling of hardwood, present or not, in this example, may not be the end of all, but proper spelling is important. The National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, publishes a map of the ecoregions in the continental United States along with a key giving names of each ecoregion. Consulting this reference source should clear up the confusion and help writers and researchers use the correct form given for a particular ecoregion.
The title of the reference map is:
Level III Ecoregions of the Continental United States. Revised April 2013.
