Western New York Woodlands

Forests are the structurally dominant feature of northern hemispheres landscapes, and western NY is no exception. Much of the original grandeur of the original Old Growth Forests has been lost through the extensivehistory of forestry and farming, but much of the region is remains forested by a new generation of trees.

But woodlands are not just forests. They are a complex pattern of trees, forest margins, wetlands, and meadows. It is this diversity of habitats that reflects the diversity of other animals and plants in the region. In this hall, the dioramas illustrate these characteristics as well as highlighting one of the major elements of any ecological system – the fungi that permeate the ground and plants around us. Their often brilliant colors and bizarre shapes may catch our attention, but the main body of the fungi is hidden from view. The history of woodland growth and evolution is also captured in a cross section of a sequoia tree that first emerged from its seed in the early days of the Roman Empire.