The NH Natural Heritage Bureau finds, tracks, and facilitates the protection of New Hampshire's rare plants and exemplary natural communities (types of forests, wetlands, grasslands, etc.). As a bureau within the Division of Forests & Lands, we are fundamentally a service to New Hampshire landowners and land managers. We are not a regulatory agency; instead, we work with landowners and land managers to help them protect the State's natural heritage while meeting their land-use needs.

Our mission, as mandated by the Native Plant Protection Act of 1987 (RSA 217-A), is to determine protective measures and requirements necessary for the survival of native plant species in the state, to investigate the condition and degree of rarity of plant species, and to distribute information regarding the condition and protection of these species and their habitats. We also maintain information on rare wildlife in cooperation with the NH Fish & Game Department's Nongame & Endangered Wildlife Program, which has legal jurisdiction over New Hampshire wildlife. Visit our About Us page for more information about our organizational structure.

What's Rare in New Hampshire?

Rare Plants -- Rare and Tracked Wildlife 
Rare Plants, Wildlife, and Natural Communities by Town

What's New...  

NEW! List of Rare Plant Species by Habitat Type - A list of NH's rare plants, grouped by major habitat type.

NEW! New Natural Community Descriptions - A list (created July 2008) of natural community descriptions developed since the publication of the Natural Communities of New Hampshire technical manual in 2004.

NEW! New Natural Community System Descriptions - A list (created July 2008) of natural community system descriptions developed since the publication of the New Hampshire Natural Community Systems classification in 2005.

NEW! Ecological Inventory of Coleman State Park (2009) - Detailed ecological inventory and assessment of the significant biodiversity features at Coleman State Park in northern NH.  This report will be a key resource for land management decisions at the State Park.  19 pages (plus appendices), color maps, figures, photos. (pdf 7,475 kb)

NEW! Ecological Inventory of Pisgah State Park (2009) - Detailed ecological inventory and assessment of the significant biodiversity features at the Pisgah State Park in southwestern NH. This report will be a key resource for land management decisions at the State Park. 45 pages, color maps, figures, photos. (pdf 10,812 kb)

NEW! Photo Guide to New Hampshire's Natural Community Systems

NEW! Several guides, site profiles, and image pages have been updated in our Visiting NH's Biodiversity series.

Popular Features

DataCheck Tool - now available online! This web site, developed jointly with the NH Department of Environmental Services and the NH Fish & Game Department, can be used to check for rare species to satisfy a permit or regulatory requirement.

Natural Communities of New Hampshire - Classification and detailed descriptions of natural communities in NH. Hardcopies are also available by mail for $20.00 each.

Natural Community Systems of New Hampshire - Companion book to Natural Communities of New Hampshire. Hardcopies are also available by mail for $15.00 each.

Visit New Hampshire's Biodiversity - Guides and profiles of sites with exemplary natural communities & systems.

"Seasonal" Archive (topics of seasonal interest)