The many habitats in New England are typical of North America. They influence the distribution of biodiversity over space and time. Our area was covered by glaciers as recently as 20,000 years ago. As the climate warmed the glaciers retreated. Plants and animals migrated to fill the landscape.
The dioramas in this hall feature three biological communities that one might encounter in Connecticut. Created over 70 years ago, the scenes were modeled on real locations within the state. Since their creation, many environmental changes have occurred in the region, including climate change, overdevelopment, and the spread of non-native invasive plants.
Click to expand images below.
Coastal Region
This diorama is modeled after Milford Point. It features a beach, a salt marsh that extends inland along a river, and a nearby farm.
Forest Margin
This diorama depicts a deciduous forest in late summer in Litchfield County. It features a variety of native forest species; invasive plants are not shown.
Cold Bog
This bog is located in Connecticut’s Great Mountain Forest in Litchfield County. The black spruces found here are more common farther north.