The term "piedmont" means foothills:  the Piedmont ecoregion lies at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains, with a topography that ranges from rugged to gently rolling.  It is made up of a mosaic of metamorphic rocks varying from mafic rocks that weather to high-nutrient soils to acidic rocks that weather to more sterile soils. (Learn more about the rock types and their influence on plants here.)  The variation in topography and soils leads to a mix of natural communities:  fire-influenced woodlands on acidic south-facing ridges, mesic forests on deep, fertile soils, and rock outcrops with panoramic views. 

Prior to European settlement, Native Americans fostered a landscape that was a complex blend of old-growth forest, prairies, rock outcrops, and woodlands.  Much diversity and topsoil was lost as settlers cleared the forests, farmed intensively, and built large urban areas, destroying and fragmenting habitats.  But many beautiful reminders of the past remain, which help guide efforts to restore the natural communities of the ecoregion, and provide inspiration for those efforts.