Physical Landscape: Topography

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Topography is the configuration of the earth's surficial features. This includes relief and the relative positions of natural and human-made features. Large natural landforms, such as mountain chains and oceans, influence hydrology, climate, and glaciology over entire continents. Smaller scale relief, like that created by surficial sediments or human development, will affect the temperature, moisture and hydrology of the local environment. At a large scale

Relief map of Vermont

relief determines the altitude at which an environment exists, and at a small scale it affects the slope and aspect of the local landscape.

Slope and slope aspect are important features of topography. A steep slope or cliff will drain more quickly and retain less organic material than a flatter area in the same region. So on steeper areas we can expect less soil to develop and consequently fewer plants to thrive. Of course there are always exceptions, and in Vermont, you often find a thick fringe of Northern white cedar growing on well-drained rocky slopes. Slope aspect directly affects an area's exposure to sunlight and precipitation. We can see the affect of this on Vermont's landscape when we find more southerly species (such as red oak) competing well on drier, warmer south and west facing hillsides.

Because of the important role that topography plays in shaping the physical and biological environment, topographic maps are an excellent resource for interpreting your local landscape. You probably already have a good feel for the major topographical features of your town but you can start to look for clues about how your community and the landscape have been shaped by these features. For example, where are the oldest houses in town? Do people prefer to garden on one side of their house or another?

The Topography of Shelburne

Located along the shores of Lake Champlain and squarely within the Champlain Lowlands, the town of Shelburne has relatively little relief compared to other towns in the state. Lake Champlain, the town's western boundary, has a mean water level of approximately 97 feet above sea level. The highest point of land in Shelburne (on the ledges just east of Shelburne Pond) is 456 feet above sea level.

Despite its lack of large-scale topographic variation, the presence of a number of low hills ridges, and stream valleys in Shelburne contributes to a remarkable diversity of habitats within the town's borders. Some of this diversity is derived from the influences of aspect on area such as Allen Hill, which rises on the western shore of Shelburne Bay. For example, a rich oak-hickory-northern hardwoods forest occupies a blocky talus slope on the cool north side of the hill. In contrast, the hill's drier south slope supports an oak-pine forest with an unusual concentration of chestnut oak (Quercus prinus).