Natural areas around and in Claremont might more accurately be called “semi-natural areas’ in that all of them are influenced and to various degrees altered by human activities.

A natural area retains sufficient naturally-occurring populations of plants, animals, and other organisms such that its overall physical and biological properties are more like those of a place unaltered by human activity (wilderness area) than like an area dominated by human actions. A natural area contains sufficient populations of native species of plants and animals such that interactions between species are similar to those that have evolved naturally. A natural area is not heavily reliant on human management to retain its properties, although it may require and receive management such as removal of invasive species or restrictions on human activities in order to be maintained over the long run.

Corridors: Adjacent to and between natural areas there may exist ecological corridors, which are long and narrow. Corridors are important for conservation of many animals because they effectively enlarge the natural areas they connect. They may lack some of the attributes of a natural area, for example being dominated by planted vegetation. Nonetheless, they may permit small and large animals to move between natural areas, which increases the stability of otherwise small and isolated populations. Any analysis of natural areas in and around the City of Claremont needs to map and consider existing and potential corridors, because together they constitute a single system of interconnected parts. Corridors are also important because they tend to be useful for recreational purposes such as hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, utility and transportation easements, and green spaces adjacent to human developments.