Considered by The Nature Conservancy to be in an area of global ecological importance, the Monongahela is one of the most biologically diverse national forests. Much of this diversity can be attributed to the wide range in elevation and the resulting patterns of precipitation. The lowest part of the Forest is on the eastern side and is about 1000 feet above sea level, while the central portion of the Forest contains the State's highest peak, Spruce Knob at an elevation of 4863 feet above sea level.
