Vegetation in the Park |
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From a park visitor's perspective, one of the most striking things seen upon entering the sites are the many old and rare trees. Natural mortality has taken its toll on this resource, and individual trees will continue to deteriorate due to advanced age. The park conducts preventive maintenance as funds permit, and a specimen tree replacement program is in operation per a directive from President Franklin Roosevelt. However, some varieties are no longer commercially available. The park has established a tree nursery in an effort to address this problem. A full-time Tree Worker position has been established. The park has a bucket truck that enables park personnel to perform tree work without the need to contract for services. Natural forest vegetation has been adequately inventoried at all three sites. Many diverse forest tree associations have been described, and from a general viewpoint seem to be in good condition. However, monitoring information on growth, vigor, and mortality is absent. The impact of acid deposition on forest vegetation or soils is unknown in the park. Vegetation mapping was conducted at Eleanor Roosevelt NHS in 1978. For details refer to the Plant Species List. (file is 161KB, please be patient while loading.) Other types of plant communities, such as cattail marshes, sphagnum swamps, sedge meadows, and intertidal areas have not been adequately described, studied, or mapped. Compounding this, these areas are usually very sensitive to environmental degradation. Lack of population data or even a complete species list makes it difficult to protect such plant communities from external impacts, and could also result in their damage from management decisions made without baseline data. Coupled with these threats is the continuing pattern of land development in Dutchess County and its associated impacts. A significant threat to native plant communities is the introduction of alien plant and animal species into the site, notably Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae), Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar). Hemlock wooly adelgid is the most serious threat, given a large amount of hemlock vegetation parkwide. The park has begun control measures in the landscaped portions, but cannot treat large forested areas. Limited control efforts have been undertaken to control Tree-of-Heaven in selected, high-visibility areas. Routine grounds maintenance also reduces this species numbers from time to time. At this time nothing other than spot removal of Tree-of-Heaven on a sporadic basis has occurred. Limited control measures have been undertaken for Gypsy Moth, since the insect has caused little defoliation in the park. However, this pest has the potential to become a serious problem, especially to old specimen trees that have little capacity to recover from repeated defoliation. |
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National Park Service
4097 Albany Post Road
Hyde Park, NY 12538
Last updated: February 16, 2001
http://www.nps.gov/hofr/nr_veg.html
Author: ROVA Webmaster