Civil War Defenses of Washington - Nature & Science (U.S. National Park Service)

pricture of trail running through the Fort Circle Park forests

NPS Photo

The ridges, stream valleys, and their associated geology, hydrology, and soils of the National Park Service Civil War Defenses of Washington sites create diverse natural habitats. As protected parkland, many of the sites have survived urbanization and have been—and continue to be-- important as sanctuaries for many native plant and animal species. Largely dominated by forests, including some of the oldest and most impressive in and about the federal city, the National Park Service Civil War Defenses of Washington sites contain wildflowers, shrubs and trees, as well as song birds, reptiles and amphibians, and many species of mammals…small and large. There are also meadows, transitional (from grassland to forest), and wetland areas that add to the variety of species present by providing those specialized environments.