Article

Southeast Coast Network News June 2019

Vegetation Monitoring Protocol Approved

The Southeast Coast Network's terrestrial vegetation monitoring protocol was recently approved and fieldwork began in May. Network Botanist Forbes Boyle, primary author of the protocol implementation plan, has scheduled Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve as the first SECN park for implementation. Long-term terrestrial vegetation monitoring is conducted in 15 parks throughout the network.

woman stands on a platform overlooking a river
New SECN Biological Technician Elizabeth Rico performs a crest gage check in her previous position with the Appalachian Highlands Network.

NPS photo

New Biotech Hired

The Southeast Coast Network is pleased to welcome new Biological Technician Elizabeth Rico. She is duty stationed at the network office in St. Marys, Georgia at Cumberland Island National Seashore. Originally from California, Elizabeth spent the last year interning through American Conservation Experience with the Appalachian Highlands Inventory and Monitoring Network as a hydrologic technician. Her primary duties were monitoring the water quality for major rivers and tributaries in Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area and Obed Wild and Scenic River, and conducting routine maintenance on data sondes. With the Southeast Coast Network, Elizabeth’s primary role will be working with the terrestrial vegetation monitoring project. Along with network Botanist Forbes Boyle, she will be conducting baseline field surveys on vegetation monitoring plots across network parks this summer.

Man stands with a measuring rod on the banks of a stream.
Jacob McDonald checks measurements during wadeable stream survey at Congaree National Park in 2017.

NPS photo.

Dr. McDonald is Moving On

Fluvial Geomorphologist Jacob McDonald completed his post doctoral assignment with the Southeast Coast Network at the end of May. Jacob started with the network in 2014, completing his PhD in Geography in December 2016. One of his biggest accomplishments while with the network was authoring the SECN's wadeable stream habitat protocol, published in September 2018. While he hopes to be teaching this fall, this summer Jacob will work as a consultant for a local environmental monitoring firm and plans on completing the remaining wadeable stream monitoring site suitability reports.

"Thanks to Joe DeVivo and Brian Gregory for hiring young, long-haired Jake back in 2014," said Jacob. "These past five years have been great and I’ll be hard pressed to find a job anywhere else where the people are as nice, caring, and helpful as I found here with the network."

A box turtle
Network staff working on wadeable stream habitat surveys encountered this box turtle at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.

NPS photo / Eric Starkey

In the Field

Upcoming in June:

Terrestrial vegetation monitoring continues at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.

Completed in May:

Wadeable stream habitat and suitability surveys were completed at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park and Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park. Terrestrial Vegetation Monitoring was started at Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. Completed back barrier re-survey at Cumberland Island National Seashore. Continuous water-quality data was collected at Congaree National Park, Canaveral National Seashore, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Fort Matanzas National Monument, Fort Pulaski National Monument and Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve.

Three men standing in a stream. One holding a clipboard.
University of Georgia Graduate Assistant Stephen Cooper, far left, SECN Hydrologic Technician Daniel McCay, center, and Fluvial Geomorphologist Dr. Jake McDonald take measurements while conducting a wadeable stream habitat survey at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.

NPS photo / Eric Starkey

Tags

Last updated: May 18, 2023