Series: Long-Term Vegetation Monitoring in Southeastern Parks

The National Park Service’s mission is to protect and preserve natural resources for present and future generations. In the Southeastern U.S., treasured resources in parks include time-worn mountains, white sand beaches, and several biodiversity hotspots. Protecting these resources requires careful, ongoing science. This series describes how long-term vegetation monitoring data are collected and used to guide management decisions so that parks and surrounding communities continue to thrive.

  • Article 1: Rooted in the Southeast: Learning from Plants in Familiar Places

    A ranger indicates something offscreen to a group of children surrounded by pines and saw palmettos.

    Southeastern national parks inspire millions of visitors each year as places to recreate and learn about the region’s culture and history, contributing to local economies. Yet alone, these parks cannot take care of themselves. Preserving parks for the public’s long-term enjoyment requires careful stewardship, active management, along with sound scientific understanding. This is achieved through NPS’s long-term vegetation monitoring programs. Read more

  • Article 2: Southeastern Plants: Ecosystem Anchors Under Threat

    A waterfall surrounded by vibrant fall foliage.

    Long-term monitoring of plant community condition supports the National Park Service mission to preserve natural resources unimpaired for future generations. By detecting ecological trends and stressors—such as invasive species expansion, habitat degradation, and climate-induced shifts—scientists provide park managers with actionable data to guide adaptive management and maintain ecosystem resilience. Read more

  • Article 3: Shaping the Southeastern Park Experience: How Monitoring Plant Communities Makes a Difference

    A ranger speaks to a group of children, pointing to something on a tree trunk.

    NPS scientists and staff work together to protect park vegetation and the ecosystems it supports. From prescribed burns in pine savannas to invasive species removal in coastal forests, many management actions begin with one thing: science-based knowledge of what’s changing and why. To facilitate understanding, scientists from the NPS Inventory & Monitoring (I&M) Division conduct long-term vegetation monitoring in more than 40 parks across the Southeast. Read more

Tags: invasive plants native plant plant community monitoring inventory and monitoring division inventory and monitoring guln secn sfcn aphn cupn imd