Vegetation & Soils

Vegetation monitoring technician measuring the circumference of a tree trunk in order to calculate its dbh, or "diameter at breast height".

NPS

As seen from the parks' mountaintop vistas, forests spread over ridges and river valleys. These landscapes of rolling green are complex ecosystems that provides habitat for countless plants, animals, fungi, and insects. Beyond providing beautiful landscapes for hiking, boating and other outdoor recreation, forests maintain soil stability and protect water quality. Forests also influence our weather and regional air quality.

The Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network collects information on the condition of park forests, and how those conditions are shifting over time. Park forests are constantly changing as a result of severe weather, invasive plants and animals, and the natural processes of maturing forests. Many other factors such as geology, soil quality, and land-use history also strongly influence the condition of the forests. We use a network of 360 permanent monitoring plots established across eight parks to track forest health. Within the plots, we collect information on tree growth and health, forest regeneration, diversity of plants on the forest floor, invasive species, among other indicators. This long-term monitoring increases park managers’ understanding of park ecosystems, improves their ability to steward park resources, and allows them to adjust to and mitigate threats to park vegetation.

Parks Monitored

• Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site
• Bluestone National Scenic River
• Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
• Fort Necessity National Battlefield
• Friendship Hill National Historic Site
• Gauley River National Recreation Area
• Johnstown Flood National Memorial
• New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

Explore Interactive Pages

• Data Visualizer: Forest Vegetation
• Story Map: Case Studies in Deer Management

Quick Reads

Documents

Protocol and Standard Operating Procedures and Quality Assurance Plan

Source: Data Store Collection 4293. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Reports

Source: Data Store Collection 4294. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Journal Articles

Source: Data Store Collection 4296. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Resource Briefs

Source: Data Store Collection 4295. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Contact

Stephanie Perles, Plant Ecologist