Inventory & Monitoring at George Washington Birthplace National Monument

The Memorial House Museum at George Washington Birthplace National Monument. NPS Photo

A Little Context

George Washington Birthplace National Monument was established on January 23, 1930, on George Washington’s 200th birthday. The park, in the heart of Virginia’s Northern Neck, represents one of the earliest national and federal commemorations of our nation’s first president. Although the house Washington was born in was said to have been destroyed by fire in the 1770s, Washington’s story is told through the rural character of the park and surrounding lands, and the tidewater culture that shaped his life.

George Washington Birthplace consists of 550 acres of park land, bound by the Potomac River, Bridges Creek, and Popes Creek. Nestled among these waterways, its landscape is susceptible to erosion. This natural process shapes and reduces land area, and increases the amount of sediment entering the river and creeks. Thus, impacting water quality. To reduce erosion along the riverbanks, the park plants native plant species with robust root systems.

Our Work with George Washington Birthplace

George Washington Birthplace is a park with cultural and natural significance that preserves Washington’s home and legacy. To ensure the park’s natural resources continue to be protected, the Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, along with George Washington Birthplace staff, collects ecological monitoring data for several ecosystem vital signs. Learn about our work below.

What We Monitor

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  Coastal Shores

  Coastal Topography

  As storms approach our shores, coastal landforms are our first lines of defense

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  Estuaries

  Estuarine Water Quality

  Nutrient enrichment along coastal shores is a worldwide consequence of human population growth

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  Upland Forests

  Forest Health

  Invasive exotic plants, white-tailed deer, diseases and pathogens, and native forest pests have greatly impacted the forests of New England

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  What We Monitor

  Weather & Climate

  Understanding patterns and trends in weather and climate means being prepared to better manage park natural resources.

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  What We Monitor

  Air Quality

  Clean air, the thing we can't see yet need. Monitoring it is essential to the health of our visitors and communities.

In the Mood to Explore?

Learn about inventory and monitoring at our other parks or check out our science stories.