Natural Resource Monitoring at Antietam National Battlefield

Grassland bird monitoring near Antietam National Cemetery.

NPS/Nortrup

The National Capital Region Inventory & Monitoring Network monitors air quality, amphibians, birds, forest pests, vegetation, invasive plants, stream water, and stream fish and macroinvertebrates at Antietam National Battlefield. The results of that monitoring provide park managers with scientific information for decision-making.

Antietam National Battlefield is made up of over 3,250 acres of farmland, pastures, woodlots, and limestone forests in the Appalachian Ridge and Valley region.

The park’s main natural resource management concerns are surrounding land development, overpopulation of deer, invasive species, and forest pests and diseases. Stormwater management is a big concern for stream ecosystems. Regional air quality and land use patterns can have strong effects on park resources.

Want To Know More?

Resource Briefs: Air & Climate, Amphibians, Forest Birds, Forest Vegetation, Stream Biota (Fish & Macroinvertebrates), Water and Other Vital Signs 

Reports: Air & Climate, Forest Birds, Forest Vegetation, Geology & Fossils, Small Mammals, Soil Data, Stream Biota (Fish & Macroinvertebrates), Water Quality 

Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Antietam 
Species Lists for Antietam
View a Map of Antietam

NCRN Monitoring at Antietam by the Numbers

*Site numbers as of 2022. These can change over time.

What We Monitor	Sites at Antietam*	Monitoring Frequency	Information We Collect
Amphibians	7 known wetlands	Annual sampling on a subset of known wetlands Wetland sites are monitored twice per sampling period	Species occupancy and richness for salamanders, frogs, and toads in vernal pools
Birds – forest and grassland	14 (forest bird) 100 (grassland bird)	Forest plots are monitored twice a year Grassland plots are monitored three times a year	Forest bird species and abundance Grassland bird species and abundance Bird habitat quality
Forest vegetation	12 (forest vegetation)	Approximately a quarter of plots each year on a four-year cycle	Deer browse Fallen and standing woody debris Targeted diseases and pests Targeted invasive plant species Trees, shrubs, vines, and specific non-woody plants
Stream biota – fish and macroinvertebrates	At streams listed below	Periodic sampling 2007-2014, 2019-2023	Aquatic macroinvertebrates taxa and abundance Fish species and abundance Stream physical habitat including bank stability, stream shading, and distance from developed areas
Stream water quality	1 (stream site) on Sharpsburg Creek	Stream sites are monitored every other month	Acid neutralizing capacity Dissolved oxygen pH Salinity/specific conductance Stream width, depth, flow, and discharge Total nitrate and phosphorus Water temperature