Natural Resource Monitoring at George Washington Memorial Parkway

Marsh elevation monitoring at Dyke Marsh National Wildlife Preserve.

NPS

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 George Washington Memorial Parkway. The results of that monitoring provide park managers with scientific information for decision-making.

George Washington Memorial Parkway is a scenic parkway that preserves the Potomac River Gorge and shoreline while serving as a memorial to the first President of the U.S. The Potomac Gorge featuring steep cliffs and rich eastern deciduous forests is a significant natural area home to many of rare species and natural communities.

The park’s main natural resource management concerns are invasive plants and diseases, overpopulation of deer, and encroaching urban development. 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, Amphibians, Forest Birds, Forest Vegetation, Geology & Fossils, Small Mammals, Soil Data, Stream Biota (Fish & Macroinvertebrates), Water Quality 

Natural Resource Condition Assessment for GWM Parkway
Species Lists for GWM Parkway
View a Map of GWM Parkway

NCRN Monitoring at GWM Parkway by the Numbers

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

What We Monitor	Sites at GWM Parkway*	Monitoring Frequency	Information We Collect
Amphibians	69 known wetland pools	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 only	20 (forest bird)	Forest plots are monitored twice a year	Forest bird species and abundance Bird habitat quality
Forest vegetation	20 (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	4 (stream site) on Mine Run, Pimmit Run, Turkey Run, and Minnehaha Creek on Maryland side of Potomac River	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
Marsh elevation	12 on Dyke Marsh	Marsh elevation sites are monitored once a year	Marsh surface elevation