Inventory & Monitoring at George Washington Memorial Parkway

Marsh elevation monitoring at Dyke Marsh National Wildlife Preserve.

NPS

To help protect park natural resources like forests, streams, and wildlife, a team of National Park Service scientists with the National Capital Region Inventory & Monitoring Network (NCRN I&M) is continually assessing conditions at George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP).

Jump to:
GW Parkway Species Lists
GW Parkway Resource Briefs
GW Parkway Reports
Quick Reads

Ongoing NCRN monitoring of forest vegetation occurs at 20 plots spread throughout GWMP forests. At these plots the trees, shrubs, vines, and specific non-woody plants are identified to group or species, and trees are measured and labeled. Any evidence of deer browse on trees or shrubs is noted. Diseases and pests are also noted along with targeted invasive plant species. Fallen and standing woody debris (that provides essential habitat to many types of wildlife) is also monitored.

The NCRN also monitors water quality every other month in Mine Run, Pimmit Run, and Turkey Run, as well as Minnehaha Creek on the Maryland side of the Potomac. Water is tested for levels of dissolved oxygen, pH, acid neutralizing capacity, salinity/specific conductance, total nitrate, total phosphorus, and water temperature. NCRN I&M also measures stream width, depth, flow, and discharge. Between 2008 and 2013, NCRN monitored aquatic macroinvertebrates, fish, and stream physical habitat in the same streams.

NCRN also monitors forest birds twice each year (at 20 plots) in GWMP's forested areas.

Monitored at GW Memorial Parkway

• Air & Climate
• Amphibians
• Birds
• Forest Pests
• Forest Vegetation
• Invasive Plants
• Stream Biota
• Stream Water

For more than 12 years, the NCRN Inventory & Monitoring team has monitored resources in the natural areas of Antietam as part of a larger group of parks in the National Capital Region. The information gathered is routinely used for park management, early warning of diseases and invasive pests, trail and building planning, and to protect vulnerable species.

Species Lists

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Species Attribute Definitions

Definitions

Occurrence

Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.

Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.

Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.

Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.

Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.

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Occurrence Tags

Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.

False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.

Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.

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Abundance

Abundant:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
• Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.

Common:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
• Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.

Uncommon:

• Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
• Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.

Rare:

• Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
• Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.

Occasional:

• Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
• Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).

Unknown: Abundance unknown

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Nativeness

Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.

Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.

Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.

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List Differences

The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.

The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.

The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.

Select a Park:

George Washington Memorial Parkway Great Falls Park

Select a Species Category (optional):

All Amphibians Birds Fish Mammals Reptiles Vascular Plants

Get Checklist Get Full List List Differences

Species attribute definitions

Search results will be displayed here.

Visit NPSpecies for more comprehensive information and advanced search capability. Have a suggestion or comment on this list? Let us know.

Publications and Other Information

Resource Briefs

A quick and easy look at NCRN monitoring data or notable natural resource issues at George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Air & Climate

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 1358. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Amphibians

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 1266 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Forest Birds

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 1349. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Forest Vegetation

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 1488. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Stream Biology

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 1367. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Water & Other Vital Signs

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 1376. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Reports

In-depth research on natural resources along the George Washington Memorial Parkway.

Air & Climate

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Source: Data Store Collection 3832. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Amphibians

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 2583 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Forest Birds

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 2584 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Forest Vegetation

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 2587 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Geology & Fossils

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 1298 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Small Mammals

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 2588 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Soil Data

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Source: Data Store Collection 301 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Stream Biology & Fish

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 2589 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.

Water Quality

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Source: Data Store Saved Search 2592 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.