Spotlight on National Park Resources in the National Capital Region is a biennial event featuring presentations and posters about recent science, stewardship, and research on park natural and cultural resources. All are welcome!
2024 Program
Morning Session A
Moderator: Sarah Brown, ANTI. Timer: Wayne Heideman, MANA.9:03 Welcome Kym Hall, NCR Regional Director
9:15 Discovery and Development of a Biological Control Agent for Invasive Perilla Mint Management in National Parks. Michael Fulcher USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Foreign Disease Weed Science Research Unit (Fort Detrick, Maryland)
9:30 Violence and Treason: American Labor History and West Virginia’s Newest National Historic Landmark. Kathryn Smith, National Historic Landmarks Coordinator National Capital Region
9:45 Global Extinction in Virginia? The Story of the Manassas Stonefly (Acroneuria flinti). Neil Cox - Manager IUCN-CI Biodiversity Assessment Unit International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Conservation International
10:00 “Landmark on the Hill:” Preserving the National Woman’s Party Headquarters. Patti Kuhn Babin, Co-Director Preservation Planning Quinn Evans Architects
10:15 BREAK
Morning Session B
Moderator: Wayne Heideman, MANA. Timer: Carolyn Currin, MANA.10:30 Does the Soundscape Influence the Forest Breeding Bird Community in NCRN Parks? Leah Rudge, Graduate Research Associate University of Delaware (CW CESU partner)
10:45 History on the Move: Developing and Preserving the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway and the Suitland Parkway. Michael Mitchell, Architectural Historian Quinn Evans Architects
11:00 ROCR Resilient Forest Framework. Jeanne Braha, Executive Director Rock Creek Conservancy
11:15 Dancing and Design: The Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park. Kevin Wohlgemuth, Associate Conservator Building Conservation Associates, Inc.
11:30 - 1:00 Lunch and Posters
Afternoon Session A
Moderator: Carolyn Currin, MANA. Timer: Dorcas Corchado, CRSP.1:15 The Effects of Mycorrhizal Fungi and Light on Isotria medeoloides Populations at Prince William Forest Park, VA: Results from 15 years of Monitoring and Three Ongoing Experiments. Melissa McCormick, Senior Ecologist Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (CW CESU partner)
1:30 Geophysical Remote Sensing and Archeology at Thomas Cresap’s 18th-Century Fort. Matthew McKnight, Chief Archeologist The Maryland Historical Trust
1:45 Investigations of Freshwater Salinization in National Capital Region Park Streams. Dan Myers, Postdoctoral Associate Stroud Water Research Center
2:00 Beyond the Numbers: A Peek Behind the Statistical Curtain of the Civil Rights Overview Project. Asha Jackson, Historian/History Research Associate Morgan State University (CW CESU partner)
2:15 BREAK
Afternoon Session B
Moderator: Sarah Brown, ANTI. Timer: Jason Theuer, CRSP.2:30 Trouble on a 500-Million-Year-Old Beach: A Detailed Record of the SPICE Event at C & O Canal National Historical Park. Amy Hagen, Graduate Research Assitant Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (CW CESU partner)
2:45 Reviving Women’s Memorial Groves: A Component of the GWMP Urban Forest Management Plan. Paul Kelsch, Associate Professor, Architecture Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (CW CESU partner)
3:00 Deadwood Management and Forest Health, Prince William Forest Park, VA. Daria Maslyukova, Graduate Research Assistant Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (CW CESU partner)
3:15 On Belay: Rock Climbing Access and Management in the National Capital Region. Ryan Sharp, Associate Professor University of Tennessee (CW CESU partner)
3:30 Closing Remarks. Tanya Gossett, Associate Regional Director NPS, National Capital Region, RESS
2024 Presentation Abstracts
Discovery and Development of a Biological Control Agent for Invasive Perilla Mint Management in National Parks
Michael Fulcher, USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Foreign Disease-Weed Science Research Unit (Fort Detrick, Maryland)
9:15 am Presentation Time
Plant pathogens that cause disease on invasive weeds can be used in biological control programs. The fungus Colletotrichum shisoi, found naturally occurring at low levels along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, has been evaluated for safety and efficacy as a biocontrol agent of the introduced invasive plant, perilla mint (beefsteak plant; Perilla frutescens). The fungus was tested for pathogenicity to 35 plant species, including native mints and commercially important herbs, and found to infect only perilla. Infection by the fungus caused perilla seedling death, reduced flower production, and limited competitive ability under controlled conditions. Successful application of the fungus under field conditions significantly decreased perilla growth, survival, and reproductive potential while increasing plant diversity and non-perilla groundcover. The pathogen has an uneven distribution based on limited surveys in five park systems, making this fungus a candidate for research on the impacts of pathogen redistribution across weed infested areas.
Violence and Treason: American Labor History and West Virginia’s Newest National Historic Landmark
Kathryn Smith, Rachel Donaldson and Susan Salvatore National Historic Landmarks Program, National Capital Region, National Park Service (KS); Baltimore Museum of Industry (RD, SS)
9:30 am Presentation Time
On December 11, 2023, the Secretary of the Interior designated Jefferson County Courthouse in Charles Town, West Virginia a National Historic Landmark. National Historic Landmarks are among the most significant historic sites in America. As the location of a series of sensational treason and murder trials that pitted the state and mine companies against miners attempting to unionize the West Virginia coal fields, Jefferson County Courthouse played a key role in a pivotal labor struggle of the 1920s. Learn how National Historic Landmarks are identified and how a multi-disciplinary team compiled data and crafted the documentation needed to have the property designated. Finally, see the results and learn about how the National Historic Landmarks Program is building web-based outreach products to help the public better understand these critical themes in American history.
Global Extinction in Virginia? The Story of the Manassas Stonefly (Acroneuria flinti)
Neil Cox, John Lamoreux, David A Luther, International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Conservation International (NC); National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (JL); George Mason University (DL) (CW CESU partner)
9:45 am Presentation Time
Among some of the highly threatened species in the Mid-Atlantic region there are a small number of animals that are now believed to be extinct. One of these is the enigmatic Manassas stonefly (Acroneuria flinti) that has only ever been recorded from Manassas National Battlefield Park in Virginia and is currently suspected to be globally extinct. It is known only from a single adult female specimen (collected in 1962) and no recent populations of this species have been recorded in contemporary field surveys. We explore the possibility that this species may still be extant, and whether it is subject to a classic ‘Romeo effect’. We summarize our research to date, discuss future plans, and consider what the possible rediscovery of this stonefly may mean for species surveying and conservation planning efforts within Virginia.
“Landmark on the Hill”: Preserving the National Woman’s Party Headquarters
Patti Kuhn Babin, Ruth Mills, Quinn Evans Architects
10:00 am Presentation Time
When the National Woman’s Party (NWP) moved its headquarters from near the White House to Capitol Hill after the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, it was deliberate: NWP founder Alice Paul’s strategy was to “hold the party in power responsible.” Proximity to Congress allowed the NWP to focus its efforts on lobbying for laws that addressed women’s inequality and the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. In 1929, the NWP purchased its final headquarters on Constitution Avenue NE. By the early 1960s, the construction of the Hart Senate Office Building threatened the NWP’s headquarters. In response, the NWP lobbied to have the property recognized for its historic significance: it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974. This presentation will explore the preservation story of the property and how its historiography has evolved since it was recognized as historic landmark in 1972.
Does the Soundscape Influence the Forest Breeding Bird Community in NCRN Parks?
Leah Rudge, Greg Shriver, University of Delaware (CW CESU partner)
10:30 am Presentation Time
A soundscape, or acoustic environment, includes all sounds present in a habitat. Soundscapes can be used to assess ecosystem condition and can directly influence ecosystem health. The NCRN forest breeding bird monitoring program presents a unique opportunity to test relationships among soundscapes and the breeding bird community. Acoustic indices provide a statistical means towards quantifying and assessing soundscapes to gain insight into patterns in biodiversity. The use of acoustic indices is new and remains untested in many ecosystems, such as in the NCRN parks. In 2023, 40 automated recording units (ARUs) were placed at long-term forest breeding bird survey locations from May 15 - July 15. Audio data was analyzed using six acoustic indices, and the bird community was analyzed using the Bird Community Index (BCI). The objective of this research is to investigate relationships between the BCI and acoustic indices using generalized linear models to determine if acoustic indices can be used to provide insight into forest breeding bird habitat condition. This research can provide park managers with information on how soundscapes vary within and between their parks.
History on the Move: Developing and Preserving the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway and the Suitland Parkway
Michael Mitchell, Kate Bolton, Stephanie Redding, Quinn Evans Architects
10:45 am Presentation Time
This presentation will analyze preservation issues facing two unique parkways in the National Capital Region—the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway in Washington, DC, and the Suitland Parkway in the District and Prince George’s County, Maryland. The presentation will explore both parkways’ developmental history, explore the challenges both parkways face, and detail treatment recommendations Quinn Evans prepared for the Suitland Parkway. Maintaining the Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway has required confronting several issues including a rise in graffiti during the COVID-19 pandemic and a growing unhoused population that has resulted in encampments along the parkway, requiring a delicate balance between historic preservation and an emerging humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, treatment recommendations for Suitland Parkway focus on protecting the historic integrity of the circulation corridor while identifying strategies for integrating new trails, improving resiliency, and enhancing the parkway’s character to support its use as a ceremonial entrance into the nation’s capital.
ROCR Resilient Forest Framework
Jeanne Braha, Nick Bartolomeo, Rock Creek Conservancy (JB); Rock Creek Park, National Park Service (NB)
11:00 am Presentation Time
Rock Creek Park and the Rock Creek Conservancy have created a framework for forest resilience as climate changes in the areas administered by Rock Creek Park. Through the convening of dozens of subject matter experts, and by using ‘state of the shelf’ research and management plans, the park and the Conservancy have created a strategy to reverse the park’s forest regeneration debt, protect species of conservation concern, enhance biodiversity, and increase the equity of access to ecosystem services in surrounding communities. This framework is readily translatable to other parks in the National Capital Region. The talk will review the development process and describe how other parks can customize the plan to their needs, including preliminary implementation plans.
Dancing and Design: The Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park
Kevin Wohlgemuth, Michele Boyd, Olivia Brogan, Building Conservation Associates, Inc.
11:15 am Presentation Time
This project created a Historic Structure Report (HSR) for Glen Echo Park’s Spanish Ballroom, which sits within the George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP). The project investigated the history, character-defining features, and existing conditions of the building to develop recommendations for the potential introduction of an HVAC system and extension of the service life of critical features including the historic dance floor. The HSR investigated the Spanish Ballroom’s position in the history of Glen Echo Park, as the sixth iteration of a dancing venue, as well as the history of the dance floor, which pre-dates the Spanish Ballroom, as several previous dancing venues were built around it after 1917. The HSR also uncovered detailed information about the Spanish Ballroom’s architect, Edward Schoeppe, and his inspirations for the design. At the request of GWMP, research also focused on Glen Echo Park’s racial segregation and its role within the Civil Rights Movement.
The Effects of Mycorrhizal Fungi and Light on Isotria medeoloides Populations at Prince William Forest Park, VA: Results from 15 years of Monitoring and Three Ongoing Experiments
Melissa McCormick, Hope E.A. Brooks, Dennis F. Whigham, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (CW CESU partner)
1:15 pm Presentation Time
Like all orchids, Isotria medeoloides relies on mycorrhizal fungi to grow from seeds. Fungi in the Russulaceae are considered obligately ectomycorrhizal with trees, and some also simultaneously form orchid mycorrhizae with I. medeoloides. The abundance of Russulaceae fungi in the soil and on tree roots is positively related to I. medeoloides emergence aboveground. Like most plants, orchids with green leaves are also affected by light. Increasing light by thinning the tree canopy can help I. medeoloides populations increase, but we found dramatic increases when a canopy tree died and fell, affecting both light and fungi. We are conducting an experiment at Prince William Forest Park and Fort Walker, VA to determine how canopy tree death affects fungi, light, and I. medeoloides populations. We will use these results to inform a management plan for I. medeoloides at PRWI, based on knowledge from over a decade of research in the park and three experiments.
Geophysical Remote Sensing and Archeology at Thomas Cresap’s 18th-Century Fort
Matthew D. McKnight, Zachary Singer, Stephanie Soder, The Maryland Historical Trust
1:30 pm Presentation Time
From November 16th-19th, 2020, the Maryland Historical Trust and volunteers from the Archeological Society of Maryland carried out a tri-partite geophysical remote sensing survey in a hayfield within C & O Canal National Historical Park. Magnetic susceptibility survey within this hayfield defined a roughly 1.5-acre area of anomalous soils consistent with intense anthropogenic activity. Fluxgate Gradiometer and Ground Penetrating Radar survey of 1.1-1.3 acres within this area revealed the presence of discrete anomalies consistent with at least two structures, clusters of postmolds and potential palisades, trenches, pits, and expansive activity areas. The pattern of anomalies is remarkably congruent with historic descriptions of Thomas Cresap’s fortified dwelling. What’s more, recent archaeological ground-truthing of these anomalies suggests an occupation date of ca. 1750-1800, directly overlapping with the occupation of this landscape by Cresap, the so-called “Maryland Monster”.
Investigations of Freshwater Salinization in National Capital Region Park Streams
Dan Myers, Diana Oviedo-Vargas, Lindsay Ashley, Andrejs Brolis, Charles Wainright, John Paul Schmit, Elizabeth Matthews, Galen Oettel, Nicholas Tait, Vicki Lee, David Jones, Stroud Water Research Center (DM, DO) (CW CESU partner); National Capital Region Network, National Park Service (all else)
1:45 pm Presentation Time
Freshwater salinization has adverse impacts on stream ecosystem health. There has been growing awareness and concern about freshwater salinization in the National Capital Region. However, there are uncertainties with regard to why some national park streams are suffering from salinization while others are not. Water quality data from the National Capital Region Inventory and Monitoring Network show that the impacts of freshwater salinization in park streams are related to watershed urbanization. Also, data from the US Geological Survey show that stream salinity is related to watershed deicing salt applications, which often occur upstream of park boundaries. Further, National Aeronautics and Space Administration satellite analyses are being used to better understand the underlying mechanisms for how land cover change impacts salinization in the watersheds. These findings demonstrate the importance of National Capital Region parks for shielding stream water quality and that integration with watershed-based frameworks is essential to protect the streams from salinization.
Beyond the Numbers: A Peek Behind the Statistical Curtain of the Civil Rights Overview Project
Asha Jackson, Morgan State University (CW CESU partner)
2:00 pm Presentation Time
Since 2016, the National Capital Region’s Cultural Resources Division has been using National Park Service (NPS) Civil Rights Initiative funds to conduct work and produce baseline documentation on the Civil Rights Movement and Era within and around our region’s parks and sites, particularly with an emphasis on African American/Black American history. The Civil Rights Overview Project is an ongoing project that endeavors to capture the breadth of the aforementioned work conducted and baseline documentation produced by the National Capital Region. The chief objective is to thoroughly synthesize all completed, ongoing, and additional writings and research findings into a report. This presentation is a comprehensive glimpse (“a peek behind the curtain”) of the nascent phases of the Civil Rights Overview Project, noting key quantitative data and spotlighting qualitative data.
Trouble on a 500-Million-Year-Old Beach: A Detailed Record of the SPICE Event at C&O Canal National Historical Park
Amy Hagen, Benjamin C. Gill, Sara B. Pruss, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (AH, BG) (CW CESU partner); Smith College (SP)
2:30 pm Presentation Time
The limestone cliffs at C&O Canal National Historical Park (CHOH) record a rich history of the Cambrian period, a critical time in Earth’s history when animals first started to become abundant and diversify. Later in the Cambrian, however, animals began experiencing frequent extinction events, often associated with perturbations to the carbon cycle. The Steptoean Positive Isotopic Carbon Excursion (SPICE event) is a prominent example of one of these events wherein a group of trilobites went extinct around the same time as a large change in carbon isotope ratios occurred. Here, we present a detailed geochemical record of the SPICE event at CHOH and use rock thin sections to describe how the local shallow ocean environment evolved throughout the event. The results from this study will help us learn how carbon cycle perturbations are experienced by shallow water environments.
Reviving Women’s Memorial Groves: A Component of the GWMP Urban Forest Management Plan
Paul Kelsch, Agustin Chambard, Nathan Heavers, Eric Wiseman, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, (PK, AC, EW), ), Temple University (NH) (CW CESU partner)
2:45 pm Presentation Time
In 1932, patriotic women’s groups sponsored eleven memorial trees and groves to commemorate George Washington along the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Collectively, the groves formed an extended presidential memorial. Today most of the groves are gone and forgotten, and our presentation will describe their history and current condition. We will then present our proposals for reviving them, an important cultural and arboreal component of our Urban Forest Management Plan for the Parkway. We propose all the memorials be revived and rededicated for the centennial of the parkway in 2032, Washington’s 300th birthday. Our presentation will show proposed plans and perspective renderings for replanting eight of the original memorials and will discuss issues related to their locations and tree species selection. Four new memorials are also proposed to honor people, like the formerly enslaved people on Washington's estates, whose voices and histories have not been acknowledged previously.
Deadwood Management and Forest Health, Prince William Forest Park, VA
Daria Maslyukova, Adam Coates, W. Mark Ford, Verl Emrick, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation (DM, AC) and Conservation Management Institute(VE) at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (WMF) (CW CESU partner)
3:00 pm Presentation Time
Deadwood, noted as the sum of down-and-dead woody material and standing-and-deadstems, is an integral component of forest health. Deadwood may serve as an important contributor to wildfire hazard estimations, particularly as future climate models predict increased precipitation and drought intensities. Additionally, deadwood structural variability has been found to positively affect species richness in bees, salamanders, and birds. However, in the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont of the eastern United States, there are no accessible tools to estimate deadwood of long-unmanaged, secondary growth forests to help inform management goals and priorities. Management entities seek to understand deadwood dynamics in the eastern United States to better inform visitors and guide management actions. Using modified Brown’s Transects, deadwood was inventoried at Prince William Forest Park in summer 2023. In this presentation, we will discuss our preliminary results, including how deadwood varied as a result of aspect, elevation, physiographic province, and forest cover type.
On Belay: Rock Climbing Access and Management in the National Capital Region
Ryan Sharp, Chris Zajchowski, Mark Ford, James Maples, Russell Hicks, University of Tennessee (CW CESU partner)
3:15 pm Presentation Time
Rock climbing is an activity that has been growing in popularity for several decades. Gear technology continues to advance, memberships to indoor climbing gyms are growing, outfitter led climbs are increasing, and localized climbing groups seek to maintain opportunities at crags in the National Capital Region (NCR) for this specific user group. The NPS manages several popular climbing areas in the NCR, including Great Falls (CHOH), Carderock (CHOH), and Harpers Ferry (HAFE). All of these locations are required to maintain natural and cultural resources while still providing for high quality visitor experiences. Although these climbing areas provide great opportunities for the people of the greater Washington DC area, park managers at each sought insight into physical and experiential impacts at each site. This presentation will highlight recent efforts by researchers to better understand climber’s perspectives on the issues related to rock climbing in NCR.
2024 Poster Abstracts
(In alphabetical order by first author)
Changes in the Nightly Activity of Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) Due to Increased Urban Light Intensity in Rock Creek Park, Washington DC
Blume, Christopher, Amber Litterer, W. Mark Ford, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (CB, AL); U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (WMF) (CW CESU partner)
Due to the effects of White Nose Syndrome, the federally endangered northern long-eared bat’s (Myotis septentrionalis) population has declined throughout the East. In DC, although still declining, small remnants of their population have been observed. However, these populations must contend with the challenges of living in a heavily urbanized landscape such as increases in artificial light sources which may deter certain behaviors for bats. In particular, Rock Creek Park (ROCR) is host to the annual Mubadala Citi Open Tennis Tournament, which brings an influx of visitors and nightly artificial light sources. During the summer of 2023, we deployed 38 acoustic detectors around the park for 48 days to track nightly activity of bats. Three light meters were deployed to collect nightly ambient light data to investigate activity before, during, and after the tournament. Our work suggests that some populations of northern long-eared bats are still active in ROCR yet, the increases in light may impact their activity.
Conservation of Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Plant Species via Ex Situ Propagation
Brown, Sarah, Andrew Landsman, Layne Strickler, Antietam National Battlefield (SB), Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park (AL, LS), National Park Service
The C&O Canal NHP provides habitat for over 200 rare, threatened, and endangered plant species. However, many rare plant populations are at risk and are declining from habitat loss and fragmentation and stressors from the park’s surrounding urban and suburban development, more than 5 million visitors annually, and a continual barrage of invasive species. By partnering with Mt. Cuba Center, a native plant conservation garden in Delaware, the park has worked to increase the viability of rare plant populations in the long term by (1) collecting fruit/seed from rare plants within the park, (2) propagating them ex situ using appropriate horticultural procedures in a greenhouse, and (3) outplanting into carefully prepared sites. Following collection seasons in 2022 and 2023, the park has collected approximately 30,000 seeds representing some 30 unique RTE species. In 2023, park staff received and planted 1,840 individual propagules from 13 species collected in 2022.
New Species and Habitat Quality in Urban Seepage Springs
Burch, Elizabeth, David C Culver, Mikaila Milton, American University (EB, DC) (CW CESU partner); National Capital Parks-East, National Park Service (MM)
The shallow aquatic subterranean habitats—hypotelminorheic seeps and macropore springs—harbor a diverse, specialized fauna of amphipods, isopods, and snails. Of the two habitats, hypotelminorheic seeps are more common and better studied, but some inhabitants of both habitats are known only from a single site in urban Washington, DC. Metapopulations occur in hypotelminorheic seeps in NPS parklands in Washington, DC, making protection of the landscape itself important. The eyeless and pigmentless amphipods in the genus Stygobromus tend to be found in colder seeps, not near park borders, and with a well-developed canopy, as measured by canopy height. One new amphipod and one new isopod have been described from sites in Washington DC, and there is a potential for several more amphipod species, perhaps each occurring in a different HUC10 watershed basin.
Dyke Marsh Breeding Bird Survey
Cartwright, Larry , Ed Eder, Friends of Dyke Marsh
Dyke Marsh in GWMP has undergone significant change since the early 1990s. Due to erosion and habitat modification, the Marsh Wren has been extirpated as a breeder and Least Bitterns have withdrawn from the southern part of the Marsh but are still being documented as breeders. Birds of the woodland have changed breeding activities. Eastern Kingbirds are delaying nesting activity from late May to late June primarily it seems due to a decline in their major prey base, dragonflies and damselflies. Northern Parulas and Acadian Flycatchers no longer breed in the Marsh woodland and Baltimore Orioles have declined. Warbling Vireos are still present in good numbers, but finding nests has become increasingly difficult. We speculate that problems with the prey base and increased predation caused by the death of many pumpkin ash trees, leaving nests more visible and vulnerable, may be the cause.
People-Powered Restoration – Reducing Invasive Plant Cover through Community Engagement
Cathcart, Lindsey, Ana Chuquin, Rock Creek Conservancy (LC); Rock Creek Park, National Park Service (AC)
Rock Creek Conservancy uses a model known as people-powered restoration to leverage community involvement in the control of invasive plants at Rock Creek Park. A multi-year dataset tracks the impact of volunteer, contracted, and staff efforts to manage nonnative invasives (NNIs) across 33 acres of land in ROCR. This poster will present the data from one of seven restoration sites called mini-oases, which shows a downward trajectory of NNI coverage, as it relates to the various methods and combinations of NNI controls (manual, mechanical, chemical). The role of the park’s philanthropic partnership and the use of volunteers in a community engagement framework will be highlighted as a method to expand park capacity.
Developing an Urban Forest Typology: A Component of the GWMP Urban Forest Management Plan
Chambard, Agustin , Eric Wiseman, Paul Kelsch, Nathan Heavers, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (AC, EW, PK), Temple University (NH) (CW CESU partner)
Urban forests are a patchwork of vegetation communities with differing characteristics influenced by ecosystem dynamics, land use, and landscape design. Characterizing this patchwork is a challenge, especially across large areas. To address this, we studied three forests with distinct histories and management regimes - Theodore Roosevelt Island, Columbia Island, and Arlington House Woods. This presentation describes our methods in developing the typology and its application to the urban forest management plan for the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Using remote sensing methods and subsequent field verification, we developed a vegetation and land cover typology that could be used to study the entire urban forest of the GWMP. A key finding is the important distinction between native forest canopy and landscape trees found in park-like settings. This distinction allows us to use i-Tree Canopy, an urban forest assessment tool, to document conditions of the urban forest and estimate the ecological services it provides.
Spring Bat Emergence Sampling at the Indigo Tunnel
Christenson, Keith, Sanders Environmental, Inc.
The Indigo Tunnel is a retired railroad tunnel in the C&O National Historic Park near Little Orleans, MD with an overwintering population of bats. The internal tunnel structure, consisting of wooden beams and roofing, interferes with traditional visual bat surveys, so a Spring emergence count was undertaken. From March 21 – May 2, 2022, Sanders Environmental, Inc. completed two bat-capture surveys per week (10 total survey nights) using harp traps at each end of the tunnel. Additionally, for the entire project duration, an acoustic monitoring site was installed at each tunnel end to determine overall bat activity levels. This technique provided a repeatable alternative method to create an index of population size and species density of bats using the tunnel for hibernation and can be adapted for similarly inaccessible bat populations such as some caves and mines.
Roost Tree and Stand Conditions of the Endangered Northern Long-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) with a Comparison between Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA, Prince William Forest Park, VA, and Rock Creek Park, D.C.
Freeze, Samuel R. , Sabrina Deeley, W. Mark Ford, Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (SRF); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Chesapeake Bay Ecological Services Field Office (SD); U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (WMF) (CW CESU partner)
Throughout much of the East, the federally endangered northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) has largely disappeared based on the effects of White-Nose Syndrome. However, compared to the surrounding region, residual populations have been observed on NPS land throughout the region. Intensive mist-netting was conducted within Rock Creek Park (ROCR) from 2016 to 2018 and within Prince William Forest Park (PRWI) from 2017 to 2023. These efforts documented successful reproduction and maternity colonies, or groups of roosts that females use, along with male roosts within the parks. We compared roost tree and habitat metrics for PRWI and ROCR with roosts reported from the Northeast, Central Appalachians, and Ohio Valley. Similar to the other regions in the East, northern long-eared bats appear to be selecting a wide variety of forest stands and tree conditions, and in some cases, anthropogenic structures, as roosts. At present, both ROCR and PRWI provide ample day-roost habitat.
Mixed-Methods Approach to Assessing Urban Forest Edge Vegetation: A Component of the GWMP Urban Forest Management Plan
Heavers, Nathan, Alex Adams, Brett Barnes, Agustin Chambard, Paul Kelsch, Eric Wiseman, Temple University (NH, BB), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (AA, AC, PK, EW) (CW CESU partner)
Urban forests have extensive edges, where people engage the forest and also where invasive plants often proliferate. It is important to monitor and manage urban forest edges for human safety, aesthetic benefits, and ecosystem integrity. Few approaches to urban forest edge assessment address these diverse concerns simultaneously. This presentation shares our inventory and evaluation of edge vegetation using a combination of in-field and remote techniques drawn from forestry and landscape architecture as part of the Urban Forest Management Plan for the George Washington Memorial Parkway. We employed three methods: field plot sampling, remote edge vegetation surveys, direct observation and documentary hand drawing. This unique combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques allowed our team to enumerate and represent the urban forest in ways that will inform a forest management plan attuned to visitor experiences of edge vegetation and the work needed to manage the forest resource.
Successful Restoration of a Native Fish Population Yields New Insights for Climate Change Biology
Hitt, Nathaniel (Than), Karli Rogers, Zachary Kelly, Lindsey Donaldson, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (NH, KR, ZK) (CW CESU partner); Catoctin Mountain Park, National Park Service (LD)
We report on the successful restoration of native Blue Ridge sculpin (Cottus caeruleomentum) in Catoctin Mountain Park, and we describe new ecological insights from this project. First, we review the evidence for extirpation of this species in Big Hunting Creek (above Cunningham Falls) and describe our restoration protocols. Second, we provide results from a survival model indicating high survival overall but lower survival during the warmest time periods, especially for large fish. Third, we report data on body size and juvenile abundance that indicate successful growth and reproduction in the restored population. The inference on body size-dependent survival during the warmest time periods suggests physiological stress responses of relevance for global climate change biology.
Assessed Monetary Value of Various Ecosystem Services Found Within the Catoctin Mountain Ridge in Maryland Case Study
Ines, Victoria, Mikayla Bechtel, John Hopkins University (CW CESU partner)
The Catoctin Mountain Park is a 5,890-acre hardwood forest, which has transitioned from a heavily logged area to a second-growth forest in the last century. This case study presents a comprehensive analysis of the ecosystem services this park provides and estimates the monetary value of the potential loss of the services. To quantify this loss, several aspects of the park’s ecosystem were considered, including soil organic carbon and its role in carbon sequestration, soil biodiversity with a focus on earthworms, habitat loss, the role of tree cover in carbon storage and air quality, and leaf litter. The study analyzed each ecosystem service and estimated the monetary value of the park, providing insights into the consequences of anthropogenic activities. This type of analysis is still developing, so this case study should act as a framework for future investigations applied to other locations in danger of deforestation and destruction.
The Ecological Consequences of Hybridization Across Spatiotemporal Gradients
Jolman, Devani, Lisa Wallace, Lindsey Donaldson, Old Dominion University (DJ, LW); Catoctin Mountain Park, National Park Service (LD) (CW CESU partner)
Natural plant hybridization is an important evolutionary process; an estimated 30-70% of flowering plants stem from hybridization events. However, little research focuses on the ecological consequences of hybridization. This project aims to investigate Vaccinium x marianum, a hybrid highbush blueberry, and its native parent species, Vaccinium fuscatum and Vaccinium formosum, across nine sites, including Prince William Forest Park and the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, in Virginia over three years. Various data was collected from all three taxa at each site (~400 total plants) over the project's first year. Morphological and functional trait data support the hybrid status of V. x marianum, and the significant variability of traits between sites suggests adaptation to local environmental conditions. The high prevalence of V. x marianum at all sites suggests that hybridization between V. formosum and V. fuscatum is common, there is continuous backcrossing, or the hybrids are long-lasting.
Engaging NPS Stakeholders in Conservation Actions
Keitzer, Conor, Annie Carew, Katie May Laumann, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Integration and Application Network (CW CESU partner)
Natural resources within National Parks and Monuments are influenced by actions outside of park boundaries. Thus, cooperating with stakeholders (e.g., private landowners or conservation organizations) on conservation actions outside of parks is advantageous, and for some resources and parks, maybe essential, to successful management of park natural resources. In this presentation, we highlight the importance and benefits of stakeholder engagement for natural resource management and discuss ways to effectively engage stakeholders to co-develop science-based monitoring and management of lands and waters adjacent to park boundaries. We use examples from stakeholder-Parks workshops, part of the Resource Assessments for Management Strategies for the National Capital Region, to illustrate effective science communication and collaboration, which is essential to management of resources inside and outside of park boundaries.
Reviving Women’s Memorial Groves: A Component of the GWMP Urban Forest Management
Kelsch, Paul, Agustin Chambard, Nathan Heavers, Eric Wiseman, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (PK, AC, EW), Temple University (NH) (CW CESU partner)
In 1932, patriotic women’s groups sponsored eleven memorial trees and groves to commemorate George Washington along the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Collectively, the groves formed an extended presidential memorial. Today most of the groves are gone and forgotten, and our presentation will describe their history and current condition. We will then present our proposals for reviving them, an important cultural and arboreal component of our Urban Forest Management Plan for the Parkway. We propose all the memorials be revived and rededicated for the centennial of the parkway in 2032, Washington’s 300th birthday. Our presentation will show proposed plans and perspective renderings for replanting eight of the original memorials and will discuss issues related to their locations and tree species selection. Four new memorials are also proposed to honor people, like the formerly enslaved people on Washington's estates, whose voices and histories have not been acknowledged previously.
Trout Lily Interactions with Garlic Mustard
Kula, Abigail, Sam Dainton, Mia Jensen, Rachel Bernard, Mount St. Mary's University
Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is an invasive species that has spread across North America. This is in part due to its ability to release allelopathic chemicals into the soil, which degrade beneficial plant-microbe interactions of neighboring plants. We studied whether proximity to garlic mustard impacts the growth and reproductive potential of the trout lily (I), a spring ephemeral native to northern deciduous forests. We measured trout lily leaves and stems, looked for seedpods and recorded the distance to garlic mustard. Trout lily leaves were significantly larger (width and length) farther from the nearest garlic mustard plant. Garlic mustard is changing the forest understory and will continue to be a threat to native species if it continues to spread unchecked. Additionally, trout lily exhibits interesting natural history that may have demographic effects, and in 2023, we initiated new research to study pollination of trout lily and anther color polymorphism.
Resource Assessments for Management Strategies (RAMS): Beyond Natural Resource Condition Assessments
Laumann, Katie May, Conor Keitzer, Annie Carew, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Integration and Application Network (CW CESU partner)
RAMS, or Resource Assessments for Management Strategies, provides the next generation of Natural Resource Condition Assessments in the National Park Service National Capital Region. It uses Inventory and Monitoring data to assess natural resource conditions and inform management in the parks. Natural resources are not bound by park borders, and stressors to natural resources may be shared across parks and the landscape. RAMS assesses indicator conditions in individual parks and across the NCR landscape. This provides a snapshot of resource conditions across ecosystems and informs management across parks and at the landscape level.
Evidence of expanded range of the Virginia Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus) along the western portion of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Maryland
Litterer, Amber S., Andrew Landsman, Chris Blume, Megan L. Moran-Asalone, W. Mark Ford Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, (ASL, MLM, CB); C&O Canal National Historical Park, National Park Service (AL); U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit (WMF)
Federally endangered Virginia big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus; COTOv) is found in isolated populations in West Virginia and Virginia but has never been documented in Maryland. Due to the proximity of portions of the C&O Canal National Historical Park (C&O) to the bat’s known range, we investigated whether the range has expanded. During the summer of 2023, we deployed 55 acoustic detectors at culverts and tunnel entrances along the western C&O for an average of 26 nights each. Echolocation passes were processed using Kaleidoscope 5.4.0 software at a conservative 5 pulse for accepted pass threshold. Out of 114,478 passes identified to 1 of 11 species, we observed 249 high-confidence COTOv calls at 15 sites. These sites largely were near Indigo Tunnel. Focal mist-netting is needed to conclusively confirm presence of the Virginia big-eared bat, and to ascertain, if present, whether they are summer bachelors or reproductively active females.
Recommendations for Monitoring Imperiled Species at Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Moxley, Angela, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, National Park Service
In 2023, a pilot study tested approaches to monitoring rare species within Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. The objectives of monitoring are to assess populations’ size and demographic structure, ascertain limiting factors, and determine future monitoring needs. As the park’s large extent, high number of rare species, and small staff constrain the degree of monitoring possible, efficiency was a top criterion for developing protocols. Three approaches were developed and assessed: (1) counts of stems within demographic stages; (2) frequency of demographic stages within sampled quadrats; and (3) estimates of percent cover and area. This framework gives staff a menu of options depending on population size and growth habit. A multi-year rotation for monitoring the park’s most imperiled species was also developed. If monitoring uncovers limiting factors to population persistence and growth, staff can implement appropriate adaptive management actions when any populations exhibit an undesired change in size.
Leveraging Community Science to Fill Data Gaps and Inform Policy
Ormsby, Alison, Adventure Scientists (non-profit organization)
Community science offers a powerful method to enhance research and inform policy and conservation efforts. Adventure Scientists is a global organization that recruits and trains outdoor enthusiasts and community volunteers to collect data at scale. For seven years, volunteers for our Timber Tracking project have collected leaves and measurements from numerous tree species to build genetic reference libraries. Our network of volunteers collected thousands of genetic and chemical samples across eight targeted species’ ranges: coastal redwood, western redcedar, bigleaf maple, Alaska yellow-cedar, eastern black walnut, eastern white oak, tulip poplar, and green and white ash. Fifty volunteers collected data in the National Capital Region between 2012 and 2023, contributing to four different projects. These samples and data help address species facing disease threats and provide the U.S. Forest Service and law enforcement officials with tools needed to address timber theft and conserve forests.
The Terrestrial Isopods of Maryland and Washington DC, USA
Pallieter, De Smedt, Pepijn Boeraeve, Nathan T. Jones, Jeffrey W. Shultz, Katalin Szlavecz, Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University, Gontrode, Belgium (DP); Spinicornis, Bonheiden, Belgium (PB); American Isopod and Myriapod Group (AIMG), VA (NJ); University of Maryland, College Park (JS); Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (KS) (CW CESU partner)
Terrestrial isopods are poorly studied in North America. Even though they significantly influence ecosystem functioning such as litter decomposition and nutrient cycling, extensive distribution data is lacking. We present the first results of an ecological atlas of the terrestrial isopods of Maryland and Washington D.C. based on literature data, museum collections, citizen science data and a statewide inventory covering more than 350 locations. We found 24 species, of which only five are native. Seven species are new to the region, two of which are native. National parks are important for the conservation of rare native species bound to old and wet forests and coastal habitats. Large national parks are one of the few areas not yet invaded by non-native species, but it seems to be a matter of time before this happens. Our study is the first statewide inventory, significantly contributing to the natural history of terrestrial isopods in North America.
Insect Visitors, Effective Pollinators, and Selfing Ability of Maryland Rare Hydrophyllum macrophyllum
Pecher, Elaina, Sarah Brown, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park (EP), Antietam National Battlefield (SB), National Park Service
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP has roughly 200 rare, threatened, and endangered (RTE) plant species. Identifying crucial pollinators for an RTE species and making management decisions to facilitate interactions between them could indirectly support successful reproduction of that RTE species. Here, we set out to list insect visitors to the state threatened Hydrophyllum macrophyllum. We attempted to parse out which of these visitors are effective and important pollinators. We wanted to evaluate the selfing capability to understand the reliance on these pollinators. Through systematic floral observations and measuring reproductive success, we identified a short list of effective pollinators. We also showed that selfing significantly decreased fruit and seed production, demonstrating the importance of insect pollination. A plan was developed to further facilitate bumblebee activity around Hydrophyllum macrophyllum by modifying habitat. Additionally, this study now serves as a model for future pollinator efficacy studies for the park’s RTE species.
Genetic Analysis of Imperiled Mid-Atlantic Populations of Astragalus distortus
Poindexter, Emily, Andrea Weeks, George Mason University (CW CESU partner)
Ozark Milkvetch (Astragalus distortus Torrey & A. Gray; Fabaceae) is a small, herbaceous perennial that is native to the south-central United States and to the Mid-Atlantic states of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. In the Mid-Atlantic, they are found to grow exclusively on shale barrens and are considered a rare species and target for conservation. This project uses comparative genetic methods to measure diversity among Mid-Atlantic populations to encourage and inform regional conservation efforts for this species. Recent field census data shows that Ozark Milkvetch is absent from many of its historical occurrence sites and present in few new sites. Continued surveying along with genetic analyses will be utilized to update the species’ conservation rankings.
Restoration Techniques for the Imperiled Species Phacelia covillei along the Potomac River
Strickler, Layne, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, National Park Service
Phacelia covillei S. Watson (Hydrophyllaceae) have disjunct populations across the mid-Atlantic and mid-West states, which contributes to its globally vulnerable and Maryland state imperiled conservation statuses. The National Park Service is required to conserve state-level species of concern and to mitigate negative impacts to these species. We measured the effectiveness of direct sowing P. covillei capsules to a recipient site to determine if this was a viable mitigation technique. One and two-years after direct sowing, we found over a 400% increase in the number of P. covillei individuals. Plants were reproducing and will supply enough material to restore impacted areas. Compared to greenhouse propagation, the direct sowing technique is quick, cost-effective, and can be completed with few staff. This mitigation technique can be applied anywhere negative impacts could happen to P. covillei.
Afrocentric Expression at the Meridian Hill Park Drum Circle
Stucky, Rami Toubia, Mellon Fellowship at the National Capital Region Cultural Anthropology Program
This poster places the Meridian Hill Park Drum Circle, which takes place in Rock Creek Park, within a history of Afrocentric expression that dates to the Congo Square circles in 18th century New Orleans. Formed in the 1960s, the circle was also deeply tied to the Black Power institutions in surrounding Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights neighborhoods. During the 1970s, the drum circle played at the prominent African Liberation Day festivities where they accompanied political speeches given by Kwame Ture and Amiri Baraka. This poster shows the historical, cultural, and political context that influenced the formation of the drum circle––an event that continues regularly to this day.
Water Quality and Natural Resource Protection in the Quantico Creek Watershed, Prince William Forest Park, Prince William County, Virginia
Tangiri, Veronica Manka'a, Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District, Virginia
Prince William County is Virginia’s second-most populous county and the 10th most diverse county in the nation. The Prince William Forest Park protects a large portion of the Quantico Creek watershed, which scientists use as the water quality benchmark in Prince William County. What makes the water quality in the Quantico South Fork so unique? Method: Water quality data from 2015 to 2023 is analyzed based on a Multi Matric Score. Results: The South Fork of Quantico Creek shows very high-water quality standards with scores ranging from 9 to 12. 9 and 11 make up 38.46% of the total data while score 8 (undetermined ecological condition) makes up 7.69%. Conclusion: An increase in buildup areas in Prince William County shows no significant impact on the water quality of the South Fork of Quantico Creek. However, there is a great need to protect the headwater area of Quantico Creek.
Conceptualizing, Characterizing, and Visualizing Urban Forests: A Component of the GWMP Urban Forest Management Plan
Wiseman, Eric, Paul Kelsch, Nathan Heavers, Augustin Chambard, Rudy Delsack, Alex Adams, Jennifer Ochs, Jake Hardaway, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (EW, PK, AC, RD, AA, JO, JH), Temple University (NH) (CW CESU partner)
Our team is crafting an urban forest management plan for the George Washington Memorial Parkway. This innovative, interdisciplinary effort assesses existing conditions of trees in natural and cultural landscapes, identifies opportunities to restore and conserve these resources, and recommends design and management practices aimed at enhancing stewardship of the urban forest. Our greatest challenge has been conceptualizing, characterizing, and visualizing the urban forest. What is the urban forest? What are its functions and values? What are its threats and opportunities? Who are its stakeholders and stewards? In this presentation, we will share our approach to answering these questions and will also summarize our management recommendations. These recommendations include improved monitoring of the urban forest, increased planting and holistic care of trees, integrated management of edge vegetation, and increased capacity and capability of stewardship. Our hope is that this approach will become a model for other National Park Service urban forests.
Last updated: April 9, 2024