Forest structure and species composition are key vital signs that can help the park understand the overall ecosystem health and impacts from climate change. AP high school classes are working as community scientists to monitor forest changes over time. This work will contribute to the understanding of how forests respond to large-scale impacts like climate change, invasive species, bark beetles, and fire. This project benefits the students by providing an opportunity to gain field skills through measurement and setup of plots, tree identification, and data collection. The park benefits by gaining valuable data about the changing occuring in the forests within the park.
Last updated: July 5, 2022