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National Capital Region Network


Forest Vegetation Monitoring


BackgroundPicture of vegetation monitoring field crew

Temperate deciduous forest is the prevalent ecosystem type across the National Capital Region Network(NCRN). These forests provide the basic building blocks for much of the region's biodiversity. The forests provide food and shelter for wildlife, they filter impurities from the air and water, they keep us cool in the summer and provide recreational and spiritual opportunities. Yet, the forests of the NCRN face mounting threats. The most severe of these include over browsing deer, invasion by alien plant species, loss of tree species such as hemlocks and dogwoods due to pathogens, and clearing for human development. Collectively these threats have the potential to cause dramatic changes in the composition (species of plants present), structure (arrangement of these plants) and long-term dynamics (changes in composition and structure over time) of forests. This typically leads to declines in native plant and wildlife populations, loss of recreational opportunities and may accelerate global climate change.

The national parks in the NCRN provide places to preserve natural forests, to preserve or recreate historic conditions, to protect watersheds, and to provide recreation. Park managers require long-term data to understand the condition and changes in the forests and to determine if management practices are achieving desired conditions. Forest health monitoring provides this long-term data. Monitoring not only provides information on current forest vegetation condition but also provides useful information in the face of future unforeseen changes.

 

MonitoringNCRN vegetation monitoring fieldcrew using tablet PC to collect data on the forest's herbaceous layer.

The NCRN is monitoring 400 forest plots. Each year 100 of the plots are monitored. After four years the cycle is repeated. Trees are marked, identified and basal area is recorded. Shrubs are similarly measured on microplots within each plot. Seedlings are counted in 12 small quadrats within each plot. Coarse woody debris is measured along three transects in each plot.

The objectives of forest vegetation monitoring are to:

  • Determine the status of the forest plant communities including abundance and basal area of trees and shrubs, seedling density, species diversity and the amount of course woody debris.
  • Determine population trends, including mortality and recruitment rates, of forest trees and shrubs.

Forest vegetation monitoring has occurred every year since 2006 in all network parks.

Contacts
Patrick Campbell, NCRN Program Manager
202.342.1443 ext. 229

 

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Last updated: February 6, 2012   I   http://inp2300fcsdepo1.nps.doi.net/im/units/ncrn/monitoring_veg.cfm   I  Email: Webmaster
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