Background

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 serve as stewards and work to maintain the forests and their natural conditions. 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 will not only provide information on current forest vegetation condition but will also provide useful information in the face of future unforeseen changes in forest vegetation. Along with forest health monitoring, the NCRN monitors other vital signs such as bird populations, amphibian populations and deer populations. Together, this information will provide managers with the information necessary to appropriate management decisions and provide for the long-term preservation of the forests in the region.

Links
NCRN Forest Monitoring Intranet
Monitoring Protocol Ver. 2.0

Reports & Products
2006 Annual Report
2007 Annual Report
2008 Annual Report

Forest Monitoring Resource Brief

Contacts

Patrick Campbell
NCRN Network Coordinator
202.342.1443 ext. 229

Objectives

• 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.

Measures

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.

Status

Sampling began in 2006 in all network parks. Monitoring efforts for the third field season were completed in October of 2008 after the third panel of 100 plots were monitored. Plot establishment will continue through the winter and monitoring efforts will resume in the Spring of 2009 to monitor the final 100 plots.