Indigo buntings are one of many species of birds that breed at the park. NPS / N. Lewis
Booker T. Washington National Monument protects 239 acres of fields and woodlands that support a diversity of natural resources. More than half of the park is forested, primarily with second growth maturing pine and a variety of hardwood species. Open fields of grasses and clover are scattered throughout. In addition to terrestrial ecosystems, the park also manages over 3.5 miles of streams, mainly in Jack-O-Lantern Branch and Gill’s Creek.
To date, over 200 species of vascular plants have been documented in the park. In addition, 26 mammal species, 122 species of birds, 9 amphibian species, 9 reptile species, and 38 species of fish have also been recorded.
To better inform natural resouce management decisions, scientists with the National Park Service's Mid-Atlantic Network monitor ecosystem health at Booker T. Washington National Monument.
Locations:Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Antietam National Battlefield, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Bluestone National Scenic River, Booker T Washington National Monument, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Colonial National Historical Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Flight 93 National Memorial, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington Memorial Parkway, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, Morristown National Historical Park, National Capital Parks-East, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, Petersburg National Battlefield, Prince William Forest Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Rock Creek Park, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, Saratoga National Historical Park, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Artsmore »
The National Park Service will improve the ecological health of eastern forests in 38 parks using an array of management techniques. The NPS has selected forest ecosystems of high ecological and cultural value across multiple parks from Virginia to Maine that are at greatest risk of forest loss due to chronic and interacting stressors.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Antietam National Battlefield, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Bluestone National Scenic River, Booker T Washington National Monument, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Colonial National Historical Park, Crater Lake National Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Devils Postpile National Monument, Eisenhower National Historic Site, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington Memorial Parkway, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, Grand Teton National Park, Haleakalā National Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, Morristown National Historical Park, Mount Rainier National Park, National Capital Parks-East, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, Petersburg National Battlefield, Prince William Forest Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Rock Creek Park, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, Saratoga National Historical Park, Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Parkmore »
Offices:Eastern Rivers and Mountains Inventory & Monitoring Network, Greater Yellowstone Inventory & Monitoring Network, Inventory and Monitoring Division, Mid-Atlantic Inventory & Monitoring Network, National Capital Inventory & Monitoring Network, North Coast and Cascades Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northeast Temperate Inventory & Monitoring Network, Pacific Island Inventory & Monitoring Network, Rocky Mountain Inventory & Monitoring Network, Sierra Nevada Inventory & Monitoring Networkmore »
From coast to coast, the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division is helping park managers improve the health and function of forest ecosystems. From promoting resilient forests in the Northeast, to conserving whitebark pine in the West, to protecting Hawaiian forest birds from avian malaria, scientific partnerships are helping parks to share information, leverage funding sources, and work together for outcomes that extend beyond what any park could accomplish on its own.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Antietam National Battlefield, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Bluestone National Scenic River, Booker T Washington National Monument, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Colonial National Historical Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington Memorial Parkway, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, Morristown National Historical Park, National Capital Parks-East, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, Petersburg National Battlefield, Prince William Forest Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Rock Creek Park, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, Saratoga National Historical Park, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Artsmore »
Offices:Inventory and Monitoring Division
NPS Inventory and Monitoring Networks have been tracking forest health in eastern national parks since 2006. This monitoring information can guide resilient forest management and support parks in adapting to changing conditions through the actions described below.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Antietam National Battlefield, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Bluestone National Scenic River, Booker T Washington National Monument, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Colonial National Historical Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington Memorial Parkway, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, Morristown National Historical Park, National Capital Parks-East, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, Petersburg National Battlefield, Prince William Forest Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Rock Creek Park, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, Saratoga National Historical Park, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Artsmore »
Offices:Eastern Rivers and Mountains Inventory & Monitoring Network, Inventory and Monitoring Division, Mid-Atlantic Inventory & Monitoring Network, National Capital Inventory & Monitoring Network, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northeast Temperate Inventory & Monitoring Networkmore »
Park forests are threatened by invasive plants and pests. Strategically tackling invasive plants to protect park’s highest priority natural resources and planning around forest pests and pathogens are important actions in managing resilient forests.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Antietam National Battlefield, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Bluestone National Scenic River, Booker T Washington National Monument, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Colonial National Historical Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington Memorial Parkway, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, Morristown National Historical Park, National Capital Parks-East, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, Petersburg National Battlefield, Prince William Forest Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Rock Creek Park, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, Saratoga National Historical Park, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Artsmore »
Offices:Eastern Rivers and Mountains Inventory & Monitoring Network, Inventory and Monitoring Division, Mid-Atlantic Inventory & Monitoring Network, National Capital Inventory & Monitoring Network, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northeast Temperate Inventory & Monitoring Networkmore »
Forests cover tens of thousands of acres in eastern national parks and these critical resources face a range of interacting stressors: over-abundant white-tailed deer populations, invasive plant dominance, novel pests and pathogens, among other threats. The Resilient Forests Initiative will help parks address these issue collectively.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Antietam National Battlefield, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Bluestone National Scenic River, Booker T Washington National Monument, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Colonial National Historical Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, Flight 93 National Memorial, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington Memorial Parkway, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, Morristown National Historical Park, National Capital Parks-East, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, Petersburg National Battlefield, Prince William Forest Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Rock Creek Park, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, Saratoga National Historical Park, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Artsmore »
Forests in the northeastern U.S. are in peril. Over-abundant deer, invasive plants, and insect pests are negatively impacting park forests, threatening to degrade the scenic vistas and forested landscapes that parks are renowned for. With regional collaboration, parks can manage these impacts and help forests be resilient. This article series explores tools available to park managers to achieve their goals.
Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports.
In all, 2023 was warmer than average, but precipitation was near normal at Booker T. Washington National Monument. It was the 7th warmest and 61st driest year in Franklin County, VA since 1895.
