Inventory & Monitoring at Assateague Island National Seashore

A foal lies in sand at Assateague Island National Seashore.

NPS Photo

About the Park

Assateague Island National Seashore is home to a diversity of aquatic and terrestrial wildlife, including the free-roaming, sun-bathing horses the park is known for. The vegetation, geology, and physical processes here, on this barrier island, reflect the complex interactions between land and sea along the mid-Atlantic coast.

Assateague’s coastal lagoons provide clues of the park’s water quality and ecosystem health. While park waters are currently considered to be in good condition, they have nevertheless been impacted by coastal development activities. Similarly, nearby estuaries where more extensive land use has occurred have experienced significant declines in water quality. Poorer water quality is primarily a result of human activities that introduce excess nutrients to the waters. Too much nutrient, also known as nutrient enrichment, negatively impacts the health of estuarine ecosystems.

Our Work with Assateague

The wellbeing of Assateague’s natural resources is essential to local wildlife and surrounding environments. To ensure these resources are well-protected, the Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, along with Assateague staff, collects ecological monitoring data on several ecosystem vital signs. This data helps park managers make informed decisions and mitigate local and regional coastal development. Learn about our work below.

Monitored here:

Coastal Shoreline
Coastal Topography
Salt Marsh Elevation
Estuarine Water Quality
Seagrass
Forest Health
Air Quality

Monitoring Reports

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  Assateague Island NS

  Salt Marsh Reports

  ASIS Salt Marsh Monitoring Reports

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  Assateague Island NS

  Ocean Shoreline Reports

  ASIS Ocean Shoreline Monitoring Reports

In the Mood to Explore?

Learn about inventory and monitoring at our other parks or check out our science stories.