Natural Resource Monitoring at Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

In the woods, a man crouches to examine small plants.
Forest vegetation monitoring in a pawpaw-rich forest.

NPS/Nortrup

The National Capital Region Inventory & Monitoring Network monitors air quality, amphibians, birds, forest pests, vegetation, and invasive plants at Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park. The results of that monitoring provide park managers with scientific information for decision-making.

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park spans 184.5 miles adjacent to the Potomac River, crossing through the Atlantic Coastal Plain, Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Valley and Ridge physiographic provinces. This diverse landscape results in the rich geological, ecological, and biological diversity including over 1,500 different species of plants, geologic formations such as Great Falls and limestone caves, and 261 streams flowing through or under the park.

The park’s main natural resource management concerns are invasive plants and diseases, overpopulation of deer, and encroaching urban development. Stormwater management is a big concern for stream ecosystems. Climate change is predicted to negatively affect park resources, including worsening air quality, changing forest composition, and favoring invasive species and forests pests and diseases.

What's Happening in C&O Canal

Loading results...
    Tags: ncrn

    NCRN Monitoring at C&O Canal by the Numbers

    Site numbers as of 2022. These can change over time.
    What We Monitor Sites at C&O Canal Monitoring Frequency Information We Collect
    Amphibians 274 known wetland pools

    26 known stream transects
    Annual sampling on a subset of known wetlands
    • Species occupancy and richness for salamanders, frogs, and toads in vernal pools
    Birds – forest only 90+ (forest bird) Forest plots are monitored twice a year
    • Forest bird species and abundance
    • Bird habitat quality
    Forest vegetation 74 (forest vegetation) Approximately a quarter of plots each year on a four-year cycle
    • Deer browse
    • Fallen and standing woody debris
    • Targeted diseases and pests
    • Targeted invasive plant species
    • Trees, shrubs, vines, and specific non-woody plants

    Last updated: September 22, 2022