Natural Resource Condition Assessments for Guilford Courthouse National Military Park

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The Natural Resource Condition Assessment (NRCA) Program provides framework, funding, and publishing support to parks to aid in the synthesis and documentation of natural resource conditions. Condition assessment reports are a tool to describe selected park resources, and record a snapshot of their current condition, identify trends, and identify potential or current threats and stressors. Understanding the condition and trend of natural resources is key for parks and NPS planners to appropriately prioritize and allocate stewardship resources.


 

Views at Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, North Carolina.

NPS Photo.

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park was established on March 2, 1917 to commemorate the Revolutionary War Battle which occurred on the site in 1781. Its establishment marked the first battlefield of the American Revolution to be preserved by the Federal Government. Guilford Courthouse National Military Park comprises approximately 101 hectares (250 acres) within the City of Greensboro in Guilford County, NC and the upper Cape Fear River drainage. Guilford Courthouse National Military Park is characterized by a mixture of culturally modified vegetation, successional mixed‐hardwood forests with two small streams and riparian zones occurring mostly within the forested areas.

The park faces a number of resource related issues, many of which are related to its urban setting surrounded by population growth and commercial and residential land use. The park lies within the city limits of Greensboro, NC and the majority of the surrounding land is developed.

NRCA reports completed for this park:

Traditional NRCA: 2017

Traditional NRCA Report: 2017

In order to better understand the natural resources and processes present within this park, a Natural Resource Condition Assessment was written and published in 2017. This assessment was a collaborative effort between the National Park Service and Western Carolina University. This team chose nine resource topics that were of concern to for park management to evaluate:

		- Air quality
		- Soil and geological resources
		- Water quality
		- Invasive species
		- Focal species or communities
		- At-risk biotoa
		- Landscape dynamics
		- Night sky

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park faces a number of resource related issues. Many of the park’s vegetative communities have been disturbed by past agriculture and development to the point that they are considered too human modified to be of conservation value. The remaining communities are severely threatened by exotic plants and pests, which are an ongoing management challenge for park managers. Increasing population growth and development around the park will only add to stresses on the park’s natural resources. Water quality was in good condition, though some indicators did warrant moderate concern. Resource topics that were in moderate to significant concern were: air quality, soil and geological resources, focal species and communities, plant species of interest, and landscape dynamics. Invasive exotic species presence warranted significant concern within the park. Guilford Courthouse National Military Park is tasked with conserving both natural and cultural values, and will continue to provide management so those needs are met.

Links to NRCA Products
Materials produced by the park and the NRCA Program.

For other reports and natural resource datasets visit the NPS Data Store.

Source: Data Store Collection 7765 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.