Images
Golden-winged Warbler
These birds spend much of their time in young forests and old field succession environments.
Indiana Bat
The Indiana bat is an endangered species that is found over most of the eastern half of the United States.
Eastern_Brook_Trout
The Eastern Brook Trout is the only native trout that inhabits the cold, clear streams of the eastern United States. It is the state fish in many eastern states and is a prized sport fish by anglers.
Salamander
There are more species of Salamanders in the Appalachians, include endemics, than anywhere else on the planet.
Mussels
Due to their long lifespan and sensitivity to degradation, freshwater mussels are increasingly valued for tracking status and trends of the health of inland waters.
Wood Thrush_02
Wood Thrush breeds in the deciduous forests of eastern North America. They are experiencing population declines due to degradation of habitat.
Cerulean Warbler
This sky blue Warbler inhabits large blocks of mature deciduous forest in the Appalachians. They prefer environments with more open canopies and gaps that allow sunlight to reach the forest floor.
Wood Thrush
Wood Thrush breeds in the deciduous forests of eastern North America. They are experiencing population declines due to degradation of habitat.
Appalachian Trail Lookout, Virginia
View of farmland and forests from a lookout point along the Appalachian Trail in Virginia
Appalachian Trail Lookout, Virginia
View of Farms and Forests from lookout point on the Appalachian Trail.
Workshop Approach for Developing Climate Change Adaptation Strategies and Actions for Natural Resource Management Agencies in the United States
Workshop Approach for Developing Climate Change Adaptation Strategies and Actions for Natural Resource Management Agencies in the United States Image
Scarlet Indian paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea)
scarlet Indian paintbrush_squamatologist_2010_Macon Co. NC.jpg
Scarlet Indian paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea)
scarlet Indian paintbrush_squamatologist_2010_Macon Co. NC.jpg
Frasers sedge (Cymophyllus fraserianus)
Frasers sedge_Jason Hollinger_2011_Great Smoky Mountains, TN.jpg
Frasers sedge (Cymophyllus fraserianus)
Frasers sedge_Jason Hollinger_2011_Great Smoky Mountains, TN.jpg
Marcellus Shale Wells within Region
Map showing the permitted Marcellus Shale wells within the Appalachian LCC area.
Marcellus Shale Wells within Region
Map showing the permitted Marcellus Shale wells within the Appalachian LCC area.
Marcellus Shale Wells within Region
Map showing the permitted Marcellus Shale wells within the Appalachian LCC area.
Riparian Restoration Figure 1
Riparian corridor areas in Virginia that are high priority (black = upper quartile of solar gain and less than 70% canopy cover) for riparian restoration to mitigate water temperature increases. Brook trout priority areas are defined by elevation gradients (0-300 m low priority; 300 – 600m average priority; > 600m high priority). Cross hatched polygons represent existing brook trout habitats. Blue and green elevation gradients represent potential cold water brook trout habitat.
Riparian Restoration Figure 1
Riparian corridor areas in Virginia that are high priority (black = upper quartile of solar gain and less than 70% canopy cover) for riparian restoration to mitigate water temperature increases. Brook trout priority areas are defined by elevation gradients (0-300 m low priority; 300 – 600m average priority; > 600m high priority). Cross hatched polygons represent existing brook trout habitats. Blue and green elevation gradients represent potential cold water brook trout habitat.
Riparian Restoration Figure 1
Riparian corridor areas in Virginia that are high priority (black = upper quartile of solar gain and less than 70% canopy cover) for riparian restoration to mitigate water temperature increases. Brook trout priority areas are defined by elevation gradients (0-300 m low priority; 300 – 600m average priority; > 600m high priority). Cross hatched polygons represent existing brook trout habitats. Blue and green elevation gradients represent potential cold water brook trout habitat.
Cover - (draft) Development and Operational Plan 2011
2011 (draft) Ops Plan presented to Appalachian LCC Interim Steering Committee on Dec 8th.
Filezilla.jpg
Screenshot of FileZilla's opening window. The area that we will using the most is enclosed in the red box:
Ecoregion - FWS
Map created by FWS in defining ecoregions - integration of major watershed to define regions.
App LCC Potential Karstic Carbonate Rocks
Karst is a landscape produced by dissolution of rocks and the development of subterranean drainages dominated by the flow of ground water in enlarged conduits. Karst landscapes typically include cave entrances, sinkholes, losing streams, springs, and large and small-scale features on bedrock surfaces.
Sea Level Rise NPS Image
Hog Island gut at Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve (NPS). Tidal freshwater marsh is a diverse plant community providing numerous ecosystem services to the National Capital Region.
Climate Change in NPS
Climate change is a challenge to the preservation of landscapes, such as this one at Catoctin Mountain Park.
NPS History Image
CRGIS took part in the resurvey and photographic documentation of historic structures at San Juan National Historic Site.
CHJV-AppLCC Boundary Image
This map details the boundaries of the Central Hardwood Joint Venture and the Appalachian LCC, detailing where the two partnerships areas of research and management overlap.
Connecticut River Watershed Pilot Core Team
On September 26th, 2014, the Core Team gathered in Hadley, Mass., to review progress and discuss next steps in realizing a conservation design vision for the watershed and region.
Large-leaf grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia grandiflora)
large-leaf grass-of-Parnassus_Eleanor_2013.jpg
Large-leaf grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia grandiflora)
large-leaf grass-of-Parnassus_Eleanor_2013.jpg
Image of Energy Mapping Forecast Tool
Mapping tool displays intersection between high probability energy development and forest cover.
Wind Turbine Energy Development Probability
Map showing existing wind turbines with the probability that a given area will be developed indicated by color (dark red is high probability; dark blue is low).
USFWS: Endangered mussels bound for the Powell River
On September 25, 2012, the Service , Virginia Tech, Lincoln Memorial University, and several other partners released 5,000 endangered mussels into the Tennessee stretch of the Powell River.
USFWS: Northeast Region Endangered freshwater mussels
Endangered freshwater mussels in the Clinch and Powell River Watersheds in Virginia (Bottom diagonal row, left to right: Cumberlandian combshell, Oyster mussel. Middle Row: Shiny pigtoe, Birdwing pearlymussel, Cumberland monkeyface. Top row: Rough rabitsfoot)
USFWS Northeast Region: Snuffbox mussel
Snuffbox mussesl which were recently listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Stream at Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area
Upstream view of stream at the Clinch Mountain Wildlife Management Area.
Tennessee River Basin Map
This map depicts the boundaries of the Tennessee River Basin based on hydrologic units from U.S. Geoloogical Survey using the National Geogrpahic World Map as a basemap.
Tennessee River Basin with APP LCC Boundary
This map depicts the boundaries of the Tennessee River basin defined using hydrologic units from the U.S. Gelogical Survey overlaid on the Appalachian LCC boundary using the National Geographic World Map as a basemap.
Yellowfin madtoms prior to release
Yellowfin madtoms prior to their release in the Upper Tennessee River Basin.
Spiny river snail
Spiny river snails which are tagged for release in the Upper Tennessee River Basin.
Virginia big-eared bat
Virginia big-eared bat from Repass Saltpetre Cave in Virginia being measured before release.
Released Virginia big-eared bat
Virginia big-eared bat being released at Repass Saltpetre Cave in Virginia.
Bog turtle
The bog turtle is protected under the Endangered Species Act as a federally threatened species.
Green pitcher plant
Green pitcher plant is protected under the Endangered Species Act as a federally endangered species.
Biodiversity Hotspots and the UTRB
Map depicting biodiversity hotspots in the eastern United States along with the boundary of the Upper Tennessee River Basin and USFWS National Wildlife Refuge locations.
Map of Federally Listed Aquatic Species in Virginia Portion of UTRB
Map depicting listed and candidate aquatic species in the Upper Tennessee hydrologic sub-unit of Virginia.
Map of Federally Listed Species within the UTRB in Tennessee
Map of Listed and candidate aquatic species in the Upper Tennessee hydrologic sub-unit of Tennessee.
Map of Federally Listed Species within the UTRB in North Carolina
Map of Listed and candidate aquatic species in the Upper Tennessee hydrologic sub-unit of North Carolina.
Map of Listed, Proposed, and Candidate Fish in the UTRB
Map depicting the number of listed, proposed, and candidate fish species within each 12-digit HUC within the Upper Tennessee River Basin. Occurrences include extant and historical records. Areas within the UTRB boundary not shaded by a color denoted in the key have no records of imperiled fish species occurrences.
Map of Listed, Proposed, and Candidate Mussels in the UTRB
Map depicting the number of listed, proposed, and candidate mussel species within each 12-digit HUC within the Upper Tennessee River Basin. Occurrences include extant and historical records. Areas within the UTRB boundary not shaded by a color in the key have no records of imperiled mussel species occurrences.
Map of Listed, Proposed, and Candidate Fish and Mussels in the UTRB
Map depicting the number of listed, proposed, and candidate fish and mussel species within each 12-digit HUC within the Upper Tennessee River Basin. Occurrences include extant and historical records. Areas within the UTRB boundary not shaded by a color in the key have no records of imperiled fish and mussel species occurrences.
Forest importance to water supply
The US Forest Service’s Forests to Faucets Project represents one approach to ecosystem service assessment. Watersheds are ranked in terms of both forest cover and the estimated number of people who rely on them for drinking water. This highlights the water filtration services that forests provide in different landscapes.
Appalachian Landscape Conservation Cooperative geographic extent
The Appalachian Landscape Conservation Cooperative serves a vast region, including parts of 15 eastern US states. Landscapes and the ecosystem services they provide within this region are highly diverse and vary from place to place.
Tennessee River Basin Aquatic Units Map
This map displays the upper, mid, a lower Tennessee River watersheds along with the boundary for the UTRB Imperiled Aquatic Species Strategy and the Appalachian LCC overlaid on the National Geographic base map.
Mixed spruce-fir and northern hardwood forest
Mixed spruce-fir and northern hardwood forest on the upper western slope of Waterrock Knob (el. 6,292ft/1,918m) in the Plott Balsams of Western North Carolina, USA. This view is from a cliff just off the Waterrock Knob Trail. The dead trees are Fraser firs killed by the balsam woolly adelgid.
A student collecting stream insects
Each year the Toes in the Toe Watershed Discovery event brings 5th-grade students from North Carolina’s Yancey and Mitchell Counties out to a river in their community. On the banks of the river they rotate through a variety of educational stations focused on stream health and the importance of river. Stations include art, farming, energy, fish, and stream macroinvertebrates.Because the watershed is home to the endangered Appalachian elktoe mussel, the Fish & Wildlife Service helped create the event and continues to help students explore the North and South Toe rivers in search of stream insects, mollusks, and other animals.
Mixed spruce-fir and northern hardwood forest
Mixed spruce-fir and northern hardwood forest on the upper western slope of Waterrock Knob (el. 6,292ft/1,918m) in the Plott Balsams of Western North Carolina, USA. This view is from a cliff just off the Waterrock Knob Trail. The dead trees are Fraser firs killed by the balsam woolly adelgid.
A student collecting stream insects
Each year the Toes in the Toe Watershed Discovery event brings 5th-grade students from North Carolina’s Yancey and Mitchell Counties out to a river in their community. On the banks of the river they rotate through a variety of educational stations focused on stream health and the importance of river. Stations include art, farming, energy, fish, and stream macroinvertebrates.Because the watershed is home to the endangered Appalachian elktoe mussel, the Fish & Wildlife Service helped create the event and continues to help students explore the North and South Toe rivers in search of stream insects, mollusks, and other animals.
Hemlock Wooly Adelgid
By Nicholas A. Tonelli from Pennsylvania, USA (Henry's Woods (6)) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Wildfires in Eastern U.S.
By Glenn Research Center (https://www.dvidshub.net/image/857727) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Forest above-ground biomass
The Woods Hole Research Center’s National Biomass and Carbon Stock Dataset for the year 2000 represents an important component of carbon sequestration by Appalachian forests. The spatial distribution of this ecosystem service is influenced over time by drivers such as surface mining, urbanization, climate change, and forest growth.
Figure 1. Conceptual diagram depicting the hydraulic fracturing process
from: Brian Buchanan et al., 2015
Mussel Infestation Outreach Event
Mussel outreach event in which children are assisting a biologist to release host fish that were recently infested with mussel larvae.
Mussel Outreach Event
Participants at a mussel outreach event where member of the public were able to observe mussels and their host fish.
Appalachian Farm
Landscapes in the Appalachians supply clean water, productive soils, and many other natural resources which in turn support a wide variety of ecosystem services. These services are relied upon not only by people living in the region, but also by millions of people far removed these landscapes.
Appalachian LCC Subregions
Division of the Appalachian LCC into ecologically consistent subregions used for climate change vulnerability assessments
Appalachian LCC Subregions
Division of the Appalachian LCC into ecologically consistent subregions used for climate change vulnerability assessments
January 2012 Expert Panel Meeting, NatureServe Home Office
Expert Panel discussing a decision tree to aid in selecting vulnerability assessment methods. Panel members (from left to right): Kim Hall, The Nature Conservancy, Great Lakes; Robert Cooper, University of Georgia; Bruce Young, NatureServe; Jean Brennan, Appalachian LCC; Kyle Barrett, Clemson University; Healy Hamilton, Marine Conservation Institute (now of NatureServe); not shown: John O'Leary, Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife; Hector Galbraith, National Wildlife Federation; Patricia Butler, Michigan Technical University, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science; Lesley Sneddon, NatureServe
January 2012 Expert Panel Meeting, NatureServe Home Office
Expert Panel discussing a decision tree to aid in selecting vulnerability assessment methods. Panel members (from left to right): Kim Hall, The Nature Conservancy, Great Lakes; Robert Cooper, University of Georgia; Bruce Young, NatureServe; Jean Brennan, Appalachian LCC; Kyle Barrett, Clemson University; Healy Hamilton, Marine Conservation Institute (now of NatureServe); not shown: John O'Leary, Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife; Hector Galbraith, National Wildlife Federation; Patricia Butler, Michigan Technical University, Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science; Lesley Sneddon, NatureServe
Conservation Planning Map
Map showing regional cores, linkages, and other elements from the conservation design research.
Conservation Planning Map
Map showing regional cores, linkages, and other elements from the conservation design research.
Strategy Cover Photo
From the Imperiled Aquatic Species Conservation Strategy for the Upper Tennessee River Basin.
UTRB Landscape Photo
From the Imperiled Aquatic Species Conservation Strategy for the Upper Tennessee River Basin.
Conservation Design Elements Map
Depiction of conservation design for the Appalachian LCC with all five of the design elements - regional cores, local cores, regional linkages, valley and ridge linkages, and local build outs - combined.
Regional Cores
Broad areas of regional significance that have high internal landscape connectivity. Five cores were identified and mapped: 1) Shawnee-Peabody-Land between the Lakes; 2) Southern Blue Ride-Upper Tennessee River Basin; 3) Central Appalachian-Allegheny; 4) Heart's Content-Northwest Pennsylvania; 5) Delaware Water Gap-Catskills
Local Cores
Areas that are locally significant due to irreplaceability and have high internal local connectivity. Eight areas were identified and mapped: 1) Cumberland Plateau-Chattanooga; 2) Daniel Boone; 3) Nashville Basin; 4) Hoosier-Interior Low Plateau; 5) Mammoth Cave-Campbellsville-Chickamauga; 6) Cumberland Gap-Big South Fork; 7) Southern Finger Lakes-Allegheny Plateau; 8) Lower Tennessee-Bankhead-Wheeler
Regional Connectors
Regional-scale corridors that connect large cores. Three were identified and mapped: 1) Northern Cumberland-Blue Ridge (connects South Blue Ridge to Central Appalachian core to the north); 2) Southern Cumberland-Blue Ridge (connects Southern Blue Ridge to Central Appalachian Core to south); 3) Northern Sandstone Ridges (connect Central Appalachian-Allegheny Regional core to Delaware Water Gap-Catskills)
Local Connectors
Bridging valley and ridge topography and connecting mountainous regions with low plateaus in an east-west orientation. Four linkages were identified and mapped: 1) Big South Fork-Cumberland River; 2) Cumberland-Interior Low Plateau; 3) Ohio River; 4) Flint Creek-Plateau Escarpment
Other Important Areas
Smaller, isolated areas that are locally significant. Identified in two primary ways: (1) build outs acted as buffers around existing protected areas suggesting that many conservation values around the protected area are not fully protected; and (2) small areas that had unique conservation value regionally but are under no current protection. Thirty-six of these areas were identified.
Conservation Design Elements Map
Depiction of conservation design for the Appalachian LCC with all five of the design elements - regional cores, local cores, regional linkages, valley and ridge linkages, and local build outs - combined.
Regional Cores
Broad areas of regional significance that have high internal landscape connectivity. Five cores were identified and mapped: 1) Shawnee-Peabody-Land between the Lakes; 2) Southern Blue Ride-Upper Tennessee River Basin; 3) Central Appalachian-Allegheny; 4) Heart's Content-Northwest Pennsylvania; 5) Delaware Water Gap-Catskills
Local Cores
Areas that are locally significant due to irreplaceability and have high internal local connectivity. Eight areas were identified and mapped: 1) Cumberland Plateau-Chattanooga; 2) Daniel Boone; 3) Nashville Basin; 4) Hoosier-Interior Low Plateau; 5) Mammoth Cave-Campbellsville-Chickamauga; 6) Cumberland Gap-Big South Fork; 7) Southern Finger Lakes-Allegheny Plateau; 8) Lower Tennessee-Bankhead-Wheeler
Regional Connectors
Regional-scale corridors that connect large cores. Three were identified and mapped: 1) Northern Cumberland-Blue Ridge (connects South Blue Ridge to Central Appalachian core to the north); 2) Southern Cumberland-Blue Ridge (connects Southern Blue Ridge to Central Appalachian Core to south); 3) Northern Sandstone Ridges (connect Central Appalachian-Allegheny Regional core to Delaware Water Gap-Catskills)
Local Connectors
Bridging valley and ridge topography and connecting mountainous regions with low plateaus in an east-west orientation. Four linkages were identified and mapped: 1) Big South Fork-Cumberland River; 2) Cumberland-Interior Low Plateau; 3) Ohio River; 4) Flint Creek-Plateau Escarpment
Other Important Areas
Smaller, isolated areas that are locally significant. They were identified in two primary ways: (1) buffers around existing protected areas suggesting that many conservation values around the protected area are not fully protected; and (2) small areas that had unique conservation value regionally but are under no current protection. Thirty-six of these areas were identified.
Cave Count per 20km Grid Cell
Total number of caves within a 20 kilometer grid cell. Each cell represents a range of caves found within that area.
Study Area Carbonate Bedrock Exposure Map
This map depicts the carbonate bedrock exposure within the study area.
Aquatic Records
The karst map provides the basic template for analyzing the distribution of cave species. Almost without exception, all caves occur within the karst areas. There were a few records of cave-dwelling species from outside karst areas (mostly springs) but the data was trimmed to fit within the karst areas, with a 1 km buffer to allow for errors in georeferencing). This map displays the aquatic records within karst areas in the Appalachian region.
Terrestrial Records
The karst map provides the basic template for analyzing the distribution of cave species. Almost without exception, all caves occur within the karst areas. There were a few records of cave-dwelling species from outside karst areas (mostly springs) but the data was trimmed to fit within the karst areas, with a 1 km buffer to allow for errors in georeferencing). This map displays the aquatic records within karst areas in the Appalachian region.
Percentage of Karst Area within Grid Cell
Each cell represents the percent of karst within a 20 x 20 kilometer grid cell, a measure of habitat quantity. This attribute can be used to predict presence/absence of particular ecological groups in caves.
Cave Species Richness Hotspots
Caves with the most aquatic and terrestrial species. The number of species is highly dependent on sampling intensity, including the number of sampling trips.
Carbonate/Non-carbonate Contact Linear Sum
Cumulative lengths of contacts between karst and non-karst, measuring both patchiness of available habitat and perhaps dispersal corridors if cave passages are differentially developed along these contacts. This information can be used to predict presence/absence of particular ecological groups in caves.
Stygobiont and Troglobiont Endemics by Cave
Total number of stygobiont and troglobiont endemic species within a cave.
Single Grid Cell Endemics
Many aquatic and terrestrial species are geographically rare, often found in a single cave. This map dis[;ays the geographic distribution of endemics scattered throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Single County Endemic Species
Number of endemic species at the county level throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
NatureServe Regions and Karst
Three basic regions are identified by NatureServe; Interior Low Plateaus,Central Appalachians, and Cumberland Southern Blue Ridge. These ares are displayed along with karst resources within the Appalachian LCC region.
Aquatic Species Richness
Distribution of aquatic species richness by 20 kilometers grids throughout the Appalachian LCC region. At this scale, the hotspots of aquatic species richness are in southern Indiana (the Mitchell Plain) and central Kentucky (Mammoth Cave).
Aquatic Species Richness by County
Distribution of aquatic species at the county scale throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Terrestrial Species Richness
Distribution of terrestrial species richness in 20 kilometer grids throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Terrestrial Species Richness by County
Distribution of terrestrial species richness at the county scale throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Stream Baseflow Index
Average annual stream baseflow index at 1 kilometer resolution throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Mean Annual Precipitation
Mean annual precipitation (mm/year) at a 1 kilometer resolution throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Precipitation Seasonality
Precipitation seasonality using coefficient of variation at 1 kilometer resolution throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Mean Annual Temperature
Mean annual temperature at 1 kilometer resolution throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Probability of Presence - Terrestrial Species
As a first step toward a predictive model of hotspots of species richness based on the predictive variables outlined above, the probabilities of each group within each grid cell were summed (excluding fish which do not occur at all in the Central Appalachians, making predictions impossible). The probabilities were summed to indicate locations that have one or more of the species groupings. Higher values indicate that more species are likely to be found. For the five terrestrial groups, the major hotspot is in northeast Alabama and south central Tennessee, mimicking the observed data. However, there are also hotspots in southwest Virginia, and central West Virginia that do not appear on the map of species richness.
Probability of Presence - Aquatic Species
As a first step toward a predictive model of hotspots of species richness based on the predictive variables outlined above, the probabilities of each group within each grid cell were summed (excluding fish which do not occur at all in the Central Appalachians, making predictions impossible). The probabilities were summed to indicate locations that have one or more of the species groupings. Higher values indicate that more species are likely to be found. The map of predicted aquatic species richness has broader swaths of species richness, especially in the Interior Low Plateau.
Human Population Change by County from 2001-2010
Human population change at the county level from 2001- 2010.
Amphipod Species Distribution by 1 km Grid
Distribution of the amphipod species group by 1 kilometer grids throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Aseillid Isopod Species Distribution by 1km Grid
Distribution of asellid isopods by 1 kilometer grid throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Crayfish Species Distribution by 1km Grid
Distribution of crayfish species by 1 kilometer grid throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Fish Species Distribution by 1km Grid
Distribution of fish species by 1 kilometer grids throughout the Appalachian region.
Ground Beetle Species Distribution by 1km Grid
Distribution of ground beetle species by 1 kilometer grids throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Millipede Species Distribution by 1km Grid
Distribution of millipede species by 1 kilometer grid throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Pseudoscorpion Species Distribution by 1 km Grid
Distribution of pseudoscorpion spcies distribution by 1 kilometer grid throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Spider Species Distribution by 1 km Grid
Distribution of spider species by 1 kilometer grid throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Springtail Species Distribution by 1 km Grid
Distribution of springtail species by 1 kilometer grid throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Probability of Presence for Amphipods
This map depicts the probability of presence for species within the amphipod group throughout the Appalachian LCC region. Red areas have the highest probability of presence.
Probability of Presence for Asellid Isopods
This map depicts the probability of presence for species within the asellid isopod group throughout the Appalachian LCC region. Red areas have the highest probability of presence.
Probability of Presence for Crayfish
This map depicts the probability of presence for species within the crayfish group throughout the Appalachian LCC region. Red areas have the highest probability of presence.
Probability of Presence for Fish
This map depicts the probability of presence for species within the fish group throughout the Appalachian LCC region. Red areas have the highest probability of presence.
Probability of Presence for Ground Beetles
This map depicts the probability of presence for species within the ground beetle group throughout the Appalachian LCC region. Red areas have the highest probability of presence.
Probability of Presence for Millipedes
This map depicts the probability of presence for species within the millipede group throughout the Appalachian LCC region. Red areas have the highest probability of presence.
Probability of Presence for Pseudoscorpions
This map depicts the probability of presence for species within the pseudoscorpion group throughout the Appalachian LCC region. Red areas have the highest probability of presence.
Probability of Presence for Spiders
This map depicts the probability of presence for species within the spider group throughout the Appalachian LCC region. Red areas have the highest probability of presence.
Probability of Presence for Springtails
This map depicts the probability of presence for species within the springtail group throughout the Appalachian LCC region. Red areas have the highest probability of presence.
County Occurrence Map for Rafinesque’s Big-eared Bat
Distribution map of counties with a cave/mine occurrence for Rafinesque’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) within the Appalachian LCC region.
County Occurrence Map for Virginia Big-eared Bat
Distribution map of counties with an occurrence for Virginia Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii virginianus) within the Appalachian LCC region.
County Occurrence Map for Big Brown Bat
Distribution map of counties with a cave/mine occurrence for big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) within the Appalachian LCC region.
County Occurrence Map for Southeastern Myotis
Distribution map of counties with a cave/mine occurrence for Southeastern myotis (Myotis austroriparius) within the Appalachian LCC region.
County Occurrence Map for Gray Bat
Distribution map of counties with a cave/mine occurrence for the gray bat (Myotis grisecens) within the Appalachian LCC region.
County Occurrence Map for Eastern Small-footed Bat
Distribution map of counties with a cave/mine occurrence for Rafinesque’s big-eared bat (Myotis leibii) within the Appalachian LCC region.
County Occurrence Map for Little Brown Bat
Distribution map of counties with a cave/mine occurrence for little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) within the Appalachian LCC region.
County Occurrence Map for Northern Long-eared Bat
Distribution map of counties with a cave/mine occurrence for Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) within the Appalachian LCC region.
County Occurrence Map for Indiana Bat
Distribution map of counties with a cave/mine occurrence for Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) within the Appalachian LCC region.
County Occurrence Map for Tri-colored Bat
Distribution map of counties with a cave/mine occurrence for Tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) within the Appalachian LCC region.
Soil Available Water Capacity
High values for soil available water capacity at 1 kilometer resolution throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Soil Permeability
High values for soil permeability at 1 kilometer resolution throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Soil Thickness
High end of range of soil thickness at 1 kilometer resolution throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
Soil Organic Matter and Sinkholes
Sinkhole density (number per square kilometer) and soil organic matter (percent by weight) throughout the Appalachian LCC region.
White-tailed Deer Herd Health Assessments
At Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park and Catoctin Mountain Park
The Dragonflies and Damselflies of the C&O Canal National Historical Park
Mid-Atlantic Invertebrate Field Studies
Natural Resource Education and Outreach in a Cultural Resource Park
Strategies for Expanding the Audience. The historic significance of Manassas is the primary interpretive theme for the park. However, the park’s 5,000 acres are becoming more significant as a natural resource site due to rapidly increasing urban development. This situation does offer opportunity, as the park provides easy access for local schools and educational groups and is an ideal location from which to study natural processes. In 2013 we began a 4-year initiative with the goal of increasing the awareness and subsequently the use of the park for education and recreation. Some accomplishments to date include; establishment of two “Track Trail” self-guided tours, a park specific brochure that connects our cultural and natural resources, partnerships with local schools, outreach to local pediatrician offices, outreach to Hispanic TV and conversion of materials to Spanish, and creation of a natural resource app. Well over 15,000 youth have been reached with over 100 youth volunteers participating.
Assessment of Environmental Genomics of Aquatic Systems in National Capital Region Parks
Emphasis on the algal communities associated with the nuisance diatom Didymosphenia geminata. While water quality monitoring programs are already in place to oversee trends in health of NCR aquatic resources, these programs are not specifically designed to detect the appearance of nuisance species such as the diatom Didymosphenia geminata, which may present but at low abundance, or to assess more fine-scale characteristics of streams such as the taxonomic diversity and functional potential of the resident microbial communities. Fortunately, new genomic technologies such as metagenomics and metabarcoding are gaining traction as valuable additions to existing monitoring programs worldwide due to their ability to characterize aquatic community structure and function at reasonable cost, and at a level of sensitivity never before available. Here, we present data on an ongoing metagenomics and metabarcoding study of select stream sites collected from among all 11 NCR parks in 2014 and 2015 in order to assess differences in taxonomic and functional diversity in streams with and without D. geminata.
Partnership at Work: Maximizing the use of volunteers for the removal of barbarized invasive English Ivy vine at Rock Creek Park
Non-native invasive plan species are one of the biggest threats to the environmental health of parks. With more than 80 miles of boundary, ROCR is especially threatened by these species, which spread into the park from lands ape areas and through illegal dumping of plant materials. The park and its partners have undertaken different projects to remove invasive plants from the park utilizing volunteers as the main workforce. In 2012, ROCR and the Rock Creek Conservancy started the removal of barbarized English Ivy from mature trees within ROCR. During 2015, volunteers donated 1313 hours of work to ROCR and 2115 mature trees were saved. The results of this and other projects demonstrate that partnerships and the use of volunteer-based work contribute significantly to invasive plant species removal programs in parks.
Partnering for Climate Change Communication in the National Capital Region
The Climate Change Communication Intern Program. In 2012, the Urban Ecology Research Learning Alliance in the National Capital Region and the Center for Climate Change Communication (4C) formed a partnership to communicate about local climate change impacts on natural and cultural resources. The partnership supports NCR parks in telling their climate change stories. The internship involves eight interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate interns. NPS and 4C mentors work with interns to develop outreach and education products, which leverage traditional and emerging communication modes. Products have addressed communication needs, structured web resources, and connected visitor experiences with park-specific climate change impacts. Interns have developed wayside content, webpages, social media posts, videos, infographics, and interpretive tools. We have evaluated materials informally and formally through presentations to park staff and surveys in NCR. We see this program’s success as a model for other regions, agencies, and NGO’s as a method to start discussions with stakeholders about localized climate impacts.
Next Generation DNA Sequencing of Prey Species in Coyote Scat
From Prince William Forest Park & Manassas National Battlefield Park. Fecal (scat) analyses can be used to investigate a predator’s diet. Recent studies have used Next-Generation DNA sequencing to identify the prey species present in the feces of predators. Such an approach is used in this study to determine the diet of coyotes (Canis latrans) living in two areas that are geographically close yet distinct in terms of landscape & human impact. Scat samples from Prince William Forest Park, a largely forested area with relatively low disturbance & Manassas National Battlefield Park, characterized by many open fields & much human impact, were collected. Next-Generation sequencing of a variable mitochondrial DNA region was used to identify the prey species present in the scat samples & the data were compared between the two NCR parks. These data were also compared to ones obtained via a traditional, visual approach to fecal analysis to contrast both methods in their effectiveness of identifying prey species.
Mapping Potential Wetland Habitat throughout the C&O Canal National Historic Park
Using remote sensing and GIS-based data. Methods of wetland identification are advancing from remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to assist in land management decisions. We developed a map that consisted of a multi- layered wetland ranking system to identify areas of potential wetlands on a large scale. The map was constructed from wetland predictors National Land Cover Database (NLCD), Vegetation Community data (from National Park Service/NatureServe), slope percentage, and soil. The ranking system’s potential wetland scores were ground-truthed with wetland delineation procedures inside NPS’ C&O Canal National Historical Park. Vegetation community data were the strongest predictor for wetland identification followed by NLCD. Slope and soil were not strong predictors of wetlands but still considered potentially useful ancillary data. This research indicates the strength in identifying potential wetlands based on NPS’s vegetation community data. Future studies of more comprehensive models that include ancillary data may offer expansion of the ranking system to other parks.
Bats, White-nose Syndrome, and the Western Maryland Railroad Tunnels
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. White-nose Syndrome (WNS), Pseudogymnoascus destructans, is a fungal disease the affects the skin of hibernating bats and has a high mortality rate. WNS has been found in caves in Maryland’s three western-most counties. The three abandoned railroad tunnels along the Western Maryland Railroad are the only known bat hibernacula that show no signs of WNS and these fall within C&O Canal’s boundaries. C&O Canal is an important bat habitat since it is a forested area along the Potomac River and nine different species of bat have been recorded in the park. The fact that the only three hibernacula free of WNS fall within its boundaries calls for the tunnels to protected from any unnecessary disturbance. Currently, one tunnel is gated and construction on another will start in 2016. C&O Canal and MD DNR are partnering to continue studies of the tunnels and monitoring the status of WNS with in them.
The First Volunteer Paleontological Monitoring Program in the National Park Service
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. In the summer of 2014, CHOH began a new volunteer monitoring program, the Paleo-Protectors. Recruited from a base of experienced and trusted park volunteers, the Paleo-Protectors monitor several of the many important paleontological localities with in the park. The program is similar to the Sites Stewards Program, which monitors sensitive archeological resources; however, this is the first program within NPS specifically for monitoring paleontological resources. Volunteers visit their sites at least once a year and monitor for erosion, fossil abundance, and possible fossil poaching, as well as other relevant data. Beginning in 2009, the National Capital Region partnered with the Geologic Resource Division to build paleontological resource inventories within the region. Since then four visiting paleontologists through GeoCorps America have helped in this effort which produced the Paleo- Protectors program: Erica Clites, Katie Loughney, Ivan Carabajal, and Liz Keily.
Japanese-American Veterans Association Oral History Project
National Capital Region, Communications and Anthropology Programs. The Japanese American Veterans Association Oral History Project was initiated by the National Capital Regional Office’s Communication Department. The project’s goal was to record the oral histories of a group of Japanese Americans who were interned during WWII at sites that are now NPS units. These videos allow those who witnessed history tell their story of loyalty in the face of discrimination. This poster will include videos of the interviews.
Camera Trap Survey to Assess Whitetail Deer Population
Many protected areas in the eastern US struggle with the issue of deer overabundance due to the lack of authorized hunting and the absence of natural predators such as wolves and mountain lions. Subsequent prob lems arise including habitat degradation, poor herd health, and increased negative human-wildlife interactions such as car accidents. Catoctin Mountain Park completed a deer management plan in 2009 incorporating a direct reduction strategy to resolve the white-tailed deer overabundance issue and have since seen positive results. Each year the population is monitored using spotlight surveys and Program Distance. In 2015, we implemented an additional eight week long, un-baited camera trap survey. Thirty-nine cameras (1/149acres) operated from mid-July through mid- September. Findings indicated that the park’s deer population was approximately 21 deer/mi2. We plan to compare these results with those provided by Program Distance to determine if this method of population monitoring will be considered in future years.
Building an Invasive Plant Water List
Prioritizing treatment of invasive plants improves the efficiency of an invasive plant program. One prioritization tool is a watch list; such a list contains species that are not yet known to occur in the target area but have the potential to occur. My objective was to identify priority species for a regional early detection watch list for NCR. First, I used the EDDMapS database of plant occurrences to identify non-native plants reported within 150 miles of DC. Second, I sorted the list to include only species not reported by park staff to be invasive in park natural areas. Third, the resulting 97 candidate species were classified using NatureServe’s Invasive Species Assessment Protocol (ISAP). The ISAP includes questions about ecological impact, current distribution, trend in distribution, and management difficulty. Each category contributes to an overall ranking. Removing these populations will protect natural areas and reduce management costs in future years.
A Floral Survey of Cliff Habitats along Bull Run
Manassas National Battlefield Park. In an area of increasing development, Manassas National Battlefield Park contains some of the highest quality natural communities in the region and supports at least 706 plant species and 10 broad habitat types. However, previous floral surveys did not include the bluffs along Bull Run, and they recommended that the bluffs be thoroughly surveyed due to the occurrence of locally rare species and the refuge provided by the steep terrain from excessive deer browsing. Variations in soil, topography, and exposure can create microclimates that support a suite of species that is atypical of the surrounding landscape. Therefore, a floral survey of the cliffs was prioritized via the National Resource Preservation Program, and in 2014, a floral survey of the 11 cliffs in the park by the U.S. Geological Survey recorded 282 species in 194 genera and 83 families, including 23 newly documented species for the park.
Ahoy Ye Landlubber
Submerged cultural resources along the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The George Washington Memorial Parkway (GWMP) is one of the most scenic roadways in the Washington, DC area. Built to honor the nation’s first president, the GWMP preserves natural and cultural resources along the Potomac River between Great Falls and Mount Vernon and administers several historical and commemorative sites. Unbeknownst to many, though, a variety of submerged cultural resources also exist along the parkway. These resources range from shipwrecks to old docks, all of which hark back to the heyday of river-based transportation that took place around the region from the pre-contact period through the twentieth century. These archeological remnants often lack public interpretation and their place in the historical landscape goes unnoticed. As such, this poster discusses the rich maritime history of the Potomac River adjacent to the GWMP and highlights a few of the submerged resources located along the water’s edge.
How Climbing Vines at Forest Edges Affect Tree Growth and Mortality in NCR Forests
NPS National Capital Regional Network, Inventory, and Monitoring. Vines are an integral component of forests, competing with trees for resources and influencing forest composition, carbon sequestration, and wildlife resources. Vine abundance is increasing in tropical forests, likely a result of fragmentation and elevated CO2. Research in temperate forests is limited, but studies in the eastern U.S. show a similar increase in abundance. The Inventory and Monitoring Program monitors forests at permanent plots in the Washington, D.C. region. Using these data, we asked: Is abundance of climbing vines increasing? Are vines more likely to spread near forest edges? Does the presence of climbing vines affect tree growth and mortality? We found that: vine abundance is increasing, climbing vines are more likely to spread to trees near forest edges, and tree mortality is greater for trees with climbing vines in their crown. Further, the effect on mortality of vines in the crown was greater for trees near a forest edge.
National Parks BioBlitz: Washington DC
May 20-21, 2016. On May 20-21, 2016, National Capital Region parks will host the National Parks BioBlitz – Washington D.C., a cornerstone event to celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service and Call to Action Goal #7 Next Generation Stewards. The BioBlitz is a 24-hour event intended to document and celebrate the biodiversity that exists in our national parks. Throughout the BioBlitz, we will be using teams, comprised of scientists and naturalists working alongside students, teachers, and you, the stewards of our National Parks, to conduct focused species inventories. The ecological heterogeneity of the parks affords many opportunities to catalog, record, and study diverse organisms, ecological interactions, and biodiversity on a range of spatial and temporal scales. Concurrent with the BioBlitz inventories, we will host a Biodiversity Festival at Constitution Gardens on the National Mall. The festival will include public presentations about biodiversity, nature inspired entertainment, structured scientific field activities, demonstrations of field technology, and exhibits ranging from global biodiversity and citizen science initiatives to art and wildlife photography. Sign-up today to serve as an Inventory Leader, to be an iNaturalist Pro-Observer, to bring your classroom outside, or to be a citizen scientist. Or help us identify observations from the event, by going through pictures on iNaturalist.org.
50 Years of the National Historic Preservation Act
A Golden Anniversary in a Diamond Year. This poster will highlight efforts within the National Park Service to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. Started as a group project for the Park Service’s 2015 class of the Generating Operational Advancement and Leadership Academy, our project team assembled of professionals from across the park system is working to develop a resource toolkit to aid regions, individual park units, and park staff in commemorating the act and educating the general public. The toolkit will consist of a discussion guide, a social media plan (#NHPA50) and a junior ranger program.
Accuracy Assessment of Vegetation Maps in NCR Parks
A joint project of NatureServe and the National Park Service, National Capital Region. NatureServe has completed an Accuracy Assessment of the mapping of plant communities in 11 parks in the National Capital Region. An Accuracy Assessment tells park managers the level of confidence they can have that a Plant Community is correctly mapped. The plant communities were classified in 2008 and mapped by Natureserve through a partnership with the National Capital Region, NPS Vegetation Inventory Program, and the Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia Natural Heritage Programs. The maps were completed in 2012. NCR plant communities are classified at the Association level of the United States National Vegetation Classification, which is the NPS standard. Additionally, each park with a surrounding 0.5-mile buffer was mapped according to the Ecological Systems classification. This effort resulted in mapped locations of 112 Associations and 24 Ecological Systems across 11 NCR parks. These products provide resource managers with a robust classification of their plant communities within the regional landscape, and maps which will help them understand the distribution of plant communities within their parks. Workshops will be held at parks to demonstrate uses of the classification, field keys, and maps of plant communities.
Explore Natural Communities: Mobile Experience
A joint project of NatureServe and the National Park Service, National Capital Region. With NPS support, NatureServe formed a team including 4 college- level interns to create a mobile experience for the Explore Natural Communities website. With a mobile device (cell phone, tablet, iPad, etc.) and an internet connection, all users can access a map of the park and track their location along trails, query the map for information about nearby natural communities, use pictures of plants and animals that help form the natural communities to learn to recognize them in the field, enjoy prebuilt hikes, listen to podcasts, and watch videos all focused on the natural history and natural communities of Rock Creek Park. Check it out on your mobile device at: http://explorenaturalcommunities.org/parks-places/rock-creek-park/ mobile-map.
NatureScape Map
Map shows integration of key aquatic connectivity areas with terrestrial significant habitats throughout the Appalachians to guide conservation planning and decision making.
NatureScape Map
Map shows integration of key aquatic connectivity areas with terrestrial significant habitats throughout the Appalachians to guide conservation planning and decision making.
NatureScape Map
Map shows integration of key aquatic connectivity areas with terrestrial significant habitats throughout the Appalachians to guide conservation planning and decision making.
Greater Appalachian Conservation Partnership
Mock-up Banner for Partners to Discuss at April meeting in Shepherdstown
Select a Content Item as the Default View of a Folder
Select a Content Item as the Default View of a Folder
Appalachian LCC Proposed Subzones 2
Map showing 2 subzones of the Appalachian LCC boundary, based on The Nature Conservancy ecoregions derived from the USFS subsection map (1995).
Appalachian LCC Proposed Subzones 3
Map showing 3 subzones of the Appalachian LCC boundary, based on The Nature Conservancy ecoregions derived from the USFS subsection map (1995).
Appalachian LCC Proposed Subzones All
Map showing all subzones of the Appalachian LCC boundary, based on The Nature Conservancy ecoregions derived from the USFS subsection map (1995).
WLFW New 2018 Projects Map
WLFW New 2018 Projects Map
NBCI BRI Map for Northern Bobwhite
Developed by the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative partnership, this Biological Ranking Information map denotes prioritized counties across the 25-state area of NBCI activity. Within NRCS, states participating in Working Lands for Wildlife-Northern bobwhite select from the blue priority counties to identify areas within each state where sign-ups for Farm Bill programs will occur.
GWWA-Project Boundary Map
Project boundary and priority areas
Distribution of the American Black Duck
Distribution of the American Black Duck. This species breeds locally South to the dashed line.
Distribution of the American Black Duck
Distribution of the American Black Duck. This species breeds locally South to the dashed line.
Attack One Burn Crew Georgia 2018
Prescribed burns used to manage habitat for bobwhite, gopher tortoise.
Landowner Before Site Burn Florida
Prescribed burns used to manage habitat for bobwhite, gopher tortoise.
Prescribed Burn-Here It Comes!
Prescribed burns used to manage habitat for bobwhite, gopher tortoise.
Final Map WLFW GWWA Project Boundary and PACs
Working Lands for Wildlife: Golden-winged Warbler (GWWA) Project Boundary and Priority Areas for Conservation (PACs).
Logging Truck North Carolina
The Golden-winged warbler needs "young forest" habitat for nesting created by doing a selective harvest that can restore forest health and improve habitat for game species like white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse, and wild turkey.
Stream USDA-Flickr
A stream flows through the Whitetall Mountains in the Butte Ranger District of Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Montana, September 13, 2019.USDA Photo by Preston Keres
Map of Priority Areas for WLFW-Black Duck Projects
Map used by the NRCS WLFW-Black duck partnership to denote priority areas for landowner sign-ups in NJ, DE, MD, and VA. This map is based on larger geographic priorities modeled by the Black Duck Joint Venture and Atlantic Coast Joint Venture partnerships for targeting Black duck recovery in the Atlantic Flyway.
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A researcher flies a custom UAV with an attached thermal camera used to map fire intensity at Tall Timbers Research Station. Photo: David Godwin, Southern Fire Exchange / University of Florida.
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The 800-acre Buck Lake Wildfire began in the Buck Lake Conservation Area, Florida on February 21, 2011. Credit: John Mcguire
Regional Fire Mapping Image
A researcher flies a custom UAV with an attached thermal camera used to map fire intensity at Tall Timbers Research Station. Photo: David Godwin, Southern Fire Exchange / University of Florida.
800-acre Buck Lake Wildfire
The 800-acre Buck Lake Wildfire began in the Buck Lake Conservation Area, Florida on February 21, 2011. Credit: Steve Miller /key-issues/wildland-fire/fire-mapping/regional-fire-mapping/se-firemap/se-firemap-collection/
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity Lead Image
Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity image for landing page and thumbnail.
Land managers learn about duff moisture
Land managers learn about duff moisture during a wildland fire workshop in North Carolina. Credit: Jennifer Fawcett
Northern Bobwhite Project Boundaries 2022 Map
Northern Bobwhite Project Boundaries Map: Click to Expand
Lori Maloney
Meet our LP Member Lori Maloney, the new coordinator for the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture
Sue Fruchey Taking Notes
Sue Fruchey taking notes Botanists with the Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service recently visited the Linville Gorge area of Pisgah National Forest to monitor the threatened mountain golden heather and it’s response to recent fire. The plant is adapted to fire, which biologists believe helps control the plant’s competitors. A significant threat at heavily-visited sites is simple trampling by hikers and rock climbers unaware of the plant under their feet and its significance. One way you can help mountain golden heather is joining countless hikers in heeding area-closed signs on public lands, which often mark fragile habitats or species easily damaged by foot traffic. Photo credit: Gary Peeples/USFWS
About Us slide
Marty Holman works the computer in his outdoor office on Holman’s Harvest Farms in Loxahatchee Groves, Florida, February 25, 2021. Holman raises chickens, cattle, vegetable, and tropical fruit on his 15 acres.
Helicopter supports firing operation on West Mims Fire West Mims Wildfire at Okefenokee NWR
Helicopter supports firing operation on West Mims Fire West Mims Wildfire at Okefenokee NWR. Photo taken during a strategic firing operation along GA 177 in The Pocket near Stephen C Foster SP. Photo Credit: Josh O'Connor - USFWS.
Bog Turtle
Bog turtles are one of North America's smallest turtles, measuring 3.5 - 4.5 inches in shell length
Baby Turtle Season
Baby turtle season is on in the Southern US, drive slowly! Most turtles dig nests, lay eggs, and then cover them back up to let them incubate on their own. When babies hatch, they instinctively look for the nearest body of water. Sometimes, that means they have to cross roads. As spring progresses, turtle hatchings will occur further and further north, so no matter where you live, it's important to keep an eye out for wildlife.Photo: David Ortega
Comparing Mussels
Staff from the Asheville Field Office have spent the summer of 2018 working with University of North Carolina-Asheville student Brittany Barker-Jones on efforts to advance conservation of the French Broad River. Brittany is one of this year’s five McCullough Fellows, a UNCA program that connects undergraduate researchers with area organizations, people, and places to work on a project in one or more of these areas: land use and conservation; urban planning; sustainable agriculture; resilience and environmental sustainability.This year’s class of McCullough fellows recently joined Service biologist Jason Mays at the Little River in North Carolina’s Transylvania County to snorkel for mussels. The students were able to see all four native mussel species found in the river – the federally-endangered Appalachian elktoe (Alasmidonta raveneliana), longsolid (Fusconaia subrotunda), creeper (Strophitus undulatus), and slippershell mussel (Alasmidonta viridis).Credit: G. Peeples/USFWS
Training Slide
Firefighters with Stanislaus Hot Shot Crew clear out vegetation to mitigate fire progression at the Donnell Fire, Stanislaus National Forest, California. (Forest Service by Cecilio Ricardo).
About Banner
HDR image of an irrigation canal in Burley, Idaho, south of town. 10/8/2018 Photo by Kirsten Strough. From: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usdagov/51040145422/
Searching for birds and discussing high-elevation conservation at Mount Mitchell
As part of a recent visit to western North Carolina, leadership from the Fish and Wildlife Service’s southeastern regional office in Atlanta had an opportunity to visit a pair of places that are key to the Service’s conservation efforts – the streams of the Upper Nolichucky River valley, home to the Eastern hellbender and endangered Appalachian elktoe; and the summit of Mount Mitchell, one of many high-elevation peaks in the Southern Appalachians that are home to species found no-where else. Photo credit: Gary Peeples/USFWS. Photo used behind Expertise Search block on Homepage
Sue Cameron downloading data from a tree-mounted data logger
The spruce-fir moss spider is an endangered animal found only on the highest peaks of the Southern Appalachians. As its name implies, it lives in moss mats on the forest floor beneath the spruce-fir forest canopy. Even in that limited habitat, it is very particular about the type of moss it lives in. Sue Cameron is the Service expert for this species, and she recently visited Mount Mitchell State Park to search for the spider, and download humidity and temperature from data loggers that are continually recording the environmental data that may guide future management efforts. Credit: G. Peeples/USFWS. Image used for Issue banner.
Lori Maloney
Lori Maloney is the new coordinator for Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, working with the Canaan Valley Institute.
Organizations Search Image
Image of Organizations Search drop down item for How to Add an Organization tutorial.
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Image of Add an Organization Button for How to Add an Organization tutorial.
Organization Title and Description Image
Image of Organization Title, Description, and Image fields for How to Add an Organization tutorial.
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Image of Organization address fields for How to Add an Organization tutorial.
Organization Search Partnership Type and Save Button Image
Image of Organization Partnership Type and Save Button for How to Add an Organization tutorial.
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Image of the Search Organizations portlet for How to Add an Organization tutorial.
Organization Search Results Image
Image of Organization Search Results for How to Add an Organization tutorial.
Bobwhite Grasslands and Savannas Project Boundaries FY22-26
Bobwhite Grasslands & Savannas Project Boundaries FY22-26 Map
Working Lands for Wildlife: Northern Bobwhite, Grasslands and Savannas Framework for Conservation Action Cover Image
Working Lands for Wildlife: Northern Bobwhite, Grasslands and Savannas Framework for Conservation Action Cover Image
Epic Ranch goat farm
North-South Institute, Inc. Executive Director Samuel W. Scott, Ph.D., and Farm Technician Alex Ramirez on Dave Borrowes’ Epic Ranch, in Davie, Florida, February 22, 2021. USDA/FPAC Photo by Preston Keres
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USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux and members of the Montana State and County FSA offices meet with members of the Blackfeet Extension Stockgrowers/PHLI/Ag Producers to listen to their concerns and discuss solution they are working on to help during a meeting May 24, 2022. The Blackfeet Indian Reservation is a 1.5-million-acre reservation on the Rocky Mountain Front located east of Glacier National Park in northeast Montana and one of the largest Tribes in the US (estimated 17,000 members). (USDA/FPAC photo by Preston Keres).
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Dominique Herman leads a flock of Corriedale Merino cross and Ike-de-France Merino cross to pasture for morning grazing on her farm in Warwick, New York. (USDA/FPAC photo by Preston Keres)
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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue tours Mastronardi Produce, Coldwater, MI, on April 3, 2018. Founded by Umberto Mastronardi more than 60 years ago, the fourth generation of the Mastronardi family owns and manages a year-round operation of greenhouses that produce tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. Vine-ripened produce is harvested by hand when possible. The greenhouses use modern technology and sustainable growing practices to reduce the impact on the environment (i.e. they use one-tenth the water of a conventional grower). Their second phase of greenhouses use diffused glass, energy curtains, grow lights to help in the winter months, automated harvest carts for ergonomic harvesting, recycled water and fertilizer, and a rainwater irrigation system. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
WLFW Northern Bobwhite, Grasslands and Savannas Framework for Conservation Action Image
WLFW Northern Bobwhite, Grasslands and Savannas Framework for Conservation Action Image for Background button.
East and Central Northern Deciduous Forests Lead Image
East and Central Northern Deciduous Forests Lead Image.
Oak Regeneration
Competing species in the white oak range are shading out young white oaks thus preventing regeneration, resulting in a non-sustainable demographic dominated by older trees. Dr. Jeff Larkin is a professor of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at IUP, as well as the Forest Bird Habitat Coordinator for the American Bird Conservancy. He says: it's just as important for landowners and forest managers to 'look down' as it is to 'look up' when it comes to oak forest management and stewardship. These photos, taken by Dr. Larkin, demonstrate white oak regeneration within the forest understory.
FY 2023 NRCS Landscape Conservation Initiatives
Map of FY 2023 NRCS Landscape Conservation Initiatives
Areawide Planning Frameworks for Conservation Action-FY22
Map shows different USDA-NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife's efforts that have guiding frameworks for conservation action.
Hellbender Training Thumbnail
Dave Borrowes, a producer with the North-South Institute, browses the Farmers.gov website as his Katahdin sheep, feed on his farm Epic Ranch, in Davie, Florida, February 22, 2021. USDA/FPAC Photo by Preston Keres
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Renfroe Farms, a family business with David, Don, Kevin Renfroe and Kim Renfroe-Johnson harvest corn, part of their operation that focuses on utilizing conservation practices developed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to balance land stewardship and production in Carroll County, TN, on Sept 18, 2019.
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Schirmer Farms (Batesville) Operations Manager Brandon Schirmer, sprays defoliant on one of the fields at his father's multi-crop 1,014-acre farm, in Batesville, TX, on August 12, 2020.
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Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) New and Beginning Farmer and Rancher Program Coordinator Lila McFarland host a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) employee-only webinar on recent new farmer announcements, including an in-depth look at everything the new and improved www.usda.gov/newfarmers can do on Monday, Nov. 23, 2015.
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Worden Farm's (www.wordenfarm.com) (L - R) Rick and Doris Lovering, Philip Kemp and Carlos Mendes spends the entire day keeping stocks on the tables, educating customers about organic vegetables, and bagging organic leafy greens that were harvested the day before at the Saturday Morning Market, in St. Petersburg, FL on April 14, 2012. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
Hispanic Couple with vegetables
A variety of fruits and vegetables are included in a typical Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) produce box from Huerta del Valle (HdV), this one held by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Redlands District Conservationist Tomas Aguilar-Campos, and prepared by HdV Co-Founder and Executive Director Maria Alonso at the 4-Acre organic Community Supported Garden and Farm in the middle of a low-income urban community, where they work closely with her as she continues to improve the farm operation in Ontario, California, on Nov. 13, 2018. - Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usdagov/51071040423/in/gallery-72814607@N02-72157721076517284/
Native woman with plant
Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)1994 Land-Grant Tribal College and University (TCU) Land-Grant program Gardner Teresa Kaulaity Quintana (Kiowa) leads the gardening team, operations, instruction and outreach for all things related the campus demonstration garden and greenhouse, in Santa Fe, NM, on Sept. 11, 2019. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usdagov/49240394018/in/gallery-72814607@N02-72157721076517284/
(L-R) Intern Maddie Baker and Purple Skies Farm Owner Visar Duane work together to pull weeds.
(L-R) Intern Maddie Baker and Purple Skies Farm Owner Visar Duane work together to pull weeds. (NRCS photo by Brooke DeCubellis)
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) Area Director Nivory Gordon, Jr. and His father Nivory Gordon Sr
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) Area Director Nivory Gordon, Jr. and His father Nivory Gordon Sr. (USDA Photo by Preston Keres)
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Redlands District Conservationist Tomas Aguilar-Campos and HdV Co-Founder and Executive Director Maria Alonso.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Redlands District Conservationist Tomas Aguilar-Campos and HdV Co-Founder and Executive Director Maria Alonso. (USDA Photo by Lance Cheung)
Oklahoma stomp dancers
School children dance with Oklahoma Creek Stomp Dancers, during the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Southeastern Indian Festival on Thursday, April 3, 2014, near Atmore, Alabama. The women dancers, left, wear tin can shakers that substitute for antique Box Turtle shells. The river pebbles inside them, to create instrumental rhythmic shakers for the dances. For more information about the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, please see the Flickr photo album at flic.kr/s/aHsmPdtuU2 and the website usda.gov USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
Dave Borrowes browses the Farmers.gov website
Dave Borrowes, a producer with the North-South Institute, browses the Farmers.gov website as his Katahdin sheep, feed on his farm Epic Ranch, in Davie, Florida, February 22, 2021. (USDA/FPAC Photo by Preston Keres)
Clark Farms Creamery uses modern apps help them stay abreast of their cattle and field well-being
Clark Farms Creamery is a multigenerational dairy farm, that milks around 230 head Holstein Heifers in Delhi, New York. The use of modern apps help them stay abreast of their cattle and field well-being. (USDA/FPAC photo by Preston Keres)
University of Maryland Extension Urban Farmer Field School holds an educational event at Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm (PPHUF) in Baltimore, Md., July 20, 2021
University of Maryland Extension Urban Farmer Field School holds an educational event at Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm (PPHUF) in Baltimore, Md., July 20, 2021. (USDA/FPAC Photo by Preston Keres)
Karla Hollis, USDA 1890 liaison on Comfort Farms in Milledgeville, Georgia
Karla Hollis, USDA 1890 liaison on Comfort Farms in Milledgeville, Georgia. (Photo by Preston Keres)
University of Maryland student Isabel Sánchez learns about tractor safety during a class at the Central Maryland Research and Education Center in Ellicott City, Md., Sept 25, 2021
University of Maryland student Isabel Sánchez learns about tractor safety during a class at the Central Maryland Research and Education Center in Ellicott City, Md., Sept 25, 2021. (USDA/FPAC Photo by Preston Keres)
(R-L) Purple Skies Farm Owner Visar Duane shows NRCS District Conservationist Lynette Harmon heirloom tomatoes that she has grown on the farm
(R-L) Purple Skies Farm Owner Visar Duane shows NRCS District Conservationist Lynette Harmon heirloom tomatoes that she has grown on the farm. (NRCS photo by Brooke DeCubellis)
Tracy Potter-Fins and Bethany Stanbery grow fresh, high quality, certified organic, Montana Homegrown produce and flowers for their community
Tracy Potter-Fins and Bethany Stanbery grow fresh, high quality, certified organic, Montana Homegrown produce and flowers for their community. While Tracy focusses her efforts on the vegetable side at County Rail Farm, Bethany focusses her efforts on Field Five Flowers, but they both focus most of the love on their 7-month-old daughter, Imogen Stanbery-Fins. (USDA/FPAC photo by Preston Keres).
School children dance with Oklahoma Creek Stomp Dancers, during the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Southeastern Indian Festival on Thursday, April 3, 2014, near Atmore, Alabama
School children dance with Oklahoma Creek Stomp Dancers, during the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Southeastern Indian Festival on Thursday, April 3, 2014, near Atmore, Alabama. (USDA Photo by Lance Cheung)
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Young Hispanic farmer with digital tablet smiling in the fields. Japanese senior man working behind.
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Young Colombian woman and African American man farmers talking outdoors on background with ploughed field and industrial greenhouses
Acoma Pueblo
Gilbert Louis Jr. and his son, Beginning Rancher Gilbert Louis III raise cattle on their ranch Acoma Number 8 Ranch. The four-generation ranch is located on the Acoma Pueblo, NM. (USDA/FPAC photos by Preston Keres)
Golden winged warbler
Golden winged warbler in forest. Source: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/new-jersey/news/funding-available-for-north-jersey-forest
Group walking in woods
Indiana NRCS State Forester Daniel Shaver (left), David Ray and staff from Indiana NRCS check out the ongoing work being done at a private forest owned by Ray in Jackson County, IN during a visit May 24, 2022. NRCS photo by Brandon O’Connor
Group in Field
USDA’s Farm Service Agency Administrator Zach Ducheneaux visits P.J. Haynie, a fifth-generation row crop farmer based out of Virginia with a satellite operation in Arkansas. Ducheneaux toured Haynie’s farm in Marvel, July 23, 2022. (USDA/FPAC photo by Preston Keres)
Finding Land and Capital for Your Farm
As a new farmer or rancher, finding farmland to buy and capital to buy the land with are probably your biggest challenges.
Outdoor Alabama Firefighter
Close-up of firefighter's boots and drip torch. From Outdoor Alabama. Photo by Billy Pope, ADCNR
Restored prairie in Ohio
This restored prairie was done in Ohio by our Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. It was planted and established after removing a forest and invasive species. Photo by Donnie Knight Jr./USFWS.
Ocala National Forest
A prairie and pine trees in Juniper Prairie Wilderness in Ocala National Forest, the southernmost wilderness area in the United States. iStock
Golden-winged warbler
From Wikipedia. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/ File:Golden-winged_Warbler,_ Rock_Crusher_Rd.,_ Sagola,_Iron_Co.,_MI,_ 21_May_2015_(18195370525).jpg
Sheep Herder
Dominique Herman leads a flock of Corriedale Merino cross and Ike-de-France Merino cross to pasture for morning grazing on her farm in Warwick, New York. (USDA/FPAC photo by Preston Keres)
Gloved hand with Seedpods
From NRCS Flickr - Texas https://www.flickr.com/photos/ 139446213@N03/25115444695/
Mesa IHC conducts Strategic Firing Operation on West Mims Fire
West Mims Wildfire at Okefenokee NWR. Photos taken during a strategic firing operation along GA 177 in The Pocket near Stephen C Foster SP. Photo Credit: Josh O'Connor - USFWS
Scientists participate in a Prescribed Fire Science Consortium
Scientists participate in a Prescribed Fire Science Consortium collaborative fire research event at Tall Timbers Research Station. Photo: David Godwin, Southern Fire Exchange / University of Florida.
