Vegetation Classification and Mapping at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

Perles, Stephanie

Vegetation classification and mapping was conducted at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River, creating a current digital geospatial vegetation database for the park. Fifty vegetation associations and 14 Anderson Level II land use categories that occur within the park were identified and described in detail. Two communities found within the park, Sparsely Vegetated Cliff and Southern New England Bog, could not be mapped but are included in the descriptions. Many of the vegetation types are strongly influenced by the varied environmental settings and land use history of the park. A map showing the locations of 48 vegetation associations in the park was created following the USGS/NPS Vegetation Mapping Program protocols (TNC and ESRI 1994a, b, and c). All 50 vegetation associations were crosswalked to the National Vegetation Classification System in order to provide a regional and global context for the park’s vegetation. A dichotomous field key was also developed for the 50 vegetation associations to assist with field recognition and classification. This project documents the vegetation associations and Anderson Level II land classifications of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River based on 2004 aerial photography and 2005–2007 field sampling, and completes one of 12 basic inventory data sets for the park.The vegetation mapping includes another seven terrestrial forest and woodland types that have few occurrences and/or limited total area, including Hickory - Eastern Redcedar Rocky Woodland, Inland Pitch Pine - Oak Forest, Pitch Pine Rocky Summit, Red Oak - Heath Woodland / Rocky Summit, Ridgetop Scrub Oak Barrens, Sugar Maple - Ash - Basswood Northern Rich Mesic Forest, and White Pine - Oak Forest. These seven associations collectively account for 2.9% (639.3 ha [1579.7 ac]) of the park. An additional community found within the park, Sparsely Vegetated Cliff, could not be mapped because it is located on vertical cliff faces and therefore is not distinguishable on aerial photography.The vegetation mapping includes nine non-riparian wetland associations, three forested, three shrubland, and three herbaceous, with a collective area of only 80.5 ha (198.9 ac [0.4% of park]) within the park boundary. One forested wetland type (Swamp Forest - Bog Complex (Spruce Type)) and one herbaceous wetland type (Eastern Reed Marsh) each have a single occurrence within the mapped project area, but outside of the park boundary. The two forested wetland types within the park boundary are Hemlock - Hardwood Swamp and Southern New England Red Maple Seepage Swamp. The three non-riparian shrubland wetland types include Highbush Blueberry Bog Thicket, Speckled Alder Swamp, and Steeplebush / Reed Canarygrass Successional Wet Meadow. The two non-riparian herbaceous wetland types within the park boundary are Eastern Cattail Marsh and Mixed Forb Marsh. Another non-riparian wetland type found within the park is Southern New England Bog. This association is found as inclusions smaller than the minimum mapping unit within Highbush Blueberry Bog Thickets, and could not be mapped.Fourteen Anderson Level II categories were assigned to polygons that represented non-vegetation associations within the park, such as roads and agricultural areas. In total, Anderson Level II categories account for 5,026.92 ha (12,421.7 ac) mapped within the park.

Vegetation Classification and Mapping at Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

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