Northeast Temperate Network 2006-2008 Forest Health Monitoring Report

Miller, Kate; Tierney, Geri; Mitchell, Brian

Report summarizes forest health and sampling from 2006 to 2008. Established permanent forest plots in ANP as follows: 6 on Schoodic Peninsula, 14 on Isle au Haut, and 105? on MDI. Appendix C lists the invasive plants detected in the permanent plots (4 invasive species total including Berberis thunbergii, Frangula alnus, Lonicera sp., and Rosa multiflora). Following from executive summary: 'The Northeast Temperate Network (NETN) Inventory and Monitoring Program has developed a long-term forest monitoring program to assess status and trends in forest composition, structure and function within NETN parks. In 2006, NETN began establishing and sampling permanent forest plots in ten National Park Units: Acadia National Park (ACAD), Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (ELRO), Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site (HOFR), Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park (MABI), Minute Man National Historical Park (MIMA), Morristown National Historical Park (MORR), Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site (SAGA), Saratoga National Historical Park (SARA), Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site (VAMA), and Weir Farm National Historic Site (WEFA). This report provides a preliminary assessment of forest condition from data collected between 2006 and 2008 for six metrics: structural stage distribution, coarse woody debris and snag abundance, tree regeneration, tree condition and forest pests, invasive plants, and soil chemistry. A more robust assessment will be completed after plot installation is complete in 2009, and trends will be assessed and reported after plot resampling begins in 2010. In this preliminary assessment, most parks rated 'Good' for structural stage distribution, indicating sufficient amounts of late-successional forest to provide wildlife habitat and maintain biodiversity. Alternatively, most parks fell short of providing coarse woody debris and dead, standing trees (snags) at levels providing necessary habitat for organisms relying on dead wood. Tree regeneration was found to be limited at most parks. Many parks are under heavy browsing pressure by white-tailed deer, which may need to be curtailed to provide adequate tree regeneration. We were not able to rate ACAD using this metric. However, NETN will continue to refine this metric for broader applicability across the network. Condition of canopy trees rated 'Good' or 'Caution' for most parks. Beech bark disease is present at mild to moderate average severity in all parks. Hemlock woolly adelgid was detected in 4 parks within the current range of this pest, and should be a priority for early detection at parks beyond this range (i.e., in ACAD, MABI, SAGA and SARA). Invasive exotic plant species were present in all parks. However, ACAD, MABI and SAGA rated 'Good' for this metric, with few key invasive exotic species detected in monitoring plots. Across the network, the most common key invasive species detected were exotic honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), and Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculata). Soil chemistry data indicates the potential impacts of atmospheric deposition. The carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N) reflects the effect of nitrogen deposition, while the calcium to aluminum ratio (Ca:Al) documents the availability of toxic aluminum due to soil acidification. Acadia rated 'Good' for C:N, SAGA and VAMA rated 'Caution,' and remaining parks rated 'Significant Concern.' For Ca:Al, MIMA rated 'Significant Concern' while the other parks rated 'Good' or 'Caution.' (Abstract continued in Notes)

Northeast Temperate Network 2006-2008 Forest Health Monitoring Report

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