Results of the Spring 2008 Annual VHS Survey: Colonial National Historic Park Yorktown, Virginia

Christensen, Timothy

Colonial National Historical Park (CNHP) was established for the purpose of preserving historic structures and consists of several major elements: Jamestown Island, Yorktown and the Yorktown Battlefield, and Colonial Parkway, as well as other non-contiguous properties such as the Green Spring parcels, Cape Henry and Swann’s Point. Cumulatively, the CNHP comprises 3,820 ha on the lower York-James Peninsula of the Virginia Coastal Plain containing a significant number of natural areas with many habitat types. With CMHP’s invitation, VHS members were provided with a memorable survey. CNHP requested assistance from VHS with the overall goal to provide updated information about the Park’s herpetofauna. In doing so, the following objectives were identified for the survey: 1. Inventory herpetofauna species with GPS locations to support existing information towards overall natural resources management. 2. Survey the Ringfield Plantation unit, for which little survey data existed. 3. Survey the Green Spring parcel obtained in 2002 for which no surveys had been conducted previously. 4. Determine whether state listed species, including Mabee’s salamander (Ambystoma mabeei), is present in Yorktown area habitats where eggs were found previously and whether they occur at the Green Spring parcel obtained in 2002. 5. Determine whether the Eastern cottonmouth (Akgistrodon piscovorus piscovorus) occurs within the CNHP. 6. Determine whether two-toed amphiumas (Amphiuma means) still occur at the Jamestown Island site following relatively recent development in that area. 7. Identify new county records for York and James City counties.

Results of the Spring 2008 Annual VHS Survey: Colonial National Historic Park Yorktown, Virginia

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