Field data for the Vegetation Mapping Inventory Project of Fort Davis National Historic Site
2006-2013. Field data for the Vegetation Mapping Inventory Project of Fort Davis National Historic Site
This reference is an assemblage of field data collected as part the baseline vegetation inventory for the park unit. Typical files here are vegetation plot data, accuracy assessment data, field photos, PDF showing locations of vegetation plots and accuracy assessment data, and other data for this type. Data was collected from 65 field plots between 2007 and 2011. We identified 33 plant associations following the guidelines of the National Vegetation Classification Standard (NVCS). The vegetation pattern of Fort Davis National Historic Site (NHS) has an intricate pattern that reflects its history as an active garrison in two periods between 1854 and 1891. Evergreen oak-dominated woodlands occur on north-facing ridges and in canyons. Chihuahuan foothill semidesert grasslands dominated by grama grasses are found on the southerly slopes intermixed with desert shrublands (often-dense catclaw mimosa, whitethorn acacia, and beebrush). The flats of the eastern foreground area and along the bottom of Hospital Canyon were also dominated by grama grasslands, but these may have a weedy herbaceous component or have been invaded by honey mesquite. This ruderal aspect is likely a legacy of grazing and agricultural practices during the fort’s heyday and subsequent private ownership up until Fort Davis NHS establishment in 1961. The core historic site itself currently has actively manicured, cultural vegetation that includes mowed grasslands and a relic cottonwood grove once used as a picnic ground. Hospital Canyon also supports a remnant dry riparian zone dominated by oaks and netleaf hackberry. The expansion area to the west acquired in 2011 is predominately foothill grasslands along with scattered shrublands and woodlands, but a fire that swept through this portion of the park in spring 2011 may have significantly reduced tree cover.
- Type
- Assemblage
- Units
- CHDN , FODA , VMI
- Keywords
- Accuracy Assessment, botanical survey, Classification, Geodatabase, Habitat Types, Imagery, National Vegetation Classification, NVC, NVCS, Plots, Releve, Relevé, Remote Sensing, USNVCS, Vegetation, Vegetation Inventory, Vegetation Map, Vegetation Mapping