Flora and fauna survey in a proposed recreational area of Valley Forge National Historical Park
Cypher EA, Yahner RH, Storm GL, Cypher BL. 1986. Flora and fauna survey in a proposed recreational area of Valley Forge National Historical Park. Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science. 60:47-50
The National Park Service proposed the establishment of the Pawling Recreation Area within Valley Forge National Historical Park. Our purpose was to determine the composition of plant and animal communities in the proposed recreation area as part of an impact assessment requested by the Park Service. Emphasis was given to identifying the presence of rare, threatened, or endangered species and their habitats. No federally listed plants or animals were found, but one plant and five animal species of special status in Pennsylvania occurred on the study area. These include the Tooth-cup (rare), Red-bellied Turtle (endangered), Osprey (endangered), Cooper's Hawk (vulnerable), Great Blue Heron (vulnerable), and Least Flycatcher (status undetermined). Several of these species inhabit wetlands, which are important habitat for many other animals and plants. Recommendations are: 1) wetlands should not be disturbed during the development of the recreation area, and 2) recreational facilities should not be located near necessary habitats, but instead be laced in adjacent fields and woodlands, thereby causing the least impact on the local flora and fauna.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Cypher, Ellen; Yahner, Richard; Storm, Gerald; Cypher, Brian
- Units
- VAFO
- Keywords
- Birds, Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii), Ecology, Environmental Assessment, Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), Inventory (Baseline), least flycatcher (Empidonax minimus), Management, Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Plants, Rare Species, Red-bellied turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris), Species Identification, Threatened & Endangered Species, tooth-cup (Rotala ramosior), Wetlands