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From Feral Hogs to Hogweed: Invasive Species of Cedar Creek and Belle Grove

  At Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park in Virginia, park rangers and conservationists face a multi-front battle against aggressive invasive species that threaten the region’s rich natural and historical landscapes. On land, destructive feral hogs tear up the historic battlefields and native ecosystems with their rooting behavior, while dangerous plants like the toxic giant hogweed present a physical hazard to unsuspecting visitors due to its skin-blistering sap. The park’s forests are also under heavy siege: the emerald ash borer continues to decimate the native ash tree population, and the invasive tree-of-heaven rapidly spreads, actively crowding out native flora. This rapidly multiplying tree unfortunately serves as the preferred host plant for the spotted lanternfly, a sap-sucking insect that severely threatens local agriculture and vineyards. Meanwhile, the park's waterways are not spared from disruption, as the highly predatory northern snakehead fish dom...
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Climate and Weather Information

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  NOAA: Climate at a Glance City Mapping   The above picture is from the “Climate at a Glance” web search and mapping tool. The area of Middletown, VA has limited data most likely due to the fact that it is a very small town with very little infrastructure or anything of significance which would require constant weather monitoring. After search through the site and several of the service offered, I realized the in-depth library of various file types which can be used with other design and GIS software. I was previously unaware that this much data is available for public access and use. NOAA: U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access In addition to the previous dot mapping, this data from the “U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access” give a quick look at data like temperature and rainfall over a given period of time within a particular region. Using different search criteria, you can do historical searches for data or search for data which is more local in terms of timelines.   ...
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Navigating the Web Soil Survey (WSS) Home Page

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  Photo Credit:  (United States Department of Agriculture, 2018) Throughout my experience with the WSS, I learned some new features I was not previously aware of. The things I found most interesting was the ability to export the data in several different ways so that it can be incorporated into other software applications. One application I learned to use earlier this semester is Arc GIS. The layer data and tables produced on the WSS can be imported to systems like Arc GIS to compare data and see a better environmentally complete picture of the area. In addition to exporting the data to another program, the ability to import files into the WSS is an amazing feature. The two-way flow of data provides the best opportunity to regulators and other stakeholders to increase transparency and collaboration. Resources United States Department of Agriculture. (2018). Web Soil Survey . USDA; United States Department of Agriculture. https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurv...
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Mapping Conservation Easements at Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park

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  This aerial perspective captures an 8.01-acre conservation easement situated in the Back Creek Magisterial District, positioned just on the outskirts of the historic Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park in Middletown ( Land Preservation , 2021). (Photo Credit: Land Preservation, 2021)   This ArcGIS data layer displays the network of active conservation easements surrounding Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park. By visualizing parcels like the 8.01-acre tract in Middletown's Back Creek Magisterial District, this map illustrates how spatial data tracks public-private partnerships aimed at keeping historic battlefields and rural viewsheds safe from commercial development.   (Photo Credit: Land Preservation)     Resources Land Preservation . (2021, October 26). ArcGIS StoryMaps; Esri. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/de7ccf6c35a541d4b5681ec221879226  
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From Battlefields to Biodiversity: Restoring the Natural Tapestry of Cedar Creek & Belle Grove

  While widely celebrated for its rich human history, spanning from early American Indian occupation through the monumental 1864 Civil War battle, Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park also safeguards a deeply interconnected biological legacy rooted in the Shenandoah Valley (Middletown & Us, n.d.; Foundation Document Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park Virginia , 2018). Spanning 3,708 acres of diverse habitats, including the Shenandoah River, limestone uplands, and unique cave and karst systems, the park’s ecological landscape has long been shaped by human agricultural use and development ( Foundation Document Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park Virginia , 2018; Condition of Selected Natural Resources at Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park: 2024 Assessment (U.S. National Park Service) , 2024). Today, a dedicated partnership between the National Park Service and community organizations is actively working to r...
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Rooted in Diversity: How Living Across the Americas Shaped My Conservation Journey

 For a long time, if you had asked me to define biodiversity, I probably would have given you a pretty simple, textbook answer: an ecologically balanced ecosystem . But looking back, my real understanding didn't come from a page, it was shaped by a childhood spent constantly on the move. Growing up shifting between different corners of the States and later living in South America, my life became a beautiful patchwork of landscapes. My truest constants were always found outdoors, like spending golden summers in Pennsylvania and Florida exploring different family farms and washing off the afternoon heat by swimming in muddy creeks. Witnessing how vibrant and interconnected life was, whether in a quiet backyard stream or a bustling South American city, sparked a deep love for travel and a genuine awe for the natural world. Through those journeys, my perspective shifted. I came to realize that biodiversity is so much more than a static backdrop; it’s the vast, living variety of life on...
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Exploring the Biodiversity of Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park

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  In the coming months I will be focusing on exploring the ways Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park are conserving and preserving biodiversity within the soil through the use of pre-civil war era farming techniques as opposed to methods post industrial revolution and on ward. The area of study includes The Belle Grove Plantation hold 283 acres with Cedar Creek Battlefields in compassing the remaining 3,429 acres for a total of 3,712 acres. The original plantation consisted of 7,500 acres with bits begin sold off a various point due to budget and maintenance constraints. The goal with this target site is to   engage with park staff and other community members to learn about the rich biodiversity throughout the park with its rolling hills, dense forested hedgerows, and wetlands. Through conversations and learning experiences hosted by the park and other community groups, an opportunity to learn about the cultural and ecological preservation taking place seems id...
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