Homestead Conservation

  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...

 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...

  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...