Michaela Compo / NPS Photo Taking the Pulse of the ParkScientific research is key to protecting the natural and cultural wonders of our national parks. To make sound decisions, park managers need accurate information about the resources in their care. They also need to know how park ecosystems change over time, and what amount of change is normal. But park staff can’t do it alone. Like a physician monitoring a patient's heartbeat and blood pressure, scientists with the Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network collect long-term data on George Washington Birthplace National Monument’s “vital signs.” They monitor key environmental indicators, like water quality, ocean shoreline changes, forest health and climate. Then they analyze the results and report them to park managers. Knowing how key resources are changing can provide managers with early warning of potential problems. It can also help them to make better decisions and plan more effectively. Studying park vital signs is only part of the picture. Park staff also conduct research, with support from the nine other divisions and programs of the NPS Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, other state and federal agencies, university professors and students, and independent researchers. Because many parks prohibit activities that occur elsewhere, scientists can use the parks as areas for determining the effects of these activities where they do occur. National park lands often serve as the best model for what a relatively undisturbed landscape looks like. You can learn about recent research, generate a park species list below, or learn how you can be a Citizen Scientist at George Washington Birthplace. Source: NPS DataStore Saved Search 5649 (results presented are a subset). To search for additional information, visit the NPS DataStore. Park Species ListsSelect a Park:Select a Species Category (optional):
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Last updated: April 10, 2025