Natural Resource Condition Assessments for Fort Monroe National Monument

Fort Monroe National Monument has a diverse history spanning the American story from American Indian presence, Captain John Smith's journeys, first arrival of enslaved Africans in English North America, a safe haven for freedom seekers during the American Civil War, and a bastion of defense for the Chesapeake Bay through the 21st Century. Located at the tip of the Virginia Peninsula in Hampton, Virginia, the site includes the largest stone fort built in the United States. It was was formally added to the National Park System in 2011, recognizing millennia of human interactions with this landscape.

Natural resources within the 325-acre park boundary include ecologically diverse and productive saltmarsh wetlands and a variety of plants and animals.

Traditional NRCA Report: 2018

In an effort to better understand and manage the natural resources of the site, a Natural Resource Condition Assessment was completed, and published in 2018. Staff from the National Park Service (NPS), University of Richmond, and University of Maryland worked together to identify the natural resources and stressors to include in this condition assessment. The final report includes four resource topics:

The condition of air resources at Fort Monroe National Monument was found to be of significant concern. Aquatic resources, biotic resources, and landscape dynamics were all assessed as being of moderate concern. Management issues of concern include rising sea level, the effects of increasingly frequent and intense coastal storms, history of military use, water quality degradation, introduction of exotic species, air pollution, habitat fragmentation, and the impacts of recreational use.