Forest Monitoring Data from Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Coastal Parks 2007-2025

392 forest monitoring plots sampled in Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Coastal National Parks from 2007 through the most recent field season. The data package contains 25 datasets tracking forest structure, composition, and stressors like deer browse and invasive plants. Data collection follows a standardized protocol adapted from the U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis program.

Use Cases

• Analyze diameter at breast height (dbh) and species data from tagged stems to model forest growth and structure trends over time.
• Assess the impact of white-tailed deer by analyzing browse presence/absence counts on tree seedlings within 1 m2 quadrats.
• Track the spread of invasive exotic plants using percent cover estimates of all vascular plant species recorded in quadrats.
• Measure forest disturbance and decomposition by analyzing coarse woody debris (CWD) data collected along 15-meter transects.
• Evaluate the effects of acid deposition by correlating soil data with tree condition assessments across the 392 plots.

Strengths

• Data collection follows a spatially balanced, generalized random-tessellation stratified design across 392 permanent forest plots.
• The protocol provides detailed, multi-scale measurements including tree stems, saplings, shrubs, seedlings, and coarse woody debris.
• Long-term monitoring spans from 2007 to 2025, enabling analysis of status and trends in forest ecosystems.

Limitations

• Sample size is fixed at 392 plots, which may limit statistical power for rare species or highly localized phenomena.
• Data is specific to forested areas within two U.S. National Park Service networks, limiting generalizability to other regions or land types.
• The description does not specify the total number of rows or observations across the 25 constituent datasets.

Provenance

Source

Department of the Interior, National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Division.

Collection Method

Field data collected using a standardized forest monitoring protocol adapted from the U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis program.

Time Range

2007 to 2025

Freshness

Updated through the most recent field season, with a metadata last updated date of 2026-01-25.

Geography

Forested areas within National Park units of the Mid-Atlantic Network (MIDN) and Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network (NCBN), USA.