Foundation Document 

Shenandoah National Park 

Virginia April 2015 

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 
Foundation Document

 

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Shenandoah National Park t Dickey Ridge 

Front Royal 

Mathews Arm 

Park Hdqt's Thornton Gap 

Skyland 

Big Meadows 

Swift Run Gap 

Loft Mountain 

Rockfish Gap 

Rapidan Wildlife Mgmt Area 

Appalachian Trail Park 

Park boundary 

Wilderness 

0 2.5 5 10 Miles

0 2.5 5 10 Kilometers
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Contents 

Mission of the National Park Service 1
 

Introduction 2
 

Part 1: Core Components 3
 

Brief Description of the Park 3
 

Park Purpose 4
 

Park Significance 5
 

Fundamental Resources and Values 6
 

Other Important Resources and Values 8
 

Interpretive Themes 9
 

Part 2: Dynamic Components 10
 

Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments 10
 

Assessment of Planning and Data Needs 10
 

Analysis of Fundamental Resources and Values 10
 

Analysis of Other Important Resources and Values 35
 

Identification of Key Issues and Associated Planning and Data Needs 39
 

Planning and Data Needs 40
 

Part 3: Contributors 45
 

Shenandoah National Park 45
 

NPS Northeast Region 45
 

Denver Service Center, Planning Division 45
 

Park Partners 45
 

Appendixes 46
 

Appendix A: Enabling Legislation and Legislative Acts for 


Shenandoah National Park 46
 

Appendix B: Inventory of Special Mandates and 


Appendix D: Past and Ongoing Park Planning and 


Administrative Commitments 49
 

Special Mandates 49
 

Administrative Commitments 50
 

Appendix C: Basics for Wilderness Stewardship 53
 

Wilderness Background Information 53
 

Wilderness Character Narrative 56
 

Wilderness Planning Needs 63
 

Data Collection Efforts 65
 
Foundation Document
The arrowhead was authorized as the 

official National Park Service emblem 

by the Secretary of the Interior on 

July 20, 1951. The sequoia tree and 

bison represent vegetation and wildlife, 

the mountains and water represent 

scenic and recreational values, and the 

arrowhead represents historical and 

archeological values. 

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Shenandoah National Park

Mission of the National Park Service 

The National Park Service (NPS) preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and 

values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and 

future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits 

of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country 

and the world. 

The NPS core values are a framework in which the National Park Service accomplishes its 

mission. They express the manner in which, both individually and collectively, the National 

Park Service pursues its mission. The NPS core values are: 

·	 Shared stewardship: We share a commitment to resource stewardship with the global 

preservation community. 

·	 Excellence: We strive continually to learn and improve so that we may achieve the 

highest ideals of public service. 

·	 Integrity: We deal honestly and fairly with the public and one another. 

·	 Tradition: We are proud of it; we learn from it; we are not bound by it. 

·	 Respect: We embrace each other’s differences so that we may enrich the well-being 

of everyone. 

The National Park Service is a bureau within the Department of the Interior. While numerous 

national park system units were created prior to 1916, it was not until August 25, 1916, that 

President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act formally establishing 

the National Park Service. 

The national park system continues to grow and comprises 401 park units covering more than 

84 million acres in every state, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, 

and the Virgin Islands. These units include, but are not limited to, national parks, monuments, 

battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation 

areas, scenic rivers and trails, and the White House. The variety and diversity of park units 

throughout the nation require a strong commitment to resource stewardship and management 

to ensure both the protection and enjoyment of these resources for future generations. 
Foundation Document

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Introduction 

Every unit of the national park system will have a foundational document to provide 

basic guidance for planning and management decisions—a foundation for planning and 

management. The core components of a foundation document include a brief description 

of the park as well as the park’s purpose, significance, fundamental resources and values, 

other important resources and values, and interpretive themes. The foundation document 

also includes special mandates and administrative commitments, an assessment of planning 

and data needs that identifies planning issues, planning products to be developed, and the 

associated studies and data required for park planning. Along with the core components, the 

assessment provides a focus for park planning activities and establishes a baseline from which 

planning documents are developed. 

A primary benefit of developing a foundation document is the opportunity to integrate and 

coordinate all kinds and levels of planning from a single, shared understanding of what is 

most important about the park. The process of developing a foundation document begins 

with gathering and integrating information about the park. Next, this information is refined 

and focused to determine what the most important attributes of the park are. The process 

of preparing a foundation document aids park managers, staff, and the public in identifying 

and clearly stating in one document the essential information that is necessary for park 

management to consider when determining future planning efforts, outlining key planning 

issues, and protecting resources and values that are integral to park purpose and identity. 

While not included in this document, a park atlas is also part of a foundation project. The 

atlas is a series of maps compiled from available geographic information system (GIS) data 

on natural and cultural resources, visitor use patterns, facilities, and other topics. It serves as 

a GIS-based support tool for planning and park operations. The atlas is published as a (hard 

copy) paper product and as geospatial data for use in a web mapping environment. The park 

atlas for Shenandoah National Park can be accessed online at: http://insideparkatlas.nps.gov/. 
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Shenandoah National Park

Part 1: Core Components 

The core components of a foundation document include a brief description of the park, park 

purpose, significance statements, fundamental resources and values, other important resources 

and values, and interpretive themes. These components are core because they typically do 

not change over time. Core components are expected to be used in future planning and 

management efforts. 

Brief Description of the Park 

Shenandoah National Park lies along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in north central 

Virginia, less than 90 miles southwest of Washington, DC. The park stretches about 80 

miles north to south and consists of more than 197,000 acres, including nearly 80,000 acres 

of designated wilderness. The park straddles habitats of both the northern and southern 

Appalachians and supports a rich assemblage of approximately 2,100 species of flora and 

fauna. Rock outcrops punctuate this otherwise forested habitat. Skyline Drive, a world-famous 

park tour road, traverses the length of the park for 105 miles and provides opportunities for 

outstanding views of the Shenandoah Valley and the Piedmont from the Drive’s numerous 

overlooks. The park boasts 500 miles of hiking trails, including 101 miles of the famous 

Appalachian Trail, as well as several historically significant landmarks including Skyland, 

Rapidan Camp, and structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). 
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Park Purpose 

The purpose statement identifies the specific reason(s) for establishment of a particular park. 

The purpose statement for Shenandoah National Park was drafted through a careful analysis of 

its enabling legislation and the legislative history that influenced its development. The park was 

authorized when the enabling legislation adopted by Congress was signed into law on May 22, 

1926 (see appendix A for enabling legislation). The purpose statement lays the foundation for 

understanding what is most important about the park. 

Shenandoah national Park preserves and 

protects nationally significant natural 

and cultural resources, scenic beauty, and 

congressionally designated wilderness 

within Virginia’s northern Blue Ridge 

Mountains, and provides a broad range 

of opportunities for public enjoyment, 

recreation, inspiration, and stewardship. 
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Shenandoah National Park

Park Significance 

Significance statements express why a park’s resources and values are important enough to 

merit designation as a unit of the national park system. These statements are linked to the 

purpose of Shenandoah National Park, and are supported by data, research, and consensus. 

Statements of significance describe the distinctive nature of the park and why an area is 

important within a global, national, regional, and systemwide context. They focus on the most 

important resources and values that will assist in park planning and management. 

The following significance statements have been identified for Shenandoah National Park. 

(Please note that the sequence of the statements does not reflect the level of significance.) 

·	 Shenandoah National Park provides visitors with the opportunity to explore mountain 

peaks, hidden hollows, cascading streams, accessible wilderness, and stunning natural 

beauty within just 90 miles of Washington, DC. The park’s outstanding scenery, historic 

lodges, and broad range of world-class recreation opportunities, including more than 

500 miles of hiking trails and the iconic Skyline Drive, provide visitors with a “western 

park experience” in the east. 

·	 Shenandoah National Park is a natural and scenic landscape conserved as a national 

park after a long history of prior settlement and human use. The park is an outstanding 

example of nature’s regenerative ability and a testament to the benefits of America’s 

conservation ethic. 

·	 Encompassing more than 300 square miles of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah 

National Park protects an abundance of native and globally rare animal and plant 

populations, habitats, migratory bird populations, and the endangered Shenandoah 

salamander, which lives nowhere else in the world. As one of the largest preserved areas 

in the Mid-Atlantic region, the park provides an ideal place for scientific research and 

understanding of the Central Appalachian Biome. 

·	 Shenandoah National Park showcases the geology and high elevation hydrology of 

the Appalachians, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. The high elevation 

ecosystems and headwaters preserved in the park help contribute to the ecological 

integrity of valuable cold-water resources downstream. All headwater streams in the 

park flow to the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the eastern United States. 

·	 The first Civilian Conservation Corps camp in a national park system unit was 

established in Shenandoah National Park; the Corps left an indelible mark on the 

landscape that still contributes to the unique character of the park. 

·	 The Commonwealth of Virginia, private businesses, and local citizens, with the support 

of the federal government, banded together to advocate for the creation of a national 

park in the eastern United States through purchase and condemnation of privately 

owned land. The land acquired by the Commonwealth of Virginia was later donated to 

the American people and entrusted to the National Park Service to ensure its protection 

for current and future generations. 

·	 In 1950, more than a decade before the 1964 Civil Rights Act became law, Shenandoah 

National Park, by order of the Secretary of the Interior and despite regional practices, 

became a legally desegregated public space with fully integrated visitor facilities. 

·	 President Herbert Hoover constructed Rapidan Camp to serve as the summer 

White House during his presidency (1929–1933) due to its outstanding recreational 

opportunities and serene mountain setting. The camp, which President Hoover 

later donated to the federal government as a presidential retreat, was the site of 

many national and international policy meetings and is now designated as a national 

historic landmark. 
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Fundamental Resources and Values 

Fundamental resources and values (FRVs) are those features, systems, processes, experiences, 

stories, scenes, sounds, smells, or other attributes determined to warrant primary consideration 

during planning and management processes because they are essential to achieving the purpose 

of the park and maintaining its significance. Fundamental resources and values are closely 

related to a park’s legislative purpose and are more specific than significance statements. 

Fundamental resources and values help focus planning and management efforts on what is 

truly significant about the park. One of the most important responsibilities of NPS managers 

is to ensure the conservation and public enjoyment of those qualities that are essential 

(fundamental) to achieving the purpose of the park and maintaining its significance. If 

fundamental resources and values are allowed to deteriorate, the park purpose and/or 

significance could be jeopardized. 

The following fundamental resources and values have been identified for Shenandoah 

National Park: 

·	 Healthy, Functioning Ecosystems: Within the park, ridges and peaks—some 

rising to elevations over 4,000 feet—tower above the Virginia Piedmont to the east 

and the Shenandoah Valley to the west. Here one finds a range of elevations, aquatic 

resources, terrain features, and soil types, which in turn support a variety of ecological 

communities. Many plant and animal species present in the high-elevation areas of 

the park are characteristic of those found in far northern latitudes such as Eastern and 

Central Canada. The park is not just an ecological refuge and place of biodiversity; it 

also provides ecosystem services to millions of Americans, such as water filtration and 

carbon storage. 

·	 Wilderness Character: Shenandoah contains nearly 80,000 acres of congressionally 

designated wilderness, nearly 40% of the park’s acreage. This makes the Shenandoah 

Wilderness the third largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River and one 

of the closest wilderness areas to a major population center. The wilderness offers 

exceptional unconfined recreation opportunities and the chance to experience natural 

quiet, solitude, dark night skies, and nature untrammeled. This wilderness, which was 

once settled, farmed, and logged, stands as symbol of the regenerative ability of the 

deciduous forests of the Appalachian Range. 
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Shenandoah National Park

·	 Iconic Destinations: Shenandoah National Park is renowned for its iconic 

destinations, which draw visitors from nearby urban areas, across the nation, and 

around the globe. The destinations vary widely: a challenging scramble to the summit of 

Old Rag, an autumn ride along Skyline Drive, a leisurely ramble through Big Meadows, 

or a visit to historic Rapidan Camp, which was the “summer White House” during the 

Hoover presidency. 

·	 A Broad Range of Visitor Experiences: Shenandoah National Park offers a broad 

range of visitor experiences and recreation opportunities; from a scenic drive and a 

weekend getaway in a comfortable lodge, to a challenging multi-night hike through 

backcountry and wilderness. The park’s diverse trail system is more than 500 miles in 

length and includes 101 miles of the world famous Appalachian National Scenic Trail, 

the most easily accessed segment of the Appalachian Trail across its length. As a whole, 

the park offers opportunities to connect to nature, discover history, find adventure, and 

just relax amid outstanding scenery. 

·	 Skyline Drive: Skyline Drive, a national historic landmark and national scenic byway, 

is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful drives in the United States. The drive 

follows the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 105 miles and offers dozens of 

scenic overlooks. This drive is the park’s main thoroughfare, providing access to iconic 

destinations and trailheads, but is often driven as an experience in and of itself. Skyline 

Drive is also the only road along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains maintained for 

the sole purpose of recreation. 

·	 Scenic Beauty: Shenandoah is a place of stunning scenic beauty, especially for those 

seeking escape from the pavement, brick, and steel of the eastern seaboard’s bustling 

urban centers. Here, visitors can feast their eyes on forested mountains, lush valleys, 

shaded hollows, cascading streams, long sweeping ridges, and star-filled skies. The 

views are vast and extend well beyond the park boundaries into neighboring lands. 

·	 Clean Air: The park is one of only 49 Class I air areas under the Clean Air Act. Clean 

air contributes to the ecological health of the park’s flora and fauna, and is also critical 

to maintaining a high-quality visitor experience from a human health perspective, as 

well as through the preservation of the extensive vistas found throughout the park. 
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·	 Partnerships and Volunteerism: Partnerships and volunteerism are critical to 

resource stewardship and the operations of the park. Partner groups and individual 

volunteers maintain 300 miles of trail in Shenandoah, equal to 60% of the total 

trail mileage. Partner organizations are also critical in fundraising, education, and 

interpretive programs, as well as in the management and operation of the park’s lodges 

and comfort stations. 

·	 Evidence of Human Uses of the Land: Shenandoah National Park contains historic 

homesteads, orchards, and road traces, more than 100 cemeteries, as well as 500 known 

archeological sites. These resources represent thousands of years of human use of the 

area and signify important periods in American history. 

Other Important Resources and Values 

Shenandoah National Park contains other resources and values that are not fundamental to the 

purpose of the park and may be unrelated to its significance, but are important to consider in 

planning processes. These are referred to as “other important resources and values” (OIRV). 

These resources and values have been selected because they are important in the operation and 

management of the park and warrant special consideration in park planning. 

The following other important resources and values have been identified for Shenandoah 

National Park: 

·	 Historic Structures: The park has hundreds of historic structures and buildings, 

ranging from culverts along Skyline Drive to the Mount Vernon Furnace, a hot blast 

iron furnace built in the 1830s. Many structures and buildings were constructed in the 

1930s, during the height of Civilian Conservation Corps activity in the park. Together, 

these historic structures help tell the story of American settlement and conservation 

efforts in the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

·	 The Park Collections: The park has a vast museum collection made up of photos, 

drawings, early park souvenirs, and memorabilia from major events in the park’s past. 

These items are tangible representations of the park’s storied history. 
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Shenandoah National Park

Interpretive Themes 

Interpretive themes are often described as the key stories or concepts that visitors should 

understand after visiting a park—they define the most important ideas or concepts communicated to visitors about a park unit. Themes are derived from, and should reflect, park purpose, 

significance, resources, and values. The set of interpretive themes is complete when it provides 

the structure necessary for park staff to develop opportunities for visitors to explore and relate 

to all park significance statements and fundamental and other important resources and values. 

Interpretive themes are an organizational tool that reveal and clarify meaning, concepts, 

contexts, and values represented by park resources. Sound themes are accurate and reflect 

current scholarship and science. They encourage exploration of the context in which events 

or natural processes occurred and the effects of those events and processes. Interpretive 

themes go beyond a mere description of the event or process to foster multiple opportunities 

to experience and consider the park and its resources. These themes help explain why a park 

story is relevant to people who may otherwise be unaware of connections they have to an 

event, time, or place associated with the park. 

The following interpretive themes have been identified for Shenandoah National Park: 

·	 A Western National Park in the East (Park Establishment): Made possible by the 

personal sacrifices of many, the creation of Shenandoah National Park illustrates a 

milestone in the park and conservation movements by fulfilling a vision shared by local, 

state, and federal advocates to create a “western” national park experience in the east. 

Readily accessible to major metropolitan populations, Shenandoah preserves the scenic 

beauty of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and provides economic and recreational 

benefits for the greater good of the American people. 

·	 A Park for the People (Recreation and Development): Influenced and shaped by 

economics, politics, public expectations, and prevailing social norms, Shenandoah 

National Park provides visitors access to diverse outdoor recreational opportunities. 

Shenandoah offers escape from everyday life, challenge for the mind and body, 

and the rejuvenation, relaxation, and renewal fostered by immersion in a natural 

mountain landscape. 

·	 Nature Reclaimed (Natural Resources): Although it may appear to be untouched 

and natural, the dynamic and ever-changing environment of Shenandoah National Park 

is rather the product of thoughtful land management decisions to reclaim, restore, and 

protect the mountain ecosystem, wilderness, and headwaters of three watersheds; to 

preserve the ecological and natural processes of the Blue Ridge/Central Appalachian 

biome; and to provide refuge for globally rare and 

endangered flora and fauna. 

·	 History Revealed (Cultural Resources): Within the 

boundaries of Shenandoah National Park is evidence of the 

stories of thousands of years of human interactions with the 

mountain landscape, illustrating dramatic changes—from 

being a place for home, sustenance, and livelihood to being 

a place for refuge, recreation, and re-creation for millions. 

·	 Caring for the Gift (How We Manage): Forever 

connected with the surrounding world, the survival of 

Shenandoah National Park is dependent upon effective 

management of numerous complex challenges brought 

by local, regional, and global environmental threats and 

society’s changing demands. The park’s future depends on 

the application of the most current scientific knowledge 

and sound visitor and resource management practices, 

combined with the active support and commitment of a 

caring citizenry. 
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Part 2: Dynamic Components 

The dynamic components of a foundation document include special mandates and 

administrative commitments and an assessment of planning and data needs. These components 

are dynamic because they will change over time. New special mandates can be established and 

new administrative commitments made. As conditions and trends of fundamental and other 

important resources and values change over time, the analysis of planning and data needs will 

need to be revisited and revised, along with key issues. Therefore, this part of the foundation 

document will be updated accordingly. 

Special Mandates and Administrative Commitments 

Many management decisions for a park unit are directed or influenced by special mandates and 

administrative commitments with other federal agencies, state and local governments, utility 

companies, partnering organizations, and other entities. Special mandates are requirements 

specific to a park that must be fulfilled. Mandates can be expressed in enabling legislation, 

in separate legislation following the establishment of the park, or through a judicial process. 

They may expand on park purpose or introduce elements unrelated to the purpose of the 

park. Administrative commitments are, in general, agreements that have been reached through 

formal, documented processes, often through memorandums of agreement. Examples include 

easements, rights-of-way, arrangements for emergency service responses, etc. Special mandates 

and administrative commitments can support, in many cases, a network of partnerships 

that help fulfill the objectives of the park and facilitate working relationships with other 

organizations. They are an essential component of managing and planning for Shenandoah 

National Park. 

For more information about the existing special mandates and administrative commitments for 

Shenandoah National Park, please see appendix B. 

Assessment of Planning and Data Needs 

Once the core components of part 1 of the foundation document have been identified, it is 

important to gather and evaluate existing information about the park’s fundamental and other 

important resources and values, and develop a full assessment of the park’s planning and 

data needs. The assessment of planning and data needs section presents planning issues, the 

planning projects that will address these issues, and the associated information requirements 

for planning, such as resource inventories and data collection, including GIS data. 

There are three sections in the assessment of planning and data needs: 

1. analysis of fundamental and other important resources and values 

2. identification of key issues and associated planning and data needs 

3. identification of planning and data needs (including spatial mapping activities or 

GIS maps) 

The analysis of fundamental and other important resources and values and identification of key 

issues leads up to and supports the identification of planning and data collection needs. 

Analysis of Fundamental Resources and Values 

The fundamental resource or value analysis table includes current conditions, potential threats 

and opportunities, planning and data needs, and selected laws and NPS policies related to 

management of the identified resource or value. 
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Fundamental 

Resource or Value Healthy, Functioning Ecosystems 

Related Significance 

Statements 

• Encompassing more than 300 square miles of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah 

National Park protects an abundance of native and globally rare animal and plant 

populations, habitats, migratory bird populations, and the endangered Shenandoah 

salamander, which lives nowhere else in the world As one of the largest preserved areas 

in the Mid-Atlantic region, the park provides an ideal place for scientific research and 

understanding of the Central Appalachian Biome 

• Shenandoah National Park showcases the geology and high elevation hydrology of 

the Appalachians, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world The high elevation 

ecosystems and headwaters preserved in the park help contribute to the ecological 

integrity of valuable cold-water resources downstream All headwater streams in the park 

flow to the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the eastern United States 

• Shenandoah National Park is a natural and scenic landscape conserved as a national 

park after a long history of prior settlement and human use The park is an outstanding 

example of nature’s regenerative ability and a testament to the benefits of America’s 

conservation ethic 

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Fundamental 

Resource or Value Healthy, Functioning Ecosystems 

Current Conditions 

and Trends 

Conditions 

• Overall, the ecosystems of Shenandoah National Park are in good condition 

• The park is currently completing a natural resource condition assessment for more precise 

resource information 

• There are issues with human/wildlife interactions; visitors feeding animals is the 

biggest problem 

• Forest composition has changed and continues to change as a result of diseases, but 

forests in the park are generally healthy and resilient 

• Acid rain impacts fish abundance and diversity 

• Deer are overabundant in developed areas of the park, but are less of an issue in 

backcountry and wilderness areas 

• There are fire dependent vegetative communities in the park; the prescribed fire regime is 

not keeping up due to lack of resources 

• The park is heavily invested in and dependent on volunteers for natural resource 

management issues This helps the park build and maintain community relationships and 

be efficient with limited funding, but also makes protection of park resources vulnerable 

to unpredictability inherent in volunteer positions as compared to paid positions 

• The park serves as a harbor from noise and artificial light that could otherwise change 

natural conditions and natural processes in the area 

Trends 

• Most native wildlife populations are healthy and stable, although data on some 

populations are not sufficient 

• The Shenandoah salamander, a federally endangered species, is in decline It currently 

lives in three areas of the park 

• Most of the trout populations have declined in recent years, except for native brook trout 

• Rock outcrops are home to rare plant species and have become high visitor use areas due 

in part to the sweeping views they afford 

Threats and 

Opportunities 

Threats 

• Chronic wasting disease has been documented in the area and may move into the park’s 

ungulate population 

• Emerald ash borer has impacted tree species in the park 

• Invasion by nonnative plants and animals is a serious threat to the park’s ecological 

communities, especially when the long boundary is considered 

• One-quarter of the park’s vascular plants are nonnative (approximately 350–360 species 

in total) 

• Climate change – an increase in mean annual temperature (3°F to 5°F by 2050) and 

precipitation (+ 7% to 9% by 2050) projected for the region will alter the park’s 

ecological systems 

Opportunities 

• Work outside the park with the public, partners, and landowners to reduce the impacts 

of external threats, especially invasive plants 

• Update plans related to natural resource management; most or all of the plans in the 

park related to natural resources are from the 1980s and 1990s 

• Continue to educate the public about resource threats, especially the Shenandoah 

salamander, climate change, invasive species, and water and air quality 

• Provide advanced interpretation of the influences of a changing climate on the 

ecosystems of Shenandoah National Park 

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Fundamental 

Resource or Value Healthy, Functioning Ecosystems 

Existing Data and 

Plans Related to the 

FRV 

• Fire management plan 

• Gypsy moth integrated pest management plan 

• Bear management plan 

• Geology along Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. 

• Evaluation of several water systems in Shenandoah National Park 

• Acidic Deposition Impacts on Natural Resources in Shenandoah National Park. 

• Hydrology of Big Meadows, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia 

• Assessment of a sensitive wetland system in the Blue Ridge Mountains 

• Rock Outcrop Management Plan Environmental Assessment/Assessment of Effect. 

• Significance of Headwater Streams and Perennial Springs in Ecological Monitoring in 

Shenandoah National Park. 

• Synthesis and interpretation of surface-water quality and aquatic biota data collected in 

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, 1979–2009 

• Weather of Shenandoah National Park Mid-Atlantic Network summary reports (2012, 

2011, 2010) 

• Aquatic Macro Invertebrate Monitoring in Shenandoah National Park, 2009 Summary 

Report. 

• Fish Monitoring in Shenandoah National Park, 2010 Summary Report. 

• Forest Vegetation Status in Shenandoah National Park, Long-term Ecological Monitoring 

Summary Report 2003–2011. 

• Prioritizing forest communities and areas for the use of prescribed fire at Shenandoah 

National Park 

• Virginia Trout Stream Sensitivity Study 2010 Survey, Results for Shenandoah National Park. 

• Evaluation of the sensitivity of inventory and monitoring national parks to acidification 

effects from atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition 

• Mid-Atlantic Network evaluation of the sensitivity of inventory and monitoring national 

parks to nutrient enrichment effects from atmospheric nitrogen deposition 

• Mid-Atlantic Network aquatic critical loads and exceedances in acid-sensitive portions 

of Virginia and West Virginia results of southeastern multiagency critical loads 

research project 

• Shenandoah Watershed Study 2007 Report. 

• Vegetation of Shenandoah National Park in relation to environmental gradients, version 2 0 

• Effects of stream water chemistry on mercury concentrations in brook trout in 

Shenandoah National Park 

Data and/or GIS Needs • Analysis of long-term data collected on park ecosystems 

• Climate change vulnerability assessment 

Planning Needs 

• Emerald ash borer management plan 

• Exotic plant management plan 

• Feral hog management plan 

• External threats mitigation strategy 

• Resource stewardship strategy 

• Restoration plan for pH impaired streams 

• Climate change scenario planning 

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Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV 

•	 Clean Air Act of 1977 

•	 Volunteers in the Parks Act of 1969 

•	 Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment” 

•	 Executive Order 13287, “Preserve America” 

•	 Executive Order 13352, “Facilitation of Cooperative Conservation” 

•	 Executive Order 13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and 


Transportation Management”
 

•	 Executive Order 13443, “Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wildlife Conservation” 

•	 Executive Order 13514, “Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic 


Performance”
 

•	 Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

•	 “Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants” (50 CFR 17) 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders) 

•	 Director’s Order 7: Volunteers in Parks 

•	 Director’s Order 18: Wildland Fire Management 

•	 NPS Reference Manual 18: Wildland Fire Management 

•	 Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response Guidebook 

•	 Director’s Order 25: Land Protection 

•	 Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

•	 “NPS-28, Cultural Resource Management Guideline” 

•	 Director’s Order 32: Cooperating Associations 

•	 Director’s Order 47: Soundscape Preservation and Noise Management 

•	 NPS-75 Natural Resources Inventory and Monitoring Guideline 

•	 Director’s Order 75A: Civic Engagement and Public Involvement 

•	 NPS Natural Resource Management Reference Manual 77 

•	 NPS Integrated Pest Management Manual 

•	 NPS Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Healthy, Functioning Ecosystems 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance 

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Fundamental 

Resource or Value Wilderness Character 

Related Significance 

Statements 

• Shenandoah National Park provides visitors with the opportunity to explore mountain 

peaks, hidden hollows, cascading streams, accessible wilderness, and stunning natural 

beauty within just 90 miles of Washington, DC The park’s outstanding scenery, historic 

lodges, and broad range of world-class recreation opportunities, including more than 500 

miles of hiking trails and the iconic Skyline Drive, provide visitors with a “western park 

experience” in the east 

• Shenandoah National Park is a natural and scenic landscape conserved as a national 

park after a long history of prior settlement and human use The park is an outstanding 

example of nature’s regenerative ability and a testament to the benefits of America’s 

conservation ethic 

• Encompassing more than 300 square miles of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah 

National Park protects an abundance of native and globally rare animal and plant 

populations, habitats, migratory bird populations, and the endangered Shenandoah 

salamander, which lives nowhere else in the world As one of the largest preserved areas 

in the Mid-Atlantic region, the park provides an ideal place for scientific research and 

understanding of the Central Appalachian Biome 

• Shenandoah National Park showcases the geology and high elevation hydrology of 

the Appalachians, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world The high elevation 

ecosystems and headwaters preserved in the park help contribute to the ecological 

integrity of valuable cold-water resources downstream All headwater streams in the park 

flow to the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the eastern United States 

15
Foundation Document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Wilderness Character 

Current Conditions 

and Trends 

Conditions 

• Backcountry permits are often obtained through self-registration (approximately 60%), 

so not a lot of information is available about visitors to the wilderness, overnight stays, 

demographics, destination, and trail use 

• Visitors camping in the backcountry create social trails and cause stream bank erosion and 

loss of vegetation around popular camping areas with concentrated use impacts There 

are currently no formally designated backcountry campsites 

• Compliance with burying human waste is relatively good There are a few privies (in 

popular areas) 

Trends 

• Some areas within the wilderness are experiencing increasing levels of visitation, especially 

Old Rag 

• Backcountry and wilderness use (measured through user-nights) has been steady, with a 

slight increase in the last few years 

• As frontcountry camping areas fill on popular days, visitors sometimes self-direct to 

backcountry and wilderness sites This can be problematic, as some visitors are not 

prepared for wilderness and backcountry camping 

Threats and 

Opportunities 

Threats 

• Threats to the natural quality of wilderness include loss of native species, climate change, 

air pollution, the proliferation of nonnative species (including alteration of fire regimes 

and natural disturbance cycles), and activities outside the park resulting in reduced water 

quality in the wilderness 

• Threats to the undeveloped quality of wilderness include structures inside of wilderness, 

short-term use of motorized equipment and mechanical transport in wilderness, and 

semipermanent equipment placed by wilderness researchers 

• Threats to the untrammeled quality of wilderness include nonnative vegetation removal, 

ignition of fires, wildlife research, and wildland fire suppression 

• Threats to the solitude and primitive and unconfined types of recreation quality of 

wilderness include lack of understanding of wilderness values, increased visitation in 

popular areas of wilderness (reducing solitude), enlargement of campsites due to visitorcaused impacts, noise from sources inside and outside the park, artificial light, and the 

deposition of human waste and trash Developments outside the wilderness also threaten 

visitors’ ability to obtain solitude inside wilderness This is especially problematic because 

most of the adjacent land is privately owned 

• Increases in air pollution may degrade visibility, reducing opportunities to view the 

spectacular scenery and night sky, and detract from visitor experience 

Opportunities 

• Revise the backcountry and wilderness plan 

• Consider a fee for backcountry and overnight use 

• Clarify the distinction between backcountry and wilderness, for visitors and park 

employees—allowed uses, motorized equipment, etc 

• Develop and implement a monitoring plan for wilderness character (once standards are 

developed) 

Existing Data and 

Plans Related to the 

FRV 

• Backcountry and wilderness management plan 

Data and/or GIS Needs • Resource impacts study at iconic destinations and in wilderness 

16
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Wilderness Character 

Planning Needs • Backcountry and wilderness management plan update 

• Visitor use management plan for Old Rag 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance 

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV 

• Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (related to fees) 

• Outdoor Recreation Act 

• Volunteers in the Parks Act of 1969 

• Wilderness Act 

• Clean Air Act of 1977 

• Executive Order 13287, “Preserve America” 

• Executive Order 13352,” Facilitation of Cooperative Conservation” 

• “Resource Protection, Public Use, and Recreation” (36 CFR 2) 

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders) 

• Director’s Order 7: Volunteers in Parks 

• Director’s Order 17: National Park Service Tourism 

• Director’s Order 18: Wildland Fire Management 

• NPS Reference Manual 18: Wildland Fire Management 

• Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response Guidebook 

• Director’s Order 25: Land Protection 

• Director’s Order 32: Cooperating Associations 

• Director’s Order 41: Wilderness Stewardship 

• NPS Reference Manual 41: Wilderness Stewardship 

• Director’s Order 47: Soundscape Preservation and Noise Management 

• NPS-75 Natural Resources Inventory and Monitoring Guideline 

• Director’s Order 75A: Civic Engagement and Public Involvement 

• NPS Natural Resource Management Reference Manual 77 

17
Foundation Document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Iconic Destinations 

Related Significance 

Statements 

• Shenandoah National Park provides visitors with the opportunity to explore mountain 

peaks, hidden hollows, cascading streams, accessible wilderness, and stunning natural 

beauty within just 90 miles of Washington, DC The park’s outstanding scenery, historic 

lodges, and broad range of world-class recreation opportunities, including more than 500 

miles of hiking trails and the iconic Skyline Drive, provide visitors with a “western park 

experience” in the east 

• Shenandoah National Park is a natural and scenic landscape conserved as a national 

park after a long history of prior settlement and human use The park is an outstanding 

example of nature’s regenerative ability and a testament to the benefits of America’s 

conservation ethic 

• The first Civilian Conservation Corps camp in a national park system unit was established 

in Shenandoah National Park; the Corps left an indelible mark on the landscape that still 

contributes to the unique character of the park 

• President Herbert Hoover constructed Rapidan Camp to serve as the summer 

White House during his presidency (1929–1933) due to its outstanding recreational 

opportunities and serene mountain setting The camp, which President Hoover later 

donated to the federal government as a presidential retreat, was the site of many 

national and international policy meetings and is now designated as a national 

historic landmark 

Current Conditions 

and Trends 

Conditions 

• The impact thresholds at these sites depend on resource type 

• Some natural destinations are experiencing resource degradation because of high level 

of visitor use These sites are affected by litter, human waste, social trailing, tread creep, 

illegal fires, and illegal campsites 

• Some roads to provide search and rescue (SAR) access are in poor condition 

• The park has SAR caches near the summit of Old Rag, and there are good response times 

to emergencies at all these sites 

• Some parking areas are inadequate for the high level of visitor use at these sites 

• Dogs are often brought to sites where dogs are not allowed, and where they are allowed, 

there is sometimes a problem with dogs being off-leash 

• User demographics differ among these iconic sites 

• Rapidan Camp is accessed by hikers and by guided shuttle bus tours The shuttle bus tour 

is universally accessible and an attractive option with seniors Hikers represent a larger 

portion of users at Rapidan Camp than shuttle bus users 

• The shuttle bus is often inadequate for the condition of the road 

• The park currently leases private land for parking at Old Rag boundary access and is 

developing a lease for Whiteoak Canyon boundary access 

Trends 

• Old Rag Mountain and Whiteoak Canyon are experiencing increased boundary access 

issues As the use increases there’s a greater need to provide services to visitors at these 

sites, but limited ability to do so because access to them begins on the edge of the 

park boundary 

• Visitor use of these sites has increased 

• Large organized groups accessing these sites lead to a surge of visitors at one time This 

amount of use at one time leads to user conflicts 

18
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Iconic Destinations 

Threats and 

Opportunities 

Threats 

• High levels of visitor use during peak times 

• Resource degradation from high visitor use 

• Climate change may alter visitor use patterns, leading to increased resource degradation 

• Sensitive resources at rocky outcrops are especially vulnerable to high visitor use 

• Some climbing methods may damage resources and rock 

• There are difficulties maintaining and funding the maintenance of the shuttle to Rapidan 

• There is misinformation about these iconic sites on websites that are not controlled by 

the park 

Opportunities 

• Analyze existing visitor use information (i e , past surveys, studies, etc ) 

• Visitor preferences of various user demographics at the various sites could be identified 

through surveys or other means 

• Provide more pre-trip planning opportunities through park website and in partnership 

with gateway communities Prepare visitors to visit these iconic destinations, many of 

which require a strenuous hike, or inform them about peak crowded times so they may 

choose alternate times 

Existing Data and 

Plans Related to the 

FRV 

• Rock outcrop management plan 

• Backcountry management plan 

• Fire management plan 

• Big Meadows management plan 

• Historic furnishing report – provides guidance for Rapidan 

Data and/or GIS Needs • Resource impacts study at iconic destinations and in wilderness 

Planning Needs 

• Administrative roads plan 

• Visitor use management plan for Old Rag 

• Backcountry and wilderness management plan update 

• Parking management plan for Skyline Drive 

• Development concept plan for boundary parking areas 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance 

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV 

• Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 

• Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act 

• Historic Sites Act of 1935 

• National Historic Preservation Act 

• National Park Service Concessions Management Improvement Act 

• Rehabilitation Act of 1973 

• Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment” 

• Executive Order 13287, “Preserve America” 

• Executive Order 13327, “Federal Real Property Asset Management” 

• Executive Order 13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and 

Transportation Management” 

• Executive Order 13514, “Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic 

Performance” 

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

19
Foundation Document

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV (continued) 

•	 “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability by Public Accommodations and in 


Commercial Facilities” (28 CFR 36)
 

•	 “Resource Protection, Public Use, and Recreation” (36 CFR 2) 

•	 “Vehicles and Traffic Safety” (36 CFR 4) 

•	 “Commercial and Private Operations” (36 CFR 5) 

•	 “Concession Contracts” (36 CFR 51) 

•	 “National Register of Historic Places” (36 CFR 60) 

•	 “National Natural Landmarks Program” (36 CFR 62) 

•	 “National Historic Landmarks Program” (36 CFR 65) 

•	 “Protection of Historic Properties” (36 CFR 800) 

•	 “Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of the Interior,” 

(43 CFR 17) Subpart B: “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap” 

•	 “Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines; Outdoor Developed Areas” 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders) 

•	 Director’s Order 14: Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration 

•	 NPS Damage Assessment and Restoration Handbook 

•	 Director’s Order 17: National Park Service Tourism 

•	 Director’s Order 18: Wildland Fire Management 

•	 NPS Reference Manual 18: Wildland Fire Management 

•	 Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response Guidebook 

•	 Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

•	 “NPS-28, Cultural Resource Management Guideline” 

•	 Director’s Order 42: Accessibility for Visitors with Disabilities in National Park Service 

Programs and Services 

•	 Director’s Order 52C: Park Signs 

•	 Director’s Order 64: Commemorative Works and Plaques 

•	 NPS Natural Resource Management Reference Manual 77 

•	 Director’s Order 80: Real Property Asset Management 

•	 NPS Transportation Planning Guidebook 

•	 Park Road Standards 

•	 NPS Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes 

•	 The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Iconic Destinations 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance 

20
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value A Broad Range of Visitor Experiences 

Related Significance 

Statements 

• Shenandoah National Park provides visitors with the opportunity to explore mountain 

peaks, hidden hollows, cascading streams, accessible wilderness, and stunning natural 

beauty within just 90 miles of Washington, DC The park’s outstanding scenery, historic 

lodges, and broad range of world-class recreation opportunities, including more than 500 

miles of hiking trails and the iconic Skyline Drive, provide visitors with a “western park 

experience” in the east 

Current Conditions 

and Trends 

Conditions 

• Certain recreational opportunities are restricted to specific times of the year; there are 

currently limited winter opportunities for visitor enjoyment 

• Traditional NPS facilities are not adequate for current visitation levels 

• Overall trails are in good condition 

• No trails are fully accessible per the Architectural Barriers Act 

• Separating trail uses helps maintain the trails in good condition (i e , equestrian use 

separate from hiking trails) 

• There are limited opportunities for economical lodging within the park 

• There are not enough visitor contact opportunities in the south portion of the park 

• The heaviest visitation occurs on weekends and in the fall 

Trends 

• There has been growing interest in bicycling on Skyline Drive and administrative roads 

• There has been more frequent use of park facilities for large family gatherings, which is 

creating the need for larger capacity facilities 

• Accessible facilities are becoming a need as the main visitor demographic ages 

• There is a desire by neighboring counties and communities to establish additional 

connections to (into) the park 

• The condition of concessions facilities had been deteriorating prior to improvements that 

were made following the recently awarded concessions contract 

21
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Fundamental 

Resource or Value A Broad Range of Visitor Experiences 

Threats and 

Opportunities 

Threats 

• Occasional conflicts between user groups, primarily between bicyclists and automobile 

drivers, threaten the quality and safety of visitor experiences 

• Weather, climate change, and fire impacts on physical resources may all threaten the 

visual quality and potentially the safety of visitor experiences 

• Climate change could change peak visitation For example, an increase in mean annual 

temperature could result in peak fall colors occurring one or two weeks later 

• Overuse of iconic destinations (Old Rag Mountain, Dark Hollow Falls) may threaten 

resources, lead to crowding, and potentially to visitor conflict 

• Development outside of the park may threaten the visual quality of visitor experiences 

• Loud vehicles along Skyline Drive contribute to noise pollution and diminish the natural 

sounds of the park for visitors 

• Some new landowners, adjacent to the park boundary, desire to close access points into 

the park to eliminate visitor traffic on their land 

• Lack of adequate maintenance of boundary access points (outside of park boundary) 

Opportunities 

• Expand types of recreational uses and options for current uses, such as bicycling, 

in the park 

• Expand year round operations in order to increase visitation during off-seasons 

• Strengthen commercial use authorization and special use permit program 

• Facilities and additional visitor contact points in south end of park could be added 

and improved 

• Advanced interpretation of the influences of a changing climate on the ecosystems of 

Shenandoah National Park 

• There are opportunities to expand use of webcams and virtual visitor experiences to reach 

out to larger audiences 

• Accommodation of additional user groups (e g , showers near Mathews Arm, more 

recreational vehicle sites) 

Existing Data and 

Plans Related to the 

FRV 

• Rock outcrop management plan (2014) 

• Visitor study: summer and fall (2011) 

• Long-range interpretive plan (2014) 

Data and/or GIS Needs 

• Dark night skies data collection 

• Resource impacts study at iconic destinations and in wilderness 

• External audience survey 

• Visitor use-related data collection in the Shenandoah Wilderness 

• Visitor use surveys along Skyline Drive and other frontcountry areas 

• Boundary access evaluation 

Planning Needs 

• Backcountry and wilderness management plan update 

• Visitor use management plan for Old Rag 

• Accessibility transition plan 

• Development concept plan for boundary parking areas 

• Recreational use plan for Skyline Drive 

• Parking management plan for Skyline Drive 

22
Shenandoah National Park

Fundamental 

Resource or Value A Broad Range of Visitor Experiences 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance 

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV 

•	 Americans with Disabilities Act 

•	 Architectural Barriers Act 

•	 Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act 

•	 National Park Service Concessions Management Improvement Act 

•	 Noise Control Act 

•	 Outdoor Recreation Act 

•	 Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment” 

•	 Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

•	 “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability by Public Accommodations and in 


Commercial Facilities” (28 CFR 36)
 

•	 “Resource Protection, Public Use, and Recreation” (36 CFR 2) 

•	 “Vehicles and Traffic Safety” (36 CFR 4) 

•	 “Commercial and Private Operations” (36 CFR 5) 

•	 “Concession Contracts” (36 CFR 51) 

•	 “Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of the Interior,” (43 

CFR 17) Subpart B: “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap” 

•	 “Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines; Outdoor Developed Areas” 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders) 

•	 Director’s Order 17: National Park Service Tourism 

•	 Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

•	 “NPS-28, Cultural Resource Management Guideline” 

•	 Director’s Order 42: Accessibility for Visitors with Disabilities in National Park Service 


Programs and Services
 

•	 Director’s Order 47: Soundscape Preservation and Noise Management 

•	 NPS-75 Natural Resources Inventory and Monitoring Guideline 

•	 Director’s Order 75A: Civic Engagement and Public Involvement 

•	 NPS Natural Resource Management Reference Manual 77 

•	 NPS Transportation Planning Guidebook 

•	 Park Road Standards 

23
Foundation Document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Skyline Drive 

Related Significance 

Statements 

• Shenandoah National Park provides visitors with the opportunity to explore mountain 

peaks, hidden hollows, cascading streams, accessible wilderness, and stunning natural 

beauty within just 90 miles of Washington, DC The park’s outstanding scenery, historic 

lodges, and broad range of world-class recreation opportunities, including more than 500 

miles of hiking trails and the iconic Skyline Drive, provide visitors with a “western park 

experience” in the east 

• The first Civilian Conservation Corps camp in a national park system unit was established 

in Shenandoah National Park; the Corps left an indelible mark on the landscape that still 

contributes to the unique character of the park 

• The Commonwealth of Virginia, private businesses, and local citizens, with the support of 

the federal government, banded together to advocate for the creation of a national park 

in the eastern United States through purchase and condemnation of privately owned 

land The land acquired by the Commonwealth of Virginia was later donated to the 

American people and entrusted to the National Park Service to ensure its protection for 

current and future generations 

Current Conditions 

and Trends 

Conditions 

• Skyline Drive is in good condition 

• Two-thirds of the drive has been paved in the last four years One-third of the drive will 

need to be paved in the next four years 

• All but five of the overlooks have been paved or reconstructed (the repaving effort 

started in 2008) 

• Twenty-five percent of vistas are in good condition The condition of the remaining 

vistas varies 

• One mile of historic guidewall is in good condition; three miles are in poor condition 

• Guardwalls are in good condition 

• There are 1500 culverts along the drive Overall, the culverts are in good condition 

• The bridges are in good condition 

• Marys Rock Tunnel is in good condition, but seepage has become an issue The Federal 

Highway Administration examines Marys Tunnel every two years for integrity and safety 

• Most of the major parking areas (popular trailheads) have recently been paved 

• Vegetation management needs to be done every five to seven years Twenty to 30 vistas 

are maintained per year; there are 162 total 

• All interpretive and trailhead signs along the drive are being updated 

• Internet connectivity is an issue in the park and limits the ability of the park to use more 

modern media at waysides 

• Fall is the period of highest visitation and congestion Weekends are when most use 

occurs throughout the year 

• There is good information on traffic/vehicular counts, but some bicycling use is not 

accounted for, so counts of cyclists are inaccurate 

Trends 

• There has been an increase in motorcycle and bicycle use of the drive Bicycling traffic in 

particular has increased dramatically, especially large groups of bicyclists There has been 

an increase in complaints in the last decade (from motorists) about bicycling groups 

• Several vocal bicycling groups are proposing that Skyline Drive become a designated 

long-distance bicycling route 

• There has been an increase in complaints about motorcycle noise 

• Vegetation maintenance has been reduced in frequency due to lack of financial resources 

24
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Skyline Drive 

Threats and 

Opportunities 

Threats 

• In recent years, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding has been 

important to the maintenance of Skyline Drive, and this has offset cuts in the regular 

operating budget 

• Rockslides are a constant threat throughout the year Climate change may lead to an 

increase in the frequency of rock slides due to increased severe storm events 

• There is a perception that Skyline Drive is a separate entity, apart from Shenandoah 

National Park This inaccurate perception is reinforced through highway signs 

• Funding for vista management is a challenge Vista management is not base-funded; it is 

accomplished through recreation fees, which is less reliable 

• An increase in mean annual temperature projected for the region due to climate change 

could increase operational costs associated with mowing and an increase in invasive 

species (e g , invasive species treatments) 

Opportunities 

• Consider alternatives to strategically opening sections of Skyline Drive after storm 

events, including working with concessions to potentially clear snow within their land 

assignments 

• Work with gateway communities to identify gaps in services that are offered to visitors 

• Explore options for accommodating nonvehicular users on Skyline Drive (e g , temporary 

section closures, lane closures, bike lanes or multiuse paths, etc ) 

• Improve ability to communicate open/closure/hazards information on Skyline Drive to 

visitors in real time This issue has been studied in the past and would be best addressed 

virtually, through the web 

• Develop a brochure or book that details “quiet short walks / leg-stretcher walks” off 

Skyline Drive that would encourage people (especially less-mobile visitors) to get out of 

their cars and connect to park resources 

• Improve information at entrance stations and along Skyline Drive focusing on proper 

etiquette for cyclists and drivers (share the road, how to pass, how to ride respectfully) 

• Use the traffic noise displays and associated public information to help motorists 

understand the noise levels and impacts of vehicles on park resources 

• Consider use of quiet pavement in future resurfacing projects 

Existing Data and 

Plans Related to the 

FRV 

• Winter operations plan 

• Mowing plan 

• Cultural landscape inventory for the drive 

• Wayside plan 

Data and/or GIS Needs 

• Resource impacts study at iconic destinations and in wilderness 

• Visitor use surveys along Skyline Drive and other frontcountry areas 

• Natural sounds inventory 

Planning Needs 

• Recreational use plan for Skyline Drive 

• Cultural landscape report for Skyline Drive vistas and overlooks 

• Parking management plan for Skyline Drive 

25
Foundation Document

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV 

•	 Noise Control Act 

•	 Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment” 

•	 Executive Order 13287, “Preserve America” 

•	 Executive Order 13327, “Federal Real Property Asset Management” 

•	 Executive Order 13352, “Facilitation of Cooperative Conservation” 

•	 Executive Order 13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and 


Transportation Management”
 

•	 Executive Order 13514, “Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic 


Performance”
 

•	 Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

•	 “Resource Protection, Public Use, and Recreation” (36 CFR 2) 

•	 “Vehicles and Traffic Safety” (36 CFR 4) 

•	 “Commercial and Private Operations” (36 CFR 5) 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders) 

•	 Director’s Order 14: Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration 

•	 NPS Damage Assessment and Restoration Handbook 

•	 Director’s Order 17: National Park Service Tourism 

•	 Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

•	 “NPS-28, Cultural Resource Management Guideline” 

•	 Director’s Order 32: Cooperating Associations 

•	 Director’s Order 47: Soundscape Preservation and Noise Management 

•	 Director’s Order 52C: Park Signs 

•	 Director’s Order 75A: Civic Engagement and Public Involvement 

•	 Director’s Order 80: Real Property Asset Management 

•	 NPS Transportation Planning Guidebook 

•	 Park Road Standards 

•	 NPS Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Skyline Drive 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance 

26
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Scenic Beauty 

Related Significance 

Statements 

• Shenandoah National Park provides visitors with the opportunity to explore mountain 

peaks, hidden hollows, cascading streams, accessible wilderness, and stunning natural 

beauty within just 90 miles of Washington, DC The park’s outstanding scenery, historic 

lodges, and broad range of world-class recreation opportunities, including more than 500 

miles of hiking trails and the iconic Skyline Drive, provide visitors with a “western park 

experience” in the east 

• Shenandoah National Park is a natural and scenic landscape conserved as a national 

park after a long history of prior settlement and human use The park is an outstanding 

example of nature’s regenerative ability and a testament to the benefits of America’s 

conservation ethic 

Current Conditions 

and Trends 

Conditions 

• The majority of viewsheds are not protected by the park With the exception of a few state 

wildlife management areas, all lands outside the park boundary are privately owned 

• Some adjacent counties have more restrictive development plans than others 

• Warren County has night sky protection regulations, others counties unknown 

• Existing park facilities, such as Skyline Drive and visitor centers, may contribute to 

light pollution 

• Although the park night sky quality is partially degraded due to the proximity of the 

multiple population centers, the conditions at Shenandoah are better than surrounding 

areas Scenic views are sometimes marred by air pollution haze 

Trends 

• Increasing external development 

• Though air quality is improving over time, continued improvement remains threatened 

from outside influences 

Threats and 

Opportunities 

Threats 

• Vegetation overgrowth at overlooks and invasive species make it challenging to maintain 

views within the park 

• Diminished air quality from air pollution from surrounding development 

• Climate change has the potential to change views in a variety of ways 

• External development, such as housing developments, cell phone towers, and utility 

corridors, all diminish the scenic views from the park 

• Artificial light from nearby land uses and population centers could further impact night 

sky views 

Opportunities 

• Work with neighboring communities and businesses to protect viewsheds and night skies 

• Collaborate with partners to obtain additional scenic easements 

• Examine how park facilities may be impacting scenic beauty and night sky and look for 

ways to mitigate where possible 

• Investigate ways to proactively mitigate effects on scenic views from climate change 

Existing Data and 

Plans Related to the 

FRV 

• Assessment of air quality and related values (2003) 

• Air quality in national parks trends (2003–2012) and conditions (2008–2012) 

• Vistas management plan 

• Meadow management plan (1985) 

• Cultural landscape inventory (CLI) Skyline Drive landscape (2011) 

• CLI Simmons Gap (2011) 

• CLI Elkwallow (2011) 

27
Foundation Document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Scenic Beauty 

Existing Data and 

Plans Related to the 

FRV 

• CLI Skyline Drive – South District (2010) 

• CLI Skyline Drive – North District (2010) 

• CLI Skyline Drive – Central District (2010) 

• CLI South River picnic grounds (2009) 

• CLI Rapidan Camp (2009) 

• CLI Piney River revised 2006 (2009) 

• CLI Headquarters (2009) 

• CLI Dickey Ridge (2009) 

• CLI Big Meadows (2009) 

• CLI Skyland (1999) 

• CLI Pinnacles picnic ground (1999) 

• CLI Lewis Mountain (1999) 

• CLI Appalachian Trail landscape (1999) 

• CLI Appalachian Trail – South District (1999) 

• CLI Appalachian Trail – North District (1999) 

• CLI Appalachian Trail – Central District (1999) 

Data and/or GIS Needs • Dark night skies data collection 

• Finish light detection and ranging (LIDAR) collection 

Planning Needs 

• Emerald ash borer management plan 

• Exotic plant management plan 

• Resource stewardship strategy 

• Cultural landscape reports for Skyline Drive vistas and overlooks 

• Scenery conservation plan 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV 

• Clean Air Act of 1977 

• Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment” 

• Executive Order 13287, “Preserve America” 

• Executive Order 13352, “Facilitation of Cooperative Conservation” 

• Executive Order 13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and 

Transportation Management” 

• Executive Order 13514, “Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic 

Performance” 

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance 

• “Resource Protection, Public Use, and Recreation” (36 CFR 2) 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders) 

• NPS Management Policies 2006, section 4 10 “Lightscape Management” 

• Director’s Order 25: Land Protection 

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• “NPS-28, Cultural Resource Management Guideline” 

• Director’s Order 32: Cooperating Associations 

• Director’s Order 75A: Civic Engagement and Public Involvement 

• NPS Natural Resource Management Reference Manual 77 

28
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Clean Air 

Related Significance 

Statements 

• Shenandoah National Park showcases the geology and high elevation hydrology of 

the Appalachians, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world The high elevation 

ecosystems and headwaters preserved in the park help contribute to the ecological 

integrity of valuable cold-water resources downstream All headwater streams in the park 

flow to the Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the eastern United States 

• Shenandoah National Park provides visitors with the opportunity to explore mountain 

peaks, hidden hollows, cascading streams, accessible wilderness, and stunning natural 

beauty within just 90 miles of Washington, DC The park’s outstanding scenery, historic 

lodges, and broad range of world-class recreation opportunities, including more than 500 

miles of hiking trails and the iconic Skyline Drive, provide visitors with a “western park 

experience” in the east 

Current Conditions 

and Trends 

Conditions 

• While there are recent improvements, the current annual average visual range has been 

reduced from 120 to 25 miles due to air pollution On severely hazy days, visibility can be 

5 miles or less 

• Nitrogen deposition is generally unchanged and is difficult to regulate because it comes 

from diffuse sources 

• Air quality is in attainment for human health-based standards for sulfur, nitrogen, and 

ozone under the Clean Air Act, but is not meeting NPS Air Resources Division benchmarks 

for ecological health 

• The park has impaired waterways and terrestrial ecosystems as a result of acid rain 

(primarily sulfur) 

• Thirty-three ozone-sensitive plants are present in the park, and there has been visible 

injury from ozone documented to trees, tree seedlings, and understory 

Trends 

• In spite of increased urban and industrial development in the region, trends for all air 

pollutants have been improving 

• The total number of “haziest days” has been decreasing in the last decade 

• From 2003 to 2012, trends for mercury were unchanged, although mercury accumulates 

over time 

• Ozone warrants moderate concern, but the trend is improving There is an ozone advisory 

standard operating procedure that guides how the park responds to high ozone days 

with respect to human health 

• From 2003 to 2012, sulfur in wet deposition has significantly improved It has decreased 

by more than 50% in response to emissions controls The primary source of sulfur is coalfired power plants 

• Air quality at Shenandoah National Park has been a significant concern over the past 

four decades The park and park partners have made enormous strides in reducing air 

pollution with continued support from the NPS Air Resources Division 

Threats and 

Opportunities 

Threats 

• Increasing urban and industrial development in the area is impacting air quality and scenic 

resources in the park Additional development could also increase acid deposition in the 

park, which may continue to impact and impair park waterways 

• A natural gas power plant is being built in Front Royal The permitting process is complete 

(mitigation measures will be used) Park staff works with them regularly to stay engaged 

with industry 

• Nitrogen deposition is generally unchanged and is difficult to regulate because it comes 

from diffuse sources 

29
Foundation Document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Clean Air 

Threats and 

Opportunities 

Opportunities 

• Educate visitors about air quality issues and challenges to promote healthy choices and 

informed actions and behaviors 

• Explore actions the park can take to restore impaired watershed water quality within the 

park The air is getting cleaner, but streams are still dirty 

• Reduce NPS-generated emissions in the park; implement the climate friendly parks 

recommendations Become a model of sustainability 

• Work cooperatively with other federal and state air quality agencies and local 

stakeholders to address air quality impacts in the park from sources of air pollution, 

through programs such as the regional haze program 

• Expand interpretative and educational tools to communicate the connections between 

clean air, scenic views, night skies, protection of park ecosystems, climate change, and 

human health 

Existing Data and 

Plans Related to the 

FRV 

• Air quality in national parks trends (2003–2012) and conditions (2008–2012) 

• Comprehensive interpretive plan (2001) 

• Backcountry and wilderness management plan (1998) 

• Resource management plan (1998) 

• Wildland fire management plan (1993) 

Data and/or GIS Needs • Analysis of long-term data collected on park ecosystems 

Planning Needs • Restoration plan for pH-impaired streams 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance 

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV 

• Clean Air Act of 1977 

• Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment” 

• Executive Order 13287, “Preserve America” 

• Executive Order 13352, “Facilitation of Cooperative Conservation” 

• Executive Order 13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and 

Transportation Management” 

• Executive Order 13514, “Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic 

Performance” 

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders) 

• Director’s Order 13A: Environmental Management Systems 

• Director’s Order 25: Land Protection 

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• “NPS-28, Cultural Resource Management Guideline” 

• Director’s Order 32: Cooperating Associations 

• NPS-75 Natural Resources Inventory and Monitoring Guideline 

• Director’s Order 75A: Civic Engagement and Public Involvement 

• NPS Natural Resource Management Reference Manual 77 

• NPS Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes 

30
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Partnerships and Volunteerism 

Related Significance 

Statements 

• The Commonwealth of Virginia, private businesses, and local citizens, with the support 

of the federal government, banded together to advocate for the creation of a national 

park in the eastern United States through purchase and condemnation of privately 

owned land The land acquired by the Commonwealth of Virginia was later donated to 

the American people and entrusted to the National Park Service to ensure its protection 

for current and future generations 

Current Conditions and 

Trends 

Conditions 

• Volunteerism and partnerships are currently working well; great coordination 

between volunteers and the National Park Service, and partner groups and the National 

Park Service 

• Park staff is constantly evaluating and exploring new partnership and volunteer opportunities 

• Volunteers are plentiful and are willing to come from long distances 

Trends 

• Volunteerism is growing 

• Management and coordination of partnerships are improving and strengthening 

• Agencywide, there is a growing acceptance and openness to working with external groups 

• Relationships with neighboring communities continue to improve and are becoming stable 

Threats and 

Opportunities 

Threats 

• The park long-term partnership and volunteer management strategy Increasing supply 

of partner groups and volunteers may surpass actual identified demand for these groups 

or individuals Volunteers are not always being used most efficiently (i e , they are not 

always given projects that align with the park’s major areas of need or matched with 

projects that align with their strengths and skills) 

• The majority of the volunteer force is aging 

Opportunities 

• Create long-term partnership and volunteer management strategy that outlines how to 

work most efficiently and effectively with these groups and individuals 

• Develop new partnerships targeted at obtaining goals or sharing skills that would remain 

unmet with current partnerships 

• Strengthen relationships, collaboration, and management of existing groups and 

volunteers 

• Identify a range of one-time, recurring, and special volunteer projects suitable for 

individuals, groups, or organizations 

• Strengthen use of social media and other online tools to improve communication with 

and management of volunteers and collaborations with partner groups 

• Improve training for staff who work with partners and manage volunteers 

• Improve training for volunteers and partner groups 

• Explore new ways to celebrate and recognize partner groups and volunteers 

Existing Data and 

Plans Related to the 

FRV 

• None identified 

Data and/or GIS Needs • None identified 

Planning Needs • Partnership and volunteer management strategy 

31
Foundation Document

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Partnerships and Volunteerism 

Laws, Executive Orders, 

and Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance 

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV 

• Volunteers in the Parks Act of 1969 

• Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment” 

• Executive Order 13287, “Preserve America” 

• Executive Order 13352,” Facilitation of Cooperative Conservation” 

• “Resource Protection, Public Use, and Recreation” (36 CFR 2) 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders) 

• Director’s Order 7: Volunteers in Parks 

• Director’s Order 17: National Park Service Tourism 

• Director’s Order 32: Cooperating Associations 

• Director’s Order 75A: Civic Engagement and Public Involvement 

32
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Evidence of Human Uses of the Land 

Related Significance 

Statements 

• Shenandoah National Park provides visitors with the opportunity to explore mountain 

peaks, hidden hollows, cascading streams, accessible wilderness, and stunning natural 

beauty within just 90 miles of Washington, DC The park’s outstanding scenery, historic 

lodges, and broad range of world-class recreation opportunities, including more than 500 

miles of hiking trails and the iconic Skyline Drive, provide visitors with a “western park 

experience” in the east 

• Shenandoah National Park is a natural and scenic landscape conserved as a national 

park after a long history of prior settlement and human use The park is an outstanding 

example of nature’s regenerative ability and a testament to the benefits of America’s 

conservation ethic 

• The first Civilian Conservation Corps camp in a national park system unit was established 

in Shenandoah National Park; the Corps left an indelible mark on the landscape that still 

contributes to the unique character of the park 

• President Herbert Hoover constructed Rapidan Camp to serve as the summer 

White House during his presidency (1929–1933) due to its outstanding recreational 

opportunities and serene mountain setting The camp, which President Hoover later 

donated to the federal government as a presidential retreat, was the site of many 

national and international policy meetings and is now designated as a national 

historic landmark 

Current Conditions 

and Trends 

Conditions 

• Many cultural resources such as historic home sites, graveyards, and archeogical resources 

have not been thoroughly studied or documented 

Trends 

• LIDAR data are being used to gain a better understanding of these resources 

• The cultural layer in GIS has grown significantly over the last couple of years 

Threats and 

Opportunities 

Threats 

• Many cultural resource sites are easily accessed by visitors, which can lead to resource 

degradation and Archaeological Resources Protection Act violations 

• Fire and windstorms threaten log structures and other aboveground structures 

• Visitors engaging in illegal activity and inappropriate campsite selection can endanger 

historic resources, especially historic homesteads 

• Many of these resources are located in relatively remote areas, where visitor use is hard to 

monitor and control 

• Many visitors do not realize the park’s cultural resources are protected by law and policy 

• Climate change may pose threats to these resources, such as increases in erosion and 

wind/storm damage due to more frequent severe weather events 

Opportunities 

• There are many sites in the park that resource staff simply do not have a lot of 

information about 

• Expand collaboration with research groups and universities to better document and 

understand these resources 

• Improve visitor education about the importance of protecting historic resources and the 

Archaeological Resources Protection Act 

Existing Data and 

Plans Related to the 

FRV 

• Cemetery database 

• Archeological Sites Management and Information System database 

• Various archeological compliance reports 

• Archeological overview and assessment 

• GIS database 

33
Foundation Document

 

 

 

 

Fundamental 

Resource or Value Evidence of Human Uses of the Land 

Data and/or GIS Needs 

• Finish LIDAR collection 

• Cultural resource surveys 

• Digitizing of collections 

Planning Needs • Climate change scenario planning 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the FRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance 

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the FRV 

• Antiquities Act of 1906 

• Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 

• Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974 

• Historic Sites Act of 1935 

• National Cemeteries Act 

• National Historic Preservation Act 

• Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment” 

• Executive Order 13287, “Preserve America” 

• Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

• “Resource Protection, Public Use, and Recreation” (36 CFR 2) 

• “National Cemetery Regulations” (36 CFR 12) 

• “National Register of Historic Places” (36 CFR 60) 

• “National Natural Landmarks Program” (36 CFR 62) 

• “National Historic Landmarks Program” (36 CFR 65) 

• “Curation of Federally-Owned and Administered Archaeological Collections” (36 CFR 79) 

• “Protection of Historic Properties” (36 CFR 800) 

• “Preservation of American Antiquities” (43 CFR 3) 

• “Protection of Archaeological Resources” (43 CFR 7) 

• “Preservation, Arrangement, Duplication, Exhibition of Records” (44 USC 2109) 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders) 

• Director’s Order 14: Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration 

• NPS Damage Assessment and Restoration Handbook 

• Director’s Order 18: Wildland Fire Management 

• NPS Reference Manual 18: Wildland Fire Management 

• Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response Guidebook 

• Director’s Order 24: NPS Museum Collections Management 

• NPS Museum Handbook 

• Director’s Order 25: Land Protection 

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• “NPS-28, Cultural Resource Management Guideline” 

• Director’s Order 28A: Archeology 

• Director’s Order 61: National Cemetery Operations 

• NPS Reference Manual 61: National Cemetery Operations 

• Director’s Order 64: Commemorative Works and Plaques 

• NPS Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes 

• The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties 

34
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Analysis of Other Important Resources and Values 

Other Important 

Resource or Value Historic Structures 

Current Conditions 

and Trends 

Conditions 

• The majority of historic structures are in good condition 

• Boulder Cabin at Skyland is not in good condition 

• Piney River CCC technical building is in poor condition, and the park is evaluating 

whether it has an appropriate use or should be removed 

• The buildings at Lewis Mountain are in moderate condition 

Trends 

• Increased opportunities to collaborate with partners in preservation, including the 

Shenandoah National Park Trust, the NPS Historic Preservation Training Center, the 

concessioner, and others 

• The current concession contract requires significant investment in many of the 

concession-occupied historic buildings 

Threats and 

Opportunities 

Threats 

• Many structures are deteriorating from lack of maintenance 

• Snow, weather, wildland urban interface (fire) are all threats to these structures 

• An increase in mean annual precipitation and the increase in storm frequency/intensity 

projected for the region due to climate change could increase the vulnerability of historic 

structures (e g , increase in weathering, flooding, wind damage) 

Opportunities 

• Opportunity to rehabilitate and use the Pinnacles CCC research lab 

Existing Data and 

Plans Related to the 

OIRV 

• The Lewis Mountain study, Under the Sky All of Us Are Free: Segregation and 

Desegregation in Shenandoah National Park. 

• Structural fire plan 

• Fire management plan 

• Historic structure reports for Massanutten Lodge, Rapidan, Brown House 

• Historic furnishing report for Rapidan, Brown House, Massanutten Lodge 

• Cultural landscape reports (draft for Rapidan) 

• Cultural landscape inventory (Big Meadows, Rapidan, Dickey Ridge, Piney River, 

Elkwallow, Skyland, Lewis Mountain, Headquarters, Appalachian Trail, Skyline Drive, 

Simmons Gap, Pinnacles Picnic Ground, South River Picnic Ground) 

• National historic landmark designation (2008) 

Data and/or GIS Needs • Comprehensive condition assessments of assets 

• Climate change vulnerability assessment 

Planning Needs 

• Big Meadows Wayside historic structures report 

• Cultural landscape report for Skyline Drive vistas and overlooks 

• Accessibility transition plan 

35
Foundation Document

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the OIRV 

•	 Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 

•	 Architectural Barriers Act 

•	 Historic Sites Act of 1935 

•	 National Historic Preservation Act 

•	 Rehabilitation Act of 1973 

•	 Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment” 

•	 Executive Order 13287, “Preserve America” 

•	 Executive Order 13327, “Federal Real Property Asset Management” 

•	 Secretarial Order 3289, “Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on America’s Water, 

Land, and Other Natural and Cultural Resources” 

•	 “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability by Public Accommodations and in 


Commercial Facilities” (28 CFR 36)
 

•	 “Resource Protection, Public Use, and Recreation” (36 CFR 2) 

•	 “National Register of Historic Places” (36 CFR 60) 

•	 “Protection of Historic Properties” (36 CFR 800) 

•	 “Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of the Interior,” (43 

CFR 17) Subpart B: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap” 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders) 

•	 Director’s Order 14: Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration 

•	 NPS Damage Assessment and Restoration Handbook 

•	 Director’s Order 18: Wildland Fire Management 

•	 NPS Reference Manual 18: Wildland Fire Management 

•	 Interagency Burned Area Emergency Response Guidebook 

•	 Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

•	 “NPS-28, Cultural Resource Management Guideline” 

•	 Director’s Order 42: Accessibility for Visitors with Disabilities in National Park Service 


Programs and Services
 

•	 Director’s Order 80: Real Property Asset Management 

•	 The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties 

36

Other Important 

Resource or Value Historic Structures 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the OIRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance 
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Important 

Resource or Value The Park Collections 

Current Conditions 

and Trends 

Conditions 

• The formal archival collection is in good condition It includes archeological artifacts, 

historical artifacts, photos, and negatives 

• The park’s natural collection is not curated in a manner up to NPS curatorial standards 

• The administrative history of the park is well-documented up to the digital age (1990s), after 

which there are large gaps The administrative history is currently being re-documented 

• There is no current central digital asset management system for digital photos, map data, 

spreadsheets, digitized archival records, etc 

• Digital storage and server space is lacking 

Trends 

• National digital record management guidance is lacking in this digital age 

• The body of digital collections at the park is growing 

Threats and 

Opportunities 

Threats 

• Lack of backups for digital collections is a concern 

• Inability to retrieve digital data from obsolete formats is a problem 

Opportunities 

• Make digital records searchable and accessible for staff and for the public 

• Obtain better metadata for existing data 

• Partner with universities for assistance with digitization of data and making digital 

records searchable and publicly accessible 

Existing Data and 

Plans Related to the 

OIRV 

• Collection management plan (2004) 

• Administrative history (1979) 

Data and/or GIS Needs • Digitizing of collections 

37
Foundation Document

 

Other Important 

Resource or Value The Park Collections 

Planning Needs • None identified 

Laws, Executive 

Orders, and 

Regulations That 

Apply to the OIRV, 

and NPS Policy-level 

Guidance 

Laws, Executive Orders, and Regulations That Apply to the OIRV 

• Antiquities Act of 1906 

• Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 

• Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974 

• Management of Museum Properties Act of 1955 (PL 84-127) 

• National Historic Preservation Act 

• Executive Order 11593, “Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment” 

• Executive Order 13287, “Preserve America” 

• Executive Order 13352, “Facilitation of Cooperative Conservation” 

• “Curation of Federally-Owned and Administered Archaeological Collections” (36 CFR 79) 

• “Preservation of American Antiquities” (43 CFR 3) 

• “Protection of Archaeological Resources” (43 CFR 7) 

• “Preservation, Arrangement, Duplication, Exhibition of Records” (44 USC 2109) 

NPS Policy-level Guidance (NPS Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Orders) 

• Director’s Order 24: NPS Museum Collections Management 

• NPS Museum Handbook 

• Director’s Order 28: Cultural Resource Management 

• “NPS-28, Cultural Resource Management Guideline” 

• Director’s Order 28A: Archeology 

• Director’s Order 32: Cooperating Associations 

• NPS Integrated Pest Management Manual 

38
39

Shenandoah National Park

Identification of Key Issues and Associated Planning and Data Needs 

This section considers key issues to be addressed in planning and management and therefore 

takes a broader view over the primary focus of part 1. A key issue focuses on a question that is 

important for a park. Key issues often raise questions regarding park purpose and significance 

and fundamental and other important resources and values. For example, a key issue may 

pertain to the potential for a fundamental or other important resource or value in a park to be 

detrimentally affected by discretionary management decisions. A key issue may also address 

crucial questions that are not directly related to purpose and significance, but which still affect 

them indirectly. Usually, a key issue is one that a future planning effort or data collection needs 

to address and requires a decision by NPS managers. 

The following are key issues for Shenandoah National Park and the associated planning and 

data needs to address them: 

·	 Invasive Species and Wildlife Diseases: One of the main implications of the park’s 

long, linear boundary is a high degree of exposure and susceptibility to invasive species 

and nonnative forest pathogens and diseases. Some invasive species and diseases are 

already present in the park and have had a measurable negative impact on the park’s 

flora and fauna. Those of greatest concern are feral hogs and the emerald ash borer. In 

addition, chronic wasting disease is documented in the surrounding area and may soon 

enter the park’s ungulate population. 

- Related planning and data needs: feral hog management plan, exotic plant 

management plan, emerald ash borer management plan, external threats mitigation 

strategy, climate change scenario planning 

·	 Urban Growth and Development: The population of the Washington, DC, 

metropolitan area continues to grow, creating development pressure outside the park’s 

boundaries. The potential for urban development is highest on the park’s east side, as 

more people seek out bedroom communities within commuting distance to the capital. 

Increased urban development can result in light and noise pollution, air- and waterquality degradation, and impacts on park viewsheds. 

-	 Related planning and data needs: boundary access 

evaluation 

·	 Impacts from Climate Change: Climate change may 

result in a variety of changes in the park, including 

warmer stream temperatures, loss of native species, 

more frequent and severe storm events, shifts in the 

winter ranges of some birds, as well as shifts in the 

distribution of tree species. Notably, the Shenandoah 

salamander, which exists nowhere else in the world, is 

sensitive to climatological fluctuations. Climate change 

may also impact the park’s aquifers, which are the 

primary source of potable water for park operations 

and visitors. Presently, the park does not have a 

comprehensive strategy for adapting to climate change 

or the resources to thoroughly examine a range of 

climate change scenarios. 

- Related planning and data needs: climate change 

scenario planning 
Foundation Document

40

·	 Visitor Use Management: The park’s visitor use management issues fall into three 

general categories. First, high use of some iconic destinations—such as Skyline Drive, 

Whiteoak Canyon, and Old Rag—is resulting in crowding, resource impacts, and 

safety issues. Old Rag is the most prominent example. This peak is one of the park’s 

most popular summits. In the summer season, hikers sometimes wait up to two hours 

because of bottlenecks on the scrambling sections on the mountain, and large numbers 

of people on the summit result in trampling of vegetation. 

The second major issue concerns changing recreation preferences and, consequently, 

pressure to accommodate new uses in the park, especially mountain biking, bicycling, 

and paragliding. For instance, bicycling along Skyline Drive has become popular during 

the last decade, but the narrow, winding road creates high potential for “near-misses” 

and accidents between drivers and cyclists. This issue is especially acute in the fall 

season, when the leaves turn brilliant colors and Skyline Drive becomes flooded with 

cars and congestion. 

The third issue is closely related to the previous two. The park seeks to gain a better 

understanding of visitor preferences and visitor demographics. This information is 

vital for providing a high-quality visitor experience and in resource protection. Specific 

information needs include visitor demographics, their activities while in the park, where 

they are coming from, and length of stay. 

The park also seeks to understand other audiences in the nearby counties, 

communities, and metropolitan areas; specific information needs include: what do they 

know and not know about the park, why they don’t visit, as well as what they expect to 

find (or not find) if planning a visit. 

- Related planning and data needs: backcountry and wilderness management plan 

update, visitor use management plan for Old Rag, administrative roads plan, 

recreational use plan for Skyline Drive 

·	 Aging Infrastructure: Much of the park’s infrastructure is nearing the end of its life cycle, 

and some assets are likely to fail in the next several years. One major concern is the park’s 

water and sewer systems, most of which are more than 50 years old. The park needs a 

strategy for allocating limited resources toward assets in the most efficient way possible. 

- Related planning and data needs: asset removal plan, comprehensive condition 

assessment of assets 

·	 Boundary Issues: The linear profile of the park means a high ratio of boundary to 

interior, which translates into a number of management challenges. Most importantly, 

virtually none of the park’s approximately 350 miles of boundary is marked on the 

ground. The boundary needs to be accurately surveyed using GIS. Accurate surveying and 

marking is important because the vast majority of land adjacent to the park is in private 

hands and boundary disputes can be very difficult and time-consuming to resolve. 

- Related planning and data needs: boundary access evaluation, development concept 

plan for boundary parking areas, comprehensive boundary survey using GIS 

Planning and Data Needs 

To maintain connection to the core elements of the foundation and the importance of these core 

foundation elements, the planning and data needs listed here are directly related to protecting 

fundamental resources and values, park significance, and park purpose, as well as addressing key 

issues. To successfully undertake a planning effort, information from sources such as inventories, 

studies, research activities, and analyses may be required to provide adequate knowledge of park 

resources and visitor information. Such information sources have been identified as data needs. 

Geospatial mapping tasks and products are included in data needs. 

Items considered of the utmost importance were identified as high priority, and other items 

identified, but not rising to the level of high priority, were listed as either medium- or lowpriority needs. These priorities inform park management efforts to secure funding and support 

for planning projects. 
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Planning Needs – Where A Decision-making Process Is Needed 

Related 

to an FRV 

or OIRV? 

Planning 

Needs 

Priority 

(H, M, L) Notes 

FRV Backcountry 

and wilderness 

management 

plan update 

H The backcountry and wilderness management plan would identify 

indicators and thresholds for monitoring and managing visitor impacts 

on backcountry resources and wilderness character within the park 

The plan would identify the maximum amounts and types of visitor use 

that each area in the backcountry could accommodate while sustaining 

desired resource conditions and visitor experiences In addition to 

managing natural resource damage and high visitor use areas, the plan 

would also address damage to cultural resources—such as historic home 

sites in the backcountry—from visitor use The plan might also establish 

management actions that would be taken if resource thresholds were 

met, such as establishing a permit or fee system, site hardening, or 

designating backcountry campsites 

FRV Visitor use 

management 

plan for Old Rag 

H The visitor use management plan for Old Rag would identify indicators 

and thresholds for monitoring and managing visitor impacts on 

resources and visitor experiences on Old Rag The plan would identify 

the maximum amounts and types of visitor use that the Old Rag summit 

and trail can accommodate while sustaining desired resource conditions 

and visitor experiences The plan might also identify various management 

and treatment options to ensure resource impact thresholds are not 

exceeded, such as signs, education, limiting visitor use, or hardening 

FRV and 

OIRV 

Accessibility 

transition plan 

H This plan would guide phased developments and maintenance efforts to 

address all instances in which the park is not in compliance with physical 

and programmatic accessibility standards and guidelines for people 

with disabilities 

FRV Climate change 

scenario 

planning 

H This effort would identify potential impacts on park resources and 

operations from climate change, as well as mitigation and adaptation 

measures Climate change scenario planning is a living process that 

explores a range of plausible climate futures, based on credible science, 

and identifies the associated impacts and management implications 

Outcomes from a scenario planning effort can be integrated in park 

planning and management to bring appropriate climate change 

adaptation into those efforts (e g , resource stewardship strategy, fire 

management plan, backcountry and wilderness management plan, visitor 

use management plan) 

FRV External threats 

mitigation 

strategy 

H This facilitated process would prioritize an action plan for expending 

resources to deal with threats to park resources from external factors 

such as climate change and nonnative species Several plans identified as 

lower priority below, such as the feral hog management plan, would be 

staged following the guidance provided in this strategy 

FRV Administrative 

roads plan 

H The existing administrative roads in the park have been expanded and 

used for various operational needs since the park’s establishment Due to 

fiscal realities and improved resource understanding, some of these roads 

may not need to be maintained for administrative use and could possibly 

be repurposed for other uses such as trails This planning effort is needed 

to establish an overall strategy and associated environmental compliance 

for these roads 

41
Foundation Document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Planning Needs – Where A Decision-making Process Is Needed 

Related 

to an FRV 

or OIRV? 

Planning 

Needs 

Priority 

(H, M, L) Notes 

FRV Cultural 

landscape report 

for Skyline 

Drive vistas and 

overlooks 

H This report would define the resource conditions such as mowing 

and tree trimming that contribute to the vistas and overlooks and 

prescribe specific treatment recommendations to maintain these 

cultural landscapes 

FRV Recreational use 

plan for Skyline 

Drive 

M This planning effort would explore options for accommodating different 

and often conflicting use groups on Skyline Drive, such as cyclists and 

motorists 

Key Issue Asset removal 

plan 

M This plan would identify and provide compliance and consultation for the 

removal of assets no longer needed or that are no longer cost effective to 

maintain 

FRV Development 

concept plan 

for boundary 

parking areas 

M The development concept plan would identify specific needs and designs 

for parking areas at or near the park boundary that provide access into 

the park This effort would follow and be informed by the boundary 

access evaluation 

FRV Emerald 

ash borer 

management 

plan 

M This plan would provide a comprehensive strategy and environmental 

compliance for the management of emerald ash borer 

FRV Parking 

management 

plan for Skyline 

Drive 

M This plan would address parking capacity issues at popular trailheads 

The plan would identify alternative strategies to mitigate parking 

capacity issues, such as expansion of parking areas, using shuttles, and 

communicating real-time data on parking using digital media 

OIRV Big Meadows 

Wayside historic 

structures report 

M A historic structures report is needed for the Big Meadows Wayside to 

define historic conditions and prescribe treatment recommendations for 

maintenance and care 

FRV Resource 

stewardship 

strategy 

M This plan would allow the park to better define desired future resource 

conditions and develop a comprehensive strategy to reach those desired 

conditions It would be developed following the condition assessment 

and external threats strategy 

FRV Feral hog 

management 

plan 

M This plan would establish a comprehensive strategy and environmental 

compliance to manage feral hogs in the park 

FRV Exotic plant 

management 

plan 

M This plan would establish a comprehensive strategy and environmental 

compliance to manage nonnative plants in the park 

FRV Restoration plan 

for pH impaired 

streams 

M This plan would outline the actions that need to be taken to restore pH 

in impaired streams to natural levels, and also prioritize the sequence in 

which streams get treated 

FRV Scenery 

conservation 

plan 

M This plan would use data collected from ongoing university research 

to identify management strategies and collaborations for protection of 

scenic and historic views 

FRV Partnership 

and volunteer 

management 

strategy 

M This strategy would outline how to work most efficiently and effectively 

with these groups and individuals 

42
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Data Needs – Where Information Is Needed Before Decisions Can Be Made 

Related to 

an FRV or 

OIRV? 

Data and GIS 

Needs 

Priority 

(H, M, L) Rationale/Notes 

FRV Resource impacts 

study at iconic 

destinations and in 

wilderness 

H This study would focus on impacts on resources caused by visitors 

at the most popular summits, trails, and camping areas in the park 

Characteristics of visitor use, such as the amount, type, timing, and 

distribution of visitor activities and behaviors, would be studied 

Surveys of visitor preferences and attitudes could also be pursued if 

necessary Resource impacts of interest include: compaction of soils, 

trampling and loss of ground vegetation at campsites and shelters, 

social trails, trail widening and erosion, wildlife disturbance, and 

improper disposal of human waste 

FRV External audience 

survey 

H The survey should focus on people who are not in the park, such 

as residents of nearby counties, communities, and urban areas The 

survey should ask: What do people know (and not know) about 

the park; why don’t they visit; what expectations do they have if 

planning a visit? 

FRV Visitor use-related 

data collection in 

the Shenandoah 

Wilderness 

H This survey would examine visitor perceptions, knowledge, skills, 

abilities, and activities in the Shenandoah Wilderness to inform 

wilderness management strategies 

FRV Visitor use surveys 

along Skyline 

Drive and other 

frontcountry areas 

H The off-the-shelf visitor use survey is not meeting the needs of 

the park and the sample sizes have been very small (120 people 

in the 2011 survey) A more comprehensive survey should focus 

on visitors using Skyline Drive during each season of the year The 

survey should collect basic demographic information and identify 

how visitors are using the drive and where they are coming from, as 

well as their use of services/amenities Specific information needs: 

are they entering and exiting through the same place, are they just 

driving through, where are they stopping, what are they doing, are 

they getting the services they want 

FRV and 

OIRV 

Digitizing of 

collections 

H The park collections should be made more publicly accessible The 

park could partner with universities to help with the digitization 

process 

OIRV Comprehensive 

condition 

assessments of 

assets 

H Existing data are out of date or nearly out of date Furthermore, 

many assets are nearing the end of their life cycle A condition 

assessment would help the park prioritize financial and staff 

resources in the maintenance of physical assets 

FRV Natural sounds 

inventory 

H The inventory of natural sounds would establish a baseline against 

which the impacts of future management actions and changing 

conditions could be evaluated 

FRV Boundary access 

evaluation 

M The boundary access evaluation is needed to take a focused 

look at all boundary access points in the park, both public and 

administrative, and develop a comprehensive understanding of 

the function of each, and the associated needs This effort would 

also include a GIS mapping component and help inform the 

development concept plan for boundary parking areas 

43
Foundation Document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Data Needs – Where Information Is Needed Before Decisions Can Be Made 

Related to 

an FRV or 

OIRV? 

Data and GIS 

Needs 

Priority 

(H, M, L) Rationale/Notes 

FRV Finish LIDAR 

collection 

M The park is currently obtaining new LIDAR data and needs 

assistance completing LIDAR mapping 

FRV Dark night skies 

data collection 

M This data collection effort should help to determine trends in the 

quality of the photic environment in and around the park 

Key Issue Comprehensive 

boundary survey 

using GIS 

M The park boundary is not marked on the ground, thus it is unclear 

where the exact boundary line is in some areas This leads to 

disputes with neighboring landowners The survey should use GIS 

and result in an accurate data set that can be uploaded into ArcGIS 

and the park atlas 

FRV Analysis of longterm data collected 

on park ecosystems 

M The park has collected a great deal of data on its natural resources, 

but lacks the time or people to analyze the data and draw 

conclusions 

FRV Cultural resource 

surveys 

M Only 1% of park has been surveyed; 500 archeological sites were 

found in the 1% survey Further cultural resources surveys should be 

conducted in areas likely to yield new discoveries, for example, near 

water sources and known travel corridors through the park 

FRV Climate change 

vulnerability 

assessment 

M Determine the vulnerability of the select natural and cultural 

resources in the park to various climate change projections 

44
45

Shenandoah National Park

Part 3: Contributors 

Shenandoah National Park 

Jim Northup, Superintendent 

Jennifer Flynn, Deputy Superintendent 

Matt Graves, Chief of Interpretation and Education 

Steve Herzog, Chief of Maintenance 

Jim Schaberl, Chief of Natural and Cultural Resources 

Brian Sikes, Chief Ranger 

Karen Beck-Herzog, Management Assistant 

Amy Bracewell, Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park, Site Manager 

Kevin Crisler, Deputy Chief of Maintenance 

Jalyn Cummings, Air and Water Program Manager 

Dan Hurlbert, GIS Specialist 

Ann Kain, Cultural Resource Manager 

Michelle Kerns, Administrative Officer 

Stacy Scully, District Law Enforcement Ranger 

Debby Smith, Interpretive Operations Supervisor 

Tim Taglauer, Deputy Chief of Interpretation and Education 

Chad Tinney, Concessions Specialist 

Leslie Velarde, Volunteer and Youth Programs Coordinator 

NPS Northeast Region 

Allen Cooper, Chief, NER Park Planning and Special Studies
 

Helen Mahen, Community Planner
 

Amanda Jones, Community Planner
 

Denver Service Center, Planning Division 

Jordan Hoaglund, Project Manager
 

Tatiana Márquez, Economics Specialist
 

Ray McPadden, Community Planner
 

Jennifer Stein, Visitor Use Specialist
 

Sandee Dingman, Former Natural Resources Specialist
 

Tabitha Carver-Roberts, Editor
 

Ken Bingenheimer, Editor
 

John Paul Jones, Visual Information Specialist
 

Park Partners 

John Hedrick, President, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club
 

Judy Russell, Board President, Shenandoah National Park Association
 

Greta Miller, Executive Director, Shenandoah National Park Association
 
Foundation Document

46

Appendixes 

Appendix A: Enabling Legislation and Legislative Acts for 

Shenandoah National Park 
Shenandoah National Park

47
Foundation Document

48

 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

AREA: SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK, VIRGINIA 

_ 

AUTHORIZATION 

Act of May 22, 1926 (P.L. 69-268, 44 Stat. 616), authorized establishment of 

Shenandoah National Park. 

*ACQUISITION AUTHORITY

Act of February 21, 1925 (P.L. 68-436, 43 Stat. 958), authorized Secretary to 

determine boundaries, recommend lands to be acquired, secure options on those 

lands, and report to Congress thereon. 

Act of May 22, 1926, authorizes acquisition by donation or purchase with 

donated funds. The act specifically prohibits purchase with appropriated 

funds. 

Act of September 13, 1960 (P.L. 86-775, 74 Stat. 915), authorized acquisition 

by exchange of the lands described. 

Act of October 6, 1992 (P.L. 102-393, 106 Stat. 1763), authorizes the transfer

of certain land (9.89 acres) to the Secretary of the Treasury for use as a U.S. 

Customs Service Canine Training Center. 

Act of November 28, 1995 (P.L. 104-59, 109 Stat. 618), required that the

Secretary transfer to the State of Virginia, within 180 days from enactment and 

without reimbursement, the described Shenandoah county roads located in 

Shenandoah National Park. The purpose of this provision is to permit the State 

of Virginia to maintain and provide for safe public use of certain roads that 

the State donated to the United States at the time of the establishment of the 

park. If any of the subject county roads is withdrawn from general use as a 

public roadway, all right, title, and interest in the county roads shall revert 

to the United States. 

ESTABLISHED 

December 26, 1935 

BOUNDARY REVISIONS 

Act of June 13, 1939 (P.L. 76-122, 53 Stat. 815), revised the boundary to 

include additional lands as described. 

Act of June 6, 1942 (P.L. 77-593, 56 Stat. 327), revised boundary to include 

lands acquired for the Shenandoah Recreational Demonstration Project. 

Act of June 30, 1961 (P.L. 87-71, 74 Stat. 192), revised boundary to include 

additional lands (section 1A of the Blue Ridge Parkway). 

ACREAGE LIMITATIONS
 

Act of May 22, 1926, while describing a total park area of 521,000 acres, 

establishes a minimum area of 250,000 acres for administration, protection, and 

development of the park. 

Act of February 16, 1928 (P.L. 70-33, 45 Stat. 109), reduces the minimum area 

to 327,000 acres. 

Act of February 4, 1932 (P.L. 71-10, 47 Stat. 37), reduces the minimum area to 

160,000 acres. 

STATUTORY CEILING FOR LAND ACQUISITION

None 

AREA NUMBERS 

MIS - 4840 

*Denotes section revised Revised January 9, 1997 
49

Shenandoah National Park

Appendix B: Inventory of Special Mandates and 

Administrative Commitments 

Special Mandates 

·	 Impaired Waters: There are 17 Shenandoah waters listed as impaired under the Clean 

Water Act, which include Jeremy’s Run, N. Fork Mormons, East Hawksbill Creek, Flint 

Run, Gooney Run, Happy Creek, Lower Lewis Run, Meadow Run, One Mile, Paine 

Run, Pass Run, Rocky Branch, Two Mile Run, Deep Run, E. Branch of Naked Creek, 

Pass Run, and Hawksbill Creek. Impaired waters are from Virginia Department of 

Environmental Quality final 2012 305(b)/303(d) water quality assessment report for 

conditions assessed Jan.1, 2005–Dec. 31, 2010. 

·	 Outstanding Waterway Designation: New or increased pollution sources are 

prohibited in these waters in order to prevent degradation or impairment. Exceptional 

waters in Shenandoah include Big Run, Doyles River, East Branch Naked Creek, East 

Hawksbill Creek, Hazel River, Jeremy’s Run, N. Fork Thornton River, and Piney River 

(Exceptional State Waters, Virginia, Administrative Code Title 9 Chapter 25-260-30). 

·	 Wilderness Designation: 79,579 acres of Shenandoah National Park are congressionally 

designated wilderness and managed according 

to the 1964 Wilderness Act. 

·	 Appalachian National Scenic Trail: This 

national scenic trail runs through Shenandoah 

National Park. Management and use of the trail 

is subject to the provisions of the National Trail 

System Act. 

·	 National Historic Landmarks: The park 

contains several national historic landmarks. 

The care and use of these landmarks are 

subject to the provisions of the National 

Historic Preservation Act. 

·	 Class I Air Area: Shenandoah is one of 49 Class 

I air areas in the national park system. 
Foundation Document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Administrative Commitments 

Name Agreement 

Type 

Start Date / 

Expiration 

Date 

Stakeholders Purpose Notes 

Right-of-Way Easement Various / N/A National Park In specific areas The utility 

Easements Service, utility 

companies 

throughout the park 

(e g , Jarman Gap), 

deeded easements 

allow utility companies 

to maintain and operate 

electric utility lines in 

the park 

companies must still 

obtain permission 

for pole replacement 

and tree removal 

and have a special 

use permit issued 

prior to working in 

the park 

Conservation Deed Various / N/A National Each easement is 

Easements Park Service, 

landowners 

different, depending 

on the language of 

the deed, but they are 

intended to protect 

land from development, 

potentially protecting 

wildlife habitat, etc 

Endangered Recovery 1994 / N/A USFWS Shenandoah’s only Endangered status 

Shenandoah plan with endangered species reviewed every 5 

Salamander US Fish and 

Wildlife Service 

(USFWS) 

is the Shenandoah 

Salamander 

years by USFWS 

National Pollutant Permit 2012 / 2015 Shenandoah, Provides requirements Typically 5-year 

Discharge Virginia for park sewage permits Being 

Elimination Department of treatment plants renewed early due 

System Permits Environmental to changes within 

Related to Waste Quality Virginia Department 

Water per Clean of Environmental 

Water Act Quality 

Memorandums Agreements Various Law The park has many As an exclusive 

of Agreement, enforcement memorandums of jurisdiction park, 

General and fire service agreements with law the National Park 

Agreements agencies enforcement and 

emergency service 

providers in the 

surrounding nine 

counties, including the 

Virginia State Police 

Service has primary 

responsibilities 

for all emergency 

services in the park, 

but relies on local 

cooperators for 

assistance when 

needed 

Cooperative Cooperative 2010 / 2015 PATC The PATC shares Currently under 

Agreement agreement responsibility with the revision and will be 

with Potomac park for maintenance renewed 

Appalachian Trail of approximately 250 

Club (PATC) miles, or nearly 60%, 

of park trails, including 

100 miles of the 

Appalachian National 

Scenic Trail The club 

is also responsible for 

backcountry cabin and 

hut maintenance and 

operations and the 

Ridgerunner program 

50
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name Agreement 

Type 

Start Date / 

Expiration 

Date 

Stakeholders Purpose Notes 

Concession Contract # CC­ 2/1/2013 / DNC Parks Assist park with 

Contracts SHEN001-13 12/31/2022 and Resorts at 

Shenandoah 

management of 

some visitor services, 

including managing 

two park lodges, four 

wayside restaurants, 

camp stores, and public 

showers and providing 

horse rides 

Cooperating Cooperating 10/1/10 / Shenandoah Standard NPS Shenandoah 

Association: association 10/1/15 National Park agreement between National Park 

Shenandoah agreement Association, cooperating associations Association has been 

National Park Shenandoah and national park the park’s dedicated 

Association National Park system units The 

association sells parkapproved educational 

and commemorative 

materials 

cooperating 

association for more 

than 50 years 

Shenandoah 

National Park 

Trust 

Cooperative 

agreement 

10/1/2007 / 

9/30/17 

National Park 

Service, trust 

employees and 

directors 

The trust is the official 

fundraising partner 

for the park, providing 

annual and multiyear 

grants for high priority 

park projects across 

divisions; supporting 

projects outside the 

park that benefit park 

resources; and building 

public awareness of the 

park 

Federal Aviation Interagency 10/1/08 / National Park The Vortec site These agreements 

Administration agreement 9/30/13 Service, FAA agreement provides for have been in 

(FAA): Vortec Site FAA to maintain and 

operate a facility on 

NPS property, as well 

as providing access and 

maintenance of the 

area around the facility 

place for many 

years, and the 

FAA automatically 

renews them 

every five years 

The Vortec site 

agreement is out 

of date and should 

be updated for 

more consistent and 

stronger language 

relating to access 

FAA: Bucks Elbow Interagency 

agreement 

10/15/98 / N/A National Park 

Service, FAA 

The Bucks Elbow 

agreement provides the 

FAA access across NPS 

land to a FAA facility 

located on Bucks Elbow 

Nepenthe Land Right-of-way 11/1/11 / N/A National Agreement grants the 

Corporation agreement Park Service, right of the National 

Right-of-Way Nepenthe Land 

Corporation 

Park Service to establish 

and maintain a 50-footwide ROW to the FAA 

facility at Bucks Elbow 

51
Foundation Document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name Agreement 

Type 

Start Date / 

Expiration 

Date 

Stakeholders Purpose Notes 

Right-of­ Right-of-way Various NPS, The permits allow 

Way: Utility permit Rappahannock for the companies to 

Transmission Electric operate and maintain 

Lines Way Cooperative, 

Shenandoah 

Valley Electric 

Cooperative, 

First Energy, 

Dominion 

Virginia Power 

a variety of electric 

utility lines in the park 

The size of the ROW is 

dependent on the type 

of line 

Land Lease Lease 10/1/2006 / 

9/30/2016 

Steve Lillard, 

Landowner 

Used to provide 

trailhead parking at Old 

Rag Trailhead 

Other leases may 

be put in place as 

needed to assure 

public access to park 

lands 

Emergency None N/A NPS Shenandoah serves An agreement with 

Information and as the EICC for the the Washington 

Coordination National Park Service; a Office is being 

Center (EICC) national commitment to 

support all NPS units 

drafted 

Hosted Work Memorandum 5/2014 / 5/2024 Northeast These agreements Agreements with 

Units Agreements of agreement Regional Office 

Employees 

with Northeast 

Regional Office 

outline Shenandoah’s 

commitment to provide 

workspace and other 

services for Northeast 

Regional Office 

employees stationed at 

Shenandoah 

other hosted staff 

are being drafted 

Blue Ridge 

Mountain 

Stewards 

Cooperative 

agreement 

2010 / 2015 Park visitors 

and resources 

To improve visitor safety 

and resource protection 

on Old Rag Mountain 

James Madison 

University 

Cooperative 

agreement 

2014 / 2019 State Historic 

Preservation 

Office 

Cultural resource 

identification and 

protection 

Shenandoah Cooperative 2014 / 2015 US To assess cold- Shenandoah 

Watershed agreement Environmental water systems and Watershed 

Assessment Study Protection 

Agency and the 

National Park 

Service 

acidification in selected 

park watersheds 

Assessment Study 

was started in 1979 

52
53

Shenandoah National Park

Appendix C: Basics for Wilderness Stewardship 

Wilderness Background Information 

In partial fulfillment of a public vision for an Appalachian national park, Shenandoah National 

Park was established in 1935 by the US Congress as a unit of the National Park Service 

for the purpose of establishing a public park in the Blue Ridge of Virginia for the benefit 

and enjoyment of the people. Concurrently, efforts to establish the Appalachian Trail were 

underway and the long-distance, national trail would eventually be established as a throughway 

for nonmotorized and nonmechanized travel along the length of the park (though the 

Appalachian Trail is managed as a separate unit of the National Park Service). Establishment of 

the public park from populated private land by both donation and condemnation dramatically 

changed the existing landscape by terminating utilitarian land uses that had been established 

for hundreds of years. As the former occupants left and visitors began coming, the old farm and 

timber lands lay fallow and the forest regenerated to fulfill the agency’s vision of what a park 

should look like based on experiences with western parks. 

The park’s wilderness lands are sometimes referred to as “recycled” wilderness that serve to 

demonstrate the recuperative powers of natural processes in eastern deciduous Appalachian 

forest. The land now managed as wilderness was once cleared, homesteaded, farmed, logged, 

mined, grazed, and burned by generations of European American settlers, but much of the 

native forest had reestablished by the 1960s, prompting successive park superintendents to 

advance the idea of establishing a wilderness area under a concept that “re-wilded” landscapes 

could be worthy of wilderness designation as provided for in the 1964 Wilderness Act. In the 

years that followed, the wilderness agencies, nonprofit organizations, and Congress engaged 

in a national debate about what lands were suitable for wilderness. This was largely centered 

on the US Forest Service interpretation of wilderness as pristine and that bureau’s failure 

to include human modified lands as proposed wilderness in its wilderness studies vs. pushback from wilderness advocates who saw recovered human modified landscapes as worthy 

of wilderness designation. The differing interpretations of the 1964 Wilderness Act were 

eventually resolved in 1975 with the passage of PL 93-622, which was untitled but came to be 

known as the Eastern Wilderness Act. Within wilderness circles, the proposed Shenandoah 

Wilderness served as an example of the type of formerly used and occupied lands now 

protected by federal ownership that could be further protected as federal wilderness to provide 

respite from the urbanized landscapes of the eastern United States and to preserve these 

recovering landscapes from future exploitation, urbanization, and industrial use. 
Foundation Document

54

While the original 1975 Eastern Wilderness Act immediately designated wilderness on lands 

administered by the US Forest Service, the National Park Service was well underway with 

its own wilderness study processes. A draft wilderness proposal was first presented to the 

National Park Service in 1966 by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, with a recommendation 

for 51,500 acres of wilderness. However, The Wilderness Society, National Parks Association, 

and Sierra Club prepared even more ambitious proposals, with much of the discrepancy 

between the proposals turning on differing opinions about the degree to which past human 

land uses affect the suitability of lands as wilderness. This debate hinged primarily on differing 

interpretation of section 2c of the 1964 Wilderness Act that wilderness “generally appears 

to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with the impact of man’s work 

substantially unnoticeable.” 

As part of a systematic implementation of the 1964 Wilderness Act, the National Park 

Service initiated its own wilderness study at Shenandoah in 1966 and in April 1967 released 

a “preliminary wilderness proposal” to the public that studied nine roadless areas totaling 

150,100 acres and recommended six wilderness areas totaling 61,940 acres. During the 

public involvement process, members of the public as well as local, regional, and national 

organizations pressured the National Park Service to include more lands in its recommendation 

as wilderness for a total of 91,000 acres. Again, the debate turned on the extent to which 

previous land uses compromised the suitability of the land as wilderness, with the focus of 

this debate centered on roads and access routes as well as the minimum parcel size. Following 

the public hearings, the National Park Service undertook additional analysis and in 1970 

added 14,062 acres to the preliminary proposal while removing 2,722 that had previously been 

recommended, and a total of 73,280 acres were formally recommended as wilderness by NPS 

Director George B. Hartzog in October 1970. The completed wilderness study for 14 separate 

wilderness areas to be administered by the National Park Service was transmitted by the 

President of the United States to Congress on April 28, 1971, with the following description of 

the proposed Shenandoah Wilderness: 

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia – 73,280 acres. The scenic grandeur of the Shenandoah’s 

Blue Ridge is well known. This area is one of the few remaining examples of the vast mountain 

wildernesses that long ago stood as an obstacle before pioneers pushing westward. 

Congressional consideration of the Shenandoah Wilderness opened when Senator Harry F. 

Byrd, Jr., introduced S. 2158 for the NPS proposal of 73,280 acres, which was concurrently 

supported with an identical bill sponsored by Representative Kenneth Robinson. But Senator 

Frank Church, a powerful champion of the 1964 Wilderness Act and ranking senator who was 

serving as chairman of the Senate subcommittee during the hearings of May 5, 1972, when the 

Shenandoah bill was presented, thought the proposal was overly conservative. He expressed 

opposition to the exclusions that had been drawn around existing or proposed developed sites 

and the set-back along the park boundaries. Subsequent revisions to the proposed wilderness 

boundary reduced or eliminated those exclusions and influenced servicewide policy regarding 

such exclusions. A revised proposal of 80,000 acres was considered by Congress in 1973 as 

sponsored by Senator Byrd in S. 988. During the subcommittee hearings an alternative proposal 

for 112,687 acres was presented by three major environmental organizations (the Wilderness 

society, Sierra Club, and Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs). The departmental and agency 

testimony held fast to a wilderness proposal to not exceed 80,000, citing the need to preserve 

opportunities for future park management decisions to have parcels available for trade to 

resolve boundary issues, address trailhead capacity at popular destinations, and accommodate 

future utility corridors along roadways. 
55

Shenandoah National Park

Eventually the committee favored Byrd’s bill, which aligned with the revised NPS proposal, 

and the full Senate passed it on September 20, 1973, and sent it to the House. The coalition of 

wilderness supporters rallied for a compromise at 104,000 acres. Opposition to any wilderness 

proposal surged from Madison County officials and business interests, who wanted both 

new and increased road access as well as future water impoundments on lands proposed as 

wilderness and expressed concerns about increased fire hazard resulting from the closing of 

fire roads in the proposed wilderness. The 1974 congressional session closed without passage 

of a Shenandoah wilderness act, but public debate escalated with increasingly polarized 

views of wilderness in general, and the implications of Shenandoah wilderness in particular, 

with the National Park Service generally in the middle. Exchanges between Senator Byrd’s 

staff and NPS staff at both the park and the Washington office indicate that Senator Byrd 

was leading the way toward an amendment to designate travel corridors within the NPS 

wilderness proposal in order to partially placate some of the opposition to his wilderness bill. 

Meanwhile, the bureau stood firm that such delineations on a map were unnecessary, and in 

fact would hamper future park managers, because section 4c of the Wilderness Act provides 

for adequate managerial latitude to maintain some areas as corridors where it is determined to 

be the minimum requirement for the administration of the area as wilderness. Again Senator 

Byrd introduced an amended wilderness bill in 1976, S. 885, which the National Park Service 

supported, and it was passed by the Senate on April 7, 1976. This bill appeared to stall out 

in the House of Representatives for a few months over the opposition from the coalition of 

wilderness organizations that the corridors created a “mutilated wilderness.” Then, with little 

advance warning or fanfare, the Shenandoah Wilderness proposal was rolled up with 12 other 

NPS wilderness proposals, and passed as an omnibus act by the House on Saturday, October 

4, 1976, the day before the session ended, thus abruptly terminating a decade of political 

wrangling, map drawing and redrawing, and public debate over the Shenandoah Wilderness. 

Eventually, wilderness was designated within 

Shenandoah National Park in 1976 (PL 94-567), 

establishing 79,019 acres as wilderness and 560 

acres as potential wilderness additions until 

such time as existing nonconforming uses were 

terminated. The superintendent at the time 

of designation, Robert Jacobsen, set forth the 

following policy of not only preserving but also 

improving the wilderness character of the newly 

designated lands: “We recognized, through its 

relatively small size, its already established levels 

and patterns of visitor use, and the presence of 

immediately adjacent nonconforming land use 

activities, that our wilderness area was not of 

the highest order—and immediately adopted 

a nondegradation policy . . . and while our 

wilderness is not supreme, we will not allow 

its primeval character, and its opportunities for 

solitude, inspiration, and physical and mental 

challenges to decline. Furthermore, we will 

strive, and might be able, to improve its overall 

quality.” Removals of numerous facilities and 

administrative reassignment of special access 

permits to other nonwilderness roads enabled 

the park to administratively convert the entire 

560 acres of potential wilderness addition to 

designated wilderness with the publication of a 

Federal Register notice in September 1978. With 

all potential wilderness additions converted into 

wilderness, the designated wilderness now totals 

79,579 acres in 3 areas and 11 separate parcels. 
Foundation Document

56

Wilderness Character Narrative 

Overview 

A wilderness character narrative is a positive and affirming description of what is unique 

and special about this wilderness. The narrative is structured to give a brief overview of 

the geopolitical setting of the wilderness area, followed by narrative descriptions of each 

quality of wilderness character, including what preserves or exemplifies that quality in that 

place as well as what degrades that quality. In many cases, the same resource or action 

may serve to preserve one quality of wilderness character while concurrently degrading 

another quality of wilderness character. This is an entirely acceptable situation that reflects 

the complex realities of wilderness. The framework by which these qualities are defined, 

and what indicators or measures are used to determine preservation or degradation of 

that quality, follows. (Keeping it Wild in the National Park Service: A User Guide to 

Integrating Wilderness Character into Park Planning, Management, and Monitoring, 

which is a component of Directors Order/Reference Manual 41: Wilderness Stewardship) 

Shenandoah National Park straddles the long, rocky Blue Ridge of the Appalachian Mountains, 

its ancient rock knobs and stony backbone rising 3,000 feet above the Virginia Piedmont 

to its east and the Shenandoah Valley to its west. This forested ridgeline was first occupied 

by American Indians some 11,000 years ago who seasonally visited these highlands to hunt 

and gather. The Blue Ridge, which dominates the horizon for miles, served as a formidable 

obstacle to westward exploration in the 17th century and later as a home for generations of 

European Americans who farmed, logged, grazed, and mined nature’s bounty in the 18th 

and 19th centuries. Established in 1935, Shenandoah National Park terminated most of those 

historic land uses and instead focused on providing recreational opportunities and allowing 

the natural recovery of the forested landscape. By the mid-1960s, the reclaimed wildlands 

were being considered for wilderness designation under the 1964 Wilderness Act but the 

suitability of re-wilded versus pristine lands for wilderness inclusion was the subject of national 

debate. With the passage of PL 93-622 in 1975, known as the Eastern Wilderness Act, the US 

Congress confirmed that indeed those lands previously logged, farmed, mined, and otherwise 

used by humans could be included in wilderness provided that their condition at the time of 

designation “generally appears to have been affected primarily by the forces of nature, with 

the imprint of man’s work substantially unnoticeable” (see section 2c, the Wilderness Act). 

And, thus, wilderness was designated within Shenandoah National Park in 1976 (PL 94­

567), establishing 79,019 acres as wilderness and 560 acres as potential wilderness additions 

until such time as existing nonconforming uses were terminated. Those uses were quickly 

terminated or reassigned to nonwilderness lands, and the potential wilderness additions were 

converted to wilderness in 1978. Today, Shenandoah Wilderness now totals 79,579 acres in 3 

areas and 11 separate parcels that share boundaries within the park with backcountry lands, 

frontcountry lands, the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Skyline Drive, and other roads. 

Along the exterior park boundary, the wilderness abuts nonfederal lands used for residential 

and agricultural purposes with some small areas adjoining a state wildlife management area and 

the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. 

In 2013, the park hosted 41,419 overnight stays in the backcountry (down from previous years 

because of the government shutdown), of which about 20%–30% are estimated to occur in 

the Shenandoah Wilderness. Additionally, the Shenandoah Wilderness is a popular day use 

destination, owing in part to its close proximity and ease of access to large population centers, 

and numerous points of access to a well-established trail system with many options for one 

way and loop travel routes. Numerous roads terminate at the park boundary as trailheads, 

providing an alternative to the paved scenic byway known as Skyline Drive and the well-worn 

Appalachian National Scenic Trail, which crisscross each other along the length of the park to 

provide a continuous conduit for north-south travel and a host of trailheads. 
57

Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park’s boundary is more than 370 miles in length and approximately 

95% of adjacent lands are privately owned. These adjacent lands contain a patchwork of 

residential and agricultural land uses and their proximity to the boundary contributes to the 

sights, sounds, and smells visitors may experience when travelling through some areas of the 

Shenandoah Wilderness. 

A 2011 frontcountry visitor use study found that most respondents reported these wildernessrelated activities as either important or extremely important to their park visit: experience 

wilderness, view plants and animals, enjoy solitude, and enjoy sounds of nature. While 

wilderness is a minority of its acres and much of the wilderness is easily accessible, the park is 

highly valued for its wilderness opportunities. 

Natural 

Wilderness ecological systems are substantially free from the effects of modern civilization. 

This quality is preserved or improved, for example, by controlling or removing 

nonindigenous species or restoring ecological processes. This quality is degraded by the 

loss of indigenous species, occurrence of nonindigenous species, alteration of ecological 

processes such as water flow or fire regimes, effects of climate change, and many others. 

The ancient rocks of the Appalachian Mountains, some more than a billion years old, have 

been metamorphosed, intruded, uplifted, chemically weathered and eroded to give rise to a 

range of elevation, slopes and aspects, rocks, and soils. This ancient rocky ridgeline, buttressed 

by lateral ridges and sylvan hollows, is veneered with mature, primarily second-growth forest, 

a product of abundant precipitation and a long growing season. Oak-hickory and oak-pine 

and other hardwood forest communities dominate most of the park with smaller areas of 

rock barrens and boulder fields, woodland, and meadow communities. Remnants of boreal 

forests, a reminder of the last glacial reach from the north that stopped short of this location, 

are found at higher elevations including several rocky knobs that punctuate the forest canopy 

and two that rise to lofty heights of 4,000+ feet above sea level. These isolated, high elevation 

communities support rare and endemic species such as the Shenandoah salamander, an animal 

whose entire range lies wholly within high elevations in the park. 

Forested landscapes are composed of more than 1,400 different vascular plant species and 

thousands of nonvascular plant species. There are also hundreds of springs and seeps and 

more than 90 free-flowing headwater streams whose cold-water cascades support remnant 

populations of native aquatic species, including brook trout that have largely been extirpated 

elsewhere in the Appalachian region. In sum, the park’s diverse forest, open, and aquatic 

habitats support more than 200 bird, 50 mammal, 51 amphibian and reptile, and 39 fish species, 

including several federally endangered and state threatened species of animals and plants. 

Invertebrate inventories are rare but aquatic invertebrate inventories have documented more 

than 240 species in park waters. High elevation terrestrial inventories found more than 750 

species to include at least 7 state rare species, including butterflies. 

The natural quality of the Shenandoah Wilderness is threatened by the pervasive effects of 

the surrounding urbanized and agricultural landscape, which serve to isolate the Blue Ridge 

Mountains and restrict movements of some large ranging mammals and also serve as sources of 

nonnative species and air pollutants. In addition, the past land use history of farming, logging, 

homesites, grazing, and mining continues to echo through the park’s regenerated forest, and 

is found in the cut stumps, road traces, minor impoundments, old fence lines, and scattered 

prospects that dot the landscape. Thus, while much of the native flora and fauna continue 

to persist in the park, the species composition, distribution, and abundance are probably 

altered by past or present human activities. Nonnative forest pests, both invasive plants and 

insects (e.g., gypsy moth, hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald ash borer) and disease agents, alter 

the forest community and serve to fragment the forest canopy to the detriment of interior 

woodland species, such as neotropical migrant birds. About 360 nonnative plant species are 

found in the park, including 41 that are considered invasive. 
Foundation Document

Altered fire regimes, both through fire suppression and prescribed fire, have also affected the 

forest communities. Historical records indicate that the Blue Ridge province was the most fire 

prone area in the central Appalachian Mountains of Virginia and West Virginia from natural 

ignitions (Lafon et al. 2007)1

. In an analysis of 12 fire scar studies, Brose, Dey, and Waldrop 

(2014)2

 found the pre-European settlement mean fire return interval in the Appalachians every 

5.8 years. Other Appalachian studies produced an average of 7 years. The post-European 

settlement mean fire return interval was found to be every 5.3 years. After the inception of fire 

control policies in the 1900s, the modern fire return interval in the Appalachian’s was found to 

be every 32.4 years (Brose, Dey, and Waldrop 2014). 

Fire season in the Appalachians is typically bimodal and occurs in the spring (February 15 

to May 15) and fall (October 15 to December 15), however fires can occur at any time when 

weather conditions, dry fuels, and an ignition source align. The fire history of the park, dating 

back to the 1930s, indicates many fires occurring on dry southwest facing slopes, particularly 

in the South District, however during dry years fires are able to burn into topographically moist 

sites. Brose, Dey, and Waldrop (2014) found that the vast majority of the historic fire studies 

indicate these fires occurred in the dormant season. However, Cohen et al. (2007)3

 found that 

xeric pine oak heath forests can ignite from lightning strikes in the summer and the resultant 

fires can burn for weeks, even with precipitation, covering large landscapes. 

1. Lafon, C. W., J. O. Waldron, D. M. Cairns, M. D. Tchakerian, R. N. Coulson, and K. D. Klepzig. 2007. 

“Modeling the Effects of Fire on the Long-Term Dynamics of Yellow Pine and Oak Forests in the Southern 

Appalachian Mountains.” Restoration Ecology 15(3):400–411. 

2. Brose, Patrick H., Daniel C. Dey, and Thomas A. Waldrop. 2014. The Fire—Oak Literature of Eastern North 

America: Synthesis and Guidelines. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-135. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 98 p. 

3. Cohen, D., B. Dellinger, R. Klein, and B. Buchan. 2007. “Patterns in Lightning-Caused Fires at Great Smoky 

Mountains National Park.” Fire Ecology Special Issue 3(2):68–82. 

58
59

Shenandoah National Park

Prior to 1750, fires intentionally set by American Indians were used to achieve a variety 

of results, including clearing land for agriculture, assisting in the management of favored 

vegetation, clearing routes of travel, herding game, and even waging war on neighboring 

tribes (Abrams 1992, Brose et al. 2001)4,5. From 1750–1930, increased European settlement 

augmented the frequency and intensity of disturbances in and around the park, maintaining 

and, perhaps, expanding the oak-hickory and pine component in the forests (Brose et al. 2001). 

These fires probably varied in intensity and exerted a considerable influence upon vegetative 

composition. One effect may have been creating a forested landscape in which oak and hickory 

and, in some areas, pine were a dominant component of forests (Abrams 2005)6

. Numerous fire 

studies have found fire scarring almost ubiquitous in stands of table mountain pine throughout 

the Appalachians. Since 1930, however, effective and active fire suppression effort in the United 

States has probably limited the regeneration of oak and pine forests at Shenandoah National 

Park, as well as central and southern Appalachia. Moreover, fire intolerant and shade tolerant 

mesic tree species now dominate the mid and understory strata in these dry oak and pine forest 

communities. The park has begun conducting prescribed fires in dry oak and pine ecosystems 

to restore the ecological resilience and integrity of these forested communities. Brose et al 

(2013)7 analyzed 32 prescribed fire studies conducted in mixed oak forests and found that single 

prescribed fires conducted in a closed canopy stand have little impact on regenerating oak and 

pine. Multiple burns have been shown to increase regeneration especially when followed by a 

canopy disturbance. Growing season fires have been shown to achieve the desired reduction 

in crown density faster than dormant season prescribed fires. Prescribed fires at Shenandoah 

will be implemented during the dormant and growing season with a targeted rotation of every 

5–7 years. The park is also authorized in the 2006 fire management plan to manage a wildfire for 

multiple objectives, which may include natural resource benefit. 

Air pollution originating from nearby and distant urban sources impacts biophysical processes: 

Acid deposition, especially in the southern areas of the wilderness, alters stream chemistry. 

Elevated ozone damages sensitive plant species. Increased particulates reduce visibility from 

the park’s iconic scenic viewpoints, both from within wilderness looking out as well as from 

outside looking toward the wilderness. 

Climate change is warming cold-water streams to the detriment of native brook trout, altering 

the seasonal rhythms of plants and animals, which disrupts ecological interactions, and 

increases the probability of intense weather events (e.g., flooding, droughts, etc.). In highuse destinations in wilderness, visitor impacts have also altered local resources by trampling, 

improper disposal of human waste, littering, illegal campfires, and other depreciative 

visitor behaviors. 

4. Abrams, M.D. 1992. “Fire and the Development of Oak Forests.” BioScience. 42: 346–353. 

5. Brose, P.H., T.M. Schuler, D.H. Van Lear, and J Berst. 2001. “Bringing Fire Back: The Changing Regimes 

of the Appalachian Mixed-Oak Forests.” Journal of Forestry. 99(11): 30–35. 

6. Abrams, Marc D. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry, Volume 22, Number 3, September 2005, pp. 

190–196(7) 

7. Brose, Patrick H. Daniel C. Dey, Ross J. Phillips, and Thomas A. Waldrop. 2013. “A Meta-Analysis of the 

Fire-Oak Hypothesis: Does Prescribed Burning Promote Oak Reproduction in Eastern North America.” 

Forest Science. 59(3): 322–334. 
Foundation Document

60

Untrammeled 

Wilderness is essentially unhindered and free from the intentional actions of modern 

human control or manipulation. This quality is influenced by any activity or action that 

intentionally controls or manipulates the components or processes of ecological systems 

inside wilderness. It is supported or preserved when such management actions are not 

taken. It is degraded when such management actions are taken, even when these actions 

are intended to protect resources, such as spraying herbicides to eradicate or control 

nonindigenous species, or reducing fuels accumulated from decades of fire exclusion. 

The untrammeled quality is preserved by the exercise of humility and restraint by park managers 

to not intervene in natural biophysical processes. Modern trammeling of the Shenandoah 

Wilderness is undertaken judiciously and is mostly focused on removal of developments or 

impacts of past land uses (pre-wilderness) to restore the undeveloped quality, or intervention to 

protect or restore natural processes. For the most part, forest succession continues unaided by 

the National Park Service; plants and animals live, reproduce, and die, soil nutrients cycle, and 

watershed processes continue unimpeded and undirected by park managers. 

The untrammeled quality is degraded by some ongoing resource stewardship activities, such as 

widespread monitoring and control of invasive plants and forest pests, and fire management. On 

average, six fires are suppressed annually and one prescribed fire is ignited, totaling 2,283acres 

annually on average. The vast majority of these acres are from wildfires with 2,225 acres burned 

each year. Some of the fires occur wholly or partially on wilderness lands and thus represent 

some deliberate alteration of fire regimes. It is also degraded by activities not authorized by 

the federal land manager, such as illegal plant and animal harvest (e.g., ramps, ginseng, deer 

poaching, etc.), unauthorized fish stocking, illegal tree removal, and illegal pet dumping. 

Undeveloped 

Wilderness retains its primeval character and influence, and is essentially without 

permanent improvement or modern human occupation. This quality is influenced by 

what are commonly called the “Section 4(c) prohibited uses” or “nonconforming” uses, 

which are the presence of modern structures, installations, habitations, and the use of 

motor vehicles, motorized equipment, or mechanical transport. This quality is preserved 

by the absence of structures and installations, and refraining from these prohibited uses. It 

is degraded by the presence of structures and by prohibited uses, whether by the agency for 

administrative purposes, by others authorized by the agency, or unauthorized uses. (Note 

that structures and installations related to visitor use and recreation are included in the 

Solitude Quality rather than the Undeveloped Quality.) 

While much of the wilderness was previously settled and used by humans, most of the land has 

been re-wilded with the passage of time since park establishment and wilderness designation. 

Modern, nonrecreational installations are relatively rare in the Shenandoah Wilderness. 

Nonmotorized and nonmechanical tools are used for routine, nonemergency work such as 

maintaining trails and signs, or for the installation or maintenance of administrative installations. 

The undeveloped quality is degraded by the remnants of past development on the lands that 

are now in wilderness. Still visible in some places in the form of rock walls, foundations, road 

traces, forest clearings, cemeteries, and stone chimneys are the remains of the old settlements 

that once occupied the landscape. There are also administrative installations found within the 

wilderness, such as meteorological stations, permanently marked monitoring plots, wildlife 

cameras, minor fencing, and collared wildlife. 

This quality is also degraded by the use of motor vehicles, landing of aircraft, motorized 

equipment, or mechanical transport. Such equipment is sometimes authorized for use during 

emergencies such as search and rescue and wildland fire, typically at a frequency of a dozen 

incidents annually, though minimum impact techniques are used as often as possible and 

practical for these activities. Actions not authorized by federal land managers sometimes occur, 

such as motorized equipment use during initial action on wildland fire incidents by state and 

local cooperators and motorized vehicle incursions from adjacent lands. 
61

Shenandoah National Park

Solitude or Primitive and Unconfined Recreation 

Wilderness provides outstanding opportunities for solitude or primitive and unconfined 

recreation. This quality is primarily about the opportunity for people to experience 

wilderness, and is influenced by settings that affect these opportunities. This quality is 

preserved or improved by management actions that reduce visitor encounters, signs 

of modern civilization inside wilderness, agency-provided recreation facilities, and 

management restrictions on visitor behavior. In contrast, this quality is degraded by 

management actions that increase these. This quality has internal tension between 

the concept of solitude and the concept of unconfined, and thus the same action taken 

to preserve solitude will unavoidably serve to confine some aspect of recreation. This 

apparent conflict serves to highlight the complexity of wilderness recreation. 

Rugged mountain topography and verdant forests provide for feelings of solitude throughout 

much of the wilderness, and this landscape is wholly accessible to the intrepid visitor due to 

the allowance for off-trail travel and dispersed camping that allows visitors to wander at will. 

In contrast, a vast trail network serves to both accommodate visitor access to wilderness and 

to decrease solitude due to the higher probability of encounters on the trail and proliferation 

of impacted backcountry campsites along logical or popular routes of travel. Destination sites, 

such as Old Rag, attract large numbers of day users into wilderness settings, which can degrade 

the feeling of solitude. The high elevation portions of the wilderness provide opportunities for 

scenic vistas for miles around, including occupied and modified areas outside of wilderness, 

which serve to degrade the feeling of solitude. Similarly, Skyline Drive runs the length of the 

park along the top of the ridge, and its developed areas serve as a pervasive source of noise 

and, to a lesser extent, light pollution that is sometimes observable from within wilderness. 

Deterioration of night sky visibility is primarily caused by ambient light from the surrounding 

residential and agricultural landscape beyond park boundaries. Sounds and lights from 

passing vehicles travelling along Skyline Drive also may occasionally be observable from some 

areas within wilderness and degrade the sense of remoteness. The long, linear nature of the 

park’s geography, combined with increasing developments along the park boundary in some 

locations, further degrades the sense of remoteness from occupied and modified areas outside 

the wilderness because nonwilderness is always relatively close, sometimes within sight or 

sound of wilderness users. 

There are abundant opportunities for primitive and unconfined recreation, including dispersed 

camping and the freedom to choose your itinerary, but such opportunities are often pursued 

in the company of others, given the proximity of this wilderness to the densely populated 

eastern seaboard. To minimize conflicts between groups, some regulations are in place to 

help minimize impacts on other visitors and park resources. Such restrictions include permit 

requirements, length of stay restrictions, areas closed to camping, prohibitions on campfires, 

and stock restrictions. More than 500 miles of trail are actively maintained in the park, a 

portion of which are in wilderness, with numerous wayfinding installations, well-marked trail 

crossings, and some bridges to aid in stream crossing and to prevent resource damage, which 

also serve to degrade the sense of primitive and unconfined recreation. 
Foundation Document

62

 

 

Other Features of Value 

Wilderness preserves other tangible features that are of scientific, educational, scenic, or 

historical value. This quality is based on the last clause of section 2(c) of the Wilderness 

Act which states that a wilderness “may also contain ecological, geological, or other 

features of scientific, educational, scenic, or historical value.” This quality captures 

important elements of the wilderness that are not covered in the other four qualities, such 

as cultural or paleontological resources. This quality is preserved or improved when these 

resources are preserved and their loss or impacts on such features degrade this quality of 

wilderness character. 

The story of Shenandoah Wilderness is one of wilderness reclaimed. That is, virtually all of 

the lands that are now in wilderness previously supported human use and settlement in both 

prehistoric and historic times. 

The park has the highest number and oldest documented archeological sites in the 

Virginia Blue Ridge. Some high-elevation sites dating back to 11,000 years ago provide 

paleoarcheological evidence of seasonal resources that framed settlement throughout 

prehistory, providing important food sources as well as stone sources for tool making. The 

highest elevation prehistoric pottery in Virginia, dating to AD 1000, has been recovered at 

Big Meadows, reinforcing the interpretation of the site as an important location in regional 

social systems. Thus, the prehistoric archeological resources in Shenandoah Wilderness have 

scientific, educational, and historic value. 

In historic times, hunters and trappers gathered the biological riches of the mountains and 

were soon followed by several generations of European American settlers who lived in 

scattered homesites and rural communities in the Shenandoah Mountains. Thus, the vast 

majority of the parks lands and wilderness have been homesteaded, farmed, logged, grazed, or 

mined. With the establishment of the park, approximately 450 families were relocated, leaving 

behind ample evidence of their mountain lifestyle, which the verdant eastern forest has been 

reclaiming for decades. In addition to the people who lived there year-round, prior to park 

establishment private vacation resorts and summer homes were built to accommodate shortterm visitors who wished to enjoy the healthful mountain landscape and to escape the heat 

of summer. Evidence of these activities is still visible in many locations, though weathering 

and forest regrowth make them increasingly obscure. There are several historic homesites in 

wilderness, mostly in the central and north districts of the park. Most have not been formally 

evaluated for historic significance, but they could be nationally or regionally significant, and 

most have important historic value as they 

relate to park establishment. As generations 

lived, worked, and died here, there are also 

28 cemeteries in the park. These and other 

remnants of the recent past in Shenandoah 

Wilderness have historic value in that they 

convey, embody, or stimulate a reaction to the 

past and can serve as a thought-provoking 

contrast to the unpeopled concept of 

wilderness. 

Cultural sites are degraded primarily by 

looting. The archeological sites are often 

difficult to detect and thus are not likely to be 

looted by casual visitors. In contrast, many of 

the historic sites are quite noticeable and over 

the years many of the most choice and easily 

transportable items have been carried off site 

by park visitors. Looting is a permanent loss 

that degrades the historical, educational, and 

scientific values of wilderness. 
Shenandoah National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wilderness Planning Needs 

This section describes the relationship between some of the planning and data needs identified 

in the park foundation document and wilderness character in order to better inform future 

wilderness stewardship investments and decisions. Where applicable, the wilderness character 

framework, and associated qualities and indicators, have been noted for each data need. 

Plan Name Opportunities to Integrate Wilderness Character 

Backcountry In addition to systematically addressing wilderness issues related to 

and wilderness park operations, the wilderness and backcountry stewardship plan 

management plan provides an opportunity to establish or refine a wilderness character 

update monitoring program consistent with national standards (see NPS 

Reference Manual 41: Wilderness Stewardship) to track each quality 

of wilderness character over time The Wilderness Stewardship Plan 

Handbook (part of RM-41) provides many details about where and 

how to integrate wilderness character into a wilderness stewardship 

planning process 

Visitor use 

management plan 

for Old Rag 

As a high-use destination in both backcountry and wilderness, this 

planning effort focused on Old Rag provides an opportunity to 

consider tradeoffs between and within the qualities of wilderness 

character in order to inform visitor use management For example, 

visitor use decisions relate directly to several indicators under the 

solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation quality, particularly 

“remoteness from sights and sounds of people inside the wilderness” 

and “management restrictions on visitor behavior ” Management 

actions considered may also relate to preserving the natural quality of 

wilderness character where visitor use has impacted natural resources/ 

processes It may also relate to the undeveloped quality where new 

developments are proposed to administer the area as wilderness 

External threats Where those external threats and/or proposed management actions 

mitigation strategy impact wilderness, the qualities of wilderness character can be one 

factor to consider in prioritizing future planning efforts Likewise, 

a wilderness character monitoring program can be used to track 

changes in the qualities of wilderness character, including sources of 

degradation that originate from external threats 

Boundary access 

evaluation 

The size and location of boundary access points that serve as trailheads 

for wilderness users provides an opportunity to thoughtfully manage 

visitor use through facility design considerations Such decisions relate 

directly to the solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation quality 

Resource The resource stewardship strategy can be used to establish or 

stewardship strategy integrate a wilderness character monitoring program in the resource 

condition summary tables Likewise, the comprehensive strategies 

provide an opportunity to improve wilderness character through 

thoughtful planning 

Feral hog 

management plan 

Overall, the implementation of these resource-specific management 

plans would be expected to improve the natural quality of wilderness 

character, though some specific management actions may degrade 

other qualities of wilderness character, particularly the untrammeled 

quality and perhaps the undeveloped quality (e g , scientific 

instrumentation, wildlife collars, etc ) The impact analysis for such 

plans can use the framework of wilderness character to analyze 

the short-term and long-term trade-offs between the qualities of 

wilderness character 

Exotic plant 

management plan 

Restoration plan for 

pH-impaired streams 

Emerald ash borer 

management plan 

63
Foundation Document

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Data and GIS 

Needs Opportunities to Integrate Wilderness Character 

Resource impacts 

study at iconic 

destinations and in 

wilderness 

Such impacts can be framed by the qualities of wilderness character 

in order to inform future planning/management actions as well as 

wilderness character monitoring efforts Such resource impact studies 

can provide baseline or point-in-time data for the park’s wilderness 

character monitoring effort Applicable wilderness quality indicators 

include plant and animal species and communities, physical resources, 

and biophysical properties 

Visitor use-related This information relates directly to the solitude or primitive and 

data collection in unconfined recreation quality and informs this indicator: remoteness 

the Shenandoah from sights and sounds of people inside the wilderness 

Wilderness 

Dark night skies This data collection relates directly to both the natural quality and the 

data collection solitude or primitive and unconfined recreation quality and informs 

this indicator: remoteness from occupied and modified areas outside 

the wilderness 

Analysis of longterm data collected 

on park ecosystems 

This information relates directly to the natural quality and informs 

these indicators: plant and animal species and communities, physical 

resources, and biophysical properties 

Cultural resource 

surveys 

This information relates directly to the other features of value quality 

64
Shenandoah National Park

Appendix D: Past and Ongoing Park Planning and 

Data Collection Efforts 

Name Type Published 

Significance of Headwater Streams and Perennial Springs 

in Ecological Monitoring in Shenandoah National Park 

Data Report 2013 

Synthesis and Interpretation of Surface-Water Quality and 

Aquatic Biota Data Collected in Shenandoah National 

Park, Virginia, 1979–2009 

Data Report 2013 

Weather of Shenandoah National Park 

Mid-Atlantic Network Summary Reports [2012, 2011, 

2010] 

Data Report 2013 

Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring in Shenandoah 

National Park 

2009 Summary Report 

Data Report 2012 

Characterization of Major-Ion Chemistry and Nutrients 

in Headwater Streams Along the Appalachian National 

Scenic Trail and Within Adjacent Watersheds, Maine to 

Georgia 

Data Report 2012 

Fish Monitoring in Shenandoah National Park 

2010 Summary Report 

Data Report 2012 

Forest Vegetation Status in Shenandoah National Park 

Long-term Ecological Monitoring Summary Report 

2003–2011 

Data Report 2012 

NPS Abandoned Mineral Lands Inventory and Assessment 

Shenandoah National Park 

Data Report 2012 

Prioritizing Forest Communities and Areas for the Use of 

Prescribed Fire at Shenandoah National Park 

Data Report 2012 

Shenandoah National Park Visitor Study 

Summer and Fall 2011 

[previous visitor study conducted in summer 2001 with 

associated report published in 2002; first visitor study 

conducted in summer and fall 1987 with associated 

report published in 1988] 

Data Report 2012 

Soils and Foundation Report 

Rehabilitation of 7 Historic Overlooks Along Skyline Drive 

Page, Madison, Shenandoah, Rappahannock, Greene, 

and Warren Counties, Virginia 

Data Report 2012 

Virginia Trout Stream Sensitivity Study 

2010 Survey Results for Shenandoah National Park 

Data Report 2012 

Weather and Climate Monitoring Protocol 

Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network and Mid-Atlantic 

Network 

Data Planning 2012 

65
Foundation Document

 

Name Type Published 

Rock Outcrop Management Plan 

Environmental Assessment/Assessment of Effect 

Planning 

Document 

2012 

Cultural Landscapes Inventories: Elkwallow, Simmons 

Gap, and Skyline Drive Landscape 

Data Report 2011 

Evaluation of the Sensitivity of Inventory and Monitoring 

National Parks to Acidification Effects from Atmospheric 

Sulfur and Nitrogen Deposition 

Mid-Atlantic Network (MIDN) 

Data Report 2011 

Evaluation of the Sensitivity of Inventory and Monitoring 

National Parks to Nutrient Enrichment Effects from 

Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition 

Mid-Atlantic Network (MIDN) 

Data Report 2011 

Shenandoah National Park Forest Vegetation Monitoring 

Protocol Version 2 3 

Data Planning 2011 

Shenandoah National Park Traveler Information 

Coordination Study 

Planning 

Document 

2011 

A Conceptual Basis for Monitoring Vital Signs: 

Shenandoah National Park 

Data Planning 2010 

Aquatic Critical Loads and Exceedances in Acid-Sensitive 

Portions of Virginia and West Virginia Results of 

Southeastern Multiagency Critical Loads Research Project 

Data Report 2010 

Cultural Landscapes Inventories: Skyline Drive – North 

District, Central District, and South District 

Data Report 2010 

Mid-Atlantic Exotic Plant Management Team 

Exotic Vegetation Management 

Annual Reports [2010, 2009, 2007, 2006] 

Data Report 2010 

Shenandoah National Park Phenology Project – Weather 

Data Collection, Description, and Processing 

Data Report 2010 

Shenandoah National Park 

Weather [reports for 2009, 2008, and 2007] 

Data Report 2010 

Cultural Landscapes Inventories: Big Meadows, Dickey 

Ridge, Headquarters, Rapidan Camp, and South River 

Picnic Grounds 

Data Report 2009 

Mid-Atlantic Network 

Data Management Plan 

Data Planning 2009 

Shenandoah Watershed Study 

2007 Report 

Data Report 2009 

66
Shenandoah National Park

 

Name Type Published 

Soils and Foundation 

Rehabilitation of 16 Historic Overlooks Along Skyline 

Drive 

Warren, Page, Rappahannock, Madison, Rockingham, 

Albemarle, and Augusta Counties, Virginia 

Data Report 2009 

Vegetation of Shenandoah National Park in Relation to 

Environmental Gradients, Version 2 0 

Data Report 2009 

Mid-Atlantic Network Vital Signs Monitoring Plan Data Planning 2008 

Old Rag Parking Lot 

Shenandoah National Park 

Environmental Assessment 

Planning 

Document 

2008 

Potential Development of the Natural Gas Resources in 

the Marcellus Shale 

New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio 

Data Report 2008 

Climate Summary, Shenandoah National Park Data Report 2007 

Hydrology of Big Meadows, Shenandoah National Park, 

Virginia: 

Assessment of a Sensitive Wetland System in the Blue 

Ridge Mountains 

Data Report 2007 

Rehabilitation of the Skyline Drive Overlooks 

Shenandoah National Park 

Environmental Assessment 

Planning 

Document 

2007 

What’s Up With the Air? 

Shenandoah National Park 

Data Report 2007 

Acidic Deposition Impacts on Natural Resources in 

Shenandoah National Park 

Data Report 2006 

A Natural Resource Assessment for Shenandoah National 

Park 

Data Report 2006 

Cultural Landscapes Inventory 

Piney River 

Data Report Revised 

2006 

Effects of stream water chemistry on mercury 

concentrations in brook trout in Shenandoah National 

Park 

Data Report 2006 

The Road Inventory of Shenandoah National Park 

Volume 1 

[first road inventory of park published in 1999] 

Data Report 2006 

Weather and Climate Inventory 

National Park Service 

Mid-Atlantic Network 

Data Report 2006 

67
Foundation Document

 

Name Type Published 

Comprehensive Interpretive Plan 

2005 to 2010 

Planning 

Document 

2005 

Shenandoah 

Alternative Transportation Planning Study 

Planning 

Document 

2005 

Evaluation of Several Water Systems in Shenandoah 

National Park 

Data Report 2005 

Peregrine Falcon Restoration and Tracking Project 

Annual Report for 2004 

Data Report 2005 

Shenandoah National Park 

Fisheries Monitoring Program 

Annual Report for 2004 

Data Report 2005 

Shenandoah National Park 

Geologic Resource Management Issues 

Scoping Summary 

Data Report 2005 

Water Quality Monitoring in the Mid-Atlantic Network of 

the National Park Service 

Data Report 2005 

An Archeological Assessment of Browntown Valley and 

Gimlet Ridge Overlooks, Skyline Drive, Shenandoah 

National Park 

Data Report 2004 

Assessment of Late Pleistocene to Recent ClimateInduced Vegetation Changes In and Near Shenandoah 

National Park (Blue Ridge Province, VA) 

Data Report 2004 

Biodiversity Associated with Eastern Hemlock Forests: 

Assessment and Classification of Invertebrate Biodiversity 

within Shenandoah National Park 

Data Report 2004 

Collection Management Plan Planning 

Document 

2004 

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia 

Water Resources Scoping Report 

Data Report 2004 

A Revised Sampling Design for Vegetation Inventory and 

Monitoring at Shenandoah National Park 

Data Planning 2003 

Assessment of Air Quality and Related Values in 

Shenandoah National Park 

Data Report 2003 

Geology of the Shenandoah National Park, Virginia 

[originally published in 1976] 

Data Report Reprinted 

2003 

Integrated Pest Management Plan For the Buildings 

and Facilities of ARAMARK Sports and Entertainment 

Services, Inc 

Planning 

Document 

2003 

68
Shenandoah National Park

 

Name Type Published 

State of the Parks 

Shenandoah National Park 

A Resource Assessment 

Data Report 2003 

Air Emissions Inventory for Shenandoah National Park Data Report 2002 

Shenandoah National Park 

Fisheries Monitoring Protocol 

Data Planning 2002 

Field Report [Alternative Transportation System] 

Shenandoah National Park 

Data Report 2001 

Historic Furnishing Report 

Rapidan Camp: “The Brown House” 

Planning 

Document 

2001 

Historic Furnishing Report 

Massanutten Lodge at Skyland 

Planning 

Document 

2000 

Baseline Water Quality Data 

Inventory and Analysis 

Volumes I–V 

Data Report 2000 

Cultural Landscapes Inventories: Appalachian Trail 

– North District, Central District, South District, 

Appalachian Trail Landscape, Lewis Mountain, Pinnacles 

Picnic Grounds, and Skyland 

Data Report 1999 

Geology along Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Data Report 1999 

Reconstructing the Past: Describing Vegetation 

Composition and Change at Camp Hoover, Shenandoah 

National Park 

Data Report 1999 

Backcountry and Wilderness Management Plan Planning 

Document 

1998 

Resource Management Plan 

[first resource management plan published in 1981] 

Planning 

Document 

1998 

Preliminary Archeological Testing of Proposed 

Geotechnical Bore Hole Locations at Park Headquarters, 

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia 

Data Report 1997 

Progress Towards Formation of a Biosphere Reserve for 

the Central Appalachian Region: Final Report 

Data Report 1997 

Strategic Management Plan FY1998 Planning 

Document 

1997 

The Southern Appalachian Assessment: Summary 

Reports Vol 1–5 

Data Report 1996 

Flood Profiles and Flood-Boundary Maps for West Swift 

Run at Swift Run, Virginia 

Administrative Report 

Data Report 1995 

69
Foundation Document

Name Type Published 

Old Growth Report 

Shenandoah National Park (working document) 

Data Report 1995 

A Review of Black Bear Research and Monitoring in 

Shenandoah National Park 

Data Report 1994 

Natural Heritage Inventory of Mid-Atlantic Region 

National Parks in Virginia: Shenandoah National Park 

Data Report 1993 

Long Range Interpretive Plan Planning 

Document 

1992 

Management Suggestions Relative to the Changing Flora 

of the Meadow at Big Meadows 

Planning 

Document 

1992 

Bear Management Plan Planning 

Document 

1990 

Miscellaneous Archeological Investigations 

Shenandoah National Park 

North, Central, and South Districts 

Data Report 1990 

Gypsy Moth 

Integrated Pest Management Plan 

Planning 

Document 

1987 

Meadow Management Plan Planning 

Document 

1985 

Shenandoah National Park Land Protection Plan Planning 

Document 

1984 

General Management Plan 

Development Concept Plan 

Planning 

Document 

1983 

Fire Management Plan Planning 

Document 

1982 

Administrative History 

Shenandoah National Park 

1924–1976 

Data Report 1979 

The Nature of Shenandoah 

A Naturalist’s Story of a Mountain Park 

Data Report 1975 

Wilderness Study Data Report 1971 

Geomorphology of the Shenandoah Valley – Virginia and 

West Virginia and Origin of the Residual Ore Deposits 

Data Report 1965 

Master Plan for the Preservation of Shenandoah National 

Park 

Mission 66 Edition 

Planning 

Document 

1962 

70
and is recommended for approval by the Northeast Regional Director 

RECOMMENDED 

Jim Northup, Superintendent, Shenandoah National Park Date 

APPROVED 

Michael Caldwell, Regional Director, Northeast Region Date 

 

Northeast Region Foundation Document Recommendation
 

Shenandoah National Park
 

April 2015
 

This Foundation Document has been prepared as a collaborative effort between park and regional staff 

As the nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has responsibility for most 

of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources. This includes fostering sound use of our land 

and water resources; protecting our fish, wildlife, and biological diversity; preserving the environmental 

and cultural values of our national parks and historic places; and providing for the enjoyment of life 

through outdoor recreation. The department assesses our energy and mineral resources and works to 

ensure that their development is in the best interests of all our people by encouraging stewardship and 

citizen participation in their care. The department also has a major responsibility for American Indian 

reservation communities and for people who live in island territories under U.S. administration. 

SHEN 134/124639 

April 2015 
Foundation Document • Shenandoah National Park

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR