Terrestrial vegetation monitoring at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park: 2021 data summary
Authors: Boyle M. 
Published: October 2023

The Southeast Coast Network (SECN) conducts long-term terrestrial vegetation monitoring as part of the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program. The vegetation community vital sign is one of the primary-tier resources identified by SECN park managers, and monitoring is conducted at 15 network parks (DeVivo et al. 2008). Monitoring plants and their associated communities over time allows for targeted understanding of ecosystems within the SECN geography, which provides managers information about the degree of change within their parks? natural vegetation.

2021 was the first year of conducting monitoring at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (KEMO). Fourteen vegetation plots were established throughout the park from July through August. Data collected in each plot included species richness across multiple spatial scales, species-specific cover and constancy, species-specific woody stem seedling/sapling counts and adult trees (greater than 10 centimeters [3.9 inches {in}]) diameter at breast height (DBH), overall tree health, landform, soil, observed disturbance, and woody biomass (i.e., fuel load) estimates.

This report summarizes the baseline (year 1) terrestrial vegetation data collected at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in 2021. Data were stratified across two dominant broadly defined habitats within the park, Piedmont Upland Forests and Shrublands; and Piedmont Open Uplands and Woodlands. Noteworthy findings include:

184 vascular plant taxa (species or lower) were observed across 14 vegetation plots, including 27 species not previously documented within the park.

The most frequently encountered species in each broadly defined habitat included:

Piedmont Open Uplands and Woodlands: wafer-ash (Ptelea trifoliata var. mollis), white fringe-tree (Chionanthus virginicus), winged elm (Ulmus alata), hog plum (Prunus umbellata), Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), and blackseed speargrass (Piptochaetium avenaceum).

Piedmont Upland Forests and Shrublands: loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera var. tulipifera), black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina), muscadine (Muscadinia rotundifolia var. rotundifolia), Virginia creeper, and cat greenbrier (Smilax glauca).

Fourteen non-native species categorized as invasive by the Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council (GA-EPPC 2023) were encountered within the park during monitoring. Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) was the most frequently encountered and abundant invasive plant within the park.

Two species of special concern listed for Georgia (GADNR 2023) were observed during monitoring and included green, or Missouri, rock cress (Boechera missouriensis) and Stone Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum curvipes).

Northern red oak (Quercus rubra), winged elm, and eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) were the most dominant species within the tree stratum of Piedmont Open Uplands and Woodlands of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park; loblolly pine, sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) and tuliptree were the most dominant species of Piedmont Upland Forests and Shrublands.

Chinese privet was the most abundant species within the seedling stratum of Piedmont Open Upland and Woodland sites.

Heavy browsing impacts by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were observed within the upland forests
of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.

Long-term monitoring of vegetation structure and composition within the park can be used to determine forest regeneration patterns as they relate to changes in browsing pressure.

Other threats to native vegetation within the park are (1) the high prevalence of non-native, invasive plant species, and (2) fire suppression within oak-hickory and pine-oak xeric and intermediate forests. Long-term monitoring data will aid in understanding how these threats over time impact the park?s forest communities.

All plots monitored during this sampling are scheduled to be resampled in 2025.