Web Soil Survey - Shenandoah National Park

 

Web Soil Survey is a program I use regularly in my profession working in agriculture. We frequently use it when developing conservation plans and nutrient management plans for producers in our local area. It is an excellent resource for identifying specific soil types and characteristics. I also appreciate that you can download a PDF report from the shopping cart, which includes detailed information about the soils, their history, and maps of the selected area.

Prior to this assignment, I had only used Web Soil Survey for individual agricultural fields. When I attempted to outline the entire national park, I discovered for the first time that the Area of Interest (AOI) was too large for the program to process. As a result, I narrowed my focus to Madison County, which made the polygon small enough to generate the report successfully.

Mapping Tools - Shenandoah National Park

I found My Maps to be very user-friendly after watching the short YouTube tutorial that explained the software and its features. I also liked that it is synchronized with Google Earth, allowing users to access high-quality aerial imagery. Overall, I think it is a useful and effective mapping tool. My favorite feature was the ability to add photos to individual pinpoints, which makes maps more informative and visually engaging.

Biodiversity Slides

Define Biodiversity

Biodiversity surrounds us in our everyday lives, from complex mammals and towering trees to microscopic organisms such as bacteria and fungi. It is crucial to the health and stability of the world we live in, influencing how organisms interact, adapt, compete, and evolve.

Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park extends along the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. The park consists of forests, wetlands, waterfalls, and rocky peaks, creating a diverse landscape that supports a wide variety of wildlife and plant species. I chose this area as my focus because I grew up in Madison County, just at the foothills of the park. It only took me about 10 to 15 minutes to drive into the park and explore its hiking trails, often carrying my fly rod in pursuit of the park's famous native brook trout.

The park contains numerous streams that support a variety of fish species, as well as wildlife such as white-tailed deer and black bears. Another reason I selected Shenandoah National Park is that my first job after completing my undergraduate degree was working there as a Biological Fisheries Technician. In this role, I hiked through backcountry trails daily to electro-fish streams and rivers, collecting data on fish species and monitoring brook trout populations.

I am excited to explore the biodiversity of Shenandoah National Park in greater depth and learn more about the species and ecosystems it supports. While the park is well known for its stunning mountain views and breathtaking sunsets, it also contains a rich diversity of life that makes it a fascinating area to study. 

I believe biodiversity is critically important at the local, regional, national, and international levels. Biodiversity supports healthy ecosystems, provides essential resources, and helps maintain ecological balance. Therefore, efforts should be implemented at all scales to protect and conserve biodiversity for future generations.