i J ACADIA NATIONAL PARK REVEGETATION PROGRAM 2006 ANNUAL SUMMARY By Geneva E. Langley 2006 Acadia National Park Natural Resources Report 2006-15 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY \ 1 INTRODUCTION \ 2 PERSONNEL\3 11 LI VOLUNTEER GROUPS \ 3 11 NATIVE PLANT NURSERY \ 4 i j NRCS ACTIVITIES \ 4 REVEGETATION SITE MAP AND KEY 2006 \ 5-6 2006 REVEGETATION SITE SUMMARIES \ 7 NEW SITES \ 7 153 Blackwoods Campground Rehabilitation Project \ 7 Blackwoods A Loop (Sites 11-152) \ 7 Blackwoods BLoop \ 144 Blackwoods Group Sites \ 147 Blackwoods Utilities \ 151 154 Lower Mountain Roadside \ 168 155 Thunder Hole Gift Shop \ 168 156 Sieur de Monts Walkway \ 169 157 Sieur de Monts Nature Center \ 169 158 Cadillac Summit Accessibility Trail \ 170 159 Fabbri Restroom \ 171 SITES REQUIRING ADDITIONAL PLANTINGS \ 172 154 Blackwoods Campground Rehabilitation Project \ 172 133 Seawall Campground Rehabilitation Project \ 176 95 Frazer Point \ 178 103 Precipice Slope \ 179 113 Kebo Connector TraillLoop Road \ 179 116 Fabbri Overlook \ 180 130 Sieur de Monts Restroom \ 180 132 Beehive Trailhead \ 181 137 Duck Brook Bridge \ 181 I . 139 Jordan Pond Dam Bridge \ 182 I 140 Waterfall Bridge \ 182 142 Hemlock Bridge \183 143 Amphitheater Bridge \ 183 146 TriadlDay Mountain Carriage Road Bridge \ 184 147 Western Point Wall \ 184 148 EchoLake Restroom \ 185 149 Schoodic Point Restroom \ 186 I j OTHER SITE WORK \ 187 160 Flying Mountain Trail \ 187 161 Giant Slide Trail \ 188 162 Beech Cliff Trail \ 189 163 Long Pond Trail \ 190 164 Bubble Pond Carriage Road Bridge \ 191 . flI • 165 Jordan Pond Carry Trail \ 192 t j 166 Park Loop Road Roadsides \ 193 167 Deer Brook Trail \ 193 ['I I ! !. J INVENTORY OF PLANT/SEED USED 2006 \ 194 2006 REVEGETATION MONITORING \ 196 SEAWALL CAMPGROUND MONITORING \ 196 BLACKWOODS CAMPGROUND MONITORING \ 203 LITERATURE CITED \ 206 APPENDICES / Appendix A. Digital Photographs ofRevegetated Sites 2006/207 ! ., Appendix B. GPS Coordinates and Acreages 2006 / 209 I Appendix C. Nursery Inventory May 2006 / 210 Appendix D. Seed Inventory November 2006 / 212 Appendix E. Tool Inventory 2006 / 213 Appendix F. NRCS Distribution and Delivery Records / 214 TABLES 1. 2006 volunteer groups \ 3 2. Mortality and browse of plants at Seawall Campground 2006 \ 197 3. Natural regeneration of native plant species at Seawall Campground 2006 \ 198 4. Non-native plant species present at Seawall Campground 2006 \ 199 5.2006 Seawall Campground Monitoring Data \ 200 6. Mortality and browse of plants at Blackwoods Campground 2006 \ 203 [I 7. Native plant species regeneration at Blackwoods Campground 2006 \ 2204 LI 8. Non-native plant species present at Blackwoods Campground 2006 \ 2204 9. 2006 Blackwoods Campground Monitoring Data \ 205 f­ I l ~ I I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 2006, a total of 32 revegetation sites were planted or maintained in Acadia National Park. Goals for revegetation projects included restoring native vegetation following construction and trail maintenance, mitigating visitor degradation, and establishing screening. Fifteen new sites were revegetated using genetically native plants and seed. Additionally, 99 previously revegetated sub-sites at Seawall Campground and 10 sites at Blackwoods Campground were quantitatively monitored for revegetation progress. Overall, 38.5 acres of park land were planted and 1592 personnel hours were invested in revegetation projects. A total of2417 trees, 3907 woody shrubs, 4071 herbaceous plants, and 46.6 pounds of grass and wildflower seed were planted. Native plant materials were obtained via cooperative agreements (4500-02-001, 4500-03-001, and 4500-03-002) with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The park received 104.7 pound of native seed, 4834 container plants, and 8765 plugs propagated from seed or cuttings from park lands. Plant materials were stored at the park's native plant nursery, which was actively maintained between May and the end of September. Unused plants were over-wintered at the nursery. Volunteers and the Acadia Youth Conservation Corps (A YCC) assisted with revegetation projects. Volunteers contributed 955 hours to revegetation efforts and the maintenance of the native plant nursery. All sites were watered and tended throughout the summer. Digital photos were taken to document current conditions at each site. Digital photographs and plant records were entered into the revegetation database stored in the Resource Management network drive. At each new site, GPS points were taken to add to the Geographic Information System (GIS) map of all revegetation sites. Since 1994, a total of 167 sites have been revegetated in Acadia National Park. r L_ INTRODUCTION This report documents the work accomplished during the 2006 season at each project site. It lists each site by name and number, and includes a brief summary of any previous work, conditions of the site, list of vegetation planted, revegetation methods, and a revegetation goal for the site. In 2006, fifteen new sites (#153-167) were revegetated using genetically native plants and seed. One hundred and sixty-six sub-sites at Blackwoods Campground were planted as part of the Blackwoods Campground Rehabilitation Project (collectively under #153). Work continued on seventeen projects started in previous years. Each new site was watered and maintained throughout the summer. Maintenance included fertilization, removal of weeds, application of mulch, adding brush to social trails, and installation and upkeep of signs and rope fencing. Digital photographs and GPS coordinates for all newly revegetated sites were added to the Revegetation database (Microsoft Office Access) stored on the Resource Management network drive. The database is managed by Park Biologist, Bill Gawley. Revegetation work completed at areas that are not traditional revegetation sites, such those seeded or planted by contractors or maintenance crews, is documented in the Other Site Work section of this report. An inventory of all plant materials used in 2006 follows this section. Short summaries on the activities of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and work completed at the park nursery are included. A revegetation monitoring section provides information on how sub-sites at Seawall and Blackwoods Campgrounds planted in 2004 and 2005 are progressing toward specified goals. The section includes information on mortality and damage to the planted materials and the prevalence of non-native plant species at each sub-site. I I. 2 'PERSONNEL The 2006 Revegetation Staff consisted of: Term Botanist Geneva Langley, Field Crew Leader Suzanne Greenlaw, and Biological Technicians Griselda Herrera, Kelly Omand, and Keith Raymond. Staff members conducted all revegetation projects and associated activities. The Acadia Youth Conservation Corps (A YCC) and their leaders were available to assist with projects on a weekly basis. A total of 1592 personnel hours were invested in planting and maintaining revegetation sites in 2006. VOLUNTEER GROUPS Over the course of the summer, ten volunteer groups and a weekly Friends of Acadia group assisted with planting, mulching, and watering at Blackwoods Campground. Additionally, Marilyn Wiberley, a Friends of Acadia volunteer, assisted with watering and plant maintenance at the native plant nursery. Table 1 2006 volunteer groups Volunteer Group Number of People Personnel Hours Boston University Camp 12 45 Camp Beech Cliff 12 26 l' Colby College 12 62 r Eastern Maine Family Practice I 12 36 I I, Friends of Acadia (Tuesdays) 4 to 7 235 ,Hidden Valley Camp 6 65 Marilyn Wiberley (Nursery) 1 28 MDI Hospital Administration 12 53 Salisbury University 39 137 Student Conservation Association 54 168 Trailmark 14 35 Unity College 15 65 Total Personnel Hours: 955 r I 3 ( ! L NATIVE PLANT NURSERY The native plant nursery was actively maintained between May and September 2006. An inventory of plants and tools was made when the nursery was opened in May (Appendix C and Appendix E). In May, new mulch was added to the grounds of the lathe house and around the newly planted field pots. Nursery stock was watered every other day, depending on the weather, by Vegetation Program staffand a nursery volunteer. Throughout the summer, the grounds were mown and the pots were weeded and fertilized. Many gallon pots were returned to NRCS. In late September, wood chip . mulch was spread around the field pots and perimeter of the lathe house. Snow fencing was installed in mid-November. NRCS ACTIVITIES In 2006, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provided Acadia National Park with native seed, "plugs", and container plants propagated from seed or cuttings from park lands. The NRCS is funded via cooperative agreements (4500-02-001, 4500- 03-001, and 4500-03-002) between the NPS and NRCS. A total of 4834 container plants, 8765 plugs, and 104.71bs of red fescue seed were received for revegetation projects. A complete list of plant and seed species and amounts received can be found in the NRCS Distribution and Delivery Records (Appendix G). The 2006 NRCS Annual Reports were unavailable for inclusion in this report and are being filed separately. 4 REVEGETATION SITE KEY 2006* New 2006 Sites: 153 Blackwoods Campground Rehabilitation Project Blackwoods A Loop Blackwoods BLoop Blackwoods Group Sites Blackwoods Utilities [] 154 Lower Mountain Roadside 155 Thunder Hole Gift Shop I] 156 Sieur de Monts Walkway IJ 157 Sieur de Monts Nature Center 158 Cadillac Summit Accessibility Trail 159 Fabbri Restroom Sites Receiving Additional Plantings: 95 Frazer