S2S conducts exploratory EcoRecon Expedition at New River Gorge National Park and Preserve!
Truly a Breathtaking National Park!
Our mission at S2S is to bring together national park scientists, conservation researchers, and veterans to create opportunities and pathways to grow this mutually beneficial collaboration. This week a small S2S expeditionary team, with a veteran soil and wetland scientist, wildlife experts, and National Park biologists came together to pilot a second S2S EcoRecon Expedition location at New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia. Throughout this trip, S2S team members shadowed and supported an array of amazing natural and historical research projects at the park.
National Park Rangers lead the way into the wilderness!
New River Gorge National Park is a unique place much of the park’s landscape has been impacted by human influence and the historical legacy of turn-of-the-century mining towns. But nature, always finding a way, has since reclaimed old structures and adapted to changes since the last mines closed in the 1960s. The park represents a wonderful crossover of natural and historical resource management and the duel mission of the Park Service to preserve both for future generations. We got to share some of our own experience and learn more about their work and expertise as we explored what a future EcoRecon Expedition to the park could be like for participants. Kicking off National Amphibian Week, we conducted vernal pool scouting and monitoring across park sites to assess the effect of residual minerals and topographic features influencing the ephemeral wetland ecosystems. We noted several pools with eastern newts, tons of dobsonflies, wood frogs tadpoles, and many egg masses. The waters seemed remarkably clear and the pH normal.
Dr. Taylor Blackmen, both veteran and wetlands scientist, is an expert on vernal pools and has become one of S2S’s key participants and volunteers. Together we are working to bring Citizen Science Programming to parks in Pennsylvania!
Dr. Taylor Blackmen, our wetland scientist, got to share his expertise with advanced mapping methodologies, geomorphology, and soil mechanics with park staff as well. We also helped to restore a number of important historical mine sites and artifacts by removing invasives and clearing vegetation to preserve them, while reestablishing visitor access and views to support interpretation. Our wildlife expert actually unearthed two stone slabs, presumably stepping stones to the old mine entrance, that have likely been buried for more than 100 years!
One of the overgrown historical sites at New River Gorge!
Finally, S2S has helped with outreach for the Bat Emergence Community Science Project at the park since 2024. This represented one of our first NPS partnerships when just starting out. We have always been so grateful and excited to partner with the park, and we’ve since connected with so many great people, veterans and scientists alike. For two evenings in a row, we finally got to conduct an official S2S bat emergence survey at the park’s famous bat condo. We counted just under a hundred brown bats as they emerged at sunset both nights!
The pilot was a tremendous success and we are looking forward to our next trip to the park soon. Planning has already begun! Whether you’re a scientist, a member of the military community - active duty, transitioning, veteran, student, or spouse, and you’d like to be part of our next trip, to New River Gorge, Great Basin, Black Canyon at the Gunnison, or another park, email soldiers2scientists@gmail.com to learn more! Below, you will find a flyer advertising a volunteer opportunity at New River Gorge Park and Preserve to continue the important work of restoring park historical sites! Check it out below!
The contact information is here at the bottom of the flyer. If you live near New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. Please consider getting involved! If you have any issues, please don’t hesitate to contact us at soldiers2scientists@gmail.com!
Check out more awesome photos below! Thanks for your ongoing interest in Soldeirs2Scientists! We keep working hard to partner with new National Parks and pursue opportunities whenever they arise. If you are a veteran interested in spending time outdoors, are interested in conservation, or would like to learn more, please contact us!
