Bluestone National Scenic River

In all, 2019 was very warm and wet with temperatures and precipitation both well above normal. The year ended as the 6th warmest and 35th wettest since 1895.

In total, the year 2020 was warm and extremely wet at Bluestone National Scenic River. The year ended as the 18th warmest and 3rd wettest on record.

In total, the year 2021 was warm and moderately dry at Bluestone National Scenic River. The year ended as the 24th warmest and 51st driest on record.

The average annual temperature for 2022 at Bluestone National Scenic River was close to normal, but the year was much wetter than is typical for Mercer and Summers counties, WV. In all, the year ended as the 50th warmest and 23rd wettest on record.

The year 2023 was very warm and quite dry at Bluestone National Scenic River. In all, the year ended as the 9th warmest and 37th driest on record (since 1895).

Managing invasive plant species can seem like an endless and insurmountable challenge, but parks are using a new strategic collaborative tool to protect their most valuable resources.

At night, birds use the stars to find their way. But bright lights from buildings can confuse them. That's why national parks are so important - they're like bird hotels! They give birds safe places to rest and eat, especially after flying across the ocean.

Eight Inventory and Monitoring networks have been collaborating on forest health monitoring since 2005. Participants include 61 national parks in the eastern United States. As a result of this collaboration, vegetation data are collected in similar ways, which allows us to compare various parks across the region.