Monocacy National Battlefield
Water quality is impacted by agriculture adjacent and within park
Riparian habitat and farming, side by side.
Photo: NPS
Much of the land in Monocacy National Battlefield is managed as a historic agricultural landscape through permits for crops 
and pasture 
. Farm activities inside and outside the park threaten the health of the Monocacy River through high inputs of nutrients 
, sediments 
, and pesticides 
. To combat these threats, the park encourages best management practices within its boundaries including the preservation of large forested buffers 
between agricultural fields and waterways, reducing erosion 
along river banks and absorbing runoff from neighboring fields.
and pasture . Farm activities inside and outside the park threaten the health of the Monocacy River through high inputs of nutrients , sediments , and pesticides . To combat these threats, the park encourages best management practices within its boundaries including the preservation of large forested buffers between agricultural fields and waterways, reducing erosion along river banks and absorbing runoff from neighboring fields.
Urban development is encroaching on park boundaries
Urbanization can put pressure on park habitat.
Photo: NPS
Monocacy National Battlefield has seen considerable change along its borders since land acquisition began in the 1980s. Development with the city of Frederick 
has spread to the park’s northern boundary and housing developments 
are rapidly approaching the southern boundary. The battlefield represents a sanctuary for many plant and animal species 
within this rapidly urbanizing environment and significant habitat fragmentation has occurred because of this development and proliferation of utility corridors 
and roads 
. Demographic changes in the area also bring increased visitation 
and greater opportunities for the establishment of invasive species 
.
has spread to the park’s northern boundary and housing developments are rapidly approaching the southern boundary. The battlefield represents a sanctuary for many plant and animal species within this rapidly urbanizing environment and significant habitat fragmentation has occurred because of this development and proliferation of utility corridors and roads . Demographic changes in the area also bring increased visitation and greater opportunities for the establishment of invasive species .