Prince William Forest Park
Large intact forest provides valuable indicators of ecosystem processes
Quantico Creek.
Photo: Kirsten Spaulding, NPS
The large intact forests of Prince William Forest Park provide an opportunity to track changes in forest communities through time and space. Natural processes of succession 
may be perturbed by overabundant deer populations 
or outbreaks of forest pathogens and pests 
. The park supports a wide variety of forest-dwelling species including the small-whorled pogonia 
, a Federally-listed threatened species. The confluence of diverse habitat types makes these forests valuable early indicators of the effects of regional environmental change such as potential changes in climate.
may be perturbed by overabundant deer populations or outbreaks of forest pathogens and pests . The park supports a wide variety of forest-dwelling species including the small-whorled pogonia , a Federally-listed threatened species. The confluence of diverse habitat types makes these forests valuable early indicators of the effects of regional environmental change such as potential changes in climate.
Continuous forest habitat protects watershed
Parklands are surrounded by development.
Photo: NPS
Most of the Quantico Creek watershed lies within the park. The water quality of Quantico Creek is excellent and supports numerous fish species 
and other aquatic life 
. Continuous forest habitat 
protects this watershed and contributes to the high water quality 
by helping to filter nutrients and sediment 
, stabilize soils 
, and moderate flooding. The health of this watershed is potentially impacted by increasing development 
, impervious surfaces 
, and urban input 
.
and other aquatic life . Continuous forest habitat protects this watershed and contributes to the high water quality by helping to filter nutrients and sediment , stabilize soils , and moderate flooding. The health of this watershed is potentially impacted by increasing development , impervious surfaces , and urban input .