Mid-Atlantic Domain

The NEON Mid-Atlantic Domain is anchored by a candidate core site at the Smithsonian National Zoo Conservation Research Center in Front Royal, VA, 75 miles west of Washington, DC. The Center maintains an extensive program in conservation biology research, with a focus on restoring species to the wild. The 3,200-acre Smithsonian property is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, adjacent to the 196,000-acre Shenandoah National Park. Its research facilities include a geographic information system lab, a veterinary clinic, and a network of biodiversity monitoring plots, as well as education offices, dormitories, and a conference center. NEON activities in the area will focus on land use and invasive species.

Domain: Mid-Atlantic (Domain #2)

Science Focus: Land use and invasive species.

Candidate Core Site Name: Smithsonian Conservation Research Center.

Representativeness: Site is typical of the mountain province and the wildlands of the Middle Atlantic.

Location: Front Royal, VA; Latitude: 38.893; Longitude: -78.140.

Existing Infrastructure: Conference center, dormitories, GIS lab, breeding facility, and education offices.

Unique Feature: The CRC houses between 30 and 40 endangered species.