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Vegetation monitoring completed in 2002 at Stones River National Battlefield, Tennessee, confirms the successful establishment of native grasses on the earthworks of Fortress Rosecrans. Constructed in 1863, Fortress Rosecrans was the largest enclosed earthen fortification built during the Civil War. When the National Park Service acquired 26 acres of the site in 1993, it was engulfed in exotic plants. To preserve and interpret this historic structure and cultural landscape, park staff implemented a restoration plan.
The plan involved cutting woody species, treating invasive plants with herbicides, and planting warm-season native grasses. The native grasses were selected to revegetate the earthworks because they have extensive root systems that stabilize the structures. The native species are also adapted to the hot, often dry conditions and low-nutrient soils of middle Tennessee. Once established, these plants require less maintenance, which reduces the impact of human activity on the structures. The Cultural Resources Stewardship Division of the Southeast Region is compiling protocols and lessons learned from the restoration process into an earthworks management manual.
Park staff monitored plots in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Analysis of these data in 2002 reveals that native grass cover has increased significantly. Native forbs, invasive species, and vines also appear to be increasing; however, these trends are not statistically significant. These findings will be used to adjust management practices. Today, as a result of science-based restoration efforts by cultural and natural resource managers, the historic structures are stabilized, native species have regained their place in the landscape, and exotic species are managed.
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