Catoctin Mountain Park Pursues Forest Re-growth and Restoration through Bold Efforts and Infusion of Funding
NPS/J.Zuke Today, Catoctin Mountain Park is a lush, green landscape, with nearly 95% of the park covered by forest. But this hasn’t always been the case. Over the centuries, Catoctin’s forests have undergone dramatic changes. Today, deer, invasive plants, forest pests, and a lack of tree regeneration continue to threaten the long-term health of the forest. Through active forest restoration, the park is working to ensure that native forests—and the wildlife that depend on them—remain part of Catoctin for generations to come.
A History of Forest ChangesImagine a time when the forests of the Catoctin Mountains were ablaze with frequent fires—58 recorded between 1702 and 1951. And starting in the late 1700s, old-growth forests were chopped down for charcoal-making and farming. The majestic American chestnut trees, once a dominant part of the forest, were nearly wiped out by a blight between 1912 and 1940. When the charcoal industry ceased in 1875, trees that had been cut for charcoal making began to resprout from their existing roots. When the area was designated as a park in 1936, many of these trees were smaller than fence posts and land that had been farmed heavily were left treeless and fallow. But then, a transformation began. As a national park, the land was allowed to regenerate. The Civilian Conservation Corps planted more than 5,000 trees in 1939 and 1940 on previous farmland, kickstarting a remarkable recovery. From the 1930s to the 1970s, with low deer populations and few invasive plants, the forests flourished. Fire suppression policies since the 1930s helped certain species thrive and led to an accumulation of woody debris. In the 1970s, park staff noticed a lack of understory vegetation throughout the park due to high deer numbers, in stark contrast to the diversity of plant life in areas protected from deer. By 2009, forest regeneration was almost non-existent in most parts of the park. Working to Keep the Forest Resilient In 2009, the park took bold steps to reduce the overabundant deer population that had devastated tree regeneration. This intervention led to a stunning 21-fold increase in tree seedlings. The park continues to manage deer to ensure these seedlings grow into majestic, mature trees. Treating Forest Pests When pests attack, Catoctin fights back. During the 1980s and early 2000s, the park used aerial insecticides to combat spongy moth infestations. Since the early 2000s, the park has treated eastern hemlock trees to protect them from the destructive hemlock woolly adelgid pest. In 2025, the park released beetles, called biocontrol, to help reduce the woolly adelgid. Prescribed Fire Fire, once suppressed, is now an ally in forest restoration. In 2024, the park conducted its second prescribed fire in the Chimney Rock and Wolf Rock Forest area to encourage fire adapted species, such as oaks and yellow pines, to grow. Protecting Plants In 2023, the park ramped up efforts to protect native plants from poaching. Through public awareness campaigns and increased law enforcement, visitors are reminded that poaching is illegal and harmful to the park’s ecosystem. Removing Invasive Plants Catoctin Mountain Park is on a mission to eliminate invasive plants that outcompete native species. For a number of years, the park depended solely on a regional invasive plant team to remove invasive plants. In 2023, the park initiated additional work by 6-person youth crews dedicated to treating invasive barberry and wavy leaf basket grass throughout the park. A major step forward occurred in 2022, when the park deployed a powerful mulching machine to clear large open areas of invasive shrubs, prepping the sites for new tree plantings. Since 2022, the park has mulched over 140 acres of invasive shrubs with a contractor. 
NPS/ Michael Grismer
Replanting Catoctin Mountain Park is entering a new phase of forest restoration. After clearing more than 140 acres of invasive shrubs, the park will plant more than 30,000 native trees and shrubs in fall 2026 and spring 2027. Plantings will include American chestnut, American basswood, red and white oak, shagbark hickory, shortleaf pine, serviceberry, and native viburnums. These plantings will help create the next generation of Catoctin’s forest. As today’s mature trees eventually die, young native trees must be ready to take their place. Restoring these layers of forest vegetation will also provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for birds, bats, and other wildlife. Together with deer management, invasive plant control, and other forest restoration efforts, these plantings will help create a diverse, self-sustaining forest that can support wildlife for generations to come. “For years, dense invasive shrubs prevented young native trees from becoming established in these areas. Removing those shrubs gave us an opportunity to restore the forest. By planting native trees and shrubs now, we’re helping build the next generation of Catoctin’s forest and ensuring that birds and other wildlife have the habitat they need for generations to come,” said Catoctin Mountain Park Chief of Resource Management Lindsey Donaldson. Infusion of Funding The National Park Service National Capital Region has received more than $2.9 million in investments to restore forest ecosystems, with Catoctin receiving more than $2 million. By restoring native trees and shrubs and giving young trees the opportunity to grow, the park is helping ensure that a diverse forest ecosystem remains here for future generations of people and wildlife. 
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Last updated: September 3, 2026