Blandy Experimental Farm NEON / BLAN

The climate here is temperate and humid, with annual mean temperatures of 12.1°C (53 °F). The coldest month of the year is January with an average temperature of -1.8°C (28.76°F), while July is the warmest month with an average temperature of 23.3°C (73.9°F). On average, this location gets an average of 982 mm (38.6 in.) of precipitation annually. May is the wettest month with an average monthly precipitation of 114.3 mm (4.5 in.) and February is the driest with only 63.5 mm (2.5 in.) of precipitation. [5] [13]

The Blandy Experimental Farm consists of limestone and dolostone of the Conocoheague Formation, while the Casey Tree Farm consists of limestone, dolostone, and shale. [2-4]

Soils are deep and well-drained with varying amounts of rock fragments. In general, Blandy and Casey Tree Farm soils lack organic horizons, though they are considered moderately to highly fertile. The elevated soil pH present across these sites presents an environment rich in biological activity. Soil types are predominantly Poplimento and Thurmont formed from shale, limestone, siltstone, and sandstone residual. The soil subgroup at the site are Ultic Hapludalfs. [4]

Groundwater aquifers are recharged by precipitation, which percolates through fractures in carbonate rock and is sometimes facilitated by geologic structures such as sinkholes or sinking streams. This water is eventually discharged to streams in the form of spring discharge. [5]

The Blandy Experimental Farm is predominantly a fallow scrubland consisting primarily of hay crops and goldenrod (Solidago altissima), though the site is surrounded by fragmented secondary forests and successional shrubs. Casey Tree Farm, as the name suggests, is a tree nursery with hay fields encompassed by deciduous woodlands of black oak (Quercus velutina), tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), and pawpaw (Asimina triloba). NEON plots are distributed throughout Deciduous Forest and Pasture Hay NLCD classes, and these monitor and provide presence and absence data for over 100 plant species, including goldenrod (Solidago altissima), buckthorn (Rhamnus davurica), and Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii). [2] [6]

Clarke County, Virginia is home to black bear (Ursus americanus), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), coyote (Canis latrans), eastern gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteneus), and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) populations, among many small mammals. Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are present, though in smaller numbers than surrounding counties. [7]

The Blandy Experimental Farm property was bequeathed to the University of Virginia in 1926 by the widow of New York broker and railroad tycoon Graham F. Blandy. Blandy's 900-acre property supported orchards and grazing lands. Commercial farming operations continued under the management of University of Virginia until 1976, when the University's focus shifted to environmental research and establishment of the land as a community resource. Although agricultural research has never been a focus at this site, its location within the primarily agricultural Shenandoah valley has encouraged research projects focusing on plant, insect, avian, and mammalian biology across forest and field habitats at Blandy.

The Casey Tree Farm property was originally part of a 5-million-acre tract of land owned and managed by Lord Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord of Fairfax from Cameron, from 1719 until its confiscation in 1781 by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Land use was primarily agricultural. Ownership of this land passed to Eugene Casey in 1958, and his widow, Betty Brown Casey, donated it to Casey Tree Farm (known locally as Springsbury Farm) in 2008. A tree nursery was established in 2011 for agroforestry research and production of trees for export to the canopy of Washington, D.C. [8] [9] [10]

The University of Virginia manages the Blandy Experimental Farm as an ecological field station centered around their mission to increase understanding of the natural environment through research and education. Ongoing research includes bumblebee foraging patterns, population structures of aquatic turtles, and ecological consequences of human activities. Blandy encompasses 2.88 km² (712 acres), part of which has been incorporated into the State Arboretum of Virginia (0.7 km²/172 acres). The Arboretum features over 5000 woody trees and shrubs from around the world; volunteers continue to plant species such as tulip poplar, white oak, eastern red oak, redbud, pawpaw, black cherry, red maple, and serviceberry. The Foundation of the State Arboretum of Virginia (FOSA) is responsible for sustaining the Arboretum's collections, fundraising and supporting Blandy's research and educational goals.

The Casey Tree Farm manages 730 acres of land as a tree nursery for species not readily available commercially. Their mission is to restore, enhance, and protect the tree canopy of the nation's capital through research, collaboration, and environmental stewardship. Casey Tree Farm reaches this goal primarily through monitoring Washington, D.C.'s tree canopy and engaging the public in tree plantings and educational courses. This property is also home to several structures of historical importance from the late 1700s. [10-15]

The Domain 02 support facility in Front Royal, VA was constructed in December 2014. NEON plot establishment at BLAN was completed in May 2015. The site transitioned to operations in July 2015, when terrestrial observational sampling began. The site's 8 m (26.25 ft.) tower was not fully completed until September 2016.