On Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001, the U.S. came under attack when four commercial airliners were hijacked and used to strike targets on the ground. Nearly 3,000 people tragically lost their lives. Because of the actions of the 40 passengers and crew aboard one of the planes, Flight 93, the attack on the U.S. Capitol was thwarted.
The National Park Service (NPS) has begun preparing a white-tailed deer management plan for Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Friendship Hill National Historic Site and Flight 93 National Memorial, all in western Pennsylvania. The dramatic increase in white-tailed deer densities over the past century have led to substantial ecological changes and degradation in both the natural and cultural landscapes of western Pennsylvania parks.
Phase one of a multi-year project to revitalize the 40 Memorial Groves and Allée, or walkway, was completed last month. In April, nearly 700 dead or declining trees were removed from the Memorial Groves in preparation for future enhancements. Throughout October, soil remediation and mulching occurred in five groves and nearby sections of the Allée. Trees were also removed from the Allée near the Visitor Center, to allow for soil remediation.