an overview of the 2007 mojave network meeting june 28, 2007 lake mead national recreation area...

An Overview of the 2007 Mojave Network Meeting

June 28, 2007

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

National Park ServiceMojave Network

Morning (8am-12pm)• Overview of NPS I&M program• Mojave Network activities (Inventory,Phase I & II)

– Inventories– Data mining– Conceptual models

• Cooperators- Inventory Results – Biological– Springs

• Past & present data mining activities


Afternoon (1:20-3:00pm)

• Update on 12 basic inventories, data management, GIS

• Conceptual models for MOJN• Description of MOJN Phase III (’07 on)• How will monitoring info be used & reported?• Approach to water quality & vital sign monitoring


Afternoon (3:15 - 4:30pm)

• Meetings & Workgroups• MOJN Data Management & GIS meeting• MOJN Water Resources Workgroup• USGS Great Basin Integrated Landscape

Monitoring


Servicewide I&M ProgramPark Management Informed by Scientific Information

Overview of the Overview of the Inventory & Monitoring Inventory & Monitoring

ProgramProgram

Development of the I&M program

1978 Management policies call for scientific data

to support resources planning & mgt

1987 Inventory and Monitoring Initiative

(Evison Report)

1990 Hester Task Force

1998 NPS Omnibus Management Act

“Parks for Science”

2000 Natural Resource Challenge


“The Secretary shall undertake a program of inventory and monitoring of National Park System resources to establish baseline information and to provide information on the long-term trends in the condition of National Park System resources…”

“The Secretary shall … assure the full and proper utilization of the results of scientific studies for park management decisions.”

NATIONAL PARKS OMNIBUS MANAGEMENT ACT OF 1998

Title II – Section 204. Inventory and Monitoring Program

THE LAW


Development of the I&M program

1978 Management policies call for scientific data

to support resources planning & mgt

1987 Inventory and Monitoring Initiative

(Evison Report)

1990 Hester Task Force

1998 NPS Omnibus Management Act

“Parks for Science”

2000 Natural Resource Challenge


National Park ServiceNatural Resource Challenge

NPS will create networks of parks… to facilitate collaboration, information sharing, and economies of

scale in natural resource management.

NPS will accomplish natural resource inventory needs and monitor park vital signs.

NPS 2001 Management Policies

“Natural systems in the national park system, and the human influences upon them, will be monitored to detect change. The Service will use the results of monitoring and research to understand the detected change and to develop appropriate management actions.”

“The Service will: Identify, acquire, and interpret needed inventory, monitoring, and research, including applicable traditional knowledge, to obtain information and data that will help park managers accomplish park management objectives provided for in law and planning documents.”



To establish a natural resource inventory and monitoring as a standard practice that transcends traditional program, activity, and funding boundaries.

To inventory natural resources and park ecosystems and determine their nature & status

To monitor park ecosystems to better understand their dynamic nature and condition

To integrate natural resources inventory & monitoring information into NPS planning, management, and decision making.

Goals:

2 7 0 P a rks

1 2 D a ta S e ts

B a se lineR e sou rce In ve n to ries

1 0 B io m es

1 1 P ro gra m s

P ro to typeE co lo g ica l M on ito ring

3 2 N e tw o rks

2 7 0 P a rks

V ita l S ig ns N e tw o rkM o n ito ring

S e rv ice w ideI& M P ro g ram


Death Valley NP

Great Basin NP

Joshua Tree NP

Lake Mead NRA

Manzanar NHS

Mojave Natl Preserve

Parashant Natl Mon.

Mojave Network Organizational Structure

Network Coordinator

Technical Committee• 5 Resource Chiefs &

2 park reps• Science Advisor• MOJN NC• Superintendent liaison

Board of Directors• 7 Superintendents• MOJN NC, PWR RC• NRAC rep, GB-CESU

PWR I&M Coordinator

WASO I&M


• Data Manager

– 6 Data miners

• 2 SCAs & 1 Admin. Asst.

• Ecologist

• GIS specialist (term)

• programmer (term)






Goals:

Base cartography Geology map Soils map Vegetation map Meteorological data Air quality related values Air quality data Water body location and classification Water quality data Natural resource bibliography Species list of vertebrates and vascular plants Species distribution and status of vertebrates and vascular

plants of management concern

12 Basic Inventories







Goals:


What are Vital Signs?

Key elements that indicate the health of an ecosystem.

Vital signs can be any measurable feature of the environment that provides insights into the state of the ecosystem and can occur at any level of organization

The intent of vital signs monitoring is to track the status

and trends in a subset of physical, chemical, and

biological components and processes that represent the

overall condition of park resources

Goals of Vital Signs Monitoring• Determine status and trends in selected indicators of

ecosystem health to allow managers to make better-informed decisions

• Provide early warning of situations that may require intervention or mitigation

• Understand the dynamic nature and condition of park ecosystems and define normal limits of variation

• Provide data to meet legal and Congressional mandates related to natural resource protection and visitor enjoyment.

• Provide a means of measuring progress towards performance goals


Vital Signs Monitoring Program3 Phase Process

Phase 1: Conduct background work

• identify & synthesize existing data (data mining)• draft conceptual models • hold Park Vital Signs Workshop(s)

Phase 2: Select and prioritize vital signs• update and expand upon Phase I work• select vital signs

Phase 3: Develop draft monitoring plan


The Mojave Network: 2000-2006

Biological & Spring inventories (& 12 basic inventories) Phase 1: Conduct background work

• identify & synthesize existing data (data mining)• draft conceptual models • hold Park Vital Signs Workshop(s)

Phase 2: Select and prioritize vital signs• update and expand upon Phase I work• select vital signs

Phase 3: Develop draft monitoring plan

Timeline for Inventory & Monitoring Activities

Planning and Design Steps 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Information gathering and data cataloging

X X X X X X X X -

Inventories to support monitoring - X X X X X - - -

Park scoping workshops - - - X X X - - -

Vital Sign prioritization and selection

- - - - X X - - -

Conceptual modeling - - - - X X X - -

Protocol development - - - - - - - X -

Monitoring plan development - - - - - - - X -

Implement monitoring protocols - - - - - - - - X

Refine monitoring protocols - - - - - - - - X

Monitoring plan due dates - - - - -Ph. I Sep ’05

Ph. II Sep ‘06

Ph. III Dec ‘07

FinalSep ‘08

Staffing timeline

NC Network Coordinator (Heister) NC (MacChung)

Data Manager (Truitt)Data Manager (Palmer)

Ecologist


Year

I&M Program Biological Inventory

NPS-WRD

WQ Monitoring

I&M Program

VS Monitoring

FY2000 $ 95,565 $0 $0

FY2001 $100,000 $0 $0

FY2002 $233,800 $0 $0

FY2003 $218,579 $0 $150,000

FY2004 $132,700 $0 $150,000

FY2005 $0 $80,000 $225,300

FY2006 $0 $80,000 $850,400

FY2007 $0 $80,000 $850,400

Inve

ntor

y &

Pha

se I

II

III



Initially based on assessment of inventory completeness for vascular plants and vertebrate taxa

Then prioritized taxa groups based on discussion with park staff and on-going activities

Evaluated distribution information and identified priority inventory areas within each park

Prioritization of Inventory Needs

Cooperators

• USGS – Southwest Biol. Science Center• USGS – Corvallis office & Menlo Park office• Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center• University of Nevada, Las Vegas• Desert Research Institute- UNR• University of California – Riverside• Utah Museum of Natural History• Great Basin Institute• University of Idaho


an overview of the 2007 mojave network meeting june 28, 2007 lake mead national recreation area...

Documents

natural resource inventory

park management decisions

park management objectives

mgt1987 inventory

program of inventory

needed inventory

results of monitoring

park managers