**AGENDA: Vital Signs Monitoring -- "Meeting of the Networks"**

### August 13-16, 2002 - Denver, Colorado

***Note: Unless otherwise stated, all sessions will be held in Tabor
Auditorium, on the Mezzanine Level at the Westin Tabor Center. We will
start on time each day and after lunch, so arrive early! Coffee and tea
will be available before 7:30 am outside the Tabor Auditorium.***

Objectives of the meeting:

-   Provide the latest guidance and strategies for designing and
    implementing natural resource monitoring throughout the NPS;

-   Present the status, methods, and preliminary results of planning and
    design efforts by vital signs monitoring networks;

-   Discuss the scientific and logistical merits and difficulties of the
    approaches being used;

-   Promote integration among natural resource program areas; and

-   Facilitate collaboration and communication among scientists and
    managers involved in designing network monitoring programs.

# Tuesday, August 13 (Tabor Auditorium)

#### Facilitator for Morning Session: Sara Wesser, Alaska Region I&M Coordinator

07:30 Coffee and tea available outside of Tabor Auditorium

08:00 Introductions and Opening Comments

Mike Soukup

Gary Williams

08:45 Designing a vital signs monitoring program -- highlights of
strategy and guidance -- Steve Fancy

Group Discussion

10:10 Break

10:30 Technical Assistance and Guidance for Integrated Monitoring

Air Resources Division -- Tonnie Maniero

Geologic Resources Division -- Bob Higgins

Water Resources Division -- Core water quality parameters -- Pete
Penoyer and Roy Irwin

Group Discussion

12:00 Lunch

*Facilitator for Afternoon Session: Ellen Gray, National Capital Region
I&M Coordinator*

1:30 5-minute Preview of Sound Monitoring Video to be shown Tuesday at
5:15 -- Bill Schmidt

USGS's role in monitoring design and protocol development -- Paul
Geissler

CESUs: How they work and how to work with them -- Kathy Tonnessen

Group Discussion

2:15 Status and Preliminary Results of Monitoring Design Efforts

North Coast and Cascades network -- Steve Ralph

Northeast Coastal and Barrier network -- Bryan Milstead

Break

Heartland network - Janet Eckhoff

Sonoran Desert network - Andy Hubbard

National Capital network - Marcus Koenen

5:00 End of First Day; Dinner on your own

5:15 Sound monitoring video -- Bill Schmidt (optional)

> 6:30 Dinner for coastal parks and regional I&M coordinators (Optional)
> to be held at Josephina's restaurant on Larimer Square to share ideas,
> mutual concerns, and practical suggestions for marine vital signs
> monitoring, with a view toward focusing, coordinating and
> strengthening coastal I&M efforts in the Parks. Contact Cliff McCreedy
> (<cliff_mccreedy@nps.gov>) for more information and to reserve a seat.

# Wednesday, August 14 (Tabor Auditorium)

*Facilitator for Morning Session: Phyllis Adams, Midwest Region I&M
Coordinator*

07:30 Coffee and tea available outside of Tabor Auditorium

08:00 Status and Preliminary Results of Monitoring Design Efforts
(continued)

Cumberland/Piedmont network - Teresa Leibfreid

Appalachian Highlands network - Robert Emmott

Central Alaska network - Maggie MacCluskie

Northern Colorado Plateau network - Angie Evenden and Mark Miller

Break

San Francisco Bay network - Jennifer Bjork

Mediterranean Coast network - Lane Cameron

Greater Yellowstone network - Cathie Jean

Discussion

12:00 Lunch

*Facilitator for Afternoon Session: Beth Johnson, Northeast Region I&M
Coordinator*

1:30 Integrating Water Quality monitoring and core vital signs -- Gary
Rosenlieb, Water Resources

2:00 NatureServe and The Nature Conservancy partnerships -- Mary Klein,
NatureServe; Terry Cook, Science Director for TNC

2:30 Panel Discussion: Challenges and Solutions in Implementing the
Program; Scientific and Logistical Merits and Difficulties of the
Approaches being Used (one network coordinator from each region will
serve on panel). -- Beth Johnson, Facilitator

> Potential topics for discussion (some of these will be discussed in
> the 3 breakout groups instead of during the 1-hour panel discussion
> with the large group):

What approaches are you using to obtain input and participation from
park staff when they are overworked already?

> How is your network approaching data mining and synthesis and why did
> you do it this way?
>
> What do you have your data managers working on?
>
> What are your experiences with getting Phase 1 work done through
> cooperative agreements with universities and other agencies?
>
> Integration of water quality monitoring planning and design with core
> vital signs; how are you approaching this and how is it working?
>
> Integration with other park operations: experiences getting input from
> interpreters, rangers, maintenance staff, etc.

Analysis of the cost / benefit of doing monitoring by 1) having network
staff based together but rove around to parks to conduct field work, vs
2) having the network pay park staff to conduct monitoring as per
network designed protocols, vs 3) the network contracting with partners
and NGO\'s to conduct monitoring.

3:30 Break

3:45 Breakout Groups -- Challenges and Solutions in Implementing the
Program

(divide into 3 groups to further discuss the topics listed above, as
well as other topics, and then report back to the entire group) -- Tabor
Auditorium, Blake and Curtis meeting rooms

5:00 End of Second Day

7:30 Pacific West Region meeting in Tabor Auditorium -- *Facilitators
Kathy Jope and Penny Latham*

# Thursday, August 15

*Facilitator for Morning Session: Larry West, Southeast Region I&M
Coordinator*

07:30 Coffee and tea available outside of Tabor Auditorium

08:00 Reports from Breakout Groups

08:30 Sound Monitoring: What is needed and how to do it -- Bill Schmidt

09:30 Fire Program - Fire Management Analysis and Fire Ecology
Assessment Tools: Providing Decision Support For Fire and Land
Management -- Ed Delaney and Tim Sexton

10:30 Break

10:50 Invasive Plants: Conceptual framework and guidelines for
monitoring protocols -- Ron Hiebert

11:15 Monitoring biodiversity -- update on NPSpecies data
evaluation/certification -- Mark Wotawa

11:30 Natural Resource monitoring using remote sensing -- Mike Story

12:00 Lunch

*Facilitator for Afternoon Session: Mike Britten, Intermountain Region
I&M Coordinator*

1:30 Research Permit Requirements -- Tim Goddard

1:50 Reporting the results of monitoring efforts -- Steve Fancy

Group Discussion -- Data roll-ups and reporting

2:20 Breakout Groups -- Scientific and logistical merits and
difficulties (3 focus areas):

-   Data Management focus -- George Dickison, Facilitator (Curtis
    meeting room)

-   State of the Parks Report/Monitoring Themes/Data Roll-up focus --
    Steve Fancy, Facilitator (Tabor Auditorium)

-   Criteria and process for evaluating/ranking/selecting vital signs
    focus -- Mike Britten, Facilitator (Blake meeting room)

4:00 Reports from 3 breakout groups

Discussion

5:00 End of Third Day

## Friday, August 16

07:30 Coffee and tea available outside of Tabor Auditorium

08:00 Group Discussion -- Next Steps

Convert ideas and recommendations from meeting into action items

10:00 Side meetings: *(the Larimer and Cook meeting rooms are also
available for side meetings)*

> Regional I&M coordinators: *Facilitator -- Steve Fancy (By Invitation
> Only - Gilpin room)*
>
> Data Managers: *Facilitator -- George Dickison (Curtis meeting room)*
>
> Network Coordinators: Facilitator -- *Maggie MacCluskie (Tabor
> Auditorium)*
>
> Topics: Communication and coordination among networks; Science of
> monitoring; Decision-making processes; Organization of networks;
> Building partnerships; Staffing challenges
>
> Technical Assistance/Subject Matter Experts -- Facilitators TBD
> (*Blake meeting room*)
>
> (opportunity for further discussion of data we can roll up and report
> on at a national level)

12:00 End of Meeting