***Summary Progress Report for***

***North Coast & Cascades Network***

***Inventory & Monitoring Program***

***National I&M Workshop***

**August 12-16, 2002**

***Denver, CO***

*Prepared by,*

*Stephen Ralph, Network Monitoring Coordinator,*

*North Coast & Cascades Network*

*with contributions from members of the Technical Committee*

***Table of Contents:***

1.  **Map or list** showing the number and names of parks in the network
    (please do not try to show pictures of all the parks or explain the
    variety of resources they contain);

2.  **The general approach** taken to obtain input from each park and
    from outside experts (e.g., questionnaires, workgroups, organization
    workshop and then workgroups, or the network coordinator or regional
    coordinator had to do everything themselves);

3.  **Organization:** who is on the Board of Directors; Technical
    committee; other committees?

4.  **Staffing and park involvement**: who have been the key players in
    the planning and design work to date? How much time/effort has
    existing park staff been able to contribute? How much involvement
    has there been from universities and from subject matter experts
    within and outside of the NPS?

5.  **Monitoring goals and objectives**: each network should include the
    5 Service-wide goals for monitoring; what other goals and objectives
    have been developed?

6.  **Background work and conceptual model development**: summarize what
    has been done to date.

7.  **Include** in your Word document, and summarize (repeat,
    *summarize*) in the powerpoint presentation, any of the following
    components that are being developed for the Phase 1 report:

    a.  Draft lists of important management issues for each park;

    b.  Draft lists of important natural resources and focal species or
        processes for each park;

    c.  Draft lists of known stressors that may cause changes in park
        resources;

    d.  Draft conceptual models of portions of the park ecosystem;

    e.  Draft list of measurable objectives for the monitoring program;

    f.  Criteria for indicator selection.

8.  **Integration of Water Quality monitoring**, other program areas
    (air quality, fire, T&E species), and existing park operations
    (e.g., resource management, interpretation, law enforcement,
    maintenance) with the planning and design efforts for core vital
    signs: is it working?

9.  **Successes and stumbling blocks**: What aspects of the planning and
    design work are going well? Is there something you have tried that
    you would recommend that other networks avoid?

**Appendices:**

# Appendix A**.** National Park Service - North Coast & Cascades Network 

*Appendix B.* Issues and Resource Questions identified through Vital
Signs Workshops by NCCN Member Park

*Appendix C**.*** Conceptual ecosystem models for North Coast & Cascades
Network

*Appendix D**. ***Lists of Natural Resource Goal, Objectives and Issues
by NCC Network

***Denver I&M Workshop Summary Progress Report for***

***North Coast & Cascades Network I&M Program***

*Prepared by Stephen Ralph, Network Monitoring Coordinator, with
contributions from members of the Technical Committee*

*1. The list (Table 1) and map below show the parks in the North Coast &
Cascades Network*

Table 1. NCCN Member Park Statistics

![](media/image1.wmf)

Figure 1. Map of North Coast & Cascades Network member Parks.

![](media/image2.wmf)

*2. **Describe the** **general approach** taken to obtain input from
each park and from outside experts.*

To date, the general approach taken obtain input from within and outside
the park was to hold "Vital Signs" workshops at each of the respective
parks (see Table 1 below). In general, scientists from academic
institutions, state, tribal, NGO's and federal agencies, resource
management specialists and interested and informed citizens participated
in the workshops. The two prototype parks also held long-term ecological
monitoring (LTEM) scoping workshop generally following a similar format
to that used for the VS workshops. The background and affiliation of
those attending each of these workshops varied depending upon location
and the nature of the resource concerns. For example, when OLYM held
their LTEM workshop, they included sessions just for park personnel in
order to get a wide representation from the programs within the Park
itself. Later, they held a similar session with invited outside experts
and interested constituents to get a more focused discussion of
perceived threats and priorities for monitoring.

Each of the park-level workshops resulted in a list of perceived natural
resource issues and monitoring questions. This list was consolidated and
reconsidered in light of the selection criteria listed below under \#
7(f), and the relevance of the stated question to the Network as a
whole. A Network-wide workshop was held to reconsider and prioritize a
single list of monitoring questions and initial priorities. Those
attending included key natural resource staff from parks within the
Network and one scientist from BRD. No outside experts were included in
this exercise.

The next step in the process involves a major effort to involve other
perspective partners in a forum designed to better understand what
opportunities might exist for collaborative work among our respective
monitoring efforts. Tentatively scheduled for February 2003, this forum
will also serve an opportunity for the Network to showcase and solicit
feedback on our conceptual ecosystem models, fundamental assumptions,
and our initial selection of key questions, measurable objectives and
associated environmental indicators.

***3. Organization**: who is on the Board of Directors; Technical
committee and other committees?*

*[Network organization]{.underline} --*

As called for in the national guidance and the network charter, the NCC
Network is governed by a [Board of Directors]{.underline} comprised of
the Superintendents of the seven park units. There is no designated
chairperson for the Board. Ex-officio members of the board include the
Regional and Network I&M Coordinators. Key natural resource staff
members from the parks also attend the (at a minimum) semi-annual
meetings of the Board. The Board has adopted a *Charter* document as
well as a *Vision Statement*, to help guide the development of the
overall program. The Network Monitoring Coordinator, as staff to the
Board, generally organizes the meetings, serves as facilitator, and note
taker.

A [Technical Committee]{.underline} composed of the Chiefs of Natural
Resources, one USGS scientist and selected natural resource staff
members meets to develop and plan inventory and monitoring activities
and propose priorities for consideration by the Board of Directors. The
network monitoring coordinator convenes and chairs this technical group,
with facilitation and recording responsibilities shared among the
members. Topic area subcommittees have been formed to consider the key
questions and measurable objectives associated with each element of the
monitoring plan as it begins to be defined (see Figure 1).

*4. **Staffing and park involvement**:*

The Network has separated the functions of inventory and monitoring by
having an inventory coordinator and a monitoring coordinator. The
inventory coordinator coincidentally serves as the Science Advisor for
the Network. In addition to a full-time network monitoring coordinator,
this network currently has two full-time data managers, with part-time
contributions made from other data management staff within the network.
Another full-time data manager will be added at Olympic. Park
specialists engaged in Geographic Information System (GIS) and
information technology both at the support office and member parks also
participate. Other technical staff are engaged with the ongoing
monitoring development work, and portions of their salaries paid through
I&M funds. Additional park-level personnel contribute to the effort as
circumstances allow. (See Appendix A, Directory of contributing members
of park staff within the network.)

In addition, the Network has the able assistance of a number of staff
scientists from the Biological Resources Division of USGS. To date, this
assistance has been primarily focused on refining and completion of a
long-term ecological monitoring protocol for terrestrial forested
systems within the Olympic National Park. Recently, this group has
helped organize specific workshops to help identify key questions and
issues, and information needs involving components of aquatic ecosystems
not currently being worked on at the other prototype park within the
network (North Cascades National Park). These will include workshops on
larger lakes and ponds, amphibians, large river and floodplain systems
and related protocol needs. A cooperative agreement between the two
services guides the scope of this work.

*a. Who have been the key players in the planning and design work to
date?*

The natural resource chiefs in particular are key players in the
planning and design work to date. Although this network received I&M
funding in FY 2001, it wasn't until late that year that they were able
to engage a formal dedicated person in the role of network coordinator.
However, prior to that time, all vital signs workshops for the
non-prototype parks were completed. Senior natural resource staff
members have also played a key role in ramping up the program. They were
responsible for defining the inventory plan and beginning implementation
of that important adjunct to overall program.

Having two prototype parks within the Network gave us somewhat of a head
start in focusing on elements of a long-term ecological monitoring
program. Both OLYM and NOCA held workshops (in 1999 and 1998,
respectively) to do just that. Although the emphasis differed at each
according to their assigned area of concentration (see discussion
below), both parks took a broad view of ecosystems nested with the park
and brought those elements into the overall context for their respective
protocol development.

*b. How much time/effort has existing park staff been able to
contribute?*

Generally, existing park staff have been able to make substantial
contributions to the work of planning the components of the overall
program. Many participate in the monthly meetings of the Technical
Committee, as warranted. Subject area committees were formed to
reconsider the variety of questions posed at individual VS workshops.
Existing park staff were the primary participants in preparing the work
products from these meetings. Especially during the field season, their
direct involvement is constrained by the press of day to day program
management and the need to deal with unexpected situations. Short field
seasons typically requires many staff members to devote their efforts
almost exclusively to completion of field work and this does severely
limit their availability to participate in the planning of the
monitoring program. During these periods, natural resource program leads
have picked up a portion of the workload. More of an issue is the lack
of opportunity for direct and frequent involvement and interaction
between the Network Monitoring Coordinator and park staff.

*c. How much involvement has there been from universities and from
subject matter experts within and outside of the NPS?*

To date, there has not been a tremendous involvement from university
staff in the development of the program, except for participation in
some of the VS workshops. We hope to rectify this situation as we make
better linkages with the new Cooperative Ecosystems Study Unit, located
at the University of Washington in Seattle. Building these relationships
is predicated on the Network's ability to define a need and research
agenda, and bringing financial and other incentives to the program to
attract qualified faculty and students. To date, there has been little
in the way of excess I&M program funds to allocate to this purpose.

Subject matter experts from BRD have made substantial contributions,
primarily in the role of protocol development, but also in the planning
elements for the overall program.

*5. **Monitoring goals and objectives:***

To comply with legal requirements, fully implement NPS policy, and guide
management activities, the Service-wide Inventory and Monitoring Program
focuses on attaining the following five major long-term goals:

-   Establish natural resource inventory and monitoring as a standard
    practice throughout the National Park system that transcends
    traditional program, activity, and funding boundaries.

-   Inventory the natural resources and park ecosystems under National
    Park Service stewardship to determine their nature and status.

-   Monitor park ecosystems to better understand their dynamic nature
    and condition and to provide reference points for comparisons with
    other, altered environments.

-   Integrate natural resource inventory and monitoring information into
    National Park Service planning, management, and decision making.

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-   Share National Park Service accomplishments and information with
    other natural resource organizations and form partnerships for
    attaining common goals and objectives.

Attaining these long-term goals is necessary to \"manage the natural
resources of the National Park System to maintain and perpetuate their
inherent integrity.\" (NPS Management Policies, Chapter 4, 1988).

*Q. What other goals and objectives have been developed that reflect
priorities from the member parks?*

A. See [Appendix D]{.underline} for park-specific statement of goals and
objectives related to monitoring.

All parks are now required to develop a strategy to define and achieve
various performance measures associated with the Government Performance
and Results Act (GPRA). See [Appendix D]{.underline} for an example from
NOCA.

*6. **Background work and conceptual model development**: \[summarize
what has been done to date.\]*

*Background work on Natural Resource Monitoring:*

The near-term monitoring program objectives of the NCCN are:

1\. Complete refinement of key questions from vital signs workshops

2.  Link key questions to relevant measurable objectives

3.  Complete development of conceptual ecosystem models

4.  Hold outreach workshop to showcase plan elements and seek
    collaboration

5.  Refine objectives and identify appropriate indicators to include in
    monitoring

6.  Develop sampling approach to address selected indicators

7.  Identify and initiate development of needed protocols

All of the parks within the Network have completed Vital Signs workshops
within the last few years (Table 1). The two prototype parks also held
meetings to define elements of their long term ecological monitoring
programs, equivalent to the Vital Signs Workshops. These workshops
generated a list of 200+ potential issues and monitoring questions for
consideration (see Appendix . The topic area subcommittees met over
several months to re-consider these questions and refine a list that
would serve as a basis for group discussion and selection of priorities
for the Network.

Table 1. Member Parks and VS Workshop Dates.

+---------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| ###### Member Park                                | ###               |
|                                                   | ### Workshop Held |
+---------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve (EBLA) | June 5 - 7, 2001  |
+---------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| Fort Clatsop National Memorial (FOCL)             | May 8 -- 10, 2001 |
+---------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (FOVA)      | June 19 - 20,     |
|                                                   | 2001              |
+---------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| San Juan Island National Historical Park (SAJH)   | March 20 - 22,    |
|                                                   | 2001              |
+---------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| Mount. Rainier National Park (MORA)               | May 22 - 24, 2001 |
+---------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| North Cascades National Park Service Complex      | 1998              |
| (NOCA)                                            |                   |
+---------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| Olympic National Park (OLYM) - LTEM Workshop      | January, 1999     |
+---------------------------------------------------+-------------------+
| Network-wide VS Workshop                          | Feb. 26-27, 2002  |
+---------------------------------------------------+-------------------+

The NCCN has only recently received *Long Term Ecological Monitoring*
funding. However, for several years prior to that time, protocol
development has been underway in two of the parks using other resources.
Both OLYM and NOCA were competitively selected in 1993 to develop
specific protocols for long-term monitoring of key aspects of temperate
forests and aquatic ecosystems, respectively. Despite being near the end
of the queue to receive funding, both parks found other sources of
funding and collaboration, including USGS, to begin work. When the
Network received its full I&M program funding in FY 2001 these
"prototype parks" received partial support for ongoing protocol
development work. The remainder of I&M funding is partitioned among the
other five parks within the Network.

Natural resource scientists with the USGS have worked closely with the
Olympic National Park, one of two prototype parks within the Network, to
develop a strategic monitoring plan for coniferous forest ecosystems.
This has included meetings to define the scope of investigations and
help frame appropriate questions to guide the development of a protocol,
and produce several field trials and pilot data sets. The North Cascades
National Park Complex, the other *prototype park*, began several years
ago to develop protocols for fluvial (rivers and streams) aquatic
systems, in collaboration with other agencies. These efforts have
primarily focused on habitat, fish and macroinvertebrate community
characterization in smaller rivers and streams. In collaboration with
aquatic ecologists at Mount Rainier and with the USGS's Forest and Range
Ecosystem Study Cooperative (FRESC), additional work on monitoring
protocols for lakes and ponds is progressing. Additional workshops are
planned to help define a monitoring strategy and key components for
large rivers and watershed processes and the biotic communities they
support. Special emphasis will be given to riparian zones, native
salmonid population characteristics and habitat distribution, and marine
derived nutrients in aquatic and riparian ecosystems. In addition, MORA
has been developing methods to monitor characteristics of mountain
climate and atmosphere.

A Network-wide Workshop in February of this year successfully narrowed
the list and concluded with an outline of conceptual ecosystem models
and a selection of key questions that will be further refined.
Additional work to develop better cross-disciplinary integration among
these questions will be done before submission of the [Phase
II]{.underline} report in April of 2003. Initial ecosystem components of
interest were defined and their associated conceptual models were
described and linked to the identified questions. These key questions
and conceptual models will be refined over the coming year as indicators
are identified and various approaches to sampling design are evaluated.
A final report on the outcome of this meeting was prepared and
distributed as part of the administrative record for development of the
overall monitoring plan. This report will be made available on the
Network's intra-net website, currently under development.

In addition to the workshops targeted at identification of key questions
and "vital signs", the Network is fortunate to have had the opportunity
to hold several workshops to focus on specific subject areas or
methodological questions. For example the Geologic Resources Division
generously held a workshop on geo-indicators at OLYM, and a workshop on
ultraviolet radiation exposure was organized to help us better
understand the influence increased exposure might have to park visitors
and biotic communities. In addition, workshops examining
bio-geo-chemical cycles, glacier monitoring and sampling design and
statistical analyses for terrestrial systems were also held. Additional
workshops are planned for the next few years, to consider habitat
sampling frameworks for large rivers, marine derived nutrients and
salmon population dynamics, persistent organic pollutants (POPs),remote
sensing tools, climate monitoring, and terrestrial community diversity
indices, to name a few.

Table 2. Focused Workshops for specific issues within the NCC Network.

  ---------------------------------------------------- ------------------
  TOPIC of Workshop                                    DATE HELD

  Ozone Depletion & Ultraviolet Radiation              July 2001

  Bio-geo-chemical Processes                           January 2001

  Statistics and Sampling Design for Terrestrial       April 2001
  Systems                                              

  Geo-indicators (GRD sponsored workshop)              August 2001

  Glacier Monitoring                                   March 2002

  Soils Monitoring                                     April 2002

  Marine Inter-tidal Monitoring                        February 2002
  ---------------------------------------------------- ------------------

Table XX. North Coast & Cascades Network - Parks having priority
ecosystem types within parks.

<table style="width:100%;">
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 19%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 5%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 7%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 6%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 5%" />
<col style="width: 3%" />
<col style="width: 0%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
<col style="width: 4%" />
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr class="odd">
<td colspan="3"><h3
id="conceptual-model-of-park-ecosystems"><em><strong>Conceptual Model of
Park Ecosystems</strong></em></h3></td>
<td colspan="3">Mount Rainier</td>
<td colspan="3">S. Juan Island</td>
<td colspan="3">Ebey’s Landing</td>
<td colspan="3">North Cascades</td>
<td colspan="3">Olympic</td>
<td colspan="3">Fort Clatsop</td>
<td colspan="3"><p>Fort</p>
<p>Vanc.</p></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td colspan="2"></td>
<td colspan="3">Atmospheric/Climate</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="2">Yes</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td colspan="3">Geology/Landscape Characteristics &amp; Processes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">No</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td colspan="3"><u>Terrestrial</u> Vegetation</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td colspan="3"><u>Terrestrial</u> Wildlife</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td colspan="3"><u>Aquatic</u>- Lakes &amp; Ponds -lotic systems</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">No</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">No</td>
<td colspan="3">No</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td></td>
<td colspan="3"><u>Aquatic</u>- Streams and Rivers -fluvial systems</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td></td>
<td colspan="3"><u>Aquatic</u>- Coastal marine shore</td>
<td colspan="3">No</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">No</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">Yes</td>
<td colspan="3">No</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

Table YY. Key attributes of North Coast & Cascades Network conceptual
ecosystem models [(still needs to be completed for all
categories).]{.mark}

+----------------+----------+------+------+-------+--------+---------+
| ### ***Conc    | *        | *T   | *S   | *D    | *Ind   | *System |
| eptual Model o | Biotic/* | empo | pati | irect | irect* | boun    |
| f Ecosystem*** |          | r-al | al/* | Link  |        | daries/ |
|                | *Abiotic | Sc   |      | ages* | *Lin   | const   |
|                | e        | ales | *Sca |       | kages* | raints* |
|                | lements* | (y   | les* |       |        |         |
|                |          | rs)* |      |       |        |         |
+----------------+----------+------+------+-------+--------+---------+
| Atmos          | Preci    | Seas | Gl   | L     | Terre  |         |
| pheric/Climate | pitation | onal | obal | and-f | strial |         |
|                |          |      |      | orms; | plant  |         |
|                | De       | An   | Re   |       | and    |         |
|                | position | nual | gion | G     | animal |         |
|                |          |      |      | lobal | &      |         |
|                | Tem      | 1    | L    | and   | a      |         |
|                | perature | 0^2\ | ocal | No.   | quatic |         |
|                |          |  --^ |      | Pa    | c      |         |
|                | H        | 1    | M    | cific | ommun. |         |
|                | ydrology | 0^6^ | icro | oc    |        |         |
|                |          |      |      | eanic |        |         |
|                | To       |      |      | proc  |        |         |
|                | pography |      |      | esses |        |         |
+----------------+----------+------+------+-------+--------+---------+
| Geo            | Gravity; | An   | Regi | Landf |        |         |
| logy/Landscape |          | nual | onal | orms; |        |         |
| C              | Wea      |      |      |       |        |         |
| haracteristics | thering/ | 1    | Wa   | G     |        |         |
| & Processes    | erosion; | 0^2\ | ter- | lobal |        |         |
|                |          |  --^ | shed | &     |        |         |
|                | Wa       | 1    |      | reg   |        |         |
|                | tershed/ | 0^6^ | B    | ional |        |         |
|                |          |      | asin | cli   |        |         |
|                | channels |      |      | matic |        |         |
|                |          |      | L    | proc  |        |         |
|                |          |      | ocal | esses |        |         |
|                |          |      | site |       |        |         |
+----------------+----------+------+------+-------+--------+---------+
| Terrestrial    | Geol     | 1^0\ | 1    | Wild  |        | V       |
| Vegetation     | ogy/soil |  --^ | m^2^ | life, |        | ertical |
|                |          | 1    | --   |       |        | limits  |
|                | micr     | 0^3^ | 1    | S     |        | to      |
|                | oclimate |      | 0^4^ | oils, |        | distr   |
|                |          |      | k    |       |        | ibution |
|                |          |      | m^2^ | L     |        | imposed |
|                |          |      |      | itho/ |        | by      |
|                |          |      |      |       |        | climat  |
|                |          |      |      | T     |        | e/soils |
|                |          |      |      | opog. |        |         |
+----------------+----------+------+------+-------+--------+---------+
| Terrestrial    | St       | 1^0\ | 10   | Atm   |        | V       |
| Wildlife       | ructural |  --^ | m^2^ | osph. |        | ertical |
|                | d        | 1    | --   |       |        | &       |
|                | iversity | 0^3^ | 1    | Soils |        | hor     |
|                | of       |      | 0^3^ |       |        | izontal |
|                | h        |      | k    | Veg.  |        | limits  |
|                | abitats; |      | m^2^ |       |        | to      |
|                | link to  |      |      |       |        | distr   |
|                | trophic  |      |      |       |        | ibution |
|                | relat    |      |      |       |        |         |
|                | ionships |      |      |       |        |         |
+----------------+----------+------+------+-------+--------+---------+
| Aquatic- Lakes | Organic  | 1^0\ |      |       |        |         |
| & Ponds -lotic | and      |  --^ |      |       |        |         |
| systems        | i        | 1    |      |       |        |         |
|                | norganic | 0^3^ |      |       |        |         |
|                | nutrient |      |      |       |        |         |
|                | inputs;  |      |      |       |        |         |
|                | water    |      |      |       |        |         |
+----------------+----------+------+------+-------+--------+---------+
| Aquatic-       | Water,   | 1    | 10   | U     |        |         |
| Streams and    | nu       | 0^0^ | ^-1^ | pland |        |         |
| Rivers         | trients, | --   | --   | and   |        |         |
| -fluvial       | organic  | 1    | 1    | rip   |        |         |
| systems        | debris,  | 0^6^ | 0^3^ | arian |        |         |
|                | s        | yr   | (m)  | eros  |        |         |
|                | ediment, |      |      | ional |        |         |
|                | ve       |      | Wa   | pr    |        |         |
|                | rtebrate |      | ter- | ocess |        |         |
|                | &        |      | shed | esnut |        |         |
|                | inve     |      |      | rient |        |         |
|                | rtebrate |      | St   | i     |        |         |
|                | biota    |      | eam, | nputs |        |         |
|                |          |      |      | and   |        |         |
|                |          |      | Segm | up    |        |         |
|                |          |      | ent, | takes |        |         |
|                |          |      |      |       |        |         |
|                |          |      | R    |       |        |         |
|                |          |      | each |       |        |         |
|                |          |      |      |       |        |         |
|                |          |      | Pool |       |        |         |
|                |          |      |      |       |        |         |
|                |          |      | /ri  |       |        |         |
|                |          |      | ffle |       |        |         |
|                |          |      |      |       |        |         |
|                |          |      | M    |       |        |         |
|                |          |      | icro |       |        |         |
+----------------+----------+------+------+-------+--------+---------+
| Aquatic-       | Water,   | 1    | 10   | River |        | S       |
| Coastal marine | nu       | 0^0^ | ^-1^ | tran  |        | alinity |
| shorelines     | trients, | --   | --   | sport |        | gra     |
|                | organic  | 1    | 1    | proce |        | dients, |
|                | debris,  | 0^6^ | 0^3^ | sses, |        | ma      |
|                | s        | yr   | m    | long- |        | gnitude |
|                | ediment, |      |      | shore |        | of      |
|                | ve       |      |      | d     |        | inputs  |
|                | rtebrate |      |      | rift, |        | from    |
|                | &        |      |      | Nut   |        | tr      |
|                | inve     |      |      | rient |        | ibutary |
|                | rtebrate |      |      | inpu  |        | sources |
|                | biota    |      |      | ts/up |        |         |
|                |          |      |      |       |        |         |
|                |          |      |      | takes |        |         |
+----------------+----------+------+------+-------+--------+---------+

7\. Include in your Word document, and summarize (repeat, summarize) in
the powerpoint presentation, any of the following components that are
being developed for the [Phase 1 report]{.underline}:

*a. Draft lists of important management issues for each park;*

*b. Draft lists of important natural resources and focal species or
processes for each park;*

> As an outcome of each park-level VS workshop, lists of resource
> concerns or issues, stressors and questions were developed for each
> park. All together, this list includes over 200+ questions listed in
> the [Appendix B]{.underline}, this volume. These questions were
> subsequently reconsidered in light of recommended guidelines for
> prioritization. The result of this exercise is also contained within
> our Network-wide Workshop Summary Report (not yet web-available).

*c. Draft lists of known stressors that may cause changes in park
resources.*

We lumped these together as **System Drivers & Stressors**

[Natural Processes:]{.underline}

> *[Climate]{.underline}* - operating at multiple scales of time and
> place; global climate change factors
>
> [*Atmospheric transport and deposition of pollutants*]{.underline} --
> both organic and inorganic
>
> *[Hydrology]{.underline}* - coupled with climate information; a major
> driver in aquatic and riparian ecosystems.
>
> *[Bio-geo-chemical processes]{.underline}* - operating at watershed
> scales
>
> *[Natural disturbances]{.underline}* -- nature, magnitude, frequency,
> duration and persistence

#### Anthropogenic Stressors: 

> *[Human Activities]{.underline}* -- both from within and outside of
> park boundaries
>
> *[External land & water use]{.underline}* - (consumptive, extractive
> use and conversion to other land uses)

+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+
| **[System             | *                     | ##### [Ecosy          |
| Drivers]{.mark}**     | *[Stressors]{.mark}** | stem effects]{.mark}  |
+-----------------------+-----------------------+-----------------------+

  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------
  Climate                 Weather / Climate       Increased exposure to
                          regime shifts; Ozone    ultraviolet radiation
                          depletion               

  Hydrology               Flow regimes;           Surface & groundwater
                          mass-balance of         source protection,
                          glaciers; near-shore    pollution, depletion,
                          marine transport,       biotic communities
                          salinity                

  Natural Disturbance     Fire; disease           Increased rate,
  Events                  pathogens; geological   magnitude, duration and
                          process disturbances;   persistence of natural
                          wind and storm events   disturbance effects

  Bio-geo-chemical        Global climate change   Nutrient cycling, soil
  processes               consequences, changes   characteristics,
                          in carbon and nitrogen  floristic response,
                          cycling, weathering     precipitation and
                                                  stream chemistry,
                                                  trophic relationships

  Human Activity          Fisheries & wildlife    In-holders &
                          Mgmt.; Visitor use:     development activities;
                          Park mgmt.              harvest of
                                                  park-migratory
                                                  fauna(e.g. elk, salmon)

  External Land & Water   Land cover & adjacent   Border issues-adjacency
  Use                     use effects; Coastal    of clearing and
                          Zone mgmt. & adjacent   grading; spread of
                          land-use decisions by   exotic species, habitat
                          local governments       fragmentation,
                                                  cumulative and
                                                  synergistic effects,
                                                  etc.

  Atmospheric             Transport & deposition  Effects on vegetation,
                          of pollutants           soils, water quality,
                                                  aquatic biota

  Pollution (air and      Wet & dry deposition of \*Point & non-point
  water)                  pollutants; land-use    pollution, aquatic
                                                  habitat deterioration
  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------

[\*Non-point source pollutants include]{.underline}: Oil spills into
waterbodies, road run-off, hill-slope failures due to management
activities, recreational vessels/commercial shipping -- discharges in
adjacent park air and waters, and those associated with present and past
visitor use to sensitive areas within parks.

*a. Draft conceptual models of portions of the park ecosystem;*

[See Appendix C.]{.mark}

*b. Draft list of measurable objectives for the monitoring program;*

Still in development.

*c. Criteria for indicator selection*

We believe that before we can begin the process of indicator selection,
we have to define the explicit questions we are trying to answer. This
gives important focus and identifies the purpose for the monitoring
effort. These questions are critical to identifying the specific program
objectives, generating hypotheses that can be tested, defining working
assumptions (aided by the conceptual ecosystem models)), and selecting
appropriate variables (indicators) that will provide evidence to help
answer the question. To help this process of problem definition, we
provide the following guidance when considering a range of questions
(\>200) that had been defined at the park-level Vital Signs workshops:

-   Why is answering the question so important? What it is we are trying
    to achieve by answering the question (i.e. the objective)?

-   Does the issue relate to identifiable human activities that affect
    park resources?

-   What are the consequences if we ignore the issue? Will we make fatal
    management blunders, or doom a species or population to obscurity
    through our ignorance?

-   Define the likely measurable objective and some indicator that is
    responsive to disturbances (stresses) over reasonable time frames
    and defined geographic areas (i.e. spatial scales).

-   Is this a park-specific issue or one of network relevance?

-   What scale is the question nested within, i.e. a Network level
    effort vs. a park level effort, a site or a watershed scale?

-   How does it link with other ecosystem components and integrate
    physical and chemical processes and biological responses,

-   Does it give insight into cause -- effect relationships, or is it a
    status and trend indicator?

-   Can we realistically detect a change within a time frame that is
    relevant to management?

> 8\. *Integration of Water Quality monitoring, other program areas (air
> quality, fire, T&E species), and [existing park
> operations]{.underline}* (e.g., resource management, interpretation,
> law enforcement, maintenance) with the planning and design efforts for
> core vital signs: is it working?

It is a bit early in the planning stage to answer this question either
completely or definitively for every one of the aspects mentioned above.
However, both [water and air quality]{.underline} have already been
identified as being significant to the network I&M program. Air quality
considerations are factored into the developing scheme to define an
atmospheric/climatic component for the program. We anticipate enlisting
the assistance of the new regional air quality specialist (located at
the Columbia Cascades Support Office in Seattle), to aid in the design
of the approach we ultimately take. In addition, we hope to establish
working relationships with both the Puget Sound Air Pollution Authority
(name?) and the Puget Sound Regional Synthesis Model group working at
University of Washington. In order to accommodate the concerns at FOVA
and FOCL, additional collaboration will be developed with similar
efforts near Fort Vancouver in and around the greater metropolitan area
of Portland, Oregon.

For this network, a technical working group on aquatic resources has
been working to integrate biotic components, water quantity and water
quality. To that end, the group takes on the responsibility to integrate
program requirements for water quality elements into the overall work
plan for current and future years. This work plan is submitted to the
Water Resources Division for their review and approval prior to receipt
of operating funds.

Regarding integration of the I&M program with resource management
activities at the member parks, this happens as a result of the direct
engagement of park natural resource personnel on the Network I&M
Technical Committee. Their involvement helps to draw attention to
opportunities to collaborate and mutually support respective program
objectives and associated workload.

Other park operation areas, such as law enforcement, interpretation and
maintenance have yet to be fully addressed in the planning for the
network monitoring program.

9\. *Successes and stumbling blocks*: What aspects of the planning and
design work are going well? Is there something you have tried that you
would recommend that other networks avoid?

[Collaboration with USGS]{.underline}: The collaborative relationship
with the Biological Resources Division of USGS has been a terrific asset
for the Network at large, even though most of the work has concentrated
on the terrestrial protocol for OLYM. The USGS staff members are
organizing additional workshops on selected topics and have developed a
memorandum of agreement with the NPS that lays out a work plan by topic
area, timelines and specifies roles and responsibilities for completion
of various protocols for respective topics.

[Prototype Park:]{.underline} Having two prototype parks within the
Network has been, overall a great asset. Pioneering work done by these
parks has given the Network a head start on protocol development and
field trials that bodes well for the Network to advance a program that
has a core of solid and defensible sampling schemes. One observation is
that because each prototype park has been working on their specific
topic area, there has been little opportunity to integrate the two
approaches. For example, it would be a good step to define a strategy to
link their respective works to address transition zones between the
aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. These ecotones are perhaps among the
most dynamic environments we have on the landscape. This situation can
be remedied perhaps, by holding day long sessions where each group can
showcase their specific accomplishments and ongoing work. This would
help each park develops a better understanding of what the other park is
doing.

[Integration Across Disciplines]{.underline}: Relative to the biological
science, physical sciences such as geology, climatology and hydrology
were not well represented in some of the VS discussions. The result,
working lists of indicators and key questions are heavy on the biotic
elements of ecosystems and thin on the abiotic, making it difficult to
factor in landscape factors (e.g. hydrology, landscape and watershed
processes, natural disturbance pathways, etc.). Understandably, areas of
expertise that are not well represented among the staff get less
attention and consideration than they perhaps should. This leaves it
difficult to develop a truly integrated approach that encompasses
landscape ecology principles. This can be resolved by making a more
deliberate effort to bring in the needed expertise as the program
priorities begin to coalesce.

[Vital Signs Workshops]{.underline}: Holding individual workshops at
each of the parks were a very good thing to do in terms of
inclusiveness, especially with interested groups from within the
community. However, it wasn't particularly helpful for identifying
in-common issues to all parks that might serve as a basis for developing
a Network Program. The process seemed to place too much emphasis on
indicator selection and too little on defining the questions, need, and
objectives for doing the work in the first place. The VS workshops may
have placed too much emphasis on the "stressors" based view of
ecosystems and threats to them, rather than considering alternatives.
Granted, threats to ecosystem do exist, but one may falsely identify a
"stress" when in fact a change may be within the historic range of
expression that reflects inherent variability. A alternative way of
looking at things is to acknowledge that in many cases we just need to
understand, and at least qualify the ecological processes, natural
disturbance characteristics, inherent variability across landscapes, and
functional linkages among ecosystem components for a given park.

[Network organization]{.underline}: Building a functional I&M Team is
absolutely key to completion of a successful and rigorous monitoring
plan. This is difficult if the coordinator is isolated in one location,
with no administrative support, no staff, no budget and only occasional
contact with park staff associated with the program. This arrangement
provides little opportunity for interaction with other staff associated
with the program who are located at individual parks. There is now an
opportunity to recast the roles, relationships and responsibilities of
key players in this Network's I&M effort to remedy this limitation. In
so doing, it will be important to define the explicit role of the
coordinator relative to others in the Network.

[Schedule for delivery of work plan components]{.underline}: While we
all understand the importance of setting milestones to gauge the
progress of work underway, the schedule does not seem realistic when
considering the limited seasonal availability of park staff to be
engaged in ongoing planning. Engaging the key park staff in helping
prepare planning materials has been problematic because the press of
seasonal field work associated with the program often precludes their
active participation in ongoing planning efforts.

**[Literature cited]{.underline}**

Jenkins, K., A. Woodward and E. Schreiner. 2002. Developing Long-term
Ecological Monitoring in Olympic National Park: A Prototype Model for
Coniferous Forest Parks. *DRAFT* Report prepared by USGS Forest and
Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Olympic Field Station, 600 E. Park
Avenue, Port Angeles, WA 98362.

**Appendices:**

# **Appendix A**. National Park Service - North Coast & Cascades Network 

*Key Natural Resource Staff & Superintendents* (Staff funded wholly or
in part are designated with an \*).

+--------------------+--------------------+---------------------------+
| [Fort Vancouver    | *[Fort Clatsop     | *[Mount Rainier           |
| (                  | (F                 | (MORA)]{.underline}*      |
| FOVA]{.underline}) | OCL)]{.underline}* |                           |
|                    |                    | **Jon Jarvis**,           |
| **Tracy            | **Don Striker**,   | *Superintendent*          |
| Fortmann**,        | *Superintendent*   |                           |
| *Superintendent*   |                    | Roger Andrascik, Chief of |
|                    | Scott Stonum,      | NR                        |
| Greg Shine, Chief  | Chief Natural      |                           |
| Ranger             | Resources          | Barbara Samora, Aq.Ecol.  |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | Darin Swinney, GIS        |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | Bret Christoe\*, Data     |
|                    |                    | Mgr.                      |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | Laurie Kurth, Plant Ecol. |
+--------------------+--------------------+---------------------------+
| *[Columbia         | *[Ebby's Landing   | *[Olympic                 |
| Cascades Support   | (E                 | (OLYM)]{.underline}*      |
| Of                 | BLA)]{.underline}* |                           |
| fice]{.underline}* |                    | **Dave Morris**,          |
|                    | **Gretchen         | *Superintendent*          |
| Steve Ralph\*,     | Luxenberg**,       |                           |
| Network Monitoring | *Super.*           | Cat H. Hoffman, Chief     |
| Coordinator        |                    | Nat. Re.                  |
|                    | Leigh Smith, Chief |                           |
|                    | Nat. Re.           | Steven Fradkin, Marine    |
|                    |                    | Biol.                     |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | Patti Happe, Wildlife     |
|                    |                    | Biol.                     |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | John Meyer, Fish          |
|                    |                    | Biologist                 |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | Steve Acker\*,            |
|                    |                    | Super.Botanist            |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | ###                       |
|                    |                    | Roger Hoffman, GIS Spec.  |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | Jerry Freilich\*, LTEM    |
|                    |                    | Coor.                     |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | Bill Baccus\*, Phys. Sci. |
|                    |                    | Tech.                     |
+--------------------+--------------------+---------------------------+
| ##                 | *[San Juan         | *[North Cascades          |
|  *[Biological Reso | (S                 | (NOCA)]{.underline}*      |
| urces Division of  | AJH)]{.underline}* |                           |
| USGS]{.underline}* |                    | **Bill Paleck**,          |
|                    | **Peter            | *Superintendent*          |
| Andrea Woodward    | Dederich**,        |                           |
|                    | *Superintendent*   | Bruce Freet, Chief        |
| Kurt Jenkins       |                    | Nat.Re.                   |
|                    | Bill Gleason,      |                           |
| Ed Schriener       | Chief Ranger       | Reed Glesne, Aq. Ecol.    |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | Regina Rochefort, Sci.    |
|                    |                    | Adv.                      |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | Jon Riedel, Geologist     |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | Bob Kuntz\*, Wildlife     |
|                    |                    | Biol.                     |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | Ron Holmes\*, Data Mgr.   |
|                    |                    |                           |
|                    |                    | Mignonne Bivin\*, Plant   |
|                    |                    | Ecologist                 |
+--------------------+--------------------+---------------------------+

***Appendix B**. Issues and Resources by NCCN Member Park*

**Questions posed at park-level Vital Signs Workshops**

Part 1 of 7

**North Cascades National Park**

**Monitoring Questions**

Excerpted from North Cascades National Park Service Complex Long-Term
Ecological Monitoring Conceptual Plan

# 1. [Air/Climate]{.underline}

> a\. [Air Quality]{.underline} ---
>
> -What is the spatial and temporal variation in climate in complex
> mountainous terrain?
>
> -How can modeling be used to provide a framework for monitoring and
> data integration?

# b. [Deposition and Gases]{.underline}:

> -What are current sources of air pollution?
>
> -What are current and potential future air qualities?
>
> -What air pollution components (e.g., cloud water) are potentially
> important but not being measured effectively?
>
> -How can modeling be used more effectively to identify quantities and
> sources of air pollutants?

# c. [Visibility:]{.underline}

> -To what extent are particulate pollutants reducing visibility?

# d. [Toxic Substances:]{.underline} 

> -Can a survey of bio-accumulators be used to detect presence/absence
> and level/load of toxic substances?
>
> e\. [Aquatic Air Quality Related Values (AQRVs):]{.underline}
>
> -How does air pollution affect the chemical and biological components
> of aquatic systems?
>
> f\. [Terrestrial Air Quality Related Values (AQRVs):]{.underline}
>
> -What are the impacts of air pollutants on sensitive plant species and
> microbial activity?

2\. [Water Resources]{.underline} (Freshwater and Marine Aquatic
ecology, aquatic vegetation, water quality & quantity):

# a. [Aquatic Habitat:]{.underline} 

# [Park-wide Inventory and Classification of the Components of Riverine Systems]{.underline}

What are the types and distribution of channel and habitat types
throughout the park?

# [Watershed-Scale River Inventory and Monitoring]{.underline}:

> What are the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics and
> process-interactions of key watersheds?

# 

# [Stream-Reach Scale Aquatic Habitat Monitoring]{.underline}:

What are the physical and chemical controls on reach-scale aquatic
habitat?

# [Riverine]{.underline}: 

> What are the sources, transport mechanisms and fate of sediment and
> large woody debris in North Cascades NP riverine systems?

# [Lakes and Ponds]{.underline}:

> What is the chemical and physical status of lakes and ponds? Are lakes
> and ponds undergoing acidification and nutrient enrichment?

# [Reservoirs]{.underline}:

> Identify and define basic limnologic processes and the sanitary
> quality of Ross Lake and Lake Chelan.

# b. [Aquatic Biota]{.underline}

######## Water Quality: Lakes and Ponds, Streams, Reservoirs 

> What are the effects of atmospheric deposition?
>
> What are the natural ranges of variation in chemical characteristics?
>
> What are the long-term trends and how do they correspond to climatic
> variation and air pollutants?
>
> What is the status of nutrients and productivity in the reservoirs?
>
> Is the water quality degraded by visitor use, park operations, or by
> activities on adjacent lands?

# [Lakes and Ponds]{.underline} --- Biotic Resources:

> What are the effects of fish stocking (for fish, on native
> communities)?
>
> What are the effects of atmospheric deposition and other impacts on
> water quality on resource populations/communities?
>
> Are restoration efforts effective?
>
> What are natural ranges of variation in community composition and
> abundance?
>
> What species or groups of taxa can be used as indicators of
> degradation?
>
> What are the long-term trends and how do they correspond to climatic
> variation and other environmental factors?
>
> [BMI:]{.underline} Do present conditions in biology (defined by BMI
> community metrics) meet expected biological condition for a given
> geophysical setting and level of human disturbance?
>
> [Amphibians:]{.underline} What is the status of threatened and
> sensitive species (e.g., spotted frogs)?
>
> [Fish:]{.underline} What is the status of non-native fish distribution
> in the park? What is the quality of the fisheries in lakes designated
> for recreational fishing? If stocking programs are in place, are they
> cost-effective and do they produce the desired recreational benefit?

# Rivers and Streams --- Biotic Resources:

> BMI: What are the effects of non-native fish?
>
> What are the effects of atmospheric deposition on communities?
>
> What are natural ranges of variation in community composition and
> abundance?
>
> What species or groups of taxa can be used as indicators of
> degradation?
>
> What are the long-term trends and how do they correspond to climatic
> variation and other environmental factors?
>
> Do present conditions (defined by BMI community metrics) meet expected
> biological condition for a given geophysical setting and level of
> human disturbance?

*Amphibians:*

> What are the effects of non-native fish? What are the effects of
> atmospheric deposition on water quality?
>
> What are natural ranges of variation in abundance and recruitment?
>
> What are the long-term trends and how do they correspond to climatic
> variation and other environmental factors?

*Resident fish:*

> What are the effects of fish stocking on native fish communities? Are
> restoration efforts effective?
>
> What is the status of non-native fish distribution in the park?
>
> What is the quality of the stream recreational fisheries?
>
> What are the effects of climatic change, pollutants, habitat
> alterations and harvest on native resident fish populations?

What is the status of bull trout and Dolly Varden populations in the
park?

*Anadromous Salmon and Steelhead:*

> What is the status of salmon and steelhead populations in the park?
>
> Are restoration efforts effective?
>
> What are the effects of climatic change, pollutants, habitat
> alterations and harvest on salmon and steelhead populations (basinwide
> and parkwide)?
>
> What is the contribution of salmon (marine-derived nutrients) to
> nutrient cycling in streams?

# Reservoirs --- Resident Fish:

> What are the effects of fish stocking on native fish communities?
>
> What is the quality of recreational fisheries?
>
> What are the effects of climatic change, pollutants, habitat
> alterations and harvest on native resident fish populations?
>
> What is the status of bull trout and Dolly Varden populations?
>
> What are the effects of adjacent land-use activities on reservoir fish
> populations?
>
> What is the effect of water level manipulation on reservoir fish
> populations?

# 3. [Terrestrial Plant Communities]{.underline}

# Vegetative Assemblages and Processes:

> -At large spatial scales, what is the distribution of vegetative
> assemblages, forest structure, and fuel loading?
>
> -How are these characteristics changing over time?

# Patterns of Natural Disturbance:

> -What are the extent and severity of natural disturbance events?
>
> -How have disturbance patterns changed over time?

# 

# Plant Species of Special Concern:

> -What are the distribution and abundance of: rare, threatened, and
> endangered species; exotic species; and bio-indicators?
>
> -What are the distribution, abundance, and population dynamics of
> ethnobotanical species?

# Human Disturbance:

> -How much is visitor use altering vegetation, other biota, and soils?
>
> -Are campsites and social trails changing in size and number?

# 4. [Terrestrial Wildlife]{.underline} 

# Mammals: 

> *Large carnivores -*
>
> Are there resident populations of large carnivores inhabiting the
> North Cascades Ecosystem?
>
> Does North Cascades NP contribute adequate prey-base populations to
> support large carnivores?

What is the status of black bear and cougar populations within North
Cascades NP?

# Mid-sized Carnivores- 

> -What are the status and distribution of wolverine, fisher, lynx,
> bobcat, and pine marten in North Cascades NP?

# 

# Small Mammals- 

> -What are the status and distribution of small mammal populations
> within North Cascades NP?

# Bats-

-What are the status and distribution of bat species within North
Cascades NP?

> *Ungulates and other hoofed critters*-

-What is the status of mountain goats in the North Cascades Ecosystem?

> -What constitutes suitable summer mountain goat habitat? (A
> summer-habitat model exists for the park; this model should be tested
> and refined if necessary to include data from adjacent lands within
> the North Cascades Ecosystem).
>
> *Birds:*
>
> -What is the status of the over-wintering bald eagle population?
>
> -What are the status and distribution of the goshawk population in
> NOCA?
>
> -What is the status of breeding passerine bird populations within
> NOCA?
>
> -What are the status and distribution of this riverine birds guild of
> species in North Cascades NP (harlequin duck, common merganser,
> spotted sandpiper, American dipper)?
>
> -What are the status and distribution of white-tailed ptarmigan across
> alpine habitats in the park?

-What are the key elements of a habitat model for white-tailed
ptarmigan?

# 

# Arthropods: 

> -What are the status and distribution of various guilds of arthropods
> associated with a range of habitats in North Cascades NP?
>
> -Which exotic arthropods could potentially affect park ecosystems?

# 5. [Geology & Soils / Landscape Processes]{.underline}

# Glaciers and Permanent Snow Fields:

> -What is the spatial and temporal variation in glacier mass balance
> and the delivery of glacial meltwater to streams and lakes?
>
> -Are glaciers reservoirs of atmospheric pollutants?
>
> -What is the nature of glacial activity during the past 1,000 years?
>
> -How has the relatively warmer and drier climate of the last century
> influenced glaciers and their effects on streamflow?
>
> -What is the ecological importance of glacial disturbance phenomena
> such as glacial outbursts and lahars?
>
> -How does glacial recession interact with other ecological processes
> such as plant succession?

*Watersheds and Landforms:*

> -What are the types and distribution of landforms in selected
> watersheds?
>
> -What are the frequency and spatial extent of geomorphic disturbances,
> such as snow avalanches, landslides, and floods as identified by
> analysis of landforms?
>
> -What is the impact of these disturbances on ecological processes,
> water quality, fisheries, and human activities?
>
> -Where are geological deposits that contain information on past
> climate and environmental change?
>
> -Are any of these deposits threatened by erosion?

# Geomorphic Features:

> -What are the frequency, location, and spatial extent of geomorphic
> disturbances, such as snow avalanches, debris flows, and mass wasting?
>
> -What is the impact of these geohazards on structures and human
> activities?
>
> -How do geomorphic disturbances affect natural resources (e.g., water
> quality, fisheries)?

# Soils:

> -What is the distribution of various soil types at a detailed
> taxonomic level by family or series?
>
> -How do soil physical and chemical properties vary in steep,
> mountainous terrain associated with different landforms?
>
> -What are the interactions of soil bio-geo-chemical dynamics with
> hydrologic processes and atmospheric deposition?
>
> -How are soils modified by human activities?
>
> -Where are locations and what is the scale of human-induced soil
> erosion?

Appendix B. continued as part 2 of 7

# **Olympic National Park** 

#  **Monitoring Questions**

11/06/01 as modified by Steve Ralph

Long-term Ecological Monitoring Workshop held January 1999

# [Air/Climate]{.underline}

1.  Describe the geographic and elevational patterns of weather.

2.  Describe trends in interception of ultraviolet radiation.

3.  Describe the geographic and elevational patterns of ozone.

4.  Describe the geographic and elevational patterns of wet and dry
    deposition.

5.  Describe the geographic distribution of changes in airborne
    particulates and impairment of visibility.

6.  Is air pollution causing changes to terrestrial resources including
    pollution-sensitive vegetation and soils?

7.  Are acid forming ions of sulfur and nitrogen inputs affecting water
    quality in sensitive lakes and streams (i.e., those that are
    oligotrophic or have low acid neutralizing capacity)?

8.  Is human use impacting local air quality? (This issue does not
    presently appear pressing)

9.  Is precipitation chemistry measurements form the Hoh Basin Small
    Watershed Project deviating from the nearly twenty-year norm already
    observed?

10. Describe trends in the extent of snow cover and in plant phenology.

11. Are levels of contaminants in park resources changing?

[Water Resources]{.underline} (Freshwater and Marine Aquatic ecology,
aquatic vegetation, water quality & quantity)

12. Are basic properties of water quality changing in the park (i.e.,
    alkalinity, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total suspended
    particulates, rapid bioassessment, temperature and flow)?

13. Is the ecological role of anadromous fish to transport marine
    derived nutrients to freshwater ecosystems changing in
    aquatic/riparian zones and lowland forests?

14. Describe changes in features providing inputs to river systems
    (i.e., disturbances and riparian vegetation types). (Covered in no.
    14 above)

15. Is water quality changing in selected lakes and streams (e.g., Lake
    Ozzette, Lake Crescent, high-elevation lakes)?

16. Describe changes in glacier size.

17. Are there changes in parameters describing physical habitat-related
    characteristics of lakes and streams?

18. Are there changes in the structure and composition of riparian
    vegetation?

19. Are there changes in the species composition and structure of
    phytoplankton and zooplankton communities of park lakes that could
    signal changes in trophic structure, ecosystem function, or
    sustainability?

20. Are there changed in aquatic amphibian communities that could signal
    impacts associated with UVB, introduced fish, disease, contaminants,
    or climate change?

21. Are fish communities changing in structure or populations declining,
    signaling the need to negotiate stricter protection?

22. Are there manifest ecosystem-level effects associated with changes
    in salmon abundance?

23. Are there changes in population parameters for fish species listed
    as threatened (i.e., Lake Ozette sockeye, bulltrout, Lake
    Cushman/Elwha Chinook)?

24. Are there changes in population parameters for fish species rare in
    Olympic NP (i.e., pygmy whitefish, Lake Crescent trout, Dolly
    Varden)?

25. What is the extent of invasion of the non-native fish species, brook
    trout and Atlantic salmon?

26. Are there changes in population parameters for endemic fish species
    in Olympic NP (i.e., Olympic mud minnow)?

27. Is intertidal community composition changing over time?

28. Are physical and chemical features of the intertidal environment
    changing?

29. Are levels of toxins changing in coastal waters?

30. Describe trends on coastal shoreline position.

# [Terrestrial Plant Communities]{.underline}

31. Describe trends in the frequency, size, and distribution of
    disturbance events, namely wind throw, flooding, mass-wasting,
    changes in river channels, fire, insects and disease.

32. Describe trends in the extent of snow cover and in plant phenology.

33. Describe trends in landscape-scale patterns of vegetation and
    land-use outside of the park.

34. Are forest structure and species abundance and composition changing?

35. Are ecosystem process rates changing?

36. Are there changes in human-impacted vegetation communities such as
    backcountry campgrounds and social trails?

37. Are population sizes of listed rare vascular plants, vascular plants
    species that are rare in the park, and selected non-vascular
    cryptograms changing?

38. Describe landscape-scale trends in forest structure, composition and
    function.

39. Describe trends in the extent of snow cover and in plant phenology.

# [Terrestrial Wildlife]{.underline} 

40. Are there changes in the species composition of key animal
    communities that could signal changes in trophic structure,
    ecosystem function, or sustainability (e.g., breeding landbirds,
    mammals, arthropods, and mollusks)?

41. Are there changes in abundance that could portend threats to
    long-term viability of selected species, signaling the need for more
    intensive monitoring (i.e., avian species, mammalian species, and
    bats).

42. Are there changes in demographic rates and abundance of key wildlife
    taxa (i.e., breeding birds, small mammals)?

43. Is the status of elk or deer populations changing in response to
    changes in land-use, hunting pressure, inter-specific competition,
    or predator abundance?

44. Are there changes in the physical condition of elk that could signal
    population level changes?

45. Are changing populations of herbivores changing forest understory
    structure and composition?

46. Is the abundance of bears and cougars changing in response to
    changes in hunting regulations outside of the park?

47. Are endemic populations of Olympic marmots changing?

48. Is the genetic diversity of other endemic mammalian subspecies
    changing in Olympic NP?

49. Are population parameters of the northern spotted owl deviating from
    long-term patterns, signaling a change in population abundance?

50. Are there changes in the distribution and status of marbled
    murrelets?

51. Are there deviations in productivity of bald eagle populations from
    the long-term norm that would signal changes in population status?

52. Are populations of introduced mountain goats or their effects on
    high-elevation plant communities on the increase, triggering the
    need for more intensive management?

# [Geology & Soils / Landscape Processes]{.underline}

53. Describe trends in the frequency, size, and distribution of
    disturbance events, namely wind throw, flooding, mass-wasting,
    changes in river channels, fire, insects and disease.

54. Describe trends in landscape-scale patterns of vegetation and
    land-use outside of the park.

# Appendix B. continued as Part 3 of 7.

# **Ebey's Landing Vital Signs Workshop** 

#  **Monitoring Questions**

Assembled by Steve Ralph from workshop materials

Workshop held at Ebey's Landing June 5-7, 2001

# [Air/Climate]{.underline}

> 3\. Climate -What is the spatial and temporal variability in
> meteorology and climate in the Reserve.
>
> 4\. Air - What are the status and trends of visibility impairment as a
> result of air pollutants?
>
> 5\. Air - What are current levels of N or S deposition and ozone
> within the Reserve?
>
> -research question: what component of sea spray influences deposition
> of chemicals
>
> -research question: what are reference values
>
> -research question: effect of pulp mill effluent at Port Townsend
>
> Ozone- no stations near here- closest is on mainland.
>
> -research question: what are reference values
>
> 6\. Are toxic substances present in aquatic resources, soils, and
> biota?

[Water Resources]{.underline}

(Freshwater and Marine Aquatic ecology, aquatic vegetation, water
quality & quantity)

> 6\. Are toxic substances present in aquatic resources, soils, and
> biota?
>
> 12\. Groundwater - Are ground water reserves being depleted?

## Is the ground water impaired? Are ground water reserves being contaminated by saline intrusion?

> 13\. Marine habitats - Are eel grass population levels changing?
>
> 13\. Shoreline Processes - Is the principal structure of the shoreline
> changing?
>
> 14\. Is the marine water quality impaired?
>
> 15\. Marine waters - Is there a shift in species richness and
> abundance in intertidal and subtidal (nearshore) habitats?
>
> 16\. What is the degree of stratification of water in Penn Cove; what
> is the location and extent of dissolved oxygen zone?
>
> 17\. What is the current distribution and abundance of coastal fish
> and marine invertebrate species?
>
> 18\. What is the seasonal and spatial distribution of harbor seals,
> Orca whales and gray whales in Penn Cove?
>
> 19\. Are the intertidal communities attended by normal use or by
> catastrophic events?
>
> 20\. What is the rate of shoreline change?
>
> 21\. Are forage fish spawning on the shores of Ebey's Reserve?
>
> 21\. What is the distribution and abundance of nonnative aquatic
> species including spartina, [Cirsium arvense]{.underline} (at Crockett
> Lake) and green crab?
>
> 22\. Are red tide blooms and algal blooms consistent from year to
> year?

## 23. Do \[marine benthic\] species composition and distribution change with changes in salinity?

## 24. Has the amount of woody debris on beaches declined? \[relative to what time frame?\]

> 25\. Has water quantity changed in relation to changes in land use
> practices?
>
> 26\. Is the water quality of surface waters impaired; are freshwater
> systems becoming eutrophic, is soil fertility changing?
>
> 27\. Are ground water reserves being depleted, is the number and
> distribution of ponds changing across the landscape, what was the
> historic distribution of streams and ponds?
>
> 28\. Has the species composition, distribution and abundance of
> \[freshwater\] fish changed?

## 29. Has the distribution of surface water sources declined ?

> 30\. Amphibians - Have the species composition and distribution of
> amphibians changed?
>
> 31\. Is the species composition and distribution of \[freshwater\]
> invertebrates changed?
>
> 42\. How are the structure, function, species composition, and
> distribution of aquatic macro-invertebrates changing over time?

# [Terrestrial Plant Communities]{.underline}

> 2\. Wetlands - What are the chemical, physical, and biological
> characteristics and process-interactions of key wetlands?
>
> 32\. What is the status of state and federally listed rare plants?
> (*[Castilleja levisecta]{.underline}* -- 3 extant, 1 restored, *[Aster
> curtis]{.underline}* -- 1 extant)
>
> 33\. What is the extent of land use cover types within the reserve?
>
> 34\. What is the status of high priority non-native plant species?
>
> 35\. What are current levels of harvesting of native vegetation?
>
> 36\. What is the status (including health, distribution, condition) of
> eelgrass?
>
> What is the status of kelp beds? What is the status of \[vegetation
> habitats associated with\] coastal beach and berm \[land features\]?
>
> 37\. What is the status of non-native plant species in coastal areas?
> {For example Spartina alterniflora, S. anglica, Zoostera japonicus}
>
> 38\. What is the status of native forests?
>
> 39\. What the status of locally rare plant species?
>
> 40\. How is recreational use impact native vegetation?
>
> 48\. What role do hedgerows play in maintaining biodiversity?

# 

# [Terrestrial Wildlife]{.underline} 

> 1\. Amphibians - What is the status and trends of amphibian species
> within the Reserve.
>
> What is the status of threatened and sensitive species?
>
> What are natural ranges of variation in community composition and
> abundance?
>
> What species or groups of taxa can be used as indicators of
> degradation?
>
> What are the long-term trends and how do they correspond to climatic
> variation and other environmental factors?
>
> 41\. How are populations of nesting diurnal raptors changing over
> time?
>
> 43\. How do ground-dwelling invertebrates contribute to soil health?
>
> 44\. How do shorebird/wading bird assemblages change across the annual
> migration period?
>
> 45\. How do assemblages of breeding land birds compare between habitat
> types?
>
> 46\. What impact do eastern cottontail rabbits have on native
> vegetation and crop plants?
>
> 47\. What is the assemblage of pollinators that play a role in plant
> reproduction?

# [Geology & Soils / Landscape Processes]{.underline}

> 7\. How is changing land use effecting soils and landforms?
>
> 8\. Identify areas where soil erosion (sheet, rill and concentrated
> flow) and compaction is caused by agriculture and recreation.
>
> 9\. Where are the prairies? Inventory soils, landforms.
>
> 10\. Are shorelines stable? (Bluff instability on Penn Cove and
> Perego's cove and other bluffs).
>
> 11\. How or have the soils changed with land use? Can changes in soil
> quality tied to changes in land-use?

# Appendix B. continued as Part 4 of 7

# **Fort Clatsop Vital Signs Workshop** 

# **Monitoring Questions**

May 5-7, 2001

Numbering of questions corresponds to order in which questions appeared
in original workshop notes.

# [Air/Climate]{.underline}

\[UV radiation concerns on amphibians?\]

[Water Resources]{.underline} (Freshwater and Marine Aquatic ecology,
aquatic vegetation, water quality & quantity)

9\. What is freshwater and saltwater concentration at a tidally
influenced monitoring state?

10\. What are the chemical properties associated with the
seasonal/diurnal flows of the river?

11\. If the watershed assessment gives us the abundance and distribution
of this suite of salmon habitat indicators, 1-what is the condition
(status and trends) of these habitat types? And 2- what is the current
seasonal use of this habitat by anadromous fish species?

12\. a. Baseline Inventory**-** where are water control/blockage
structures and what are their influence on hydroperiod and hydrologic
regimes in the wetlands? A resource baseline data survey. (What is the
abundance and distribution of sensitive and exotic species?)

> b\. Restoration Question- what are the priorities for wetlands
> restoration-greatest cost resource benefit ratio?
>
> c\. Effectiveness monitoring Question- Are our restoration actions
> providing the desired benefit/condition (s)?

# [Terrestrial Plant Communities]{.underline}

1.  Is the level of forest health acceptable to management? How similar
    is the forest structure to that of 1805-06?

2.  How similar is the wetland and riparian structure to that of
    1805-06?

3.  How similar is the dune vegetation structure to that of 1805-06?

4.  Are distribution and abundance of exotic (plant) species increasing
    or decreasing?

5.  Are desirable (from a collecting standpoint) fungi maintaining their
    abundance and diversity?

# [Terrestrial Wildlife]{.underline} 

13\. \[Determine\] presence of species and potential habitat within park
boundaries over time 1) bald eagle 2) marbled murrelet 3) spotted owl,
4) snowy plover 5) state listed --(white tailed kite not a priority),
pileated woodpecker, (bufflehead not considered- no habitat here; 7)
goshawks.

14\. What bird species are present at different times of the year in the
park complex. What are trends in common species over time? How does this
compare to other regional efforts? What are the effects of restoration
efforts? What are the trends in non-native birds (starlings, pheasants,
french fry birds). Serve as early warning sign for research i.e. effects
of non-native competition on natives, disease, etc.

a.  terrestrial habitat alteration, fragmentation, quality. What are
    effects of habitat restoration over time?

b.  Pond breeders- non natives (bullfrog, bass etc). water quality.
    Exotic vegetation (yellow flag, purple loosestrife). Hydrologic
    alteration: drainage, habitat alteration-fragmentation &isolation,
    restoration of tidal influences -- change to brackish water might
    shift spp comp. Disease and parasitism issues.

> c\. All as for #2 Non-natives. Water quality includes sedimentation.
> Riparian zone condition. Exotic veg., disease. salmon
> restoration---what are the effects of salmon restoration and riparian
> restoration on stream breeding amphibians.

15\. Are large to mid-sized carnivores here?

> a\. How do they fit into predator/prey relations here? What is the
> role of the park in retaining these spp in the area/region?
>
> b\. What is the role of feral cats/dogs on prey? (Feral cats on coast/
> effect on ground nesting birds).

16\. Ungulates --

> a\. How are population trends, and habitat and movement patterns
> changing over time?
>
> b\. How are populations influenced by land use changes outside the
> park, habitat restoration inside the park, harvest. Effects of
> herbivory on park vegetation.?
>
> c\. Is the area a potential wetland restoration site (Columbia white
> tailed deer working group)?

17\. Trends in small mammal populations over time, esp. as it relates to
changes in habitats (dune restoration, older forest structure, wetland
restoration, wetland restoration). Including exotic response to
restoration of native habitats and flora

> -What is the effect of feral/exotic spp on native mammals and birds?

18\. Bats - What are bat trends in distribution, species richness?

> How effective are bat enhancement devices?
>
> How effective is habitat enhancement in restoring bat spp diversity?

19\. Furbearers - Who is here (inventory)? {Distinguish native mink from
non-native released from mink farms)

> a\. How are contaminants affecting these spp. (link with water group),
> including population trends?
>
> b\. Are sea otters recolonizing the area?

20\. Insects - Basic inventory (not covered in inventory initiative)

### Habitat restoration efforts (enhancements) --silver spot butterfly---does it work

> Dragonflies- if restore wetlands, do you see an increase in
> dragonflies
>
> Forest health monitoring -- pest outbreaks (i.e. gypsy moth)
>
> What is the spp richness of pollinators and their associated nectar
> spp.

# 

# [Geology & Soils / Landscape Processes]{.underline}

6.  To what degree are organic components of soils sufficient to mimic
    nutrient and moisture properties of old growth forest soil profiles?

7\. Are the landscape elements that were here in 1805-06 being
maintained or restored?

# Appendix B. continued as Part 5 of 7

# **Fort Vancouver Vital Signs Workshop**

# **Monitoring Questions**

Assembled by Steve Ralph from workshop materials

Workshop held at Fort Vancouver June 19-20, 2001

# [Air/Climate]{.underline}

2\. What is the spatial and temporal variability in meteorology and
climate in the FOVA Reserve?

3\. Are plant communities displaying symptoms of ozone injury?

4\. What are the status and trends of visibility impairment as a result
of air pollutants?

[Water Resources]{.underline} (Freshwater and Marine Aquatic ecology,
aquatic vegetation, water quality & quantity)

1\. Amphibians - What is the status and trends of amphibian species
within the Reserve.

> What is the status of threatened and sensitive species ?.
>
> What are natural ranges of variation in community composition and
> abundance?
>
> What species or groups of taxa can be used as indicators of
> degradation?
>
> What are the long-term trends and how do they correspond to climatic
> variation and other environmental factors?

## 8. What is the status and distribution of riparian plant communities?

16\. What are the discharge \[flow characteristics\] and physical and
chemical properties of existing and potential wells in the park?

17\. What are characteristics of the near-surface groundwater regime --
quantity, linkages, depth to the water table?

18\. What are the coarse-scale changes in biological and physical
conditions of the riparian corridor, including vegetation, human impacts
(e.g., trampling and litter), shoreline conditions, and woody debris.

# [Terrestrial Plant Communities]{.underline}

3\. Are plant communities displaying symptoms of ozone injury?

6\. What is the status and distribution of high priority exotic plant
species? How are the numbers of exotic plant species changing?

7\. What was the extent of native prairies during the mid-1800's? What
areas are feasible to return to native prairies? What native species are
available, as a seed source, for restoring native prairies? What are the
best methods for restoring prairies? What was the role of fire in
developing/maintaining native prairies? Does soil development act as a
factor in the development of prairies? How is the water table affecting
the soil moisture?

## 8. What is the status and distribution of riparian plant communities?

9\. What are the changes in cover types of major vegetation classes
within the Reserve?

10\. Do target species \[of trees and shrubs\] exhibit symptoms of ozone
damage?

11\. What is the health of heritage trees in the park?

12\. Evaluate proposed agricultural fields for water/wind erosion.

15\. What is the potential for restoration of natural components and
function of the riparian habitat along the Columbia River in the
reserve?

21\. What type of botanical, entomological and faunal data from the Fort
plain region was collected by historical naturalists who visited the
region during the Hudson Bay Company period? For instance, botanist
David Douglas is known to have collected live samples of various plant
species in the region and sent them back to England where they
apparently still grow to this day.

29\. Is this a good reference site for future properly functioning
conditions for \[wetland\] restoration efforts in the vicinity? Is it
possible or desirable to "improve" the site through reed canary grass
manipulation? Should reed-canary grass be monitored to determine if it
is increasing in area?

23\. Can monitoring and analysis of soil chemistry, through palynology,
phytolith analysis, pH levels, etc., be utilized to better understand
changes in the habitat in plant and animal species, as well as provide
answers to prehistoric and historic land management procedures and
restoration of prairie areas on certain areas of the Reserve?

24\. An inventory of changes in vegetation that are likely the result of
human-induced disturbance events and past developments. These data can
be tracked using GIS based technologies, combining cartographic and
plant ecology species data.

# [Terrestrial Wildlife]{.underline} 

20\. What Hudson's Bay Company primary data is there on yearly returns
of furs, based upon different types of animals and by region? Can this
data be used to create 19^th^ century population densities of specific
mammal types throughout the Pacific Northwest?

9\. What are the changes in cover types of major vegetation classes
within the Reserve?

10\. Do target species \[of trees and shrubs\] exhibit symptoms of ozone
damage?

11\. What is the health of heritage trees in the park?

12\. Evaluate proposed agricultural fields for water/wind erosion.

26\. Will Savannah Sparrows become a nesting species and will the other
species increase in number?

27\. Will Savannah Sparrows increase in breeding pairs and will Northern
Harriers and Western Meadowlarks establish nests (not sure if W
Meadowlarks are there now but they are at PDX across the river) become a
nesting species and will the other species increase in number?

28\. Will Purple Martins become established as breeding birds in the
riparian zone and will the other species increase over time?

# [Geology & Soils / Landscape Processes]{.underline}

5\. What are the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics and
process-interactions in the wetlands and floodplains?

13\. Inventory soils in more detail than the existing NRCS Nov. 1972
Clark County Soil Survey. Tie in with NRCS on anthropogenic soil mapping
methods.14. Are riverbanks stable?

# Appendix B. continued as Part 6 of 7

#  

# **Mount Rainier NP Vital Signs Workshop** 

# **Monitoring Questions**

(Assembled by Steve Ralph from workshop materials, 11/2/01). Question
numbering refers to how it appeared in original workshop records.

Workshop held at Mt. Rainier May 22-24, 2001

# [Air/Climate]{.underline} 

6\. -What is the spatial and temporal variability in meteorology and
climate in complex mountainous terrain?

9.  -What are the status and trends of visibility impairing pollutants?

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16. -What is the impact of climate change on glacial, snowpack, soil
    formation, geologic and hydrologic processes?

**20. -**What are concentrations of toxic substances present in aquatic
resources, soils, and biota?

**21.** -What is the spatial and temporal variation in atmospheric gas
concentrations and deposition (including ozone, NOx, SOx, etc.)?

[Water Resources]{.underline} (water quality, quantity and
freshwater/marine aquatic ecology)

1.  What are the status and trends of the water quality (i.e., physical,
    chemical, bacteriological, and trophic state) of park lakes and;
    (3b) how does air pollution affect the chemical and biological
    components of aquatic systems?

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7.  \(a\) What are the status and trends in the distribution, population
    structure and relative abundance's of fish communities in park lakes
    and streams and, (7b) what are the distributions and relative
    abundance's of nonnative and exotic species in aquatic systems?

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7.  What are the status and trends in community structure of
    macroinvertebrates and periphyton at selected sites?

**13.** What are the status and trends of flow dynamics and hydroperiod
of aquatic systems including rivers, lakes and ponds, and wetlands?

14. What are the status and trends of instream habitat conditions?

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17. \(a\) What are the present and historical assemblages of plankton in
    park lakes;

\(b\) can lakes be grouped according to plankton assemblage; and

\(c\) what is the range of natural variability of assemblages across the
landscape and through time?

24\. What are status and trends in upslope conditions that affect
hydrology and delivery of sediments and large woody debris to streams
and lakes?

25\. What is the condition and health of fish and amphibian populations?

31\. What are the status and trends of shoreline habitat characteristics
in the littoral zone and the terrestrial shoreline in lakes and ponds of
the park?

# [Terrestrial Plants]{.underline}

2.  \(a\) What is the condition of the composition, structure,
    distribution and abundance of vegetation communities on a large
    scale and, (1b) how do these characteristics change over time?

**8.** How do the distributions and abundance of cryptogams, rare
vascular species, and or vegetation communities change over time?

24. What is the extent and severity of disturbance \[to vegetative
    communities?)and how does it change over time?

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18. What are the effects of air pollution on plants, microbes, and soil?

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25. How do the exotic plant species distributions and abundance change
    over time?

# [Terrestrial Wildlife]{.underline}

26. \(a\) Are there changes in the structure of functional groups of
    terrestrial invertebrates and vertebrates over time and, (2b) what
    are the status and trends in the proportion of sites occupied by
    amphibians?

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8.  How are species' (subalpine birds) limits of geographical or
    ecological range changing?

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23. What are the status, trends, and (in) distributions of large
    ungulates?

24. What is the status of breeding passerine bird populations within
    MORA?

29\. Are black bear and mountain lion populations stable?

30\. Are spotted and barred owl demographics changing relative to each
other?

## *[Geology, Soils, Landscape Processes]{.underline}*

**5.** (a) What are the past, present and future spatial extents of
glaciation and snowpack and, (5b) their interconnection with ecological
and hydrological systems and various park resources?

**6.** How do the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils
vary spatially and temporally across varied landforms, parent materials,
vegetative types, and watersheds?

**10.** What are the distributions and impacts of geologic disturbances
on past, present, and future physical and cultural landscapes,
ecosystems and park infrastructure?

**19.** What are the impacts of human induced disturbances and
modifications on geologic resources, such as soils, geothermal features,
and hydrologic function?

**28.** What is the history and extent of geothermal systems and
features over time and their inter-connections with ecological and
hydrological systems and various park resources?

# Appendix B. continued as Part 7 of 7.

# **San Juan Island Vital Signs Workshop**

#  **Monitoring Questions**

Assembled by Steve Ralph from workshop materials (Held March 20-22,
2001)

# [Air/Climate]{.underline}

2\. Is wet deposition chemistry changing? Is the buffering capacity of
the soils and freshwater aquatic systems changing? Are species sensitive
to increased sulfur and nitrogen deposition? Declining?

3\. Is air pollution increasing? Has it reached a threshold as which
veg/water/soil impacts expected; Improve- particulates; O3- continuos or
passive ; Standard visual range (camera).

4\. Is visibility decreasing (light extinction increasing) at identified
vistas and what are the causes of change?

5\. What is the impact of air pollution on lichens?

[Water Resources]{.underline} (water quantity, quality and
freshwater/marine ecosystems)

8\. Is harvesting of clams negatively affecting the shoreline ecosystem?

9\. Does clam extraction cause unacceptable levels of change in clam
populations and composition of tide flat communities?

10\. Is the water chemistry of low elevation, near shore, freshwater
springs and ponds becoming saline? Or- is use of groundwater affecting
surface water quantity and quality?

11\. Are groundwater reserves being depleted/ contaminated?

12\. Are static water levels and spring discharges following a
discernable trend?

13\. Concern for increased groundwater withdrawal due to development.
What quantity of groundwater withdrawal will cause significant impacts
on the freshwater lens interaction with wetlands and lagoons?

16\. Is \[surface\] water hydrology altered from a defined flow regime
within a range of variation (Need research to define variation) ????

17\. Are eelgrass population \[distribution of beds\] levels changing?
Is the principal structure of the shoreline changing?

20\. Are freshwater ecosystems becoming eutrophic? Is soil fertility
changing?

26\. Are the intertidal communities (rocky, sandy, gravel beaches, soft
bottom), attended by normal use or by catastrophic events? Stressors
include marine pollution, oil spills, recreational use (harvest,
trample, chronic oiling), climate change.

27\. Do oil spills alter \[intertidal\] community structure? Do oil
spills increase toxin levels (i.e. PAHs) to toxic levels?

28\. Is there a shift in species richness and abundance in nearshore
\[marine\] habitats?

# [Terrestrial Plants:]{.underline}

1\. Are plant communities displaying symptoms of ozone injury?

6\. What is the status and trend of four size classes of Douglas fir
trees on forested lands? Does this meet the desired futures condition of
this historic landscape?

7\. Is vegetation structure changing across the park landscape? I.e.
Species composition, tree size, forest structure, population structure.

19\. What is the long-term trend in edge \[of ecotone\] area(s) under
present park management? Change in relative edge area as a zone of
vegetative cover from (1076?) to present; \[plant?\] species change in
eco-tone composition(s) between (1976?) and present?

23\. ~~Is~~ (Are) the densities and abundance of exotic plant species
changing?

24\. What are the effects of exotic plants on the native plant
communities?

25\. Are forest communities trending to old growth characteristic?

29\. Are Garry oak being displaced by Douglas fir? Are non-native plants
displacing native species?

# [Terrestrial Wildlife]{.underline}

15\. Is biodiversity of forest insects decreasing?

21\. Do exotic \[animal\] species alter native species distribution and
abundance and physical/ chemical environment?

22\. How are the population of rabbits and foxes changing?

# 

# [Geology, Soils and Landscape Processes]{.underline}

14\. How is landscape of island changing and/or how is the park island
connected in the landscape of the island?

18\. What is the rate of shoreline position change?

30\. Is the productivity of soils being altered due to compaction/
erosion, causing changes in native plant communities?

31\. Is soil quality changing over time?

32\. What internal or external actions result in the greatest loss of
surface soil \[through erosion\]?

33\. Are eel grass beds in decline? Is physical structure of shoreline
changing?

**Appendix C. Conceptual ecosystem models for North Coast & Cascades
Network**

A narrative description of each of these conceptual models that follow,
will be included in the Phase I report due for completion October 1^st^.

Appendix C-1. Conceptual model of elevational gradients and distribution
of key component ecosystem, and relationship of dominant system drivers
to component ecosystems.

North Coast & Cascades Network --

### 

Appendix C-2. ![](media/image3.jpeg){width="6.302777777777778in"
height="4.725694444444445in"}

Appendix C-3. Conceptual model of coastal marine ecosystems for the NCC
Network.

![](media/image4.png){width="6.309722222222222in"
height="4.983333333333333in"}

Appendix C-4. Conceptual model of terrestrial vegetation ecosystems.

![](media/image5.jpeg){width="6.302777777777778in"
height="4.725694444444445in"}

Appendix C-5. Conceptual model of terrestrial wildlife communities and
ecosystems of the North Coast & Cascades Network.

![](media/image6.jpeg){width="6.302777777777778in"
height="4.725694444444445in"}

Appendix D. *Lists of Natural Resource Goal, Objectives and Issues by
NCC Network member Park.* (taken from VS Workshop materials and
therefore current as of that date)

**[Fort Vancouver (FOVA)]{.underline}**

(Vital Signs Workshop, June 19 & 20, 2001)

> 1\. Document natural resource (especially bird populations) in the
> area surrounding the Fort (including Village) and along the Columbia
> River.
>
> 2\. Increase the amount of green space through landscape restoration
> of native riparian, prairie, forest, and oak savanna plant species.
>
> 3\. Define the desired future conditions of the Columbia River
> frontage area, including but not limited to the canopy of mature
> cottonwoods.
>
> 4\. Define important resources associated with the restored wetland
> and processes or species that present opportunities for monitoring.
>
> 5\. Define how urbanization to date and future urbanization have
> affected or might affect natural resources in the Historic Site and
> the Historic Reserve.
>
> 6\. Explore the extent to which objectives for natural and cultural
> resources overlap or conflict, and how conflicting objectives should
> be addressed.
>
> 7\. Establish the effect of roads and other infrastructure corridors
> on connectivity of habitats.
>
> 8\. Establish the effect of pet dogs off leash on wildlife
> populations.
>
> 9\. Identify steps whereby vegetation succession in restored natural
> forest areas will not compromise objectives for cultural landscape.

**[Ebey's Landing (EBLA)]{.underline}**

Resource management [objectives]{.underline} for Ebey's Landing NHR
include:

> *[Stewardship]{.underline}:* The Reserve exists within the
> economically viable rural community. Much of the land within the
> Reserve is privately owned and managed. Within this context it is
> important to:
>
> 1\. Recognize that the Central Whidbey Island community is dynamic and
> will continue to change;
>
> 2\. Preserve and protect significant historical, natural, cultural and
> scenic resources;
>
> 3\. Encourage design and land uses that are compatible with the
> Reserve's cultural landscapes; and
>
> 4\. Foster and encourage stewardship of land in a manner that is
> compatible with the Reserve's enabling legislation.
>
> *[Information]{.underline}:* In order to responsibly manage the
> resources within the Reserve, it is important to have sufficient
> information. The Reserve will:
>
> 5\. Acquire data, through research and other means, to facilitate the
> protection and preservation of the Reserve's resources.

6\. Share data that will assist others in their stewardship efforts.

> *[Opportunities:]{.underline}* The Reserve offers a multitude of
> educational and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors.
> It is important to:
>
> 7\. Understand and meet the needs of residents and visitors to enhance
> their experience in the Reserve; and

8\. Provide a diverse range of opportunities, ...

> *[Partnerships:]{.underline}* A variety of governmental agencies and
> private organizations and individuals manage resources within the
> Reserve. In order to manage these resources in an efficient and
> coordinated manner, the Reserve will:
>
> 9\. Encourage partnerships between local, state, and federal
> government agencies, other organizations, and private citizens that
> further the Reserve concept.

**[Fort Clatsop (FOCL)]{.underline}**

> *The park's most important management and scientific issues include:*

-   Habitat loss and fragmentation due to historic land use patterns
    within the park and adjacent land management practices

-   Habitat loss and degradation due to hydrologic and water quality
    changes to the Lewis and Clark River and its tributary sloughs and
    streams

-   Introductions of invasive exotic species and pathogens

-   Suppression of natural disturbance processes

> *Key monitoring issues and priorities:*
>
> 1\. Remove or control high-priority exotic plant species, and monitor
> their distribution and abundance.
>
> 2\. Monitor for forest health.
>
> 3\. Restore forest structure in the park as closely as possible to its
> appearance/function in 1805, and monitor forest structure to determine
> how well it has been approximated.
>
> 4\. Monitor the restoration of wetlands and riparian areas as the
> vegetation recovers to structures that approximate that of 1805-06.
>
> 5\. Monitor dynamics of ungulate populations, esp. elk.
>
> 6\. Monitor bald eagles, marbled murrelets, other birds, and survey
> for the presence of spotted owls
>
> 7\. Monitor pond-breeding amphibians.

**[San Juan Island National Historic Park (SAJH)]{.underline}**

*[Management Goals and Objectives]{.underline}*

[{to be added}]{.mark}

*[Management Issues & Concerns:]{.underline}*

######### Source Ecosystem Outcome 

####### *1. Climate Change/Fluctuations* 

Inundation of resources Loss of park land base

Changes in biodiversity Change in distribution of tidal species

Loss of T&E species

Change in productivity, abundance, distribution

Changes in freshwater hydrology

Periodicity of fire

Periodicity of flood

*[2. Catastrophic Events]{.underline}*

*[(e.g. earthquakes & tsunamis)]{.underline}*

Groundwater change Alteration of habitats

Availability of water supply

Landslides/tsunamis

######### 3. Erosion

Soil loss Loss of habitat

> Nutrient loss
>
> Increased siltation

*[4. Forest Succession]{.underline}*

> Change in soil chemistry
>
> Change in spp composition
>
> Increase in brushy species

*[5. Exotic Plants]{.underline}*

Change in flora & fauna community Change in native spp composition &
distribution

Extirpation of native species

Change in fire activity Change in fire regime

Increased soil disturbance

Change in fire behavior

Soil disturbance and erosion Altered soil chemistry

> Changes in plant community composition

Change in cultural landscape

*[6. Exotic Animals]{.underline}*

Habitat alteration Soil disturbance

Change in hydrology

Extirpation of natives

Change in species composition Change in plant distribution

*[7. Shipping Traffic]{.underline}*

Fuel spills Toxins

Bilge dumping Nutrient loading

(See Marine Pollution)

Shipwrecks Change in beach geomorphology

Change in currents

Artificial habitat gain

Trash Increase population of gulls/predators

Increase emissions (See Air Pollution)

Increase boat wakes Shoreline erosion

*[8. Marine Pollution]{.underline}*

Toxins Increased nutrient loading

Change in water chemistry

Change in marine productivity

Direct mortality

Nutrient loading Change in water chemistry

Change in species composition

*[9. Air Pollution]{.underline}*

Visibility Reduced viewshed

Acidification Change in soil chemistry

Toxins Change in soil nutrients

Change in species composition

Change in species occurrence

Gaseous pollution Change in vegetation

*[10. Aircraft Overflights]{.underline}*

Effects on wildlife Change in distribution

Change in productivity

Noise pollution Aesthetics

Change in visitor experience

*[11. Development -- within and External to Park]{.underline}*

Lowering of water table Change in water chemistry

Change in hydrology

> Saltwater intrusion
>
> Change in species composition
>
> Change in visitor experience

Increased emissions (See Air Pollution)

Increased runoff (See ORVs)

Fuel storage Potential for leaks

Change in soil chemistry

Change in water chemistry

Change in habitat

Septic systems Nutrient loading

Bacteriological effects

Hazardous wastes Change in soil chemistry

Change in water chemistry

Increased toxins

Fragmentation Change in species composition/abundance

Increased feral animals (See Exotic Animals)

Change in species composition

Loss of passerines

*[12. Park Management]{.underline}*

Development Increased recreation use

Fragmentation

Species "packing"

Maintenance activities Noise

Pollution

Exotic plant control Increased soil disturbance

Herbicide drift

Change in cultural landscape Change in visitor experience

Increased emissions (fireplaces)

*[13. Recreation and Land & Resource Use]{.underline}*

Introduction of exotics (See Exotics)

Wildlife disturbance/Poaching Change in wildlife distribution

Change in wildlife abundance

Social trails Soil compaction

Erosion

(See ORVs)

Human waste Nutrient loading

*Change in soil water chemistry*

#  Normal traffic Increased emissions

Change in soil chemistry

Change in water chemistry

Fragmentation

######## Litter

Beach fires/campfires

Breakdown of beach berms

Habitat change/loss

######## ORVs

Soil compaction Change in hydrologic patterns

Denuded vegetation Change in plant production

Increase in abundance of non-natives

Change in invertebrate community

Change in soil microorganisms

Noise pollution Change in species composition

Change in species reproduction

Increase emissions Watershed acidification, local carbon monoxide

Increase in certain metals

Wildlife habitat Changes in abundance

Change in veg composition

Change in flora & fauna

Increase pollution -- petrochemical Change in soil composition

Change in water quality

Habitat loss

Mortality

Change in species composition

Increase garbage/litter Increase in scavenger species

Increase in wildlife mortality (due to eating

Plastics, entanglements, etc)

Fire potential Suppression activities

Denuded vegetation

Increased particulate pollutants

Disturbed area for exotics

Exotics brought in on tires

Increase water runoff/erosion

*[Recreational Boaters]{.underline}*

Wildlife harassment Change in population dynamics

Increased noise (See Aircraft Overflights)

Increased access Beach erosion

Increased wakes Beach erosion

Siltation

*[Consumption Uses]{.underline}*

Changes in fauna & fauna Increase in non-native species

Decreased nutrients

Change in species composition & abundance

Change in habitat structure

> Changes in beach structure

**[Mount Rainier National Park (MORA)]{.underline}**

*Monitoring Goals and Objectives*

#### *1.0 Air Quality* 

> Mount Rainier is designated a class I area under the Clean Air Act.
> This designation permits the least degradation of air quality and air
> quality related values, including visibility. The following policies
> and strategies will ensure that Mount Rainier's air quality is
> enhanced or maintained with no significant degradation and that nearly
> unimpaired views of the landscape both within and outside the park are
> available. The policies and strategies will also ensure that scenic
> views that are integral to the visitor experience, which have been
> identified in the park in accordance with the Clean Air Act, remain
> substantially unimpaired.
>
> 1a. In Mount Rainier National Park, the National Park Service will
> strive to set a global example of how to effectively protect class I
> areas and critical air sheds.
>
> 1b. Emissions associated with administrative and recreational use of
> the park will be reduced.
>
> 1c. Baseline information and monitoring of air quality related values
> will be expanded through research, inventory, and monitoring programs
> to identify human stressors and general air quality trends.
>
> 1d. Programs will be expanded to share air quality information with
> surrounding agencies and to develop educational programs to inform
> visitors, as well as regional residents, about the threats of air
> pollution to park resources.
>
> 1e. The park staff will continue to participate in regional air
> quality planning, research, and the implementation of air quality
> standards. Regional partnerships for development of alternative
> transportation systems and clean fuels that improve air quality will
> be promoted.

#### *2.0 Geologic Resources* 

> The following strategies will be implemented to better understand
> geologic resources and their effects on ecosystem processes, functions
> and components; to identify and monitor human stressors to geologic
> resources; and to assess and monitor potential effects on visitors and
> adjacent communities.
>
> 2a. A comprehensive plan will be developed to address geologic
> research, inventory, and monitoring.
>
> 2b. Inventories and monitoring of park glaciers will be expanded to
> better understand the role of climate change, and to assess the
> effects of this change on park resources, infrastructure, and visitor
> safety.
>
> 2c. Baseline information on soils and more detailed information on
> surficial geology will be obtained for use in ecosystem management and
> hazards assessment.
>
> 2d. Park staff will continue to partner with the U.S. Geological
> Survey, state and local agencies, and academic institutions to assess
> and monitor geologic hazards.
>
> 2e. Interpretive and educational programs will be developed to educate
> visitors and the public on park geologic resources including hazards
> associated with these resources.

#### *3.0 Water Quality and Aquatic Resources* 

> 3a. The pristine water quality in the park will continue to be
> protected, and designation of park waters as "outstanding natural
> resource waters" will be pursued.
>
> 3b. The condition of aquatic resources will be assessed, including
> physical, chemical, and biological components and processes, across a
> range of spatial and temporal scales. Appropriate indicators and
> measurements will be utilized to quantify and detect the potential
> effects of human-caused stressors through long-term monitoring
> programs.
>
> 3c. The effects of visitor use on aquatic resources will be monitored.
> Administrative uses that could adversely affect aquatic resources will
> also be monitored. If conditions are determined to be out of standard,
> actions will be taken to prevent degradation of the park's water
> quality.
>
> 3d. Stormwater runoff from roads and parking lots will be assessed and
> "best management practices" will be implemented to reduce any
> potential impacts.
>
> 3e. Air quality effects on aquatic resources will be assessed and
> monitored and information will be provided to regulators for use in
> state and regional air quality management and permitting.
>
> 3f. Education programs will be developed to inform visitors and the
> general public about water resource management issues and concerns.

#### *4.0 Vegetation Resources*

> Plant communities and the processes governing them will continue
> unaltered in the majority of the park. Communities will include the
> diverse species, genetics, associations, and successional stages
> representative of an ecologically functioning system in the Northern
> Cascades.
>
> 4a. Plant communities will be monitored to assess their condition. If
> it is shown that human use is degrading an area, a variety of
> mitigating measures will be considered to restore the area to
> acceptable standards. Such measures may include establishing trails,
> delineating or hardening trails, erecting signs or taking other
> educational measures, restricting access to problem areas, closing
> problem areas, restoring degraded areas, or limiting trail use in
> shoulder seasons until there is enough snow to protect vegetation.
> Sensitive subalpine and alpine meadows will be given extra protection.
>
> 4b. The park staff will continue to work with surrounding land
> managers to prevent the spread of exotic (nonnative) plant species
> into the park.
>
> 4c. Monitoring programs will be developed to detect the effects of
> human stressors on vegetation and to determine natural vegetation
> dynamics and processes.

#### *5.0 Wildlife and Fisheries Resources*

> The condition of wildlife and fisheries resources will be determined
> across a range of spatial and temporal scales, and appropriate
> indicators and measurements will be utilized to quantify and detect
> the potential effects of human-caused stressors through baseline
> inventories and long-term monitoring programs.
>
> 5a. The park staff will seek to preserve or restore natural aquatic
> habitats and the natural abundance and distribution of native aquatic
> species together with the associated terrestrial habitats and species.
> Partnerships will be developed with other federal, state, local and
> tribal agencies to restore native resident and anadromous fish species
> in park streams.
>
> 5b. Park staff will seek to perpetuate the native animal life (such as
> mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, insects, worms, crustaceans, and
> microscopic animals like paramecia) as part of the natural ecosystem.
> Management emphasis will be on minimizing human impacts on native
> animals and minimizing human influence on naturally occurring
> fluctuations of animal populations. Ecological processes will be
> relied on to control populations of native species to the greatest
> extent practicable.
>
> 5c. The preservation of populations and habitats of migratory species
> inhabiting the park, such as bats, elk, and anadromous fish, will be
> ensured. Park staff will cooperate wherever possible with others to
> ensure the preservation of their populations and habitats outside the
> park.
>
> 5d. Education programs will be developed to inform visitors and the
> general public about fish and wildlife issues and concerns.
>
> 5e. Management of populations of exotic fish and other animal species
> will be undertaken wherever such species threaten park resources or
> public health, and when control is prudent and feasible.
>
> 5f. Developed areas and wilderness campsites will be managed to reduce
> to the maximum extent possible the potential for wildlife to become
> accustomed to receiving human food and the associated unnatural
> tameness, unpredictable aggression, and other safety and health
> concerns that result.
>
> 5g. If conflicts between people and wildlife take place, actions such
> as posting of warnings and administrative closures will be taken to
> protect visitors and wildlife. It is the park\'s policy to allow large
> carnivores, to the maximum extent possible, the ability to possess and
> exhibit natural behaviors relating to seasonal movements, defense of
> young or of food resources through public education and wildlife
> inventory and monitoring programs.
>
> 5h. Park resource managers will continue to work with surrounding land
> management agencies to address the "edge effects" that affect species
> and their habitats resulting from activities occurring outside the
> park boundary, such as timber harvests, land development, and wildlife
> management practices.
>
> 5i. Fish and wildlife habitat will be protected through timing of park
> activities and consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
> National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Washington Department of
> Fish and Wildlife.

### *6.0 Threatened and Endangered Species and Other Special Status Species*

> Under the Endangered Species Act the National Park Service is mandated
> to promote the conservation of all federal threatened and endangered
> species and their critical habitats within the park boundaries. Five
> federally listed threatened or endangered species occur in the park.
> Another 31 federal species of concern and state endangered,
> threatened, sensitive, and candidate species also occur or are likely
> to occur in the park.
>
> 6a. The park staff will continue to work with the Washington
> Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and
> the National Marine Fisheries Service to ensure that the National Park
> Service's actions help special status species to recover. If any state
> or federally listed or proposed threatened or endangered species were
> found in areas that would be affected by construction, visitor use, or
> restoration activities proposed under any of the alternatives in this
> plan, the park staff would first consult informally with the above
> agencies. Should it be determined through informal consultation that
> an action or proposed project might adversely affect a federally
> listed or proposed species, park staff would initiate formal
> consultation under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.
>
> 6b. Park staff will cooperate with the above agencies in inventorying,
> monitoring, protecting, and perpetuating the natural distribution and
> abundance of all special status species (i.e., state and federally
> listed threatened, endangered, rare, declining, sensitive, candidate,
> or special concern species) and their essential habitats in Mount
> Rainier National Park. These species and their required habitats will
> be specifically considered in ongoing planning and management
> activities.

### *7.0 Carrying Capacity*

> All general management plans for units managed by the National Park
> Service must by law address the issue of carrying capacity. Carrying
> capacity is a determination of what types and levels of visitor use
> can be accommodated while maintaining social and resource conditions
> consistent with the purposes of the park, its mission goals, and the
> prescriptive management zones. There are three major components of
> carrying capacity: [physical capacity]{.underline} (e.g., parking
> spaces, facility space, road capacity); the [visitor
> experience]{.underline} (e.g., congestion in parking areas,
> opportunities for solitude), and [resources]{.underline} (which
> includes natural and cultural resources). The carrying capacity in a
> given area could be exceeded for any of these components, which would
> trigger management action. The visitor experience and resource
> protection framework is used by the National Park Service to address
> carrying capacities in national parks.
>
> Increasing visitor use at Mount Rainier has resulted in changes in the
> park's resources and in the visitor experiences. Resource damage has
> occurred in several areas, such as the Paradise Meadows and Spray
> Park. With use levels expected to continue to increase in the future,
> there is the potential that unacceptable changes could occur to park
> resources and visitor experiences --- changes that would be contrary
> to the purposes and significance of Mount Rainier National Park and
> the mission of the National Park Service. To prevent or minimize these
> impacts, the park staff would proactively manage visitor use and
> resources at Mount Rainier.

**[Olympic National Park (OLYM)]{.underline}**

> *[Threats:]{.underline}*
>
> Specific threats are grouped into general categories. [Natural
> variations in climate and landscape disturbance patterns are not
> considered threats per se, except where their expression (magnitude,
> duration or persistence) is exacerbated by human influences]{.mark}.
> Whether the park address the concern with management actions and
> whether the impacts are parkwide are also indicated (Y = yes, N = no).

Table XX. Summary of anthropogenic threats identified in the [Olympic
National Park]{.underline} Resource Management Plan (Jenkins et al.
2002)

+------------------+---------+----------------------------+------------+
| GENERAL THREAT   | MGMT.   | SPECIFIC CONCERN           | PARKWIDE   |
|                  |         | IDENTIFIED IN RESEARCH     |            |
|                  | ACTION? | MANAGEMENT PLAN            | IMPACTS?   |
+------------------+---------+----------------------------+------------+
| Habitat Outside  | N       | Fragmentation outside the  | Y          |
| of the Park      |         | park                       |            |
|                  |         |                            | Y          |
|                  |         | Isolation of animals       |            |
|                  |         | inside the                 | N          |
|                  |         |                            |            |
|                  |         | park                       | N          |
|                  |         |                            |            |
|                  |         | Alteration of fish habitat |            |
|                  |         |                            |            |
|                  |         | Alteration of marine       |            |
|                  |         | habitat                    |            |
+------------------+---------+----------------------------+------------+
| Climate Change   | N       | Increased ultra-violet     | Y          |
|                  |         | radiation                  |            |
|                  |         |                            | ?          |
|                  |         | Effect on ocean conditions |            |
+------------------+---------+----------------------------+------------+
| Pollutants       | N       | From growing metro area to | Y          |
|                  |         | east                       |            |
|                  |         |                            | Y          |
|                  |         | From Asia                  |            |
|                  |         |                            | N          |
|                  |         | Oil and chemical spills    |            |
|                  |         |                            | Y          |
|                  |         | Effects on plants          |            |
|                  |         |                            | N          |
|                  |         | Potential for lake         |            |
|                  |         | acidification              |            |
+------------------+---------+----------------------------+------------+
| Genetic          | N       | Fish hatcheries            | N          |
| Contamination    |         |                            |            |
+------------------+---------+----------------------------+------------+
| Water Rights     | N       | Dams                       | N          |
+------------------+---------+----------------------------+------------+
| Consumptive Use  | N       | Hunting                    | N          |
| Outside Park     |         |                            |            |
|                  |         | Over-harvest of fish       | N          |
|                  |         |                            |            |
|                  |         | Off-shore coastal          | N          |
|                  |         | development                |            |
|                  |         |                            | N          |
|                  |         | Mineral claims             |            |
+------------------+---------+----------------------------+------------+
| Exotic Species   | Y       | Exotic animals and plants  | Y          |
|                  |         |                            |            |
|                  |         | Introduced pests or        | ?          |
|                  |         | diseases                   |            |
+------------------+---------+----------------------------+------------+
| NPS Development  | Y       | Park management            | N          |
| & Policies       |         | (development)              |            |
|                  |         |                            | Y          |
|                  |         | Fire suppression           |            |
+------------------+---------+----------------------------+------------+
| Visitor Impacts  | Y       | Trampling                  | N          |
|                  |         |                            |            |
|                  |         | Impacts to soil and        | N          |
|                  |         | vegetation                 |            |
|                  |         |                            | N          |
|                  |         | Illegal harvest            |            |
|                  |         |                            | ?          |
|                  |         | Interactions with wildlife |            |
|                  |         |                            | N          |
|                  |         | Unknown magnitude of day   |            |
|                  |         | use                        | Y          |
|                  |         |                            |            |
|                  |         | Future visitor trends      |            |
+------------------+---------+----------------------------+------------+
| Consumptive Use  | Y       | Recreational and tribal    | N          |
| Inside Park      |         | harvest of                 |            |
|                  |         |                            | N          |
|                  |         | intertidal & marine        |            |
|                  |         | organisms                  |            |
|                  |         |                            |            |
|                  |         | Illegal harvest            |            |
+------------------+---------+----------------------------+------------+

> [*Management Objectives*]{.underline}
>
> A monitoring plan must consider not only natural resources, but also
> the management goals for those resources. The management goals are in
> turn directed by various pieces of legislation that call for providing
> public enjoyment of park resources but only in a way that is
> compatible with their conservation. Specifically, the Resource
> Management Plan for Olympic National Park identifies eight objectives
> to meet the overall goal of conservation:

-   Protect the park's natural resources and values in an unimpaired
    condition and restore altered areas to the condition they would
    possess absent European settlement.

-   Protect rare species, restore threatened and endangered species, and
    minimize harm to indigenous species.

-   Use scientific research to gain information about resources and
    effects on them.

-   Assemble baseline inventory data describing the parks natural
    resources and systematically monitor them in order to understand the
    governing natural processes and detect impacts.

-   Archive and maintain data from research and monitoring and encourage
    its dissemination.

-   Provide for appropriate wilderness uses and experiences, especially
    solitude, while protecting wilderness resources.

-   Provide appropriate recreational opportunities in environments least
    vulnerable to resource degradation.

-   Promote communication among Olympic Peninsula land managing agencies
    to identify common issues, propose solutions and pool data.

> These objectives are compatible with the approach of monitoring
> specific management issues, focal species, and indicators of ecosystem
> status. Although specific agents of change are not identified, it is
> recognized that the agents could be internal or external to the park,
> and that change associated with human use to natural ecosystems are
> matters of present and future concern.

**[North Cascades National Park Complex (NOCA)]{.underline}**

> The primary [objectives]{.underline} of the North Cascades LTEM
> program are:
>
> 1\. Determine the condition of natural and cultural resources,
> including individual biophysical components and processes, across a
> range of spatial and temporal scales.
>
> 2\. Utilize appropriate indicators and measurements to quantify and
> detect the potential effects of human-caused stressors.
>
> 3\. Improve the scientific data base and understanding park resources
> across a hierarchy of species, communities, ecosystems.
>
> 4\. Maximize the utility of monitoring protocols and data to develop
> inferences relevant to systems beyond park boundaries.
>
> In addition, NOCA has a number of natural resource goals that relate
> to their obligation under the Government Performance and Results Act
> (1993). Those GPRA goals that relate to monitoring include:
>
> *Mission Goal Ia:* Natural and cultural resources and associated
> values of the NOCA are protected, restored, and maintained in good
> condition and managed within their broader ecosystem and cultural
> context.
>
> *Mission Goal Ib:* The NPS at the NOCA contributes to knowledge about
> natural and cultural resources and their associated values; management
> decisions about resources and visitors are based on adequate scholarly
> and scientific information.
>
> Mission Goal IIIa: Natural and cultural resources are conserved
> through formal partnership programs.