**AGENDA**

**Third Annual I & M Meeting**

**National Conference Center -- Lansdowne Virginia**

**18 -- 22 August 2003**

**Purpose**

The purpose of the Annual Network Meeting is to advance the efforts of
the Inventory and Monitoring across network and national staff in a way
that integrates sound science with park management in a way that
enhances our ability to conserve resources for future generations.

**Outcomes**

1\. Introduce new staff to the concepts behind the Inventory and
Monitoring Program.

2\. Update I & M Staff on national budget and administrative changes.

3\. Update I & M staff on newly developed guidance.

4\. Identify common ground and collaboration opportunities among
networks.

5\. Evaluate approaches for prioritizing vital signs.

**Monday 8/18/03**

**I&M Overview and Orientation -- Room N4-372 -- Marcus Koenen,
Facilitator**

8:00 am Welcome and Introductions -- Steve Fancy

8:30 am Natural Resource Stewardship and the Natural Resource Challenge
-- Gary Davis

9:00 am I&M Program Goals, History and Framework -- Gary Williams

9:20 am Integrated Natural Resource Monitoring and the Network Approach
-- Steve Fancy

10:00 am Break

10:15 am Technical Assistance and Guidance available from the NRPC (20
min each)

Air Resources Division -- Ellen Porter

Biological Resource Management Division -- Peter Dratch

Geologic Resources Division -- Lisa Norby

Water Resources Division -- Gary Rosenlieb

11:45 am Question/Answer period

12:00 pm Lunch (Cafeteria)

1:00 pm Overview and Status of the 12 core inventories -- Lisa Nelson

1:20 pm Overview of selected inventories: (20 mins each)

Geologic Inventories -- Tim Connors

Vegetation Mapping -- Mike Story

Biological Inventories -- Mark Wotawa

2:20 pm Break

2:35 pm Data Management Framework and Guidance -- Lisa Nelson

Data Management Strategy - 15 min

Overview of Data Management Applications - 30 min

> Data Management Guidance: Planning, Workflow, Documentation - 15 min

3:35 pm Nuts and Bolts (20 mins each)

USGS and its role in the I&M Program -- Paul Geissler

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

Accountability: AARWPs, Performance Goals -- Steve Fancy

4:40 pm Open discussion period

5:00 -- 6:30 pm Reception (West Auditorium and Atrium/Patio Area)

**Tuesday 8/19/03**

**Vital Signs Monitoring -- Room N4-372; Facilitator: Steve Fancy**

8:00 am Welcome and Introductions -- Steve Fancy, Marcus Koenen

Natural Resource Challenge Update -- Mike Soukup

I&M Program Update, Awards -- Gary Williams

8:40 am Latest Guidance on Developing a Network Monitoring Program;
Review of vital signs identified by the first 12 networks -- Steve Fancy
and John Gross

9:15 am Case Study: Vital signs monitoring in the National Capital
Region Network -- Marcus Koenen

9:45 am Break

10:00 am Case Study: Vital signs monitoring in the Greater Yellowstone
Network --

Cathie Jean

10:30 am Panel discussion: Approaches & Lessons Learned from Phase 1
(scoping, conceptual modeling, etc.)

Cumberland/Piedmont network -- Teresa Leibfreid

Great Lakes network - Bill Route

National Capital Region network - John Sinclair

Sonoran Desert network - Andy Hubbard

12:00 Lunch (Cafeteria Open 11:30 -- 1:15 pm)

1:30 pm Panel discussion: Approaches & Lessons Learned from Phase 2
(prioritization and selection of vital signs)

Appalachian Highlands network - Robert Emmott

Northern Colorado Plateau network - Mark Miller

North Coast and Cascades network - Andrea Woodward

San Francisco Bay Area network - Brian Witcher

2:30 pm Question/Answer/Discussion period

3:00 pm Break

3:15 pm Common Ground: Monitoring Land Use Change -- John Gross

3:40 pm Common Ground: Invasive Species -- Penny Latham

4:00 pm Common Ground: Open Discussion

Monitoring Planning/Design Open Discussion

**Wednesday 8/20/03**

**Focus on Inventories -- Room N4-372; Facilitator: Kris Heister**

8:00 a.m. Overview and Status of the 12 Core Inventories Lisa Nelson

8:35 a.m. Vegetation Mapping Update Mike Story

Topic: How mapping is getting done, approaches

> to mapping in different networks, partnerships, classification system

9:05 a.m. Level 1 Water Quality Inventory Update Gary Rosenlieb

Topic: Closing out Level 1 Water Quality Inventories: The Plan

9:25 a.m. Geologic Mapping Update Tim Connors

Bibliography, Mapping, Scoping Meetings, Reports

9:45 a.m. Soils Mapping Update Pete Biggam

Topic: Update soil resources inventory, partnerships,

> network examples, resources available, future challenges

10:05 Break

10:20 a.m. Panel Discussion. Topics include (1) institutional memory -
how do we make sure that all this inventory information we are
collecting, and all the information that already exists and is collected
by others, is available and organized over the long term? (2)
Integrating inventories -- shared information needs, shared planning,
shared field efforts, shared products

Panel Members: Mike Story, Tim Connors, Pete Biggam, Daniel Sarr, Beth
Johnson

12:00 Lunch (Cafeteria Open 11:30 -- 1:15 pm)

**Focus on Data Management -- Room N4-372**

1:00 p.m. Data Management Strategies and Application Update Lisa Nelson

1:30 p.m. Workgroup Progress Reports (10 min each) Brent Frakes, Brian
Witcher,

Data Management Plans Lisa Nelson

Data Manager's Desk Reference

Contracting Specifications

NPSpecies Needs Assessment

Database Template

2:20 p.m. Questions

2:25 p.m. Database Demonstrations (GIS Theme Mgr, 3 folks -- 15 min each

Database Template, etc.)

3:10 p.m. Break

3:25 p.m. Director's Order on Data Quality Lisa Nelson, John Gross

3:40 p.m. Other useful applications (APCAM, GIS utilities) Lisa Nelson

4:00 p.m. Group/Panel Discussion -- Data Management Planning

> Topics include (1) Use of templates -- ours and theirs (what to do
> when a partner has an up and running database template that you will
> be contributing data to); (2) Updating of guidance; (3) Issues to
> consider; and (4) War stories from the field. Suggestions for panel
> members to be provided by Lisa Nelson.

4:30 p.m. Open discussion period

8 -- 10 pm Poster session (Room N4-372 and University Pub)

Posters from Networks, USGS P.I.s, WASO divisions

**Thursday 8/21/03; Facilitator: Penny Latham**

**Biological Inventories, Integration, Next Steps -- Room N4-372**

8:00 a.m. Biological Inventories Overview and Update Mark Wotawa

Overview and status of program

> Completing biological inventories: points of contact and schedule for
> QA/products; certification training; paying for certification
>
> NPSpecies/ANCS+ integration: an update
>
> Inventory gaps -- particularly unfunded high priority inventories

9:00 a.m. Group Discussion

> Two parts: biological inventories now and inventory gaps that need
> filling for monitoring. Discussion of inventory gaps includes issues
> related to funding of inventories after I&M funding ceases and
> addressing inventory goal #2. Additional topics to be provided by
> network coordinators.

9:45 a.m. Break

10:00 a.m. Archiving and Repository Service Update Lisa Nelson/Julie
Fleming

> Topics: Placement of collections; Where and how networks in different
> regions are doing this; Survey of issues/ideas.

10:20 a.m. Discussion

10:30 a.m Accountability: Financial and Programmatic

Annual Administrative Report and Work Plan Steve Fancy

Performance Goals

Due Dates and Expectations for Phase 1, 2, 3 reports

Peer Review of Reports

Travel this year and next Gary Williams

11:30 a.m. Questions/Answer period

12:00 Lunch (Cafeteria Open 11:30 -- 1:15 pm)

1:00 p.m. USGS and I&M: The evolving relationship Paul Geissler

Beginnings and intention; Current status and differences in involvement,
examples; How to get help; Where do we go from here

1:30 p.m. Discussion and input from audience.

1:45 p.m. Phase 3 for the first twelve networks: next steps Steve Fancy

Sampling Design; Guidelines for protocol development;

The protocol database; Data analysis and reporting by networks

2:00 p.m. Breakout Groups: Network Coordinators, Data Managers, main
group

> A list of discussion topics/questions will be provided for guidance.
> Groups will have an opportunity to discuss I&M related issues,
> problems, shared experiences, etc. relevant to these three positions.
> Each group will assign a spokesperson who will present the main points
> of discussion to the entire group at 3:30.

3:15 p.m. Break

3:30 p.m. Group Presentations

3:45 pm Open Discussion -- Meeting Wrap-Up Penny Latham

5:00 pm Adjourn

**Friday morning**: 7:30 am -- Regional I&M coordinator's meeting