National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Natural Resource Stewardship and Science

Funding the Natural Resource Challenge

Report to Congress, Fiscal Year 2005
Partula gibba, a threatened and 

endangered candidate species, 

found in the wetlands at American 

Memorial Park on Saipan.
Funding the Natural Resource Challenge

Report to Congress, Fiscal Year 2005

Natural Resource Stewardship and Science

Washington, DC

U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

Washington, DC
Executive Summary 5

Chapter One: Funding 11

Chapter Two: Measuring Progress 15

Chapter Three: Progress in Protecting Park Natural Resources 19

Park and Regional Natural Resource Programs 19

Natural Resource Program Status 19

Challenge-funded Parks 20

Air Resources Program 21

Funding and Performance Summary 22

Airborne Toxic Contaminants 22

Climate Friendly Parks 23

Ecological Effects Examined 23

Emissions Inventories 23

Air Quality Monitoring Network 23

Biological Resource Management Program 23

Funding and Performance Summary 24

Biological Inventories 24

Biological Resource Management Projects—National Level Support 24

Ecological Resotration 25

Endangered Species Program 26

Invasive Species Program 26

Park Flight Migratory Bird Program 28

Vegetation Mapping Program 29

Wildlife Management and Health 29

Geologic Resources Program 30

Funding and Performance Summary 30

Disturbed Lands Restoration 30

Geologic Processess and Features 31

Geologic Resource Evaluation 32

Minerals Management 33

National Cave and Karst Research Institute 33

Soil Resources Inventory and Management 33

Natural Resource Preservation Program (NRPP) 34

Funding and Performance Summary 34

Alaska Special Projects 34

Disturbed Lands Restoration Projects 35

Natural Resource Management Projects 36

Regional Program Block Allocation Projects 37

Servicewide Support Projects 38

Regional Small Parks Block Allocation Projects 39

Threatened and Endangered (T&E) Species Projects 39

USGS Biological Technical Assistance Agreement—Park-Oriented Biological Support 40

Natural Sounds Program 41

Acoustic Science 41

Administration and Management 41

Air Tour Management Program 42

Outreach/Education/Partnerships 42

Planning 42

Technical Assistance Requests 42

Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program 43

Resource Protection Program 44

Water Resources Program 45

Funding and Performance Summary 45

Water Resource Projects 45

Water Resource Protection—Aquatic Resource Professionals 47

Water Resource Technical Assistance 48

Watershed Condition Assessment Program 48

Water Quality Monitoring 49

Contents
Chapter Four: Progress in Learning About NPS Natural Resources 51

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units 51

Geographic Information System Program 53

Inventory and Monitoring Program 54

Inventories 55

Monitoring 57

Natural Resource Data and Information Program 60

Research Learning Centers 62

Chapter Five: Financial Details 67

Appendices

Appendix A: Natural Resource Challenge Funding History 77

Appendix B: Natural Resource Preservation Program Funded Projects 79

Appendix C: USGS—Biological Resources 91

Appendix D: Summary of Fully-Funded Water Resources Division Competitive Projects—FY 2005 103
8 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

If space allows, it is recommended that the text begin on the opposite page and that this page contain photographic or illustrative material. 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 5

National Park Service (NPS) Natural Resource 

Program funding increases over the past six 

years have led to significant gains in core mission capability as a result of careful design, and 

efficiencies through cross-program interactions, 

partnerships, and accountability. Natural Resource Challenge (NRC) increases (2000–2005) 

are a key component of those increases and 

are making a difference now and providing the 

framework to do even more in the future. All 

these increases have allowed the Park Service to 

improve a variety of programs (see table below).

To date funding increases have included a 

greatly expanded and accelerated Inventory and 

Monitoring (I&M) Program with 24 of 32 Networks fully funded; 17 Cooperative Ecosystem 

Studies Units (CESU), including 12 with NRC 

funded NPS research brokers/coordinators; 

increased expertise in parks and Servicewide 

programs, the Biological Resource Management Program, which includes programs for 

coordinating both native and non-native species 

management and control; 15 Research Learning Centers, encouraging research and providing educational support through a network of 

parks; 16 Exotic Plant Management Teams; and 

increases to the Natural Resource Preservation 

Program (NRPP). These funding increases allow 

the National Park Service to develop high quality 

scientific data, more sophisticated information 

and tools for improved management, and in 

many cases, more cost-effective approaches for 

the future.

Inventory Program

Numerous species newly discovered to be present in parks and numerous range extensions 

Executive Summary

Raptor monitoring at Pinnacles 

National Monument led to the 

discovery of a nesting pair of 

peregrine falcons.

NPS Natural Resource Stewardship Programs1

All numbers shown in thousands of dollars

Program Components

Servicewide Natural Resource Programs

Natural Resource Challenge-Affected Programs

Change in Program 

1999–2005

Air Quality Program 2,488

Biological Resource Management Program 8,475

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units 1 129

Geologic Resources Program 729

Inventory and Monitoring Program 1 33,735

Natural Resource Data and Information Program 1,505

Natural Resource Preservation Program 6,863

Research Learning Centers (15 Centers established)1 0

Resource Damage Assessment & Restoration 

Program (incl. Oil Spill Pollution Act) 

468

Resource Protection Fund 290

Water Resources Program 12,436

Natural Resource Challenge Programs Subtotal 62,364

Cave and Karst Research Institute 333

Everglades—Comprehensive Restoration Plan (CERP) 4,657

Everglades—Critical Ecosystem Studies Initiative 2,682

Everglades Task Force Support 490

Geographic Information System (GIS) Program [63]

Glen Canyon Adaptive Management Program 1 95

Natural Sounds Program

(formerly Overflight Program)

709

Subtotal—Servicewide Natural Resource Programs 71,267

National Park System Units, Other Field Units, and Central Office Natural Resource Stewardship Programs40,443

Total Natural Resource Stewardship 111,710

1 Reflects program funding after transfers to parks or regions
6 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

have been documented, as well as discoveries 

of several species new to science. Information 

developed through the monitoring design process and from inventories and ongoing park 

monitoring efforts being integrated into vital 

signs programs is providing important planning 

and compliance information into park resource 

conditions and trends.

• Four new plant species were added to park 

records at Fossil Butte National Monument. 

Although none of the species are rare in 

Wyoming, three of the species were found 

at the limit of their elevational range. These 

populations may be especially sensitive to 

climate change and will be monitored for range 

expansions and contractions.

• The Gulf Coast Network was able to acquire 

new imagery and LIDAR (Light Distance And 

Ranging) data shortly after hurricane Katrina 

passed over the coast of Mississippi. These 

data will be used not only by the natural resource staff as part of the long-term monitoring, but will provide elevation data which can 

be used to plan reconstruction of park infrastructure.

• The Southwest Alaska Network developed 

a database of 950 historic landscape photographs spanning the period of 1898 to 1976, 

including 81 repeat photographs at 63 sites 

originally taken during the Griggs expeditions (1915–1922) and during several other 

expeditions near the turn of the 20th century 

(1895–1912). Comparison of historical and 2005 

photographs is revealing the nature and rate at 

which Katmai’s landscape is changing due to 

the retreat of glaciers, recovery of vegetation 

(particularly alders) after the volcanic eruption 

of 1912, and uplifted shorelines after the 1964 

earthquake.

• North Carolina State University researchers developed and published a protocol for 

constructing wildfire fuel load maps based on 

Inventory generated digital vegetation maps 

and the corresponding digital photo mosaics. 

This methodology will assist in the development of plans to minimize wildfire risk to lives 

and property of persons living within or near 

Northeastern National Parks.

The Service completed an additional 131 datasets in FY 2005, bringing the total to 1,761 (63.6 

percent) of outstanding datasets acquired or 

developed. The Service essentially met its target goal of 64 percent for the Natural Resource 

Inventories in FY 2005. Some parks will require 

an additional year to certify the accuracy of the 

biological (vertebrates and vascular plants) field 

inventories, even though most of those field 

inventories were completed and data sets available by the end of FY 2005.

Vital Signs Monitoring

Two additional networks were funded for park 

vital signs monitoring in FY 2005, bringing the 

total funded to 24 networks encompassing 207 

parks. This represents 77 percent of parks with 

significant natural resources having funding to 

initiate long-term park vital signs for monitoring. In addition, eight networks (63 parks) were 

partially funded. By the end of FY 2005:

• 22 networks (222 parks) have identified vital 

signs—the key to a low cost, managementoriented monitoring program.

• 12 networks (101 parks) and 3 prototype parks 

completed their monitoring program designs 

and have implemented monitoring.

• 5 networks (52 parks) that were first funded in 

2003, have completed their monitoring program designs and are poised to initiate monitoring upon plan approval.

• 5 networks (32 parks) have completed Phase 

2 of the monitoring program design process, 

which includes an initial identification and 

prioritization of vital signs for all parks in the 

network.

• The remaining 10 networks (85 parks) have 

completed Phase I reports, synthesizing available data and information needed to begin the 

vital signs identification process.

• All 32 networks, representing 270 parks, have 

received funding for water quality monitoring.

• Researchers are investigating coral reef colonies in Virgin Islands National Park in an 

attempt to learn more about destructive coral 

diseases affecting the reefs in the park and 

throughout the Caribbean. Scientists were 

alarmed to see extensive areas with disease. 

Along long-term monitoring transects maintained by the South Florida and Caribbean Network, monitoring revealed that diseased areas 

were killed in less than two weeks. These coral 

colonies were several-hundred years old.

• Raptor monitoring at Pinnacles National 

Monument in the San Francisco Bay Area 

Network led to the discovery of a peregrine 

falcon pair successfully nesting at the park 

and producing three fledglings (first time in 

48 years), a Cooper’s hawk nest was found 

(first time in 13 years), sharp-shinned hawk 

nests were found for the second and third 

time, long-eared owl breeding was confirmed 

with three fledglings observed (first time in 19 

years), and ten raptor species—the highest ever 

recorded in a season—were confirmed breeding in the park in 2005

The Service’s FY 2005 goal that 80 percent (216) 

of the 270 parks with significant natural resourc-
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 7

Monitoring at Buck Island Reef 

National Monument revealed 

extensive bleaching followed by 

disease. Coral showing initial signs 

of bleaching (large image) was 

completely bleached (inset) one 

month later. 

es identify their vital signs was exceeded. As a 

direct result of the strategy of organizing parks 

into 32 vital signs monitoring networks, 222 

parks (82.2 percent) had identified their vital 

signs, compared to the annual goal of 216 parks.

Partnerships

The combination of expanded expertise and 

activities has assisted in a number of fruitful 

partnerships, across program areas within the 

Park Service and with outside partners:

• The NPS I&M Program initiated the interagency Natural Resource Monitoring Partnership involving more than 60 state, federal and 

provincial governments (including agencies in 

Canada and Mexico) to promote collaboration and sharing of monitoring protocols and 

methodologies among agencies. The effort is 

also led by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS).

• A cooperative agreement between USGS and 

the Park Service provided funding to delineate 

areas within Mesa Verde National Park that 

can be established as protected activity centers 

for its breeding population of threatened Mexican spotted owls. Locations of where spotted 

owl breeding activity was observed in 2005 

were mapped using GIS technology.

• The Pacific Islands Exotic Plant Management 

Team, in cooperation with the University of 

Hawaii and the Maui Invasive Species Committee is working to prevent a miconia invasion 

from displacing Haleakala rainforest in 

Haleakala National Park. During FY 2005, 

over 3,500 acres of infestation was swept by 

ground crews and all detected miconia plants 

controlled. Over 37,000 acres were surveyed 

by helicopter with all detected miconia plants 

controlled by surgical spot spraying.

• In FY 2005, the Park Service continued to 

cooperate in a Climate Friendly Parks initiative 

with EPA, under which the EPA includes 

audits of greenhouse gas emissions within 

parks (in addition to criteria air pollutants). Under this initiative, the Park Service 

is demonstrating leadership in sustainable 

stewardship practices within parks and educating the public about them in all park areas.

• The Endangered Species Program expanded 

its educational efforts within the Park Service 

and beyond. A joint effort with the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service resulted in a course, cotaught by instructors from both agencies, that 

teaches scientific principles and techniques 

for endangered species management. This 

course is offered at the National Conservation 
8 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

The Endangered Species Program 

expanded its educational efforts 

within the Park Service and beyond. 

A joint effort with the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service resulted in a 

course, co-taught by instructors 

from both agencies, that teaches 

scientific principles and techniques for 

management of endangered species 

like the Channel Island foxes shown 

here in a captive breeding facility. 

Training Center and at Friday Harbor Marine 

Laboratory. The program also provided an 

instructor for a conservation genetics course 

offered by the National Conservation Training 

Center.

• During FY 2005, Park Flight continued to 

work with U.S. national parks and protected 

areas in 10 Latin American countries 

(Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, 

Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Argentina, 

Brazil, and Uruguay) regarding migratory 

bird conservation and education efforts. Park 

Flight implemented the final year of a grant 

received through the Neotropical Migratory 

Bird Conservation Act for a bird conservation 

and education project at Cuyahoga Valley 

National Park.

• An Interagency Agreement between the Southwest Alaska Network and the USGS-EROS 

Data Center was initiated to develop protocols 

using satellite-based remote sensing and 

MODIS data as a tool to monitor timing of 

ice-on/ice-off on large lakes, duration of snow 

cover, timing of changes in plant productivity, 

and sediment plumes from glacial melt.

Innovative Approaches

New tools that address ways to disseminate 

valuable monitoring information to park managers and their constituency include:

• A web based platform developed by North 

Carolina State University to display National 

Park Service I&M natural resource information. This easy to navigate web system allows 

resource managers and the general public to 

display and query field plot information via 

a standard web browser. The same program 

enables field scientists to inspect, edit, and augment their field data without the intervening 

use of field sheets or data transcriptions. The 

program generates both standard field reports 

and interpreted maps.

• The Central Alaska Network partnered with 

the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Arctic Network and Western Arctic Parklands to develop 

an internet tool to analyze moose survey data. 

Completion of this internet tool will allow biologists to upload data for analysis in near “real 

time.” This will provide population estimates 

to park & refuge managers to quickly facilitate 

management decisions.

• The Sonoran Desert Network and Sonoran 

Institute developed a series of identification 

cards, consisting of key characteristics, photographs, and descriptions, for each of the 74 

exotic plants identified through the multiagency Arizona Wildlands Invasive Plant 

Working Group/Sonoran Desert Network 

exotic plants list. These cards are currently 

being used to train field botanists and park 

staff, and have been shared extensively with 

partners.

• The Water Quality Program continues the 

development of NPSTORET—a series of 

Microsoft Access templates/forms for entering 

and documenting the results of water quality 

monitoring projects in a format compatible 

with uploading into STORET (short for
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 9

 STOrage and RETrieval). STORET is a repository for water quality, biological, and physical 

data that is used by state environmental agencies, EPA and other federal agencies, universities, and private citizens.

These are a few of the exciting results of the 

application of new expertise, information, and 

partnerships for improving the management of 

natural resources in units of the national park 

system. In FY 2000, Congress demonstrated its 

commitment to natural resource management 

in national parks through the implementation 

of the Natural Resource Challenge. Since its 

inception, the Challenge has provided tangible 

benefits through information based management, 

increased expertise, partnerships, and resource 

leveraging. The Natural Resource Challenge 

and other funding increases continue to provide 

significant and relevant contributions as the 

Park Service works to meet the expectations 

of the American public and Congress that their 

national parks will remain “unimpaired for 

future generations.”
10 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

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 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 11

This report responds to directions in the House 

Report 106-22 for the FY 2000 appropriations 

for the National Park Service and other Department of the Interior and related agencies. In the 

House report, the NPS was requested to provide 

information concerning the expenditures and 

related accomplishments resulting from a series 

of increases to Natural Resource Stewardship 

Programs beginning in FY 2000, known as the 

Natural Resource Challenge. This report addresses FY 2005 expenditures and accomplishments 

for all Natural Resource Stewardship Programs, 

exclusive of Everglades Restoration and Glen 

Canyon Adaptive Management Program, as well 

as communicates the successful implementation 

of the Challenge to date. A detailed history of the 

Challenge is included as Appendix A.

The Challenge included a series of requests for 

new funding that were designed by field superintendents and subject matter experts to meet 

future natural resource management needs. 

Many of the increases resulted in accelerating or 

expanding earlier programs, while a few resulted 

in entirely new activities. The table below shows 

the funding for Servicewide Natural Resource 

Stewardship Programs, distinguishes those 

affected by Natural Resource Challenge funding, 

and identifies the funding level for FY 1999 (the 

year before the first Challenge increases) and 

FY 2005. Most of the differences with increases 

were as a result of the Challenge.

Chapter One: Funding

Captive rearing pen for Chisana 

caribou, Yukon-Wrangle St. Elias 

National Park & Preserve border, with 

Mt. Natazhat (13,435’) in distance. 

Photo by Mason Reid, NPS, WRST, 

2005

NPS Natural Resource Stewardship Programs

All numbers shown in thousands of dollars/Years1

Program Components

Servicewide Natural Resource Programs

Natural Resource Challenge-Affected Programs

1999 2005 Change

Air Quality Program 6,285 8,773 2,488

Biological Resource Management Program – 8,475 8,475

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units 2 – 129 129

Geologic Resources Program 1,918 2,647 729

Inventory and Monitoring Program 2 5,787 39,522 33,735

Natural Resource Data and Information Program 1,505 1,505

Natural Resource Preservation Program 5,432 12,295 6,863

Research Learning Centers (15 Centers established)2 – – 0

Resource Damage Assessment & Restoration 

Program (incl. Oil Spill Pollution Act) 

873 1,341 468

Resource Protection Fund – 290 290

Water Resources Program 4,754 12,436 12,436

Natural Resource Challenge Programs Subtotal 25,049 87,413 62,364

Cave and Karst Research Institute – 333 333

Everglades—Comprehensive Restoration Plan 

(CERP)

– 4,657 4,657

Everglades—Critical Ecosystem Studies Initiative 1,200 3,882 2,682

Everglades Task Force Support 800 1,290 490

Geographic Information System (GIS) Program 1,336 1,273 [63]

Glen Canyon Adaptive Management Program 2 – 95 95

Natural Sounds Program

(formerly Overflight Program)

200 909 709

Subtotal—Servicewide Natural Resource Programs 28,585 99,852 71,267

National Park System Units, Other Field Units, and 

Central Office Natural Resource Stewardship 

Programs

65,832 106,275 40,443

Total Natural Resource Stewardship 94,417 206,127 111,710

1 Actual funds recieved after any recessions or permanent assessments.

2

 Reflects program funding after transfers to parks or regions.
12 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

The table below shows FY 2004 funding and 

changes resulting from FY 2005 increases and 

other actions for all of the programs affected by 

the Natural Resource Challenge.

The next three chapters focus on describing the 

accomplishments which were achieved in 

FY 2005 through the natural resource programs 

and parks affected by the Natural Resource 

Challenge. Additional detail about previous years 

and allocation of the funding within programs 

may be found in Chapter Five and several of 

the appendices.

FY 2005 Changes to Natural Resource Stewardship Programs 1

With Natural Resource Challenge Contributions Highlighted

All numbers in thousands of dollars

Program Components

Servicewide Natural Resource Programs FY 2004 FY 2005 

Program 

Increases

FY 2005

Air Quality Program 8,890 8,773

 Challenge contribution 2,800 2,800

Biological Resource Management Program 8,575 8,475

 Challenge contribution 7,985 7,985

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units 2 131 129

 Challenge contribution 1,993 1,993

Geologic Resources Program 2,651 2,647

 Challenge contribution 696 696

Inventory and Monitoring Program 36,932 39,522

 Challenge contribution 33,462 3,068 36,530

Natural Resource Data and Information Program 1,521 1,505

 Challenge contribution 1,098 1,098

Natural Resource Preservation Program 12,484 12,295

 Challenge contribution 7,372 7,372

Research Learning Centers 2 – –

 Challenge contribution 2,698 2,698

Resource Damage Assessment & Restoration Program (incl. Oil 

Spill Pollution Act)

1,264 1,341

 Challenge contribution 500 500

Resource Protection Fund 294 290

 Challenge contribution 300 300

Water Resources Program 12,071 12,436

 Challenge contribution 7,464 521 7,985

Cave and Karst Research Institute 3 344 333

Everglades Research and Restoration 3 9,967 9,829

GIS3 1,291 1,273

Glen Canyon Adaptive Management 3 97 95

Natural Sounds Programs3 921 909

National Park System Units, Other Field Units, and Central Office 

Natural Resource Stewardship Programs

100,356 106,275

 Challenge contribution 6,595 6,595

Natural Resource Stewardship Programs 197,790 206,127

 Challenge contribution 72,963 76,522

1 Includes across-the-board reductions and other changes to base, so FY 2005 changes added to FY 2004 will not equal 

the FY 2005 final funding

2 Reflects program funding after transfers to parks or regions

3

 Programs not affected by Natural Resource Challenge
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 13
14 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

If space allows, it is recommended that the text begin on the opposite page and that this page contain photographic or illustrative material. 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 15

The National Park Service, like most governmental organizations, is increasingly being 

required to report performance in measurable 

methods. The Government Performance and 

Results Act (GPRA) formalizes reporting requirements and stresses measuring performance by 

tracking outcomes. For the natural resources of 

the National Park System, the desired outcome 

is resources in good condition, as defined by the 

desired condition, usually identified in a planning document.

During Fiscal Year 2005 the National Park 

Service completed its transition to performance 

goals in the 2003–2008 Department of the 

Interior strategic plan. These 14 natural resourcerelated goals focus largely on the end outcome 

and intermediate outcome results linked to desired conditions. Although this transition included 

the adoption and reporting to the majority of 

these goals, work continued towards developing baselines and desired conditions for the four 

land health goals applicable to the Park Service. 

During 2005 only those parks with desired conditions identified in their general management 

plans, objective acreage data for each land type 

baseline, and sufficient information to document 

the current condition of their lands were able to 

address the land health goals. In some instances 

these desired conditions were so qualitative as 

preclude translation into readily measurable 

conditions, for performance management purposes. Work continued at the end of the fiscal 

year to assist the majority of parks in meeting 

these three elements which were required to 

adopt and report to the land health goals by 

2007.

Development of strategic monitoring programs 

began in FY 2001. When fully funded and 

implemented, a method to measure resource 

condition and performance in caring for resources will be in place, although it will take several 

years to develop significant trend data. Through 

FY 2005, 24 networks (of a total of 32) involving 207 of 270 parks with significant natural 

resources have been fully funded for condition 

monitoring. The first 12 networks (involving 

101 parks) have completed the development of 

their integrated monitoring programs and have 

now implemented operational monitoring. The 

remaining networks are in various phases of the 

planning and design process, which is dependent 

on when they first received funding. All networks 

are on or ahead of schedule, and based on scientific peer reviews and comments from other 

federal and state agencies, these “state of the art” 

monitoring programs are benefiting many other 

agencies and organizations. An interim strategy 

is being developed to use information developed 

through inventories, planning for monitoring, 

and other efforts to allow reporting on resource 

conditions over the next several years while 

significant status and trend data are being collected.

Of the 10 goals with the FY 2005 targets reported 

in the table below, all were technically met or 

exceeded—some were exceeded to significant 

degrees. The Department considers actual 

accomplishments within 5 percent of the target 

to have been met.

The following table shows the relationship of 

natural resource programs to selected Department of the Interior strategic plan goals, i.e., 

goals from the National Park Service FY 2001–

2005 plan that carried over to the 2003–2008 

Department of the Interior plan. All programs 

respond to some elements of the new plan and 

had specific targets for FY 2005.

Chapter Two: Measuring Progress

At Buck Island Reef National 

Monument crews worked to control 

invasive non-native Guinea Grass 

(shown here after treatment). Efforts 

like this contributed to the Park 

Service meeting Its goal to control 

exotic plants on 1.9% of park lands.
16 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Natural Resource Challenge Support for Stewardship of Natural Resources in Parks—

Relationships to FY 2005 Strategic Plan Goal Targets

NPS Goal Targets for FY 2005

(NPS number/DOI number)

SERVICEWIDE NATURAL 

RESOURCE PROGRAM 

Supporting Park Performance

Goals relating to strategies to restore, maintain, sustain and protect 

resources:

Ia3B/PEM 1.010 75% (27 of 36) of reporting Class I NPS (DOI) lands 

meet ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). (exceeded)

Air Resources

Ia3C/PEM 1.011 85% (22 of 26) reporting Class I NPS (DOI) land meet 

visibility objectives. (exceeded)

Ia1B/PEM 2.004 Exotic Plant Species: 1.9% of park lands (49,500 

canopy acres of 2.6 million acres) have had plant invasions effectively 

controlled. (met)

Biological Resource 

Management Ia2A./PEM 2.001 Threatened and Endangered Species: 41% of 

federally listed species that occur or have occurred in parks are 

making progress toward recovery [numbers not identified due to 

changing baselines]. (met)

Ia9/PEM 3.004 37% (1,201) of paleontological localities in NPS 

inventory (3,248) are in good condition (met) Geologic Resources

Ia4A/PEM 1.008 98.8% (136,400 of 138,000 miles) of streams and rivers managed by the NPS that meet State and Federal water quality 

standards as defined by the Clean Water Act (met)

Water Resources

Ia4B/PEM 1.008 76.6% (3,651,000 of 4,765,000 acres) of estuaries and 

marine areas managed by the NPS that meet state and federal water 

quality standards as defined by the Clean Water Act (met)

Goals related to strategy to improve information base, resource 

management and technical assistance

Ib1 Acquire or develop 64% (1,771) of outstanding data sets 

identified in 2002 (2,767) of basic natural resource inventories for all 

parks. (met)

Inventory and Monitoring Ib3A Vital Signs: 80% of 270 parks with significant natural resources 

have identified their vital signs for natural resource monitoring.

(exceeded)

Ib3B 37% (101 of 270) parks with significant natural resources have 

implemented natural resource monitoring of key vital signs (met)
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 17
18 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

If space allows, it is recommended that the text begin on the opposite page and that this page contain photographic or illustrative material. 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 19

This chapter focuses on those Natural Resource 

Stewardship programs that emphasize preserving, restoring, maintaining, and protecting park 

resources and is organized into nine central 

program areas that include:

• Park and Regional Natural Resource Programs

• Air Resources Program

• Biological Resource Management Program

• Geologic Resources Program

• Natural Resource Preservation Program

• Natural Sounds Program

• Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration 

Program

• Resource Protection Program

• Water Resources Program

PARK AND REGIONAL NATURAL RESOURCE 

PROGRAMS

The Natural Resource Stewardship portion 

of the Operation of the National Park Service 

(ONPS) appropriation, which includes Natural 

Resource Management and Natural Resource 

Research Support, was $206.1 million in 

FY 2005. Many, but not all, of the programs 

involved were affected by Natural Resource 

Challenge funding increases since FY 2000.

Of the total $106.3 million designated for park 

and regional programs, most of the funding 

directly benefited parks. The Challenge contributed approximately $6.6 million in park base 

increases in FY 2001 and FY 2002, which parks 

continue to receive. This report covers all natural 

resource management funding. Since park and 

regional programs represent the largest portion 

of the Natural Resource Stewardship budget, 

regions are asked to provide an overview of park 

and regional programs (exclusive of parks that 

received Challenge increases) and to identify any 

trends.

Natural Resource Program Status

Natural Resource Challenge initiatives have 

resulted in major improvements in how parks 

manage their natural resources. Critically needed 

basic inventories and monitoring programs have 

enabled parks to focus their natural resource 

programs on the most at-risk resources. Exotic 

plant management teams, specialists in air and 

water resources, increased technical support at 

the regional and park level, and increased project 

funding through the Natural Resource Preservation Protection Program have all contributed 

to increased science-based decision making. 

Additionally, Cooperative Ecosystem Study Units 

and Research Learning Centers are attracting 

key scientists to conduct research in many of 

the nation’s parks. Natural Resource Challenge 

funding is directly responsible for fostering 

partnerships and cost-share relationships, that 

otherwise would not be possible. It cannot be 

over-emphasized that parks would not have had 

other means of acquiring the data that Challenge 

projects generate, and would be forced into a 

position of non-response to emerging threats 

such as invasive plants and animals without this 

funding source.

Regions reported significant accomplishments 

by parks and some of those accomplishments 

are highlighted below. Regions also noted 

constraints on park natural resource programs 

due to across the board rescissions and 

inflationary pressures on their fixed costs. 

Parks and regions report applying adaptive 

management strategies to address these recent 

challenges.

Examples of the progress that park and regional 

personnel have made through the use of 

Challenge funding in natural resource management include:

• Collaboration with state and federal partners 

to accomplish natural resource management 

goals is an integral part of any successful 

resource management strategy and Challenge 

funding has led to many successful partnerships. In FY 2005, regional and park natural 

resource staffs worked with various state 

agencies to evaluate mandated state comprehensive wildlife plans to determine the benefit 

to parks adjacent to state and private lands that 

support sensitive species. Several regions have 

signed data-sharing agreements with state fish 

and wildlife agencies to allow sharing of data 

that will add to the knowledge base of resource 

managers in parks. Glacier Bay National Park 

and Preserve established a science board of 

federal and state subject matter experts to 

assess current knowledge and information gaps 

in our understanding of potential cruise ships 

impacts on physical, biological, and sociocultural resources. The board’s recommendations contributed to the Superintendent’s 

decision to implement an adaptive management strategy that would allow an increase in 

cruise ship numbers in future years.

• Development of a region-wide science strategy 

was initiated by several NPS regional programs 

in FY 2005. This multi-disciplinary effort will 

Chapter Three: Progress in Protecting Park Natural 

Resources

Geoscientist-in-the-park, Stephanie 

Shepard, helped address resource 

management needs at Sunset Crater 

National Monument by evaluating 

the development of volcanic soils 

in the park. The other half of her 

time was spent helping park visitors 

understand the volcanology that 

created the park’s icon.
20 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

clarify ways and means to improve scientific 

information for understanding, interpreting, 

and managing parks. A comprehensive science 

strategy will greatly benefit parks with limited 

staffs by providing them with the tools 

necessary to research and assess actions to 

accomplish stewardship activities.

• Regional and park programs continue to find 

cost-effective ways to make existing natural 

resource funding stretch farther by hiring 

student interns and working with volunteers. 

Mount Rainer National Park was able to 

accomplish projects that would otherwise 

not be possible given current funding levels. 

For example, students assisted in completing 

amphibian, fish, water quality, passive ozone 

monitoring, and invertebrate surveys, while 

gaining valuable experience in sampling design, 

scientific methodology, GIS, and conducting 

ecological studies in wilderness areas. 

Volunteers also contribute many hours to 

park-based resource management activities 

that include removing of invasive plants at 

Catoctin Mountain Park, monitoring 

historical peregrine falcon breeding territories 

at Dinosaur National Monument, water quality monitoring at Homestead National 

Monument, and sea turtle monitoring at 

Padre Island National Seashore.

• Restoration activities in many parks are 

improving habitat for a variety of wildlife and 

plant species and providing information on 

restoration success. Resource managers at 

Yosemite National Park have worked with a 

number of partners to restore the ecological 

integrity of Royal Arches Meadow, a significant 

source of plants which were traditionally 

gathered by Native Americans. Results from 

this project will not only protect a culturally 

significant resource but will also provide 

information on effective techniques for meadow restoration that will be applied at other 

parks. Regional hydrology staff worked with

George Washington Memorial Parkway to 

fund the construction of sedimenterosion tables which were placed in Dyke 

Marsh Preserve to provide long-term monitoring of erosion in the marsh. Measurements 

made at fixed points in the marsh will enable 

researchers to quantify small-scale changes 

in marsh accumulation and subsidence. Data 

from this project is critical to guide restoration 

efforts and measure success.

Challenge-funded Parks

The Natural Resource Challenge supported 

base funding increases for 36 national parks in 

FY 2001 and FY 2002. The increases were 

primarily directed at invasive species control and 

threatened and endangered species recovery, but 

also focused on other native species efforts and 

basic natural resource capability for small parks. 

The funding became a permanent part of the 

parks’ base funding.

Total Natural Resource Management base 

funds available in FY 2005 to these 36 parks 

approximated $15 million. Almost 44 percent of 

that funding came from the Natural Resource 

Challenge program. Funding levels for 20 of the 

parks ranged from $58,000 to $350,000. Ten 

parks had from $350,000 to $900,000, while six 

parks had from $900,000 to $1,891,000 available 

for managing natural resources.

Eleven of the 36 parks reported net decreases 

to their programs, from FY 2004 to FY 2005, 

ranging from less-than-one to 17 percent. Of the 

parks reporting decreases, five experienced 

significant decreases of 5 percent or more. 

Eighteen reported increases, ranging from lessthan-one to 51 percent. Seven parks reported 

exactly the same funding as the previous year. 

The overall program experienced a decline in 

funding from FY 2004 to FY 2005 of $1,519,608 

or 9 percent.

Many parks—nearly a third—continue to 

experience difficulties retaining funds for 

natural resource programs due to the absorption of fixed costs and other higher priority 

needs. Other parks, through a combination of 

differing circumstances and priorities, are able 

to more fully maintain the gains brought about 

by the Challenge. In all cases, as demonstrated 

by the accomplishments reported, the results 

of the Challenge are positive. In most instances, 

the Natural Resource Challenge funding greatly 

strengthened the ability of parks to address the 

most critical problems in managing invasives 

and improving habitat for threatened and 

endangered species. Additionally, the Challenge 

funding often provided the critical mass of capability to enable a park to attract more volunteers, 

partnerships, and other assistance to enhance 

the natural resource program. Accomplishment 

highlights include:

Inventories: During 2005, a floristic inventory 

was completed at Curecanti National 

Recreation Area and a species list was compiled for this park. An inventory of tree damage 

caused by tornadoes associated with Hurricane 

Ivan (2004) and Hurricane Katrina (2005) was 

conducted at Catoctin Mountain Park. Much 

of the initial inventory work funded by the 

Challenge is now complete but important additions to park species lists continue to be made. 

New discoveries are made through monitoring 

as evidenced by the capture of a female short-
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 21

nosed sturgeon at the mouth of the Potomac 

River, which runs through several parks including Rock Creek Park, the George Washington 

Memorial Parkway, and the Chesapeake and 

Ohio Canal National Historical Park. The 

short-nosed sturgeon was known only from 

“historic” records until 2002 when it was found 

in the Potomac and then captured again as part 

of a river monitoring program. The fish will 

be radio-tracked this spring as she heads up 

the Potomac to spawn and information on her 

movements will assist biologists in determining 

spawning needs for the species. Parks continue 

to work actively with broad groups of public and 

private groups to monitor at-risk species and 

provide for a better understanding of ecosystem 

health through good science.

Monitoring: In cooperation with the National 

Marine Fisheries Service, Kalaupapa National 

Historical Park continued to monitor and tag 

a small breeding population of the endangered 

Hawaiian monk seal. Challenge funds have 

enabled Mojave National Preserve to continue 

the monitoring of desert tortoise recovery and 

also provide outreach and education opportunities to increase public understanding of this 

threatened resource. Staff at Saugus Iron Works 

National Historic Site partnered with the 

Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries 

and Saugus River Watershed Council to 

monitor rainbow smelt, river herring, American 

eel, and other fish species within the park 

portion of the Saugus River. Monitoring sea 

turtle, brown pelican, and least tern nesting sites 

is possible at Buck Island Reef National 

Monument thanks to Challenge funding.

Protection and Restoration: Funding from the 

Challenge allowed Channel Islands National 

Park to continue wild island fox recovery 

actions. A Bonneville cutthroat trout reintroduction project was completed at Great Basin 

National Park. Species restoration is now 

complete and the goal of establishing five 

separate trout populations in over eighteen miles 

of stream is accomplished. Invasive plant control 

work expanded dramatically as a result of the 

Challenge. In FY 2005, weed crews at Sequoia 

and Kings Canyon National Parks surveyed 

6,688 acres and treated millions of invasive 

plants.

AIR RESOURCES PROGRAM

FY 2005 Allocation: $8,876,000

Available: $8,773,000

The purpose of the Air Resources Program is to 

preserve, protect, and enhance air quality and 

air quality-related values in the National Park 

System by ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Clean Air Act and the National 

Park Service Organic Act. Relying largely on 

non-regulatory approaches to achieve air quality 

goals, the Air Resources Program emphasizes the 

collection of credible air quality information to 

support scientifically sound decisions about 

actions affecting air quality and air qualityrelated values in the parks. Natural Resource 

Challenge funds augment and support air quality 

monitoring in parks; investigation of resources 

A Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nests at 

Padre Island National Seashore during 

2005. A record 28 Kemp’s ridley nests 

were found at the park this year.
22 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

that are sensitive to air pollution effects; review 

of permit applications proposed by new or 

existing sources and provision of recommendations to reduce impacts on parks; audits of, 

and recommendations to reduce, air pollution 

sources within national parks; data analysis; provision of information to permit applicants and 

regulatory agencies; and other technical assistance to parks. Parameters currently measured in 

parks include: ozone and/or dry deposition, wet 

deposition, and particulate matter. Special studies at Great Smoky Mountains, Isle Royale, and 

Yosemite National Parks address cloud water 

chemistry and develop monitoring equipment 

for remote locations and ozone precursors. This 

section focuses on certain activities administered 

and funded through the Air Resources Program 

including:

• Airborne Toxic Contaminants

• Climate Friendly Parks

• Ecological Effects

• Emission Inventories

• Air Quality Monitoring Network

Funding and Performance Summary

The Natural Resource Challenge provided 

base increases in FY 2001 of $200,000 for 

Air Emissions Inventories and $2.6 million in 

FY 2002 for Air Quality Monitoring and Assistance. As part of the Natural Resource Challenge, 

expertise in air quality-related skills has been 

expanded through the creation of 7.5 field-based 

positions. These positions provided significant 

assistance to parks in FY 2005. Most of these 

new air quality specialists are responsible for 

working closely with park neighbors, regulatory 

agencies, other federal land managers, and the 

five regional planning organizations established 

by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA) to develop visibility protection programs. 

The specialists work to ensure park managers are 

receiving timely and useful information about air 

quality conditions and related management issues; they also provide or broker technical assistance and scientific expertise for parks. Some of 

the specialists serve as senior science advisors 

or otherwise provide technical expertise for the 

vital signs monitoring program.

Airborne Toxic Contaminants

The National Park Service initiated the Western 

Airborne Contaminants Assessment Project 

(WACAP) in FY 2002 and it continued through 

FY 2005. The objective of this multi-year project 

was to inventory airborne contaminants in 

national park ecosystems using a network of 

sites in parks in the western United States to 

determine the risk from airborne contaminants 

to ecosystems and food webs in western national 

parks. Airborne contaminants can pose serious 

health threats to wildlife and humans, as some 

of these compounds tend to “biomagnify” in 

the food chain, having impacts on reproductive 

success, growth, behavior, disease, and survival. 

Inventories of contaminants are conducted in 

key parks in the West and in Alaska. Entities who 

cooperated in the project include EPA, U.S. 

Geological Survey(USGS), USDA Forest Service, 

Oregon State University, and the University of 

Washington.

Annual Performance Goal, Status, and Accomplishments FY 2004 FY2005

FY 2004

Ia3: Air quality in 62 percent of reporting parks has remained stable or 

improved

Ia3B: 69 percent of reporting Class I NPS (DOI) lands meet ambient air 

quality standards

Ia3C: 66 percent of reporting Class I NPS (DOI) lands meet visibility 

standards

Met

Exceeded

Exceeded

FY 2005

Ia3: Air quality in 64 percent of reporting parks has remained stable or 

improved

Ia3B: 75 percent of reporting Class I NPS (DOI) lands meet ambient air 

quality standards

Ia3C: 85 percent of reporting Class I NPS (DOI) lands meet visibility 

standards

Exceeded

Exceeded

Exceeded

Other Actions and Outcomes:

·Air Resources Field Specialists supported by Challenge: total FTE

·Park emissions inventories: total parks completed or (underway)

·Air Quality Monitoring: total parks involved

·Visibility Monitoring: total parks involved

·Mercury Monitoring: total parks involved

·Ecological Effects Projects: total projects completed or (underway)

·Technical Assistance to Parks

·New Source Permit Review and Recommendations

8.5 FTE 

45 (12)

69 parks

54 parks

15 parks

3 (5)

15 parks

39 reviews

7.5 FTE

46 (13)

68 parks

54 parks

13 parks

2 (4)

28 parks

55 reviews
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 23

Climate Friendly Parks

The effects of global climate change are being observed in many regions—glaciers are 

melting, weather patterns are becoming more 

unpredictable, sea levels are rising, and habitat 

changes are causing species shifts. These effects 

are particularly noticeable in national parks because of their locations and unique, protected 

resources. Maintaining park resources requires 

good stewardship practices within parks and on 

regional and global scales. In FY 2005, the Park 

Service continued to cooperate in a Climate 

Friendly Parks initiative with the EPA, under 

which the agencies collectively audit greenhouse gas emissions within parks (in addition 

to criteria air pollutants) and provide reduction 

recommendations. Under this initiative, the Park 

Service is demonstrating leadership in sustainable stewardship practices within parks and 

educating the public about them in all park areas.

Ecological Effects Examined

Two ecological effects studies concluded in 

FY 2005 in Joshua Tree and Big Bend National 

Parks. In addition, the Air Resources Program 

continued its support of two multi-year projects 

begun in FY 2004 to assess ecological effects 

in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and 

Mount Rainer National Park. Two additional 

multi-year projects were initiated in FY 2005 at 

Rocky Mountain/Glacier National Parks and 

Congaree National Park. Results indicate that 

nitrogen deposition at Joshua Tree National Park 

is likely a source of increasing invasive exotic 

grass cover. At Indiana Dunes National 

Lakeshore scientists are using controlled 

experiments to investigate the threshold levels 

of atmospheric nitrogen deposition that result in 

plant community shifts. USGS scientists with the 

assistance of park staff are developing protocols 

to track air quality related values at Mount 

Rainer National Park. Evaluation of long-term 

species changes and response to the effects of 

nitrogen deposition in alpine plant communities 

are the focus of research at Rocky Mountain 

and Glacier National Parks. At Congaree Swamp 

National Park researchers are developing an 

understanding of the microbial controls that link 

atmospheric-derived mercury deposited in the 

park to the formation of toxic methylmercury 

that poses a threat to ecosystem and human 

health.

Emissions Inventories

Park operations substantially complied with 

air pollution control, permitting, and emission requirements in FY 2005. For all parks 

that had inventories prepared, recommended 

mitigation measures were provided. Examples 

of recommendations that were implemented at 

parks include the replacement of two-stroke engine powered snowmobiles owned and operated 

by the National Park Service with four-stroke 

engine-powered snowmobiles in Yellowstone 

National Park, Grand Teton National Park, 

Crater Lake National Park, and Denali National Park and Preserve and increased use of 

biodiesel fuels in NPS vehicles where biodiesel 

is available and cost-effective, such as Great 

Smoky Mountains National Park.

Air Quality Monitoring Network

At the time the Natural Resource Challenge 

was issued, there was some degree of air quality 

monitoring in 36 units of the National Park 

System. The Natural Resource Challenge, 

in 1999, called for expanding the air quality 

monitoring network to provide improved geographical representation, expanded parameter 

coverage, and increased support to parks for 

monitoring activities, with an emphasis on parks 

most threatened by air pollution or most vulnerable to degradation caused by air pollution. The 

Air Resources Program now oversees a network 

of ambient air quality monitoring sites in 68 units 

of the National Park System. Parameters measured include ozone, wet and dry deposition, visibility and particulate matter. Mercury is another 

contaminant for which monitoring was expanded as a result of the Natural Resource Challenge. 

Information from this monitoring will support 

better estimates of the amount, distribution, and 

seasonal trends of mercury being deposited into 

the ecosystem. All of these monitors are part of 

larger national networks. Through analysis of 

these and other monitoring data, the Air Resources Program can provide some level of air quality 

assessments to most natural resources units in 

the system.

BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 

PROGRAM

FY 2005 Allocation: $8,575,000

Available: $8,475,000

Created in FY 2000 as part of the Natural 

Resource Challenge, the Biological Resource 

Management Program provides professional, 

science-based support for invasive species 

management, terrestrial ecosystem restoration, 

threatened and endangered species protection, integrated pest management, and wildlife 

management. The program has been successful 

in its systematic and nationwide response to the 

management needs of biological resources in 

parks. This section focuses on activities administered and funded through the Biological 

Resources Management Program including:

• Biological Inventories

• Biological Resource Projects—National Level 
24 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Support

• Ecological Restoration

• Endangered Species Program

• Invasive Species—Invasive Animals, Invasive 

Plants, and Integrated Pest Management 

Program 

• Park Flight Migratory Bird Program

• Vegetation Mapping

• Wildlife Management and Health

Funding and Performance Summary

The Natural Resource Challenge Funding for 

Biological Resource Management Programs 

target invasive plant control and strategic 

biological support, which totaled $8,475,000 in 

FY 2005. Biological Resource Management 

Program activities contributed to programs that 

met the FY 2005 performance goals including disturbed lands and invasive plant species, 

threatened and endangered species, invasive 

animal species and species of management 

concern.

Biological Inventories

The Biological Inventories (BioInv) Program was 

created in 2005 to provide national leadership 

and technical assistance for park-level biological 

inventories that document the presence, absence, 

distribution, and abundance of species and subspecific taxa in NPS units. The BioInv program 

assists the parks, the Inventory and Monitoring 

program networks, the regions, and all regionaland national-level NPS programs that acquire 

and use species-level information from biological 

inventories. In addition, BioInv program staff 

cooperates with other federal, state, and private 

institutions to enhance NPS goals related to 

science-based management of park natural 

resources.

The BioInv program develops and manages 

NPSpecies, a centralized internet database for 

all parks to store, manage, and disseminate biological inventory information. NPSpecies serves 

as “one-stop shopping” for information on the 

presence, absence, distribution, and abundance 

of species currently or historically in parks. 

NPSpecies contains certified, documented species lists and the supporting “documentation” for 

the lists. NPSpecies is closely integrated with 

NatureBib, the NPS natural resource bibliography database which provides the aforementioned citations, and a related digital, biological archive of the actual reports, distribution 

and abundance maps, and tabular data sets cited 

in NatureBib. NPSpecies was also designed to 

support park reporting of the threatened and 

endangered species, invasive animal species and 

species of management concern performance 

goals in the future.

The information contained in both these databases are subjected to quality assurance and 

control procedures that are an integral component of all Challenge-funded projects. Managers 

within the Park Service have recognized the need 

for quality database management within the science program and have insured, through frontend investments, that information contained in 

Servicewide databases is quality-controlled.

Biological Resource Management Projects—

National Level Support

Biological Resource Management Program 

competitive funds are used for biological 

resource projects that address issues facing various park units and that benefit multiple partners. 

These projects address a myriad of resource 

management needs for aquatic or terrestrial 

plants and animals throughout the National Park 

System. In FY 2005, 23 projects were funded in 

23 parks for a total funding of $633,000. Below 

are highlights from some of these projects:

• Field support was provided by NPS staff for 

survey work conducted in partnership with 

the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to gather 

information on Kittliz’s murrelet in Icy Bay on 

the coast of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. 

Repeated surveys collected considerable information on the dynamics of murrelet temporal 

and spatial distribution in Icy Bay. Evidence of 

nesting on park lands has been observed but 

could not be confirmed. Data collected from 

this survey is currently being analyzed and 

will be used to develop a survey methodology 

for monitoring the declining population of 

Kittlitz’s murrelet. Other agencies who provided logistical and field support for this study 

include USGS and the Alaska Department of 

Fish and Game.

• An interagency agreement between USGS and 

the Park Service provided funding to delineate 

areas within Mesa Verde National Park that 

should be established as protected activity 

centers for its breeding population of threatened Mexican spotted owls. Locations of 

where spotted owl breeding activity was observed in 2005 were mapped using GIS technology.

• At Carlsbad Caverns National Park, park 

staff have completed two years of data 

collection on the presence of non-native 

Barbary sheep in the park. The presence of 

sheep is the result of human activities; many 

elements of the natural ecosystem and the 

park’s physical environment have been disrupted by their occurrence. Sheep have been 

observed biting off substantial portions of the 

stalks of plants, reducing or completely preventing the plant’s reproduction, and impacting the 

community of insects, arthopods, and birds 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 25

Kittlitz’s murrelet with radiotransmitter, Icy Bay, Wrangell-St. Elias 

National Park and Preserve, Alaska. 

Photo courtesy of Michelle Kissling, 

USFWS, WRST, 2005

that rely on the pollen and seeds. Data from 

this project will be compiled and analyzed for 

use in the preparation of a long-term comprehensive plan for the management of sheep.

• GPS data points were collected at Sleeping 

Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to determine the distribution of the non-native perennial herb Baby’s Breath. Information gathered 

from this project will assist resource managers 

in the development of a management plan and 

environmental assessment for this plant species 

that has invaded open areas of the dune 

habitat.

• Restoration of native woodland along a 

visitor corridor in the Central Crater of 

Haleakala National Park is underway due to 

Challenge funding and volunteers. As a result 

of the harsh, exposed climatic conditions, the 

native woodland system is not regenerating on 

its own after removal of feral animals. Staff and 

volunteers are working together to plant large 

individuals of native species between remnant 

scattered individuals to restore this valuable 

resource. This project serves as a model for 

further restoration efforts in the Crater to 

enrich endangered species habitat.

• Caves of Lava Beds National Monument

were surveyed by scientists from the Center for 

Biodiversity and the University of Texas to 

assess the diversity of macroinvertebrates. 

Over 200 specimens were collected representing 5 different taxonomic groups.

Ecological Restoration

The Ecosystem Management and Restoration 

Program continues to work with specialists from 

other Natural Resource Programs to support 

ecosystem assessment and the restoration of 

disturbed lands in the context of soil and vegetation alteration, wildland fire, weed control, and 

contaminants. Responsibilities have expanded in 

this program area to include vegetation and ecosystem management, landscape management and 

partnering, and condition assessment.

In FY 2005, the ecosystem management and 

restoration program led a cooperative project 

with NatureServe to conduct the Seamless Network of Parks Project. This project was funded 

to support analyses and the development of 

partnerships for public and private conservation managers based on shared resources and 

management goals. Biodiversity management, 

invasive species, and nature-based recreational 

opportunities were selected as themes for 

partnership development. Workshops in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina to identify 

resource-based linkages and develop partnerships were well attended by federal, state, county, 

academic, and private organizations. Over 25 

projects in NPS units were generated as a result 

of the workshop discussions.

The Ecosystem Management and Restoration 

Program supported the NPS livestock grazing 

coordinator and activities which included site 

visits and technical assistance to Sand Creek 

Massacre National Historic Site and Bent’s 

Old Fort National Historic Site on a variety 
26 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

of stock and rangeland questions. With other 

NPS technical experts, the grazing coordinator 

completed an assessment of riparian and upland 

conditions on grazing allotments at Lake 

Roosevelt National Recreation Area.

Technical assistance to parks included program 

review and consultation. At Colonial National 

Historical Park restoration program staff provided review and comments on a seasonal pond 

management plan. An expert panel was convened at Yellowstone National Park to develop a 

strategy for restoration at Gardiner Basin. Other 

examples include ongoing consultation on natural resource program development at Canyon 

De Chelly National Monument, initiation of a 

roadside vegetation management project at Fort 

Union Trading Post National Historic Site, 

and technical support for waste removal and 

ecosystem restoration at Golden Gate National 

Recreation Area.

Endangered Species Program

The National Park System currently has 453 

threatened, endangered, proposed, experimental, managed via conservation agreement, 

and candidate species. These are represented in 

1,196 populations in 193 units. While mammals 

and birds represent only 26 percent of the listed 

populations in parks they draw 57 percent of 

the funding. The status of listed species and the 

expenditures on them in each park are updated 

and summarized annually in the NPS ESA Database. Analysis of existing data provides information that identifies recovery projects that could 

be funded by the Challenge and other sources in 

the future.

The Park Service has developed several 

programs that focus on federally listed plants. 

Through the Center for Plant Conservation, 

seeds are collected from NPS units around the 

country and placed in long-term storage. In a 

cooperative agreement with the Chicago 

Botanical Garden, interns specializing in botany 

assisted with projects at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Capitol Reef National Park, and 

Parishant National Monument.

The Endangered Species Program expanded its 

educational efforts within the Park Service and 

beyond. A joint effort with the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service is the course on scientific 

principles and techniques for endangered species 

management. This year, the course was offered at 

the National Conservation Training Center and 

at Friday Harbor Marine Laboratory in 

Washington State. The Endangered Species program also contributed an instructor to a 

conservation genetics course offered by the 

National Conservation Training Center and 

provided case studies from parks to be used in 

the course material.

Endangered Species Program staff provide technical assistance on listed species to parks including advising on monitoring programs at Sleeping 

Bear Dunes National Seashore, Carlsbad 

Caverns National Park and Point Reyes 

National Seashore. USGS protocols were reviewed for sensitive species utilizing the beaches 

at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Staff 

continue to provide assistance to Death Valley 

National Park in assessing impacts on Devil’s 

Hole pupfish. At Channel Islands National 

Park, three subspecies of island fox were federally listed as endangered in March, 2004, and the 

Endangered Species Program continues to advise 

the park on genetic management of small populations of these isolated subspecies.

The Endangered Species Program reviews 

implementation plans and annual accomplishment reports including damage control of desert 

tortoise critical habitat at Lake Mead National 

Recreation Area, translocation guidelines for 

black-footed ferrets at Badlands National Park, 

restoration of bat habitat at Mammoth Cave 

National Park, and radio-tracking Mexican 

spotted owl at Grand Canyon National Park to 

determine whether they forage above the canyon 

rim.

Invasive Species Program

The Invasive Species Branch provides a wide 

range of innovative and science-based services 

and policy guidance to manage harmful invasive 

species and manage risks presented by structural and public health pests in both natural 

and developed areas. Focal points of the branch 

include the Invasive Animal Program, Invasive 

Plant Program, and Integrated Pest Management 

Program. The Invasive Animal Program addresses invasive animal management. A major component of the Invasive Animal Program is the Forest 

Health Initiative funded through grants from 

the USDA Forest Service. The Invasive Plant 

Program oversees the operation of Exotic Plant 

Management Teams (EPMTs) located in 16 host 

Number of Endangered, Threatened, Proposed 

and Candidate Species Found in National Park 

Units (as of September 30, 2005)

Endangered Species 262

Threatened Species 107

Experimental Species 9

Proposed Species 1

Candidate Species 64

Managed via Conservation Agreement 9

Delisted but Managed 1

Total 453
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 27

parks. The Integrated Pest Management Program 

determines low risk, environmentally sound 

options for pest control. The Branch also focuses 

on the facilitation of partnership efforts to control invasive species, thus protecting significant 

resources in a cost-effective manner.

• Invasive Animal Program—The goal of this 

program is to ensure that populations of nonnative animals in natural areas do not jeopardize or interfere with park or site objectives. 

This is accomplished by removing invasive 

populations or managing them to threshold 

levels. A database was developed in FY 2005 

on park-level populations of invasive animals, 

and data collection is underway. Within another year, high quality data should be available 

to help set priorities and measure accomplishments on invasive animal management. This is 

a joint effort by the National Park Service and 

the Colorado Natural Heritage Program.

• Invasive Plant Program—Invasive plants 

infest approximately 2.6 million acres in the 

National Park System, reducing the natural 

diversity of these special places. The need to 

address biological invasions was recognized 

by Executive Order 13112—Invasive Species 

in 1999. It is the goal of the invasive species 

program to implement the Executive Order, 

manage the sources of new infestations, and 

reduce the effects of existing infestations. The 

Invasive Plant Program provides technical 

and policy assistance to parks and regions. 

Funding from the Natural Resource Challenge established rapid response Exotic Plant 

Management Teams (EPMTs) to control invasive plants. Modeled after the approach used 

in wildland fire fighting, EPMTs provide highly 

trained, mobile strike forces of plant management specialists who assist parks in the control 

of invasive plants. EPMTs are part of the longterm control on invasive plants established by 

the Natural Resource Challenge. This model 

has since been duplicated by the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service for the refuge system. In 2005, 

16 EPMTs partnered with over 200 parks to 

treat, control, inventory, and monitor invasive 

plants. The EPMTs treated, monitored, or 

restored approximately 30,000 acres and over 

2.5 million acres were surveyed for invasive 

plants. Highlights of FY 2005 include:

o EPMTs inventoried over 2.5 million acres 

of NPS lands and were the catalyst for 

efforts that resulted in over 50 million acres 

of park and partner acres being inventoried. 

The majority of this accomplishment was 

an interagency cooperative project by the 

Florida EPMT, Central and south Florida 

were inventoried using systematic reconnaissance flights.

o Over 19,600 acres that were previously 

inventoried or treated were monitored for 

new invasions during the year.

o Cooperation and collaboration has long 

been recognized as a fundamental 

component of managing invasive species. 

Invasive species do not recognize 

property lines, political jurisdictions or 

agency boundaries. EPMTs are active 

participants in cooperative efforts with 

local, state, and regional organizations. In 

2005 these collaborative efforts resulted in 

more than $2.5 million in additional 

cooperative funding.

o The Alaska EPMT has been a leader in the 

State of Alaska by organizing interagency 

steering committees, preparing publication on the invasive species of Alaska, and 

participating in state wide inventory efforts. 

The team is part of a state wide effort to 

control and contain the few weed species 

in the state and prevent the introduction of 

new species.

o In order to improve efficiency, other federal agencies, state and local entities have 

developed partnerships with the Lake Mead 

EPMT to effectively manage weeds across 

watersheds and agency boundaries. The 

Lake Mead EPMT conducts interagency 

weed control projects for over five million 

acres of federal and county land in Southern Nevada.

o The Mid-Atlantic Cooperative assisted the 

Commonwealth of Virginia by participating on the state’s Invasive Species Advisory 

Committee to devise a state-wide invasive 

species strategic management plan.

o The Pacific Islands EPMT has continued to 

serve as the coordinating entity for an interagency program to control Miconia on the 

island of Maui. The EPMT works closely 

with the Maui Invasive Species Committee, 

utilizing funds from a variety of sources, 

including state and county agencies, private 

entities, watershed partnership groups, and 

federal agencies. Utilizing these partner 

groups with common goals, the Pacific 

Islands EPMT has achieved in excess of a 

five-fold increase in work capacity on the 

island of Maui.

o EPMTs collaborated with the Student 

Conservation Association to build student 

corps to assist EPMTs in controlling 

invasive plants. As a result of the success 

of this program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service is now fielding student conservation teams, thus building human capital 

throughout land management agencies in 

invasive species management. In FY 2005, 

student conservation teams treated more 

Summary EPMT FY 2005 

Accomplishments

Inventoried acres 2,561,000*

Gross infested acres 

identified 64,103

Treated and retreated acres 9,963

Monitored acres 19,665

Restored acres 238

* Majority of acreage inventoried in 

Southern and Central Florida via 

systematic reconnaissance flights.
28 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

than 1,340 acres providing 25,340 volunteer 

hours.

 During the severe hurricane season of 2005, 

EPMTs from across the country contributed 

personnel and resources to the recovery effort. 

The mechanical skills, training, mobility, and 

experience of working in difficult conditions 

made EPMTs extremely valuable to relief 

efforts. The hurricanes will have lasting ecological effects. The physical disturbance and 

openings in the canopy will allow invasions 

from invasive plant species. Local EPMTs are 

already working closely with parks to inventory damage, predict areas where invasive 

plants may increase, and plan treatment efforts 

during FY 2005 and beyond.

• Integrated Pest Management Program—The 

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program 

provides policy guidance, technical assistance, 

and training, to reduce the risk from pests 

and pest management related activities affecting the public, employees, park resources and 

the environment. Integrated pest management assistance is provided to all NPS divisions (natural and cultural resources, facilities 

management, public health, concessions), in all 

management zones (natural, cultural, developed, special use). In 2005, approximately 1,925 

individual pesticide use proposals were submitted for review. Staff from the NPS IPM program 

continue to serve as active members of the 

Federal Integrated Pest Management Working 

Group and are cooperating with other federal 

agencies to formalize integrated pest management training and certification, coordinate and 

instruct training courses. Some highlights are 

listed below:

o The NPS IPM Program is serving as the 

facilitator to help initiate photo monitoring 

points and installation of pheromone traps 

for the non-native invasive cactus moth, 

Cactoblastis cactorum, with USGS and 

APHIS, in parks with Opuntia species. 

Research permits will be obtained for 

specific parks; this will be the first time that 

early pest detection, which can facilitate 

rapid response to quickly eradicate or 

reduce spread, will be formally conducted 

under the NPS Research Permitting 

Process.

o IPM staff designed a “boot cleaner” and 

“bike scrubber” which have been copied 

and used by local and state agencies to 

reduce spread of sudden oak death 

(Phytophthora ramorum). IPM program 

staff serve as the key contacts for the Park 

Service and other agencies providing 

assistance and guidance to further reduce 

the threat from sudden oak death on federal 

and private lands.

Park Flight Migratory Bird Program

The Park Flight Migratory Bird Program works 

to protect shared migratory bird species and 

their habitats in U.S. national parks. The program 

also develops bird conservation and education 

projects and creates opportunities for technical 

exchange and cooperation between U.S. national 

parks and protected areas or parks in Latin 

America and the Caribbean. Park Flight is a 

partnership between the National Park Service, 

National Park Foundation, American Airlines, 

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. 

Agency for International Development, and the 

University of Arizona. The program is made 

possible through the generous support of 

American Airlines, the Natural Resource 

Challenge, and Park Flight partners. Technical 

direction is provided by the University of 

Arizona Desert Southwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit and the NPS Biological 

Resource Management Program. 

In FY 2005, the Park Flight Migratory Bird 

Program received the U.S. Department of the 

Interior’s “2004 Secretary’s Four C’s Award,” 

which honors individual or group efforts in 

Communication, Consultation, and Cooperation all in the service of Conservation. This 

award was established to recognize exceptional 

contributions, methods, and efforts to promote 

collaborative place-based community and citizen 

stewardship. The National Park Service and Park 

Flight Migratory Bird Program also received an 

award from the National Fish and Wildlife 

Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

for consistent and generous support of International Migratory Bird Day.

With the assistance of the Park Flight Program, 

two NPS units held important events related to 

migratory birds in FY 2005. In October 2004, 

NPS Director Fran Mainella participated in a 

formal dedication of Cuyahoga Valley National 

Park as an Important Bird Area (IBA), recognizing citizen scientists and park partners who 

have assisted with bird conservation efforts at 

Cuyahoga. The event also launched plans for 

international cooperation between Cuyahoga 

Valley and Point Pelee National Park, an Important Bird Area across Lake Erie in Ontario, which 

share many migratory bird species. In September 

2005, the Bandelier National Monument

Superintendent, New Mexico Audubon, and 

other partners participated in the dedication of 

that park as an Important Bird Area, offering bird 

walks, banding demonstrations and presentations for school children from the San Ildefonso 

and Pojoaque Pueblos in conjunction with the 

dedication.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 29

During FY 2005, Park Flight provided 10 

international interns to help implement 

bird monitoring and education projects in 

the following national parks: Sequoia and 

Kings Canyon National Parks, Point Reyes 

National Seashore, Golden Gate National 

Recreation Area, North Cascades National 

Park, Bandelier National Monument, and 

Pinelands/New Jersey Coastal Heritage 

Trail Route. These international interns from 

Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, 

and Mexico whose countries share migratory 

bird species with the U.S. parks, contributed 

more than 3,500 hours to the park efforts. Their 

involvement was coordinated through the NPS 

Office of International Affairs International 

Volunteers in Parks program. Park Flight 

continued to work with national parks and 

protected areas in 10 Latin American countries 

(Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, 

Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, 

and Uruguay) concerning migratory bird 

conservation and education efforts.

Park Flight continued during FY 2005 to 

contribute to the efforts of the Association of 

Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Partners in Flight, 

the North American Bird Conservation Initiative, the National Audubon Society, BirdLife 

International Important Bird Area Programs, and 

International Migratory Bird Day. All of these 

partnerships foster coordination of efforts that 

benefit the management of migratory species in 

the U.S. and abroad.

Vegetation Mapping Program

Vegetation information is a high-priority inventory need for most parks and is one of the 12 data 

sets identified as necessary for park resource 

management and protection. Vegetation maps 

are vital for the management and protection of 

wildlife habitat, sensitive plant communities, and 

ecological processes; as well as modeling vegetation flammability and fuel implications for fire 

management, analyses for site development suitability, and evaluation of resources at risk. 

A standard process is followed for each park 

mapping project using documented, peerreviewed protocols which include using the 

national vegetation classification system, field 

methods for collecting plot data, and accuracy 

assessment procedures for vegetation maps. The 

28 final products prepared for each park unit 

mapped are provided digitally on the USGS web 

site.

Funding received for vegetation mapping allowed the Park Service to accelerate the rate at 

which parks are being mapped. By combining the 

funding provided through the Natural Resource 

Challenge, with other funding provided by the 

USGS and NPS Fire Program, the Park Service 

was able to complete 11 more vegetation mapping 

projects (62 total complete), continue 73 ongoing 

projects, and initiate 24 new park mapping projects in FY 2005.

Wildlife Management and Health 

The Wildlife Health Program provides policy 

guidance, technical assistance, and training to 

enhance the ability of park staff to meet the 

increasing demands of wildlife health issues 

including field anesthesia, sample collection and 

diagnostics, disease management, contraception, 

and the identification of wildlife health research 

needs. Consultation on wildlife health issues and 

provision of diagnostic services has continued to 

expand this fiscal year. The health team provided 

consultation, field and project management assistance, and/or training to over 30 parks representing all seven NPS Regions. Assistance focused on 

chronic wasting disease; however, a breadth of 

other diseases (e.g., rabies, brucellosis, Johne’s 

disease, plague), physiology (e.g., stress, reproduction), and welfare issues (e.g., euthanasia, 

pain management) were addressed. In addition 

to diagnostic services, information was provided 

to parks on request on such issues as wildlifedomestic animal disease interactions, specific 

diseases and their prevention and management, 

disease risks associated with translocation of 

wildlife, disease sampling protocols, wildlife 

contraception, and animal welfare concerns.

Veterinary diagnostic services for wildlife are 

an important component of ecosystem health 

management. Through a cooperative agreement 

with Colorado State University Veterinary 

Diagnostic Laboratory, wildlife health staff 

teamed with the USGS National Wildlife Health 

Center to provide veterinary diagnostic services 

to park units. Surveillance of emerging diseases, 

such as chronic wasting disease of deer and elk 

and West Nile virus, as well as other diseases 

provided managers with valuable information 

to address wildlife health and public health 

concerns. Over 300 diagnostic evaluations were 

provided through the cooperative agreement to 

support 12 park units. A database was developed to track samples and the resulting disease 

diagnoses on submissions. This database will 

allow monitoring and eventually tracking of 

trends of disease occurrence in park units. The 

database also serves as a method to share data 

with partners (e.g., USGS) to understand disease 

occurrence on a larger scale.

Integrated Pest Management staff 

designed a "bike scrubber" to reduce 

the spread of sudden oak death.

Monitoring mule deer for Chronic 

Wasting Disease at Rocky Mountain 

National Park.
30 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

GEOLOGIC RESOURCES PROGRAM

FY 2005 Allocation: $2,651,000

Available: $2,647,000

The Geologic Resources Program provides support to parks and the Directorate on a broad 

range of geologic science and minerals management activities. Program staff coordinates Servicewide functions and provides park managers 

with geoscience and regulatory expertise related 

to cave and karst systems, coastal and surficial 

geologic processes, disturbed land restoration, 

fossil resources, geologic hazards, soil resources 

management, environmental effects of mineral 

extraction, mineral extraction technology and 

engineering, and associated NPS policy and legal 

authorities to assist resource management 

decisions.

Utilizing the external geoscience interest in 

parks, Geologic Resources Program staff have 

developed cooperative ventures with other 

organizations to significantly increase the 

geologic capabilities of the Park Service and 

create an awareness of park geologic resource 

issues in the broader geoscience community. For 

example, partner funding has resulted in placing 

about 500 Geoscientists-in-the-Parks student 

volunteers and experienced professionals in 

parks in recent years. The Geologic Resources 

Program accomplishes many of its projects by 

utilizing and leveraging funds from partner 

organizations and other sources.

The program’s FY 2005 accomplishments are 

summarized below under six broad program 

areas:

• Disturbed Lands Restoration

• Geologic Processes and Features

• Geologic Resource Evaluation

• Minerals Management

• National Cave and Karst Research Institute

• Soil Resources Inventory and Management

Funding and Performance Summary

In FY 2000, the Natural Resource Challenge 

provided the first funding for geologic resource 

management programs outside of the minerals 

management activities supported by the 

Geologic Resources Program. In FY 2003, 

Challenge funding through the Inventory and 

Monitoring Program provided for staff to carry 

out the Servicewide geologic resource inventory. 

In FY 2005 additional funds were provided for 

staff to manage the soils inventory. Challenge 

funding now supports nine geoscience specialists who provide expertise at the national level 

in cave resources and karst processes, coastal 

resources and processes, disturbed lands restoration, geologic hazards management, geologic 

mapping, paleontology, and soils. These professional geologists support parks, regions, and 

Monitoring Networks, and the Inventory and 

Monitoring Program.

Annual performance goals, status, and 

accomplishments are highlighted below. In 

addition to those shown here, two other goals 

relevant to the Geologic Resources Program are 

reported in the Natural Resource Protection 

Program-Disturbed Lands, and Inventory and 

Monitoring sections.

Disturbed Lands Restoration

The Disturbed Lands Restoration program 

allocates project funds to parks based on 

competitive proposals. Staff prepare the 

technical guidance, review park work plans for 

technical adequacy, and provide oversight on 

cost accounting and accomplishments reporting. 

In 2005, disturbed land restoration program 

staff oversaw restoration project funding for 

13 projects in 12 parks, representing five NPS 

regions. These projects restored nearly 300 

acres of severely disturbed land. Examples 

include restoration of natural cave drainage in 

Timpanogos National Monument, reclamation 

Annual Performance Goal, Status, and Accomplishments FY 2004 FY2005

FY 2004

25 percent (1,287) of 5,149 known paleontological localities in parks are 

in good condition

met

FY 2005

37 percent (1,202) of 3,250 known paleotological localities in parks are in 

good condition *

met

Other Actions and Outcomes:

• Geoscience Specialists supported by Challenge: total FTE

• Geoscientists-in-the-Parks Program: number of scientists (total parks)

• Geoscientists-in-the-Parks Program: private:federal funding match

• Mineral Development Reviews: total operations (total parks)

• Technical Assistance to Parks 

10

45 (29)

 4:1

54 (20)

83 responses

10

51(29)

4:1

33 (15)

115 responses

* In FY 2005, the National Park Service adjusted the Service-wide baseline number of paleontological localities to reflect 

the actual number of localities properly recorded and documented in parks as required in GPRA Goal Ia9 Technical 

Guidance.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 31

of the placer-mined Glacier Creek in Denali 

National Park, restoration of a segment of the 

Merced River by removing the Happy Isles Dam 

in Yosemite National Park, and restoring the 

hydrology and soil disturbances associated with 

illegal marijuana plantations in Sequoia/Kings 

Canyon National Parks.

Restoration and reclamation specialists responded to over 25 technical assistance requests in 

2005 involving disturbed lands, abandoned mine 

safety, and geomorphological concerns. Staff 

provide key technical assistance to park restoration efforts through site assessments, safety hazards analysis and mitigation design, geomorphic 

analyses and landform restoration design, materials/equipment cost estimates, and project oversight assistance. Many of these efforts will lead to 

park proposals for project funding to implement 

the recommended actions. Examples of park 

technical support in 2005 include development 

of restoration alternatives for canals on Cape 

Sable at Everglades National Park, uranium 

mine site characterization at Canyonlands 

National Park, restoration planning for gravel 

pits at Craters of the Moon National Monument, planning for landform restoration of 

a coastal beach/dune landform complex at 

Apostle Islands National Seashore, and cinder 

pit reclamation design at Lava Beds National 

Monument.

Geologic Processes and Features

The National Park System includes 121 parks 

known to contain important cave and karst 

resources. Over 3,900 caves are within park 

managed lands, in locations ranging from Guam 

to Maine, and all of these caves are considered 

significant under the Federal Cave Resources 

Protection Act. In 2005, cave and karst resource 

management staff provided technical assistance 

and support to cave stewardship efforts across 

the Park Service. Highlights of technical 

support provided to parks includes developing 

strategies for a cave management plan at 

Yosemite National Park, assessing the design of 

cave entry and exit doors in Cumberland Gap 

National Historical Park, evaluating travertine 

depositional features and paleontology resources 

at Vicksburg National Military Park, evaluating 

cave resources and mines at Mississippi River 

National Recreation Area, assisting Wind Cave 

National Park and Sequoia/Kings Canyon 

National Parks with cave diving issues, and 

working with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

staff on controversial issues about cave entry, 

high carbon dioxide levels in caves, and park 

service permitting procedures.

Coastal geology staff provide technical oversight, 

support, and policy/regulatory advice to over 100 

park units with coastal and lakeshore geologic 

concerns. In 2005, staff worked closely with 

Inventory and Monitoring Networks to define 

coastal resource monitoring plans and inventory 

needs. Development of protocols for coastal 

geologic mapping that integrate submerged 

marine resources with adjacent lands at KalokoHonokohau National Historical Park and Dry 

Tortugas National Park were made possible 

through collaboration with USGS.

At the close of an active weather year, Hurricane 

Katrina made landfall on the Mississippi units 

of Gulf Islands National Seashore and in Jean 

Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, 

forcefully demonstrating how coastal shoreline 

processes can affect people’s daily lives and leaving permanent reminders that barrier islands 

are extremely dynamic, transient features. Staff 

coordinated with other agencies and university 

scientists to provide coastal process expertise to 

park managers and assisted parks with obtaining 

remotely sensed data to aid in storm response 

issues. Park Service post-hurricane response 

decision-making was greatly aided by the existence of baseline geologic information and 

remote sensing data.

Geologic Education and Outreach staff continue 

to promote conservation through cooperation, 

consultation and communication with projects 

designed to increase public awareness of the 

unique geologic resources in parks and to engage 

the professional geology community and earth 

science educators in using parks for teaching and 

research. The geology website is an important 

component of a public outreach effort with highlights of geologic program areas and numerous 

useful links to geologic community websites. The 

geology website continues to have high visitation 

and receives frequent inquiries and positive reviews from the public.

Geology education staff continued efforts in 

2005 to facilitate geoscience research by working 

with the scientific community to meet the parks’ 

research needs. They connected Geoscientist 

specialists with park staff to help examine 

research proposals, conduct peer reviews, and 

to identify significant research needs that will 

facilitate understanding and management of 

the park resources. The Geologic Resources 

Program continued to work with EarthScope 

project staff to facilitate the placement of 

research equipment in national parks and 

provide outreach opportunities for the public. 

Notably in FY 2005, four knowledge center 

components—Cave and karst, Coastal Geology, 

Glaciers, and Volcanoes—were selected as on-
32 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

line resources to the Digital Liverary for Earth 

Systems Education, the geoscience node of the 

National Science Foundation’s National Science 

Digital Library.

Geoscientists-in-the-Parks program is instrumental in meeting the backlog of geoscience needs by 

partnering with professional geologic organizations and the academic community. Participating 

geoscientists completed more than 75 projects 

in 29 parks in FY 2005 and helped parks meet 

critical needs in natural resource management, 

research, public safety, and both formal and 

informal education. The success of this program is an outstanding example of fulfilling the 

Park Service’s many needs through cooperative 

partnerships and collaboration.

Examples of geoscientist in the parks projects in 

FY 2005 include a professional geomorphologist 

examining rapid erosion and potential mitigation 

to address riparian land health concerns at Knife 

River Indian Village and Fort Union Trading 

Post National Historic Site, the completion of 

a paleontological report for Glacier National 

Park that will help park managers to better 

understand the significance of the park’s 

paleontological resources, and a synthesis of 

existing research results, revision of geomorphic 

maps, and examination of geomorphic risks to 

structures and visitors at Padre Island National 

Seashore that will help park managers address 

resource concerns, provide protection of 

structures, and increase public safety.

In response to park requests in 2005, Geology 

Resource program staff provided technical 

support in the assessment and evaluation of 

geohazards in numerous parks. Because the 

Park Service is not alone in the need for comprehensive hazard assessment, monitoring, and 

planning, staff participated in multi-agency 

workshops to develop nationwide mitigation 

strategies for geohazards. Federal land management agencies such as the Bureau of Land 

Management, the U.S. Forest Service, many 

municipalities, and most states must address 

geohazards.

Examples of technical support for the year 

include the assessment of a recent landslide and 

rock fall potential along a popular hiking trail at 

Bryce Canyon National Park, the evaluation of 

several landslides resulting from record precipitation at Santa Monica Mountains National 

Recreation Area and Cabrillo National 

Monument, evaluation of avalanche, landslide, 

debris flow and rock fall hazards to address the 

relocation of a backcountry campground at 

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, 

the evaluation of potential rock fall hazards to 

roadways at Colorado National Monument, the 

assessment of flooding and erosion hazards at 

Manzanar National Historical Park, Canyon 

de Chelly National Monument and Delaware 

Water Gap National Recreation Area, and 

the coordination of a workshop to improve 

park interpretive staff’s understanding of the 

geohazards and techniques to communicate 

this information to park visitors at Golden 

Gate National Recreation Area, Point Reyes 

National Seashore and Rocky Mountain 

National Park.

The Natural Resource Challenge provided 

funding to develop a Servicewide paleontology

program to manage fossil resources and to provide technical assistance to parks. Diverse fossil 

resources have been documented in 179 parks 

and include plants ranging from microscopic 

algae and pollen to leaves and petrified logs. 

Animals ranging from marine shells to dinosaurs 

to Ice Age mammals, as well as trace fossils such 

as vertebrate tracks, burrows, and coprolites 

have all been identified on park lands. Many of 

these natural resources in the parks are of international significance and critical to understanding the history of life on Earth. In FY 2005, the 

incumbent vacated the position and the Program 

was unable to rehire due to funding constraints, 

resulting from increasing personnel costs and 

across-the-board budget reductions. Other 

program staff assumed many duties of the paleontology coordinator to address critical issues.

In 2005, the Program supported paleontological 

resource surveys at Black Canyon of 

the Gunnison National Monument and 

Curecanti National Recreation Area that 

led to the discovery and documentation of 37 

paleontological localities in these parks. Most 

notably, this field survey lead to the discovery of 

a new dinosaur site in the Morrison Formation 

at Curecanti National Recreation Area. Program 

funding supported a report entitled Arches 

National Park Paleontological Survey, which 

includes a description of the park’s geologic 

history and stratigraphy, fossil resources and 

localities, and provides recommendations for 

resource management, interpretation, collections 

management and research.

Geologic Resource Evaluation

The Inventory and Monitoring Program, 

using Natural Resource Challenge funds, 

supports the completion of Geologic Resource 

Evaluations at parks. The evaluation helps 

park managers integrate the use of geologic 

resource information into resource management 

decisions. Because this is a major activity 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 33

A Cave Salamander (Eurycea lucifuga) 

near the exit gate in Cudjo Cave, 

Cumberland Gap National Historical 

Park.

Museum of Western Colorado 

paleontologist and NPS paleontological technician locating, document, 

and collect hundreds of dinosaur 

bones from a newly discovered 

locality that is threatened by human 

and natural impacts in Curecanti 

National Recreation Area.

carried out by the Geologic Resources Program, 

a summary of FY 2005 accomplishments 

is reported here. Parks are provided with 

several products including an on-site scoping 

meeting with park staff and geologic experts 

to evaluate and discuss the park’s geologic 

resources and related resource management 

issues, a comprehensive digital geologic map, a 

bibliography of geologic literature and maps, and 

a comprehensive geologic report. 

At the close of FY 2005, scoping meetings to 

evaluate park geologic resources and issues had 

been held at 154 parks in 31 states, 4 territories, 

and the District of Columbia. In addition to 

geologic resources program staff, park resource 

managers and geologic experts from the USGS, 

state surveys, and universities participated in 

these meetings. 

Minerals Management

Staff with expertise in mining, oil, and gas 

development technology, policy, impact 

mitigation, geology, reclamation, and mining 

claim validity examinations, help park managers 

effectively protect park resources and values 

from the adverse effects of past, current and 

future mining inside and adjacent to park units. 

Currently, 25 park units contain nearly 750 active 

private mineral exploration or development 

operations, most involving the production of 

oil and gas. In 2005, Minerals Management staff 

assisted park resource managers by reviewing 11 

new oil and gas proposals covering 20 operations 

in 4 parks, to ensure that the operations conform 

to NPS non-federal oil and gas regulations. 

These regulations require operators to use 

technologically feasible methods least damaging 

to park resources. Staff also helped oversee the 

plugging of two abandoned wells in parks, which 

presented the opportunity to work with partner 

organizations.

On lands adjacent to parks, Minerals Management staff work with other federal and state 

permitting agencies, along with mining project 

proponents, to ensure that park protection 

measures are incorporated into mineral leasing 

or other energy development decisions. In 2005, 

program staff assisted park and regional offices 

as well as other federal and state agencies on a 

variety of projects, such as a draft Environmental 

Impact Statement for the Koppers Coal Reserve 

adjacent to Big South Fork National River and 

Recreation Area, the State of Alaska’s proposal 

to allow exploration on lands adjacent to Denali 

National Park and Preserve, the implications of 

a legislative change to the Gulf Island National 

Seashore enabling statute that would enhance 

the development of state oil and gas rights, and a 

prospective operator’s interest in developing oil 

and gas immediately adjacent to the boundary of 

Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Oil and gas exploration sites, in addition to 

abandoned mines, represent a substantial portion of the disturbed lands which require restoration in parks. Current studies have estimated 

3,200 abandoned mineral sites with over 10,000 

hazardous openings, at least thirty miles of 

streams with degraded water quality, and more 

than 33,000 acres of disturbed lands occur on 

park-managed acreage. In FY 2005, the Geologic 

Resources Program continued to assist parks 

in addressing outstanding reclamation needs 

and augmented these efforts through successful 

partnerships.

National Cave and Karst Research Institute

A 1998 Act of Congress directed the National 

Park Service to establish the National Cave 

and Karst Research Institute in the vicinity 

of Carlsbad, New Mexico. Provisions in 

the Congressional Act provided for joint 

administration by the Service and an 

administrative partner and a directive that the 

expenditure of federal funds be matched by 

an equal amount of non-federal funds. The 

Geologic Resources Program was assigned 

the primary responsibility for establishing the 

Institute, and Congress provided an initial 

operating appropriation in FY 2001.

In 2005, the Institute successfully extended its 

network of partners through organizing a workshop for representatives from thirteen governmental, academic, and private cave and karst 

programs. This meeting resulted in the establishment of an Interim Board of Directors, Executive 

Committee, and Board committees charged with 

formally establishing the Institute, as a non-profit 

corporation. Articles of Incorporation were filed 

with the State of New Mexico, moving the Institute closer to achieving its mandate to become 

a jointly administered educational and research 

center.

A collaborative effort between the University of 

South Florida, the University of New Mexico, 

and the Institute, to establish a web-based karst 

portal, will facilitate the transfer of information 

and resources about karst worldwide. This joint 

effort has received worldwide interest and seed 

money has been secured for this endeavor.

Soil Resources Inventory and Management

In 2005, the Geologic Resources Program 

assumed responsibility for the Soil Resources 

Inventory and Management Program as part of 

reorganization. Staff from the Soils Resources 
34 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Inventory Program, funded by Challenge funds 

from the Inventory and Monitoring Program, is 

tasked with planning and executing soils surveys 

in parks. Soil surveys are conducted extensively 

through a partnership with the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and the National Cooperative Soil 

Survey.

Managing parks to preserve fundamental resources, processes, systems, and values depends 

on sound soil resource management. Natural 

features and diverse plant and animal communities depend on maintaining soil functions that 

support plant growth and limit accelerated soil 

erosion. Detailed information about the physical, 

chemical, and biological properties of soils in 

parks is essential for park resource management 

and protection, as well as to provide park managers with the ability to predict the behavior of 

soils under alternative uses.

The soils resources inventory helps parks secure 

the information needed to manage soil sustainability and to protect water quality, wetlands, 

vegetation communities, and wildlife habitats. 

This information also assists in control of invasive species and the establishment of native 

communities, as well as the management of 

potentially high-use or developed areas in the 

park (e.g., visitor centers, campgrounds, trails, 

access roads).

At the close of FY 2005, 70 NPS units have 

received a completed soils resources inventory, 

with an additional 46 parks underway. Soil scoping sessions were initiated for 6 parks, and technical assistance was provided to an additional 4 

parks on the use of the completed soil resource 

inventories for a wide variety of soil resource 

management issues.

NATURAL RESOURCE PRESERVATION PROGRAM 

(NRPP)

FY 2005 Allocation: $12,484,000

Available: $12,295,000

The Natural Resource Preservation Program 

(NRPP) is a primary source of funds for special projects and provides the only dedicated 

source of NPS funding for natural resource 

management projects more than $50,000. NRPP 

supports projects in a variety of areas such as 

wildlife, fisheries, and vegetation management; 

specialized inventories; planning; mitigation 

actions; and restoration activities. More than half 

of NRPP funds ($6.9 million) support general 

park-level natural resource management projects. The balance strategically targets specific 

needs such as Disturbed Lands Restoration, 

Small Park Projects, Threatened and Endangered 

Species Projects, and funds distributed to the 

regions to support natural resource projects in 

parks. Additionally, some funding is provided for 

USGS biological technical assistance. The program’s FY 2005 accomplishments are summarized below under the eight broad program areas:

• Alaska Special Projects

• Disturbed Lands Restoration Projects

• Natural Resource Management Projects

• Regional Program Block Allocation Projects

• Servicewide Support Projects

• Regional Small Parks Block Allocation Projects

• Threatened and Endangered Species Projects

• USGS Park Oriented Biological Support Projects

Funding and Performance Summary

Funding for the Natural Resource Protetion 

Program increased from $5.432 million in 

FY 2000 to $12.484 million in FY 2005 through 

the Natural Resource Challenge. In addition to 

contributing to the Park Service’s general 

resource protection goal, many of these projects 

directly contributed to the National Park Service 

exceeding its goals for containing invasive vegetation, restoring disturbed land, and achieving 

stable or improving populations of threatened 

and endangered species.

Highlights of FY 2005 accomplishments in each 

program area are presented below. For a complete listing of projects funded under the Natural 

Resource Preservation Program, see Appendix B.

Alaska Special Projects

This funding category was established in 

FY 2003 to enable the Park Service to undertake 

projects to better protect and manage Alaska’s 

National Park Service units, which are managed under the Alaska National Interest Lands 

Conservation Act and other Alaska-specific 

requirements. Selection criteria for projects 

supported through this source included appropriations language, proposal reviewers’ recommendations, and park priorities.

Alaska Special Projects funding is focused on the 

highest priority park-focused natural resource 

projects for which other funding sources are 

currently not available. In FY 2005, the program 

again supported airborne contaminant baseline 

data collection from snow, water, fish, lake sediment, and vegetation across multiple parks, ongoing studies of salmon populations in 

Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve

and marine bird disturbances in Glacier Bay 

National Park and Preserve. Two studies of 

declining caribou populations were also initiated 

in Wrangell St. Elias National Park and 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 35

A Chisana caribou cow and calf in 

captive rearing pen on the YukonWrangell-St. Elias National Park and 

Preserve border. (Photo by Mason 

Reid, NPS, WRST, 2005)

Preserve, and staff at Denali National Park

provided training for land bird surveyors.

• Alaska Special Projects funding supported 

several Alaska parks in their continued 

participation in the Western Airborne 

Contaminants Assessment Project underway 

in the Alaska, Pacific West, and Intermountain 

Regions. Project leaders are developing 

baseline data to determine the risk to 

ecosystems and food webs in high latitude 

and high elevation national parks from longrange transport of airborne contaminants. A 

multi-disciplinary team of research scientists 

from the EPA, USGS, Oregon State University, 

USFS, and the United Kingdom are conducting 

the study. The team collected samples from 

four lake basins in three Alaska national parks 

(Denali National Park and Preserve, Noatak 

National Preserve, and Gates of the Arctic 

National Park and Preserve). Analyses of 

FY 2003 snow samples found increasing levels 

of mercury at higher elevations in Denali 

National Park.

• Important baseline data on escapement, 

population structure, genetics, and morphology of sockeye salmon within Aniakchak 

National Monument and Preserve is supported through Alaska Special Projects funding. 

Sockeye salmon in the park support commercial, sport, and subsistence harvest. Baseline 

information is necessary to assess any future 

large-scale changes (natural or human-caused) 

and will help identify populations that are less 

productive, and hence more vulnerable to 

over-exploitation.

• Funding was provided to Glacier Bay 

National Park and Preserve to initiate 

a project that assesses the distribution of 

ground-nesting marine birds on beaches 

within the park. Information obtained from 

this project will inform managers on potential 

egg-harvest sites in the park. A local tribe, 

the Hoonah Tlingit, have expressed interest 

in re-establishing their traditional practice of 

collecting seagull eggs in the park. Resource 

management staff will use the information 

provided by this study to evaluate visitor 

impacts on this important natural resource.

• Funding for an intensive monitoring project on 

recovery efforts for the Chisana caribou herd, 

distributed throughout eastern Wrangell-St. 

Elias National Park and Preserve and western Yukon Territory, Canada, received funding 

in 2005. The herd has declined precipitously 

over the last 15 years (from over 3200 in 1987 

to about 360 in 2003). A Canadian captive 

rearing project was initiated in 2003 to increase calf recruitment by protecting cows and 

calves during the early life stages. Monitoring 

will allow the park to determine the effects of 

a novel, intensive management program on 

an important native animal population, but 

also to maintain a partnership in international 

conservation efforts.

Disturbed Lands Restoration Projects

A portion of the Natural Resource Preservation 

Program was established in FY 2000 for projects 

related to disturbed land restoration. Disturbed lands are those park lands where natural 

conditions and processes have been degraded, 
36 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

damaged, or destroyed by developments (e.g., 

facilities, roads, mines, and dams) and/or by 

agricultural practices (e.g., cropping, grazing, 

or timber harvest). Restoration is the process of 

assisting the recovery of disturbed areas through 

direct manipulation of degraded ecosystem 

components. Regions submit proposals for park 

projects; then a panel of subject matter experts 

reviews and recommends projects for funding 

based on project quality, resource threats, and 

other factors. Projects must cost at least $10,000 

but not more than $250,000 and may last no 

more than 3 years. Parks receive their project 

funding annually. This portion of funding assists 

in implementing the Natural Resource Challenge 

component related to natural resource restoration and in meeting the Park Service’s Strategic 

Plan performance management goals.

Projects that received their last year of funding in 

FY 2005 are highlighted below:

• Funding for staff to build maintainable catchments along the trail system at Timpanogos 

Cave National Monument has minimized 

imported debris from degrading the cave’s 

pure water supplies. Visitor foot traffic spreads 

mud, which coats the surrounding cave formations, and causes the formations to lose their 

astounding color, decreases the water quality, 

and provides food sources to sustain noncave adapted species. Park staff will continue 

to treat these disturbed areas to minimize the 

visitation effects on the cave’s water drainage 

and the rest of the cave’s ecosystem. Park staff 

presented restoration and research findings at 

the 2003 and 2005 National Cave and Karst 

Management Symposium and the 2004 and 

2005 National Speleological Society Convention.

• Clean-up and restoration of 15 former placer 

mining claims located along Glen Creek in the 

Kantishna Hills district of Denali National 

Park and Preserve has led to the accomplishment of goals for disturbed lands, land health, 

water quality, and visitor safety . The project 

was approached in four phases: (1) structure, 

equipment and non-hazardous debris removal, 

(2) floodplain reconstruction (earthwork and 

re-vegetation), (3) hazardous waste container 

removal, and (4) contaminated soils removal. 

The contractors estimate they removed 

approximately 200 partial or full containers, 

18 yards of contaminated soils, and approximately 30,000 lbs of abandoned equipment.

• Restoration of natural areas damaged by marijuana growers in Sequoia and Kings Canyon 

National Parks is possible through Challenge funding. Work has commenced with 

removal of all garbage and irrigation hose, 

re-contouring major pads and plant terraces, 

covering soil with branch slash, and removal 

of dams to restore stream hydrology. Similar 

work is planned at Whiskeytown National 

Recreation Area, once park sites are secured 

by law enforcement.

Natural Resource Management Projects

Natural Resource Management Projects make 

up the largest segment of the Natural Resource 

Preservation Program. To receive Natural Resource Management funding, regions must submit high-priority park project proposals which 

are then reviewed and ranked by a panel of 

subject-matter experts. The panel provides project funding recommendations to the NPS Associate Director for Natural Resource Stewardship 

and Science based on project quality, resource 

threats, and other factors. Projects must cost at 

least $50,000 but no more than $900,000 and 

be completed within three years. Many projects 

require at least two years to complete with most 

requiring three. Projects receive their funding 

annually and are subject to review and approval 

of an annual accomplishment report. With funding provided by the Challenge, the total number of natural resource management projects 

funded through this program was 53 projects in 

FY 2005. The majority of projects funded within 

this category support restoration, invasive species control, resource assessment and mapping, 

and natural resource management plan development. Projects that received their last year of 

funding in FY 2005 are highlighted below:

• Brown bear population size estimates were 

obtained for coastal areas of Lake Clark 

National Park and Preserve and for all bear 

habitat within Katmai National Park using a 

line-transect double-count aerial census technique developed by the Alaska Department 

of Fish and Game. A total of 388 brown bear 

groups were observed during the study. Preliminary compilation and review of the survey 

data is complete and analysis is underway.

• Funding was provided to researchers to gather 

information critical to the management of 

brucellosis-affected bison in Grand Teton 

National Park. Objectives of this work include 

monitoring disease-related demographic parameters, disease surveillance, and identifying 

an effective oral vaccine delivery system. The 

field portion of the final study was finished in 

FY 2005, determining the most effective bait 

distribution strategy. Preliminary results indicate that deployment of bait in front of moving 

grazing herds is the most effective strategy.

• A project at Rocky Mountain National Park

to reduce the prevalence and spread of chronic 

wasting disease through surveillance of mule 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 37

deer and elk and live testing of mule deer is 

proving successful. The goal for tonsil biopsy 

testing in mule deer was exceeded through 

a combined effort with the Colorado Division of Wildlife. The work of both agencies 

resulted in testing 488 deer in during FY 2003 

and FY 2004 and 292 deer in FY 2005. From 

park data, the prevalence of Chronic Wasting Disease decreased from 7.27 percent in 

FY 2003 and 2004 combined to 3.64 percent in 

FY 2005. Deer that tested positive for Chronic 

Wasting Disease were removed from the population.

• Funding was provided to fence the remaining 

boundary of the 1996 expansion of Walnut 

Canyon National Monument with the goal of 

completing 7 miles of fencing to protect cultural and natural resources. Objectives for fencing 

were accomplished in full and a number of 

wildlife crossings were constructed to facilitate 

the movement of elk, deer, and antelope across 

the fence.

• In cooperation with Tennessee Technical 

University and the Army Corps of Engineers, 

staff at Mammoth Cave National Park

developed a mobile culture facility to propagate mussels. The facility accomplishes three 

important conservation strategies including the 

culture of juvenile mussels, with an emphasis 

on seven endangered species, to augment mussel populations in the Green River, recovery 

of seven federally listed endangered mussels, 

and provision of a temporary emergency refuge for adult mussels during a catastrophe. In 

2005, the mussel culture facility received the 

first group of juvenile mussels from Tennessee 

Tech University.

• At Kalaupapa National Historical Park, 

funding from the Natural Resource Preservation Program was used to exclude ungulates 

from the Pu’u Ali’I Plateau by the construction 

of fences. This work was conducted in remote, 

steep terrain that required helicopter assistance 

to transport laborers to the site and distribute 

materials along the fence line. The project area 

represents the most pristine native tropical 

rain forest in the park, and it is considered the 

highest priority in the park for protection from 

feral animals. Long-term maintenance of the 

unit will be shared and coordinated between 

the State of Hawaii Natural Area Reserve System managers in Maui County and Kalaupapa 

resource management staff.

Regional Program Block Allocation Projects

Natural Resource Preservation Program funding is available for block allocation to regions 

for park projects as a part of regional natural 

resource programs. The allocation of funds is 

evenly distributed among the regions at $192,300 

per region per year. Qualified projects are those 

that improve natural resource knowledge and 

condition, including projects such as specialized 

inventories (those currently outside the scope of 

the Servicewide I&M Program’s 12 databases) 

and mitigation actions (i.e., fossil inventories and 

invasive plant or invasive animal control).

The regions require parks to submit projects for 

competition for this funding source, projects encompass a wide variety of resource issues. While 

some are fairly specific in their approach to an 

identified need, others take a strategic view to 

provide fundamental information that can facilitate progress over a large number of parks or 

regional initiatives. These projects are rated and 

ranked by a panel and selections are made to balance the distribution of funds across the region’s 

parks. 

In FY 2005, a total of $1,346,000 was allocated to 

69 projects in 55 parks. A complete list of these 

projects is included in Appendix B, however 

highlights of some projects are listed below:

• Results from a project funded to develop a 

framework for best management practices of 

off-highway vehicles in Alaska National Parks 

and Preserves has led to a reduction in management concerns in some units and increases in 

others. For instance, at Lake Clark National 

Park and Preserve it was estimated that the 

park contained 26 miles of trails in its coastal 

area in 2001. The 2005 mapping effort identified only 13, all in relatively good condition. 

In contrast, park staff at Gates of the Arctic 

National Park and Preserve identified 2 

miles of trails in the 2001 assessment, but 22 

miles of degraded trail were mapped in 2005 

and 31 additional miles were identified for future inventory. Major strides in baseline data 

collection were accomplished and techniques 

for the collection of off-highway vehicle trail 

condition assessments and the development 

of trail stabilization prescriptions were refined 

to a high degree. Primary project emphasis 

was placed on on-the-ground data collection 

within affected park units. Baseline information was collected in 6 park units and resulted 

in the completion of field data collection on 

174.2 miles of off-highway vehicle trails.

• Cave specialists at Wind Cave National Park

initiated a survey of cave microbiological 

organisms with regional funding in 2005. 

Samples were collected from 10 sites in and 

around Wind Cave. DNA extracted from the 

soil samples will be used to identify individual 

species. A paper was presented at the National 

Speleological Society Convention in 2005.

• Determination of appropriate harvest levels of 
38 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

deer at Apostle Island National Lakeshore is 

closer to reality as result of Challenge funding. 

In FY 2005, funding was provided for aerial 

overflights for deer counting surveys, deer 

browse surveys, and pellet counts conducted 

on several islands and the mainland unit. A 

protocol for sampling herbaceous species for 

browse damage was developed and tested, 

and hair snares were established to obtain hair 

samples for DNA testing. Data entry is currently being done and data analysis is underway.

• Funding allocated for a mooring system at 

Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument will protect natural resources by providing boaters with an alternative to mooring in 

shoreline mangroves. The first phase of this 

system is designed to accommodate approximately 45 vessels.

• Plans are underway to restore American Butternut in four units of Mammoth Cave National 

Park. Project funds were used to purchase 

American Butternut seedlings from Nolin Seed 

Nut Nursery which were planted in a seed 

orchard along the Green River. Butternut seedlings were also donated to the park from the 

University of Tennessee and planted in riparian habitat along the Green River. Scion wood 

was collected from 15 healthy butternut trees 

and will be grafted onto root collars. Grafted 

trees, grown in a tree nursery, will be planted 

back into the park in 2006.

Servicewide Support Projects

In addition to parks, there are often project 

needs outside specific Servicewide programs that 

require funding unavailable from other sources. 

These special needs are often interdisciplinary, 

and may include activities with professional 

organizations, certain publications, or work on 

Servicewide databases. Specific project needs 

that cannot be accommodated operationally 

are identified for funding by the Natural Resource Preservation Program, fee monies, or 

other sources. A significant amount of funding 

provides specialized assistance to parks, either 

through direct provision of experts or through 

special topic workshops on issues affecting 

parks. Funding is also provided for the development and support of tools to assist parks, night 

sky projects, and development of partnerships 

for shared resources and management goals.

Support of efforts to establish and provide leadership to Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units 

(CESU) remains a major focus of Servicewide 

Project funding, as does development, production, and distribution of education and information related material. Accomplishments of projects funded through this program in FY 2005, 

including the following:

• In FY 2005, staff from the Biological Resource 

Management Program and NatureServe, 

completed a cooperative agreement and work 

plan to fund the Seamless Network Project 

to support analyses and the development of 

partnerships based on shared resources and 

management goals. Natural resource data relevant to partnership development was collected 

and analyzed under three themes: biodiversity 

management, invasive species and naturebased recreational opportunities. Statewide 

workshops to identify resource-based linkages 

and develop partnerships were held in Georgia, Florida and South Carolina and attended 

by federal, state, county, academic and private 

organizations. Workshops generated over 25 

projects that include National Park Service 

units.

• In FY 2005, the Year in Review, a publication 

that summarizes and analyzes significant 

natural resource preservation issues in the 

National Park System for the calendar year, 

contained approximately 75 articles with more 

than 125 pictures. Both print and Web editions 

exemplify the National Park Service graphic 

identity style and are easy to read summaries of 

the year in natural resource management and 

science.

• Servicewide Projects funding paid for preparation and dissemination of research findings to 

park management in the resource management 

bulletin Park Science. Distributed to parks, 

national program offices, and domestic and 

international partners, Park Science is published in both hard copy and electronically on 

the World Wide Web. Design enhancements 

(professional graphic design and two-color 

printing) that began in FY 2001 continued 

in FY 2005. Funding supported editing, design, and printing for issues published during FY 2005 and others being planned for 

FY 2006. Funding also covered re-design of 

the Park Science web site.

• In FY 2005 the Geologic Resources Program received financial support enabling its 

specialists to provide on-site technical expertise to 33 parks on a wide range of geologic 

resource management issues, including geologic resource assessment, impact mitigation, 

restoration, monitoring, policy and regulatory 

application, interpretation, park planning, and 

interagency coordination. Examples of types 

of assistance provided includes: petroleum 

engineering support to Big South Fork 

National River and Recreation Area during 

the plugging of an oil and gas well to ensure 

compliance with NPS standards, coordination 

of a Cave and Karst management workshop at 

Yosemite National Park to lay the foundation 

for a comprehensive cave resources manage-
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 39

A macro shot of a Georgia Aster 

flower at Chattahoochie River 

National Recreation Area. This is 

an individual from an introduced 

population as part of a restoration 

project. There are now several 

hundred plants at this location. 

Photo: Alex Reynolds.

ment program, evaluation of stream erosion 

issues associated with off-road vehicle use at 

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, and 

assessment of safety issues associated with 

historical underground sand mines at Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.

Regional Small Parks Block Allocation Projects

Funding is provided to regions to allocate to 

small parks for projects. Small parks are defined, 

for the purposes of this funding, as those parks 

that fall in the lower third of funding for all 

parks. These funds are provided to help small 

parks achieve some of their natural resource 

goals. Small Parks funded projects include a wide 

variety of management issues such as natural 

resource management and monitoring plans, 

invasive species control, restoration of native 

ecosystems, natural resource surveys, inventories, assessments and analyses, and fence repair 

for resource protection.

In FY 2005, 62 projects in at least 53 parks were 

funded. Highlights of 2005 funded project are 

shown below and a complete list of the projects 

is included in Appendix B.

• At Scotts Bluff National Monument a project 

was funded and implemented to remove debris 

and fence material from a former golf course 

that was within the boundary of the park more 

than 50 years ago. Two seasonal employees, 

who were funded by this project, removed 

fence posts along what used to be three 

quarters of a mile of the west boundary of the 

park. All the posts removed from the prairie 

were transported to the maintenance area 

where the concrete was removed and recycled, 

as were the metal posts themselves.

• Through Challenge funding, efforts are being 

made to increase the reproductive productivity 

of Georgia aster, a federal candidate plant 

species in Chattahoochee River National 

Recreation Area. Project goals are to 

stabilize Georgia aster populations through 

seed propagation, reintroduction to suitable 

habitats, and controlling nonnative invasive 

encroachment on populations in park habitats. 

The Atlanta Botanical Garden has germinated 

Georgia aster from the park seed collection 

and maintains a population in their native plant 

conservation garden.

Threatened and Endangered (T&E) 

Species Projects

The long-term goal of allocating funding to 

Threatened and Endangered Species Projects 

is to reverse the decline of listed species and to 

re-establish species now extirpated from parks. 

Projects that favor funding on-the-ground 

conservation efforts are preferred. Despite the 

obvious importance of implementing identified recovery plan actions, limited funding has 

precluded parks from implementing many 

needed actions and funding from the Natural Resource Preservation Program addresses 

this need. In FY 2005, $477,000 was allocated 

specifically for these projects. Threatened and 

endangered species projects are also funded 

under the Natural Resource Management Proj-
40 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

ects category and are eligible for Small Parks 

funding as well. Projects that received funding in 

FY 2005 are highlighted below:

• Development of long-term translocation 

guidelines for the black-footed ferret population at Badlands National Park was initiated 

under a cooperative agreement with the University of Wyoming. All field data collection for 

this project has been completed and data 

analysis is underway.

• Hoffmann’s rockcress is an endangered plant 

known from four sites on Santa Cruz and one 

location on Santa Rosa Island in Channel 

Islands National Park. This project provides 

infrastructure and materials essential for 

recovery of Santa Rosa Island genotypes. The 

establishment of new infrastructure enables 

park staff to move quickly when plants flower 

in order to collect viable seeds necessary for 

reproduction. Slow response has been a problem that has hindered recovery in the past.

• Haleakala National Park received funding 

to conduct research into the habitat use of the 

endangered Maui parrotbill in the Manawainui 

area of the park. The main focus of this project 

is to determine if this area of the park is appropriate for supplementation of this endangered 

species. Follow-up work next season will include conducting vegetation surveys, increasing banding efforts, and establishing future 

release sites. A preliminary assessment of the 

Manwainui area, from the 2005 field season, 

suggests that this area would not be the most 

ideal site to release birds in the future.

• Volunteers augmented efforts by the staff in 

the restoration of the Echo River Passage in 

Mammoth Cave National Park. The purpose 

of this project is to remove the decaying creosote impregnated walkway timbers that contaminate aquatic habitat for the endangered 

Kentucky cave shrimp and other specialized 

aquatic cave species. In fiscal year 2005, volunteer events were organized with the National 

Speleological Society with over 100 participants at each of 4 events.

• Plans to re-establish, stabilize, and manage 

populations of Greenback cutthroat trout at 

Rocky Mountain National Park are underway thanks to funding received in 2005. A 

tentative timeline provides for barrier work 

to be completed in 2006, non-native trout 

removed in 2007, and the greenback cutthroat 

trout restored in 2008. Work on testing and 

improving barriers downstream is in progress 

and baseline invertebrate samples were collected above a proposed chemical treatment site. 

These baseline data will be used to document 

the effects of fish toxicants and neutralizing 

agents on invertebrate communities.

USGS Biological Technical Assistance 

Agreement—Park-Oriented Biological Support 

Projects

The U.S. Geological Survey-Biological Resources 

Program and the National Park Service, through 

the Natural Resource Preservation Program, 

jointly support biological projects that provide 

exploratory research and technical assistance 

to parks. Of 21 separate projects funded in 

FY 2005, 16 projects received their last funding 

allotment. Information on the project topics and 

status reports on the projects are contained in 

Appendix C. Many of this year’s projects addressed continuation of projects underway from 

previous fiscal years. Selected project highlights 

include:

• A project to monitor avian community changes 

and habitat use within the Giacomini Wetland 

Restoration Project at Golden Gate National 

Recreation Area was initiated in FY 2005. 

The Giacomini Wetland Restoration Project 

will be one of the largest tidal marsh wetland 

restorations in coastal California, as well as one 

of the most significant changes in the Tomales 

Bay watershed. To date, the study of the avian 

community of the proposed restoration area 

has involved spatially explicit area and point 

count surveys on the Giacomini Ranch site and 

on three reference wetlands along Tomales 

Bay, with surveys being designed to determine 

whether changes in the avian community 

can be attributed to the restoration. During 

FY 2006, an analysis and report will be prepared that will provide baseline information 

about the avian communities on the Giacomini 

Ranch restoration site and reference sites prior 

to restoration action. As restoration proceeds, 

monitoring of avian community changes, based 

on the results of this project, will help with 

assessing restoration success and will provide 

a basis for adaptive management decisionmaking.

• A project to augment and expand endangered 

freshwater mussel populations in the Big 

South Fork National River and Recreation 

Area received funds in FY 2005. Four species 

of freshwater mussels were propagated for 

release in the recreation area. Nearly 25,000 

juveniles of the four mussel species were 

produced and cultured at the Freshwater 

Mollusk Conservation Center at Virginia Tech 

University, to ages ranging from 2 weeks to 

2.5 months, and released in the park during 

summer 2005. Plans for 2006 include continued efforts to produce and release artificially 

propagated juveniles into the Big South Fork 

of the Cumberland River with the goal of 

restoring and maintaining the park’s native 

mussel resources.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 41

NATURAL SOUNDS PROGRAM

FY 2005 Allocation: $921,000

Available: $909,000

The mission of the Natural Sounds Program 

is to protect, maintain or restore soundscape 

resources and values in units of the National 

Park System in a condition unimpaired by 

inappropriate sounds. This mission is fulfilled 

by working in partnership with parks and others 

to increase scientific and public understanding 

of the value and character of park soundscapes. 

In addition, this program was created in part 

to implement the National Parks Air Tour 

Management Act of 2000, in cooperation with 

the Federal Aviation Administration.

Surveys indicate that many visitors who recreate in national parks seek to escape the clamor 

of everyday life—they come to “get away from 

it all,” “find peace and quiet,” or “solitude.” 

The type of park unit (e.g., national battlefield, 

national seashore, national recreation area, or 

national park) and its specific features help to 

shape visitor expectations. These expectations 

may include quiet, the sounds of nature (e.g., 

wind, birds, geysers, elk bugling, wolves howling, 

or waterfalls), sounds reflecting our cultural and 

historic heritage (e.g., cannonballs firing, tribal 

dances, or reenactments) and sounds associated with recreation (personal water craft, snow 

mobiles, air tours, or park operations). Natural 

sounds also are intrinsic elements of the environment often associated with parks and their 

purposes and vital to the functioning of many 

park environments, such as wildlife, which 

depend on the ability to transmit and receive 

sound for many life essential functions. The 

Natural Sounds Program helps to evaluate 

current park sounds and plan for achieving desired sound conditions, including assisting parks 

with their air tour management program and 

working with the military regarding aircraft noise 

issues.

The Natural Sounds Program recently underwent a full board strategic analysis and restructuring. The following core operations or program 

responsibilities were identified and FY 2005 

accomplishments are summarized below under 

these six broad program areas:

• Acoustic Science

• Administration and Management

• Air Tour Management Program

• Outreach/Education/Partnerships

• Planning 

• Technical Assistance Requests

Acoustic Science

The primary goals of this program area are 

to develop acoustic data collection protocols 

that conform to a nationwide monitoring 

strategy, initiate collection of basic acoustic 

data, complete data analysis and reporting, and 

increase information management.

Natural Sounds Program acoustic staff produced 

various acoustic protocols collaboratively with 

the Volpe Center (Department of Transportation). Protocols for the collection of acoustic 

data will be finalized in 2006 and a monitoring 

plan implemented. The protocols will create 

standards that improve and reduce the cost of 

data collection and will allow for efficient use 

of data for either air tour management plans or 

other soundscape planning efforts.

Acoustic data collected by park service staff at 

Arches National Park, Badlands National 

Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Devil’s 

Postpile National Monument, Mojave 

National Park, Saguaro National Park, 

Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks, 

Whitman Mission National Historic Site, 

Yosemite National Park, and Yukon Charley 

Rivers National Preserve will be reviewed and 

summarized for a variety of purposes, including 

air tour management planning, soundscape 

management, and noise impact assessment.

In 2005, the Natural Sounds Program information management team developed several databases that have increased our ability to store, 

retrieve and utilize acoustic data.

Administration and Management

The Natural Sounds Program underwent a top 

to bottom strategic alignment exercise, the result 

of which created a logical linear relationship 

between performance reporting and budget with 

general and specific program goals and objectives. Program staff developed one standardized 

numeric tracking system, based on identified 

core program functions, that is used for filing 

and tracking program costs, employee time, and 

performance metrics.

A budget planning and tracking system was 

implemented that promotes efficiency and 

demonstrates accountability. This is an integrated 

system that links financial processes and 

work planning and execution, so that costs 

(procurement, travel, personnel, etc) can be 

identified, tracked, and linked to program goals 

and products. This information can then be 

analyzed for current year reporting as well as 

out year projections and budget formulation. 

Accountability and production are key elements 
42 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

in building program capacity for existing and 

future needs.

Air Tour Management Program

The goals of this program area are to jointly 

develop Air Tour Management Plans with the 

Federal Aviation Administration, jointly implement other aspects of the National Parks Air 

Tour Management Act of 2000, and to execute 

plans that guide the development of the Air Tour 

Management Program.

In 2005, the Natural Sounds Program chaired 

three meetings of the National Park Overflight 

Advisory Group, which is a congressionally 

mandated stakeholder group consisting of members from the aviation industry, trade associations, user groups, tribes and environmental and 

recreation groups interested in overflight issues.

Natural Sounds Program staff worked with their 

counterparts in the Federal Aviation Administration to produce a plan for the implementation of the air tour management planning program. Finalization of the implementation plan 

will occur in 2006. Staff continues to develop, 

review, and improve draft air tour plans that are 

currently underway for six national park units 

including Haleakala National Park, Hawaii 

Volcanoes National Park, Kalaupapa National 

Historical Park, Badlands National Park, 

Mount Rushmore National Memorial, and 

Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Outreach/Education/Partnerships

The activities of this Natural Sounds Program 

area focus on developing and implementing 

outreach and education programs to educate 

parks and partners about the importance of park 

soundscapes and the role sound plays in overall 

ecosystem health as well as potential impacts to 

visitor use.

Natural Sounds Program staff initiated and fostered a partnership with Colorado State University 

to establish an “Acoustic Fellow Chair” which 

is jointly funded (50/50) to employ a year long 

graduate student in the field of acoustic ecology 

to assist with research and other program needs. 

The partnership is based on the premise that 

each year the new fellow will build on the work 

done in the previous years, thus maintaining 

forward momentum and leveraging the work 

done by previous interns. The Natural Sounds 

Program also employs two research associates 

through cooperative agreements with both the 

Colorado State University engineering department and the Department of Recreation and 

Tourism. University partnerships allow the Park 

Service to access to research and expertise that 

may not be otherwise available.

Natural Sounds Program staff regularly attends 

regional Airspace/Military coordination meetings in order to promote and foster productive 

working relations with the various branches of 

the U.S. military. In 2005, staff established an Air 

Force contact for dealing with overflight issues at 

Big Bend National Park. Attendance at regional Airspace/Military coordination meetings 

will continue in 2006 as it facilitates continued 

cooperative relationships between parks and 

military airspace managers and allows issues to 

be dealt with in an efficient manner.

Staff presented two different panel presentations 

on Soundscape Management Planning and 

Basic Acoustics at the 2005 NPS George Wright 

Society Conference.

A brochure entitled Enjoy Natural Sounds was 

printed and distributed in partnership with 

the Nature Sounds Society during 2005. An 

educational poster designed by the Natural 

Sounds Program is available, and additional information is available on their website: http://www.

nature.nps.gov/naturalsounds/.

Planning

Staffs from this program area are available to 

assist parks in various planning efforts including soundscape planning, General Management Plans, airport planning, administrative/

operations planning, and commercial services 

plans.

Soundscape management planning program staff 

drafted a nationwide programmatic soundscape 

management plan that will allow parks to assess 

the ambient sound environment and quality 

(or conversely the noise condition) in order to 

develop appropriate management actions. This 

plan, when complete, will provide parks with a 

document from which park-specific guidance 

can be easily developed. The draft programmatic, nationwide soundscape management plan 

will be peer-reviewed and finalized in 2006. In 

addition to soundscape planning program staff 

has assisted various parks in reviewing General 

Management Plans and other resource management plans.

Technical Assistance Requests

Numerous Technical Assistance Requests were 

received by the Natural Sounds Program in 

2005. It was decided that to efficiently address 

all requests it would be necessary to develop a 

standardized system for prioritizing and responding to park generated Technical Assistance 

Requests. Natural Sounds Program staff develop-
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 43

ed a priority ranking matrix to review, rank, and 

weight responses to park specific requests based 

on a myriad of factors ranging from the time 

sensitive nature of the request to the geographic 

distribution of data sets available.

Program staff responded to both a formal call 

for technical assistance as well as a number of 

informal requests. Requests ranged across a 

number of issue areas, including airport impact 

analyses, impacts from other sound sources (e.g, 

racetracks, avalanche control, oil and gas drilling 

permits, etc), and air tour management planning.

Staff assisted with airport issues by providing technical acoustic and planning input to 

many parks. A few examples include providing 

technical assistance to San Antonio Missions 

National Historical Park on Stinson Airport 

proposed improvements, providing assistance to 

Devils Postpile National Monument on proposed commercial overflight routes from Mammoth 

Airport, and consulting with Big Bend National 

Park and John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in working with the FAA and the military 

on overflights.

Program staff assisted parks with a variety of impact assessment, including review and comment 

on the draft final Environmental Impact Statement for the Colorado River Management Plan 

at Grand Canyon National Park, consultation 

with Stones River National Battlefield staff 

regarding oil and gas wells, and researched and 

wrote the soundscape section for an avalanche 

control environmental assessment at Glacier 

National Park.

RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND 

RESTORATION PROGRAM

FY 2005 Allocation: $1,264,000

Available: $1,341,000

Under the Park System Resource Protection 

Act (PSRPA) (16 USC 19jj), the Oil Pollution Act 

(OPA) of 1990, the Clean Water Act as amended 

by OPA (CWA), and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability 

Act (CERCLA), the National Park Service conducts damage assessments and restoration for 

injuries to park resources in national park system 

units. The Resource Damage Assessment and 

Restoration Program supports: 1) Policy development and guidance; 2) direct technical assistance 

to parks in conducting damage assessments for 

incidents injuring park resources and in planning and implementing restoration projects; 3) 

outreach and training on damage assessment 

for NPS personnel, DOI Solicitors and program 

The NPS Natural Sounds Program 

designed this poster to provide 

visitors with another manner in 

which to enjoy their parks.
44 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

offices, 4) Case Management, and 5) Cost Recovery. In FY 2005, 20 cases were settled which resulted in over $2.2 million in restoration deposits 

into the DOI Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration fund (see table below). 

Also in FY 2005, 11 parks completed restoration 

projects from prior years totaling over $574,253 

in work. These projects included the restoration 

of seagrass, desert habitat, erosion control and 

repair, historic landscape restoration, and the 

repair or replacement of park facilities. Currently 

over $6.8 million remains on deposit in the DOI 

Fund for restoration projects that are either underway or in the planning stage at various park 

units.

RESOURCE PROTECTION PROGRAM

FY 2005 Allocation: $294,000

Available: $290,000

In its fourth year of funding, the Resource 

Protection Program is supporting projects that 

use innovative approaches involving natural 

resource specialists, protection rangers, partners 

from other agencies and applied researchers 

focusing on resources at risk. Diverse programs 

have gained a footing with Resource Protection 

funding. Highlights from this program area 

in 2005 include development of a resource 

protection curriculum for instructor training, 

advancements in analytical tools to target 

resource protection efforts in Appalachian parks, 

improvement in technical tools to protect cacti 

in Capitol Reef National Park and bats in Lava 

Beds National Park, and the continuation of 

efforts at Mount Rainer National Park prevent 

commercial harvest of edible mushrooms. 

Projects chosen for funding increasingly show 

the innovation and collaboration between 

divisions within parks and with other agencies.

Highlights for projects that received their last 

year of funding in 2005 are.

• A project to establish the use of surveillance 

systems to protect rare cacti from illegal collecting at Capitol Reef National Park is complete. 

Establishment of guidelines and procedures 

for the proper deployment and use of surveillance products to detect the illegal collecting 

of federally listed or rare plants was the main 

focus of this project. An additional objective 

was to develop procedures on how to gather 

evidence that proves the elements of a crime 

and leads to successful prosecution of those 

responsible for resource theft and damage. 

Park staff presented a paper on this surveillance project at the George Wright Society 

meeting in 2005.

• Knowledge and competencies of NPS 

employees were enhanced by the 2005 

Settled Damage Assesment Cases FY 2005

Deposits for year

State Park Description, Case Name, Responsible Party

Statute for 

Case

Settlement 

Amount

CA SAMO Purcell/Chesebro Fence (encroachment ) 19jj $2,464

CA GOGA Bella Vista Restaurant (tree cutting) 19jj $195,000

CO GRSA Zapata (fire) DOJ - 19jj $519,096

FL BISC MY JO Grounding, Wurster 19jj $222,000

FL BISC Coastal St. Marks Tug and Barge (grounding) 19jj $75,000

GA CHAT Chatahoochee Bluffs (erosion) 19jj $17,521

GA OMUL New South Associates (cultural resource injury) 19jj $5,474

MA MIMA Ritchie Auto Accident Quick Claim $480

MI GUIS Gilbert Taylor (grounding) 19jj $30,800

PA VAFO Paoli Rail Yard (contamination) CERCLA $500,000

TN GRSM Orr Vehicle and 129 Fire 19jj $24,600

TN OBED OBED Oil Spill, USCG Funds for Damage OPA $56,860

TN OBED Assessment (Initiate) OPA $191,858

VA FRSP Laclergue MVA 19jj $9,482

VA GEWA Merryfield Trees (encroachment) 19jj $315,597

VIIS VIIS M/V Pesca Nostra (grounding) 19jj $11,002

WV APPA Elias, William and Patricia (encroachment) 19jj $3,000

WY YELL Bridge Bay Marina (fuel spill)

19jj quick 

claim $25,228

WY YELL Vehicle roll over, criminal case Huyser 19jj restitution $13,879

WY YELL Xin Li Vehicle 19jj restitution $3,597

Total FY 2005 $2,222,938

Note that this table only represents cases settled. No on-going cases, nor those that have been excluded from the docket 

have been listed.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 45

completion of a resource protection 

curriculum. Curriculum goals included 

teaching the employee to understand 

the relationship between their individual 

responsibilities, the responsibilities of other 

employees and partners, and the relationship 

to the agency mission and public service. 

A course of study report was produced by 

Indiana University and it was determined 

that the curriculum met the criteria for 

implementation at the Servicewide level. A 

Train-the-Trainer course was conducted 

in partnership with Indiana University and 

continuing education credits were issued 

for 30 new instructors, representing all NPS 

regions and WASO.

WATER RESOURCES PROGRAM

FY 2005 Allocation: $12,071,000

Available: $12,436,000

The Water Resources Program, in partnership 

with parks and others, provides Servicewide 

leadership, technical assistance, and funding 

support with respect to the preservation, protection, and management of water and aquatic 

resources of units of the National Park System. 

The Program provides services directly to parks 

through a broad range of programs in the areas 

of water quality; water rights; floodplain management; ground water analysis; watershed and wetlands protection; water resources management 

planning; fisheries and marine resources management and protection; policy, legislative, and 

regulatory analysis; information management; 

and training. The Water Resources Program 

provides a model for cost effective, centralized 

support for the vast majority of parks that do not 

have the range of technical expertise they need. 

Identifying priority water resource issues and 

providing technical support from a centralized 

program requires a high level of professionalism 

at all levels of the Service.

In FY 2005, the Water Resources Program 

continues to provide the highest level of support 

possible to parks in addressing a wide variety 

of water and aquatic resources-related issues. 

Activities and corresponding funding are divided between five principal categories. FY 2005 

accomplishments are summarized below under 

these program areas:

• Water Resource Projects

• Water Resource Protection–Aquatic Resource 

Professionals

• Water Resource Technical Assistance

• Watershed Condition Assessment Program

• Water Quality Monitoring

Funding and Performance Summary

The program area receiving the largest percentage of Water Resources Program funding is 

Technical Assistance (35 percent—$4,323,100) 

followed by Water Quality Monitoring (23 

percent—$2,837,800), Watershed Condition 

Assistance (22 percent—$2,762,800), Water Resource Projects (10 percent—$1,307,300), and 

Water Resource Protection–Aquatic Resource 

Professionals (10 percent—$1,205,000). The 

Water Resources Program supports attainment 

of and reporting to strategic goals in water quality, surface and ground water quantity, and the 

new Department of Interior Land-Health goals 

related to wetland, riparian, upland, and marine 

resource protection.

Water Resource Projects

The Water Resource Projects category includes 

three areas: Water Resource Protection Projects, 

Water Resources Program Competitive Projects, 

and Other Projects which are non-competitive. 

Water resource projects are funded in the areas 

of general water resources, water quality, wetlands protection, and water rights.

Water Resource Protection Projects

Funding in this category increased the Park 

Service’s capability for data collection and 

analyses that can be used to describe surface and 

ground water flow regimes and investigations 

into the dependence of park resources upon 

water in support of the new Department of 

Interior Water Quantity Strategic Goal. These 

efforts are targeted toward the development of 

scientific information that will benefit decision 

makers, including federal managers, court 

judges, or state administrators such as state 

engineers.

The majority of FY 2005 project funds were used 

to support ongoing studies designed to characterize surface or ground water flow systems. In the 

western U.S., ongoing projects are developing 

modeling capabilities for predicting the effects of 

large-scale development in regional ground 

water flow systems. In the eastern U.S., hydrologic studies are developing information on the 

effects of impoundments on surface river 

systems. These tools are needed by decision 

makers to understand the potential for impacts 

to park water resources in the future from a 

number of existing water development proposals. In addition, hydrologic data is often required 

to implement settlement agreements.

Additionally, project funds are used to study the 

relationship between water quantity and flow 

timing and water-dependent park resources. In 

FY 2005, water-dependent resources that were 
46 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

studied include riparian vegetation, fish migration, and geomorphology. These results are 

needed by decision makers to understand the 

potential effect on the water-dependent resource 

of potential changes in stream or ground water 

flow.

Finally, the results of these studies must be 

presented to decision makers in written or 

verbal format often in a forum dictated by law or 

regulation. For this reason, a portion of the water 

resources protection project funds were used to 

support the Department of the Interior 

Office of the Solicitor in providing legal advice 

and representation to the National Park Service.

To increase the effectiveness of its water resource 

protection funding, the Park Service partners 

with other federal, state, or private entities 

with common science objectives. For example, 

hydrologic data collected by NPS studies for 

Lake Mead National Recreation Area and 

Death Valley National Park are shared with 

the Nevada State Engineer, southern Nevada 

water purveyors, and private developers, thereby 

contributing to the larger-scale investigation of 

water availability in southern Nevada. In another 

example, data and other science information 

collected at Chickasaw National Recreation 

Area contributes to an on-going state-federal 

study of the Arbuckle-Simpson Aquifer in southeastern Oklahoma. In yet another example, 

hydrogeologic analyses conducted for Great 

Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is being used in conjunction with work being conducted by The Nature Conservancy and local water 

conservation districts to support water rights 

protection for the park.

Water Resources Program—Competitive Projects

Water Resources Program Competitive Projects 

support a wide array of park-based activities, 

including water quality assessment and improvement projects; wetlands restoration, condition 

assessment, inventory and other wetland projects; and ground water assessment and monitoring, watershed condition assessments, watershed 

management planning, surface water hydrology 

studies, floodplain assessment, river management, and other water resource related projects. 

Projects support National Park Service Strategic 

Goal I.a.4 A and I.a4B (water quality), I.a.4C 

(water quantity) and the new Department of the 

Interior strategic goals for Land Health including 

I.a.1C (wetlands), I.a.1D (riparian and stream 

areas), and I.a.1F (marine and coastal areas).

Water Resources competitive project funding 

is derived from Water Resources Program base 

project funds and funding from the new Watershed Condition Assessment Program during its 

transition to a long-term program of systematic 

park-based assessments of NPS watershed conditions. Over the past ten years, in order to meet 

increased salary costs per Full Time Employee 

(FTE) and budget rescissions, the Water Resources Program has had to reduce funding to its project programs by $1.4 million. As a result, Water 

Resource’s base funding will no longer be adequate to sustain the competitive project program 

beyond FY 2006. Therefore, once the Watershed 

Condition Assessment Program is fully operational in FY 2007, the competitive project program is scheduled to become inactive.

Water Resources Program—Other Projects

This program receives Water Resources Program 

funding to further develop and increase cooperative relationships between the academic community and the NPS fisheries program. Funds are 

set aside to help foster graduate student research 

at National Park System units and to help cooperatively fund fishery students engaged in NPS 

park projects. In FY 2005, projects at Colorado 

State University and Montana State University 

received funding through this program.

Highlights of FY 2005 accomplishments in the 

Water Resources Projects category appear below. For a complete listing of projects funded in 

FY 2005 under Water Resource Protection, see 

Appendix D.

• Critical water resources information was 

gathered along a state proposed 90-mile new 

road corridor through Denali National Park. 

Project managers collected hydrologic inventory data and flood-flow statistics, conducted a 

water quality analysis, completed an air photo 

interpretation of flood-prone areas, analyzed 

channel geometry of major rivers, provided an 

aerial survey for springs, and completed water 

chemistry of selected springs. A formal report 

entitled Water Resources Assessment of the 

Toklat Basin in the Vicinity of the Stampede 

Trail Alignment was completed. This project 

helped the park exceed its FY 2005 goals for 

surface water quality and water quality.

• Solstice Creek Dam removal in Santa Monica 

Mountains National Recreation Area will restore access to spawning endangered southern 

steelhead trout by removing in-stream barriers 

(low-water crossings and dams) that may impede the migration of adult and juvenile trout. 

The project calls for removal of three remaining dams and a low-water crossing and replacing the crossing with a residential bridge.

• Rock Creek Park’s maintenance yard storm 

drains have been retro-fitted to reduce storm 

water pollutants and safely convey stormwater 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 47

Alaska Conservation Foundation 

intern, Craig Murdoch, checks the Onset® Hobo Micro Station data logger 

in Glacier Bay National Park’s Dry Bay 

Preserve. This site is instrumented for 

temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed/direction 

and precipitation accumulation (i.e., 

tipping bucket rain gage).

At Great Sand Dunes National Park 

and Preserve NPS and USFWS fishery 

biologists evaluated the Sand Creek 

drainage in order to evaluate the 

possible reintroduction of native Rio 

Grande cutthroat.

discharges into nearby park streams. The runoff will be discharged into the open channel 

without causing severe channel erosion downstream allowing for the affected stream to 

recover and become more productive for 

aquatic organisms.

• A study at Assateague Island National Seashore is evaluating relationships between estuarine fin fish, invertebrates, water quality, and 

sea grass coverage. A unique group of datasets 

collected in the waters surrounding Assateague 

Island National Seashore chronicle change in 

environmental attributes over the past 15 to 30 

years during a period when sea grass coverage was expanding. Sophisticated statistical 

analyses will take advantage of the spatial and 

temporal range of these data to test for significant correlations between fisheries, habitat and 

environmental conditions.

• Given the heavy use of the herbicide glyphosphate to control unwanted vegetation along 

canals and structures in areas of Biscayne 

National Park adjacent to the water control 

structures, a detailed survey was conducted 

of canals and coastal environments where 

glyphosphate is applied. Potential study areas 

and selected collecting sites were surveyed 

after coordinating with local agencies that 

use herbicides. Samples were analyzed for 

chlorinated pesticides, PCBs, triazine herbicides, phenoxy acid herbicides, and glyphosate. 

Preliminary results are being reviewed and data 

reduction and reporting will be completed in 

FY 2006.

Water Resource Protection—Aquatic Resource 

Professionals

Prior to funding provided by the Natural 

Resource Challenge, only 20 parks had aquatic 

resource professionals on staff. Founders of 

the Challenge recognized the need to increase 

professional expertise and to employ more 

park-based aquatic resource professionals to 

address water resource-related issues and to 

develop more comprehensive and programmatic 

approaches to aquatic resource protection at the 

park level. These new professional staff provide 

technical assistance to parks, identify and conduct technical investigations to determine the 

condition of park aquatic resources, determine 

if actions of the National Park Service or external parties impair or impact resources, assist in 

developing and implementing aquatic resource 

mitigation and restoration projects, and interpret and implement National Park Service water 

resource-related policies and regulations.

In FY 2005, fifteen positions were fully funded 

for aquatic resource specialists. Twelve of the 

positions are duty-stationed in parks, and there is 

one position in the Sonoran Network Office, the 

Center for Urban Ecology in the National Capital 

Region, and the Utah State Office. Primary areas 

of focus include hydrology, fisheries ecology, 

wetlands, and geomorphology.

Noteworthy accomplishments of the aquatic 

resource professionals are:

• The groundwater hydrologist supporting the 

Southern Plains and Heartland Networks’ 

parks served as technical liaison to a state 

sponsored aquifer study and worked to support an evaluation of the potential impacts of 

a proposed large-scale groundwater development on basin water resources affecting 

Chickasaw National Recreation Area, provided technical support to the development of a 

flood evacuation plan for Fort Davis 

National Historic Site with the aim of protecting park natural resources, infrastructure, and/

or visitors, and provided technical support for 

a fluvial geomorphic assessment at Homestead 

National Monument.

• The fishery biologist at the Sonoran Desert 

Network assisted the Northern Colorado 

Plateau Network with completing fish databases for 8 parks including: Arches National 

Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison 

National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, 

Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef 

National Park, Curecanti National 

Recreation Area, Dinosaur National 

Monument, and Zion National Park.

• The geomorphologist, who supports the 

networks parks of the Pacific West Region, 

assessed causes of erosion and assisted in 

developing a plan for protecting John Muir’s 

gravesite at John Muir National Historic Site, 

and assessed causes of river flooding at Mount 

Rainier National Park.

• The wetlands ecologist, who supports the 

networks parks of the Southeast, conducted 

a wetland delineation at Tuskegee Airmen 

National Historic Site in response to a proposed Development Concept Plan, conducted a 

fish inventory and final report for Guilford 

Courthouse National Military Park, provided technical assistance and oversight for wetland and stream restoration plans provided 

through the Corporate Wetlands Restoration 

Project at Chattahoochee National Recreation Area, and provided Timucuan National 

Historic Site with a wetland delineation and 

assessment of potential impacts to open water 

and marsh habitat from the proposed Cedar 

Point boat ramp project.

• The fishery biologist, who supports the networks parks of the Southeast, assisted in the 

restoration of shoal bass in Chattahoochee 
48 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

River National Recreation Area, in partnership with Georgia Department of Natural 

Resources with aid from Georgia Power and 

Piedmont College.

• The hydrologist, who supports the networks 

parks of the Northeast, helped develop a flood 

analysis report at Delaware Water Gap 

National Recreation Area. This report was 

prepared in response to an emergency request 

by the Superintendent following two major 

flood incidents.

Water Resource Technical Assistance

Water Resource Technical Assistance was the 

fundamental component of the Water Resources 

Program before the Natural Resource 

Challenge and has not been expanded with 

Challenge funding. Through this effort, the 

Water Resources Program provides direct assistance to parks on high priority needs using a combination of its own staff and expertise acquired 

through cooperative agreements. Examples of 

technical assistance accomplishments in FY 2005 

are:

• Assisted in the planning for native trout restoration in Great Basin National Park, Great 

Sand Dunes National Park, and Rocky 

Mountain National Park.

• Assisted in the development and review of 

marine resource protection strategies for Dry 

Tortugas National Park.

• Provided assistance for the development of 

alternative wastewater discharge locations at 

Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

• Collaborated with other Interior and nonfederal interests to advance the level of scientific information available to decision makers for 

Arbuckle-Simpson ground water aquifer in 

southeastern Oklahoma to protect resources at 

Chickasaw National Recreation Area.

• Provided continuing assistance to Olympic 

National Park related to the proposed removal of two dams on the Elwha River, including assisting in the development of a sediment 

monitoring plan and interpretation of the results of a physical modeling study of sediment 

redistribution and release.

• Participated in the development of Fisheries 

Management Plans for Biscayne National 

Park and Isle Royale National Park.

• Provided assistance to Cape Cod National 

Seashore on the potential impact of groundwater withdrawals from wells at the North 

Truro Air Base.

Watershed Condition Assessment Program

Fiscal Year 2005 was the third year for the recently established Watershed Condition Assessment 

Program, a Natural Resource Challenge-funded 

program geared to assessing watershed conditions on a System-wide basis. The Watershed 

Condition Assessment Program integrates data 

and knowledge pertaining to water and other 

watershed resources to help define desired conditions and assess existing conditions within 

park managed uplands, streams, riparian areas, 

wetlands, and coastal/marine areas. The information developed through assessments of watershed resource conditions contributes to information needs of park planning, resource protection, 

and resource restoration activities. Information 

developed by the Watershed Condition Assessment Program complements the Inventory & 

Monitoring Program to develop science-based 

information on conditions and trends relative 

to important park resources. Information from 

these Challenge programs will be useful to parks 

as they develop Resource Stewardship Strategies 

and are fundamental to the needs of the Department of the Interior Strategic Plan that identifies 

the health of landscapes and watersheds as a key 

outcome goal.

Program efforts in FY 2005 emphasized continuation of baseline condition assessments at 

coastal and marine parks, continued development of a compendium of watershed assessment methods and classification systems for 

potential use by parks, and funding support to 

the competitive project program for backlogged 

watershed resource and water quality assessment 

projects. Two full-time staff members provide 

dedicated support to implement long-range 

program components including assistance on 

coordination of resource assessments in managed coastal/marine environments and overseeing 

the transition to a systematic program of parkbased assessments of watershed resource conditions.

As of FY 2005, the Water Resources Program 

has initiated condition assessments of 41 ocean 

and Great Lakes parks with more planned for 

FY 2006. These reports provide baseline condition assessments and valuable insights use by 

park managers into factors affecting the health 

of park resources for. Through the Cooperative 

Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs), university 

scientists review and synthesize existing information to determine the status of coastal park 

resources, including water quality, habitat condition, invasive and feral species, extractive uses, 

physical impacts from resource use and coastal 

development, and other issues affecting their 

condition. Recommendations are then made 

concerning needs for further studies to address 

known resource problems and/or fill information 

gaps in order to more fully evaluate conditions.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 49

Final coastal watershed assessment reports were 

published for Padre Island National Seashore, 

Cape Lookout National Seashore, Timucuan 

Ecological and Historic Preserve, Gulf Islands 

National Seashore, and Cumberland Island 

National Seashore in FY 2005. Water Resources 

Program staff work collaboratively with programs such as the U.S. EPA National Coastal 

Assessment, USGS, NOAA, state and local 

agencies, watershed councils, landowners, and 

other community stakeholders to address issues 

cooperatively on a local watershed or regional 

oceanographic scale.

In FY 2005, Water Condition Assessment 

Program funding also supported projects that 

addressed emerging, high-priority, park watershed condition issues that, because of the applicable time frames, could not be appropriately 

directed through the competitive project funding program. Examples of FY 2005 new starts 

include water quality sampling and analyses to 

determine the concentrations of water quality 

parameters that may impact the overall health of 

the Devils Hole Pupfish in Death Valley National Park and a baseline evaluation of tributarystream conditions in Ozark National Scenic 

Riverways.

Water Quality Monitoring

Fiscal Year 2005 was the fifth year of funding 

for the Water Quality Monitoring component 

of the Natural Resource Challenge, a program 

specifically intended to track and support the 

attainment of water quality standards in units 

of the National Park System as required by NPS 

and DOI Strategic Plans. The National Park 

Service is committed to significantly reduce the 

number of stream and river miles and acres of 

lakes and marine areas that do not meet water 

quality standards. As part of this goal, parks are 

also committed to protecting unimpaired 

water quality from future impairment, including 

waters classified as Outstanding National Resource Waters or state-equivalent listed waters. 

Additionally, parks are committed to working 

with state Clean Water Act programs, as well as 

taking appropriate management actions within 

parks, to support the restoration of impaired 

water bodies in parks to an unimpaired condition. Presently, about 118 park units have one or 

more waterbodies that do not meet state water 

quality standards for one or more pollutants on 

approximately 1,770 miles of rivers and streams 

and 1,100,000 acres of lakes, reservoirs, estuaries and marine areas. Planning and design of the 

program continues to be implemented in full 

integration with the Inventory & Monitoring 

Program. By fully integrating the design of these 

programs, considerable cost efficiencies have and 

will continue to be realized in staffing, planning 

and design, administration, implementation, data 

management, and reporting.

In FY 2005, full water quality monitoring funding was allocated to all 32 NPS Vital Signs 

Monitoring Networks. The networks fully committed their water quality funding to compilation 

of background information, analysis of issues 

and threats, detailed program planning, and 

supporting synoptic-level field assessments, and 

initiation of finalized monitoring plans. Network 

planning approaches included hiring personnel, 

in-house allocation of staff, equipment acquisitions, CESU and other university cooperative 

agreements, and USGS Interagency Agreements. 

All 32 networks accomplished one or more of 

the following activities:

• Network water quality planning workshops

• Historic data compilations and analyses

• Information on state-listed impaired waters 

and park “outstanding” waters

• Documentation of significant water quality 

stressors/threats

• Synoptic inventory studies in support of detailed statistical design

• Database management and GIS support programs

• Development of water quality monitoring protocols.

The Water Resources Program continues to support network water quality monitoring programs 

by providing national program administration 

and reporting, establishing baseline inventories 

and analyses of available water quality data, 

supporting digitization of legacy data from 

analog reports and other archival materials, establishing a Servicewide water quality database 

in the EPA-STORET (short for STOrage and 

RETrieval) national water quality database, and 

developing the means to flow data from the 

Networks into STORET. Three water quality 

research associates and a student worked to support this database development, management, 

and reporting activities through cooperative 

agreements with Colorado State University.
50 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

If space allows, it is recommended that the text begin on the opposite page and that this page contain photographic or illustrative material. 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 51

Chris Ferqueron of the Southeast 

Regional Office and Don of 

Earthbalance at Buck Island Reef 

National Monument.

This chapter focuses on accomplishments in 

programs primarily directed at developing reliable information for resource management. Detailed financial information related to these goals 

appears in Chapter 5. Programs included are:

• Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units

• Geographic Information System Program

• Inventory and Monitoring Program

• Natural Resource Data and Information 

Program

• Research Learning Centers

COOPERATIVE ECOSYSTEM STUDIES UNITS 

(CESUs)

Cumulative Increases: $1,993,000 (FY 2001 and 

FY 2003)

FY 2005 Allocation: $131,000

FY 2005 Available: $129,000

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs) 

are multi-agency partnerships with the nation’s 

universities and other institutions, organized 

around biogeographic areas. Seventeen individual CESUs are part of a national network that 

has been competitively established with leadership from the Park Service, USGS, and other 

Federal agencies. Currently, 12 federal agencies 

participate in the CESU Network, along with 

181 universities (including 42 minority institutions) and 24 state, tribal, and non-governmental 

partners. As an innovative partnership among 

federal agencies and the nation’s universities, 

CESUs are delivering a responsive program of 

high quality research, technical assistance, and 

education for the multi-disciplinary resource 

management needs of national parks.

CESU funds from the Natural Resource Challenge are allocated to the regions for a coordinator at each host university in each of the CESUs. 

Coordinators work with park managers to 

identify research, technical assistance, and education needs, and to provide specialized expertise 

and assistance available from the universities 

and other federal agency partners in the CESU 

Network. Remaining available funds support 

research, technical assistance, and educational 

activities as well as operating expenses.

Challenge funding to support Park Service 

participation in 5 of the 17 CESUs is not 

currently available. Current funding supports 

coordinators at 12 CESUs and a portion of the 

National Coordinator Program Office. Regional 

offices help support NPS participation in these 

five CESUs, through funding from collateral 

duties or assigning additional responsibilities to 

existing coordinators.

In FY 2005, the National Park Service received a 

total of $1.985 million to support NPS participation in each of 12 Cooperative Ecosystem Studies 

Units (CESUs). A total of 635 NPS projects were 

administered through CESUs and supported 

a diverse range of funding sources that totaled 

over $32 million dollars.

A synthesis of key themes for 2005 CESU programs are provided below.

• CESUs continue to observe an upward trend 

in interdisciplinary, social science, and cultural resource projects. The expertise available 

to administer these projects is becoming 

increasingly diverse and management needs 

continue to be well-served by CESUs.

• The integration of natural and cultural resources in key projects is becoming an important 

priority for several CESUs. For example, 

CESUs in the Intermountain Region were 

involved in planning a Grazing Workshop at 

Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, 

a Heritage Orchard Maintenance Workshop 

at Capitol Reef National Park, a workshop 

for Bryce Canyon National Park on writing 

Cultural Landscape Reports, and a Sustainable 

Vertebrate Pest Management Workshop at 

southern Arizona parks.

• CESUs continue to play an important role 

in organizing and conducting workshops, 

symposia, regional summits, and training sessions on important research and management 

issues. For example, the Rocky Mountains 

CESU funded and/or participated in seven 

educational workshops and science symposia. 

These workshops typically include multiple 

agencies and CESU partners. The Great Plains 

CESU sponsored the 32nd annual Natural 

Areas Association Conference. The Great 

Lakes-Northern Forest CESU coordinated and 

co-sponsored the 4th annual Western Great 

Lakes Research Conference. The Chesapeake 

Watershed CESU sponsored a Grasslands 

Restoration Workshop. The North Atlantic 

Coast CESU sponsored a series of workshops 

on basic statistical methods for park managers 

and scientists.

• CESU coordinators are providing key services 

to Inventory and Monitoring Networks. For 

example, coordinators help locate expertise 

and facilitate projects to assist in conducting 

inventories, developing conceptual models, 

Chapter Four: Progress in Learning About Our Parks' 

Natural Resources
52 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

writing monitoring protocols, reviewing 

reports, and conducting peer reviews. In 

FY 2004 and in FY 2005, approximately one 

third of NPS funding administered through 

CESUs was from Inventory and Monitoring 

Networks.

• Collaboration with Natural Resource Challenge programs and other Servicewide programs has increased. CESU coordinators work 

with Research Learning Centers, Exotic Plant 

Management Teams, and the Inventory and 

Monitoring Program to facilitate productive 

synergy among multiple programs funded by 

the Challenge.

• Opportunities for undergraduate and graduate 

students to become involved in NPS projects 

is increasing due to increased encouragement to participate in internship programs, 

design of degree programs, and student career 

positions. For example, at the North & West 

Alaska CESU, five graduate and undergraduate 

projects were initiated in response to park 

needs. These projects related to interpretative 

training, ethnography fieldwork, and treeline 

response to climate change. The Colorado 

Plateau CESU, in cooperation with Grand 

Canyon National Park and the Grand Canyon Association, established an annual graduate student fellowship of $30,000 per year. 

The North Atlantic Coast CESU supported a 

student intern at Assateague Islands National 

Seashore. The Gulf Coast CESU supported 

three diversity students working in parks during the summer of 2005, coordinated with 

other CESUs to facilitate the attendance of 28 

diverse students at the George Wright Society 

Conference, and worked closely with the Student Conservation Association.

• CESU coordinators continue to collaborate 

with each other to ensure that parks in their 

respective region have access to the best available expertise from across the entire CESU 

Network.

Highlights of FY 2005 project accomplishments 

include:

• A project to assess the conditions of streams 

and associated wetlands in Harpers Ferry 

National Historical Park was funded by the 

Natural Resource Preservation Program. A 

cooperative agreement with the University 

of Maryland allowed university researchers 

to work with park staff to characterize the 

physical and chemical conditions of selected 

streams and associated wetlands at the parks, 

to inventory macroinvertebrates inhabiting 

these streams and wetlands, and to identify 

aquatic habitats that are sensitive to environmental degradation from pest management 

activities and other human interventions. Nine 

reaches of streams were sampled at least 6 

times for habitat conditions, water chemistry, 

and macroinvertebrates. Preliminary results 

provide evidence of some stream degradation, 

including relatively low invertebrate diversity, 

erosion of channel and substrate, and the presence of pollution tolerant invertebrate taxa. 

This baseline information is important to park 

managers so that they can work to restore 

degraded habitats and protect relatively pristine communities that are likely to be sensitive 

to environmental changes.

• A study in Rocky Mountain National Park by 

New Mexico State University and the USGS, 

concluded that human and road-related disturbance negatively affected bighorn sheep's use 

of a mineral site at Sheep Lakes. In this study, 

as the number of vehicles and people present at Sheep Lakes increased, the amount of 

time and the number of attempts required 

to successfully cross the road by bighorn 

sheep increased. At times, during the summer 

months, up to 400 vehicles per hour passed 

through the area. The findings from this research will directly inform the park as they 

develop a Bighorn Sheep Management Plan, 

in cooperation with the Colorado Division of 

Wildlife. Funding from the Natural Resource 

Challenge in collaboration with the Continental Divide Research Learning Center and 

obligated through the Colorado Plateau CESU 

Cooperative Agreement made this research 

possible.

• Fiscal year 2005 was the last of three years 

of “seed money” funding through the Desert 

Southwest CESU to “grow” the Hummingbird 

Monitoring Network into its own non-profit 

organization. The Hummingbird Monitoring 

Network achieved non-profit status this year, 

and will no longer be supported by the National Park Service and the Arizona-Sonora Desert 

Museum. The Network operates 27 monitoring sites from Arizona to British Columbia and 

is looking to expand into Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. Monitoring sites span the CESU 

membership roster with national parks, national forests, Indian reservations, military installations, university and non-profit preserves, 

and private lands. Besides collecting important 

data on hummingbird populations that can be 

used by land managers, many volunteers and 

students are learning valuable skills.

• Interns from the Sonoran Institute are working alongside NPS field personnel conducting 

both social and physical sciences research and 

developing recommendations for park management on appropriate trail locations, trail designations, and areas that require restoration to a 

natural setting at Sequoia National Park. Trail 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 53

The integration of natural and cultural resources in key projects is an 

important priority for CESUs. While 

native Hawaiian master masons reconstruct the fishpond wall at KalokoHonokohau National Historical Park, a 

CESU funded project documents their 

techniques and craftsmanship.

Dr. William Lamp and Michelle Haube 

of University of Maryland-College 

Park, collecting aquatic samples in a 

small stream in Harper Ferry National 

Historical Park..

recommendations will be vetted in the suite of 

alternatives presented in the General Management Plan for the park.

• The Southwest Center of the University of 

Arizona is producing two half-hour programs 

for the PBS series The Desert Speaks on the 

subject of the drought that is affecting the 

southwestern United States and northwestern 

Mexico. The first program will focus locally on 

the effects of the current drought which causes 

the loss of desert plants in Organ Pipe Cactus 

National Monument and Saguaro National 

Park, and mortality of upland and coniferous 

plants in Chiricahua National Monument. 

The second program will focus on historical 

droughts that have affected the greater Southwest, demonstrated by tree-ring evidence from 

bristlecone pines in the White Mountains of 

California, giant sequoias in Sequoia National 

Park, and from dwarf Douglas fir trees in 

El Malpais National Monument. The current drought will be placed in the context of 

historical droughts. Nationally, an estimated 6 

million people view The Desert Speaks so this is 

an excellent venue in which to have resource 

issues facing the southwestern national parks 

presented to the public.

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM PROGRAM

FY 2005 Allocation: $1,291,000

Available: $1,273,000

The goal of the NPS Geographic Information 

System (GIS) Program is to provide quality 

geospatial data, information, and applications 

utilizing GIS for park planning, program operations, and scientifically-based management of 

park resources. Today, most NPS units utilize 

GIS technology and data. GIS provides powerful visualization and analysis tools to assist park 

managers with resource management problems. 

GIS allows resource managers to bring together 

and geographically link information that otherwise would be impossible to integrate and 

enhances the abilities of managers to discover 

changes, patterns, and trends in resources over 

time.

GIS technology has contributed to NPS 

resource management since the mid-1970s, 

when Yosemite and Great Smoky Mountains 

National Parks embarked on the first geospatial 

projects. The funded program originated as a 

natural resource program and many GIS data 

layers remain natural resource related, but 

the technology has been adapted for various 

cultural resource disciplines, facility location 

information, interpretation, and other uses 

throughout the National Park System. The 

NPS GIS Program is now led by the Office 

of the Chief information Officer (OCIO), in 

recognition of its broad applicability across 

many NPS program. The funding essentially 

operates as seed funding and is distributed to 

regions to support a combination of Regional 

Technical Support Centers (RTSCs), in addition 

to a natural resource GIS coordinator located 

in the Natural Resource Program Center. The 

Natural Resource GIS Coordinator serves on the 

NPS GIS Committee, along with regional, park, 

and program members, to represent the NPS 

GIS community and provide policy, funding, 

and operational recommendations to the Chief 

Information Officer and the Associate Director 

of Natural Resource Stewardship and Science. 

Additionally, there is significant coordination 

with the Department of the Interior through the 

Enterprise Geospatial Information Management 

team and across government through the Federal 

Geographic Data Committee (FGDC).

In FY 2005, approximately half of the GIS 

program funding supported park and regional 

staff or partners. About one-third of the funding financed projects with the balance covering 

other support costs. This funding is matched 

about ten-fold for efforts undertaken by, or coordinated through the RTSCs.

Highlights of 2005 GIS projects are summarized 

below:

• The NR GIS Program implemented an integrated information system called the Natural 

Resource and Servicewide GIS (NR and GIS) 

Data Store System in 2005. The system integrates several, disparate legacy metadata and data 

services into one interoperable set of web and 

desktop applications. The Data Store is based 

on standards set by the FGDC, industry, and 

DOI, as well as NPS-specific requirements.

• A GIS team at Grand Teton National Park

created 135 random transects (grid and line) 

with navigation points in alpine, aspen, cottonwood, sage, and willow habitats types for the 

Greater Yellowstone Network’s land bird 

monitoring project. GIS analysis techniques 

were used to create each habitat type and the 

random transects. Navigation points were used 

by field biologists to make bird observations 

along each transect. A hybrid MS Access/ESRI 

geodatabase was created to store the entire 

project’s spatial data (transect and navigation 

point locations) and field observations for bird 

species.

• Since May of 2005, an Arctic I&M Network 

data-mining project has been underway to 

compile a spatial database of previous fisheries 

work within the network’s five park units. ABR 

Inc. and the Alaska Natural Heritage Program 

were contracted to compile lists of possible 
54 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

references. The resulting bibliography was 

used to compile past fish collection locations, 

species composition data, and related aquatics information. The Network is collaborating 

with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game 

to utilize their spatial database to store and 

share the fish data. The end goal is to produce 

a map that synthesizes existing knowledge 

and helps determine locations for future data 

collection. All five Arctic Network units will be 

surveyed over the next three summers starting 

with the Noatak National Preserve.

• A GIS team at Big Cypress National Park

supported the Wildland Fuels Vegetation 

Mapping project initiative by identifying habitats suitable for sampling and assisting with the 

field protocols. The project was directed by the 

South Florida and Caribbean I&M Network, 

and included a Fire Return Interval Departure 

(FRID) analysis map based on historical burn 

records. The Preserve’s Resource Management 

biologists used GIS extensively to map several 

state-listed or threatened and endangered species, including the Florida panther, the RedCockaded woodpecker, and the Big Cypress 

fox squirrel.

INVENTORY AND MONITORING PROGRAM (I&M)

FY 2005 Allocation: $36,932,000

Available: $39,522,000

This program provides park managers with information about what they manage (inventories) 

and the condition of the resources they manage 

(monitoring) so that science-based informed 

decisions can be made about actions that affect 

natural resources. The program, which began 

in the early 1990s, has expanded greatly as a 

result of Natural Resource Challenge increases. 

In FY 2000, the National Park Service organized 270 natural resource parks into a system of 

32 networks to provide an efficient means of 

carrying out expanded inventory and monitoring (I&M) activities. The program as a whole 

increased from its 1999 level by nearly seven-fold 

by FY 2005. In FY 2005, the program received a 

net increase of $2,590,000.

Through this program, each of the parks involved is to obtain 12 basic inventory products and 

park networks are to develop and implement 

programs to monitor the most critical vital signs 

(indicators of park ecosystem health) in all parks 

with significant natural resources. The vital signs 

monitoring portion of the program began in 

FY 2001. Earlier designed prototype monitoring 

programs serving 22 parks continue, and provide 

Eastern massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus catenatus) rattlesnake at 

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. 

Inventory work at the park resulted 

in the first documentation of a juvenile Eastern massasauga rattlesnake 

in several decades.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 55

assistance to the more extensive but less intensive vital signs monitoring programs carried out 

through networks.

As of FY 2005, more than 1,750 park data sets 

had been completed. This resulted in seven 

essentially completed inventory data sets for all 

natural resource parks (natural resource bibliographies, vertebrate and vascular plant species 

lists, base cartography data, baseline water 

quality data, water body location and classification, air quality data, and meteorological data) 

in addition to making progress on the remaining five inventories. Additionally, 24 networks 

encompassing 207 parks have been funded to 

monitor vital signs. The 24 networks are involved 

in a three-phase planning process to develop 

quality, peer-reviewed monitoring program designs that will provide the best possible information for management use. The first 24 networks 

completed the vital signs identification phase 

(phase 2 of 3). In these networks, the following 

categories of vital signs predominated: land use/

cover change, weather and climate, water chemistry, surface water dynamics, bird distribution 

and abundance, and mammal populations.

The I&M program directly achieves goals of 

the National Park Service strategic plan. The 

Service’s inventory goal had a target in FY 2005 

to complete 1,771 (64.0 percent) of the 2,767 

outstanding data sets. The Service fell slightly 

short of accomplishing that goal by completing 

an additional 131 data sets in FY 2005, bringing 

the total to 1,761 (63.6 percent) of the outstanding datasets. The Service’s FY 2005 goal that 80 

percent (216) of the 270 parks with significant 

natural resources identify their vital signs was 

exceeded. As a direct result of the strategy of 

organizing parks into 32 vital signs monitoring 

networks, 222 parks (82.2 percent) had identified their vital signs, compared to the annual goal 

of 216 parks. In the new strategic plan, the Park 

Service will focus on implementing the measurement of park vital signs, rather than identifying 

them; this is a direct result of new funding under 

the Natural Resource Challenge.

Universities, other non-governmental entities, 

and non-NPS government agencies produced 

inventory and monitoring products totaling more 

than $13 million during the year. Efficiencies and 

leveraging was obtained by partnering. For example, in FY 2005, I&M funding was combined 

with funding from USGS and the NPS Fire Program to further accelerate vegetation mapping. 

The Alaska land cover mapping project is being 

accomplished by combining I&M funding with 

a variety of cooperative projects, including those 

with the USGS, Ducks Unlimited, National Wetlands Inventory, and the University of Alaska.

This section focuses on activities administered 

and funded through the Inventory and Monitoring Program including:

• Inventories

• Monitoring

Inventories

Natural resource inventories, which are being conducted as part of the Natural Resource 

Challenge, are revealing many new and exciting 

insights into the natural resources contained in 

parks. Not only are the investigations increasing 

our knowledge and understanding about park 

resources, but the information being provided is 

also being used to address a wide variety of resource management issues and activities.

The Inventory component of the National Park 

Service Inventory and Monitoring Program reports to the strategic planning goal on Natural 

Resource Inventories that states that by 

Basic Data Sets

End of FY 2005 End Of FY 2006 End Of FY 2007 FY 2008-10 1

Completed Completed Completed To be Completed

Natural Resource Bibliographies 270 270 270 N/A

Base Cartography Data 270 270 270 N/A

Species Lists 270 270 270 N/A

Species Occurrence and Distribution 44 100 200 70

Vegetation Maps 62 80 116 154

Soils Maps 70 100 130 140

Geology Maps 68 100 141 129

Water Body Location and Classification 270 270 270 N/A

Baseline Water Quality Data 270 270 270 N/A

Air Quality Data 270 270 270 N/A

Air Quality-Related Values 100 150 175 95

Meteorological Data 270 270 270 N/A

1

 The Servicewide program acquires basic inventory data sets for about 270 parks with significant natural resources. 

However, some parks have acquired some of these data sets and a few parks may not need all 12 sets. To be completed 

column reflects the number of parks Servicewide with outstanding needs.
56 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

September 30, 2005, acquisition or development of 64 percent (1,771) of the 2,767 outstanding data sets identified in 2002 of basic natural 

resource inventories for all parks will be complete. The number of outstanding datasets was 

increased to 2,767 in FY 2002 when vegetation 

maps were added to the baseline inventories. 

The Service completed an additional 131 datasets in FY 2005, bringing the total to 1,761 (63.6 

percent) of the outstanding datasets. The Service 

fell slightly short of achieving the target for the 

Natural Resource Inventories in FY 2005 because most parks will require an additional year 

to certify the accuracy of the biological (vertebrates and vascular plants) field inventories, 

even though most of those field inventories were 

completed and data sets available by the end of 

FY 2005.

The increased funding for natural resource 

inventories received through the Natural Resource Challenge since FY 2000 is allowing the 

National Park Service to significantly increase 

the rate at which the basic natural resource 

inventories are completed. By combining Challenge funding, with funds previously available 

for inventories, the Service now estimates that 

it will complete the basic resource inventories 

for all 270 natural resource parks over a period 

of approximately 10–12 years, rather than the 

20–25 years projected to complete the inventories prior to receiving the additional Natural Resource Challenge funding.

The Washington Office works closely with park 

resource managers and others to obtain information about which of the 12 basic natural resource inventories are of highest priority to the 

parks for addressing various resource management and protection issues, updating resource 

management plans, or developing management 

actions in response to a particular threat to park 

resources. Priorities were revised in fiscal 1997 

and are currently being used to establish Servicewide strategies for completing the inventories.

In FY 2005, inventory funding was devoted 

primarily to six of the 12 basic inventory categories: species occurrence and distribution, vegetation mapping, soils mapping, geologic resource 

inventories, baseline water quality data inventories, and Air Quality Related Values (AQRV’s).

As in previous years, biological surveys in 

FY 2005 resulted in species new to science, 

documentation of range extensions of species, 

and species newly documented for parks. Some 

highlights from FY 2005 inventory efforts are 

briefly described below.

• Four new plant species were added to park 

records at Fossil Butte National Monument. 

Although none of the species are rare in Wyoming, three of the species; glandular willowherb, 

sawatch knotweed, and combleaf cinquefoil 

were found at the limit of their elevational 

range. These populations may be especially 

sensitive to global climate change and will be 

monitored for expansions and contractions.

• New caves were discovered at Mammoth 

Cave National Park during efforts in 2005 to 

inventory bats. In May 2005, during the second 

(and final) year of a bat inventory at Mammoth 

Cave National Park, a state-listed (“special 

concern”) pregnant female Rafinesque’s bigeared bat was captured, fitted with a radio 

transmitter, and released. The next day, park 

interns equipped with a radio receiver, picked 

up the signal and followed it to a previously 

unknown pit cave on the park. The discovery 

of maternity caves on the park will provide 

Mammoth Cave National Park resource managers with important population trend information for this species that can be incorporated into a cave bat monitoring protocol.

• Current inventory work at Channel Islands 

National Park has led to the discovery of a 

species of garter snake on Santa Rosa Island 

that was previously not known to exist on 

any of the Channel Islands. Researchers are 

tentatively calling this species the aquatic 

garter snake, pending confirmation of species 

identification through genetic testing. Based on 

past studies together with additions from the 

current inventory study, Santa Cruz remains 

the most species-rich of the Channel Islands, 

with three amphibian species and five reptile 

species.

• Of significant note in 2005 is the web based 

platform developed by North Carolina State 

University to display National Park Service 

I&M natural resource information. This 

easy to navigate web system allows resource 

managers and the general public to display 

and query field plot information via a standard 

web browser. The same program enables field 

scientists to inspect, edit, and augment their 

field data without the intervening use of field 

sheets or data transcriptions. The program 

generates both standard field reports and interpreted maps.

• Inventory work at Indiana Dunes National 

Lakeshore resulted in documentation of a 

juvenile Eastern massasauga rattlesnake. This 

was an important finding for the Lakeshore as 

it is the first verification in several decades, and 

it will influence management actions both inside and outside of the park. Key results from 

inventories of rare and exotic plants at Indiana 

Dunes and Sleeping Bear Dunes National 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 57

Lakeshores include first time documentation 

of two rare plant species and two exotic plant 

species at Sleeping Bear Dunes and the mapping of 205 populations of the rare Pitcher’s 

thistle and 335 populations of exotic plants at 

Indiana Dunes.

• Trapping surveys at four wetlands in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation 

Area confirmed the presence of the federally 

threatened bog turtle at a wetland where they 

had not been observed for almost 20 years. 

This significant finding led to a follow-up 

project that captured and radio-tracked two 

bog turtles. Research results from the radiotracking project demonstrated extensive use 

of the wetland by bog turtles and documented 

critical microhabitats including the locations of 

hibernacula.

• North Carolina State University researchers 

have developed and published a protocol for 

constructing wildfire fuel load maps based on 

digital vegetation maps and the corresponding 

digital photo mosaics generated by the I&M 

Program. This protocol allows for the rapid 

development of fuel load models for both 

spring and fall fire conditions and the consequent deployment of these models into the 

on-going National Park Service wildfire planning effort. This methodology will assist the 

development of plans to minimize wildfire risk 

to lives and property of persons living within 

or near Northeastern National Parks.

• Inventory work has resulted in 37 additions 

to Arctic Network park mammal species lists. 

Park resource managers were excited to find a 

tiny shrew, one of the most poorly documented small mammals in North America, in Bering 

Land Bridge National Preserve, Gates of the 

Arctic National Park and Preserve, and Cape 

Krusenstern National Monument. Major 

range extensions were also documented for the 

barren ground shrew.

Monitoring

Natural resource monitoring provides sitespecific information needed to understand 

and identify change in complex, variable, and 

imperfectly understood natural systems and to 

determine whether observed changes are within 

natural levels of variability or may be indicators 

of unwanted human influences. Thus, monitoring provides a basis for understanding and 

identifying meaningful change in natural systems 

characterized by complexity, variability, and surprises. Monitoring data help to define the normal limits of natural variation in park resources 

and provide a basis for understanding observed 

changes. Monitoring results may be used to 

determine what constitutes impairment and to 

identify the need to initiate or change management practices. Understanding the dynamic 

nature of park ecosystems and the consequences 

of human activities is essential for management 

decision-making aimed at maintaining, enhancing, or restoring the ecological integrity of park 

ecosystems, and to avoid, minimize, or mitigate 

ecological threats to these systems.

The intent of park vital signs monitoring is 

to track a subset of physical, chemical, and 

biological elements and processes of park ecosystems that are selected to represent the overall 

health or condition of park resources, known 

or hypothesized effects of stressors, or elements 

that have important human values. The elements 

and processes that are monitored are a subset 

of the total suite of natural resources that park 

managers are directed to preserve “unimpaired 

for future generations,” including water, air, 

geological resources, plants and animals, and 

the various ecological, biological, and physical processes that act on those resources. The 

broad-based, scientifically sound information 

obtained through natural resource monitoring 

will have multiple applications for management decision-making, research, education, 

and promoting public understanding of park 

resources.

During the development of the vision for park

 vital signs monitoring, it was clear that a “one 

size fits all” approach to monitoring design 

would not be effective in the National Park 

Service considering the tremendous variability 

among parks in ecological conditions, sizes, and 

management capabilities. A primary purpose of 

vital signs monitoring is to provide park managers with the data they need to understand and 

manage park resources, and the data most relevant to different types of park systems should 

be expected to be very different. Furthermore, 

partnerships with federal and state agencies and 

adjacent landowners are critical to effectively 

understand and manage the many resources and 

threats that extend beyond park boundaries, 

but these partnerships (and the appropriate ecological indicators and methodologies involved) 

differ for parks throughout the national park 

system.

The amount of funding available for vital signs 

monitoring allows most parks to monitor only 

a few indicators. The Park Service has adopted 

a strategic approach to maximize the use and 

relevance of the monitoring data at the park level 

by allowing each network of parks to determine 

what they will monitor based on their most 

critical data needs and local partnership opportunities. Parks are encouraged to use or modify 

standard protocols and partner with existing 
58 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

programs wherever possible to allow comparability and synthesis of data. The Servicewide 

monitoring program will coordinate the development of standardized protocols and approaches 

where appropriate, but decisions on what should 

be monitored and the most appropriate protocols to follow are made at the network level.

The most common park vital signs and the 

number of parks identified by 24 networks as 

a top priority are summarized in the adjacent 

table. In these networks, the following categories of vital signs predominated: land use/cover 

change, weather and climate, water chemistry, 

surface water dynamics, bird distribution and 

abundance, and mammal populations. However, 

these vital signs will not be finalized until all networks have completed the protocol design phase 

and negotiations with partners on options for 

implementation are completed. Only the first 12 

networks have fully completed this process.

As of the end of FY 2005, 24 of the 32 networks 

had been funded for condition monitoring, and 

the remaining 8 networks received initial planning funds. The resulting scientifically sound 

information is critical for designing strategies to 

protect and restore natural resources, for working with others whose actions influence resource 

conditions, and for measuring the condition of 

park resources.

The Vital Signs Monitoring component of the 

I&M Program reports to two NPS Strategic 

Planning Goals concerned with Vital Signs 

Identification and Vital Signs Implementation. Both goals were exceeded. By the end of 

FY 2005, as a direct result of the strategy of 

organizing parks into 32 vital signs monitoring networks, 222 parks (82 percent, compared 

to the goal of 80 percent) had identified their 

vital signs and 104 parks (38 percent) had 

implemented vital signs monitoring. The planning and design efforts involved with the vital 

signs monitoring program are seen as a unifying 

program within the National Park Service that 

brings parks and programs together to promote 

consistency and cost-effectiveness. Some major 

accomplishments associated with park vital signs 

monitoring in FY 2005 included:

• providing funding, guidance, and technical 

support to 24 vital signs monitoring networks 

(207 park units) for development of an integrated monitoring program;

• providing start-up funding to the remaining 

8 networks to allow them to hire a network 

coordinator and data manager for inventories 

and begin working with network parks on 

initial monitoring planning activities;

• providing full funding to the 11 prototype 

monitoring programs (22 park units); and

• continued development and implementation 

of an activity-based accountability report for 

all monitoring networks, including a budgettracking component.

Inventory and monitoring are critical for costeffective, accountable resource management 

informed by scientific information. For most 

parks, vital signs monitoring is the primary 

means of measuring the status and trends in the 

condition of park resources and determining 

progress towards natural resource performance 

goals. Thus, long-term monitoring is a central 

component of an effective natural resource 

management program. Profiled below are examples of how these studies have benefited parks 

during FY 2005.

• The Gulf Coast Network was able to acquire 

new imagery and LIDAR (Light Distance And 

Ranging) data shortly after hurricane Katrina 

passed over the coast of Mississippi. The USGS 

provides GIS-ready data sets and conducts 

change analyses to evaluate the impacts of 

those storms on the coastal barrier islands. 

Analysis of this data can provide information 

on the impact of the storms on island vegetation, dune morphology, and dune volume. 

These data will be used not only by the natural 

resource staff and as part of the long-term 

monitoring of this park, but will provide elevation data which can be used to plan reconstruction of park infrastructure.

• Raptor monitoring at Pinnacles National 

Monument in the San Francisco Bay Area 

Network led to the discovery of a peregrine 

falcon pair successfully nesting at the park, 

producing three fledglings (first time in 48 

years), a Cooper’s hawk nest was found (first 

time in 13 years), sharp-shinned hawk nests 

were found for the second and third time, 

long-eared owl breeding was confirmed with 

three fledglings observed (first time in 19 

years), and ten raptor species—the highest ever 

recorded in a season—were confirmed breeding in the park in 2005.

• The Southwest Alaska Network developed 

a database of 950 historic landscape photographs spanning the period of 1898 to 1976, 

including 81 repeat photographs at 63 sites 

originally taken during the Griggs expeditions (1915–1922) and during several other 

expeditions near the turn of the 20th century 

(1895–1912). Comparison of historical and 2005 

photographs is revealing the nature and rate at 

which Katmai’s landscape is changing due to 

the retreat of glaciers, recovery of vegetation 

(particularly alders) after the volcanic eruption 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 59

Level 1 Category Level 2 Category Level 3 Category Example Measures Networks Parks

Air and Climate Air Quality Ozone Atmospheric ozone concentration, damage to 

sensitive vegetation

12 68

Wet and Dry Deposition Wet deposition chemistry (pH, NO3-, 

SO4

-2), continuous sulfur (SO2

) dioxide concentrations

12 58

Visibility and Particulate 

Matter

IMPROVE network; visibility and fine particles 13 52

Air Contaminants Concentrations of mercury, benzene, toluene, 

ethylene chloride, atrazine

6 40

Weather and Climate Weather and Climate Temperature, precipitation, wind speed, ice 

on/off

17 125

Geology and Soils Geomorphology Stream Channel CharacteristicsErosion/sedimentation, channel change, rate of 

scouring, stream profiles, coarse woody debris

6 57

Soil Quality Soil Function and Dynamics Biological soil crusts, aggregate stability, soil 

surface condition, nutrients, organic matter

8 59

Water Hydrology Groundwater dynamics Depth to groundwater, well recharge rate 6 49

Surface water dynamics Discharge/flow rates, gauge/stage height, lake 

elevation, spring/seep volume, sea level rise

13 95

Water Quality Water Chemistry pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity17 136

Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Species richness, diversity, IBI of stream macroivertebrates, relative abundance10 56

Biological Integrity Invasive Species Invasive/Exotic Plants Early detection (predictive search models); 

presence/absence, area covered by exotic species

12 115

Focal Species & CommunitiesVegetation Communities Species richness and diversity, rates of mortality 

and regeneration, stand structural dynamics

9 55

Forest Vegetation Species composition, percent cover by species & 

layer, tree growth & mortality, regeneration

7 49

Birds Species composition, distribution, abundance 14 82

Mammals Species composition, distribution, abundance 9 46

Fishes Species composition, distribution, abundance 9 42

At-risk Biota T&E species and communitiesDistribution,abundance, age and sex composition7 37

Human Use Visitor & Recreation 

Use

Visitor Usage Numbers of visitors by location, activity, season 8 58

Ecosystem Pattern 

and Processes

Land Cover and Use Land Cover and Use Area in each land cover and use type; patch 

size and pattern (from satellite and aerial imagery)

17 137
60 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

of 1912, and uplifted shorelines after the 1964 

earthquake.

• Monitoring data helped the San Francisco Bay 

Area Network establish rock climbing advisories around active raptor nest sites and steered 

climbers to nest free areas.

• Staff from the Upper Columbia Basin Network 

coordinated two “hands-on” field ecology 

projects during 2005. Students from the 

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry 

summer camp series conducted baseline sampling of quaking aspen populations at City of 

the Rocks National Reserve. The group also 

traveled to Craters of the Moon National 

Monument to assist with collecting data on 

vegetation plots. The second project offered 

Native American high school students the 

opportunity to assist researchers with a camas 

lily monitoring project initiated at the Weippe 

Prairie site of Nez Perce National Historical 

Park.

• The Central Alaska Network’s Golden Eagle 

monitoring project is currently the only longterm monitoring program for a migratory 

population of this species in North America. 

Hence, this project generates an important 

dataset for monitoring populations of Golden 

Eagles in North America.

• Recent contaminants analyses of Peregrine 

Falcon eggs from Yukon-Charley National 

Park and Preserve suggest that mercury is 

currently at levels that may affect reproduction, and trends suggest that mercury levels 

may be increasing.

• The Sonoran Desert Network and Sonoran 

Institute developed a series of identification 

cards, consisting of key characteristics, photographs, and descriptions, for each of the 74 

exotic plants identified through the multiagency Arizona Wildlands Invasive Plant 

Working Group/Sonoran Desert Network 

exotic plants list. These cards are currently being used to train field botanists and park staff, 

and have been shared extensively with partners. Network staff are investigating 

options for publishing the cards in book-form 

to promote public awareness of exotic plants 

in the region.

• The Central Alaska Network partnered with 

the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Arctic Network and Western Arctic Parklands to develop 

an internet tool to analyze moose survey data. 

Completion of this internet tool will allow biologists to upload data for analysis in near “real 

time.” This will provide population estimates 

to park and refuge managers to quickly facilitate management decisions.

• The NPS I&M Program initiated the interagency Natural Resource Monitoring Partnership involving more than 60 State, Federal and 

Provincial governments (including agencies in 

Canada and Mexico) to promote collaboration and sharing of monitoring protocols and 

methodologies among agencies. This effort is 

also led by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and USGS. Two online tools, a 

Monitoring Protocol Library and a GIS-based 

Monitoring Locator, will be hosted by the 

USGS NBII (National Biological Information 

Infrastructure).

• The NPS I&M Program’s monitoring website was visited during 2005 by an average of 

30,000 users per month who spent time reading or downloading documents. The website 

was particularly popular with the State fish and 

game agencies, who are developing monitoring 

programs as part of the Wildlife Grants program. The I&M program shares its guidance, 

protocols and “good examples” with other 

agencies to promote collaboration and partnerships with other agencies and institutions.

NATURAL RESOURCE DATA AND INFORMATION 

PROGRAM

FY 2005 Allocation: $1,521,000

Available: $1,505,000

The purpose of the Natural Resource Data and 

Information Program is to develop guidelines, 

technical solutions, and procedures for using and 

managing GIS, remote sensing, and other natural 

resource data in parks. This program operates 

and maintains a variety of relational database 

solutions that support efficient and consistent 

programmatic workflow, document and track resource inventories and assessments, and provide 

the analyses needed to effectively plan and manage a broad range of natural resource stewardship activities. Funds also support production of 

the annual edition of Natural Resource Year in 

Review and the journal Park Science. The development and dissemination of information for the 

public, NPS managers and interpreters, students, 

teachers, and the media, including administration of the NPS Nature and Science website and 

the Natural Resources Intranet is also handled 

through this program. The infusion of funds 

from the Natural Resource Challenge initiative, 

combined with the periodic allocation of project 

funding, provides the means for this program to 

maintain and refine Internet-based information 

technology solutions to successfully gather and 

share data and information with a vast internal 

and external audience.

Highlights of FY 2005 activities are summarized 

below:

• Software research and development in 

FY 2005 focused extensively on an e-Authen-
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 61

Recession of the Spotted Glacier in 

Katmai National Park and Preserve 

as revealed by repeat historic 

photography. The background photo, 

taken in 2005, repeats the location 

of the inset photograph which was 

taken in 1895. The Southwest Alaska 

Network developed a database of 950 

historic landscape photographs.

tication pilot project for the Department of 

the Interior (DOI). The Department uses the 

e-Authentication pilot project to help the federal government progressively respond to the 

President’s E-Government Initiative. This system maintains support for the receipt of more 

than 3,400 electronic permit applications and 

3,500 research study accomplishment reports 

submitted by the public.

• More than 2,000 pesticide use proposals were 

approved and tracked during FY 2005 using a 

redesigned Integrated Pest Management (IPM) 

system. The redesign of the tracking system 

allows for more effective and efficient tracking 

of the preparation, processing, and reporting 

of pesticide use proposals. The new system enables park IPM coordinators to more accurately and consistently determine and report 

specific amounts of active chemical ingredients 

applied within parks to control pest species.

• The Environmental Quality Division’s Planning, Environment and Public Comment system 

(PEPC) was launched in March 2005. PEPC 

is an on-line collaborative tool supporting 

the National Park Service’s project tracking, 

compliance process, comment analysis and 

response, as well as public communication 

efforts. As of November 1, 2005, the PEPC 

system had nearly 4,000 projects and hundreds 

of users within the Park Service. The system is 

also accessible by contractors and other federal 

partners such as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). PEPC facilitates the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process in 

conservation planning, environmental impact 

analysis and informed decision-making. PEPC 

currently integrates with other informational 

databases and PEPC staff plan to continue to 

build better integration methods so park users 

will not have to enter data redundantly within 

NPS applications. PEPC was designed by parks 

to allow better project communication, planning, tracking and reporting, and to give the 

public a more efficient way to comment on 

park projects and plans. PEPC’s biggest success for public commenting, to date, was the 

‘Proposed petroleum exploration well in Glen 

Canyon National Recreation Area’ project 

which received almost 80,000 comments during the public review.

• Enhancements were made to the NPS Nature 

& Science website to provide public web users with increased information on natural 

resources in park units. Enhancements include 

the addition of a Global Climate Change website and the addition of Fire Management as 

a major section of the NPS Nature & Science 

website. Staff worked across Directorates to 
62 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

add the Fire Management section that explains 

the Park Service’s goal to restore fire’s role as a 

dynamic and necessary natural process.

• The 3rd annual Communications Workshop 

was held in conjunction with the National Science Teachers Association convention. This 

year’s topic was “Communicating Critical 

Air Resource Issues with the Public” and was 

conducted jointly with the NRPC Air Resources Program. The workshop successfully 

brought interpreters together with educators 

and resource managers from parks across the 

country.

• The first phase of a communications plan for 

the Heartland Network was accomplished by 

Colorado State University graduate students 

who are studying interpretation. Their goal 

was to develop a comprehensive user-friendly 

communications product that the Heartland 

Network I&M program can use to promote 

internal and external understanding of inventory and monitoring activities.

• A broadcast quality film on invasive species 

was produced cooperatively with Montana 

State University. The film highlights Exotic 

Plant Management Teams working in national 

parks. 

• Two traveling exhibits were developed and 

showcased during 2005. An exhibit describing coral reefs within parks was presented at a 

Coral Reef Task Force meeting and an exhibit 

focused on the role of Research Learning 

Centers was presented at the National Council 

for Science and the Environment 5th Annual 

Conference on Forecasting Environmental 

Changes.

• Six existing Views modules were selected for 

inclusion in the National Science Foundation 

sponsored educational resources website. This 

site is designed to highlight the best sciencebased websites on the internet. The following 

modules were selected: Glaciers, Coastal Geology, Volcanism, Caves and Karst, Timpanogos 

Cave National Monument, and Florissant 

Fossil Beds National Monument. In addition, 

four Views modules were selected for inclusion in the DLESE (Digital Library for Earth 

Science Education) website. The website is 

designed to collect high-quality earth science 

websites for educators.

RESEARCH LEARNING CENTERS

Cumulative Increases: $2,698,000 (FY 2001 and 

FY 2002)

The National Park Service has established 16 

Research Learning Centers (RLC) to strengthen 

park partnerships with the scientific community 

and the public. Their mission is to increase the 

effectiveness and communication of research 

and science results in the national parks through 

four common goals:

• Facilitate use of parks for scientific inquiry

• Support science-informed decision making

• Communicate relevance and provide access to 

research knowledge 

• Promote resource stewardship through partnerships

Except as noted, each of the Centers in the table 

received $225,000 in Challenge funding the year 

that they were funded (see next page). Because 

in many cases parks and others have contributed 

other funding to the operation of the centers, 

erosions or additions to the funding are not 

available.

Each Center is located at a host park but serves a 

network of associated parks. Together, the existing Research Learning Centers serve over 100 

of the 388 units in the National Park System. All 

Centers help initiate, support, and implement 

a wide range of research projects in parks that 

meet management needs for quality information 

about park resources. As part of the Natural Resource Challenge, Research Learning Centers are 

making great strides toward reducing park backlogs of high priority research needs in innovative 

ways.

In FY 2005, the Centers and their partners 

helped parks address 20 of the Service’s 30 

Legacy Plan goals by attracting and facilitating 

research on over 660 projects. These efforts are 

increasing the ability of park managers to make 

resource decisions that are informed by sound 

science. Many Research Learning Centers advertise their backlog of high priority research needs 

through multiple media venues to reach a large 

scientific audience. Some Centers are working with partners to fund restoration of park 

facilities, thereby decreasing the maintenance 

backlog. In FY 2005, Research Learning Centers 

provided bunk space, camp sites, laboratory and 

office space, and other amenities that enable 

researchers to make maximum use of their time 

and project funds.

Research topics supported by Research Learning 

Centers address natural, historic, and cultural 

resource issues, visitor use and satisfaction, 

effectiveness in education and community outreach, and park operations and safety. Natural resource issues focus on a range of topics 

including plant and animal inventories, wildlife 

ecology, fire behavior and effects, predicting 

the occurrence of invasive species, and climate 

change impacts. Cultural and historic topics 

include ethnographic studies, traditional use 

of the landscape by Native Americans, impacts 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 63

to visitors from maintenance renovations, and 

reconstruction of historic roads and buildings. 

Education specialists at the Centers are involved 

in projects that utilize multi-media approaches 

for communicating research results widely, and 

critically evaluate the effectiveness of these 

education and outreach strategies. By leveraging 

facility and staff resources, Research Learning 

Centers are reaching outside park boundaries to 

acquire new knowledge for parks.

A critical role of research is the application of 

results. On a daily basis, park managers and staff 

must make decisions regarding resource protection, planning, public outreach, and visitor 

experience. Congress, the Service, and numerous 

advisory panels have encouraged the application 

of current knowledge to management decisions. 

Research Learning Centers are helping move research results to managers through a number of 

venues including formal presentations and seminars, reports and briefing statements, workshops 

and discussion sessions, and management meetings. In FY 2005, Research Learning Centers 

held more than 40 events to connect researchers 

and research results directly with park managers 

and staff.

Research Learning Centers are also actively 

engaged with students and teachers. Elementary 

through high school students have participated 

in more than 65 events, including Citizen Science 

projects, science seminars, field trips, writing 

newspaper articles for a metropolitan paper, 

training sessions, and round-table science discussions. College-level students supported by, or 

involved in, Research Learning Center projects 

include 90 undergraduates, 193 Masters degree 

candidates, 2 post-Masters projects, 42 Ph.D. 

candidates, and 11 post-doctoral positions.

The range of partners engaged in Research 

Learning Center activities includes non-profit 

organizations, volunteers, Civilian Conservation Corps, internal park service partners such 

as Inventory and Monitoring Networks and 

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units, as well as 

a vast array of federal, state, and tribal agencies 

and universities. In FY 2005 Research Learning 

Centers worked with 255 internal and external partners. The partnering mechanisms and 

relationships are efficient and the leveraged results fiscally responsible. The $2 million of Natural Resource Challenge funding for Research 

Learning Centers has leveraged $8M in direct 

match and in-kind assistance, plus millions more 

in research supported solely by outside funding 

agencies. The added value of improved community relations, informed management decisions, 

and enhanced knowledge about park resources 

cannot be measured in dollars.

Location Research Learning Center Name Funding First

Received:

FY 2001 FY 2002

Acadia NP Schoodic Education and Research Center X

Cape Cod NS Atlantic Research Center X

Congaree NP Old-Growth Bottomland Forest Research and 

Education Center

X

Crater Lake NP Crater Lake Science and Learning Center*

Denali NP Murie Science and Learning Center*

Gateway NRA Jamaica Bay Institute X

Glacier NP Crown of the Continent Research Learning 

Center

X

Great Smoky Mountain NP Appalachian Highlands Science Learning CenterX

Indiana Dunes NL Great Lakes Research and Education Center X

Kenai Fjords NP Ocean Alaska Science and Learning Center X*

Mammoth Cave NP Mammoth Cave International Center for 

Science and Learning*

National Capital Region Urban Ecology Research Learning Alliance X

North Cascades, Mount Rainier & 

Olympic NPs

North Coast and Cascades Research Learning 

Network

X

Point Reyes NS Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center X

Rocky Mountain NP Continental Divide Research Learning Center X

Santa Monica Mountains NRA California Mediterranean Research Learning 

Center

X

*Did not receive Natural Resource Challenge funding, but was developed in response to the Challenge.

San Juan Island students help 

plant native grasses in the restored 

prairies of San Juan Island National 

Historical Park, a project facilitated 

by a Research Learning Center: 

North Coast and Cascades Research 

Learning Network.

California Mediterranean Research 

Learning Center facilitated research 

to track the survival rate of mountain 

lion kittens, to have a better 

understanding mortality rates and 

managing the species
64 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Research Learning Centers are an example of 

how the Service is creatively meeting the information needs of staff and managers. The ability 

of each Center to respond and adapt is due, in 

part, to their unique characteristics. As such, they 

are evolving to both meet the needs of their particular area and to provide models of excellence 

in specific capacities for the Research Learning Center Network, as well as the Service as at 

large. After 5 years of development, the Network 

of Research Learning Centers is undergoing a 

self examination to evaluate successes, development needs, and to collectively chart future 

direction. One mechanism for accomplishing this 

is by defining a role for servicewide coordination across the Centers. Another mechanism is 

the collective definition of the common mission 

and set of goals given at the beginning of this article. Greater collaboration and communication 

across the Centers over the next 2 to 3 years will 

capitalize on gains made to date and mature the 

Centers’ abilities to facilitate research, increase 

partnerships, leverage funds, and serve a broader 

range of park units.

Research Learning Centers made great strides in 

FY 2005 and highlights of accomplishments are 

summarized below.

• A Research Learning Center facilitated a study 

to address the management of invasive feral 

hogs at Congaree Swamp National Monument. The Old Growth Bottomland Forest 

Research and Education Center worked with 

USGS and Clemson University to document 

feral hog movement patterns and population 

dynamics across the Congaree floodplain. This 

type of wildlife study is the first of its kind at 

Congaree, and the results will have both specific and broad applicability for both public and 

private lands. Informational products will be 

available to park resource management and 

will contribute directly to the development of a 

long-term management plan for feral hogs.

• Partnering with neighboring tribes and university scientists in Montana and Alberta, the 

Crown of the Continent Research Learning 

Center is undertaking a cultural use study for 

Chief Mountain, a sacred site in WatertonGlacier International Peace Park that is 

used for ritual and ceremonial purposes by the 

Blackfoot People. Indigenous use of the park’s 

mountain landscapes goes back for millennia 

and involves many tribes. The cultural significance of Chief Mountain is being documented 

primarily through oral histories. The project 

is collaborative with Waterton Lakes National 

Park in Alberta, Canada and the tribes of the 

Blackfoot Confederacy in the U.S. and Canada. 

Results will inform resource management, 

interpretation, and will contribute to initiating a listing of Chief Mountain in the National 

Historic Registry.

• The loss of marshland in Jamaica Bay, located 

within Gateway National Recreation Area, 

is an example of how sound science is informing park management decisions. Anecdotal 

information from concerned local residents 

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Research Learning Centers began 

to be developed in 2001 through 

congressional funding: the Natural 

Resources Challenge. There are now 

15 RLCs and 2 more being developed, 

one at Crater Lake National Park 

and one for the Northern Colorado 

Plateau parks. RLCs facilitate research 

and disseminate that information to 

managers, staff, visitors, schools and 

the community.

NPS Research Learning Centers
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 65

and fisherman regarding the shrinking of 

marshes prompted the Jamaica Bay Institute, a 

Research Learning Center, to facilitate analysis 

of historical and current aerial photography. 

The analysis showed that approximately 50 

acres of wetlands are disappearing annually 

and if this trend continues it is estimated that 

by 2025 most of the marsh islands will vanish. 

Such credible information prompted many 

actions within and beyond Gateway’s boundaries. A Blue Ribbon Panel was convened to 

address the critical loss of wetlands and several 

research projects were funded based on the 

panel’s recommendations. A marsh loss symposium, hosted by the Jamaica Bay Institute, 

provided land managers and policy officials 

with up-to-date information on the evaluation 

of salt marsh loss. The prominence of this issue has guided large scale restoration efforts 

in Jamaica Bay. It is clear that scientific data 

collected from this analysis will be a critical 

component of a Watershed Management Plan 

that is in development.

• The Atlantic Research Center, based at Cape 

Cod National Seashore, facilitated research 

on the effects of hunting on cottontail rabbit 

populations. Hunting on outer Cape Cod is a 

complex scientific, cultural, emotional, and legal issue for the park, its neighboring communities, agency partners, animal rights groups, 

and the general public. Incorporating robust 

scientific information into the decisionmaking 

process for management of rabbit populations 

is essential. This research project is expected to 

produce a much more detailed understanding 

of how hunting interacts with other sources 

of mortality to affect rabbit populations. The 

results of this study will be incorporated 

directly into all aspects of compliance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act process, 

public information and comment, assessment 

of impacts, evaluating alternatives, decisionmaking, and documentation.

• The Urban Ecology Research and Learning 

Alliance, based in the National Capital Region, 

communicates with many different audiences 

to communicate research results. In July 2005, 

the Science Education Coordinator collaborated with Hispanic Self Reliance Network for the 

radio program Pulse of the Planet to produce 

eight news briefs on the results of the urban 

forest tree inventory and assessment of ecological services in the national parks and the 

city of Washington, D.C. These news capsules 

were taped in Spanish and will be distributed 

to a large network of Hispanic radio stations 

throughout the country.

• At Schoodic Education and Research Center, 

in Acadia National Park, citizen scientists 

helped perform a Coleoptera Blitz, a taxa 

inventory event. Over a weekend in July 2005, 

55 citizens spent 2,242 hours collecting, sorting, pinning, and identifying beetles that were 

found on the Schoodic Peninsula portion of 

Acadia National Park. This was Acadia’s third 

consecutive bio- blitz focusing on invertebrates.

• The Great Lakes Research and Education 

Center, hosted by Indiana Dunes National 

Lakeshore, is facilitating research on purple 

loosestrife, an invasive plant species, with the 

help of many volunteers. The Research Learning Center, in partnership with USGS, held a 

workshop and trained 25 local volunteer citizens and recruited 3 international volunteers. 

The volunteers make possible the logistically 

difficult task of collecting worldwide data on 

a widespread species in both its invasive and 

native habitats. The program also educates the 

public in the environmental problems posed by 

invasive species, and gives them an appreciation for the importance of research.

• The Murie Science and Learning Center, 

hosted by Denali National Park, joined the 

ALISON project, a product of the Alaska 

Lake Ice and Snow Observatory Network 

(ALISON). For the third year, students from 

Denali Borough School District in partnership 

with University of Alaska, Fairbanks, visited 

Horseshoe Lake to measure and record lake 

ice and snow. Thirty-two students (in third, 

fourth and fifth grade) braved snow and cold 

temperatures to make the 1.5 mile hike to the 

lake and back twice per month. The Horseshoe Lake site is one of 16 sites across the state 

that make up the Alaska Lake Ice and Snow 

Observatory Network. Through this citizen 

science program students provide data that 

may help detect changes in the ice and snow 

levels throughout the state over time.

• The Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center, located in Point Reyes National Seashore, 

collaborated with the Tomales Environmental 

Learning Center at Tomales High School to 

teach students skills in using GIS (Geographic 

Information Systems) and GIT (Geographic 

Information Technology) in characterizing 

their local watershed for future water quality analysis projects in the community. Over a 

three month period, students met with a GIS 

database manager to focus their studies on the 

interrelationship between people, software, 

hardware, methodologies and data in a GIS 

project. Their project goal was to map the 

watershed of a tributary of Keyes Creek which 

includes the Tomales High School Campus. 

The result was a final map of their local subwatershed that included their high school campus.
66 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

If space allows, it is recommended that the text begin on the opposite page and that this page contain photographic or illustrative material. 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 67

This chapter presents financial details for Servicewide natural resource programs. Information 

in Chapters Three and Four describe program 

accomplishments and highlight which of the programs have benefited from the Natural Resource 

Challenge funding provided between FY 2000 

and FY 2005, and how the programs were affected.

The Natural Resource funding is requested as a 

series of discrete programs, including 14 Servicewide programs, Everglades restoration elements, 

and the Glen Canyon Adaptive Management 

Program. Funding for the set of actions that 

make up the Natural Resource Challenge in 

some cases was requested as new programs, but 

also was requested under appropriate program 

budgets. Since many Challenge increases resulted 

in expansions of existing programs, only some of 

the Challenge budget increases are easily identifiable separate line items. In other cases, the 

Challenge funds are mixed with previous park or 

program bases. Therefore, the Challenge funding 

cannot be distinguished in most of the programby-program financial information. Details of the 

history of Challenge funding are included in 

Appendix A.

Likewise, parks receive a single allocation for 

their operations funding and neither Challenge 

funding, nor natural resource management 

generally, are separately identified. For parks, 

funding is shown only for parks that received 

Natural Resource Challenge funding; funding 

for their entire natural resource programs is as 

reported by the parks.

Below are details of funding changes by program 

between FY 2004 and FY 2005. In addition, 

where appropriate, additional detail is provided 

regarding how funding within these programs 

has been allocated.

Chapter Five: Financial Details

An eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) 

captured in a mist net by University 

of Maryland Researchers during 

a Northeast Coastal and Barrier 

Network sponsored bat inventory. 

Assateague Island National Seashore, 

July 2005.

Natural Resource (NR) Funding of Parks Receiving NR Challenge Increases

Park FY 01 or 

FY 02

FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005

Challenge 

Increase

NR Total NR Total NR Total NR Total

Acadia National Park 345,000 849,827 794,395 755,087 752,395

Antietam National Battlefield 150,000 319,965 316,723 314,900 353,000

Appalachian National Scenic Trail 142,000 263,638 256,603 258,337 298,642

Big Cypress National Preserve1 399,000 1,033,640 1,010,000 1,108,140 1,108,140

Buck Island Reef National Monument2100,000 270,000 216,450 216,000 216,000

Catoctin Mountain Park* 89,000 254,400 231,900 232,200 272,414

Channel Islands National Park3 498,000 1,406,622 1,406,622 1,440,607 1,891,222

Coronado National Memorial 60,000 94,993 105,231 95,236 108,000

Curecanti National Monument 141,000 657,500 690,600 719,300 724,000

Dinosaur National Monument 189,000 501,800 559,375 568,874 571,152

Gates of the Arctic National Park 

& Preserve

148,000 362,401 363,039 349,164 377,345

Great Basin National Park 126,000 331,450 315,756 375,939 367,080

Great Sand Dunes National Park 180,000 291,700 287,500 281,300 281,300

Great Smoky Mountains National 

Park

402,000 1,245,100 1,152,700 1,003,200 1,231,700

Haleakala National Park 480,000 1,561,660 1,372,200 1,196,400 1,196,400

Homestead National Monument of 

America

82,000 104,500 104,500 81,198 82,460

1 Part of increase to another program for contract support; part of balance of change from pre-Challenge increase due to 

realigned position

2

 Also received $65,000 Coral Reef Initiative increase in FY 2001

* Information provided by parks for FY 2003 report included discrepencies with previously provided information or did 

not add or subtract correctly; attempts to resolve were unsuccessful

3

 Received NRC money in FY2002 ($498k for Santa Cruz Island restoration) and a non-NRC increase in FY2005 ($477k for 

island fox recovery).
68 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Natural Resource (NR) Funding of Parks Receiving NR Challenge Increases

Park FY 01 or 

FY 02

FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005

Challenge 

Increase

NR Total NR Total NR Total NR Total

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park*105,000 95,000 79,322 103,047 99,953

Jewel Cave National Monument 50,000 168,500 168,500 167,140 159,203

John Day Fossil Beds National 

Monument

95,000 129,000 130,000 115,000 127,101

Kalaupapa National Historical Park 211,000 549,000 549,000 549,000 499,000

Lake Clark National Park & Preserve147,000 321,500 319,810 250,000 262,600

Little River Canyon National Preserve485,000 182,426 174,027 112,900 1171,275

Mojave National Preserve* 470,000 1,264,000 1,219,073 1,177,488 1,178,297

Monocacy National Battlefield* 118,000 120,000 116,000 116,000 116,000

Obed Wild & Scenic River 195,000 245,000 193,318 188,775 188,775

Padre Island National Seashore 95,000 408,000 403,825 543,000 471,896

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore 55,000 194,650 207,000 211,000 237,000

Rock Creek Park* 163,000 436,522 393,168 359,104 299,000

San Juan Island National Historical 

Park

95,000 124,600 125,050 124,600 124,600

Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site58,000 58,000 58,000 69,900 58,000

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National 

Parks* 5

112,000 1,446,000 1,424,400 1,424,400 1,457,400

Stones River National Battlefield 132,000 132,000 137,100 127,924 132,000

Sunset Crater, Walnut Canyon, & 

Wupatki National Monuments

100,000 166,762 171,227 186,341 191,683

Theodore Roosevelt National Park 133,000 302,500 292,500 282,500 281,500

Virgin Islands National Park6 399,000 1,077,234 1,002,726 941,500 877,234

Zion National Park 246,000 536,300 515,872 518,774 485,274

Totals 6,595,000 17,506,190 16,863,512 16,564,275 15,047,667

Air Quality Program

FY 2004 allocation 8,890,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease7 -14,000

Total Available in FY 2004 8,876,000

FY 2005 allocation 8,890,000

Classified Pay Increase 11,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease8 -128,000

Total available in FY 2005 8,773,000

Change from FY 2004 -103,000

4

 Figures shown for FY 2001 and 2002 reflect a correction to those reported in last year’s report.

5

 Also received a non-Challenge $367,000 base increase in FY 2001

6

 Also received Coral Reef Initiative base increase of $300,000 and Prototype Monitoring increase of $230,000 in FY 2001

7

 The FY 2004 net decrease is the sum of funding changes contained in the Operation of the National Park Service (ONPS) 

appropriation [general reduction, travel reduction, across-the-board recission reductions, and information technology (IT) 

reduction].

8

 The FY 2005 net decrease is the sum of funding changes in response to both a bureau-determined information technology (IT) assessment and travel reduction adjustment.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 69

Air Quality Program Funding by Categories

Air emissions inventory 200,000

Air quality monitoring, analysis, & technical assistance 8,573,000

Total available in FY 2005 8,773,000

Biological Resources Management Program

FY 2004 allocation 8,575,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease7 -19,000

Total Available in FY 2004 8,556,000

FY 2005 allocation 8,575,000

Classified Pay Increase 23,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease8 -123,000

Total available in FY 2005 8,475,000

Change from FY 2004 -81,000

Biological Resources Management Program Funding by Categories

Biological Resource Projects-National Level Support 633,000

Ecological Restoration 260,000

Endangered Species Program 360,000

Exotic Plant Management Teams 5,149,000

Integrated Pest Management Program 240,000

Invasive Animal Program 295,000

Invasive Plant Program 295,000

Migratory Bird Program 143,000

Wildlife Management and Health Program 1,100,000

Total available in FY 2005 8,475,000

Cave and Karst Research Institute

FY 2004 allocation 344,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease7 -6,000

Total Available in FY 2004 338,000

FY 2005 allocation 344,000

Base change9 -6,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease8 -5,000

Total available in FY 2005 333,000

Change from FY 2004 -5,000

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units

Funding available in FY 200410 131,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease8 -2,000

Total allocation/available in FY 2005 129,000

9

 The base increase noted represents the correction to reflect prior year travel reductions properly in various Natural Resources accounts, it is not an actual increase in available operating funds over FY2004.

10 $1,596,000 received in FY 2001; $1,550,000 transferred to regions. In FY 2003, $310,000 transferred to the region for 

use during FY 2003. In FY 2004, the same amount less an across-the-board decrease, or $306,000, was permanently transferred to regions.
70 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units Funding Distribution11

Californian CESU—no Challenge funding

Chesapeake Watershed CESU 155,000

Colorado Plateau CESU 155,000

Desert Southwest CESU 155,000

Great Basin CESU 155,000

Great Lakes-Northern Forest CESU 153,000

Great Plains CESU 155,000

Gulf Coast CESU 153,000

Hawaii-Pacific Islands CESU—no Challenge funding

North and West Alaska CESU—no Challenge funding

North Atlantic Coast CESU 155,000

Pacific Northwest CESU 155,000

Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast CESU—no Challenge funding

Rocky Mountains CESU 155,000

South Florida-Caribbean CESU 155,000

Southern Appalachian Mountains CESU 155,000

Upper and Middle Mississippi Valley CESU—no Challenge funding

Geographic Information System Program

FY 2004 allocation 1,291,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease7 -1,000

Total Available in FY 2004 1,290,000

FY 2005 allocation 1,291,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease2 -18,000

Total available in FY 2005 1,273,000

Change from FY 2004 -17,000

Geologic Resources Program

FY 2004 allocation 2,651,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease7 & 12 +10,000

Total Available in FY 2004 2,661,000

FY 2005 allocation 2,651,000

Base Change13 25,000

Classified Pay Increase 11,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease8 -40,000

Total available in FY 2005 2,647,000

Change from FY 2004 -14,000

11 Distribution of initial funding from Natural Resource Challenge increases for CESUs shown; other CESUs funded 

through general regional base funds. Does not show changes to base that may have occurred to funds transferred to 

regions.

12 In FY 2004 the Geological Resources Program received a Travel increase of $10,000 instead of a reduction.

13 The base increase noted represents the correction to reflect prior year travel reductions properly in various Natural Resources accounts, it is not an actual increase in available operating funds over FY2004.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 71

Geologic Resources Program Funding by Categories

Cave & Karst 265,000

Coastal Geology 269,000

Disturbed Lands/AML 512,000

Geologic Hazards 125,000

Geologic Resource Evaluation 590,000

Minerals Management 620,000

Paleontology 120,000

Soil Resources 146,000

FY 2005 Total 2,647,000

Inventory and Monitoring Program

FY 2004 allocation 36,932,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease7 -36,000

Total Available in FY 2004 36,896,000

FY 2005 allocation 36,932,000

FY 2005 increase 3,111,000

Classified Pay Increase 41,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease8 -562,000

Total available in FY 2005 39,522,000

Change from FY 2004 +2,626,000

Inventory and Monitoring Program Funding by Categories

Database Development 2,341,500

Monitoring Projects 30,000

Program Administration 1,859,800

Prototype Monitoring 1,000,000

Regional Coordinators 852,000

Resource Inventory Projects 11,220,000

Vital Signs Monitoring 22,218,700

Total available in FY 2005 39,522,000

Allocation of Funding among Basic Natural Resource Inventories

Air Quality Related Values 325,000

Base Cartography Data 1,247,000

Biological Inventories 376,000

Geology Inventories 1,500,000

Meteorology 250,000

Soil Surveys 1,950,000

Species Lists 25,000

Vegetation Mapping—Alaska 500,000

Vegetation Mapping—Outside of Alaska 4,547,000

Water Resource Data 500,000

Total 11,220,000
72 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Inventory and Monitoring Expenditures by Non-NPS Performers

Inventories Universities Other Non-Fed USGS Other Fed Total

AQRV’s 270,200 55,600 325,800

Base Carto 1,050,000 190,000 1,240,000

Biol. Inv. 281,200 115,100 4,700 401,000

Geology 752,000 60,000 193,000 1,005,000

Landcover (Alaska) 98,200 228,300 2,000 328,500

Meteorology 250,000 250,000

Monitoring

Soils 2,067,250 2,067,250

Veg. Mapping 683,000 2,500,000 756,000 421,000 4,360,000

Water Resources 500,000 500,000

Totals 2,084,600 3,953,400 1,641,000 2,798,550 10,477,550

Allocation of Monitoring Funding among Networks and Prototypes

North Coast and Cascades 345,100

Northeast Coastal and Barrier 778,000

Heartland 702,000

Sonoran Desert 671,300

Cumberland/Piedmont 477,700

Central Alaska 1,245,100

National Capital 747,000

Northern Colorado Plateau 567,000

San Francisco Bay Area 747,200

Greater Yellowstone 726,700

Appalachian Highland 417,400

Mediterranean Coast 303,200

Southwest Alaska 1,449,700

Northeast Temperate 632,000

Southern Colorado Plateau 1,209,000

Pacific Island 1,573,100

Great Lakes 1,289,500

Gulf Coast 929,100

Rocky Mountain 663,500

Sierra Nevada 656,600

Eastern Rivers and Mountains 656,500

Klamath 1,564,700

Arctic 796,200

Southeast Coast 1,266,900

Upper Columbia Basin 225,000

Southern Plains 225,700

Mojave Desert 225,300

Southeast Alaska 225,000

South Florida/Caribbean 226,400

Mid-Atlantic 225,100

Chihuahuan Desert 225,700

Northern Great Plains 226,000

Olympic NP Prototype Program 200,000

North Cascades NP Prototype Program 200,000

Mammoth Cave NP Prototype Program 200,000

Northern Colorado Plateau Prototype Program 400,000

Total 24,012,500
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 73

Natural Resources Data and Information Program

FY 2004 allocation 1,521,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease7 -8,000

Total Available FY 2004 1,513,000

FY 2005 allocation 1,521,000

Classified Pay Increase 5,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease8 -21,000

Total available in FY 2005 1,505,000

Change from FY 2004 -13,000

Natural Resources Preservation Program (NRPP)

FY 2004 allocation 12,484,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease7 -15,000

Total Available FY 2004 12,469,000

FY 2005 allocation 12,484,000

Base Change -16,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease8 -173,000

Total available in FY 2005 12,295,000

Change from FY 2004 -174,000

Allocation of NRPP Among Project Categories and Projects Funded

Allocation Projects

Alaska Projects 482,000 6

Disturbed Land Restoration 816,000 13

Natural Resource Management 6,780,000 53

Regional Block Allocation 1,346,000 69

Servicewide 1,182,000 28

Small Park 963,000 62

Threatened & Endangered Species 482,000 12

USGS/BRD Technical Assistance 244,000 31

Natural Sound Program

FY 2004 allocation 921,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease7 -3,000

Total Available in FY 2004 918,000

FY 2005 allocation 921,000

Classified Pay Increase 2,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease8 -14,000

Total available in FY 2005 909,000

Change from FY 2004 -9,000
74 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program14

FY 2004 allocation 1,265,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease7 -6,000

Total Available in FY 2004 1,259,000

FY 2005 allocation 1,264,000

Reallocation of Funds15 94,000

Classified Pay Increase 4,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease8 -21,000

Total available in FY 2005 1,341,000

Change from FY 2004 +82,000

Resource Protection Fund

FY 2004 allocation 294,000

Total Available in FY 2004 294,000

FY 2005 allocation 294,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease8 -4,000

Total allocation/available in FY 2005 290,000

Change from FY 2004 -4,000

Water Resources Program

FY 2004 allocation 12,071,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease7 -22,000

Total Available in FY 2004 12,049,000

FY 2005 allocation 12,071,000

Classified Pay Increase 19,000

FY 2005 increase 528,000

Net FY 2005 Decrease8 -182,000

Total available in FY 2005 12,436,000

Change from FY 2004 +387,000

Water Resources Program Funding by Categories

Water Resource Projects

Water Resource Protection 1,068,600

Competitive Projects 224,000

Other Projects 14,700

Water Quality Monitoring 2,837,800

Water Resource Protection—Aquatic Resource Professionals 1,205,000

Watershed Condition Assessment Program

Competitive Projects 1,272,000

Critical Projects 275,500

Coastal Projects 534,400

Other Projects 680,900

Water Resource Technical Assistance 4,323,100

Total 12,436,000

14 Combines two former line items: Oil Pollution Act and Resource Protection Act

15 Base funding reprogrammed from Visitor and Resource Protection to Natural Resource Stewardship & Science
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 75

Allocation of Water Quality Monitoring Funding

Network

Central Alaska 96,600

Heartland 80,900

Northeast Coastal and Barrier 88,700

National Capital 70,000

Cumberland/Piedmont 58,200

Appalachian Highlands 69,000

Northern Colorado Plateau 106,500

Greater Yellowstone 70,000

Sonoran Desert 63,100

North Coast and Cascades 80,900

San Francisco Bay 69,000

Mediterranean Coast 74,900

Southwest Alaska 137,100

Northeast Temperate 59,200

Southern Colorado Plateau 122,300

Pacific Island 148,900

Great Lakes 121,300

Gulf Coast 87,800

Rocky Mountain 60,100

Sierra Nevada 62,100

Eastern Rivers and Mountains 62,100

Arctic 148,900

Klamath 74,900

Southeast Coast 119,300

Upper Columbia Basin 49,300

Southern Plains 28,600

Mojave Desert 78,900

Southeast Alaska 41,400

South Florida/Caribbean 144,900

Mid-Atlantic 43,400

Chihuahuan 72,000

Northern Great Plains 79,900

Servicewide Data Management 1,676,600

Total 2,837,800
76 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

If space allows, it is recommended that the text begin on the opposite page and that this page contain photographic or illustrative material. 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 77

Appendix A: Natural Resource Challenge Funding HistoryA

At Mammoth Cave National Park resource 

managers are collecting American Butternut 

seeds as part of an iniatitive to restore them 

to the park. This project is made possible by 

Natural Resource Preservation Program project 

funding.

Challenge Elements B

Increase 

FY 2000

Increase 

FY 2001

Increase 

FY 2002

Increase 

FY 2003

Increase 

FY 2004

Increase 

FY 2005

Increase/

Change 

FY 2006

Cum. 

Funding 

FY00–06

Request 

FY 2007

Total 

through 

FY 2007

Inventory and Monitor 

Resources

Basic inventories (except vegetation mapping) 7,309 1,987 9,296 9,296

Vegetation mapping (with 

USGS) 1,746 2,235 3,981 3,981

Park air emissions inventory 200 200 200

Monitor vital signs in park 

networks 4,191 4,200 6,855 4,939 3,068 3,931C 23,253 1,000 24,253

Monitor water quality in park 

networks 1,272 497 592 521 2,882 2,882

Watershed assessment 3,080 3,080 3,080

Expand air quality monitoring 

and related activities 2,600 2,600 2,600

Make natural resources data 

useable 1,098 1,098 1,098

Fix Critical Problems

Natural Resource Preservation 

Program project funding 2,875 4,000 [3,931]C 2,944 2,944

Alaska Natural Resource 

Projects 497 497 497

Establish resource protection 

fund 300 300 300

Water resource protection & 

restoration/project funds 823 823 823

Water resource protection & 

restoration/ field specialists 1,000 200 1,200 1,200

Native/nonnative species mgt 

& Exotic Plant Mgt Teams 3,449 2,400 2,136 7,985 7,985

Implement Resource Protection Act/restore resources 500 500 500

Protect geologic resources 696 696 696

Park invasive species control/

T&E species recovery 3,395 3,200 6,595 6,595

Attract Scientists

Establish learning centers 898 1,800 2,698 2,698

Establish Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units 1,596 397 1,993 1,993

Annual Increase 14,329 15,219 20,000 17,884 5,531 3,589 0 1,000 77,552

Total Annual Funding 14,329 29,548 49,548 67,432 72,963 76,552 76,552 – 77,552

A Appropriated funds before any recissions or permanent assessments.

B All dollars in thousands.

C Reprogramming of existing NRPP base funds to monitoring vital signs in park networks.
78 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

If space allows, it is recommended that the text begin on the opposite page and that this page contain photographic or illustrative material. 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 79

Appendix B: Natural Resource Preservation Program 

Funded Projects

Crew leader Mike Ade hand pulls 

Miconia at Haleakala National Park 

on Maui, Hawaii. NRPP funding 

supported work to prevent the highly 

invasive Miconia from displacing 

native Haleakala rainforest.

NRPP - Disturbed Lands Restoration fully funded projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

AKR AK Denali National Park and 

Preserve

Reclamation of Placer-Mined 

Glacier Creek

$198,000 $67,000

IMR UT Timpanogos Cave National 

Monument

Restore Natural Cave Drainage $114,000 $35,000

PWR CA Sequoia and Kings Canyon 

National Parks and 

Whiskeytown National 

Recreation Area

Restore Hydrology & Soil 

Disturbance in Marijuana Gardens

$91,600 $91,600

PWR CA Yosemite National Park Happy Isles Dam Removal $52,800 $7,000 

Total $456,400 $200,600

NRPP - Disturbed Lands Restoration new and ongoing projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

IMR AZ Glen Canyon National 

Recreation Area

Restoration of Springs on Navajo 

Point

$66,000 $35,500

MWR AR Buffalo National River Stream Corridor Restoration within 

Newly Acquired Properties 

$157,800 $59,300

MWR IN Indiana Dunes National 

Lakeshore

Complete Restoration of 500 Acres 

of Wetland at Derby Ditch-Great 

Marsh

$223,700 $67,900

MWR WI Saint Croix National Scenic 

River

Protecting genetic diversity 

through prairie restoration

$57,800 $32,800

NCR VA Prince William Forest Park Disturbed Land Restoration of the 

Bradford Tract

$107,600 $9,000

PWR WA Olympic National Park Restore Hydrologic Function, Fish, 

Wildlife, Veg - Upper Hoh River

$250,000 $48,000

PWR CA Pinnacles National 

Monument

Old Pinnacles Road Removal (Final 

Phase)

$174,700 $158,300

PWR CA Presidio of San Francisco Restore Disturbed Coastal Areas 

Following Remediation

$250,000 $135,600

PWR CA Yosemite National Park Ecological Restoration of Gaylor Pit $167,200 $61,000 

Total $1,454,800 $607,400

NRPP—Small Park Projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

AKR AK Klondike Gold Rush National 

Historical Rark

Provide GIS Support for Dyea VERP 

and Social Science Survey

$30,000 $9,504

AKR AK Sitka National Historical Park Complete a Non-vascular Plant 

Survey

$30,000 $9,504
80 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

NRPP—Small Park Projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

IMR UT Arches National Park Analyze Vegetation Changes from 

late 1800’s to Present Using Historic 

Photography

$17,000 $17,000

IMR NM Capulin Volcano National 

Monument

Propagate Native Vegetation for 

Restoration of Disturbed Areas

$32,800 $16,400

IMR WY Devils Tower National 

Monument

Control/Eliminate Non-native 

Invasive Plant Species-Next Phase

$39,500 $19,500

IMR WY Devils Tower National 

Monument

Control/Eliminate Non-native 

Invasive Plant Species

$20,000 $20,000

IMR NM El Malpais National 

Monument and Conservation 

Area

Continue Fence Construction $19,300 $19,300

IMR AZ Fort Bowie National Historic 

Site

Analyze and Rehabilitate Apache 

Spring Watershed

$35,200 $16,700

IMR WY Fossil Butte National 

Monument

Assess Paleobotanical Resources $12,000 $12,000

IMR UT Hovenweep National 

Monument

Acoustic Monitoring $26,800 $20,000

IMR UT Hovenweep National 

Monument

Re-establish Historic Vegetation 

Long-term Monitoring Plots

$8,400 $8,400

IMR TX Lyndon B. Johnston National 

Historical Park

Replace East Boundary Fence $20,000 $20,000

IMR TX Lyndon B. Johnston National 

Historical Park

Evaluate invasive plant response to 

alternative treatments

$6,500 $3,500

IMR CO Mesa Verde National Park Investigate Paleoecological Fire 

History

$5,100 $5,100

IMR UT Natural Bridges National 

Monument

Acoustic Monitoring $24,600 $20,400

IMR UT Timpanogos Cave National 

Monument

Restoring Cave Resources $38,500 $20,000

IMR AZ Tumacácori National 

Historical Park

Fence New Park Lands $40,000 $20,000

MWR AR Arkansas Post National 

Memorial

Hunting boundary demarcation at 

the memorial unit

$3,038 $3,038

MWR IA Effigy Mounds National 

Monument

Control and Monitor Garlic 

Mustard Multi-Year

$20,000 $20,000

MWR IA Effigy Mounds National 

Monument

Begin Research Analysis on Driftless 

Area Paleo-Landscape

$15,000 $15,000

MWR ND Fort Union Trading Post 

National Historic Site

Digitize cartographic, vegetation, 

and other historic park data

$8,000 $8,000

MWR MO George Washington Carver 

National Monument

Implement Vegetation 

Management Plan (yr 1)

$3,000 $3,000

MWR MN Grand Portage National 

Monument

Bark Beetle Survey of Grand 

Portage Trail Corridor

$19,970 $19,970

MWR IA Herbert Hoover National 

Historic Site

Develop Plan to Convert 3 acres of 

turf to transitional landscape near 

Gravesite

$10,000 $10,000

MWR OH Hopewell Culture National 

Historical Park

Control Exotic Vegetation at 

Mound City Group Unit (2of2)

$15,000 $15,000
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 81

NRPP—Small Park Projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

MWR SD Jewel Cave National 

Monument

Assess Jewel Cave Public Drinking 

Water Supply

$8,800 $8,800

MWR MI Keweenaw National 

Historical Park

Complete resource stewardship 

plan

$10,000 $10,000

MWR ND Knife River Indian Villages 

National Historic Site

Assessment of Prairie Vegetation 

Management at KNRI

$8,000 $8,000

MWR NE Midwest Regional Office RAMS and PMIS training for small 

parks

$26,800 $26,800

MWR MN Pipestone National 

Monument

Control Exotic Weeds and Native 

Plant Restoration on Disturbed 

Lands

$10,000 $10,000

MWR NE Scotts Bluff National 

Monument

Remove Old Fence Posts within 

Scotts Bluff National Monument

$11,628 $11,628

NCR VA George Washington 

Memorial Parkway

Subterranean explorations: Ground 

water amphipods of the GWMP 

$10,000 $10,000

NCR VA Prince William Forest Park Develop Management Plan for 

Isotria medeoloides, a Federally 

Listed Threatened Species

$9,900 $9,900

NER MA Boston Harbor Islands 

National Recreation Area

Develop IPM Plans and Map Exotics $61,974 $61,974

NER VA Colonial National Historical 

Park

Control Phragmites $10,000 $10,000

NER PA Gettysburg National Military 

Park

Identify collected invertebrates $28,366 $28,366

NER PA Gettysburg National Military 

Park and Eisenhower 

National Historic Site

Develop IPM Plans $10,795 $10,795

NER PA Valley Forge National 

Historical Park

Catolog/Archive natural resource 

files

$6,713 $6,713

NER PA Valley Forge National 

Historical Park

Turbidity optical stick and autosampler$6,100 $6,100

PWR CA Eugene O’Neill National 

Historic Site

Plan for Cattle Pond Restoration $300 $300

PWR CA John Muir National Historic 

Site

Control Yellow Star Thistle $14,400 $14,400

PWR HI Kaloko-Honokohau National 

Historical Park

Determine Revegetation Strategies 

Through Pollen Analysis

$17,778 $17,778

PWR OR Lewis and Clark National 

Historical Park

Control Noxious Weeds in Newly 

Acquired Lands

$16,000 $16,000

PWR Multiple Parks Assess Invasive Marine Plant Threat 

to Pacific Island Small Parks

$50,000 $50,000

PWR Multiple Parks Develop Weed Free Feed/Mulch 

Program in California Parks

$14,600 $14,600

PWR AS National Park of American 

Samoa

Initiate Control of Invasive Tree $22,420 $22,420

PWR GU War in the Pacific National 

Historical Park

Assess Coral Recruitment/

Sedimentation Rates

$15,750 $15,750

PWR WA Whitman Mission National 

Historic Site

Revegetate Restored Doan Creek 

Streambanks

$12,452 $12,452

SER KY Abraham Lincoln National 

Historic Site

Restoration American Chestnut $22,100 $12,000

SER KY Abraham Lincoln National 

Historic Site

Restore American Elm $12,000 $12,000
82 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

NRPP—Small Park Projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

SER LA Cane River Creole National 

Historic Site

Conduct A Baseline Inventory Of 

The Vascular Plants At CARI 

$24,000 $12,500

SER NC Carl Sandburg Home 

National Historic Site

Prepare an Inventory and 

Management Plan for Low 

Elevation Granitic Domes at CARL

$14,400 $14,400

SER SC Charles Pinckney National 

Historic Site

Re-establish Native Grasses $14,400 $14,400

SER GA Chattahoochee River 

National Recreation Area

Increase Reproductive Productivity 

of Georgia Aster, a Federal 

Candidate Species

$15,600 $6,700

SER GA Chattahoochee River 

National Recreation Area

Out compete Invasive 

Microstegium Using Native Grass 

Species (Chasmanthium)

$15,600 $6,000

SER GA Chickamauga and 

Chattanooga National 

Military Park

Control Exotic Plants On Lookout 

Mountain Battlefield 

$24,000 $24,000

SER GA Fort Pulaski National Military 

Park

Privet Removal and Replanting at 

Significant Civil War Battlefield Site

$9,600 $9,600

SER GA Fort Pulaski National Military 

Park

Baseline Monitoring & Analysis of 

Health of the Salt Marsh Ecosystem 

$7,500 $7,500

SER SC Kings Mountain National 

Military Park

Provide Term Resource 

Management Assistance at KIMO 

and COWP

$113,400 $36,600

SER SC Kings Mountain National 

Military Park

Inventory and Treat Invasive Exotic 

Plant Species at KIMO

$43,000 $12,000

SER TN Obed Wild and Scenic River Survey of Developed Areas for 

Threatened and Endangered Plant 

Species

$9,600 $9,600

SER GA Ocmulgee National 

Monument

Eradicate Exotic Fauna $14,400 $14,400

SER FL Timucuan Ecological & 

Historic Preserve

Prepare Forestry Management Plan 

for TIMU Pinelands and Plantation

$19,200 $19,200

TOTAL $1,241,284 $944,992

NRPP—Natural Resource Management fully funded projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

AKR AK Glacier Bay National Park 

and Preserve

Evaluating Campsites: Predicting 

Bear-Human Conflicts and Bear 

Displacement Potential

$215,000 $107,000

AKR AK Lake Clark National Park

 and Preserve

Refine Techniques to Survey 

Harvested Brown Bear 

Populations

$285,000 $67,000

AKR AK Western Arctic National 

Parklands

Inventory and status assessment 

of lichens in Noatak NPres

$74,000 $55,000

IMR UT Bryce Canyon National Park Protect Dark Night Skies $272,000 $92,000

IMR WY Grand Teton National Park Bison Demographic Monitoring, 

Disease Surveillance

$796,000 $236,000

IMR NV Lake Mead National 

Recreation Area

Continue saltcedar control $153,000 $51,000

IMR CO Rocky Mountain National 

Park

Implement Interim Actions for 

CWD Management

$428,000 $167,000
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 83

NRPP—Natural Resource Management fully funded projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

IMR CO Rocky Mountain National 

Park

Prepare a situation assessment for 

elk mgmt. EIS

$122,000 $36,000

IMR AZ Walnut Canyon National 

Monument

Fence Remaining Boundary of 

Expansion

$88,000 $88,000

IMR WY Yellowstone National Park Multi-trophic level ecology of 

wolves, elk, and vegetation

$175,000 $58,000

IMR UT Zion National Park Restore Highly Impacted 

Backcountry Areas

$327,000 $118,000

MWR SD Badlands National Park Document significant fossil 

localities within the Poleslide 

Member

$290,000 $94,000

MWR OH Cuyahoga Valley National 

Recreation Area

Control invasive plant species and 

sensitive resource areas

$180,000 $51,000

MWR MI Pictured Rocks National 

Lakeshore

Enumerate Black Bear Population 

at Pictured Rocks National 

Lakeshore Using DNA from Hair 

Samples

$99,000 $99,000

MWR ND Theodore Roosevelt National 

Park

Evaluate factors influenceing the 

distribution and movement of elk

$162,000 $15,000

MWR SD Wind Cave National Park Monitor for Chronic Wasting 

Disease

$246,000 $35,000

NCR DC National Capital Region Assess condition and identify 

stressors of aquatic resources in 

NCR

$248,000 $8,000

NER NY Gateway National Recreation 

Area

Investigation and restoration 

of the Jamaica Bay saltmarsh 

ecosystem

$598,000 $67,000

NER WV New River Gorge National 

River

Fecal bacterial source tracking $205,000 $35,000

NER PA Valley Forge National 

Historical Park

Control invasive non-native 

woody vegetation in forested 

areas

$180,000 $180,000

PWR CA Channel Islands National 

Park

Reintroduce Island fox on San 

Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands

$826,000 $251,000

PWR HI Haleakala National Park Prevent miconia invasion from 

displacing Haleakala rainforest

$878,000 $296,000

PWR HI Kalaupapa National 

Historical Park

Exclude Ungulates from Pu’u Ali’i 

Plateau

$663,000 $190,000

SER KY Mammoth Cave National 

Park

Propogation and restoration of 

endangered mussles in the Green 

River

$526,000 $117,000

Total $8,036,000 $2,513,000

NRPP—Natural Resource Management new and ongoing projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

AKR AK Western Arctic National 

Parklands

Assess the potential for 

heavy metal bioaccumulation 

in terrestrial biota in Cape 

Krusenstern NM

$235,000 $199,000

IMR TX Amistad National Recreation 

Area

Survey and Monument 41 Miles of 

Impacted Park Boundary

$123,000 $44,000

IMR TX Big Bend National Park Protect Big Bend Slider $35,000 $35,000
84 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

NRPP—Natural Resource Management new and ongoing projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

IMR CO Black Canyon of the 

Gunnison National Park

Survey Boundary to Protect Park 

Resources

$180,000 $60,000

IMR UT Canyonlands National Park Acoustic Monitoring of Natural 

Soundscape

$206,000 $80,000

IMR NM Carlsbad Caverns National 

Park

Assess Mexican Free-tailed Bat 

Population at CAVE

$368,000 $87,000

IMR MT Glacier National Park Evaluate the Prey Base for Lynx: 

Snowshoe Hare Abundance, 

Habitat Use, and Population 

Dynamics

$433,000 $168,000

IMR CO Great Sand Dunes National 

Park & Preserve

Determine Grazing Ecology and 

Management Of Elk and Bison In 

Great Sand Dunes National Park 

and Preserve

$450,000 $185,000

IMR CO Mesa Verde National Park Investigate Paleoecological Fire 

History

$108,000 $66,000

IMR TX Padre Island National 

Seashore

Protecting Endangered Kemp’s 

Ridley Sea Turtle Nests from 

Vehicular Traffic

$295,000 $106,000

IMR AZ Petrified Forest National 

Park

Excavation of Threatened Fossil 

Bone-bed

$82,000 $22,000

IMR AZ Saguaro National Park Remove Invasive Exotic Plants 

from Critical Habitats at Saguaro 

National Park

$196,000 $94,000

IMR WY Yellowstone National Park Conserve Declining Yellowstone 

Pronghorn Population

$376,000 $139,000

MWR WI Saint Croix National Scenic 

River

Document Habitat Requirements 

of the Winged Mapleleaf Mussel: 

Potential Habitat Degradation and 

Decline

$219,000 $71,000

MWR MN Voyageurs National Park Assess the Impacts of International 

Lake Level Management by Using 

an interdisciplinary Approach

$899,000 $277,000

MWR MN Voyageurs National Park Assess Impacts of Forest Fires on 

Levels of Mercury in Lake and 

Forest Environments

$150,000 $50,000

NER MA Boston Harbor Islands 

National Historical Park

Boat Wake Impacts and their Role 

in Shore Erosion Processes

$411,000 $131,000

NER NY Gateway National 

Recreation Area

Efficient Surveillance, Targeted 

Management, Natural 

Transmission Dynamics of West 

Nile Virus 

$292,000 $110,000

NER VA Shenandoah National Park Identify and Assess Cliff Resources 

and Visitor Use, Develop and 

Implement Cliff Management 

Planning

$520,000 $343,000

NER VA Shenandoah National Park Assess Hydrology for Sensitive 

Wetland System at Big Meadows

$132,000 $58,000

NER PA Upper Deleware Scenic and 

Recreational River

Identify Threatened Bald Eagle 

Habitat and Develop Management 

Plan

$145,000 $93,000

PWR CA Channel Islands National 

Park

Establish Baseline of Newly 

Established Marine Reserves

$564,700 $198,000

PWR WA Olympic National Park Atmospheric Pollutant Loading: 

Link to Trans-Pacific Airmass

$287,000 $76,000
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 85

NRPP—Natural Resource Management new and ongoing projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

PWR CA Pacific West Region NPS Western Airborne 

Contaminant Assessment Project

$642,000 $311,000

PWR CA Pinnacles National 

Monument

Eradicate feral pigs $767,000 $333,000

PWR CA Point Reyes National 

Seashore

Cape Ivy Removal in GOGA and 

PORE

$770,000 $301,000

SER VI Buck Island Reef National 

Monument

Test Effectiveness of Buck Island 

Reef NM Expanded Marine Reserve

$300,000 $105,000

SER GA Cumberland Island National 

Seashore

Establish Exotic Plant Management 

Program for Southeast Coast 

Network Parks

$661,000 $236,000

SER TN Great Smoky Mountains 

National Park

Support for Predator Beetle 

Facility Needed to Control Exotic 

Hemlock Woolly Adelgids

$396,000 $222,000

Total $10,242,700 $4,200,000

NRPP—Regional Block Allocation projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Alaska Park Science Journal $105,000 $32,700

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Alaska Park Cooperative and 

Technical Assistance Projects 

$75,000 $24,750

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Natural Resource Employees 

Professionalization and Technical 

Competency Enhancement

$60,000 $19,800

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Alaska Park Science Conference $50,000 $9,900

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Develop and Implement BMPs for 

OHV Trail Management AK Park 

Units

$50,000 $49,500

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Alaska Park Technical Reports $30,000 $9,900

AKR AK Denali National Park and 

Preserve

Develop Regional Integrated Pest 

Management (IPM) Program to 

Insure Health of Natural Resources

$15,750 $6,435

AKR AK Gates of the Arctic National 

Park and Preserve

Assess Moose Population Health in 

Areas of High Human Controversy 

and Harvest

$57,040 $28,235

AKR AK Gates of the Arctic National 

Park and Preserve

Coarse-Scale Wolverine 

Distribution and Habitat in 

Interior Alaska

$18,500 $9,158

IMR NM Bandalier National 

Monument

Measure Combined Impacts of Fire 

and Browsing on Vegetation

$40,000 $20,000

IMR TX Big Bend National Park Protect Big Bend Slider $33,000 $33,000

IMR CO Dinosaur National 

Monument

Monitor Peregrine Falcon 

Population After Delisting From 

Endangered Species List

$20,000 $20,000

IMR MT Glacier National Park Establish Baseline Survey of 

Priority Rare Plant Populations and 

Communities

$30,000 $10,000

IMR AZ Grand Canyon National 

Park

Control of Ten High Priority Exotic 

Plant Species

$19,900 $19,900
86 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

NRPP—Regional Block Allocation projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

IMR CO Great Sand Dunes National 

Park

Evaluate Habitat and Conduct 

Baseline Fisheries Study of the 

Sand Creek Drainage

$20,000 $20,000

IMR TX Padre Island National 

Seashore

Assessment of Impacts from Oil 

and Gas Activities on Grassland 

Birds

$37,000 $17,300

IMR AZ Petrified Forest National 

Park

Survey Wilderness Paleontological 

and Biological Resources For 

Management Planning

$20,000 $20,000

IMR WY Yellowstone National Park Documenting the Presence and 

Distribution of Lynx

$20,000 $20,000

IMR UT Zion National Park End Wildlife Access to Human 

Foods to Resolve Visitor Safety 

Issues-Education and Waste 

Management

$39,600 $19,800

MWR WI Apostle Islands National 

Lakeshore

Determine Appropiate Harvest 

Levels of deer to protect unique 

vegetation form overbrowsing 

(year 1)

$20,900 $20,900

MWR AR Buffalo National River River Use Monitoring Program $18,000 $18,000

MWR NE Homestead National 

Monument of America

Develop Compliance, Planning and 

Implementation for Woodlands 

Project, year 2.

$9,000 $9,000

MWR SD Jewel Cave National 

Monument

Impact of wildfire on composition, 

abundance, and distribution of 

exotic plants at JECA

$23,542 $23,542

MWR NE Midwest Regional Office Development of Park Resource 

Management Programs

$28,600 $28,600

MWR NE Midwest Regional Office Train Park Resource management 

staff in new RMP guidelines

$25,915 $25,915

MWR MI Pictured Rocks National 

Lakeshore

Inventory, Mass, and Assess 

Recreation Impacts in the Pristine 

Zone

$24,700 $24,700

MWR MI Pictured Rocks National 

Lakeshore

Evaluate Avian Response to Hikers 

at PIRO

$24,000 $24,000

MWR SD Wind Cave National Park Inventory Wind Cave Biota $19,000 $19,000

NCR MD Catoctin Mountain Park Prepare Natural Resource Planning 

Documents

$9,600 $9,600

NCR MD Chesapeake & Ohio Canal 

National Historical Park

Protect Rare, Threatened & 

Endangered species at CHOH 

during removal of exotic plants

$2,000 $2,000

NCR VA George Washington 

Memorial Parkway

Survey Leaf Beetles at Great Falls 

Park & Turkey Run, VA

$2,500 $2,500

NCR VA/MD George Washington 

Memorial Parkway & 

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal 

National Historical Park

Assess Impacts of Deer Invasive 

Plant Interactions at Potomac 

Gorge 

$20,000 $20,000

NCR WV Harpers Ferry National 

Historical Park

Install Bat Gate at John Brown’s 

Cave in HAFE, Component B, only

$3,200 $3,200

NCR WV Harpers Ferry National 

Historical Park

Purchase Water Quality Sensor for 

HAFE

$1,200 $1,200

NCR VA Manassas National 

Battlefield

Collects data related to effects of 

deer exclosures

$9,400 $9,400
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 87

NRPP—Regional Block Allocation projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

NCR VA Manassas National 

Battlefield

Small Mammal Re-colonization of 

Restored Lands

$3,000 $3,000

NCR VA Manassas National 

Battlefield

Habitat Preferences of Birds 

Wintering in Restored Grasslands 

of the Mid-Atlantic Region 

$540 $540

NCR DC National Capital Parks East Survey of Grassland Birds within 

Anacostia, Fort Circle and Oxon 

Cove Parks 

$10,000 $10,000

NCR DC/MD National Capital Parks East Survey & Map gravel terrace sites $10,000 $10,000

NCR VA Prince William Forest Park Initiate park management Veg. 

Monitoring Program

$9,300 $9,300

NCR VA Prince William Forest Park Stream Bank Assessment—First 

Order Streams

$9,100 $9,100

NCR VA Prince William Forest Park Classifiying land use and land 

change information from historic 

imagery

$6,900 $6,900

NCR VA Prince William Forest Park Transition to E. coli Monitoring $6,500 $6,500

NCR DC Rock Creek Park Produce Video to Reduce Wildlife/

Vehicle Collisions

$4,200 $4,200

NCR DC Rock Creek Park Restore Meadow in ROCR $1,500 $1,500

NER PA Allegheny Portage Railroad 

National Historic Site

Control exotic knotweed $4,060 $4,060

NER MA Boston Harbor Islands 

National Recreation Area

Restore native diversity $24,500 $24,500

NER MA Cape Cod National Seashore Spade-foot toad breeding 

characterization study shortfall

$19,600 $19,600

NER NY Fire Island National 

Seashore

White-tailed Deer Monitoring $22,440 $22,440

NER PA Gettysburg National 

Military Park

Identify collected invertebrates $4,940 $4,940

NER Multiple Parks Maintain current science 

information from parks on NER 

website and in Park Science

$44,739 $44,739

NER Multiple Parks Assessment of long-term changes 

in coastal barrier ecology NER, 

SER, IMR 

$23,698 $23,698

NER Multiple Parks Integrated Pest Management 

(IPM) plans for small parks 

(shortfall)

$4,900 $4,900

NER VA Richmond National 

Battlefield Park

Convert agricultural field to native 

grass meadow

$7,000 $7,000

NER VA Shenandoah National Park Control Growing Mile-a-Minute 

Infestation at Shenandoah NP 

Utilizing SCA Native Plant Corps

$19,500 $19,500

NER VA Shenandoah National Park Protect native butterflies and 

fauna at Big Meadows

$15,000 $15,000

PWR CA Channel Islands National 

Park

Develop Fecal Genotyping 

Methods for Fox

$35,830 $35,830

PWR WA North Cascades National 

Park

Conduct Applied Research on 

Control of Japanese Knotweed

$32,000 $32,000
88 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

NRPP—Regional Block Allocation projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

PWR WA Olympic National Park Track Seasonal Movements of 

Bull Trout in Hoh Basin & Coastal 

Washington

$50,000 $50,000

PWR CA Santa Monica Mountains 

National Recreation Area

Contain and Eradicate Harding 

Grass and Revegetate

$38,520 $38,520

PWR CA Sequoia and Kings Canyon 

National Parks

Restore Mountain Yellow-Legged 

Frogs

$35,950 $35,950

SER TN Big South Fork National 

Recreation Area

Develop Natural Resource 

Interpretation Information At Big 

South Fork NRRA

$10,000 $10,000

SER FL Biscayne National Park Develop a Tool to Measure 

Combustion Over Engine Use Over 

Seagrass Flats

$24,351 $24,351

SER VA Blue Ridge Parkway Acquire Digital Soil Maps along 

Blue Ridge Parkway for Park GIS

$8,656 $8,656

SER GA Chattahoochee River 

National Recreation Area

Chytrid Fungus Incidence Rates in 

Southeastern National Parks

$15,610 $5,610

SER SC Cowpens National 

Battlefield Park

NEPA Compliance For Prescribed 

Burning Effects on T&E DwarfFlowering Heartleaf at COWP

$2,175 $2,175

SER TN Great Smoky Mountains 

National Park

Accuracy Assessment of New 

GRSM Digital Vegetation Map

$17,992 $17,992

SER FL Gulf Islands National 

Seashore

An Inventory and Damage 

Assessment of Non-native 

mammals of Cat Island Mississippi 

(New Lands)

$25,000 $25,000

SER KY Mammoth Cave National 

Park

Restoration of American Butternut 

in Four NPS Units

$25,000 $25,000

SER GA Ocmulgee National 

Monument

Install Stream Filtering System to 

Remove Street Litter at OCMU

$10,000 $10,000

SER GA Southeast Regional Office SER Parks Natural Resources/CESU 

Workshop

$21,400 $21,400

SER VIIS Virgin Island Coral Reef 

National Monument

Protection of Benthis Communities 

[in Virgin Island Coral Reef 

National Monument]

$24,350 $24,350

TOTAL $1,610,598 $1,250,186

NRPP—Threatened and Endangered Species fully funded projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

IMR CO Rocky Mountain National 

Park

Re-establish, Stabilize, and Manage 

19 Populations of Greenback 

Cutthroat Trout

$66,000 $27,000

MWR SD Badlands National Park Develop Long-Term Translocation 

Guidelines for the Black-Footed 

Ferret Population at CB/ Badlands

$87,000 $3,000

PWR CA Channel Islands National 

Park

Restoration planning for Hoffman’s 

rockcress

$22,000 $22,000

PWR HI Haleakala National Park Critical Assessment of Habitat 

for Releasing Endangered Maui 

Parrotbill

$149,000 $74,000
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 89

NRPP—Threatened and Endangered Species fully funded projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

SER KY Mammoth Cave National 

Park

Restore Echo River Passage in 

Mammoth Cave

$93,000 $31,000

Total $417,000 $157,000

NRPP—Threatened and Endangered Species new and Ongoing projects

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

IMR AZ Grand Canyon National Park Foraging Ecology of Threatened 

Mexican Spotted Owls

$150,000 $19,000

IMR TX Padre Island National 

Seashore

Determining seasonal movements, 

habitat use, and abundance of 

piping plovers at Padre Island NS

$144,000 $73,000

MWR SD Wind Cave National Park Reintroduction of black-footed 

ferrets to Wind Cave National Park 

- Phase II

$146,000 $34,000

NCR/

NER

DC National Capital Region Discovery of remnant populations 

of the endangered dwarf wedge 

mussel using GIS habitat analysis

$70,000 $35,000

PWR CA Channel Islands National 

Park

Develop recovery prescriptions for 

listed plants of Santa Cruz Island

$150,000 $93,000

PWR HI Hawaii Volcanoes National 

Park

Reintroduce 9 extirpated plant 

species

$64,000 $32,000

PWR CA Point Reyes National 

Seashore

Threatened Western Snowy Plover 

Recovery

$150,000 $34,000

Total $874,000 $320,000

NRPP—Special Alaska park projects funded in FY2004

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office NPS Western Airborne Containment 

Assessment Project

$464,224 $178,789

AKR AK Aniakchak National 

Monument

Escapement, population structure, 

genetics and morphology of 

sockeye salmon within Aniakchak

$293,486 $83,044

AKR AK Denali National Park and 

Preserve

Developing an intensive training 

program for landbird surveyors in 

Alaska’s National Park Units

$9,600 $9,379

AKR AK Glacier Bay National Park 

and Preserve

Identify Marine Bird Distribution 

and Evaluate Visitor Impacts

$386,291 $110,400

AKR AK Wrangell-St. Elias National 

Park and Preserve

Evaluate effects of international 

caribou recovery program

$148,950 $48,507

AKR AK Wrangell-St. Elias National 

Park and Preserve

Maintain continuity in monitoring 

the declining Mentasta caribou 

herd.

$48,170 $47,061

TOTAL $1,350,721 $477,180

NPS-USGS park-oriented biological support progress report—projects funded in FY2004

Region State Park Project Title Total 

Project 

Funding 

FY 2005 

Funding

See Appendix C
90 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

If space allows, it is recommended that the text begin on the opposite page and that this page contain photographic or illustrative material. 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 91

Appendix C: USGS—Biological Resources

A 3 year study by the Yellowstone 

Center for Resources, USGS, and the 

University of Minnesota evaluated 

the rates and causes of elk calf 

mortality in Yellowstone National 

Park.

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2002, ACTIVE IN FY 2005, NO FY 2005 FUNDS

Development of a model to 

evaluate impacts of fuelsreduction/prescribed fire in 

Pinyon-Juniper habitats on avian 

communities within Colorado 

Plateau National Parks

For Zion NP, the project has

• completed a literature review of published and non-published 

works associated with breeding birds,

• compiled detailed historical accounts regarding population dynamics of park breeding species,

• updated species lists of all birds reported within mature, mid-aged 

and young-aged Pinyon-Juniper habitat and of resident, migrant, and 

vagrant non-breeding species,

• established permanent transects prior to fuels reduction in mature 

and young vegetation types,

• utilized park GIS vegetation data themes to permit later correlation of biotic and abiotic parameters with data from vegetation and 

avian population transects,

• conducted baseline avian surveys in 2005, prior to any fuels reduction effort,

• provided reports to park staffs and briefed other Colorado Plateau 

national parks and BLM districts

• prepared GIS data themes of Pinyon-Juniper habitat for four parks,

• presented to NPS staff preliminary results of the study, the proposed GIS model, and how to incorporate possible management alternatives resulting from the findings of this study.

In 2006, the project will complete the study by continuing to establish 

a baseline for comparison of avian communities in prescribed burned 

areas with unburned control areas; refining the model; preparing, 

with park assistance, a model for 32 other parks over the Colorado 

Plateau; and providing each Colorado plateau park having significant 

Pinyon-Juniper habitat with the GIS data theme and model for avian 

habitat responses to prescribed fire in differing Pinyon-Juniper 

habitat types. These findings will permit these parks to better assess 

potential impacts on avian community structure of prescribed burning.

Estimating black bear abundance 

in Great Smoky Mountains 

National Park using DNA extracted from hair samples

Genetic sampling for mark-recapture studies to estimate population abundance of wildlife populations often uses DNA extracted 

from hair collected at barbed-wire enclosures. This project studied 

the efficacy of various sampling regimes for estimating population 

abundance by investigating how density of sampling sites, number of 

samples analyzed (sub-sample intensity), and sampling duration affect 

accuracy and precision of population estimates. Using 2003 and 2004 

field data from Great Smoky Mountains NP, the project identified 129 

(2003) and 141 (2004) individual black bears using unique genetic 

profiles obtained from 9 to 10 microsatellite loci and found that reductions in site density, sub-sample intensity, or sampling duration 

tended to produce low and biased capture probabilities, resulting in 

unreliable population estimates. The results indicate that effective 

use of genetic sampling for black bear population estimation requires 

careful consideration of study design, particularly when population 

densities are high. Bias would be reduced by analyzing >25 subsamples each from �4 hair-capture sites/female home range, using a 

sampling duration of 6–8 weeks. A final report with recommendations was submitted to the park and a scientific article will soon be 

submitted to an appropriate journal.

Testing and evaluation of remote 

sensing methods for estimating 

refuge characteristics of karst 

wetlands

Submission of this report has been delayed due to Hurricane Wilma.
92 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Distribution, population dynamics, and herbivory impacts of a 

pioneering elk herd on Chaco 

Culture National Historical Park 

(CHCU)

Elk were captured, radio-collared, and evaluated for physiological 

condition each April and November 2003–2005 and were monitored 

monthly for movements, home ranges, behavior, and survival. Calf elk 

were captured and radio-tagged June–July 2004 and 2005. Vegetation 

surveys, grazing surveys, browse surveys, and pellet group surveys 

were completed, summer 2004–2005.

Elk numbers increased from approximately 20 in January 2000 to > 

43 in December 2005, an average annual rate of increase of approximately 17%/year. For 2003 and 2004, adult cow survival was 1.00 and 

0.94, respectively. In 2004, 60% of collared cows produced a calf that 

survived through November, making calf production high in 2004. 

Maximum potential population rate of increase was 21% for the elk 

population in 2004. Fat levels of lactating cows in November were 

10.6–13.2%.

Elk browsing was light on CHCU, despite elk use being >100% greater 

in the Use areas. Browse utilization was <14% for all species, rates 

much lower than observed in other national parks (>70–90%). No 

differences in plant cover, bare soil cover, or cryptogamic crust cover 

attributable to elk grazing were found between Use and Control 

areas. No grass species showed residual stubble heights indicative 

of over-utilization. No differences in cover of key increaser noxious 

plants (broom snakeweed, cheatgrass) were found that could be 

attributable to elk grazing. Water infiltration rate was faster on one 

Use area compared to another Use area and the Control area, a difference likely due to a suite of vegetation and soil characteristics.

All project activities will be repeated in 2006.

Baseline monitoring of floodplain vegetation and geomorphology prior to dam 

removal, Elwha River, Olympic 

National Park

FY 2005 activity included:

• a field task to relate all sites to low streamflow condition 

accomplished through mid-August site visits when flows were ca. 

400 ft3/s and water surface elevation could be surveyed in conjunction 

with known study transect points, 

• completion of tree ring analysis for all Olympic NP sites involving 

two independent assessments of over 170 tree cores,

• compilation of data collected along transects (e.g., topographic 

surveying, line intercept, surficial soil type, woody seedling establishment) and within study plots (cover, basal area, density); preliminary 

analyses of line intercept data; and plot data preparation for multivariate analyses.

In addition, a collaborative study component on the diversity of 

herbaceous vegetation used existing transects and plots as its sampling template. This work will expand previous herbaceous transect 

vegetation sampling. In FY 2006, data analysis and writing will be 

completed.

Water developments in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, 

North Dakota: Implications for 

ungulates and herbivory

The National Park Service (NPS) maintains 12 unevaluated water 

developments in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt NP for ungulate water sources and to disperse impacts of herbivory. This project 

used a time-lapse video camera system to monitor wildlife and visitor 

use of 7 water developments that were functional during 2003–2004. 

The project observed >5000 visits by 10 wildlife species, hikers, and 

horseback riders, finding bison (49%) and feral horses (23%) were 

observed most frequently and elk (3%), deer (8%), pronghorn (3%), 

and pack stock (8%) less frequently. Bison, horse, pronghorn, and 

pack stock groups usually involved water use by >1 member of the 

observed group whereas only about half of elk and deer observations 

involved water use. The wide variation in use documented among 

species and sites provides information useful for prioritizing developments for maintenance or removal. The Park Service extended the 

project to include the park’s North Unit.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 93

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Habitat requirements of the 

endangered California freshwater shrimp (Syncaris pacifica) in 

streams on the Point Reyes 

National Seashore and Golden 

Gate National Recreation Area

This study assessed the habitat requirements of endangered California freshwater shrimp (Syncaris pacifica) in two coastal streams flowing 

through park lands. During 2003–2004, field sampling occurred in 

Lagunitas and Olema creeks at seasonal intervals. Ten glides, five 

pools, and five riffles served as fixed sampling sites, with eight 

glides, four pools, and four riffles located on Lagunitas Creek and 

the remainder located on Olema Creek. Shrimp were captured only 

in Lagunitas Creek, primarily in glides. In general, shrimp were most 

numerous in habitats containing overhanging streambank vegetation, 

submerged fine root masses, sandy substrate, and low current velocity 

where threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), California roach 

(Hesperoleucus symmetricus), signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus), and 

rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) also occurred. Analysis of gut 

contents from selected fish species indicated that prickly sculpin (Cottus asper) and riffle sculpin (Cottus gulosus) preyed on shrimp. These 

findings may be useful for creating in-stream habitat conditions that 

favor reestablishment and long-term survival of shrimp in Olema 

Creek and other nearby streams that historically supported this species.

Assessing the risk of aerially 

borne pesticides to declining 

amphibian species in the national parks of the Sierra Nevada 

Mountains, California

This study, designed to further determine dose/response relationships 

of pesticides on amphibian larvae, involved three experiments. The 

first used environmentally realistic concentrations of chlorpyrifos, 

diazinon, malathion and their combinations on Pacific treefrogs, 

was conducted in 2003, and analysis of the results is in progress. The 

second experiment examined the comparative sensitivity of Pacific 

treefrog and Foothills yellow-legged frog larvae to parts per billion 

concentrations of endosulfan and chlorpyrifos and found that biological concentration factors were, for endosulfan, approximately 225 

times and, for chlorpyrifos, about 30 times ambient concentration and 

that cholinesterase was significantly depressed by chlorpyrifos. This 

study has been completed, a manuscript is being prepared, and the 

first part of a follow-on study focusing on part per trillion concentrations of endosulfan on three species of California amphibians—western toads, foothills yellow-legged frog and Pacific treefrogs—was 

completed. The third experiment, which determined the sensitivity 

of foothills yellow-legged frog larvae to parent and oxon forms of 

diazinon, chlorpyrifos and malathion, the three most commonly 

found organophosphorus pesticides in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, 

has been completed and a manuscript is in preparation. The results 

identify risks to amphibians in the Sierra Nevada Mountains from pesticides (the sources of which lie outside park boundaries, most likely 

the Central Valley of California) that are toxic at environmentally 

realistic concentrations and inform decisions regarding regulation of 

the most toxic pesticides and restoration of amphibian populations in 

the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
94 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Determining rates and causes 

of summer elk calf mortality in 

Yellowstone National Park

During FY 2005, the Yellowstone Center for Resources, U.S. Geological Survey, and University of Minnesota continued a 3-year study 

(FY 2003–2005) of mortality in northern Yellowstone elk (Cervus elaphus) calves. The primary objectives are to: 1) estimate relative causes 

and timing of calf deaths; 2) estimate calf survival rates; and 3) evaluate factors that may predispose calves to death. During May/June 

2005, 56 calves <6 days old were captured, fitted with ear-tag transmitters, and monitored daily. Thirty-five of these calves since have 

died (34 predation, 1 non-predation). Preliminary determinations of 

causes of death were 21 killed by grizzly and black bears, 6 by wolves, 

4 by coyotes, 2 by wolves or coyotes, 1 by an unknown predator, and 

1 non-predation death due to disease. Two other calves have unknown fates. From May 2003 to date, 151 calves were captured and 

100 (66%) died within the first year of life. Bears and wolves accounted for 58–60 and 14–16 deaths respectively (depending on actual 

cause of 2 deaths recorded as “wolf or bear”). Results to date indicate 

some form of compensatory mortality is likely occurring as summer 

predation has increased (94%; 2003–2004) while winter malnutrition 

has decreased (0%; 2003–2004) compared to 1987–1990 (72% and 

58%, respectively). No human injuries or safety mishaps occurred and 

no observable injuries or deaths were caused to elk calves during capture and handling. Monitoring of surviving radioed calves will continue through spring 2006. Study results inform resource managers 

of the Yellowstone ecosystem, the State in setting harvest quotas for 

local elk hunts, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding delisting of wolves (e.g., the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and 

Parks has proposed a reduction of antler-less elk permits from 1,100 

to 100 for the Gardiner Late Hunt). Information regarding effects of 

wolves on ungulate population dynamics and, in turn, other interactions (such as elk – vegetation) is useful wherever wolves and other 

large predators (e.g. black bears) are re-colonizing and increasing 

in density and contributes to basic scientific knowledge about wolfprey interactions and factors that predispose neonates to mortality. 

Monitoring of radio-tagged calves will continue through winter 2006. 

The results will enable comparison of survival rate and cause-specific 

mortality trends among years and evaluation of factors that may predispose calves to death and will be summarized in a Ph.D. dissertation 

and one or more publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 95

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Amphibian habitat fragmentation in Salt Creek, Canyonlands 

National Park: implications for 

reproduction and distribution

Six amphibian species have been identified in the Salt Creek study 

area, with a third species of spadefoot (Spea intermontana) possibly 

occurring as well. In May 2003, a Pseudacris triseriata was recorded 

calling in Salt Creek, the first time this species had been observed in 

Canyonlands NP. Numbers of toads caught in pitfall traps and seen 

in afternoon and evening visual encounter surveys declined from 

2000 to 2004 at the four primary sites (upstream and downstream 

from end of open road; upstream and downstream from upper end 

of closed road) in June, probably as a result of drought conditions 

during this period. Differences between open and closed road sites 

diminished during the drought. The no-road segment generally had 

fewer toads than any of the other sites. Ambystoma tigrinum was 

found downstream from the end of the road closure area (mouth of 

Angel Arch) for the first time in May 2003, representing dispersal of 

about 200–300 m in approximately eight years. In 2004, salamanders 

had moved downstream approximately 50 m. Both larvae and adults 

were seen, indicating that the salamanders had become established 

in this section of Salt Creek. The experimental driving through pools 

containing known numbers of B. woodhousii eggs resulted in reductions in numbers of eggs left in the pool after a single vehicle passed 

through the pool at about 5 mph. Average loss was about 50%. 

Extrapolation of numbers lost after 24 passes (maximum of 12 vehicles allowed in each day, making a round trip) indicated essentially all 

eggs would be lost from these pools if vehicles were allowed to drive 

up Salt creek.

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2004, RECEIVED FY 2005 FUNDS

Effect of groundwater withdrawal on avian abundance and 

species richness in riparian areas 

of national parks in the desert 

southwest

The objective of this research project is to evaluate the possible effect 

of a recently-proposed groundwater withdrawal on abundance and 

diversity of riparian birds in Saguaro NP (SAGU) and other park units 

in southern Arizona. Most parks in the region lack quantitative data 

regarding causal links between groundwater, riparian woodland 

health, and the unique avian communities they support. The National 

Park Service agreed to delay the start of field work until Spring 

2006 so additional sources of funding could be located and project 

personnel recruited. Additional funding secured from both USGS and 

Arizona Game and Fish Department will allow expanding the project 

to additional NPS units having riparian woodlands facing similar 

types of threat (e.g., Tumacacori NHP). Subsequent project cooperator 

meetings have used a geographic information system and geologic 

and hydrologic variables such as stream order, area of watershed, 

depth of groundwater table, type of bedrock, and slope to identify 

replicate riparian woodland study plot locations. Project personnel 

are visiting riparian woodland in SAGU for field methods training.

Measuring the impact of wastewater on concentration of nutrients, fecal bacteria, and 

human enteric virus in ground 

and surface waters in Dry 

Tortugas National Park

Submission of this report has been delayed due to Hurricane Wilma.
96 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Documenting current stream 

productivity and fish populations 

prior to dam removal in the 

Elwha River: Setting the stage 

for long-term monitoring of 

ecosystem responses.

Restoration of the Elwha River in Olympic NP involves a significant 

opportunity to restore important fish species, including Chinook 

salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead, after the removal of two large 

dams that have been in place for over 90 years. Determining the 

probable ecological effects and potential limits to success of salmon 

restoration to at least 70 miles of former spawning habitat within 

the park boundaries requires documenting existing conditions before 

dam deconstruction begins. Over the last two years, project activities 

involved 56 sites, representing mainstem, side channel, and tributary 

habitat in areas above, between, and below the dams. At most sites, 

collected samples included water chemistry, macroinvertebrates, 

periphyton, and fish. These efforts will provide baseline information 

of community composition, relative abundance, and fish genetics and 

will establish sampling protocols for determining ecosystem recovery 

and restoration. This work, involving at least seven entities including 

park fisheries biologists, has shared methods and research sites and 

has formalized and pilot-tested protocols for large river monitoring 

of juvenile and adult fish. The protocols will be provided to the park’s 

Long-term Inventory and Monitoring program.

Monitoring avian community 

changes and habitat use in the 

Giacomini Wetland Restoration Project in the Golden Gate 

National Recreation Area and 

reference wetlands along 

Tomales Bay

The Giacomini Wetland Restoration Project will be one of the largest tidal marsh wetland restorations in coastal California, as well as 

one of the most significant changes in the Tomales Bay watershed. 

To date, this project has conducted spatially explicit area and point 

count surveys of the avian community on the Giacomini Ranch site 

and on three reference wetlands along Tomales Bay (Inverness, 

Walker Creek, and Olema Marsh). Surveys were designed to determine whether changes in the avian community can be attributed to 

the restoration using a Before After Control Impact (BACI) design 

based on 250 x 250 m grid cells to identify unique locations within 

habitat types. Results to date show the greatest number of birds was 

observed on mudflats, followed by marsh, pasture, and open water 

habitat types. Few birds were consistently observed on disturbed and 

ruderal areas across sites. During FY 2006, the project will complete 

data analyses and prepare a report that will provide baseline information on the avian community on the Giacomini Ranch restoration site 

and reference sites prior to restoration action. Monitoring based on 

the results of this project of avian community changes as restoration 

proceeds will be an integral part of assessing progress and providing 

a basis for adaptive management.

Estimating distribution and 

amphibian occupancy of vernal 

pool breeding habitat

The status and distribution of vernal pool breeding amphibians are 

not well documented. During FY 2005, this project used systematic 

and adaptive cluster sampling to determine vernal pond locations 

and estimate occupancy status of pond breeding amphibian species 

for 6 national parks, 11 national wildlife refuges, and 1 state park 

in the northeastern U.S. This project worked with park and refuge 

biologists to find and survey 533 vernal pools, approximately 75% of 

which were previously unmapped locations. In FY 2006, these data 

will be used to estimate the total number of vernal pools in each of 

the parks and refuges, determine the proportion of pools that are 

used by breeding amphibians, help guide long-term monitoring of 

amphibians at vernal pools on federal lands throughout the northeastern U.S.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 97

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Impact of recreational and invasive species on resident aquatic 

species: Whiskeytown National 

Recreation Area

This study seeks to determine presence and abundance of Foothill 

yellow-legged frog and Western pond turtle in the presence of invasive species. For frogs, 8 streams were sampled three times (late 

spring to early fall) in 2004 and 2005. In 2004, 38 egg masses were 

found at half of 8 streams surveyed as well as larvae at 7 sites. The 

only stream where they did not occur was also the only site with the 

invasive bullfrog present. In 2005, when there was spring flooding 

and eggs were difficult to observe, yellow-legged frogs were found 

at all 10 streams, but only 5 egg masses were found in 3 streams. Larvae were found in 7 of 10 streams. Foothill yellow-legged frogs were 

present in 6 creeks where we found no American bullfrogs. Some 

bullfrogs were found in 4 other streams, mostly in lower portions. 

Overall, there appeared to be a healthy population of Foothill yellowlegged frogs in the park unit, unlike elsewhere, where this species 

is declining. 115 Western pond turtles and 2 introduced Red-eared 

sliders were found at 6 sites around Whiskeytown Reservoir. Turtles 

appeared to be stable or not declining in the presence of invasive 

bullfrogs and a few introduced turtles. However, sliders can increase 

rapidly once they become established and they need to be removed 

whenever located. There is little information on the effects of invasive fish in the park unit, which is of concern as ca. 20 fish species 

have been introduced. Further monitoring of these and other (e.g., 

crayfish) invasive species is warranted and specific studies are needed 

on specific topics (e.g., effects of introduced species on native biota). 

This project has published or submitted 3 news items and 1 small 

book chapter and anticipates producing two scientific journal papers.

Distribution of black bears in the 

Elwah Valley, Olympic National 

Park: Environmental baseline for 

assessing ecosystem effects of 

salmon restoration

Beginning in 2008, Olympic NP will dismantle 2 hydroelectric dams on 

the Elwha River in an effort to restore anadromous fish to this pristine watershed. During 2004 and 2005, this project extended a study 

begun in 2002 to describe bear distribution patterns prior to dam 

removal by using Global Positioning System radio-collars to obtain 

detailed movement information on 7 black bears, thereby increasing our overall sample from 8 to 15 bears. Specific objectives are to 

determine annual patterns of habitat use of black bears as well as 

seasonal use of the river corridor and elevational gradients within the 

watershed. During early spring, bears select low-elevation riparian 

meadow and hardwood habitats before moving up in elevation as 

summer progresses. Bears focus activities in high-elevation sub-alpine 

meadows during late-summer, when they forage primarily on huckleberries, and the return to lower elevations during late fall. Follow-up 

funding has been obtained to support development of non-invasive 

methods of monitoring bear distribution over the longer term using barb-wire devices to sample bear hairs and using DNA analyses 

of bear hairs to document trends in bear distribution following dam 

removal.

Evaluating vertebrate monitoring indicators for sound decision 

making: Technical assistance to 

the Sonoran Desert Network inventory and monitoring program

The University of Arizona and the Sonoran Desert Network (SDN) of 

the National Park Service (NPS) cooperatively are surveying birds in 

five NPS units in southern Arizona to test the efficacy and merits of 

several survey techniques and monitoring indicators for a long-term 

monitoring program for landbirds in Sonoran Desert parks. Data from 

this effort will inform the development of the landbird monitoring 

protocol effort for the network, and potentially other networks of 

the NPS. In 2005, the project evaluated monitoring indicators and 

planned for design of a monitoring protocol. In 2006, final adjustments to sampling designs will be accomplished and a final monitoring protocol will be developed for the NPS Sonoran Desert Network 

Inventory and Monitoring Program.
98 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Augmentation and expansion 

of endangered freshwater mussel populations in the Big South 

Fork National River and Recreation Area

Four species of freshwater mussels, Cumberland elktoe (Alasmidonta 

atropurpurea), Cumberland bean (Villosa trabalis), Cumberlandian combshell (Epioblasma brevidens), and painted creekshell (Villosa taeniata) 

were propagated for release in the Big South Fork NRRA. Gravid 

adults of each species were collected and glochidia were extracted 

and used to infest several species of fish. During propagation, three 

new host fish for the Cumberland elktoe were identified, and fish 

hosts were confirmed for the other mussel species. Nearly 25,000 

juveniles of the four mussel species were produced. Juveniles were 

cultured at the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Center at Virginia 

Tech to ages ranging from 2 weeks to 2.5 months and released in the 

park during summer 2005. Plans for 2006 include continued efforts 

to produce and release artificially propagated juveniles into the Big 

South Fork Cumberland River, with the goal of restoring and maintaining the park’s native mussel resources.

Assessing the relationship 

between acid precipitation, 

calcium depletion, and avian 

productivity in Great Smoky 

Mountains National Park

High elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains continue to receive 

some of the highest deposit rates of air-borne nitrate and sulfate 

in eastern North America. One effect of the resulting acidification 

is loss of calcium, which is an essential element to most life. This 

project is using the Black-capped Chickadee as a model for evaluating 

the effects of acid precipitation on the region’s high elevation 

bird communities. Black-capped Chickadee populations have been 

declining in the southern Appalachians over the past two decades, 

and have disappeared as breeders from several high elevation sites 

where they once occurred. This project conducted a pilot season of 

field research in Great Smoky Mountains NP in spring 2005, and will 

continue field work beginning in March 2006.

Riparian vegetation response 

to tamarisk invasion and flow 

regulation in Dinosaur National 

Monument

Baseline vegetation data for the Green River riparian zone in Lodore 

Canyon, Dinosaur NM, indicates that at present, within Lodore Canyon, non-native Tamarisk is approximately equal in cover to native 

Box-elder, in all size classes, except for seedlings, where Tamarisk is 

significantly more important. In the absence of the large, pre-dam 

floods, tree-size Box-elder stems are projected to be lost over time 

from high, pre-dam surfaces. This study is evaluating the effectiveness 

of Tamarisk removal by comparing vegetation change in Tamarisk removal versus non-removal sites. Early monitoring results indicate that 

physical removal significantly reduced cover of Tamarisk but did not 

achieve complete elimination of the smaller size-classes because of resprouting from live root crowns and establishment of new seedlings. 

Additionally, the non-native herbaceous weed, Spotted Knapweed, 

increased by 23% on Tamarisk removal sites and several grass species 

also increased at these sites. Species richness remained the same at 

both removal and non-removal sites. Vertical vegetation volume, an 

important structural metric for riparian vegetation that is positively 

correlated with avian diversity, was significantly reduced following removal of Tamarisk from post-dam surfaces. Future vegetation development on these surfaces as well as avian diversity in these reaches will 

be followed through continued monitoring. Such monitoring will 

help park managers weigh financial costs of Tamarisk removal against 

any resulting ecological benefits.

Effects of road mortality on 

native anuran populations at 

Saguaro National Park

Previous studies at Saguaro NP found that at least 23,000 vertebrates 

were killed annually by vehicular traffic on roads through or surrounding the Park, with the most frequently killed class being anuran amphibians. Call surveys at night to locate breeding sites and daytime 

visual surveys of pools and streams for eggs, larvae, or new metamorphs, during the 2005 summer monsoon (July–September), revealed seven and eight potential breeding sites on the Rincon Mountain 

District and Tucson Mountain District of the Park, respectively. Live 

and dead individuals of three native (red-spotted toad, Couch’s 

spadefoot, Colorado River toad) and one introduced (American bullfrog) anuran species were found on roads on or adjacent to the park. 

During the 2006 monsoon season, this project will estimate abundances and determine size and sex class distributions of all species breeding at sites near to and far from roads open at night and will also 

count the numbers of live and dead anurans on the roads nearest to 

those breeding sites to quantify direct losses to those anuran populations.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 99

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Population status and ecology 

of ashy storm petrel in Channel 

Islands National Park assessing 

one of the most vulnerable 

endemic seabirds in the 

California Current

Islands within the Channel Islands NP provide essential nesting habitat for Ashy Storm-Petrel. This species also depends upon marine 

prey resources throughout surrounding waters including several west 

coast National Marine Sanctuaries. Basic information regarding stormpetrels in the park is lacking, including current population sizes, diet, 

and quantitative information necessary to identify important oceanographic habitats. Such information is required for effective monitoring and management. The second year (2005) of this ongoing population study of Ashy Storm-Petrel in the park spent 29 nights capturing, measuring, banding, and radio-marking storm-petrels on three 

islands. The study captured 362 at Santa Barbara Island (SBI), 460 at 

Scorpion Rock (SR), and 150 at Prince Island (PI). Fifteen previously 

banded Ashy Storm-Petrels were recaptured at SBI, 9 at SR, and 6 

at PI. Standardized Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) was 0.093 ± 0.058 

SD birds min-1 (183 net hours). The study radio-marked Ashy StormPetrels at three colonies: SR, SMI, and PI and between 23 July and 22 

September 2004, and 5 July and 4 August 2005, flew 30 telemetry 

surveys and covered >72,000 km2 of ocean. Storm-petrel observations 

(215 valid locations from 57 individuals) were aggregated over the 

continental shelf-break from Pt. Conception to Pt. Buchon, within the 

western Santa Barbara Channel, and over the deep basin separating 

Santa Cruz, San Nicolas, and Santa Barbara Islands. Individual birds 

ranged as far north as Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use radiotelemetry to 

document the at-sea distribution and habitat association for any of 

the world’s storm-petrels. The study will continue mark-recapture 

efforts in 2006.

Does food availability impede 

bird restoration in Hawaii 

Volcanoes National Park?

The goal of this study is to determine whether the availability of 

arthropod prey affects the abundance and distribution of Hawaiian 

forest birds and whether arthropod abundance may limit bird recovery efforts. Activities completed in FY 2005 included semi-annual 

sampling of: 1) all bird species using variable circular plot counts and 

2) arboreal arthropods on ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha) foliage 

and branches at eight study sites within mesic and wet ohia forests 

of Hawai'i Volcanoes NP. Additionally, the study surveyed potential 

competitors of birds (ants and parasitic wasps) using malaise traps 

(parasitic wasps) and baits (ants) and identified and enumerated all 

arthropod samples. Also, the study dried and weighed the ohia foliage associated with each sample and developed leaf-area-index data 

to facilitate scaling study results to landscape levels. All bird and 

arthropod data have been entered into electronic databases and are 

being analyzed and prepared for publication.

The role of hybridization in 

cattail (Typha spp.) invasions of 

freshwater wetlands in Great 

Lakes National Parks

This project is assessing the role of hybridization in the spread of 

cattails in three Great Lakes national parks using modern molecular 

techniques to investigate the recent ancestry of invasive cattails and 

to correlate their hybrid status with their physical characteristics 

and overall aggressiveness. In 2004, leaf material was collected from 

nearly 800 plants from wetlands at Indiana Dunes NL, Voyageurs NP, 

and St. Croix NSR. Genetic analyses conducted during 2005 showed 

that most of the cattails in the three national parks are spontaneous 

fertile hybrids between an exotic cattail from Europe, T. angustifolia, 

and our native broadleaf cattail, T. latifolia, or their offspring, and the 

highly variable physical characteristics of the corresponding flowering spikes supported this observation. While there are still a few 

exotic narrowleaf cattails present in the parks, the overall situation 

has apparently progressed to the level of a hybrid swarm throughout 

much of the Great Lakes region. At least at Voyageurs, which is both 

the most northerly and the most westerly of the parks studied, the 

majority of the cattails bear a greater genetic resemblance to their 

native ancestor than to their exotic ancestor. In addition, the higher 

incidence of first generation hybrids at Voyageurs indicates that 

hybridization is a slightly more recent phenomenon there than at the 

other two parks. Additional ecological testing was carried out during 

2005, with the ultimate goal of providing resource managers with a 

clearer understanding of management steps needed to preserve the 

genetic integrity of the pure native cattail in those relict populations 

where it still exists, and to control any unwanted spread of hybrid 

and exotic cattails to maintain and enhance wetland biodiversity.
100 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Importance of small wetlands 

to the diversity of amphibian 

assemblages in the Delaware 

Water Gap Recreation Area

This study used a combination of visual encounter surveys, larval 

dipnet surveys, and adult anuran call surveys in spring and summer of 

2005 to assess use of lentic water bodies by pond-breeding amphibians throughout the New Jersey portion of the Delaware Water Gap 

NRA. The study surveyed 44 wetlands that were stratified among 

small (< 0.1 ha), medium (0.15 – 0.66 ha), and large (> 1.0 ha) size 

classes, and found that 14 different species of amphibian deposited 

eggs in these wetlands. The study will evaluate the importance of 

small wetlands to the overall maintenance of amphibian biodiversity 

throughout the study area and will develop predictive models of 

amphibian species presence as a function of wetland size, hydroperiod, and isolation. The study will also produce GIS data layers that 

will help park natural resource managers identify potential amphibian breeding wetlands, document species occurrence patterns within 

a portion of these wetlands, and provide gross information on the hydrologic regimes of these habitats. In 2006, the study will assess temporal variability in species presence (i.e. species turnover) by surveying 

a random selection of 10 wetlands that were previously sampled during the 2005 season.

Producing wolf-elk population 

model for Yellowstone National 

Park

Analysis was completed of survival rate and causes of death for a 

sample of 85 adult female elk in Yellowstone NP over a 3-year period. 

Annual survival rate was 0.80 (95% CI = 0.73–0.86). Equal amounts 

of human harvest and wolf predation formed the primary causes of 

death. Survival analyses of 151 park neonate elk are currently being 

conducted. Preliminary causes of death were bears (55–60% of total 

mortality), and coyotes and wolves (10–15% each). When analyses 

are complete the data from both studies will be used in a wolf-elk 

population model.

The development of a 

quantitative decision model 

for evaluating the effects of 

river regulation and water 

use on native fishes in the 

Chattahoochee River National 

Recreation Area

Using two study reaches along the Chattahoochee River based on 

the relative influence of water regulation on the thermal and hydrologic regime, this study during 2005 estimated habitat availability by 

mapping stream habitats at two flows, representing low and moderate discharge conditions, using GPS and electronic depth recorder. 

The study also sampled fishes in individual habitat types (e.g., pool, 

shoal, run) at each study reach to assess effects of thermal and habitat characteristics on fish distribution and community structure and 

compiled existing data on native fish communities. During FY 2006, 

the study will complete fish and habitat sampling and begin data 

analyses and initial model building. The models will allow Chattahoochee River NRA managers to evaluate the influence of various water management scenarios on the abundance and distribution native 

biota in the river.

Development of methods to 

improve trapping of freeroaming cats in national parks

Although delayed due to health reasons of the researcher, this project 

conducted some preliminary site selection during spring 2005 and 

obtained equipment and field supplies. The study will be conducted 

in 2006.

Fishes and riverine habitat of 

Badlands National Park, with 

emphasis on the sturgeon chub 

and other imperiled species

Recent surveys of the White River in Badlands National Park have 

revealed the presence of the sturgeon chub (Macrhybopsis gelida), 

which had declined in the Missouri River and is a species of concern in 

South Dakota. This study in Badlands National Park was approved on 

September 21, 2005, so no substantial work could be done this fiscal 

year. The possibility of a SCEP (Student Career Employment Program) 

was explored without success. An MS student will begin sampling 

in the spring of 2006 and conduct duplicate field studies during the 

summer of 2007.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 101
102 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

If space allows, it is recommended that the text begin on the opposite page and that this page contain photographic or illustrative material. 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 103

Appendix D: Summary of Fully-funded Water 

Resources Program Competitive Projects

Endangered duskytail darter 

(Etheostoma percnurum) captured 

during 2005 fish inventories at 

Big South Fork National River & 

Recreation Area.

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Karst Ground Water 

Delineation at Russell Cave 

National Monument and 

Chickamauga and Chattanooga 

National Military Park (PMIS 

#91492)

The purpose of this project was to define the ground-watersheds of 

Russel Cave National Monument and Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park through fluorescent dye-tracing methods. 

Such traces demonstrate the connection between recharge points 

(sinking streams and sinkholes) and springs and also permit inference of the cave stream pathway. The study, being conducted by 

the Center for Cave and Karst Studies, has conducted a total of 

12 groundwater dye traces. On the west side, dyes were injected 

in Craven’s House Spring, Rock Spring, Dogwood Spring, Jackson 

Spring, Gum Spring, Pond Spring, Warren Point Falls, and Chambliss 

Cave. With the exception of Chambliss Cave, all tracer tests showed 

ground water flowing north parallel to the strike. Chambliss Cave, 

Warren Point Falls, and Jackson Falls all traced to Skyuka Spring. 

Dogwood and Rock Spring first traced to Ruby Falls and then on 

to Anderson Spring under the riprap of the highway and into the 

Tennessee River. All other tracer tests showed groundwater flowing 

to Mystery Falls Cave and then to Anderson Spring. Although the 

results are not yet fully analyzed, four dyes have been injected on 

the East side of the mountain at the Craven’s Terrace Swallet, 1st 

Blue Line Past Rock City Proper Stream, Lenora Spring, and Rock 

City Swallet. These traces will be traveling to Mystery Falls Cave or 

Blowing Spring. The last test results are currently being analyzed 

and a decision will be made if further tracer tests are relevant on 

Lookout Mountain. Total project costs was $10,300.

Evaluate Hydrology in Wetlands to Develop Vital Signs—

Cuyahoga Valley National Park 

(PMIS #92088)

The purpose of the project was to extend hydrology monitoring in 

park wetlands to expand an existing Inventory & Monitoring Program dataset that is being used to develop wetland “Vital Signs.” 

Vital Signs are a set of ecological indicators that can be used as a 

gauge of wetland stability or condition. Specifically, water level 

and conductivity were measured approximately biweekly in sixteen 

selected wetlands (a subset of 48 wetlands from an earlier study) 

within Cuyahoga Valley National Park for two field seasons over 

the span of a year. Preliminary results suggest that there are significant differences in hydrology between wetland type, wetland 

size, and distance to disturbance. A full report will be submitted by 

December 31, 2005, detailing a final analysis of valuable hydrological indicators in park wetland systems. The total project cost was 

$25,080.

Evaluate East Alsek River Sockeye Salmon Habitat—Glacier 

Bay National Park/Preserve 

(PMIS #80188)

This project seeks to evaluate existing and historical information 

to better understand ecological change effects on East Alsek River 

sockeye salmon. The Park Service and a University of Alaska (Fairbanks) cooperator began collecting and analyzing data to evaluate 

aspects of natural vs. human change effects on aquatic ecosystems 

in the Dry Bay area during 2005. Completed geo-referencing and 

vegetation delineation of four aerial photography series (1948, 

1966, 1978–81, and 1996) and summarized vegetation community 

and wetted-channel change. East Alsek River wetted-channel area 

has declined more than 40% since 1948. Results of this study will 

inform Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Biological Escapement Goal of 13,000–26,000 fish per year. Project completion is 

anticipated in 2007. The project cost was $46,600.
104 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Prepare a Water Resources 

Management Plan—Denali 

National Park (PMIS #55427)

The purpose of the study/project was to develop a water resources management plan using a two-stage process. The plan will 

summarize the known conditions at the park, including legislation, 

completed studies and reports, establish “desired conditions,” 

identify water-related issues, and establish strategic directions for 

managing water resources. The first phase produced the Water 

Resources Information and Issues Overview Report during FY 2005. 

The second phase will use the background information and scoping to inform a formal planning process that will result in a Water 

Resources Management Plan. This will include conducting public 

scoping sessions, development of desired conditions for critical 

water resources, identifying issues, and developing strategies that 

move Denali National Park closer toward the desired conditions. 

The total project cost was $50,000.

Aquatic Resources Synoptic 

Study along State-Proposed 

Road Corridor through Denali 

National Park (PMIS #71667)

The purpose of the study was to gather critical water resources information along a proposed 90-mile new road corridor. Accomplishments include a hydrologic inventory, flood-flow statistics, water 

quality analysis, air photo interpretation of flood-prone areas, 

channel geometry analysis of major rivers, aerial survey for springs, 

and water chemistry of springs. This information was analyzed and 

the results were presented in a formal report, Water Resources 

Assessment of the Toklat Basin in the Vicinity of the Stampede Trail 

Alignment. The total project cost was $25,000, funded by the 

Water Resources Program.

Technical Evaluation of Water 

Quality Monitoring Program—

New River Gorge National 

River, Bluestone National 

Scenic River, and Gauley River 

National Recreation Area (PMIS 

#91435)

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the technical and 

practical aspects of the water quality monitoring program for 

New River Gorge NR, Bluestone NSR, and Gauley River NRA 

(collectively referred to as NERI). A workshop of water quality 

experts and interested stakeholders was held in Oak Hill, West 

Virginia, on September 12–14, 2005. All aspects of the NERI water 

quality monitoring program were discussed at the workshop. 

Recommendations made at the workshop that are under review 

include that NERI explore ways to make water quality monitoring 

data available to the public on the park web site and to consider 

reducing the amount of interpretation in hard-copy reports to 

make them available more quickly. A draft report is nearing 

completion by the workshop facilitator. Suggestions from the 

workshop and report will be incorporated into the recently 

initiated NERI General Management Plan for final action. An 

article for submission to Park Science is expected to come from this 

project. Total project costs were $25,500.

Develop Ground Water Flow 

Model to Determine Wetland 

Susceptibility to Stressors—

Acadia National Park (PMIS 

#86352)

The purpose of this study is to aid managers at Acadia National 

Park in selecting wetlands for inclusion in a monitoring program 

by classifying wetlands according to their hydrologic function 

and degree of susceptibility to threats posed by degradation 

(current and potential) of groundwater aquifers on Mt. Desert 

Island, Maine. Field work has been completed and investigators 

are finalizing their written reports and GIS data layers. A 

hydrogeomorphic classification system for wetlands was developed 

which assigns wetlands to classes using topographic, soils, and 

surficial geologic data. A table of expected hydrodynamic behavior 

for each hydrogeomorphic class has been developed. Final reports 

for the project are expected to be completed early in 2006.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 105

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Develop Standards and 

Indicators for Aquatic 

Invertebrates for VERP 

Planning—Zion National Park 

(PMIS# 43731)

The purpose of this project is to determine if populations of 

aquatic invertebrates are an effective tool documenting impacts of 

in-stream hiking in the Zion Narrows. The project was initiated in 

2004 through and Interagency Agreement with the U.S. Geological 

Survey, though field work was delayed until the summer of 2005 

by competing work commitments and exceptionally high runoff 

in the winter and spring of 2005. In 2005, field work was initiated 

following a field reconnaissance and revision of the study plan, and 

the interagency agreement with USGS was amended to obligate 

the FY 2006 (year 2) funding for this 2-year project. Sample sites 

were identified and samples collected at several sites in the Zion 

Narrows and two other streams were sampled as potential control 

sites. In 2006, field sampling will continue, visitor use levels will be 

measured and additional streams will be evaluated as control sites. 

Total funds obligated for the project were $26,500.

Final Water Quality Monitoring 

to Rescind Cleanup or 

Abatement Order on Santa 

Rosa Island—Channel Islands 

National Park (PMIS# 97342)

The purpose of this project is to develop a stream water quality 

monitoring plan so that a 1995 Cleanup or Abatement Order issued 

by the Central Coast Water Quality Board for activities associated 

with grazing and road management practices on Santa Rosa Island 

may be rescinded. The plan being developed by the University of 

California at Santa Barbara will continue the assessment of water 

quality completed in 1998 and 2002 and develop a plan for future 

stream monitoring on Santa Rosa Island. Final year project funding will be used to carry out water quality sampling on Santa Rosa 

Island and develop a monitoring protocol. The final report is expected in 2006. The park is working with the Central Coast Water Quality Control Board (Board). The Board is expected to consider data 

submitted from the park during the next several months and it is 

hoped that a decision is made in 2006 to rescind the Cleanup or 

Abatement Order. Total funding for this project was $30,000.

Assess Nutrient Sources, 

Fluxes, and Water Quality of 

the Aimakapa and Kaloko 

Hawaiian Fishponds—KalokoHonokohau National Historical 

Park (PMIS #86564)

The goal of the project is 1) to develop a water quality baseline to 

which future water quality can be compared, 2) develop an understanding of the physical and biological factors that influence the 

transformation of dissolved nutrients into microbial biomass in the 

pools and ponds, and 3) determine the natural variability of water 

quality within the park’s resources as a result of seasonality, tidal 

cycles, and stochastic processes (real variability). A future monitoring schedule to be carried out by park staff will be devised based 

on these data. Water quality data consists of ammonium, nitrate + 

nitrite, phosphate, silicate, total dissolved nitrogen, total dissolved 

phosphate, and chlorophyll a. The first full year of sampling was 

completed in January 2006. Monthly sampling of anchialine pools, 

fishponds, and groundwater wells (3 park wells, 2 upslope drinking water wells). A 2-week bioassay of nutrient uptake for Kaloko 

pond and Aimakapa pond was completed in August 2005. Nutrient analyses and data analyses are on-going. Expendable sampling 

equipment and data sondes are provided by park base funds to 

support the project. Park staff has been trained in all field work, 

sample processing and QA/QC procedures so that future monitoring can be carried out by park staff. All field work and processing 

is now handled by the staff. Total funding for this project was 

$30,800.
106 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Repair Endangered Big Bend 

Mosquitofish Pond—Big Bend 

National Park (PMIS #94785)

The purpose of the project was to rehabilitate a failing man-made 

pond that serves as habitat for an endangered species, the Big 

Bend mosquitofish. The initial 2004 objectives were: 1) plan pond 

changes, 2) contract design specifications, 3) obtain necessary permits, 4) design and purchase inflow and outflow structures. The initial objectives were modified somewhat due to recommendations 

developed during interagency planning meetings where it was 

strongly suggested to building a new pond rather than reconstructing the existing one as planned. This resulted in the need for an 

environmental assessment rather than a categorical exclusion for 

the project. Additionally, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) agreed to perform engineering and design for the project at no charge to the National Park Service. Thus, FY 2004 funds 

originally planned for design activities were used (with Water 

Resource Program approval) to contract development of an environmental assessment. The total project cost is $101,900. During 

FY 2004, $30,000 in funds was provided by WRP, $5000 by NRCS, 

$1000 by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and $8000 by Big Bend NP. 

In FY 2005, $38,900 was allocated by WRP to complete construction 

of the pond and accessory structures.

Effects of Dam Removal on 

Marine-derived Nutrients 

within the Elwha River Ecosystem—Olympic National Park 

(PMIS #91682)

The purpose of this project was to establish baseline values for 

marine derived 15N and 13C isotopes from various trophic levels 

of the Elwha River ecosystem for comparison with future values 

after anadromous salmonids return following removal of two 

dams on the Elwha River. This project was fully accomplished, with 

macroinvertebrate, fish tissue, periphyton, and macroalgae samples 

collected during the summer of 2005 for this purpose. Final analysis 

of the samples is expected to be completed by June 2006, with results to be provided in the Final Completion Report, due September 

30, 2006. The total project cost was $39,000.

Characterize Water Quality, 

Hydrology, and Aquatic Biology 

in the Kijik River Basin—Lake 

Clark National Park/Preserve 

(PMIS #46782)

The water quality of the Kijik River Basin was studied due to 

concern over the recent decline in sockeye salmon abundance 

and potential development on private in-holdings within the 

drainage. Water quality and biological data were collected from 

four stream and two lake sites during the summer runoff months 

(June through October) in 2004 and the winter (March) in 2005. 

Preliminary results indicate water type throughout the Kijik River 

Basin is calcium bicarbonate with low concentrations of nutrients, 

major ions, and dissolved organic carbon. Funds totaling $40,000 

were obligated in FY 2005, and a final report will be completed by 

December 31, 2005.

Develop a Water Resources 

Management Plan—Death 

Valley National Park (PMIS # 

98058)

This Water Resources Program-funded project will develop the 

initial phase of Death Valley National Park’s Water Resources 

Stewardship Plan, focusing on park water resources and applicable 

laws and regulations. On completion, this phase will be followed by 

a plan that addresses management actions for DEVA water resources. Major tasks that will be completed in FY 2006 include: (1) 

evaluation of regulatory relationships that may affect management 

of Death Valley’s water resources, (2) summary of the hydrologic 

environment of Death Valley and the surrounding region, and 

(3) detailed identification of water resources and associated 

resources such as soils, aquatic flora and fauna, and water quality. 

Phase 1 is expected to be completed in FY 2006 with delivery 

of a Phase 1 report. The total project cost is $40,399, which was 

provided by WRP in FY 2005.
110 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Restore Habitat for the 

Endangered Southern 

California Steelhead Trout: 

Solstice Creek Dam Removal—

Santa Monica Mountains 

National Recreation Area (PMIS 

#94171)

The purpose of this WRP-funded project is to restore access to 

spawning endangered southern steelhead trout. The objectives 

are to remove in-stream barriers (low-water crossings and dams) 

that may impede the migration of adult and juvenile trout. The 

objectives have been accomplished in part through cooperative 

effort from the California Conservation Corps and Heal the Bay, 

who removed three of the low-water crossings and other concrete 

debris from a previous dam. WRP funds and funding from the California Conservation Corps and Wildlife Resources Board have been 

obligated and a contract has been awarded to an 8(a) contractor. 

The contractor will be removing the remaining three dams and a 

low-water crossing and replacing the crossing with a residential 

bridge. Work is scheduled to begin in November (FY 2006) and 

should be complete by the end of December.

The estimated total project cost is $537,000. During FY 2005, 

$100,000 was provided by WRP and was obligated for project 

implementation. Additional contributions were from California 

Coastal Conservancy—$200,000, Wildlife Conservation Board—

$200,000, and NOAA-American Fisheries—$37,000.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 107

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Survey Mercury Levels in Fish 

in the St. Croix River—St. Croix 

National Scenic Riverway (PMIS 

#73209)

The purpose of the project was to compliment and expand heavy 

metal monitoring that was done as part of the U.S. Geological 

Survey National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program to 

determine the extent and distribution of heavy metals; to continue 

the study of trace elements in sediment which began in FY 2000; 

and to study of the relation between tributary basin land use/land 

cover and methylmercury levels in streams. The study will also provide a mercury tissue index and build upon existing data to provide 

a more detailed assessment of mercury and methylmercury sources 

to the St. Croix Riverway. Total WRP project funds expended for 

FY 2005: $40,500.

Evaluate Relationships 

between Water Quality, 

Seagrass Habitat and Fish 

Populations—Assateague 

Island National Seashore (PMIS 

#96052)

The purpose of the project is to evaluate relationships between 

estuarine fin fish, invertebrates, water quality, and sea grass 

coverage. The study will make use of a unique group of datasets 

collected in the waters surrounding Assateague Island National 

Seashore that chronicle change in environmental attributes 

over the past 15 to 30 years during a period when sea grass 

coverage was expanding. Sophisticated statistical analyses will 

take advantage of the spatial and temporal range of these data 

to test for significant correlations between fisheries, habitat and 

environmental conditions. Accomplishments to date include the 

acquisition and organization of GIS coverages, preparation of 

water quality datasets and review of sampling procedures, and the 

aggregation of fisheries data into ecological categories. The total 

project cost was $50,000.00 with final products due in the spring or 

summer of 2006.

Flood Pulse Systems: Analyzing 

Potential Changes in Corridor 

Dynamics due to Changes 

in Stream Flow—Big Thicket 

National Preserve (PMIS 

#88121)

This WRP-funded project seeks to establish models that characterize the hydraulic regimes of the Neches River and the relationship 

of these regimes to the ecological and conservation requirements 

of its floodplain in the Big Thicket National Preserve. The $50,000 

project included a topographic survey of the project area, equipment for steam monitoring, and compilation and analyses of existing geographic and vegetation data. The final report detailing the 

modeling results and the conclusions regarding flood-dependent 

floral communities will be completed in FY 2006.

Developing Numeric Nondegradation Water Quality 

Standards for Biscayne 

National Park (PMIS #94291)

The purpose of this project is to develop a process and statistical methods to define numeric nutrient criteria for Biscayne Bay 

waters using existing water quality data. FY 2005 funding of tasks 

completed thus far include: (1) the collection and compilation of 

the existing nutrient datasets to produce an inventory or database 

to provide a statistical foundation for the project; (2) documentation of analytical protocols, and; (3) mapping of monitoring stations in the Bay. The final product, expected late in 2006, will be a 

report containing calculations of the proposed numeric criteria for 

the nutrients and documentation of the statistical procedures used 

to derive the criteria.

Develop Water and Aquatic 

Resources Management Plan—

Point Reyes National Seashore 

(PMIS #3343)

This Water Resources Program-funded project will develop the 

Point Reyes National Seashore Water Resources Stewardship Plan 

(WRSP), focusing on park water resources and applicable laws and 

regulations. Upon completion the WRSP will include: (1) a summary 

of the hydrologic environment of Point Reyes National Seashore, 

(2) evaluation of regulatory relationships that may affect management of Point Reyes National Seashore’s water resources, and (3) 

detailed identification of water resources management goals and 

objectives, and strategies for achieving desired conditions. The total 

project cost is $40,399, with completion scheduled by September, 

2006.
108 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2005 Report to Congress

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Assessing the Occurrence, 

Dissipation & Potential Risks of 

Glyphosate to Coastal Areas of 

Biscayne National Park (PMIS 

#94264)

The purpose of this project is to assess the occurrence, dissipation 

and potential risks of the herbicide glyphosphate, a pesticide used 

to control unwanted vegetation along canals and structures in 

areas of Biscayne NP adjacent to the water control structures. The 

project is continuing to conduct a detailed survey of canals and 

coastal environments focusing on the following objectives: a) occurrence of the parent herbicide and metabolites, b) spatial and temporal distributions, c) occurrence of other compounds of concern 

such as Atrazine, and d) potential accumulation into marine and 

limnetic sediments. The preliminary results indicate that Atrazine 

is present in the all the water samples at concentrations ranging 

from 4.00 to 17.2 ng/L, as expected from surface waters near urban 

and agricultural lands. Of all chlorinated compounds analyzed only 

Endosulfan II was detected in the C-102 canal sample above the 

chemical method detection limit. At 24.4 ng/L, the concentration of 

this pesticide is well within the levels expected for an area where 

agrochemicals are still actively used in particular around South 

Miami-Dade County. All these samples have been extracted for 

glyphosate and AMPA are waiting for data reduction and reporting. The team has detected other contaminants in the canals in 

addition to glyphosate, and this finding was considered significant. 

The information will be to make recommendations on the use of 

Glyphosphate to local entities and to the NPS Water Resources Program. Total funds obligated for the project were $66,800.

Retrofit Maintenance Yard 

Drainage Using Best Management Practices to Prevent 

Stream Pollution—Rock Creek 

Park (PMIS # 44717)

The purpose of this project was to retrofit Rock Creek Park’s maintenance yard storm drains to abate any polluted discharges and 

control excessive stormwater flows from eroding open channels 

into nearby park streams. Total project funds of $92,000 was used 

to install three Filterra stormwater structures, an AquaShield filter, 

a new manhole, culvert, and discharge dissipation structure in the 

storm drainage system. The projected improvement to the stream’s 

water quality will allow for the affected stream to recover and be 

productive for aquatic organisms.

Assess Hydrological Dynamics 

of a Pacific Island Wetland—

The National Park of American 

Samoa (PMIS #4145)

The purpose of this WRP funded project is to begin the hydrologic 

characterization of a palustrine wetland that is unique in Micronesia. At this time, no hydrologic data exist for this 33-acre wetland 

which serves as the primary natural resource in American Memorial 

Park and supports at least two federally endangered species, the 

Nightingale Reed-warbler (Acrocephalus luscinia) and the Mariana 

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus). Rapid and unregulated urbanization in adjacent lands as well a proposed U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers flood control project that will drain into the wetland 

serves as unquantified threats to the resource integrity. A basic 

characterization of the wetlands hydrology will provide park staff 

with the necessary information to evaluate external threats. A 

contract was awarded at the beginning of FY 2005 and monitoring 

wells were installed in the summer of 2005. Data collection will 

continue into 2006, with expected completion and report at end of 

FY 2006.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 109

Title of Project FY 2005 Report

Lake Ozette Basin Sediment 

Source Analysis, Olympic 

National Park (PMIS # 91707)

The purpose of this project is to examine structure and composition and determine sedimentation rates into Lake Ozette over 

the last 500 years. WRP funding supported the work. The project 

was conducted in collaboration with partners at the University 

of Washington Earth Sciences Department through a cooperative agreement with the Pacific West Region-CESU. Work during 

the first year focused on an aerial photo/map analysis to determine a history of watershed disturbance, a GIS data compilation, 

a literature review and preliminary sediment characterization to 

prepare for coring activities. Major accomplishments associated 

with these tasks include: (a) compilation and review of literature 

associated with sedimentation, sediment characterization, watershed processes, and coring techniques and analysis; (b) acquisition 

and orthorecitification into ARCGIS of a set of 1964 aerial photos 

covering the Lake Ozette watershed; (c) acquisition of watershed 

aerial photos from 1935,1953, 1964, 1971, 1977, 1985, 1994, 2000, 

and 2003; (d) completion of a preliminary shoreline change analysis, including a high resolution shoreline comparison between the 

1953 and 2003 photo sets; (e) collection of approximately 25 linear 

miles of side-scan sub-bottom acoustic profiles determine sediment 

characteristics for the identification of coring areas; (f) collection 

of 27 sediment grab samples from depths ranging between 10–75 

meters near potential coring sites to determine actual sediment 

characteristics; and (g) analysis of lead-210 several grab samples to 

determine feasibility of lead-210 dating as a method for aging sediment layers. Total project cost was $100,000.

Define Existing Water Quality 

for Development of Special 

Protection Waters Regulations—Delaware Water Gap 

National Recreation Area (PMIS 

#97320)

The purpose of the project was to add a third year of monitoring 

data to an existing NPS/USGS Water Quality Assessment Project: 

Define Existing Water Quality for Development of Special 

Protection Waters Regulations for 14 Delaware Water Gap NRA 

Tributaries. The addition of this third year of data was necessary 

to improve the dataset developed under a two-year sampling 

effort conducted under the NPS-USGS Water Quality Assessment 

Program. The two-year effort was influenced by drought conditions 

in the first year of sampling, resulting in high variability within 

the dataset. The additional year of data funded under this project 

improved the dataset to where it is acceptable for inclusion 

into the Special Protection Waters Regulations administered by 

the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC). The objectives of 

the project were accomplished in full through the existing NPSUSGS partnership, utilizing a Student Conservation Association 

Conservation Associate for field and laboratory assistance. USGS has 

completed data analysis and has presented the analysis procedure 

and preliminary results to the DRBC where it was accepted as an 

appropriate procedure for defining existing conditions for Special 

Protection Waters. Report deadlines for USGS are as follows: draft 

report for NPS review October 30, 2005; draft report for external 

review December 31, 2005; and published report summer 2006. 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 111
U.S Department of the Interior

The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and provide access to our nation's natural and cultural 

heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to tribes. We:

• encourage and provide for the appropriate management, preservation, and operation of the nation's public lands and 

natural resources for use and enjoyment both now and in the future;

• carry out related scientific research and investigations in support of these objectives;

• develop and use resources in an environmentally sound manner, and provide an equitable return on these resources to 

the American taxpayer; and 

• carry out trust responsibilities of the U.S. Government with respect to American Indians and Alaska Natives.

National Park Service

The National Park Service is a bureau within the Department of the Interior. We preserve unimpaired the natural and 

cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future 

generations. We also cooperate with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and 

outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

August 2006 / Printed on recycled paper
Research Geologist Bruce Molnia 

stands atop a rock in Holgate Arm 

in Kenai Fjords National Park where 

photos of Holgate Glacier were 

taken in 1909. Molnia’s modern day 

photos document a century of glacier 

change.
Natural Resource Stewardship and Science

1201 Eye Street NW

Eleventh Floor

Washington, DC 20005

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