National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Natural Resource Stewardship and Science

Funding the Natural Resource Challenge

Report to Congress, Fiscal Year 2004
Inside Front Cover: Yosemite National 

Park, California, is one of three 

national parks where special studies 

are addressing cloud water chemistry, 

the development of air quality 

monitoring equipment for remote 

locations, and ozone precursors.

Cover: Native plants in bloom 

at Organ Pipe Cactus National 

Monument, Arizona.
Funding the Natural Resource Challenge

Report to Congress, Fiscal Year 2004

Natural Resource Stewardship and Science

Washington, DC

U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

Washington, DC
The service thus established shall promote and regulate the use of the Federal 

areas known as national parks, monuments, and reservations hereinafter 

specified by such means and measures as conform to the fundamental purpose 

of the said parks, monuments, and reservations, which purpose is to conserve 

the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to 

provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as 

will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.

16 U.S.C. § 1
Executive Summary 1

Chapter One: Funding 5

Chapter Two: Measuring Progress 9

Chapter Three: Progress in Protecting Park Natural Resources 13

Park and Regional Programs 13

Natural Resource Program Status 13

Challenge-funded Parks 14

Air Quality Program 15

Funding and Performance Summary 15

Emissions Inventories 16

Climate Friendly Parks 16

New Monitoring Themes—Mercury 16

Airborne Contaminants 16

Ecological Effects Examined 17

Biologic Resources Management Program 17

Exotic Plant Management Teams 17

Ecological Resotration 18

Integrated Pest Management Program 18

Endangered Species Program 19

Wildlife Program 19

Biological Resource Projects—National Level Support 20

Geologic Resources Program 20

Natural Resource Preservation Program (NRPP) 22

 Natural Resource Management Projects 22

Small Parks Projects 25

Regional Block Allocation Projects 25

Alaska Special Projects 25

USGS Biological Technical Assistance Agreement—Park-Oriented Biological Support 26

Servicewide Projects 27

Natural Sounds Program 27

Resource Damage Assessment and Recovery Program 28

Resource Protection Program 29

Water Resources Program 29

Water Resource Projects 29

Water Quality Monitoring 30

Water Resource Protection—Aquatic Resource Professionals 31

Watershed Condition Assessment Program 31

Water Resource Technical Assistance 32

Chapter Four: Progress in Learning About NPS Natural Resources 35

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units 35

Geographic Information System Program 36

Inventory and Monitoring Program 38

Inventories 39

Monitoring 41

Natural Resource Data and Information Program 47

Research Learning Centers 48

Chapter Five: Financial Details 51

Appendices 61

Appendix A: Natural Resource Challenge Funding History 61

Appendix B: Air Quality Monitoring in NPS Units 63

Appendix C: NPS Dry and Wet Deposition (Including Mercury) Sites 65

Appendix D: New Toxics Monitoring 67

Appendix E: Natural Resource Preservation Program Funded Projects 69

Appendix F: USGS—Biological Resources 79

Appendix G: Summary of Fully-funded Water Resources Program Compentive Projects—FY 2004 93

Contents
8 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 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 1

National Park Service Natural Resource 

Challenge Program (the Challenge) funding increases beginning in FY 2000 have led to 

significant gains in core mission capability through careful design and to efficiencies 

through cross-program interactions, partnerships, and accountability. Natural Resource 

Challenge increases (2000–2004) are making a 

difference now and providing the framework to 

do even more in the future.

As a result of FY 2004 funding increases for 

monitoring, 22 of 32 monitoring networks of 

parks are funded to initiate long-term park vital 

signs for monitoring. Together these 22 networks 

represent 76 % of parks with significant natural 

resources. By the end of FY 2004:

•� 17 of the 22 funded networks, representing 153 

parks, had identified vital signs—the key to a 

low cost, management-oriented monitoring 

program.

•� 12 of the 17 networks, representing 101 parks, 

had completed their monitoring program 

designs and are poised to initiate monitoring 

upon plan approval.

•� The 5 remaining funded networks, representing 32 parks, had completed Phase I reports, 

synthesizing available data and information 

needed to begin vital signs identification.

•� All 32 networks, representing 270 parks, had 

received funding for water quality monitoring.

Through the Inventory and Monitoring Program, 

1,637 inventory data sets have been completed 

since 2000; including documentation of 264,948 

species listings. Numerous species newly discovered to be present in parks and numerous 

range extensions 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:

•� New and historic photography at Lake Clark 

National Park and Preserve documents 

retreating glaciers, rising tree line, shrub 

invasion into tundra, and receding lake levels.

•� Photography comparisons at Canyon de 

Chelly National Monument show upland 

invasion of piñon and juniper and spread of 

both native and exotic species into the riparian 

zone.

•� Comparisons of new data with older data show 

an increase in numbers of fish species at Big 

South Fork National Recreation Area, and 

increases and decreases in different bird 

species at Haleakala and Hawaii Volcanoes 

National Parks and Cape Cod National 

Seashore.

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:

•� Through an agreement with the U.S. 

Geological Survey, protocols are being 

developed for the Northeast Coastal and 

Barriers network to allow network parks to be 

part of a larger regional salt marsh monitoring 

effort that also includes several National 

Wildlife Refuges.

•� National Park Service Exotic Plant 

Management Teams (EPMTs) assisted the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in 

establishing mobile strike teams for fighting 

invasive plants, similar to NPS EPMTs. The 

National Park Service detailed EPMT 

personnel to the Fish and Wildlife Service to 

provide technical assistance to help implement 

the USFWS program at Charles M. Russell 

National Wildlife Refuge.

•� The Northern Colorado Plateau network is 

developing an umbrella protocol with the 

Bureau of Land Management and the U.S.D.A. 

Forest Service for joint use in monitoring 

threatened and endangered plant species.

•� The Inventory and Monitoring program partnered with the NPS Fire Program to complete 

21 vegetation maps in FY 2004; these maps 

provide information on fuels, including modeling vegetation flammability, as well as information for natural resource management uses. 

In another fire-related project, a joint effort 

between the Exotic Plant Management 

Team-funded Student Conservation Association corps and Sequoia and Kings Canyon 

National Parks resulted in surveying and 

controlling invasives on 2,600 acres of burned 

parklands. At Glacier National Park, a fire-related project funded through the Water 

Resources Program and facilitated by the 

Crown of the Continent Research Learning 

Center, followed large fires of the summer of 

2003 and characterized effects of wildfire on 

water quality. 

Executive Summary

At Sequoia and Kings Canyon 

National Parks, California, resource 

managers held a Native Plant 

Donation Day for the private 

inholding of Wilsonia. Residents 

received plants by pledging to plant 

these showy natives instead of exotic 

plants. Staff distributed information 

about invasive plants and discussed 

the threat. Over 750 plants were 

accepted by 47 families.
2 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

•� The NPS Integrated Pest Management 

Program cooperated with the U.S. Department 

of Agriculture to research the effectiveness of 

pheromone traps to detect the presence of an 

aggressive non-native invasive moth that has 

devastated a cactus (Opuntia) in the United 

States. Traps are being installed in Florida and 

the Gulf States parks initially; if successful, the 

traps will be installed in all parks with Opuntia

species.

•� The Park Service and the state of Wyoming 

signed a Memorandum of Understanding 

covering the sharing of information on the 

biology and movements of wolves in the greater Yellowstone area.

•� Working through universities in the 

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) 

network, the Water Resource Program funded 

a pilot watershed assessment of seven coastal 

parks on the South Atlantic and Gulf Coasts 

that will guide resource management planning, 

support the development of Vital Signs Monitoring Plans, and respond to the President’s 

call for NPS Ocean Strategy implementation.

Funding increases since 2000 have allowed the 

National Park Service to improve a variety of 

projects: the Natural Resource Preservation 

Program; a greatly expanded and accelerated 

Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program; 

17 Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (including 12 with NPS research brokers/coordinators); 

increased expertise in parks and servicewide 

programs, the Challenge-funded Biological 

Resources Management Program; and 16 Exotic 

Plant Management Teams. As a result of these, 

the National Park Service is developing more 

sophisticated information and tools for improved 

management and sometimes more cost-effective 

approaches for the future. For example:

•� A plant ozone injury risk assessment for all 

270 I&M parks was completed to assist parks 

and networks in determining whether ozone 

injury surveys should be conducted in their 

areas.

•� A labor intensive technique in the pondbreeding amphibian monitoring protocol used 

at Cape Cod National Seashore was compared to a simpler maximum count method, 

finding that the simpler approach sacrificed 

little in the way of accuracy but resulted in significant efficiencies.

•� A predictive model of non-native plant spread 

for the Sonoran Desert Network, which will 

use information from its invasive plant early 

detection protocol, is being developed by 

University of Arizona cooperators.

•� Potential tsunami and river flooding inundation hazards were modeled and displayed for 

Pu’ukohola Heiau National Historic Site to 

address and assist with the planned relocation 

of the park’s visitor center to a coastal site and 

to provide information for visitor safety and 

emergency operations.

•� A Night Sky Team was funded to establish 

monitoring protocols and quantitative 

methods and to collect baseline data at several 

parks, ultimately to protect dark night skies. 

In addition, the team provides technical assisInvasive cactus moth (Cactoblastus 

cactorum) larvae attack native 

Opuntia cactus species. The NPS 

Integrated Pest Management 

Program (IPM) is working with 

U.S. Department of Agriculture 

Animal, Plant, and Health Inspection 

Service (USDA-APHIS) to detect new 

infestations in susceptible parks.

Photo: Ignacio Baez, USDA-ARS
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 3

tance on internal facility lighting, community 

outreach, and partnering.

•� Several projects will assist in planning effective restoration efforts. At Redwood National 

Park, a project looked at whether summer 

stream temperatures limit juvenile coho 

salmon in Redwood Creek, finding the creek to 

be divided into four main reaches based on 

temperature. At Olympic National Park, 

migratory pathways and potential sources of 

mortality of federally threatened bull trout 

were studied. The project, with cooperators that included the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey, Washington Department of Fish 

and Wildlife, and The Wild Salmon Center, 

revealed that bull trout moved between freshwater and the Pacific Ocean and among watersheds along coastal Washington, that the trout 

spawn exclusively in the park, and that they 

are highly susceptible to incidental mortality 

in gill-net and recreational fisheries directed at 

other Pacific salmonids. The Park Service also 

conducted a workshop addressing the ecological history of the American chestnut, impacts 

of its loss, developments in chestnut blight 

resistance, research on chestnut genetic issues, 

restoration considerations, objectives, opportunities, and NPS policies.

These are just 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 continues 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 be “unimpaired for future 

generations.”

Since its inception, the 

Challenge has provided 

tangible benefits through 

information based 

management, increased 

expertise, partnerships, 

and resource leveraging.

Return to Table of Contents
4 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 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

This report responds to directions in House 

Report 106-22 for the FY 2000 appropriations 

for the National Park Service and other 

Department of 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 2004 

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, distinguishing those 

affected by Natural Resource Challenge funding, 

and identifies the funding level for FY 1999, the 

year before the first Challenge increases, and 

FY 2004. Most of the differences where 

increases are shown were as a result of the 

Challenge.

Chapter One: Funding

NPS Natural Resource Stewardship Program Funding (dollars in thousands)

PROGRAM COMPONENT FY 1999 FY 2004

SERVICEWIDE NATURAL RESOURCE PROGRAMS

Natural Resource Challenge-Affected Programs

 Air Quality Program $ 6,285 8,890

 Biological Resources Management Program – 8,575

 Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units 1 – 131

 Geologic Resources Program 1,918 2,651

 Inventory and Monitoring Program 1 5,787 36,932

 Natural Resource Data and Information Program 1,521

 Natural Resource Preservation Program 5,432 12,484

 Research Learning Centers 1, 2 – –

[223]

 Resource Damage Assessmt & Recovery Program (incl. Oil Spill Pollution Act) 873 1,265

 Resource Protection Fund – 294

 Water Resources Program 4,754 12,071

Programs Not Affected by Natural Resource Challenge

 Cave and Karst Research Institute – 344

 Everglades—Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) – 4,722

 Everglades—Critical Ecosystem Studies Initiative 1,200 3,937

 Everglades Task Force Support 800 1,308

 Geographic Information System (GIS) Program 1,336 1,291

 Glen Canyon Adaptive Management Program – 97

 Natural Sounds Program (formerly Overflight Program) 200 921

SUBTOTAL—Servicewide Natural Resource Programs $ 28,385 $ 97,433

NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM UNITS, OTHER FIELD UNITS, AND 

CENTRAL OFFICE NATURAL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS $ 65,832 $ 100,357

TOTAL NATURAL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP $ 94,417 $ 197,790

1 Reflects program funding after transfers to parks or regions

2 Not requested as part of the Natural Resource Challenge

Sea star, Channel Islands National 

Park, California. Marine protected 

areas established within the national 

park and adjacent national marine 

sanctuary enhance protection of the 

marine ecosystem.
6 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

32

31

30

29

28 27

26

25

24

23

22

21

20 19

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7 6

5

4

3

2

1

10 monitoring networks not 

funded as of FY 2004

17 monitoring networks 

funded FY 2001–2003 for 

core park vital signs

5 monitoring networks 

funded FY 2004 for core 

park vital signs

Park Vital Signs Monitoring Network

Funding Status FY 2004

1 Arctic Network 

(5 parks)

2 Central Alaska Network

(3 parks)

3 Southwest Alaska Network 

(5 parks)

4 Southeast Alaska Network

(3 parks)

5 North Coast and Cascades 

Network (7 parks)

6 Upper Columbia Basin Network 

(8 parks)

7 Klamath Network

(6 parks)

8 Sierra Nevada Network

(3 parks)

9 San Francisco Bay Area Network

(6 parks)

10 Mojave Desert Network

(6 parks)

11 Mediterranean Coast Network

(3 parks)

12 Pacific Island Network

(9 parks located in Hawaii,

American Samoa, Guam, and 

Saipan)

13 Rocky Mountain Network

(6 parks)

14 Greater Yellowstone Network

(3 parks)

15 Northern Colorado Plateau

Network (16 parks)

16 Southern Colorado Plateau

Network (19 parks)

17 Sonoran Desert Network 

(11 parks)

18 Chihuahuan Desert Network

(6 parks)

19 Northern Great Plains Network

(13 parks)

20 Great Lakes Network 

(9 parks)

21 Heartland Network 

(15 parks)

22 Southern Plains Network

(10 parks)

23 National Capital Region

Network (11 parks)

24 Eastern Rivers and Mountains

Network (9 parks)

25 Northeast Temperate Network

(10 parks)

26 Northeast Coastal and Barrier

Network (8 parks)

27 Mid-Atlantic Network 

(11 parks)

28 Cumberland/Piedmont Network 

(14 parks)

29 Appalachian Highlands Network

(4 parks)

30 Southeast Coast Network

(17 parks)

31 Gulf Coast Network

(8 parks)

32 South Florida/Caribbean 

Network (6 parks, including U.S.

Virgin Islands, not shown)
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 7

The following table shows FY 2003 funding and 

changes resulting from FY 2004 increases and 

other actions for all of the programs affected by 

the Natural Resource Challenge.

The next three chapters focus on describing the 

accomplishments achieved in FY 2004 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 5 and several of the appendices.

FY 2004 Changes to Natural Resource Stewardship Programs 1 (dollars in thousands)

With Natural Resource Challenge Contributions Highlighted

FY 2004 

 Program

PROGRAM COMPONENTS FY 2003 Increases FY 2004

SERVICEWIDE NATURAL RESOURCE PROGRAMS

Air Quality Program $ 8,998 $ – $ 8,890

 Challenge contribution 2,800 – 2,800

Biological Resources Management Program 7,930 741 8,575

 Challenge contribution 7,985 – 7,985

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units 2 443 – 131

 Challenge contribution 1,993 – 1,993

Geologic Resources Program 2,670 – 2,651

 Challenge contribution 696 – 696

Inventory and Monitoring Program 32,385 – 36,932

 Challenge contribution 28,523 4,939 33,462

Natural Resource Data and Information Program 1,542 – 1,521

 Challenge contribution 1,098 – 1,098

Natural Resource Preservation Program 12,693 – 12,484

 Challenge contribution 7,372 – 7,372

Research Learning Centers 2 – – –

 Challenge contribution 2,698 – 2,698

Resource Damage Assessment and

Recovery Program (incl. Oil Spill Pollution Act) 1,276 – 1,265

 Challenge contribution 500 – 500

Resource Protection Fund 298 – 294

 Challenge contribution 300 – 300

Water Resources Program 11,614 – 12,071

 Challenge contribution 6,872 592 7,464

Cave and Karst Research Institute,

Everglades Research and Restoration, GIS,

Glen Canyon Adaptive Management,

and Natural Sounds Programs 13,501 – 12,843

NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM UNITS, OTHER FIELD UNITS, 

AND CENTRAL OFFICE NATURAL RESOURCE 

STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS $ 97,644 $ – $ 100,134

 Challenge contribution $ 6,595 $ – $ 6,595

NATURAL RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS $ 190,994 $ – $ 197,790

 Challenge contribution $ 67,432 $ – $ 72,963

1 Includes across-the-board reductions and other changes to base, so FY 2004 changes added to FY 2003 will not equal 

the FY 2004 final funding

2 Reflects program funding after transfers to parks or regions

Return to Table of Contents
8 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 9

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

charged with reporting performance in a 

measurable way. The Government Performance 

and Results Act 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.

Fiscal Year 2004 marked a transition between 

the National Park Service 2001–2005 strategic 

plan, and new goals based on the Department 

of Interior 2003–2008 strategic plan. Many of 

the goals from the 2001–2005 plan carry over in 

similar form into the new plan, but the new NPS 

strategic goals incorporate more comprehensive 

condition goals (21 natural resource-related goals 

instead of 9) to better align with the Department’s strategic plan. The new goals are focused 

largely on meeting desired conditions, as established in management plans, for various types of 

resources, habitats and community types. During 

the early years of the new plan, the emphasis 

will be on developing baselines and identifying 

desired conditions—only general management 

plans developed since 2000 currently identify 

desired conditions, and often in a manner that 

is not measurable for performance management 

purposes. As a result of the transition, with this 

FY2004 report, accomplishments reported 

below relate to the previous goals that carry over 

to similar measures in the new plan; for the 

balance of the goals, most FY 2004 targets related to developing information and measurements.

Development of strategic monitoring programs 

began in FY 2001. When fully funded and 

implemented, a means 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 2004, 22 networks (of a total of 32 networks) 

involving 153 parks and an additional 29 parks 

for a total of 182 of approximately 270 parks 

managing natural resources are fully funded for 

condition monitoring. The first networks funded 

completed their monitoring program designs and 

will begin to implement monitoring in 

FY 2005. Hence, even the networks first funded 

are still a few years from having significant 

amounts of trend data and all of the networks 

are not yet funded. The latter are early in the 

planning process for monitoring. For the interim, 

a strategy is being developed to use information 

developed through inventories, planning for 

monitoring, and other efforts to allow reporting 

on resource conditions.

Of the 11 goals with FY 2004 targets reported on 

in the table below, all were technically met or exceeded (the Department considers actual 

accomplishments within 5 percent of the target 

to have been met)—some were exceeded to 

significant degrees. The 2004 paleonotologic 

resource condition target and the 2004 target to 

acquire inventories was technically met but did 

not quite achieve the specific target; the target 

was missed by 2%. The shortfall in attaining 

the paleontologic resource condition goal in FY 

2004 resulted from the NPS imposing stricter 

documentation standards for reported paleontologic sites and condition classification of such 

sites.

The following table shows the relationship of 

natural resource programs to selected National 

Park Service Strategic Plan goals, i.e., goals from 

the FY 2001–2005 plan that carry over to the 

2003–2008 plan. All programs respond to some 

elements of the new plan, but not all had specific 

targets for FY 2004.

Chapter Two: Measuring Progress

Natural Resource Challenge funding 

expands the capacity of natural 

resource managers to achieve the 

NPS strategic plan goal that 25% of 

paleontological resources, like this 

fossilized rhino jaw bone at John Day 

Fossil Beds National Monument in 

Oregon, are in good condition.
10 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

NATURAL RESOURCE CHALLENGE ACTIVITIES SUPPORTING NATURAL RESOURCE PROGRAMS—

RELATIONSHIPS TO FY 2004 STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL TARGETS

Servicewide Natural Goal Targets for FY 2004

Resource-Related Program (NPS number/DOI number)

Parks Receiving Natural Resource 

Challenge Increases (all goals 

pertain to parks generally)

Air Quality

Biological Resources 

Management

Geologic Resources

Water Resources

Inventory and Monitoring

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

resources:

Ia1B/PEM 2.004 Exotic Plant Species: 2.8% of park lands (41,500 

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

controlled. (exceeded)

Ia2A./PEM 2.001 Threatened and Endangered Species: 39% of 

Federally listed species that occur or have occurred in parks are making progress toward recovery [numbers not identified due to changing baselines]. (exceeded) 

Ia3B/PEM 1.010 69% (25 of 36) of reporting Class I NPS (DOI) lands 

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

Ia3C/PEM 1.011 66% (14 of 21) reporting Class I NPS (DOI) lands meet 

visibility objectives. (exceeded)

Ia1B/PEM 2.004 Exotic Plant Species: 2.8% of park lands (41,500 

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

controlled. (exceeded)

Ia2A./PEM 2.001 Threatened and Endangered Species: 39% of 

Federally listed species that occur or have occurred in parks are making progress toward recovery [numbers not identified due to changing baselines]. (exceeded)

Ia9/PEM 3.004 25% (1,287) of paleontological localities in NPS 

inventory (5,149) are in good condition (met) 

Ia4A/PEM 1.008 Determine initial baseline for 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)

Ia4B/PEM 1.008 Determine initial baseline for 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 59% (1,637) of outstanding data sets identified in 2002 (2,767) of basic natural resource inventories for all parks. 

(met)

Ib3A Vital Signs: 60% of 270 parks with significant natural resources 

have identified their vital signs for natural resource monitoring. 

(exceeded)

Ib3B 3.7% (10 of 270) parks with significant natural resources have 

implemented natural resource monitoring of key vital signs (met)

Return to Table of Contents
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 11
12 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 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 13

This chapter focuses on those Natural Resource 

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

resources. Budget programs included are:

•� Park and Regional Natural Resource Programs

•� Air Resources Program

•� Biologic Resources Management Program

•� Geologic Resources Program

•� Natural Resource Preservation Program 

(NRPP)

•� Natural Sounds Program

•� Resource Damage Assessment and Recovery 

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 $197.8 million in 

FY 2004. Many, but not all, of the programs 

involved were affected by Natural Resource 

Challenge funding increases since FY 2000.

Of the total $99 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. Nearly $2.7 million for 

Research Learning Centers reported in Chapter 

Four was transferred to parks and one region. 

This year’s report takes a broader view than in 

previous years and covers all natural resource 

management funding. Since park and regional 

programs represent the largest portion of the 

Natural Resource Stewardship budget, regions 

were asked to provide an overview of park and 

regional programs in FY 2004 (exclusive of parks 

that received Challenge increases) and to identify 

any trends.

Natural Resource Program Status

The Natural Resource Challenge has had widespread impact on the national parks. Even parks 

that did not directly receive funding increases 

have benefited from the increased technical 

support available at the regional and national 

levels and increased project funding through the 

Natural Resource Preservation Program (NRPP). 

NRPP funds supported a variety of projects that 

would normally be beyond the fiscal capabilities 

of parks.

Regions reported significant accomplishments by 

parks in their regions; some of those accomplishments are highlighted below. Regions also noted 

some constraints on park natural resource 

programs as a result of across the board rescissions and due to the fact that fixed costs have 

not been fully funded over the last several years. 

Parks and regions report applying adaptive 

management strategies to address these recent 

challenges.

Examples of the progress that park and regional 

personnel have made in natural resource 

management include:

•� Regional and park natural resource staffs 

assisted with planning activities, especially 

General Management and Fire Management 

Plans. Staff also participated in developing 

other specialized plans, such as the Glacier 

Bay National Park and Preserve Vessel Quota 

and Operating Requirements Plan and EIS, the 

Denali Backcountry Management Plan and EIS, 

and oil and gas management plans and 

environmental documents in Intermountain 

Region parks—often much of this work is 

undertaken with project funding, but basefunded staff provide significant contributions.

•� Parks continue to support important 

monitoring activities using base funds, 

examples include trout monitoring at Catoctin 

Mountain Park with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, long-term efforts 

such as monitoring of piping plover nests at 

Fire Island, Cape Cod, and Assateague 

Island National Seashores, and river corridor 

avian monitoring at New River Gorge 

National River using 444 hours of volunteer time as well as park staff. Additionally, 

monitoring and observations in several eastern 

parks revealed the movement of wildlife not 

traditionally associated with urban areas into 

park habitats. From coyotes in Rock Creek 

Park, in Washington, D.C., and Manassas 

National Battlefield Park in Virginia, to black 

bear at Prince William Forest Park, Virginia, 

and Catoctin Mountain Park, Maryland, 

wildlife populations are changing. Park staff 

also sighted a mountain lion at Chesapeake 

and Ohio Canal National Historical Park.

•� Many of the activities conducted by parks 

with their base funds represent long-standing 

Chapter Three: Progress in Protecting Park Natural 

Resources

The former Turbid Lake Road, 

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, 

shown post-restoration. The Turbid 

Lake Trail was re-established on the 

former roadbed. The project was 

funded through the NRPP—Disturbed 

Lands Restoration.
14 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

resource protection efforts, such as preventing 

human-bear conflicts at Yosemite National 

Park, minimizing the impact of Dutch Elm 

Disease on urban trees in the National 

Capital Region parks, and exotic species 

control (in addition to exotic control efforts 

funded through the Natural Resource 

Challenge).

•� Park natural resource personnel contributed to 

other park programs such as fire management 

planning and operations, which is often not 

managed in parks as a natural resource 

program. Other examples include natural 

resource GIS personnel assisting facility 

management at Wolf Trap Farm Park, and a 

brochure for the public on butterflies of Great 

Falls Park produced by the resource staff.

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 2004 to these 36 parks approximated $16.5 million. Almost 40% of that funding 

came from the Natural Resource Challenge 

program. Funding levels for 23 of the parks 

ranged from $69,900 to $500,000. Seven parks 

had from $500,001 to $800,000, while six parks 

had from $1,000,000 to $1,500,000 available for 

managing natural resources.

Twenty of the 36 parks reported net decreases 

to their programs, from FY 2003 to FY 2004, 

ranging from less-than-one to 35%. Of the parks 

reporting decreases, 10 experienced significant 

decreases of 5% or more. Thirteen reported 

increases, ranging from less-than-one to 34%. 

Three parks reported exactly the same funding 

as the previous year.

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 it is clear that results of 

the Challenge are positive, clearly demonstrated 

by the accomplishments reported. In most cases, 

the Natural Resource Challenge funding greatly 

strengthened the ability of parks to address the 

most critical problems in managing exotics 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

•� New populations of the state threatened 

goldenseal plant and state watch-list plants 

ginseng and Loesel’s twayblade found and 

mapped at Antietam National Battlefield will 

enable park protection staff to better protect 

these often-poached species.

• An inventory at Great Basin National Park

located populations of NPS sensitive bat 

species in more than half of the park’s 

43 known caves. Natural Resource Challenge 

funds now enable the park to survey and map 

the park’s caves for the first time.

• Staff of John Day Fossil Beds National 

Monument worked with the Upper Columbia 

Basin Network to complete initial park 

inventories for butterflies, moths (in conjunction with earlier bat research), and aquatic 

insects.

• In conjunction with the Alaska Department of 

Fish & Game, a wolverine study at Gates of 

the Artic National Park & Preserve began 

to assess the distribution of wolverines in the 

northern latitudes.

Monitoring

•� Wildlife staff of Big Cypress National 

Preserve monitored 57 known active redcockaded woodpecker clusters, of which 

4 were newly found this year. Staff banded 

31 nestlings, determined prescribed fire needs, 

and participated in fuel load removal to protect 

colony trees with the Big Cypress Fire Management Program.

Protection and Restoration

•� Challenge-funded staff at Haleakala National 

Park helped to complete the East Maui Watershed Partnership’s Pu`u Pahu fence to create a 

buffer zone between the park’s northwestern 

fence and Haleakala Ranch, excluding 

domestic animals from the park.

• Invasive plant control work at Acadia 

National Park treated exotic plants on nearly 

70 acres.

• In a weeklong helicopter roundup, Mojave 

National Preserve staff removed an additional 

126 burros from the park, bringing the total 

removals since 1999 to more than 4000 burros.

• Staff at Padre Island National Seashore

incubated 3,033 Kemp’s ridley sea turtle eggs 

At Rock Creek Park in Washington, 

D.C., Natural Reource Challenge 

base funding increases and the 

National Capitol Region Exotic Plant 

Management Team are having an 

impact on invasive exotic plants. 

The photos show a targeted area 

pre-treatment in fall of 2002 and the 

bottom post-treatment in the fall 

of 2003. Crews removed Oriental 

bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), 

porcelainberry (Ampelopsis 

brevipedunculata) and several other 

invasive exotic species.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 15

and released 2,608 hatchlings into the Gulf of 

Mexico.

• At Hopewell Culture National Historical 

Park, volunteers and staff restored 82.7 acres 

by converting agricultural fields into native 

grasslands. Additionally, more than half 

(443 acres) of the parkland that was in active 

agriculture is now under a new management 

system. Together, these efforts will result in 

habitat throughout the year for grassland birds 

and other wildlife.

AIR QUALITY PROGRAM

FY 2004 Allocation: $8,890,000

Available: $8,876,000

The purpose of the Air Quality 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 

Quality Program emphasizes the collection of 

credible air quality information to support 

scientifically sound decisions about actions 

affecting air quality and air quality-related 

values in parks. Natural Resource Challenge 

funds augment and support air quality monitoring in parks; investigation of resources 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, 

developing monitoring equipment for remote 

locations, and ozone precursors.

Funding and Performance Summary

The Natural Resource Challenge provided base 

increases of $200,000 and $2.6 million beginning in FY 2001 (Air Emissions Inventories) and 

FY 2002 (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 8.5 field-based 

positions. These positions provided significant 

assistance to parks in FY 2004. 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. One of 

the specialists hired is an EPA scientist, detailed 

temporarily to the Park Service, who is designing 

and overseeing a toxic air monitoring program 

for parks in the Alaska, Pacific West and 

Intermountain Regions.

Appendix B contains summaries of the types and 

locations of air quality monitoring in the parks. 

Accomplishment highlights include:

Annual Performance Goal, Status, and Accomplishments

FY 2003 FY 2004

FY 2003

Air quality in 61% of reporting parks has remained stable or improved 54% (not met)

FY 2004

Air quality in 62% of reporting parks has remained stable or improved Met

69% of reporting Class I NPS (DOI) lands meet ambient air quality standards Exceeded

66% of reporting Class I NPS (DOI) lands meet visibility standards Exceeded

Other Actions and Outcomes:

Air Resources Field Specialists supported by Challenge: total FTE 8.5 FTE 8.5 FTE 

Park emissions inventories: total parks completed or (underway) 9 (47) 45 (12)

Air Quality Monitoring: total parks involved 63 parks 69 parks

Visibility Monitoring: total parks involved 53 parks 54 parks

Mercury Monitoring: total parks involved 12 parks 15 parks

Ecological Effects Projects: total projects completed or (underway) (6) 3 (5)

Technical Assistance to Parks 15 parks

New Source Permit Review and Recommendations 39 reviews
16 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

NPS staff and researchers at Indiana 

Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana, 

prepare enclosed “mesocosms” for 

testing the effects of nitrogen and 

metals deposition on native plants 

and invading cattails.

Emissions Inventories

Park operations substantially complied with air 

pollution control, permitting, and emission fee 

requirements in FY 2004. The audits identified 

and recommended additional green strategies 

to further reduce emissions from park operations. Additionally, the Park Service entered 

into an Interagency Agreement with the EPA to 

cooperatively develop an emissions inventory 

tool to calculate parks’ criteria air pollutant and 

greenhouse gas emissions, and clarify roles and 

responsibilities for future cooperation.

Climate Friendly Parks

Effects of global climate change include 

unpredictable weather patterns, receding 

glaciers, rising sea level, and changing distribution of animals and plants. These effects are 

particularly noticeable in national parks 

because of their locations and unique, protected 

resources. Maintaining park resources requires 

practicing good stewardship within parks and 

on regional and global scales. In FY 2004, the 

Park Service entered into a Climate Friendly 

Parks initiative with EPA, under which the EPA 

will include audits of greenhouse gas emissions 

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

strive to be a leader in demonstrating sustainable 

stewardship practices within parks and educating 

the public about them in all park areas. 

New Monitoring Themes—Mercury

Although mercury is a naturally occurring 

element, human activity can release additional 

mercury into the environment. Ambient 

concentrations of mercury are usually low, but 

deposition of mercury into lakes and streams 

can trigger biological processes that chemically 

transform mercury into a toxic form that can 

bioaccumulate in fish and animals. This accumulation can be harmful to both the host and any 

organism that may consume it. Natural Resource 

Challenge funding supports mercury monitoring 

at selected parks. Mercury monitoring activities 

expanded to include 15 parks in FY 2004. In 

conjunction with the National Atmospheric 

Deposition Program, Mercury Deposition Network, information from this monitoring will support better estimates of the amount, distribution, 

and seasonal trends of mercury being deposited 

into the ecosystem. (See Appendix C.)

Airborne Contaminants

The National Park Service initiated in FY 2002, 

and continued in FY 2003 and FY 2004, the 

Western Airborne Contaminants Assessment 

Project. The objective of this multi-year project 

is to inventory airborne contaminants in national 

park ecosystems using a network of sites in parks 

of 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 being conducted in 

key parks in the West and Alaska. Cooperators 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 17

Maintaining park 

resources requires 

practicing good 

stewardship within 

parks and on regional 

and global scales.

include EPA, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest 

Service, Oregon State University, University of 

Washington, and NPS regions. 

(See Appendix D.)

Ecological Effects Examined

Three ecological effects studies concluded in the 

Great Smoky Mountains, Acadia, and Sequoia 

and Kings Canyon National Parks. Results 

indicate that sulfur and nitrogen deposition in 

Acadia and Great Smoky Mountains varied by 

elevation and vegetation, and deposition including all sources (wet, dry, and cloud/fog) was 

much higher than total deposition actually 

recorded by existing monitoring stations. Within 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, marked 

tree growth reductions (30–50%) corresponded 

with sharp increases in summer ozone 

concentrations, while lower ozone concentrations resulted in improved tree growth. In 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, 

ponderosa and Jeffrey pines growing on dryer 

sites had lower ozone uptake than those on more 

moist sites; however, remote sensing techniques 

did not detect these differences.

BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES

MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

FY 2004 Allocation: $8,575,000

Available: $8,556,000

Created in FY 2000 as part of the Natural 

Resource Challenge, the Biological Resources 

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. Exotic Plant Management Teams 

(EPMTs) established to control invasive plants 

are a significant feature of the Biological 

Resources Management Program; this 

Challenge-funded program contributed directly 

to the National Park Service exceeding its 

FY 2004 goals for Invasive Plants. The servicewide target was 2.8% or 41,500 acres of infested 

parklands controlled; instead 3.6% or 95,556 

acres were controlled with EPMTs contributing 

6,782 acres. The program also directly 

contributed to the Service exceeding its FY 2004 

target for Endangered Species, a target of 39% of 

park populations making progress toward 

recovery. Additionally, in FY 2004, the National 

Park Service created a Wildlife Health Team to 

assist parks in dealing with wildlife health issues 

such as chronic wasting disease.

Exotic Plant Management Teams (EPMTs)

National parks are home to complex native communities of plants and animals that are threatened by the invasion of exotic plants and animals 

as well as by human-caused disturbances that 

foster the establishment of exotic species. Exotic 

plants infest some 2.6 million acres in the 

national parks, making control of exotic species 

one of the most significant land management 

issues facing national parks. Modeled after the 

coordinated rapid-response approach used in 

wildland fire fighting, Exotic Plant Management 

Teams assist parks in combating and controlling exotic plants by providing a highly-trained 

mobile strike force of plant management specialists. Sixteen EPMTs now serve more than 200 

national parks; they are as follows:

• Alaska

• California

• Chihuahuan Desert/Southern Shortgrass 

Prairie

• Colorado Plateau

• Florida and Caribbean Partnership

• Great Lakes

• Gulf Coast

• Lake Mead

• Mid-Atlantic Cooperative

• National Capital Region

• North Coast Cascades Network

• Northeast

• Northern Great Plains

• Northern Rockies

• Pacific Islands

• Southeast

Adaptive management is a critical part of the 

EPMT response. As teams have grown, the need 

for increased capability to set park priorities for 

control and restoration has been recognized. As 

a result, a field study partnership with the 

Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Study 

Unit (CESU) was initiated in FY 2003 and field 

tested in Midwest, Pacific West, and National 

Capitol Region parks in FY 2004. Field trial 

results of the tool appear productive and a webbased program is planned.

Summary EPMT FY 2004 Accomplishments

Inventoried acres 218,217

Gross infested acres identified 107,136

Treated acres 6,782

Monitored acres 2,901

Retreated acres 490

Restored acres 387

Total person hours 92,776

Hours lost due to injury 25

Other highlights of FY 2004 include:

•� EPMTs fostered numerous partnerships 

leveraging approximately $1.5 million in direct 

contributions to control invasive plants on 

parklands.
18 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

•� Through an interagency agreement with the 

U.S. Geological Survey, the Alaska EPMT has 

now gathered baseline information on invasive 

species in 13 of the 17 park units in Alaska. 

In addition, with the U.S. Forest Service and 

the University of Alaska Natural Heritage 

Program, the team also has developed and 

contributed to a statewide web-based tracking 

database for invasive plant arrivals and 

distributions.

•� In FY 2004, EPMTs continued collaboration 

with the Student Conservation Association 

(SCA) to build a student corps to assist in 

controlling invasive plants. Partnership goals 

are to build an Invasive Species Project within 

SCA that will increase park capacity to control 

invasive plants and animals, and to provide 

invasive species management training to young 

professionals.

•� A joint effort between the EPMT-funded 

SCA corps and Sequoia and Kings Canyon 

National Parks resulted in surveying and 

controlling invasive plants on 2,600 acres of 

burned parklands.

•� Individuals from 14 EPMTs were deployed to 

Arches National Park in a combination training, control, and information exchange project. 

Several EPMT personnel from multiple teams 

were trained and certified in chain saw use, 

150 acres of sensitive riparian habitat were 

cleared of hazard fuels—Russian olive and 

tamarisk—and crews had the opportunity for 

invaluable exchanges of knowledge about control operations based on extensive and varied 

experience. Mobilization costs of $25,000 were 

supported through fire funding.

•� The Northern Great Plains EPMT mapped 

and/or treated 4,477 infestations of Canada 

thistle—an exotic invasive shared by all 14 of 

the parks it serves. The infestations encompass 

more than 1,500 acres.

•� EPMTs assisted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service (USFWS) in establishing mobile strike 

teams similar to NPS EPMTs. The National 

Park Service detailed EPMT personnel to the 

Fish and Wildlife Service to provide technical 

assistance to help implement the USFWS program at Charles M. Russell National Wildlife 

Refuge.

•� Exotic Plant Management Teams participated 

in a conference called Team Tamarisk: 

Cooperating for Result, sponsored by the U.S. 

Departments of Interior and Agriculture, the 

National Invasive Species Council, the 

Tamarisk Coalition, and 13 other organizations. The two-day workshop produced a set 

of 12 guiding principals that can help to 

establish a framework for forging close working partnerships among states and federal 

agencies.

Ecological Restoration

In this component of its program, the Biological 

Resources Management Program continued to 

serve as an active member of the NPS Fire 

Ecology Program. Program staff assisted the NPS 

Fire Management Program in developing a white 

paper on NPS Fuels Management Strategies in 

response to the President’s Healthy Forest initiative. Staff also served as the NPS Natural 

Resource Stewardship and Science representative to the Department of the Interior Fuels 

Policy Team developing a Departmental Manual 

and contract language on biomass use. At 

Canyon de Chelly National Monument, staff 

led an interdisciplinary team to evaluate 

watershed conditions. Program staff developed 

technical specifications for restoration of a newly 

purchased property at Morristown National 

Historical Park. Ecological Restoration program 

staff consulted with Manassas National Battlefield Park and Allegheny Portage Railroad 

National Historic Site to determine desired 

conditions and plant material needs for site 

restorations. Staff designed and implemented a 

mine-cover sampling plan to evaluate additional 

reclamation steps for Prince William Forest 

Park.

Integrated Pest Management Program

The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program 

responded to 125 technical assistance requests 

submitted by parks and regions. Responses 

included consultations, information distribution, and facilitating pest identification through 

other experts. A contractor from Pennsylvania 

State University is preparing model contract 

specifications for low-risk pest management in 

accordance with NPS policies to assist parks 

with the need to contract for private indoor pest 

management.

In FY 2004, IPM program staff continued to 

coordinate actions, guidance, and policy 

response to variety of pest management issues. 

IPM staff provided leadership to the West Nile 

Virus Zoonotic Environmental Disease Task 

Force. The IPM Program, with field participation, coordinated with the U.S. Department of 

Agriculture in conducting research on the 

effectiveness of pheromone traps to detect 

presence of Cactoblastus cactorum, an aggressive 

non-native invasive moth that has devastated a 

cactus (Opuntia) in the United States. Initially 

pheromone traps will be installed in Florida and 

the Gulf States parks; if successful, the traps will 

be installed in all parks with Opuntia

species. The National Park Service also 

continued cooperation with the U.S. Forest 

Service in the Forest Health Management System 

on hemlock woolly adelgid, which jeopardizes 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 19

old growth hemlock forests in critical riparian 

areas in the East. This is a difficult problem 

because the current technology is inadequate 

and expensive, and tree mortality is high. Nevertheless, five parks were able to protect high value 

trees using Forest Service funds. In all, 13 parks 

received $334,200 from the Forest Service for 

treatment of various insects and diseases.

Endangered Species Program

 The national park system currently has 349 

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

candidate species. These are represented in 

902 populations in 171 units. Another 255 populations historically existed in parks, and in many 

cases could be restored. While mammals and 

birds represent only 22% of the listed species in 

parks they draw a disproportionate amount of 

the funding (54%). More complete data are providing direction to change this trend.

The Endangered Species Program continued to 

play a role in negotiating Memoranda of 

Understanding (MOU) with other agencies as 

well as drafting internal NPS guidance. For 

example, the National Park Service and the state 

of Wyoming signed a MOU covering the sharing 

of information on the biology and movements of 

wolves in the greater Yellowstone area.

The program continues to provide technical 

assistance wherever there are endangered 

species related issues. Examples include: advising on monitoring programs at Sleeping Bear 

Dunes National Seashore, Carlsbad 

Caverns, and Point Reyes National Parks; 

assisting Death Valley National Park in 

assessing impacts on Devil’s Hole pupfish; and 

advising Channel Islands National Park in 

restoring endangered foxes on the three islands 

in the park.

Wildlife Program

In FY 2003, the Wildlife Program assisted 

several parks in evaluating and developing wildlife management actions for critical wildlife 

issues. At Grand Canyon National Park, 

Wildlife Program staff assisted in collecting 

samples for disease and genetic testing of exotic 

bison on the North Rim. In partnership with the 

USGS National Wildlife Health Center and the 

Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic 

Laboratory (CSUVDL), veterinary diagnostic 

services were provided to national park system 

units. More than 120 diagnostic submissions 

were processed by CSUVDL. Other wildlife 

health assistance included a cooperative field 

research project with the Colorado Division of 

Wildlife and Colorado State University investigating fertility control in elk at Rocky Mountain 

National Park.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) continued as a 

priority wildlife health issue this fiscal year. The 

National Park Service hired a chronic wasting 

disease coordinator and provided technical 

assistance to parks, particularly Rocky 

Mountain and Wind Cave National Parks. 

Biological Resource Management Program 

personnel aided Wind Cave National Park in the 

aerial capture and chronic wasting disease testing of mule deer and conducted Wildlife Capture 

and Field Anesthesia Training for Yellowstone 

National Park. The Biological Resource 

Management Program continued interagency 

interactions via the CWD Implementation Team, 

state wildlife agencies, U.S. Geological Survey, 

the Food and Drug Administration, and 

Environmental Protection Agency.

The Park Flight Migratory Bird Program (Park 

Flight) concluded projects for 8 bird conservation and education projects in 11 U.S. national 

parks. Park Flight received grants through the 

Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act for 

funding projects in Point Reyes National 

Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation 

Area, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The 

program helped establish a collaborative 

relationship between Cuyahoga Valley National 

Park and Point Pelee National Park in Ontario, 

Canada. As part of the Park Flight technical 

exchange effort, ten international interns from 

Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, 

Mexico, and Argentina assisted with bird 

Number of Endangered, Threatened, Proposed 

and Candidate Species Found in National Park 

Units (as of September 30, 2003)

Endangered Species 200

Threatened Species 84

Experimental Species 3

Proposed Species 4

Candidate Species 51

Managed via Conservation Agreement 7

Total 349

Endangered, Threatened, Proposed, and 

Candidate Species Found in National Park Units 

By Taxonomic Group (as of September 30, 2003)

Group Species

Plants 152

Invertebrates 47

Fish 37

Amphibians 6

Reptiles 18

Birds 50

Mammals 39

Total 349

Biological Resource projects included 

an inventory of the endangered San 

Francisco Garter snake in Golden Gate 

National Recreation Area, California.

NPS technicians draw blood from a 

mule deer to check for Chronic Wasting Disease.
20 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

monitoring and education efforts at ten national 

park system units. These interns contributed 

more than 3,600 hours valued at more than 

$62,000.

Biological Resource Projects—National Level 

Support

Biological Resource Management Program 

competitive funds are used for biological 

resource projects that address issues facing 

various park units. These projects address a 

myriad of resource management needs for 

aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals 

throughout the national park system. In 

FY 2004, 29 projects were funded in 24 parks for 

a total funding of $723,300. Following are highlights for some of the projects:

•� Lake Clark National Park and Preserve staff 

completed fieldwork on a project using radiocollared moose to determine which variables 

affect moose sightability during standard aerial 

population surveys. With this information, a 

sightability model will be developed to adjust 

the moose population estimate. During 

180 sightability trials, park staff recorded 

variables such as group size, cover type, 

percent cover, position of animal, snow cover, 

and lighting. A Michigan Technological 

University scientist will complete the data 

analysis and develop the sightability model.

•� Grand Canyon National Park conducted 

the second year of the first detailed, extensive 

study of amphibian populations within Grand 

Canyon National Park. The inventory includes 

side canyon areas and wetland habitats on the 

North and South Rims of the Canyon, as well 

as the main river corridor. The main objective 

of the study is to assess the current status of 

the Northern Leopard Frog. Known populations of this species have disappeared along 

the Colorado River in the park, and it is now 

largely or entirely absent through much of the 

region.

•� A project to determine the relative abundance 

and distribution of five rare and endemic subalpine and alpine plant species in Great Basin 

National Park surveyed approximately 10,200 

acres of subalpine and alpine habitat. The 

survey located a potential new species of grass, 

and found that four of the plants occurred on 

a total of 2,322 acres. The survey did not find 

one of the species; surveys will continue next 

year.

•� At Haleakala National Park, park staff 

surveyed, brushed, cleared, completed compliance, and built 0.8 miles of feral pig fence along 

the Alaenui fence corridor. Completion of this 

fence secured the Lower Kipahulu, Kaumakani 

and Oheo management units from feral pig 

ingress, allowing for a more effective feral pig 

removal effort in the lower Kipahulu unit 

beginning in FY 2005.

•� The caves of Sequoia and Kings Canyon 

National Parks contain unique resources 

including endemic animals, delicate mineralogical features, paleontological resources, 

and cultural relics whose preservation relies 

on reliable, strong cave gates that bar entrance 

to those lacking proper permits. In FY 2004, 

park staff installed a new gate at the Red Belly 

entrance to Crystal Cave, and replaced older, 

broken gates at Soldiers and Clough Caves.

GEOLOGIC RESOURCES PROGRAM

FY 2004 Allocation: $2,651,000

Available: $2,661,000

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 (GRP). Challenge 

funding now supports seven geoscience specialists in the GRP who provide expertise at the 

national level in cave resources and karst 

processes, coastal resources and processes, 

disturbed lands restoration, geologic hazards 

management, and paleontology. These professional geologists support parks, regions, vital 

signs networks, and the Inventory and Monitoring Program. Additionally, since FY 1995, staffing 

levels in geosciences increased more than 30% 

to an estimated 100 positions across the Service 

in FY 2004. At least ten of these new positions 

(including the seven in GRP) resulted from the 

Challenge; many parks also restructured 

positions to address geology concerns.

In addition to those shown here, two other goals 

relevant to the NPS Geologic Resources Program 

are reported in the NRPP-Disturbed Lands, and 

Inventory and Monitoring sections.

In FY 2004, parks reported 1,202 (23%) of the 

5,149 baseline paleontologic localities in good 

condition. This minor shortfall in servicewide 

performance was due primarily to the Park 

Service imposing stricter documentation 

requirements in FY 2004 on recorded localities 

and classification of localities in good condition 

to achieve servicewide consistency in reporting 

annual performance, and is considered as meeting the goal. Also note that parks reported an 

additional 148 newly discovered and documented fossil localities (not included in the baseline) 

in good condition in FY 2004.

Highlights of accomplishments include:

Despite evidence of overall 

population decline, the Northern 

Leopard Frog persists in Grand 

Canyon National Park, Arizona.

A paleontologist at the Mammoth 

Site laboratory in Hot Springs, South 

Dakota, extracts vertebrate fossils 

from a large block recovered in Wind 

Cave National Park.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 21

•� At Wind Cave National Monument, a major 

project included excavation of newly discovered fossilized bones of the small horse, 

Mesohippus.

•� Disturbed land restoration staff provided 

oversight for 13 Natural Resource Preservation Program (NRPP) restoration projects in 

12 parks, restoring nearly 300 acres of severely 

disturbed land. Examples include restoration 

of degraded grasslands in the Nine Point Draw 

Watershed at Big Bend National Park and the 

restoration of 105 acres of disturbed wetlands 

at Manassas National Battlefield Park in 

cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution.

•� The Geoscientists-in-the-Parks program, 

staff placed 45 geoscientists in 29 parks, using 

$50,000 in NRPP funds, achieving more than a 

4:1 private partner funding match.

•� Program specialists also responded to more 

than 83 park technical assistance requiring 

geologic expertise. Staff assisted with surveying for contaminants at the Old Yuma Mine 

in Saguaro National Park, a plan to evaluate 

geomorphic and hydrological changes along 

the East Alsek River and lagoon at Glacier Bay 

National Park, planning for restoration of 

former inholdings at Chesapeake and Ohio 

Canal National Historical Park, mitigation of 

landslides along George Washington 

Memorial Parkway, and restoration planning 

for the removal of stock ponds on the North 

Rim Road at Black Canyon of the Gunnison 

National Park.

•� Geologic Resources and Water Resources 

Program staff coordinated the NPS Cooperative Conservation Initiative (CCI) solicitation, 

working closely with Department officials on 

the project approval and follow-up process for 

106 park submitted projects totaling 

$7.871 million in federal funds in FY 2004. 

FY 2004 contributions by the 311 partners 

exceeded $10 million.

•� GRP staff worked directly with Bat Conservation International, the state of California, and 

other nonfederal and international partners to 

implement an FY 2004 CCI project to protect 

critical bat habitat in abandoned mines and 

caves at Death Valley National Park, Joshua 

Tree National Park, WhiskeytownShasta-Trinity National Recreation Area, 

Lake Mead National Recreation Area, 

Coronado National Memorial, and Organ 

Pipe Cactus National Monument.

•� With assistance and oversight from GRP staff, 

personnel at Obed Wild and Scenic River

worked with the site operator to successfully 

plug an exhausted oil well. At Jean Lafitte 

National Historic Park and Preserve in 

Louisiana, the program staff provided technical and regulatory assistance to help ensure 

minimal impacts to park resources from an oil 

and gas exploration well, contributing to the 

operator’s decision to move the well’s surface 

location outside the park.

•� In FY 2004 the National Park Service worked 

to establish a jointly administered management 

structure for the National Cave and Karst 

Research Institute (the Institute) near Carlsbad, New Mexico, and to foster stronger ties 

with partner organizations, currently the city 

of Carlsbad and New Mexico Institute of 

Mining and Technology (NMT). During 2004, 

the Institute initiated a free lecture series in 

Carlsbad, New Mexico. Each of the four 

lectures was well received, averaging about 

60 attendees. Additionally, GRP and the NMT 

co-sponsored a session at the Geological 

Society of America National Meeting entitled, 

From Subterranean Crawlways to Scientific 

Hallways: Research on Our Public Cave and 

Karst Lands.

Annual Performance Goal, Status, and Accomplishments

FY 2003 FY 2004

FY 2003

30% of known paleontological localities in parks are in good condition 1133 localities 

(note: an improved inventory added 2097 new sites to create a new total (22%...not met)

of 5,149 known sites—substantially affecting achievement of this goal)

FY 2004

25% (1,287) of 5,149 known paleontological localities in parks are in 1202 localities

good condition (23%, met)

Other Actions and Outcomes:

•Geoscience Specialists supported by Challenge: total FTE 10

•Geoscientists-in-the-Parks Program: number of scientists (total parks) 25 (20) 45 (29)

•Geoscientists-in-the-Parks Program: private:federal funding match 4:1 4:1

•Mineral Development Reviews: total operations (total parks) 73 (20) 54 (20)

•Technical Assistance to Parks 79 responses 83 responses
22 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

NATURAL RESOURCE PRESERVATION PROGRAM 

(NRPP)

FY 2004 Allocation: $12,484,000

Available: $12,469,000

While park base operating funds support most 

ongoing resource management activities, parks 

usually have little or no flexible, dedicated funding for cyclical and one-time project needs. The 

Natural Resource Preservation Program is a 

primary source of funds for special projects, 

providing the only dedicated source of NPS 

funding for natural resource management 

projects costing more than $50,000. Funding for 

NRPP increased from $5.432 million in FY 2000 

to $12.484 million in FY 2004 through the 

Natural Resource Challenge. The 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 Small Park Projects, Disturbed 

Lands Restoration, Threatened and Endangered 

Species Projects, and funds distributed to the 

regions to support natural resource projects in 

parks. Additionally, some funding is provided for 

U.S. Geological Survey biological technical 

assistance.

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 

of exotic vegetation, restoring disturbed land, 

and achieving stable or improving populations of 

threatened and endangered species.

Highlights of FY 2004 accomplishments in each 

of these categories are presented below. For a 

complete listing of projects funded under the 

Natural Resource Preservation Program, see 

Appendix E.

Natural Resource Management Projects

The largest segment of the Natural Resource 

Preservation Program supports a broad range 

of competitively selected, multi-year natural 

resource management projects that may cost as 

much as $900,000 each, although projects rarely 

exceed $600,000. With funding provided by the 

Challenge, the total number of natural resource 

management projects funded through this 

program significantly increased from 49 projects 

in FY 2000 to 63 projects in FY 2004. Projects 

eligible for funding through this source include 

resource management actions; tactical biological 

studies; development of new physical science 

theory, management approaches, and protocols; 

and combined research and follow-up resource 

management or mitigation actions. The majority 

of projects funded fall within these categories: 

restoration, exotic species control, resource 

assessment and mapping, and natural resource 

management plan development. Thirty projects 

received their last year of funding in FY 2004, 

some highlights follow:

Jenny Cook, a Geoscientist-in-thePark at Grand Canyon National Park 

(Arizona) sponsored by GeoCorps 

America, helped visitors understand 

the geology of the canyon and 

the fossils. She had children act as 

crinoids to help others understand 

these creatures. Jenny provided 

guided walks and campfire programs.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 23

•� In a project to eradicate feral hogs at 

Cumberland Island National Seashore, hunting and trapping resulted in the removal of 

more than 700 feral hogs. Approximately 200 

may remain scattered throughout the island to 

be removed by park staff. Reports indicate a 

marked decrease in feral hog activity, both in 

direct observation of animals and the level of 

destruction through rooting. Sea turtle nests 

(primarily Loggerhead sea turtles, federally 

listed as threatened) suffered no disturbance 

during the most recent nesting season, whereas 

in the past as many as 25% of the nests were 

lost to hog depredation.

•� A contractor and the park’s public Youth Core 

crew completed fencing installed along seven 

miles of the northern boundary of Lake 

Meredith National Recreation Area. The 

fence prevents trespass livestock and vehicles 

from entering the park and causing damage to 

vegetation that is now in recovery.

•� Six California condors were released during 2004 in a project to restore the species to 

Pinnacles National Monument. The goal 

of this project is to establish a population of 

20 endangered condors in the park. Through 

local school programs, wayside exhibits, and 

interpretive programs, the park introduced the 

community to endangered species recovery efforts and the condor recovery program. 

Partners include the Ventana Wilderness 

Society, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the 

Los Angeles Zoo, and the San Diego Wild 

Animal Park.

•� A NRPP project in the Intermountain Region 

engaged the efforts of 5 investigators in 

completing a detailed inventory and maps of 

noxious weeds in priority sections of 19 parks, 

covering more than 95,000 acres. Among 

the parks in this project were Devils Tower 

National Monument, Arches, Zion, Glacier, 

Big Bend, and Canyonlands National Parks. 

The project will enable these parks to better 

target eradication and restoration efforts.

•� At Great Basin National Park an inventory 

of the park’s 12 alpine caves (above 9000 feet) 

resulted in the discovery of an additional 

passage in one of the caves, and initial 

discovery of three additional caves. The park’s 

inventory now includes fifteen alpine caves, 

thirteen of which are surveyed and 

inventoried. The park’s cooperating 

investigator for the surveys discovered two 

species of springtail (Collembola) that are new 

to science.

•� To restore the ecological integrity of a rare 

coastal bluff scrub plant community, including 

at least 12 listed plant and animal species, park 

staff and contracted crews at Point Reyes 

National Seashore removed iceplant, a nonnative species at Lighthouse Headlands. 

During this three year project, successful 

eradication of iceplant at this location resulted 

in restoration of 100.5 acres of coastal bluff 

habitat. Volunteers dedicated a total of 1,875 

hours to the project. Monitoring data indicate 

a significant increase in native plant species 

richness in areas where iceplant has been 

removed.

•� At Olympic National Park, a NRPP project 

sought to determine migratory pathways and 

potential sources of mortality of federally 

threatened bull trout. The project revealed that 

bull trout moved between freshwater and the 

Pacific Ocean and between watersheds along 

coastal Washington. This is the first study to 

verify that anadromy is a primary life history 

form in bull trout. Results demonstrate that 

bull trout inhabit a diverse range of estuarine, 

freshwater, and marine habitats, and spawn 

exclusively in the park. The study demonstrated that bull trout are highly susceptible to 

incidental mortality in gill-net and recreational 

fisheries directed at other Pacific salmonids. 

An understanding of the extent of anadromy 

and diversity of habitats occupied by bull trout 

will inform the establishment of appropriate 

conservation and recovery strategies for this 

species. Collaborators included U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. 

Geological Survey, Washington Department 

of Fish and Wildlife, and The Wild Salmon 

Center.

Threatened and Endangered (T&E)

Species Projects

The long-term goal of this group of projects is 

to reverse the decline of listed species and to 

re-establish species now extirpated from parks. 

Despite the obvious importance of implementing 

identified recovery plan actions, limited funding 

precludes many parks from implementing needed actions. Therefore, this NRPP project funding 

emphasizes on-the-ground conservation actions. 

Larger threatened and endangered species 

projects are also funded within the Natural 

Resource Management portion of NRPP and are 

eligible for regionally-administered NRPP 

funding as well. NRPP-T&E funding directly 

contributed to the National Park Service 

significantly meeting part and exceeding part of 

its goal for FY 2004. Of populations with critical 

habitat in parklands or requiring NPS recovery 

actions, 24.8% of those park populations were 

stable and 16.4% were increasing or not-at-risk. 

In total, 41.2% were making progress toward 

recovery.

Of 10 projects funded by this source in FY 2004, 

6 received their final year of funding, including 
24 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

the following:

•� A 3-year project at Lake Mead National 

Recreation Area resulted in installation of 

approximately 6 miles of barriers and restoration of 18 miles of tracks and abandoned roads. 

The purpose of the project is to protect 

sensitive resources, particularly desert 

tortoises, from illegal off-road vehicle traffic 

and habitat loss. Project objectives were 

accomplished in full.

•� At Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, 

a project intended to increase piping plover 

chick fledging success through intense 

monitoring, and predator and disturbance 

management discovered that 2004 was the best 

plover nesting and fledging year since monitoring began at Sleeping Bear. The park supported 

34.5% (19/55) of the Great Lakes breeding 

pairs and 38.7% (36/93) of the Great Lakes 

chicks fledged from the park’s beaches. This 

was the second year for the highest number of 

breeding plovers on North Manitou Island 

(7 pairs), with a habitat expansion of 100 feet 

due to gull deterring methods and low lake 

levels.

•� Under the interagency Northwest Forest 

Plan, biologists of Olympic National Park

monitored 53 spotted owl sites during the 

2002–2004 breeding seasons. U.S. Forest 

Service crews monitored roughly 80 owl 

sites adjacent to the park during this period. 

This cooperative demographic study was 

one of 14 analyzed for demographic rates 

and population trends across the range of 

the Northern Spotted Owl. On the Olympic 

Peninsula, the analysis demonstrated that 

the number of young fledged per female was 

stable, but survival rates declined during the 

16 years analyzed. During this period of study, 

this spotted owl population declined at a rate 

of 4.4% a year. Park biologists documented 

the continued expansion of barred owls into 

spotted owl habitat. Sites where barred owls 

were present had lower rates of occupancy by 

spotted owls. From the sites now occupied by 

barred owls, spotted owls moved significantly 

farther away from their previous territory 

than sites without barred owls. Biologists 

estimate that barred owls now exclude spotted 

owls from at least 25% of the forested area of 

Olympic National Park.

Disturbed Lands Restoration Projects

Beginning in FY 2000, a portion of NRPP 

funds targeted projects related to disturbed 

land restoration, reflecting the tie between 

the Challenge funding and the Park Service’s 

strategic plan. Disturbed lands are parklands 

altered by development, such as facilities, roads, 

mines, and dams, or by agricultural practices, 

such as cropping, grazing, and timber harvest. 

Restoration is the process of assisting the 

recovery of disturbed areas and reintegrating 

the site into the surrounding natural system 

using direct manipulation. Parks reported a 

total of 6,600 acres restored, exceeding the NPS 

Strategic Plan goal target to restore 4,700 acres 

in parks by 30 September 2004; this program 

contributes to this goal.

Of 13 projects funded by this source in FY 2004, 

8 received their final year of funding, including 

the following:

•� Restoration of more than 3 miles (14 acres) 

of abandoned road in Yellowstone National 

Park exceeded project objectives, including 

the restoration of 20 separate wetlands. Heavy 

equipment restored original contours, 

salvaged, and placed topsoil and plant material 

to speed revegetation. Park and Montana 

Conservation Corps crews planted the site 

with locally collected native seeds and transplants of sedges, grasses, forbs, shrubs, and 

trees. The Turbid Lake Trail was re-routed 

out of wetlands and reconstructed to NPS trail 

standards.

•� In the second and final year of this project, 

Lassen National Park completed restoration 

of an abandoned downhill ski area within the 

park, bringing the total acreage restored to 

nearly 70 acres, more than half-way towards 

the park’s goal to restore 135 acres of disturbed 

lands by September 30, 2005. The project 

included restoration of a wetland area on the 

site. In addition to the work done in hand 

seeding and planting trees and shrubs, other 

native species successfully established in the 

area from adjacent sites or seeds and rhizomes 

already present in the soil. This was an 

extremely successful and cost-effective 

disturbed lands restoration project.

•� Alpine sewage lagoons used for the past 12 

years at Rocky Mountain National Park are 

no longer needed following the 2001 installation of more environmentally compatible vault 

toilets. In preparation for reclaiming the site, a 

local contractor removed the perimeter fence, 

the remaining sewage and lagoon lining, and 

re-contoured the area to its original shape. 

During the past year, a local nursery held 

native plant material collected from the site 

in preparation for replanting. The restoration 

effort also used additional plants grown from 

seed collected from the site during the past five 

years. In FY 2004, park staff and volunteers 

planted nearly 10,000 native alpine tundra 

plants in this one-acre site previously used for 

the sewage lagoons. A local volunteer group, 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 25

Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, contributed 

approximately 660 volunteer hours to the 

project, allowing the saved NRPP funds to go 

toward further invasive plant monitoring and 

supplemental irrigation at the project site. The 

most recent monitoring of the site documented 

an almost 85% success rate among transplanted plants, which is excellent for the very harsh 

growing conditions of alpine tundra. This site 

will continue to be a showcase example of 

native plant restoration on the alpine tundra 

for many years.

•� Prior to federal acquisition of certain lands for 

Manassas National Battlefield Park, a 

developer graded more than 100 acres that 

were ultimately included within the park 

boundaries. Restoration work began in 2003, 

restoring original contours to more than 

100 acres, and forming about 30 acres of 

emergent wetlands, 15 acres of forested wetlands, and native warm season grass meadows. 

Seeding of upland areas included several 

native wildflower and grass species. The park 

also contracted for the planting of more than 

500 native trees of 7 species including red oak, 

sweet gum, tulip poplar, and ash. This project 

represents a unique fusion of history and science meeting the resource management needs 

of both the Smithsonian Institute and the 

National Park Service.

Small Parks Projects

Natural resource projects in small parks are the 

target for certain NRPP funds provided to 

regions. Regional allocation of these funds 

occurs according to the natural resource 

management workload of the small parks in each 

region. For the purposes of this funding, small 

parks include those parks that fall in the lower 

third of funding for all parks. Funded projects 

included a wide variety of management actions 

such as natural resource management and 

monitoring plans, exotic species control, restoration of native ecosystems, natural resources 

surveys, inventories, assessments and analyses, 

and fence repair for resource protection. FY 

2004 funds supported 66 projects in at least 55 

parks, at costs ranging from $3,800 to $58,000.

Here are some highlights:

•� A non-vascular plant survey conducted at Sitka 

National Historical Park in Alaska identified 

approximately 114 species of bryophytes, 86 

mosses, 27 species of liverworts, 9 fern species 

and 1 club moss. Several species are apparently 

restricted to very few (1-10) locations due to 

limited amount of preferred habitat in the 

park. The most unusual species collected was 

Schistostega pennata, a circumboreal species 

confined to damp, acidic rock or soil in caves 

or crevices (in this park created by upturned 

tree roots). Occurring on the sensitive plant 

lists of Oregon, Idaho, Wisconsin, Montana, 

Alberta, and New Brunswick, this species has 

very narrow habitat specificity.

•� A project at Chattahoochee River National 

Recreation Area in Georgia targeted improving reproductive productivity of the Georgia 

aster. Project goals included stabilizing 

Georgia aster populations within the park 

through propagation of seeds, plantings, and 

controlling invasive species encroachment. 

During FY 2004, the targeted Georgia aster 

populations stabilized and expanded due to 

planting efforts.

Regional Block Allocation Projects

NRPP funds provided to regions for park 

projects support work that improves natural 

resource knowledge and condition, including 

specialized inventories (those currently outside 

the scope of the servicewide I&M Program’s 

12 databases), and mitigation actions (i.e., fossil 

inventories and exotic plant or animal control). 

The funds are evenly distributed among the 

regions at approximately $200,000 per region 

per year. FY 2004 support totaled $1,360,000 

allocated to 78 projects in 51 parks, at a project 

cost ranging from $1,730 to $65,500. Funded 

projects included a wide variety of management 

actions such as ecosystem restoration, exotic 

species control, seismic hazard inventories, wildlife and vegetation inventories and assessments, 

soundscape monitoring, public outreach, and 

employee development. Examples include:

•� Developing an integrated pest management 

plan for Denali National Park.

•� Assessing stockponds, catchments, and check 

dams at Zion National Park to determine if 

they should be retained or removed.

•� Conducting a paleontologic inventory in 

partnership with the Museum of Western 

Colorado.

•� Evaluating the effects on vegetation of whitetailed deer at Chesapeake and Ohio Canal 

National Historical Park and exotic Sitka 

deer at Assateague Island National Seashore.

•� Assessing densities and impacts of derelict 

lobster and crab traps at Biscayne National 

Park.

•� Exotic species control projects at Grand 

Canyon National Park and Buffalo National 

River.

Alaska Special Projects

Established in FY 2003, this funding category 

enables the National Park Service to undertake 

projects to better protect and manage Alaska’s 

Biological technician raising a piping 

plover nest within exclosure to 

reduce chance of flooding at Platte 

Point, Sleeping Bear Dunes National 

Lakeshore, Michigan. The efforts 

were partially successful in that all 

four eggs hatched but none fledged.

Native plant community at Lighthouse Headlands in Point Reyes National Seashore, California.
26 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

national park units managed under the Alaska 

National Interest Lands Conservation Act 

(ANILCA) and other Alaska-specific requirements, including providing for subsistence harvests. Providing opportunities for human subsistence requires a program of studies that: 

1)obtain important resource data and information to facilitate management of subsistence 

species while maintaining healthy populations, 

and 2)document historic subsistence use levels 

and patterns in rural communities. FY 2004 

projects included the following:

•� NRPP Alaska Special Projects supported 

several Alaska parks participating in the 

Western Airborne Contaminants Assessment 

Project underway in the Alaska, Pacific West, 

and Intermountain Regions. One objective 

of this study is to determine the risk to ecosystems and food webs in high latitude and 

high elevation national parks from long-range 

transport of airborne contaminants. A multidisciplinary team of research scientists from 

the EPA, U.S. Geological Survey, Oregon State 

University (OSU), U.S. Forest Service , 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.

•� Other projects supported by NRPP Alaska 

Special Project funds include continuing 

studies on marine birds in Glacier Bay 

National Park and Preserve, sockeye salmon 

in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and 

Preserve, and sockeye salmon in Aniakchak 

National Monument and Preserve. Each 

of these projects, at least in part, collects and 

evaluates resource data related to subsistence 

species.

USGS Biological Technical Assistance 

Agreement—Park-Oriented Biological Support

The U.S. Geological Survey-Biological Resources 

Division 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 2004, 5 projects received their last funding 

allotment. Information on the project topics 

and status reports on the projects are contained 

in Appendix F. Many of this year’s projects 

addressed continuation of projects underway 

from previous fiscal years. Selected project 

highlights include:

•� Declining populations of some Sierra Nevada 

amphibian species prompted a study examining the potential effect of airborne pesticides 

on amphibian larvae. The project involved field 

translocation experiments in Yosemite, 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon, and Lassen 

Volcanic National Parks in California and a 

controlled laboratory experiment to test for 

pesticide exposure effects seen in the field. 

Floatplanes moving research team 

from Matcharak Lake, Gates of the 

Arctic National Preserve, Alaska.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 27

Results of this study will provide information 

useful for addressing toxic pesticides and 

restoring amphibian populations.

•� A Yellowstone National Park study investigated the causes of summer elk calf mortality. 

The study examined the fate of 44 elk calves 

less than 6-days old that were captured in May 

and June 2004, tagged with mortality transmitters, and monitored through the end of

FY 2004. Thirteen elk calves survived through 

this time period; the others were killed by 

bears (18), coyotes (4), wolves (3), golden eagle 

(1); wolf or bear (1), or unknown predators (2), 

or died due to unknown, non-predation causes 

(2). Basic results followed those observed in 

FY 2003. The study will continue in FY 2005 

with an objective of tagging and monitoring 

35–50 more neonate elk calves.

Servicewide 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 NRPP, fee monies, or 

other sources. A significant amount of the funding and projects provides specialized assistance 

to parks, either through direct provision of 

experts or through special topic workshops on 

issues affecting parks, or the development and 

support of tools to assist parks. Projects related 

to night sky, geo-hazards, management of nonfederal oil and gas in parks, and fish population 

assessments are examples funded in FY 2004. 

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

(CESU) remains a major focus, as does development, production, and distribution of education 

and information related material. Several special 

projects were initiated through this program in 

FY 2004, including the following:

•� An assessment of the ecological content and 

context of parks in the national park system, 

designed to help managers understand the 

ecological relationship of parks to their 

surrounding landscape, provide information 

for the public, and cooperative planning with 

other agencies. Towards the same objective, 

the Park Service initiated a pilot project with 

NatureServe to identify opportunities to 

partner with adjacent land surrounding parks 

to protect biodiversity, enhance outdoor 

recreational opportunities, and control 

invasive species.

•� The National Park Service formed a Night Sky 

Team to establish monitoring protocols, quantitative methods, and collect baseline data at 

several parks towards developing management 

tools to protect dark night skies. The team also 

provided technical assistance on internal facility lighting, community outreach and partnering, and provided interpretative materials.

•� The Park Service initiated reviews of the past 

functioning of two U.S. biosphere reserves 

to determine how best to renew biosphere 

reserve activities consistent with U.S. action 

to rejoin and participate fully in the United 

Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural 

Organization (UNESCO). The five units in the 

Southern Appalachian Biosphere Reserve in 

Tennessee and North Carolina and the one 

unit in the Mammoth Cave Biosphere Reserve 

in Kentucky are being reviewed to assess past 

performance and current capacities for conducting the three main functions of biosphere 

reserves: conservation, sustainable development, and capacity building. The project is 

scheduled for completion in mid-2005.

NATURAL SOUNDS PROGRAM

FY 2004 Allocation: $921,000

Available: $918,000

Established in FY 2000, the NPS Natural Sounds 

Program assists parks in plans to manage sounds 

in a way that balances the myriad expectations 

of park visitors with the protection of those 

resources. The Natural Sounds Program 

addresses sound-related matters raised by 

Congress, NPS Management Policies, and NPS 

Director’s Orders. An important element of this 

mission is working with the Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) to implement the National 

Parks Air Tour Management Act (NPATMA) 

wherein Congress mandated that FAA and 

the National Park Service jointly develop Air 

Tour Management Plans (ATMPs) for the more 

than 130 parks that have commercial air tour 

operations. Five staff members supported by 

base funds work in the NPS Natural Sounds 

Program. The Program was not funded by the 

Natural Resource Challenge.

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. Anticipations 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 
28 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

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 ATMPs and working with the military 

regarding aircraft noise issues.

Significant accomplishments for FY 2004 

included:

•� Developed acoustical protocols and tools, 

including coordination with the Department 

of Transportation (DOT), FAA, and the John 

C. Volpe Center to develop and adopt a common database schema for acoustical data sets 

collected in national parks. Using a common 

schema will allow the agencies to more easily 

share acoustical data in the future.

•� Assisted with ATMPs for Glacier National 

Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and other 

Hawaiian parks.

•� Headed the NPS negotiating team for the 

Grand Canyon Alternative Dispute Resolution 

process. Participated in several meetings as 

Modeling Team member for the National Park 

Service, and worked with FAA, on presentations to groups involved.

•� Deployed acoustical monitoring equipment 

at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, 

Mount Rushmore National Monument,

Badlands and Glacier National Parks. This 

was in support of parallel planning efforts for 

ATMPs and Sound Management Plans. Data 

have been archived for analyses.

•� Coordinated the production and distribution 

of 6,000 natural sounds interpretive cards that 

were used by more than 40 parks.

•� Completed final year of acoustic and audio/

video fieldwork on soundscapes and assess

impacts to American Peregrine Falcons in 

interior Alaska due to military aircraft.

•� Worked with the superintendent of John Day 

Fossil Beds National Monument and other 

officials to resolve the low flying military overflights at the monument and assisted other 

parks on similar issues.

RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND 

RECOVERY PROGRAM

FY 2004 Allocation: $1,265,000

Available: $1,259,000

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 Recovery Program 

supports: 1) direct technical assistance to parks 

in conducting damage assessments for incidents 

injuring park resources and in planning and 

implementing restoration projects; 2) outreach 

and training on damage assessment for park staff; 

and 3) completion and Director’s approval of 

policies and procedures for the program. In FY 

2004, of a total of 52 ongoing active cases, 

15 cases in 6 parks were settled without litigation. 

Examples of ongoing cases and restoration 

projects include:

FY 2004 Damage Assessment Case Status

State Park Case Name Project/Resource Type Statute Status 2004 Amount

TX BIBE Enterprise Rent-a Car Replant desert vegetation 19jj Complete $2,054

CA MOJA Morningstar Airplane Crash 19jj Settled 47,000

CA MOJA Interconnect Towers Damage, road grading case 19jj Settled $31,910

CA PORE Mystery Tarballs Oil spill; marine birds OPA Response and Past Costs $23,465

CO GRSA Zapata Fire Fire 19jj Settled $19,095

DC ROCR Economides Encroachment 19jj Settled $8,078

FL BISC My Jo Resource Damage 19jj Settled $215,340

GA CHAT Rottenwood Creek Resource Damage, Acid Spill 19jj Settled $2,136

GA CHAT Rivercliff II Mudslide Resource Damage Mudslide 19jj Settled $14,595

GA CHAT Cousins/GE Encroachment 19jj Settled $83,408

GA CHCH Colonial Pipeline Oil Spill OPA Settled $82,704

GA MALU Simplex Grinnell, LLP Visitor center flooded 19jj Settled $12,950

MA MIMA Scooch Car Crash Repair historical rock wall 19jj Complete $812

OK CHIC Phelps Encroachment, Tree Cutting 19jj Settled $10,000

WV APTR Elias Encroachment 19jj Settled $3,000

 Total $556,547
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 29

Ranger with confiscated fish that had 

been illegally caught in the Channel 

Islands Marine Preserve, California.

Collecting sound data for Air Tour 

Management Planning at Haleakala 

National Park, Hawaii.

•� At Golden Gate National Recreation Area

settlement was reached in a case involving the 

removal of redwood trees and significant site 

disturbance within the park. The park will now 

be able to restore the disturbance including 

removal of illegal roads and trails.

•� At Cuyahoga River National Recreation 

Area, more than $1,000,000 collected for 

damages to natural resources from the Kreji 

dump site is being used to remove and restore 

the site to natural conditions at the Jaite 

Paper mill. Final site characterizations are 

currently underway. These will determine if 

any additional contaminants of concern should 

be removed or addressed. Development of the 

restoration plan will begin in FY 2005.

RESOURCE PROTECTION PROGRAM

FY 2004 Allocation: $294,000

Available: $294,000

In its third year of funding, the Resource 

Protection Program is supporting projects that 

use innovative approaches involving natural 

resource specialists, protection rangers, and 

partners from other agencies and universities. 

The new resource stewardship and protection 

curriculum, which was proposed by several 

regions, is now moving to Phase III and 

providing training across the Park Service. 

A model to focus protection efforts on those 

natural resources most at risk is also in its third 

stage and moving its methods from Appalachian 

Mountain parks to other regions. Funded 

projects increasingly show the innovation and 

collaboration between divisions and other 

agencies that this funding source encourages. 

Completed projects include:

•� New surveillance techniques, developed in 

conjunction with other agencies, are being 

tested at Capitol Reef National Park to 

protect endangered cacti that are advertised on 

Internet sites.

•� The new marine reserves at Channel Islands 

National Park were patrolled more intensively 

to inform those diving and fishing from boats 

of the new restrictions that were in place 

FY 2004.

WATER RESOURCES PROGRAM

FY 2004 Allocation: $12,071,000

Available: $12,049,000

The Water Resources Program (WRP) serves 

parks through a broad range of activities in 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. An increase of $600,000 in 

FY 2004 provided for water quality monitoring in 7 networks, in conjunction with park vital 

signs monitoring.

The Challenge related components of the WRP 

include new capability to track the attainment of 

water quality standards in national park system 

units, in support of the Park Service’s strategic 

plan, and expanded efforts to improve aquatic 

resources through project support and fieldbased aquatic resource specialists. For 

FY 2004, the performance management goal 

was to determine baselines for new water quality 

related goals consistent with the Department of 

the Interior’s strategic plan. The National Park 

Service intends in the long-term to utilize water 

quality data provided by its monitoring program 

to supplement other available water quality 

information to determine whether park waters 

meet desired conditions. However, at this time 

desired conditions have not been established and 

the Park Service is continuing to use information 

from states regarding whether park waters have 

been identified as impaired. While the National 

Park Service continues to determine desired 

conditions for its waters, in FY 2004 the Park 

Service modified its database to track impaired 

waters by the categories established by the 

Department of the Interior—streams, lakes, 

estuarine, and marine waters.

Water Resource Projects

Highlights of FY 2004 accomplishments in 

various project categories appear below. For a 

complete listing of projects funded in FY 2004 

under Water Resource Protection, see 

Appendix G.

Water resource protection projects help to fund 

data collection and analyses that target development of scientific information to benefit 

decision-makers, including federal managers, 

court judges, or state administrators. Results are 

often intended to support settlement negotiations conducted to avoid contested case hearings, contested land use decisions, or to support 

the implementation of settlements. Hydrologic 

characterization is a need common to all water 

resources protection issues addressed by this 

budget.

The majority of FY 2004 water resource protection funds supported ongoing studies designed 

to characterize surface or ground water flow 

systems, and to study the relationship between 

water quantity and flow timing and waterdependent park resources. In the western U.S., 
30 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

ongoing projects are developing modeling 

capabilities to predict effects of large-scale 

development in regional ground water flow 

systems. In the eastern U.S., hydrologic studies 

are developing information regarding effects of 

impoundments on surface river systems. 

Decision-makers utilize these tools to understand the potential for impacts to park water 

resources in the future from existing water 

development proposals. Additionally, hydrologic 

data are often required to implement settlement 

agreements.

Additionally, the National Park Service joins with 

other non-federal entities to increase effectiveness of its water resource protection funding. 

Some studies occur as a result of collaboration 

with state or private entities with common 

science objectives. For example, hydrogeologic 

analyses conducted for Great Sand Dunes 

National Park and Preserve, combined with 

work conducted by The Nature Conservancy 

and local Water Conservation Districts, support 

water rights protection for the park. In another 

area, the Nevada State Engineer, southern 

Nevada water purveyors and private developers 

use hydrologic data collected by NPS studies 

for Lake Mead National Recreation Area and 

Death Valley National Park, thereby contributing to the larger-scale investigation of water 

availability in southern Nevada.

Water Resources Program competitive projects 

support a wide-range of park-based activities. 

Projects include riparian/stream, wetland, and 

watershed restoration; regulatory assessments; 

design and implementation of best management 

practices required to improve water quality to 

meet state-mandated polluted runoff or nonpoint source pollution control; one-time assessments or inventories of water quality baseline 

conditions or contaminants; wetland inventories; 

groundwater assessment and monitoring; well 

and spring inventories; channel and bank 

stability investigations; floodplain assessments; 

water resources management planning; and 

other water resources-related projects.

To augment the professional fishery expertise 

within the National Park Service, a limited 

amount of WRP base funds support cooperative 

relationships between the academic community 

and the NPS fisheries program. These funds help 

to foster graduate student research at national 

park system units and to cooperatively fund 

fishery students engaged in park projects. The 

program introduces top caliber fishery students 

to NPS programs, while expanding the level of 

expertise available to parks. Two new projects 

initiated in FY 2004 included one in conjunction with Colorado State University and one with 

Montana State University.

A total of 17 projects received final water 

resources competitive project funding in 

FY 2004. Two are highlighted below.

•� Installation of municipal wells and wastewater treatment facilities adjacent to Cape 

Cod National Seashore boundaries prompted 

concerns regarding the possibility of groundwater withdrawal/water table modifications 

affecting dune slack wetlands. This study 

identified and mapped 340 dune slack wetlands within the boundaries of the park. 

Preliminary results include identification of 

105 wetland plant species; none were state or 

federally listed species. Results of analyses of 

hydrology, vegetation, and other variables will 

improve dune slack conceptual models and 

assess the severity of threats from water table 

modifications or other stressors.

� At Redwood National Park, a project intended to determine whether summer stream 

temperatures are a limiting factor for juvenile 

coho salmon in Redwood Creek involved the 

use of thermal infrared imaging of Redwood 

Creek. Used to measure the surface water 

temperature along the main channel of 

Redwood Creek and identify warm versus 

cool reaches, thermal images captured stream 

temperature during the warmest time of the 

day and on the hottest day of the summer. The 

water temperature profile of Redwood Creek 

was quite variable, with large changes of stream 

temperature over relatively short distances. For 

example, changes in water temperature greater 

than 1°C occurred in less than a half-mile and 

many were associated with the inflow of 

tributaries or springs. Based on the temperature data, Redwood Creek can generally be 

divided into four main reaches that showed 

similar temperature characteristics.

Water Quality Monitoring

Presently about 110 park units have one or 

more waterbodies that do not meet state water 

quality standards for one or more pollutants 

on approximately 1,550 miles of rivers and 

streams, and 742,300 acres of lakes, reservoirs, 

estuaries, and marine areas. Planning and design 

of the program continues to be implemented in 

full integration with the NPS Park Vital Signs 

Monitoring Program. Water quality is a key vital 

sign in determining overall aquatic ecosystem 

health. Additionally, 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 

Water quality is a key 

vital sign in determining 

overall aquatic 

ecosystem health.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 31

reporting.

Full program funding supported 24 Park Vital 

Signs Monitoring Networks in FY 2004, including 7 new networks. The majority (23) of these 

networks fully committed their water quality 

funding to compilation of background information, analysis of issues and threats, detailed 

program planning, and supporting synopticlevel field assessments. One network initiated its 

monitoring plan.

During FY 2004, work continued in 

development of program technical guidance, 

technical protocols, detailed study plan and 

Quality Control/Quality Assurance Plan 

guidance, and database management. Database 

templates are being developed for networks so 

that data can be managed consistently with the 

requirements of the EPA’s STORET database, 

and also as part of Networks’ Park Vital Signs 

Monitoring databases. The servicewide NPS 

water quality database being constructed by the 

program has more than 2.5 million water quality 

observations. This database is the starting point 

for most Network water quality data compilation 

and analysis efforts.

Water Resource Protection—Aquatic Resource 

Professionals

In FY 2003, the Challenge funded three 

additional aquatic resource specialists: a groundwater hydrologist at Chickasaw National 

Recreation Area; a marine ecologist at Fire 

Island National Seashore; and a groundwater 

hydrologist at Lake Mead National Recreation 

Area. This brings the aquatic resource specialists 

in the field to a total of 16 new positions funded 

by the Challenge; however, in FY 2004, one 

position (at Grand Teton National Park) 

remained vacant. Twelve of 15 occupied positions 

are duty-stationed in parks, with the remaining 

three located in the Sonoran Network Office, 

the Center for Urban Ecology in the National 

Capital Region, and the Utah State Office. In the 

future, as attrition occurs, the Park Service does 

not expect to continue to maintain all of these 

positions.

Prior to funding provided by the Challenge, only 

20 parks had aquatic resource professionals on 

staff. The 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 NPS water resource-related policies 

and regulations. While these 15 Challengecreated positions work on a wide range of water 

resource-related issues facing the parks, some 

particularly significant issues addressed in 

FY 2004 include:

•� Continuing collaboration with the Woods 

Hole Research Institute on a project measuring 

the percent of impervious surfaces for selected 

watersheds in the National Capital Region. At 

this stage, the project has delineated watersheds and obtained impervious surface maps. 

In the future, this project will relate water 

quality and flow parameters to the percent of 

impervious surfaces for each watershed.

•� A cooperative agreement between the National 

Park Service, the Maryland Biological Stream 

Survey (MBSS), and Frostburg State University 

to develop protocols for monitoring of benthic 

invertebrates, fish, and stream habitats. The 

MBSS protocol will be modified to suit NPS 

needs and be modified for Virginia ecosystems.

•� Synthesized nearly 600 aquatic research documents from 9 different park units in the upper 

Great Lakes area. The resulting document 

draws together the results of previous aquatic 

studies, provides an analysis of dominant 

research themes and remaining knowledge 

gaps, and offers detailed recommendations 

for future monitoring and research on both a 

park-specific and a Network-wide basis.

•� Participated on the Natural Resource 

Assessment Team to conduct a comprehensive 

field review and assessment of the ecological 

impacts of Hurricane Isabel in the fall of 2003. 

The team was charged with identifying modifications to geological, biological and water 

resources, determining the nature and extent 

of the modifications, assessing the implications and significance of the modifications and 

recommending management response to the 

modifications.

Watershed Condition Assessment Program

FY 2004 marked the second year for the newly 

established Watershed Condition Assessment 

Program (WCAP), a program supported by a 

permanent increase to the Water Resources 

Program base through the Challenge. The WCAP 

will integrate 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. Information developed through 

assessments of watershed conditions will 

support the needs of park planning, resource 

protection, and resource restoration activities. 

This new program is timely in light of the movement towards condition-based resource planMelanie Cook, biotechnician for 

Yukon-Charley Rivers National 

Preserve, Alaska, processes 

macroinvertebrate samples along the 

margin of a lake sampled in 2004.

Tim Brabets, USGS Hydrologist, 

and Tom O’Keefe, University of 

Washinton, collecting water quality 

sample near transect 2 on the Kijik 

River, Lake Clark National Park & 

Preserve, Alaska.
32 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Lake trout captured during resident 

fish study, Lake Clark National Park & 

Preserve, Alaska.

ning and decision making by the National Park 

Service. Information developed by the WCAP 

will also complement information from the Vital 

Signs Program (also a component of the 

Challenge), to develop science-based information on conditions and trends relative to important park resources. Program efforts in FY 2004 

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 of backlogged watershed resource and water quality 

assessment projects. Two full-time staff members 

were hired in the latter part of FY 2004 to 

support long-range program components. 

Examples of work supported in condition 

assessments in FY 2004 are below:

•� Assessment needs of coastal areas differ from 

strictly upland environments because of 

salinity regimes, the potential transport of 

pollutants or invasive species from ocean 

currents, and the high degree of development 

on the coast. Working through universities in 

the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit 

Networks, this project continued a pilot study 

of seven coastal parks on the South Atlantic 

and Gulf Coasts. Draft reports describing the 

status of coastal park resources are available 

for Padre Island and Cumberland Island 

National Seashores, and a final report on 

Cape Lookout National Seashore is currently 

in press. Still in-progress are reports on Fort 

Pulaski National Monument, Canaveral 

National Seashore, Timucuan National 

Historical and Ecological Park, and Gulf 

Islands National Seashore. These Coastal 

Watershed Condition Assessment Reports will 

help guide resource management planning and 

support the development of Park Vital Signs 

Monitoring Plans.

•� A project at Glacier National Park followed 

large fires of the summer of 2003 characterizing effects of wildfire on water quality. 

Preliminary results indicate that nutrient 

concentrations in runoff from basins that 

burned at high intensity were significantly 

higher than in basins that did not burn.

Water Resource Technical Assistance

This 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 accomplishments include:

•� Conducted a follow-up assessment of riparian 

areas in Channel Islands National Park to 

assess condition change after the 1998 removal 

of livestock from Santa Rosa Island.

•� Assisted in the planning for native trout 

restoration in Great Basin, Great Sand 

Dunes, and Rocky Mountain National Parks.

•� Provided fisheries assistance for the Upper 

Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 33

Implementation Plan.

•� Participated in the U.S. Coral Reef Task 

Force and Marine Protected Area Interagency 

Committee and the development of the 

National Park Service’s Ocean Strategy.

•� Assisted Olympic National Park in presenting 

the sediment management plan for Elwha 

River dam removal to the Port Angeles, 

Washington, city council in support of its 

decision to formally support the Elwha River 

Restoration Project.

•� Provided assistance for the development of 

alternative wastewater discharge locations at 

Lake Meade.

•� Provided assistance to park managers and 

planners related to the Furnace Creek 

flash flood of August 2004 in Death Valley 

National Park.

•� Evaluated alternatives for management of a 

uranium tailings pile at Moab, Utah.

Return to Table of Contents
34 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 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 35

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 2004 Allocation: $131,000 (portion not 

transferred to regions)

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs) 

are multi-agency partnerships with the nation’s 

universities and other institutions, organized 

around bio-geographic areas. Their broad scope 

includes the biological, physical, social, and 

cultural sciences needed to address park 

management issues. Currently, 181 universities (including 42 minority institutions) and 24 

state, tribal, and non-governmental partners 

participate in the CESU Network. Seventeen 

individual CESUs are part of a national network 

competitively established with leadership from 

the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological 

Survey (USGS), and other federal agencies. The 

Park Service is one of 13 federal agencies in the 

CESU Network.

As a result of Natural Resource Challenge funding, 12 CESUs now have a NPS research coordinator duty stationed at their host universities. 

Regional offices help support NPS participation 

in the remaining five CESUs through collateral 

duties, additional funding, or assigning 

additional responsibilities to existing staff. NPS 

coordinators are “brokers,” working 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. At several 

CESUs matching expertise to needs is now 

facilitated through databases of experts. Through 

their direct connection with parks to facilitate 

projects, CESU coordinators are instrumental in 

fostering cohesion and enhancing communication among park clusters and diverse program 

offices. Through the CESUs, collaboration with 

other programs is increasing. NPS coordinators 

are working more closely with Research Learning Centers, Exotic Plant Management Teams, 

and Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Networks. 

NPS coordinators also provide technical 

assistance to park staff in developing proposals 

for the Cooperative Conservation Initiative and 

other funding sources, including USGS-NRPP 

funding.

NPS projects administered through CESU agreements, and the expertise available for these 

projects, became increasingly diverse in 

FY 2004. Research projects remain a strong 

focus; however, technical assistance, education 

projects, and conducting workshops are becoming an increasingly important component of 

NPS activities through CESUs. Natural resource 

needs continue to be well served by CESUs. 

Working with international partners, several NPS 

coordinators in border areas are exploring 

innovative approaches to deal with management 

challenges that cross international boundaries; 

such as, neotropical hummingbird monitoring. 

Additionally, several CESUs noted an upward 

trend in interdisciplinary, social science, and 

cultural resource projects. Projects related to 

planning and transportation are also on the rise.

In FY 2004, projects implemented through 

CESUs increased from a total of more than 540 

projects and $19 million in FY 2003 to 650 

projects and $27 million.

Following are some examples of FY 2004 

accomplishments:

•� Joseph Grinnell conducted vertebrate distribution, habitat use and species abundance studies in Yosemite National Park from 1914 to 

1920. With funding from the Yosemite Fund, 

researchers from the University of California at 

Berkeley, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, and 

staff from Yosemite National Park collaborated 

to determine if there are differences in vertebrate populations as observed in Grinnell’s 

studies and re-sampling of the original transects. Preliminary analysis indicated that there 

are significant changes in vertebrate species 

distribution, habitat, and abundance. Species 

occurred at higher elevations than they 

Chapter Four: Progress in Learning About Our Parks’ 

Natural Resources

Shoreline change is an important 

monitoring indicator for Acadia 

National Park, Maine.
36 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

occurred at nearly a hundred years ago and 

some species used considerably different habitats. These data will assist park managers in 

long-term resources management and identify 

further investigations and studies.

•� The Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve in Virginia 

provides valuable habitat for a large variety 

of birds. A volunteer group called Friends of 

Dyke Marsh initiated a breeding bird survey 

in 1994. Data analyzed from this monitoring 

project from 1994–2003 indicate that more 

shorebirds were recorded during the latter 

years of the survey, but that some species (such 

as eastern phoebe and eastern bluebird) disappeared from the survey routes. The bald 

eagle, first recorded in 2000, was present in all 

subsequent surveys.

•� The U.S. National Arboretum supports a 

valuable population of organisms that are 

important for pollination of plant species. 

The managers of the National Capital Region 

natural resources and representatives of more 

than 40 different organizations participated in 

a habitat conservation workshop entitled 

“Promoting Pollinators in Public Places,” 

co-sponsored by the University of Maryland, 

the U.S. National Arboretum, and the Urban 

Ecology Research Learning Alliance. Sessions 

provided opportunities for hands-on learning 

and case studies. Participants broke into small 

groups and received specific advice and information on promoting pollinator-friendly habitats and monitoring pollinator populations. 

Another workshop is planned for 2005.

•� Growing interest exists in long-range 

American chestnut (Castanea dentata) restoration. In response, the Park Service conducted a 

workshop entitled, Restoration of Chestnut to 

Forest Lands within the National Park System. 

The venue was the North Carolina Arboretum 

in Asheville. Twenty-four speakers addressed 

the ecological history of the American chestnut, impacts of its loss, developments in 

chestnut blight resistance, research on chestnut genetic issue, restoration considerations, 

objectives, opportunities, and NPS policies. 

Pennsylvania State University organized the 

workshop. More than 80 people from the 

National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, 

state forests, academic and non-profit institutions participated. New technologies and 

practical applications for restoration of 

American chestnut will be presented in an upcoming report.

•� A one-day workshop was designed and 

delivered by staff from Flagstaff Area National 

Monuments and faculty from Northern 

Arizona University’s (NAU) Center for 

Sustainable Environments to introduce the 

concept of environmentally preferable 

purchasing or Green Procurement to the staff 

of government agencies and owners of private 

businesses. Nationally recognized facilitators 

from the Center for a New American Dream 

and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

guided a group of 37 participants towards an 

understanding of green procurement strategies 

and components of an Environmental 

Purchasing Plan. Held on the campus of 

Northern Arizona University, workshop 

sponsors included the city of Flagstaff, NAU, 

the National Park Service, EPA and the Center 

for a New American Dream.

•� Economic information is often used for planning, concessions management, budget 

justifications, policy analysis and marketing. 

A research project conducted by Michigan 

State University (MSU) researchers, adapted 

the Money Generation Model (MGM2, developed by Stynes and Probst in 2000) to provide 

information to national heritage areas. Seven 

NPS Alliance members were assisted in the 

design and implementation of economic 

surveys. Members included Motorcities 

Automobile, Augusta Canal, Cane River, Essex, 

Lackawanna Valley, Silos and Smokestacks 

Natural Heritage Areas, and the Ohio and 

Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor. MSU 

scientists analyzed the data and estimated the 

economic impacts of the heritage areas. The 

final report, Economic Impacts of National 

Heritage Areas; Summary Results from Seven 

National Heritage Area Visitor Surveys, 

appears on the MGM2 website: <http://www.

prr.msu.edu/mgm2/>.

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM PROGRAM

FY 2004 Allocation: $1,291,000

Available: $1,290,000

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have 

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 resourcerelated, 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 

programs. The funding essentially operates as 

seed funding and is distributed to regions to 

fund a combination of Regional Technical 

Support Centers (RTSC), support operations 

and projects, in addition to a natural resource 

GIS coordinator. A GIS Committee represent-
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 37

ing many regional, park, and program GIS users 

provides policy, funding and operational recommendations to the Chief Information Officer 

and the Associate Director for Natural Resource 

Stewardship and Science. Additionally, there is 

significant coordination within the Department 

of the Interior through the Interior Geographic 

Data Committee and across government through 

the Federal Geographic Data Committee.

In FY 2004, approximately half of the GIS 

program funding supported park and regional 

staff or support provided by contractors and cooperators. About one-third of the funding 

financed projects with the balance covering 

other support costs. This funding is matched 

nearly ten-fold for efforts undertaken by, or coordinated through the RTSCs, with approximately $5 million for staff and support and $5 million 

for projects from various sources.

The goal of the NPS GIS Program is to provide 

quality geographic data, information, and 

applications utilizing GIS for park planning, 

program operations, and scientifically-based 

management of park resources. Today, most 

national park system units use GIS data and 

technology. 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 may 

be impossible to integrate. Managers may then 

discover changes, patterns, and trends in the 

resources.

Examples of GIS projects in FY 2004 include:

•� Through the cooperative efforts of numerous 

parks, Inventory and Monitoring networks, 

regions, and service-wide programs, the Park 

Service published the book, Mapping the 

Future of America’s National Parks in 

cooperation with ESRI.

•� Tsunami (tidal wave) and potential river flooding inundation hazards were modeled and 

displayed using GIS for Pu’ukohola Heiau 

National Historic Site to address and 

assist with the planned relocation of the park’s 

visitor center to a coastal site and to provide 

information for visitor safety and emergency 

operations.

•� Development of a GIS model was begun as 

part of the St. Croix Scenic Assessment project 

to evaluate the scenic landscapes of the 

St. Croix valley. The model bases scenic 

values on the application of scenic assessment 

parameters. Scenic quality is one of the major 

attributes of the St. Croix River valley, and is a 

primary reason for the 1968 designation of the 

Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway as a 

unit of the national park system. The project is 

a partnership between the National Park 

Service, the University of Minnesota, the 

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 

and the non-profit St. Croix Scenic Coalition.

The new book Mapping The Future of 

America's National Parks highligts the 

value of GIS in the everyday management and conservation of America's 

special places.
38 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

INVENTORY AND MONITORING PROGRAM

FY 2004 Allocation: $36,932,000

Available: $36,896,000

This program provides park managers with 

information about what they manage (inventories) and the condition of the resources they 

manage (monitoring) so that 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 FY 1999 level by nearly sixfold by FY 2004. In FY 2004, the program 

received a net increase of $4,511,000.

Through the 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 

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

through networks.

As of FY 2004, more than 1,600 park-inventory 

data sets have been compiled. These inventories 

represent 7 complete 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), 

and progress on the remaining five inventories. 

Additionally, 22 networks encompassing 185 

parks have been funded to monitor vital signs, 

including five networks in FY 2004. The 22 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. The first 

17 networks completed the vital signs identification phase (phase 2 of 3). In these networks, the 

following categories of vital signs predominated: 

invasive plants, land use, cover change, weather 

and climate, water chemistry, surface water 

dynamics, and land bird distribution and abundance, ozone, and soil function dynamics.

The I&M program directly achieves goals of 

the National Park Service strategic plan. The 

Service’s inventory goal had a target in FY 2004 

to complete 1,637 (59.2%) of the 2,767 outstanding data sets. An additional 123 data sets were 

collected in FY 2004, for a total of 1,630 (58.9%) 

of the outstanding data sets, slightly short of the 

target. Lack of verification of completed inventories led to the shortfall. The Service’s goal for 

park vital signs in FY 2004 was for 60% (162) 

of 270 parks with significant natural resources 

to identify their vital signs for natural resource 

monitoring, and 3.7% (10 of 270) parks with 

significant natural resources to implement natural resource monitoring of key vital signs 

parameters. As a direct result of the strategy of 

organizing parks into 32 vital signs monitoring 

networks, 22 networks (representing 153 parks) 

and 23 additional parks (176 parks in all or 65%) 

identified park vital signs by the end of 

FY 2004—exceeding the goal—and 10 parks 

implemented vital signs monitoring—meeting 

the goal. The latter represented prototype monitoring parks that were funded prior to the 

Natural Resource Challenge. The FY 2004–

FY 2008 NPS strategic plan will focus on implementing the measurement of park vital signs, 

rather than identifying them; this is a direct 

Basic Inventory Data Sets

End Of FY 2004 End Of FY 2005 End Of FY 2006 FY 2007–101

Underway Completed Completed Completed To be Completed

Natural Resource Bibliographies 0 270 270 270 0

Base Cartography Data 1 269 270 270 0

Species Lists 0 270 270 270 0

Species Occurrence and Distribution 267 31 150 270 0

Vegetation Maps 45 51 63 78 192

Soils Maps 31 59 70 100 170

Geology Maps 227 52 108 150 120

Water Body Location and Classification 0 270 270 270 0

Baseline Water Quality Data 0 270 270 270 0

Air Quality (station) Data 0 270 270 270 0

Air Quality-Related Values 220 48 100 150 100

Meteorological Data 0 270 270 270 0

1

 Reflects a change from the figure in the 2003 Natural Resource Challenge Report to Congress. Field work on all 270 park data sets completed in 2004. Parks reviewing and certifying the accuracy of these inventories in 2005–2006.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 39

A researcher wearing a “bug jacket,” 

inside an electric bear fence, uses a 

field centrifuge to spin fish blood 

samples at McLeod Lake in Denali 

National Park, Alaska.

Monitoring macroinvertebrates for 

water quality at Wolf Trap Farm 

Park, Virginia. Baseline Water Quality 

Assessment Reports have been 

completed for 234 park units.

result of new funding.

Universities, other non-governmental entities, 

and non-NPS government agencies produced 

inventory and monitoring products totaling more 

than $16 million during the year. Efficiencies and 

leveraging were obtained by partnering. For 

example, in FY 2004, I&M funding was combined with funding from the U.S. Geological Survey and the NPS Fire Program to further 

accelerate vegetation mapping. Alaska land cover 

mapping combined I&M funding in a variety of 

cooperative projects, including those with the 

U.S. Geological Survey, Ducks Unlimited, 

National Wetlands Inventory, and the University 

of Alaska.

Inventories

As of the end of FY 2004, seven data sets were 

essentially completed, and the balance are 

underway. The status of these inventories is 

shown in table below. In FY 2004, inventory 

funding primarily supported six of the basic 

inventories: species occurrence and distribution, 

vegetation mapping, soils mapping, geologic 

resource inventories, baseline water quality 

data inventories, and Air Quality Related Values 

(AQRV).

•� In FY 2003, most networks received the last of 

five years of funding for completing species 

occurrence and distribution inventories, or 

biotic inventories, and in FY 2004 largely 

completed work on these inventories. In addition to current field inventories, parks in all 

networks actively collected historical information on vouchers and species occurrence in 

parks, resulting in 337,845 voucher records and 

264,948 species listings entered into NPSpecies 

for I&M park units.

•� By combining FY 2003 Challenge funding with 

other funding provided by the U.S. Geological 

Survey and NPS Fire Program, the Park 

Service was able to complete 21 more vegetation mapping projects (51 total complete), continue 67 ongoing projects, and initiate 14 new 

park mapping projects. Vegetation information 

is especially important for (1) the management 

and protection of wildlife habitat, (2) modeling vegetation flammability and fuel implications for fire management, (3) analyses for site 

development suitability, and (4) evaluation of 

resources at risk.

•� Funded through the inventory portion of the 

Service-wide I&M program, the Alaska 

Landcover Mapping Program is distinct from 

the vegetation mapping effort for other parks; 

the scale of parks in Alaska dictate different 

mapping approaches. Partners in this effort 

include the U.S. Geological Survey-EROS Field 

Office, Ducks Unlimited, National Wetlands 

Inven-tory, and the University of Alaska. By 

the end of FY 2004, land cover maps and other 

products were completed for a total of 9 

Alaskan park units.

•� To address National Park Service’s responsibility under the Clean Air Act, the Park Service is 

identifying air quality related values in national 

parks, which often include sensitive plant and 

animal species, sensitive lakes and soils, and 

visibility. One project completed in FY 2004 

provides a plant ozone injury risk assessment 

for all 270 I&M parks. This will assist parks 

and networks in determining whether ozone 

injury surveys should be conducted in their 

areas.

•� There are completed digital geologic maps for 

52 parks, and maps for an additional 21 parks 

are in progress. In addition to traditional 

bedrock and surficial geologic mapping, in 

FY 2004 projects undertaken covered 

submarine geologic resources as well as coastal 

landform mapping in 7 shoreline parks, and 

submerged resource mapping in the three 

parks on the west coast of the island of Hawaii.

•� Baseline Water Quality Assessment Reports 

have been completed for 234 park units, 

providing a complete inventory of all available

water quality data; descriptive statistics and 

graphics characterizing annual, seasonal, 

and period-of-record central tendencies and 

trends; and comparisons of park data with 

relevant EPA national water quality criteria. 

Changes in EPA and USGS databases requiring 

software changes have delayed the remaining 36 reports. Additionally, in FY 2004, the 

National Park Service initiated supplemental 

water quality inventories for 18 parks to fill in 

gaps in core data, bringing the total to 70 parks 

in which supplemental inventories are initiated 

or completed.

•� Soils mapping is being undertaken, primarily

with the Natural Resource Conservation 

Service, although other sources are being 

explored. At the end of FY 2004, there were 

41 completed soil inventories and 127 underway.

Natural resource inventories reveal 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 

provided addresses a wide variety of resource 

management issues and activities. Brief 

descriptions of some highlights from FY 2004 

inventory efforts appear below:

As in previous years, biologic surveys in FY 2004 

resulted in species new to science, documenta-
40 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

tion of range extensions of species, and species 

newly documented for parks. Examples include:

•� Biological inventories at Padre Island 

National Seashore found a toad that may be 

new to science. The toad population’s genetic 

isolation for several thousand years may have 

resulted in its distinctive characteristics.

•� Mammal and herpetology surveys at George 

Washington Birthplace National Monument

and Thomas Stone National Historic Site 

documented one new mammal species at each 

of these parks. These finds make a total of 13 

new species recorded for Thomas Stone NHS 

and 6 new species records for George 

Washington Birthplace NM since the project 

began and added new county records and 

range extensions for several species of frogs 

and salamanders. Information on mammalian 

species distribution and abundance is available 

for the first time in these parks.

•� Inventory work documented 37 new additions 

to the park species lists in the Arctic Network. 

Among these, surveys documented the tiny 

shrew (Sorex yukonicus), one of the most 

poorly documented small mammals in North 

America, found in Bering Land Bridge 

National Preserve, Gates of the Arctic 

National Park and Preserve, and Cape 

Krusenstern National Monument. This work 

also documented major range extensions for 

the barren ground shrew (S. ugyunak), and the 

pygmy shrew (S. hoyi), which was found for 

the very first time in Cape Krusenstern NM 

and Gates of the Arctic NP&P.

•� Surveys at Assateague Island National 

Seashore included the discovery of five 

uncommon species rarely seen or previously 

unknown to occur in the park—grey treefrog, 

northern water snake, eastern garter snake, 

rough green snake, and red-bellied turtle.

•� At Santa Monica Mountains National 

Recreation Area, a plant species not 

documented in the park since the 1930s was 

located.

•� The Niobrara National Scenic River

inventory found a significant range expansion 

for the false map turtle and inventories on the 

Missouri National Recreational River

documented significant range expansions for 

Cope’s tree frog and the six-lined racerunner.

Inventory work added to information on 

locations of threatened and endangered species 

populations:

•� The Ozark Hellbender has been documented 

at six new sites in Ozark National Scenic 

Riverways; the species is a candidate for 

listing.

•� An anchialine pool inventory at KalokoHonokohau National Historical Park

identified three endemic shrimp species, 

including a candidate species.

Inventories are documenting important information on new exotic species invasions:

•� Plant inventories at Fort Laramie National 

Historic Site documented an exotic watercress, representing a new record for Wyoming.

•� Inventories at Delaware Water Gap National

Recreation Area produced the first report and 

documentation of the non-native mosquitofish in the park, an invasive that is a significant 

predator of some native fish species. It was 

found in a stream supporting a major 

recreational trout fishery and numerous native 

fish species, as well as other important species.

•� A total of 424 plant taxa have been recorded 

for Biscayne National Park as of October 

2004; 134 taxa had not been previously reported, including 52 that are exotic. Nine of the 

new exotic taxa are listed by the Florida Exotic 

Pest Plant Council as invasive or potentially 

invasive.

Information on rare community types are also 

being documented, including:

•� In Colonial National Historical Park, a rare 

wetland community classified as Non-riverine 

Saturated Forest and the rare Coastal Plain 

Dry Calcareous Forest and Tidal Bald Cypress 

Forest communities were documented.

•� The first significant floodplain forest occurrence documented by NY Natural Heritage on 

the Hudson River north of Albany was identified at Saratoga National Historical Park.

•� Additional examples of Non-riverine Saturated 

Forest, Coastal Plain Depression Wetland, 

and Coastal Plain/Piedmont Acidic Seepage 

swamp were documented at Fredericksburg 

& Spotsylvania National Military Park.

•� A small occurrence of Upland Depression 

Swamp was documented at Appomattox 

Court House National Historical Park.

•� An old growth study at Mount Rushmore 

National Memorial documented the extent 

and location of the park’s old growth forests. 

The preliminary results suggest that the park 

may support as much as 20% of the remaining 

old growth in the entire Black Hills.

Numerous bat inventories occurred throughout 

the national park system in FY 2004, yielding 

important records:

•� For the first time, surveys at Mammoth Cave 

National Park identified active roost trees for 

the endangered Indiana bat, confirming that 
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 41

this species uses the park for summer reproduction in addition to winter hibernation.

•� Bat surveys in Yosemite National Park found 

that the number of bat species declines with 

elevation in the park, and only one species has 

reproductive populations at high elevations. 

Interestingly, this is a genetically distinct high 

elevation form, whose distribution may be 

limited to the highest elevations of the Sierra 

Nevada.

•� Bat surveys at Cabrillo National Monument

found two previously undocumented species 

for that area.

•� Biologists at John D. Rockefeller National 

Parkway found fringed bats, a previously 

undocumented species for the area.

•� Surveys in National Capital Network parks 

found a large maternity bat colony of up to 400 

little brown bats at Catoctin Mountain Park.

Monitoring

The launch of this major component of the 

Natural Resource Challenge in FY 2001 

initiated planning for “park vital signs” ecological monitoring in the first 5 of 32 park networks, representing 270 parks with significant 

natural resources. These strategic monitoring 

programs will allow the Park Service to possess 

definitive information on resources managed by 

the agency, and to measure management performance. When fully funded and implemented, a 

means to measure resource conditions will be 

established. Through FY 2004, 22 networks (of 

a total of 32) involving 185 of the 270 parks with 

significant natural resources, have been funded 

for condition monitoring. The scientifically 

sound information that will result is critical for 

designing strategies to protect and restore natural 

resources and for working with others whose 

actions influence resource condition.

During the development of the park vital signs 

program, it was clear that a “one size fits all” 

approach to monitoring design would not be 

effective in the national park system considering 

the tremendous variability among parks in ecological conditions, sizes, and management issues 

and capabilities. A primary purpose of vital signs 

monitoring is to provide park managers with the 

data they need to understand and manage park 

resources; therefore, the data most relevant to 

different types of park systems would be expected to be 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; these partnerships (and the appropriate ecological indicators 

and methodologies involved) differ for parks 

throughout the system. Although monitoring 

priorities are determined locally, the servicewide monitoring program coordinates development of standardized protocols and approaches 

where appropriate. Nationwide, or at the level 

of the park network or ecosystem, there are also 

sets of indicators that are monitored in a standardized way to allow comparisons and synthesis 

of data across larger areas. Notable service-wide 

efforts include:

•� In addition to internal guidance, the National 

Park Service and U.S. Geological Survey 

Kate Patterson, Virginia Department 

of Natural Heritage, conducts vegetation mapping at Fredericksburg 

& Spotsylvania County Battlefields 

Memorial National Military Park. 

Plant inventories in the park have 

documented several rare community 

types.
42 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

collaborated to publish long-term monitoring 

protocol guidelines that were published in the 

Wildlife Society Bulletin in 2003. 

•� In FY 2004, a workshop was held with I&M 

staff working on landscape change monitoring 

and their cooperators and contractors. Almost 

all networks are planning to use some form 

of remote sensing data to detect landscape 

level changes. The workshop objective was to 

ensure that development of approaches was 

coordinated.

Network program design occurs in three phases: 

1) defining goals and summarizing existing data; 

2) scoping to solicit input for indicator selection; 

and 3) designing sampling protocols and a plan 

for data management, analysis, and products. 

The service-wide program also ensures the 

completion of peer review as an essential 

element of the program for all monitoring components, whether designed at the park, network, 

or national level. In FY 2004, Challenge funding 

supported:

•� Program development and monitoring in 22 

networks (of a total of 32), involving 185 of the 

270 parks with significant natural resources.

•� Start-up funds initiated the phase 1 planning 

stage for the 10 remaining networks. 

At the end of FY 2003, the first 12 networks 

funded completed their initial vital signs identification and at the end of FY 2004, these networks 

submitted their monitoring plans for peer review 

and approval. The plans outline available information about parks in the network, conceptual 

models of how the ecosystems function or the 

resources interact that serve as a basis for determining what indicators are important to monitor 

for change, the key areas of management 

concern and objectives for monitoring, and the 

vital signs selected for monitoring. Once 

approved, additional work will still be needed 

on some protocols. While standard protocols 

are used wherever possible, they are not always 

available and must often be adapted to specific 

local conditions and to meet standards for the 

program, including, for example, elements for 

quality control, quality assurance, and data 

management. The first 17 networks completed 

the vital signs identification phase (phase 2 of 3). 

The table on page 51 indicates the most common 

types of vital signs identified to date. In these 

networks, the following categories of vital signs 

predominated:

•� invasive plants

•� land/use cover change

•� weather and climate

•� water chemistry

•� surface water dynamics

•� land bird distribution and abundance

•� ozone

•� soil function and dynamics

Following are some examples of how these vital 

signs and their specific measurements were 

chosen and how the choices were influenced by 

the particular ecosystem and management 

context. These examples are from the five networks that completed their initial vital signs 

identification in FY 2004:

•� Fish community structure is one vital sign 

chosen by the Southwest Alaska Network. Fish 

are good indicators because they represent a 

variety of trophic levels and occupy a variety of 

habitats, integrate changes and disturbances in 

the food chain, and they are easy to collect and 

identify. They are also of interest to Southwest 

Alaska parks and park managers, including 

Katmai and Lake Clark National Parks and 

Preserves and Kenai Fjords National Park, 

because of their economic and recreational 

value.

•� Shoreline change is an important indicator for 

the Northeast Temperate Network’s coastal 

parks, Acadia National Park and Boston 

Harbor Islands. Sea level controls the distribution and pattern of intertidal habitats, as 

well as having other management implications. 

Currently sea level is rising 2–4 mm/year along 

the New England coastline and is predicted to 

accelerate as a result of climate change.

•� In the dryland ecosystem characteristics of the 

Southern Colorado Plateau Network, at parks 

such as Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde 

National Parks, precipitation is a major driver. 

As a result, soil moisture and climate are 

important vital signs for parks in that network.

•� In several of the networks, early detection of 

exotic species is an important vital sign. 

Invasive exotics are a threat to native biodiversity and quick identification and removal 

not only stems the threat but is far more costeffective than control efforts needed for 

established populations. For many networks 

and their parks, exotic plants are the target, but 

for others, exotic animals are also a focus.

Peer reviews for the first 12 network plans are 

being conducted in January 2005; after approval, 

networks may implement available protocols and 

continue additional protocol development needed. Final work on protocols will provide firmer 

cost information and dictate the extent to which 

priority vital signs can be monitored. Examples 

of some of the protocol work undertaken in 

FY 2004 include:

At Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, 

the final stages of deployment of the 

Harding Icefield weather station, with 

the typical RAWS set up on the left, 

and the USGS all season precipitation 

tower on the right (July 2004).

Ranger Glen Clark conducts water 

quality monitoring at Lyndon B. 

Johnson National Historical Park, 

Texas. The Southern Plains Inventory 

and Monitoring Network hopes 

to build on existing monitoring 

programs like this one.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 43

Common Types of Identified Vital Signs

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

Air and Climate Air Quality Ozone Atmospheric ozone concentration, 12 68

damage to sensitive vegetation

Wet and Dry Wet deposition chemistry (pH, NO3

-

, 12 58

Deposition SO4

-2), continuous sulfur (SO2

) dioxide

concentrations

Visibility and IMPROVE network; visibility and fine 13 52

Particulate Matter particles

Air Contaminants Concentrations of mercury, benzene, 6 40

toluene, ethylene chloride), atrazine

Weather and Weather and Temperature, precipitation, wind speed, 17 125

Climate Climate ice on/off

Geology and Soils Geomorphology Stream Channel Erosion/sedimentation, channel change, 6 57

Characteristics rate of scouring, stream profiles, coarse 

woody debris

Soil Quality Soil Function and Biological soil crusts, aggregate 8 59

Dynamics stability, soil surface condition, nutrients,

organic matter

Water Hydrology Groundwater Depth to groundwater, well recharge 6 49

Dynamics rate

Surface Water Discharge/flow rates (cfs), gauge/stage 13 95

Dynamics height, lake elevation, spring/seep volume,

sea level rise

Water Quality Water Chemistry pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, 17 136

conductivity

Aquatic Species richness, diversity, IBI of stream 10 56

Macroinvertebrates macroiNvertebrates, relative abundance

Biological Invasive Species Invasive/Exotic Early detection (predictive search 12 115

Integrity Plants models); presence/absence, area covered

by exotic species

Focal Species & Vegetation Species richness and diversity, rates of 9 55

Communities Communities mortality and regeneration, stand

structural dynamics

Forest Vegetation Species composition, % cover by species 7 49

and layer, tree growth & mortality, regeneration

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 Distribution,abundance, age and sex composition 7 37

Communities

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

Recreation Use

Ecosystem Pattern Land Cover Land Cover Area in each land cover and use type; patch size 17 137

and Processes and Use and Use and pattern (from satellite and aerial imagery)
44 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

•� The Northeast Temperate Coast and Barriers 

network continued pilot sampling of vegetation and nekton as part of its salt marsh monitoring project and made substantial progress 

toward finalizing the protocols. These protocols are being developed through an agreement 

with the U.S. Geological Survey that will allow 

network parks to be part of a larger regional 

salt marsh monitoring effort that also includes 

several National Wildlife Refuges.

•� The pond-breeding amphibian monitoring 

protocol at Cape Cod National Seashore, a 

prototype park whose work serves as a model 

especially for other Northeast Coast and 

Barrier network parks, uses a labor intensive 

technique. In FY 2003, both the old method 

and a much simpler one were implemented. In 

FY 2004, the results of the two methods were 

compared, and the simpler maximum count 

method proved to sacrifice little in the way of 

accuracy compared to the significant gains in 

field and data management efficiency.

•� Evaluation of non-native plant mapping techniques, feeding directly into the Sonoran 

Desert Network’s invasive plant early detection protocol, was continued through a cooperative agreement with University of Arizona 

cooperators at Montezuma Castle and 

Tuzigoot National Monuments. The information collected through this effort is being 

used to build predictive models for future nonnative plant spread.

•� Mammoth Cave National Park worked 

with the U.S. Geological Survey to reduce the 

impact and expense of the labor-intensive 

methods typically used to monitor ecologically 

important cave crickets. They developed new 

methods using digital cameras and lasers that 

delineate fixed transect lines. The protocol can 

be transferred to other cave and karst environments and resulting data may be used to 

examine the effect of active management of 

caves.

•� The Central Alaska Network established agreements with the University of Alaska to develop 

a protocol to measure water quantity of small 

lakes that are susceptible to drying and warming in response to climate change and to detect 

the formation of small lakes that may occur 

with melting of permafrost. In addition, the 

university will explore use of information 

gathered through direct measurements of 

permafrost temperatures.

•� Also in the Central Alaska network, the Alaska 

Bird Observatory conducted fieldwork in 

Denali National Park and Preserve to determine the best timeframe for surveying alpine 

nesting birds.

•� Northern Colorado Plateau Network, with 

Bureau of Land Management and USDA 

Forest Service contributing funding, contracted to develop an umbrella protocol for threatened and endangered plant species that would 

consider and address populations regardless 

of ownership. This approach builds on the 

already existing interagency effort that has 

been in place for several years to inventory 

these species.

•� The Greater Yellowstone Network built on 

connections with the U.S. Geological Survey 

Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative 

to improve some sampling design components, 

Dr. Kurt Helf, Mammoth Cave 

National Park (Kentucky), and 

Dr. Bob Woodman, USGS-BRD, 

test a polar-coordinate sampling 

simulation model for the Cave Cricket 

Monitoring Study.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 45

share funding possibilities, and allow the ability 

to detect changes in amphibian occurrence at a 

broader scale. A monitoring design workshop 

explored details such as site definition and how 

often to revisit sites; solutions were tested during a pilot study at Yellowstone and Grand 

Teton National Parks. The USGS Patuxent 

Wildlife Research Center provided technical 

expertise that resulted in a sampling design 

with a smaller catchment unit and improved 

spatial representation.

•� The U.S. Geological Survey is developing a 

mussel monitoring protocol for the 

Appalachian Highlands network, to monitor 

the status of rare mussel populations and 

determine whether re-introductions are 

successful, and whether flow changes or water 

quality are affecting the populations. Big South 

Fork National River and Recreation Area

and Obed Wild and Scenic River aquatic 

systems are affected by area coal production 

and also host significant mussel fauna, including six federally listed endangered species and 

four reintroduced species.

Earlier funded prototype monitoring programs, 

and monitoring previously undertaken by some 

parks is being integrated with vital signs monitoring. Except in these cases, trend data from vital

 signs monitoring will not be available until 

monitoring has been ongoing for several years. 

However, efforts undertaken through the I&M 

program are beginning to develop some new 

trend information through analysis of older data 

sets and comparison to newly acquired data, 

especially in the case of photographic data. 

Examples of trend information gained from 

these projects include:

•� Relocation of sites from 1955–1956 photography and new photographs showed a striking pattern of sub-alpine spruce forest in 

Denali National Park spreading into several 

areas that were mostly treeless in the mid1950s. Balsam poplar, rare in the area during 

the initial sampling, is now colonizing much of 

the study area. Warming climate in the area is 

documented by data from the nearby weather 

station and considered to be the cause of the 

change.

•� Similar work is being conducted at Lake Clark 

National Park and Preserve using 57 repeat 

photographs taken during a 1928–1929 U.S. 

Geological Survey expedition. Comparison of 

the 1928–1929 and 2004 photographs reveals 

the changes in the park’s landscape, including 

dramatic retreat of glaciers, rise in tree line, 

invasion of tundra by woody shrubs, and 

receding of lake levels.

•� At Canyon de Chelly National Monument 79 

historical and modern photographs spanning 

120 years were compared. The photos document upland invasion of piñon and juniper, 

and riparian invasion by native trees (cottonwood and willow) and exotic trees (Russian 

olive and tamarisk) during the last 120 years. 

Riparian communities are significantly different in both quantity and quality of vegetation 

from just two decades ago. Future monitoring 

at fixed intervals will provide more data on the 

rate of change in the communities.

•� In streams heavily impacted by historic coal 

mining activity and municipal pollution at Big 

South Fork National River and Recreation 

Area, field crews found significant increases 

in the number of fish species compared to 

the same sites 23 years ago, demonstrating 

apparent improvement of water quality and 

recovery of aquatic systems.

•� One hundred-fifty-four vegetation sampling 

points were relocated in Grand Canyon 

National Park, re-establishing forested vegetation types originally sampled in 1935. 

Preliminary analyses indicate that species richness is surprisingly high in the ponderosa pine 

plant communities. In contrast to the increased 

densities of small trees in logged forests, the 

mixed-conifer type at Grand Canyon National 

Park appears to have tree densities that have 

declined. If further data and analysis confirm 

this, scientists’ ideas about historical and contemporary changes in the mixedconifer forest will need to be revised. Greater 

understanding of how the forests of Grand 

Canyon National Park have changed since 1935 

will provide a basis for park management, 

particularly with the reintroduction of fire 

after almost 125 years of suppression.

Trends in bird populations have been detected 

both using comparison analyses with earlier data 

and through ongoing monitoring activities:

•� The Pacific Island Network teamed with the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological 

Survey, and state of Hawaii to compile, 

evaluate, and analyze all forest bird survey 

data collected since 1976, including data from 

Hawaii Volcanoes and Haleakala National 

Parks. Results indicate that three federally 

listed species that have been absent since the 

1970s from former habitat in and near Hawaii 

Volcanoes National Park have not recovered, 

and three species of concern declined or are 

absent from lower-elevation forests in the 

park. On a brighter note, the species of 

concern and common species appear to be 

holding their own or increasing at higher 

elevations in the park, where habitat improved 

through reforestation in the past three 

Top: Canyon de Chelly National 

Monument, Arizona, in 1879. Photo 

by John K. Hillers.

Bottom: Canyon de Chelly National 

Monument in 2002. Photo by Glenn 

Rink.

Comparison of the two photos 

reveals many changes to the landscape. There are now about three 

times as many piñon trees on the 

foreground terrace and much more 

piñon and juniper cover on the slopes 

in the background. The channel has 

shifted to the right and the second 

terrace is now covered with a continuous stand of native cottonwood 

and exotic Russian olive trees. 
46 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

decades. Similarly, at Haleakala National Park 

and adjacent high elevation forests on Maui, 

the occurrence of three species also increased, 

as did one federally listed species.

•� Results from landbird monitoring at Cape 

Cod National Seashore using mark-recapture 

techniques show declining trends in the mean 

annual index of total population size, and in 

productivity of 6 of 11 target species during the 

five-year study period. The negative trends in 

productivity suggest population declines may 

worsen in the near future.

•� Analysis of data spanning more than 100 years 

shows range extensions to Assateague 

Island National Seashore for brown pelicans, 

double-crested cormorants, roseate terns, and 

others and dramatic declines for others.

•� Spotted owl monitoring at Olympic National 

Park showed the most successful breeding 

season since monitoring began, with 36 of 53 

sites occupied and 96% of females followed 

successfully fledging young. However, spotted owl monitoring at Muir Woods National 

Monument found a second recorded barred 

owl, a species originally from the East Coast 

and associated with declines in spotted owls.

Other condition and trend results to date include 

the following:

•� Four national parks—Rocky Mountain,

Glacier, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton—are 

primary mid-level monitoring sites in the 

Rocky Mountain Region of the USGS 

Amphibian Research and Monitoring 

Initiative (ARMI), providing the ability to track 

and compare changes in status of amphibians 

in different latitudes, climate and habitat. 

Results from data collected show that declines 

have occurred to a greater extent in Rocky 

Mountain National Park than in the other 

parks.

Resource Condition Assessment Table

Resource Status Trends Confidence

Category

Air Significant Condition is Based on adequate

Concern unchanged data and information;

good confidence

Water Caution Condition is Gaps in data or

improved interpolated;

some confidence

Geology & In good Condition is Minimal data; low

Soils condition deteriorating confidence

Biota No data available; No line

based on expert

opinion

Landscapes

Resource Condition Assessment Table

Resource Condition Confidence Justification

Category Assessment

Air High; 10 yrs. of Ozone levels exceeded EPA standards 8 times 

monitoring data during year; deposition data shows high levels

within 5 miles of NOx and SOx; IMPROVE stations document

of park worsening visibility; air toxicants increasing

Water Good water pH, DO, conductivity and nutrients within

quality data, but normal variation for 6 monitored streams, but 1

small data sets stream shows high acidity and sedimentation 

for macroinverts levels. Aquatic macroinvertebrate data sparse 

and mussels but within expected limits. Freshwater mussels

suggest good condition for 3 sampled streams.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 47

Salt marsh die back in Middle 

Meadow at Cape Cod National 

Seashore, Massachussetts.

Appearance of dense native grasses 

(Ruppia) in East Harbor, Cape Cod 

National Seashore, Massachussetts.

•� At Cape Cod National Seashore the salt 

marsh vegetation monitoring project observed 

the first occurrence of salt marsh die-back in 

the park in 2003. Salt marsh die-back was first 

detected on the U.S. Atlantic coast in Georgia 

in 2001, and more recently it has been 

observed in marshes along the Connecticut 

and southern Cape Cod coasts. In FY 2004, 

more intensive monitoring was initiated of 

die-back patches and other sites to detect any 

future occurrences of die-back.

•� Monitoring of restoring salt marshes (Hatches 

Harbor and East Harbor) at Cape Cod 

National Seashore documented the return of 

salt marsh species to formerly fresh or brackish areas, increased density and vigor of native 

grasses, and decreased vigor in the fresh and 

brackish wetland plants that became established during the years tidal influence was 

impaired. Data indicate that vegetation 

response is on the desired trajectory and that 

these restoration projects are meeting ecosystem goals.

•� Monitoring of the caribou herd in Denali 

National Park in FY 2004 resulted in the 

highest calf:cow ratio since 1989 (28 calves:100 

cows). This is more than two times higher than 

the average observed from 1990–2003 of 13 

calves:100 cows.

A framework for reporting on resource 

conditions is being explored. Resource 

categories proposed are based on the vital signs 

framework, which is a hierarchical system used 

by all 270 parks with significant natural resources 

to facilitate reporting of resource condition 

and collaboration and coordination among the 

networks. Initial assessments will focus on air 

and water resources, then biota, then geology 

and soils and landscapes. As more data become 

available from monitoring, confidence would 

increase. Example tables for how this might be 

reported is on the previous page.

NATURAL RESOURCE DATA AND INFORMATION 

PROGRAM

FY 2004 Allocation: $1,521,000

Available: $1,513,000

The Natural Resource Data and Information 

Program develops guidelines and technical 

procedures for using and managing GIS, remote 

sensing, and other natural resource data in parks, 

maintains 10 major relational database information systems and analyses databases for broad 

sharing and application of natural resource and 

programmatic data, produces Natural Resource 

Year in Review and the journal Park Science, and 

develops and disseminates timely information 

for the public, NPS managers and interpreters, 

students, teachers, and the media, including 

through administration of the NPS Nature and 

Science website (formerly NatureNet) and the 

Natural Resources Intranet. The infusion of 

funds from the Natural Resource Challenge 

initiative, combined with the periodic allocation 

of one-time project funding, provides the means 

for this program to maintain and refine Internetbased information technology solutions to 

successfully gather and share data and information with a vast internal and external audience. 

Examples include:

•� The web-based Research Permit and Reporting System provides easy access for a worldwide academic audience to apply for a 

scientific research and collecting permit to 

conduct studies in the national parks. Software 

changes in FY 2004 focused on improved 

layout, allowing receipt and use of attached 

documents in various versions of MS-Word 

and Adobe PDF formats, and meeting security 

requirements. In addition, a grant was received 

to initiate a collaborative E-Authentication 

project with the General Services Administration (part of the President’s E-Government 

Initiative), to allow for electronic signatures. In 

2004, this system was used to receive and 

process more than 3,000 electronic permit 

applications and document more than 2900 

accomplishment reports.

•� Staff guided a major redesign of NatureNet, 

now called the NPS Nature and Science website, to enhance the visitors’ experience. In 

addition, web-based solutions were modified 

to comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, ensuring availability to visually 

impaired users.

•� The Views of the National Parks project 

provided public web users with virtual tours 

of national parks that impart greater scientific 

knowledge. The project focused in FY 2004 on 

desert ecosystems and designated wilderness 

areas, the latter in coordination with other 

federal agencies.

•� Partnering with the National Wildlife 

Federation, on-line multimedia Park Nature 

Guides about park wildlife were developed and 

made available to the public. About 51 parks 

are ready to launch Nature Guides, with 60 

more going on-line soon.

•� With the Alaska Region, the first two servicewide interpretive research and resource liaison 

workshops were presented. The workshops 

advance field interpreters’ understanding of 

natural resource management issues.
48 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

RESEARCH LEARNING CENTERS

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

FY 2002)

Thirteen operational NPS Research Learning 

Centers (RLC) offer infrastructure and 

incentives to researchers such as matching funds, 

lab space, low-cost housing, access to computer 

information systems, and extensive biological 

and cultural resource data sets, as well as 

suggestions for preferred research topics or 

subject area emphasis. In addition, RLC 

education staff members enhance data usefulness by identifying and expanding information 

access, through the Internet, libraries, or public 

research seminars, or programs with gateway 

communities. Furthermore, partners are 

associated with each center to help maximize 

programmatic and financial resources. Most 

centers meet these responsibilities using two 

positions, a research coordinator and an education specialist. Ultimately, the centers help parks 

and staffs obtain the current scientific information they need to make sound management 

decisions and communicate science and scholarly information about parks in a relevant way both 

to community members and area students. An 

Internet RLC clearinghouse has been developed 

providing best practices and RLC case study 

examples.

With one exception, these RLCs were funded 

through the Natural Resource Challenge. One of 

the 13 operational centers is a partnership with 

the Alaska SeaLife Center, and was not funded 

through recent Challenge increases. Other parks 

are also initiating centers. Most of the information contained below relates to the 12 centers 

funded through the Challenge. Together, these 12 

centers have:

•� Facilitated more than 500 research projects.

•� Provided more than 19,000 nights of 

accommodations.

•� Worked with more than 75 universities and 

more than 100 other partner organizations.

•� Received more than 14,000 hours of research 

assistance from citizen scientists.

•� Hosted and participated in more than 45 workshops and conferences, covering subjects such 

as how tributary junctions influence distributions of fish species, the impact of periodic fire 

on different plant species, and the moose, wolf, 

and loon populations of the Great Lakes area.

•� Provided science education opportunities 

to hundreds of students and 30 elementary 

schools.

Examples of the kinds of research efforts and 

science information dissemination taking place 

in research learning centers in FY 2004 are:

•� The Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center facilitated a research project on the 

impacts on water quality from the 2003 fires. 

Glacier National Park has a history of large 

forest fires and the 2003 season was especially 

active, with a total burn area of nearly 150,000 

acres. Severely burned areas, especially near 

streams, may increase the amount of sedimentation in the streams and thereby affect water 

quality. A research study is surveying water 

quality in several burn areas for five years 

following the 2003 fires.

•� A researcher-oriented science conference, 

hosted by the Continental Divide Research 

Learning Center, was widely attended by 

park staff and by reporters. It resulted in five 

in-depth stories in regional Denver-based 

newspapers, which have a combined daily 

circulation of 577,800. In addition, a local 

community newspaper with a circulation of 

6,000 published an extended piece focused on 

research projects discussed during one of the 

public events.

•� In June of 2004, the Schoodic Education and 

Research Center, along with the Maine 

Entomology Society, and Maine Forest Service 

hosted 35 professional and amateur entomologists who volunteered 1,492 hours to 

conduct the first-ever Acadia National Park

moth and butterfly blitz. Participants, who 

were fed and housed at the center, sorted and 

identified specimens, identifying 168 species. 

Included was the most northerly record for the 

noctuid moth Lepipolys perscripta. The event 

was extensively covered by local media, including filming by the Maine Public TV science 

series “Quest.”

•� The California Mediterranean Research 

Learning Center worked with researchers to 

understand the survival and dispersal of 

bobcat kittens in the fragmented urban 

environment around Los Angeles. Park biologists know a great deal about home range 

size and distribution of bobcats in an urbanwilderness interface and adults appear to be 

viable in this landscape. Reliable information is 

missing on kitten survival. A graduate student 

has initiated a detailed study on bobcat kittens, 

using radio telemetry, to investigate survival, 

causes of mortality, and dispersal, and is also 

attempting to determine the reproductive 

viability of such a population.

•� In one Center, a volunteer produced 11 different resource bulletins to let the visitors know 

about the kinds of research occurring in the 

park. These one-page bulletins can be easily 

and inexpensively copied to meet demand.

A researcher holds a hummigbird 

during a migratory bird study hosted 

by the Continental Divide Research 

Learning Center at Rocky Mountain 

National Park, Colorado.

Dr. Rebecca Sharitz of the University 

of Georgia’s Savannah River 

Ecology Laboratory collects data 

on forest dynamics within longterm vegetation monitoring plots 

at Congaree National Park, South 

Carolina. Dr. Sharitz's research 

was facilitated by the Old Growth 

Bottomland Forest Research and 

Education Center.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 49

•� The Urban Ecology Research and Learning 

Center, with the University of Maryland’s 

Appalachian Laboratory and TeacherResearcher Mentoring Program, supported 

two teaching fellows and provided assistance 

for the Mentor Researcher. This program 

immerses secondary school teachers in active 

research projects within the National Capital 

Region parks to improve their understanding 

of scientific investigations, to promote their 

awareness of research and resources in the 

Chesapeake Bay watershed, and to guide them 

in development of classroom activities that 

build on their research experience. The Great 

Lakes Research and Education Center participated in a similar effort, a teacher field course 

that involved five days aboard a Great Lakes 

research vessel and one day at the Indiana 

Dunes Environmental Learning Center.

•� At least three centers began writing research 

plans to document how research needs are 

identified, current research needs, and 

methods to convey research results to staff, 

visitors, and the public.

Return to Table of Contents
50 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 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

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 2004, 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 program-byprogram 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 2003 and FY 2004. In addition, 

where appropriate, additional detail is provided 

regarding how funding within these programs 

has been allocated.

Chapter Five: Financial Details

The Amphibian Research and 

Monitoring Initiative (ARMI) is 

providing information to park 

managers about the status of 

amphibians in Grand Teton National 

Park, Wyoming.

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

Park FY 01 or FY 02 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004

Challenge Increase NR Total NR Total NR Total

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

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

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

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

Buck Island Reef National Monument 2 100,000 270,000 216,450 216,000

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

Channel Islands National Park 498,000 1,406,622 1,406,622 1,440,607

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

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

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

Gates of the Arctic National Park 148,000 362,401 363,039 349,164

 & Preserve

Great Basin National Park 126,000 331,450 315,756 375,939

Great Sand Dunes National Park 180,000 291,700 287,500 281,300

Great Smoky Mountains National Park 402,000 1,245,100 1,152,700 1,003,200

Haleakala National Park 480,000 1,561,660 1,372,200 1,196,400

Homestead National Monument 82,000 104,500 104,500 81,198

 of America

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park* 105,000 95,000 79,322 103,047

Jewel Cave National Monument 50,000 168,500 168,500 167,140

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument 95,000 129,000 130,000 115,000

Kalaupapa National Historical Park 211,000 549,000 549,000 549,000

Lake Clark National Park & Preserve 147,000 321,500 319,810 250,000

Little River Canyon National Preserve 3 85,000 182,426 174,027 112,900

Mojave National Preserve* 470,000 1,264,000 1,219,073 1,177,488

Monocacy National Battlefield* 118,000 120,000 116,000 116,000

Obed Wild & Scenic River 195,000 245,000 193,318 188,775

Padre Island National Seashore 95,000 408,000 403,825 543,000

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore 55,000 194,650 207,000 211,000

(continued next page)
52 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

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

Park FY )1 or FY 02 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004

Challenge Increase NR Total NR Total NR Total

Rock Creek Park* 163,000 436,522 393,168 359,104

San Juan Island National Historical Park 95,000 124,600 125,050 124,600

Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site 58,000 58,000 58,000 69,900

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks* 4 112,000 1,446,000 1,424,400 1,424,400

Stones River National Battlefield 132,000 132,000 137,100 127,924

Sunset Crater, Walnut Canyon, 100,000 166,762 171,227 186,341

 & Wupatki National Monuments

Theodore Roosevelt National Park 133,000 302,500 292,500 282,500

Virgin Islands National Park 5 399,000 1,077,234 1,002,726 941,500

Zion National Park 246,000 536,300 515,872 518,774

Totals 6,595,000 17,506,190 16,863,512 16,564,275

Air Quality Program

Funding allocation in FY 2003 $8,998,000

Classified Pay Increase +13,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -121,000

FY 2004 allocation $8,890,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease 7 -14,000

Total available in FY 2004 $8,876,000

Air Quality Program Funding by Categories

Air emissions inventory 180,000

Air quality monitoring, analysis, & technical assistance 8,696,000

Total available in FY 2004 $8,876,000

Biological Resource Management Program

Funding allocation in FY 2003 $7,930,000

FY 2004 increase +750,000

Classified Pay Increase +9,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -114,000

FY 2004 allocation $8,575,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease 7 -19,000

Total available in FY 2004 $8,556,000

*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

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

3 Figures shown for FY 2001 and 2002 reflect a correction to those reported in last year’s report.

4

 Also received a non-Challenge $367,000 base increase in FY 2001

5

 Also received Coral Reef Initiative base increase of $300,000 and Prototype Monitoring increase of $230,000 in FY 2001

6

 The FY 2003 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].

7

 The FY 2004 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 53

Biological Resource Management Program Funding by Categories

Exotic Plant Management Teams $5,055,000

Restoration 439,700

Integrated Pest Management Program 448,000

Endangered Species Program 590,000

Wildlife Program 445,000

Wildlife Health Program 855,000

Biological Resource Projects-National Level Support 723,300

Total available in FY 2004 $8,556,000

Cave and Karst Research Institute

Funding allocation in FY 2003 $348,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -4,000

FY 2004 allocation $344,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease 7 -6,000

Total available in FY 2004 $338,000

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units

Funding available in FY 2003 8 $443,000

Permanent transfer to regions 8 -306,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -6,000

Total allocation/available in FY 2004 $131,000

Cooperative Park Studies Unit Funding Distribution 9

North and West Alaska CESU—no Challenge funding

Colorado Plateau CESU $155,000

Desert Southwest CESU 155,000

Rocky Mountains CESU 155,000

Great Plains CESU 155,000

Great Lakes-Northern Forest CESU 153,000

Upper and Middle Mississippi Valley CESU—no Challenge funding

Chesapeake Watershed CESU 155,000

North Atlantic Coast CESU 155,000

Great Basin CESU 155,000

Pacific Northwest CESU 155,000

Californian CESU—no Challenge funding 

South Florida-Caribbean CESU 155,000

Southern Appalachian Mountains CESU 155,000

Gulf Coast CESU 153,000

Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast CESU—no Challenge funding

Geographic Information Systems Program

Funding allocation in FY 2003 $1,307,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -16,000

FY 2004 allocation $1,291,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease 7 -1,000

Total available in FY 2004 $1,290,000

8

 $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.

9

 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.
54 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Geologic Resources Program

Funding allocation in FY 2003 $2,670,000

Classified Pay Increase +16,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -35,000

FY 2004 allocation $2,651,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease 7 +10,000

Total available in FY 2004 $2,661,000

Inventory and Monitoring Program

Funding allocation in FY 2003 $32,385,000

FY 2004 increase +5,000,000

Classified Pay Increase 5,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -458,000

FY 2004 allocation $36,932,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease 7 -36,000

Total available in FY 2004 $36,896,000

Inventory and Monitoring Program Funding by Categories

Resource Inventory Projects $12,611,100

Vital Signs Monitoring 18,998,000

Prototype Monitoring 1,000,000

Monitoring Projects 101,400

Database Development 1,841,000

Regional Coordinators 845,000

Program Administration 1,499,500

Total available in FY 2004 $36,896,000

Gray Tree Frog (Hyla versicolor), 

herptile inventory project at Saint 

Croix National Scenic Riverway, 

Wisconsin, and Voyageurs National 

Park, Minnesota.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 55

Allocation of Funding among Basic Natural Resource Inventories

Species Lists $25,000

Base Cartography Data 100,000

Biological Inventories 3,744,900

Vegetation Mapping

 Alaska 500,000

 Outside of Alaska 3,848,400

Water Resource Data 1,127,800

Soil Surveys 1,450,000

Geology Inventories 1,500,000

Air Quality Related Values 315,000

Total $12,611,100

Allocation of Monitoring Funding among Networks and Prototypes

North Coast and Cascades $345,100

Northeast Coastal and Barrier 776,500

Heartland 701,600

Sonoran Desert 670,000

Cumberland/Piedmont 476,600

Central Alaska 1,215,100

National Capital 747,000

Northern Colorado Plateau 566,950

San Francisco Bay Area 742,800

Greater Yellowstone 724,700

Appalachian Highland 416,400

Mediterranean Coast 302,000

Southwest Alaska 1,449,700

Northeast Temperate 631,200

Southern Colorado Plateau 1,208,500

Pacific Island 1,570,100

Great Lakes 1,286,500

Gulf Coast 928,400

Rocky Mountain 632,200

Sierra Nevada 655,300

Eastern Rivers and Mountains 655,900

Klamath 796,200

Arctic 150,000

Southeast Coast 150,000

Northern Semi-Arid 150,000

Southern Plains 150,000

Mojave Desert 150,000

Southeast Alaska 150,000

South Florida/Caribbean 150,000

Mid-Atlantic 150,000

Chihuahuan Desert 150,000

Northern Great Plains 150,000

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 $19,998,750
56 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Inventory and Monitoring Expenditures by Non-NPS Categories

Inventories Universities Other Non-Fed USGS Other Fed

Biol. Inv. $1,483,300 $989,900 $469,600 $176,600

Veg. Mapping 567,100 2,289,800 0 308,000

Landcover (Alaska) 187,200 106,400 187,100 196,400

Water Resources 44,100 0 1,083,600 0

AQRV’s 192,800 36,500 64,800 20,600

Soils 100,000 100,000 0 1,200,000

Geology 612,200 171,600 207,500 100,000

Base Carto 0 50,000 50,000 0

Misc. 1,423,900 371,000 0 25,000

Monitoring 5,763,600 3,740,200 1,641,200 699,100

Totals $10,374,200 $7,855,400 $3,703,800 $2,725,700

Natural Resource Data and Information Program

Funding allocation FY 2003 $1,542,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -21,000

FY 2004 allocation $1,521,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease 7 -8,000

Total available in FY 2004 $1,513,000

Natural Resource Preservation Program (NRPP)

Funding allocation in FY 2003 $12,693,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -209,000

FY 2004 allocation $12,484,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease 7 -15,000

Total available in FY 2004 $12,469,000

Allocation of NRPP Among Project Categories and Projects Funded

Allocation Projects

Natural Resource Management $6,895,000 63

Threatened & Endangered Species 488,000 12

Disturbed Lands Restoration 824,000 13

Small Park 972,000 66

Regional Block Allocation 1,360,000 78

Alaska Projects 491,000 5

USGS/BRD Technical Assistance 246,000 21

Servicewide 1,193,000 25

Natural Sound Program

Funding allocation in FY 2003 $931,000

Classified Pay Increase +3,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -13,000

FY 2004 allocation $921,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease 7 -3,000

Total available in FY 2004 $918,000
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 57

Research Learning Centers

Except as noted, each of the Centers below received $225,000 in Challenge funding the year that they 

were funded (see below). 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.

Location Research Learning Center Name Funding First Rec’d:

 FY 2001 FY 2002

Acadia NP Acadia Center for the Environment X

Cape Cod NS Atlantic Learning Center X 

Gateway NRA Jamaica Bay Learning Center for X

 Applied Research on Urban Ecology

Glacier NP Crown of the Continent Learning Center X

Great Smoky Mountain NP Purchase Knob Learning Center X 

Indiana Dunes NL Great Lakes Research and Education Center X

National Capital Region Urban Ecology Learning Alliance X

North Cascades, Mount Rainier North Coast and Cascades Learning Center X

 & Olympic NPs

Point Reyes NS Pacific Coast Learning Center X 

Rocky Mountain NP Continental Divide Research and Learning Center X

Santa Monica Mountains NRA Center for Teaching New America X

Seward, Alaska Sealife Center Ocean Alaska Science and Learning Center X*

Resource Damage Assessment and Recovery Program 10

Funding allocation in FY 2003 $1,276,000

Classified Pay Increase +5,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -16,000

FY 2004 allocation $1,265,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease 7 -6,000

Total available in FY 2004 $1,259,000

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

10 Combines two former line items: Oil Pollution Act and Resource Protection Act

Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) 

captured and banded during 

mammal inventories on the Blue 

Ridge Parkway at Linville Falls, North 

Carolina.

Photo by Nora Murdock
58 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Resource Protection Fund

Funding allocation in FY 2003 $298,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -4,000

Total allocation/available in FY 2004 $294,000

Water Resources Program

Funding allocation in FY 2003 $11,614,000

FY 2004 increase +600,000

Classified Pay Increase +20,000

Net FY 2003 Decrease 6 -163,000

FY 2004 allocation $12,071,000

Net FY 2004 Decrease 7 -22,000

Total available in FY 2004 $12,049,000

Water Resources Program Funding by Categories

Water Resource Projects 

 Water Resource Protection $1,138,700

 Competitive Projects 371,400

 Other Projects 15,000

Water Quality Monitoring 2,375,000

Water Resource Protection—Aquatic Resource Professionals 1,200,000

Watershed Condition Assessment Program 

 Competitive Projects 1,122,955

 Critical Projects 376,800

 Coastal Projects 428,772

 Other Projects 1,024,593

Water Resource Technical Assistance 3,996,200

Total $12,049,000

Surveying for vascular plants at 

Wish Creek Wetland, part of Olympic 

National Park’s coastal strip in 

Washington.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 59

Allocation of Water Quality Monitoring Funding

Network 

Central Alaska $98,000

Heartland 82,000

Northeast Coastal and Barrier 90,000

National Capital 71,000

Cumberland/Piedmont 59,000

Appalachian Highlands 70,000

Northern Colorado Plateau 108,000

Greater Yellowstone 71,000

Sonoran Desert 64,000

North Coast and Cascades 82,000

San Francisco Bay 70,000

Mediterranean Coast 76,000

Southwest Alaska 139,000

Northeast Temperate 60,000

Southern Colorado Plateau 124,000

Pacific Island 151,000

Great Lakes 123,000

Gulf Coast 89,000

Rocky Mountain 61,000

Sierra Nevada 63,000

Eastern Rivers and Mountains 63,000

Arctic 151000

Klamath 76,000

Southeast Coast 121,000

Servicewide Data Management 213,000

Total $2,375,000

Return to Table of Contents
60 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Left: Ruby Zambrano Muñoz from 

Panama holds a Wilson’s Warbler 

during her Park Flight Migratory Bird 

Program international internship at 

Bandelier National Monument in New 

Mexico.

Right: A member of the Great Lakes 

Exotic Plant Management Team 

removes Lyme Grass on north 

Manitou Island, Sleeping Bear Dunes 

National Lakeshore, Michigan.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 61

Challenge Elements Increase Increase Increase Increase Increase Increase Cum. Request Total

FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 Funding FY 2006 through

 FY 00–05 FY 2006

Inventory & Monitor Resources

Basic inventories (except 7,309 1,987 9,296 9,296

 vegetation mapping)

Vegetation mapping 1,746 2,235 3,981 3,981

 (with USGS)

Park air emissions inventory 200 200 200

Monitor vital signs 4,191 4,200 6,855 4,939 3,068 23,253 4,931 28,184

 in park networks

Monitor water quality 1,272 497 592 521 2,882 2,882

 in park networks

Watershed assessment 3,080 3,080 3,080

Expand air quality monitoring 2,600 2,600 2,600

 and related activities

Make natural resources 1,098 1,098 1,098

 data useable

Fix Critical Problems

Natural Resource Preservation 2,875 4,000 6,875 (3,931) 2,944

 Program project funding

Alaska Natural Resource Projects 497 497 497

Establish resource 300 300 300

 protection fund

Water resource protection 823 823 823

 & restoration/project funds

Water resource protection 1,000 200 1,200 1,200

 & restoration/ field specialists

Native/nonnative species mgt 3,449 2,400 2,136 7,985 7,985

 & Exotic Plant Mgt Teams

Implement Resource Protection 500 500 500

 Act/restore resources

Protect geologic resources 696 696 696

Park invasive species control/ 3,395 3,200 6,595 6,595

 T&E species recovery

Attract Scientists

Establish learning centers 898 1,800 2,698 2,698

Establish Cooperative 1,596 397 1,993 1,993

 Ecosystem Studies Units

Annual Increase 14,329 15,219 20,000 17,884 5,531 3,589 1,000 77,552

Total Annual Funding 14,329 29,548 49,548 67,432 72,963 76,552 - 77,552

* All dollars in thousands.

Appendix A: Natural Resource Challenge Funding History*
62 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 63

Appendix B: Air Quality Monitoring in NPS Units

Dr. Bob Woodman, USGS-BRD and 

Bobby Carson, Air Quality Specialist 

install a passive ozone monitoring 

device at Mammoth Cave National 

Park, Kentucky, as part of a networkwide ozone study in 2004.
64 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 65

Appendix C: NPS Dry and Wet Deposition (Including Mercury)

National Atmospheric Deposition 

Program (NADP) wet deposition 

collector and Clean Air Status and 

Trends Network (CASTNet) dry 

deposition monitor at Sequoia 

and Kings Canyon National Parks, 

California.
66 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Left: Snow sampling for 

contaminants at Olympic National 

Park, Washington.

Right: Collecting sediment samples at 

Gates of the Artic National Park and 

Preserve, Alaska.
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 67

Appendix D: New Toxics Monitoring

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

Network Park Start

Toxics Noatak NPres FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005

Toxics Denali NP & Pres FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005

Toxics Olympic NP FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005

Toxics Sequoia & Kings Canyon NP FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005

Toxics Glacier NP FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005

Toxics Rocky Mountain NP FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005

Toxics Yellowstone NP FY 2005

Toxics Big Bend NP FY 2005

Toxics Gates of the Arctic NP & Pres FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005

Toxics Katmai NP & Pres FY 2005

Toxics Wrangell-St Elias NP & Pres FY 2005

Toxics Glacier Bay NP & Pres FY 2005

Toxics Mount Rainier NP FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005

Toxics Bandelier NP FY 2005

Toxics Crater Lake NP FY 2005

Toxics Great Sand Dunes NP FY 2005

Toxics North Cascades NP FY 2005

Toxics Yosemite NP FY 2005
68 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 69

Appendix E: Natural Resource Preservation Program Funded Projects

Top: NRPP-NRM project Restore 

Biological Resources of the Cowles 

Bog Wetlands at Indiana Dunes 

National Lakeshore. A Student 

Conservation Associate and 

Biological Science Technician monitor 

experimental plots designed to 

determine system response to 

herbicide treatments followed by 

various treatments of the litter and 

plant density.

Bottom: NRPP-Alaska Special Projects. 

Collecting measurements and samples 

from a Sockeye salmon in Aniakchak 

National Monument and Preserve.

NRPP—Natural Resource Management fully funded projects

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

SER SC Cowpens National Battlefield Develop feral hogs reduction plan $62,000 $42,000

SER GA Cumberland Island National Seashore Eradicate feral hogs 171,000 55,000

MWR SD Badlands National Park Emergency salvage of collection of fossils 341,000 108,000

SER LA Jean Lafitte National Historical Park Establish a bio-control program for Salvinia 111,000 39,000

IMR TX Lake Meradith National Recreation Area Protect native habitat by completing 153,000 51,000

 north boundary fence 

MWR IN Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Restore biological resources of Cowles 101,000 21,000

 Bog Wetland

PWR CA Pinnacles National Monument Re-establish California Condors 572,000 193,000

IMR Intermountain Region Initiate noxious weed inventory and 605,000 256,000

 mapping program

PWR NV Great Basin National Park Wild cave inventory and management 216,000 62,000

PWR CA Point Reyes National Seashore Remove iceplant at lighthouse headlands 339,000 114,000

PWR CA Pinnacles National Monument Restore climbing area 94,000 27,000

AKR AK Denali National Park & Preserve Determine baseline along proposed north 370,000 126,000

 access corridor

MWR MN Voyageurs National Park Document changes in reservoir mgmt on 311,000 107,000

 mercury in fish

MWR MI Isle Royale National Park Implement wilderness management plan 270,000 71,000

IMR AZ Pipe Spring National Monument Geologic mapping and seismic profile 308,000 80,000

 investigations

IMR WY Fossil Butte National Monument Geological mapping of primary formations 209,000 67,000

IMR CO Rocky Mountain National Park Restore Glacier Creek livery and wetland 103,000 42,000

IMR TX Big Bend National Park Stop feral hog invasion 130,000 30,000

NCR National Capital Region Dragonflies and damselflies likely affected by 63,000 25,000

 West Nile

PWR OR Oregon Caves National Monument Complete cave restoration 54,000 23,000

PWR CA Golden Gate National Recreation Area Restore Ft. Baker Mission blue butterfly habitat 632,000 252,000

IMR UT Capital Reef National Park Threatened and endangered plant pollinators 151,000 21,000

IMR MT Glacier National Park Lake McDonald fishery management 174,000 59,000

IMR MT Glacier National Park Assess wolverine population 186,000 70,000

PWR WA Olympic National Park Determine migratory pathways, spawning 229,000 70,000

 areas for listed bull trout

IMR CO Rocky Mountain National Park Implement invasive plant management plan 150,000 68,000

PWR WA Olympic National Park Wilderness recovery at Boulder Hot Springs 54,000 40,000

NCR VA George Washington Memorial Parkway Should we restore dike-marsh? 159,000 59,000

SER FL Biscayne National Park Quantitative analysis and scenario testing 95,000 43,000

 of fisheries management

NER MD Assateague Island National Seashore Evaluate episodic water quality event in 125,000 57,000

 coastal bay

PWR CA Channel Islands National Park Model weed invasion using existing spatial 88,000 88,000

 and ecological data

 Washington Office Travel Cut 60,000

Total $6,626,000 $2,426,000
70 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

NRPP—Natural Resource Management new and ongoing projects

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

PWR HI Kalaupapa National Historical Park Exclude ungulates from Pu’u Ali’i Plateau $663,000 $265,000

AKR AK Lake Clark National Park & Preserve Refine techniques to survey harvested 285,000 143,000

 brown bear populations

MWR SD Wind Cave National Park Monitor for chronic wasting disease 428,000 67,000

IMR CO Rocky Mountain National Park Implement interim actions for CWD management 246,000 101,000

SER KY Mammoth Cave National Park Propagation and restoration of endangered 526,000 117,000

 mussels in the Green River

PWR HI Haleakala National Park Prevent Miconia invasion from displacing 878,000 393,000

 Haleakala rainforest

PWR CA Channel Islands National Park Reintroduce island fox on San Miguel and 826,000 362,000

 Santa Rosa islands

IMR NV Lake Mead National Recreation Area Continue salt cedar control 153,000 51,000

NCR VA George Washington Memorial Parkway Saving the Potomac Gorge through partnerships 240,000 160,000

IMR WY Grand Teton National Park Bison demographic monitoring: disease 796,000 280,000

 surveillance

IMR WY Yellowstone National Park Multi-trophic level ecology of wolves, elk, 175,000 58,000

 and vegetation

MWR ND Theodore Roosevelt National Park Evaluate factors influencing the distribution 162,000 56,000

 and movement of elk

PWR CA Pinnacles National Monument Eradicate feral pigs 844,000 253,000

NER WV New River Gorge National Riverway Fecal bacteria source tracking 205,000 121,000

MWR SD Badlands National Park Document significant fossil localities within 290,000 92,000

 the Poleslide Member

NCR National Capital Region Parks Assess condition and identify stressors of 248,000 164,000

 aquatic resources

IMR UT Zion National Park Restore highly impacted backcountry areas 327,000 103,000

IMR CO Rocky Mountain National Park Prepare a situation assessment for elk 122,000 18,000

 management environmental impact statement

MWR OH Cuyahoga Valley National Park Control invasive plant species and sensitive 180,000 46,000

 resource areas

NER NY Gateway National Recreation Area Investigation and restoration of the Jamaica 524,000 281,000

 Bay salt marsh ecosystem

IMR UT Bryce Canyon National Park Protect dark night skies 272,000 126,000

AKR AK Western Arctic National Parks Inventory and status assessment of lichens 74,000 19,000

 in Noatak

PWR CA Point Reyes National Seashore Cape ivy removal 770,000 160,000

MWR MN Voyageurs National Park Assess impacts of forest fires on levels of 150,000 50,000

 mercury in lake and forest environments

MWR MN Voyageurs National Park Assess the impacts of International lake level 899,000 341,000

 management by using interdisciplinary approach

NER MA Boston Harbor Islands National Boat wake impacts: their role in shore 411,000 151,000

 Recreation Area erosion processes

IMR CO Dinosaur National Monument Vegetation classification and mapping/ 130,000 100,000

 fuels mapping

AKR AK Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve Evaluating campsites: predicting bear-human 215,000 108,000

 conflicts

PWR WA Olympic National Park Atmospheric pollutant loading/Trans-pacific 287,000 10,000

 Airmass

NER VA Shenandoah National Park Assess hydrology for sensitive wetland system 132,000 30,000

IMR NM Carlsbad Caverns National Park Assess Mexican free-tailed bat population 368,000 203,000

PWR Pacific West Region Parks Western airborne contaminant assessment 642,000 100,000

Total $12,468,000 $4,529,000
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 71

NRPP—Threatened and Endangered Species fully funded projects

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

PWR NV Lake Mead National Recreation Area OHV Damage control in dessert tortoise $150,000 $44,000

 critical habitat

PWR CA Pinnacles National Monument Re-establish California red-legged frogs in 103,000 32,000

 Bear Gulch Reservoir

NCR MD Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Restoration and recovery for listed Harperella 151,000 47,000

 National Historic Park

PWR HI Hawaii Volcanoes National Park Complete re-introduction of Silversword 55,000 25,000

MWR MI Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Wildlife management/preserve piping plover 46,000 21,000

PWR WA Olympic National Park Effectiveness monitoring Northern spotted 112,000 57,000

 owl demographic rates

Total $617,000 $226,000

NRPP—Threatened and Endangered Species new and ongoing projects

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

SER KY Mammoth Cave National Park Restoration of Echo River Passage $93,000 $31,000

MWR SD Badlands National Park Develop long-term translocation guidelines 87,000 84,000

 for the black-footed ferret population

IMR AZ Grand Canyon National Park Foraging ecology of threatened Mexican 150,000 81,000

 Spotted Owl

PWR CA Point Reyes National Seashore Threatened Western snowy plover recovery 150,000 66,000

Total $480,000 $262,000

NRPP—Disturbed Lands Restoration fully funded projects

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

IMR NV Lake Mead National Recreation Area HOV Restoration-North Shore Scenic Drive Areas $248,200 $74,000

IMR TX Big Bend National Park Nine Point Draw Watershed Restoration—Phase 2 234,900 70,800

IMR WY Yellowstone National Park Reclaim 3 Miles of Abandoned Turbid Lake Road 209,800 68,800

PWR CA Pinnacles National Monument Old Pinnacles Road Restoration 249,400 22,400

PWR CA Lassen Volcanic National Park Restoration of An Abandoned Ski Area 203,700 50,700

IMR CO Rocky Mountain National Park Restore Alpine Sewage Lagoons 82,000 11,700

IMR CO Curecanti National Recreation Area Restore Elk Creek Pump House and Extraction Site 48,800 58,800

NCR VA Manassas National Battlefield Park Restoration of Disturbed Lands 148,200 148,200

Total $1,425,000 $495,400

NRPP—Disturbed Lands Restoration new and ongoing projects

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

IMR UT Timpanogos Cave National Monument Restore Natural Cave Drainage $114,000 $38,000

AKR AK Denali National Park & Preserve Reclamation of Placer-Mined Glacier Creek 198,000 80,000

PWR CA Yosemite National Park Ecological Restoration of Gaylor Pit 80,500 70,200

PWR CA Yosemite National Park Happy Isles Dam Removal 52,800 45,800

NCR VA Prince William Forest Park Disturbed Land Restoration of the Bradford Track 107,600 94,600

Total $552,900 $328,600
72 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

NRPP—Small Park Projects

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

AKR AK Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park Evaluate resource protection at the historic $30,000 $10,000

 town site of Dyea

AKR AK Sitka National Historical Park Complete a non-vascular plant survey 30,000 9,400

IMR UT Arches National Park Analyze vegetation changes from late 1800s to 27,500 10,500

 present using historic photography

IMR CO Colorado National Monument Restore native vegetation at the visitor center 6,200 6,200

 and administrative areas

IMR WY Devils Tower National Monument Control/eliminate non-native invasive plant species 40,000 20,000

IMR UT Timpanogos Cave National Monument Develop a vegetation management plan 10,000 10,000

IMR AZ Walnut Canyon National Monument Survey bio-soil communities to support resource 9,500 9,500

 conditions monitoring

IMR AZ Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Restore native plants along park boundary fence 20,000 7,600

IMR UT Cedar Breaks National Monument Suppression of spruce bark beetle infestation 13,400 5,000

 in developed areas

IMR CO Colorado National Monument Control non-native plants and plan for 40,000 20,000

 re-vegetation

IMR MT Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site Fencing Repairs to improve resource management 40,000 20,000

IMR UT/ CO Hovenweep National Monument Re-establish historic vegetation long-term 16,800 8,400

 monitoring plots

IMR AZ Montezuma Castle National Monument Develop and implement exotic plant 39,500 19,500

 management plan

IMR AZ Pipe Spring National Monument Restore native bunch grasses 39,700 20,000

IMR TX San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Assessment of bird species—a park-wide bird 13,300 4,900

 inventory including migratory birds

IMR AZ Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Assess soil genesis and disturbance impacts within 24,100 19,500

 unique volcanic cinder terrain

IMR AZ Tonto National Monument Document nuisance rattlesnake movements 39,900 19,900

 and behavior

IMR AZ Coronado National Memorial Understanding migration patterns of the 18,500 18,500

 endangered lesser long-nosed bat

IMR NM Capulin Volcano National Monument Identify and map areas of disturbance 12,200 12,200

IMR WY Fossil Butte National Monument Assess paleobotanical resources 39,500 20,200

MWR Midwest Regional Office Regional RAMS and PMIS training 35,000 6,510

MWR AR Arkansas Post National Memorial Hunting Boundary Demarcation at the 3,143 3,040

 Memorial Unit

MWR IA Effigy Mounts National Monument Develop Issue Based Natural Resource Profiles 19,927 13,920

 and Resource Management Education Materials

MWR OH Hopewell Culture National Historical Park ZRAT Control Exotic Vegetation at Mound 30,000 14,010

 City Group Unit

MWR NE Homestead National Monument of America Partner with Great Plains CESU to Develop 9,375 9,210

 Management Plan for Historic Trees (LCS#05085)

MWR NE Homestead National Monument of America Develop Compliance, Planning and Implementation 14,500 5,390

 for Woodlands Project

MWR ND Knife River Indian Villages Protection of prairie habitat by controlling exotic 27,500 23,420

 National Historic Site plant utilizing integrated approach

MWR SD Mount Rushmore National Memorial Implement Integrated Pest Management Plan 8,330 8,330

MWR AR Pea Ridge National Military Park Complete a Historic Vegetation Base Map at 19,805 18,520

 Pea Ridge National Military Park

MWR MN Pipestone National Monument Baseline Insect Collection at Pipestone National 17,900 16,760

 Monument 

MWR NE Scottsbluff National Monument Research Vegetation Composition of Grazed vs. 11,890 11,660

 Ungrazed Prairie

MWR KS Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Conduct Baseline Geomorphological Research 22,632 13,430

 Fox Plamer Creeks

MWR Midwest Regional Office Training park resource management staff in 15,350 15,350

 new RMP guidelines

MWR Midwest Regional Office Regional Assessment NA 17,750

NCR VA Prince William Forest Park Develop management plan for Isotria Medioloides, 9,750 9,750

 a federally listed threatened species

NCR VA Prince William Forest Park Initiate a vegetation monitoring program 9,750 9,750

NER MA Boston Harbor Islands National Develop IPM plans and map exotics 120,400 58,000

 Recreation Area

NER PA Valley Forge National Historical Park Assess sediment loads in Valley Creek 74,750 50,250

NER VA Colonial National Historical Park Control phragmites in park wetlands 22,500 4,900

(continued next page)
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 73

NRPP—Small Park Projects (continued)

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

NER MD Hampton National Historic Site Remove exotic plants from riparian buffers $4,255 $4,260

NER Northeast Regional Office Assessment NA 3,890

PWR CA Cabrillo National Monument Use mussels to assess marine water quality 4,000 4,000

PWR ID City of Rocks National Reserve Research and map fire history 10,000 10,000

PWR CA Devils Postpile National Monument Reconstruct pre-Euro-American fire history 17,220 17,210

PWR CA Devils Postpile National Monument Inventory of invertebrate fauna 30,000 30,000

PWR OR Fort Clatsop National Monument Noxious weed control in boundary expansion 28,000 12,000

PWR CA John Muir National Historic Site Mount Wanda sub-watershed management plan 20,000 20,000

PWR CA John Muir National Historic Site Cattle Pond Dam removal and restoration 8,220 8,220

PWR HI Multiple Pacific Island Network Parks Assess threat of invasive marine plants to small 87,536 37,550

 parks in Pacific Island Network

PWR WA Whitman Mission Natltional Historic Site Re-vegetate 20 acres in historic scene 10,044 10,040

PWR WA Whitman Mission National Historic Site Re-vegetate restored Doan Creek streambanks 43,884 18,980

SER SC Cowpens National Battlefield Provide term resource management assistance 75,700 37,100

SER TN Stones River National Battlefield Expansion of Xeric Limestone Prairie habitat 7,900 7,900

 for the federally endangered Tennessee Coneflower

SER TN Obed Wild and Scenic River Exotic plant survey and eradication project 5,000 5,000

SER FL De Soto National Mounument Base inventory of invertebrates 24,300 24,300

SER GA Fort Pulaski National Monument Conduct shoreline erosion study 24,300 24,300

SER VI Buck Island Reef National Monument Elkhorn coral and abundance 16,900 16,900

SER SC Kings Mountain National Military Park Inventory and treat invasive exotic plant species 30,600 12,100

SER KY Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Restoration American Chestnut 12,100 12,100

 Historic Site

SER GA Chattahoochee River National Increase reproductive productivity of Georgia 9,000 9,000

 Recreation Area Aster, a federal candidate species

SER GA Ocmulgee National Monument Eradicate exotic flora 14,500 14,500

SER FL Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve Determine tidal prism of Ft. George River 15,500 15,500

SER LA Cane River Creole National Historical Park Conduct A baseline inventory of the 11,700 11,700

 vascular plants

SER GA Chattahoochee River National Outcompete invasive Microstegium Using native 9,700 9,700

 Recreation Area grass species (Chasmanthium)

SER NC Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site Manage invasive exotic plants and monitor 14,500 14,500

 natural resources

Total $1,517,461 $972,000

NRPP—Regional Block Allocation projects

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Alaska Park Science Journal $105,000 $25,000

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Alaska park technical reports 30,000 10,000

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Create public outreach materials for an 90,000 30,000

 ecological tour of Alaska

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Natural resource employees professionalization 67,900 20,000

 and technical competency enhancement

AKR AK Denali National Park and Preserve Develop regional integrated pest management 6,000 6,000

 program to insure health of natural resources

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Assessing access to Alaska National Parks 40,000 40,000

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Alaska park cooperative and technical 75,000 19,300

 assistance projects

AKR AK Alaska Regional Office Regional Assessment NA 44,000

IMR NM Carlsbad Caverns National Park Mitigate the effects of brood parasitism and 13,100 13,100

 monitor habitat for Bell’s vireo at Rattlesnake Springs

IMR CO Dinosaur National Monument Monitor peregrine falcon population after delisting 40,000 20,000

 from endangered species list

IMR AZ Grand Canyon National Park Control ten high priority exotic plant species 39,300 19,400

IMR CO Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Evaluate habitat and conduct baseline fisheries 40,000 20,000

 study of the Sand Creek drainage

(continued next page)
74 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

NRPP—Regional Block Allocation projects (continued)

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

IMR WY Grand Teton National Park Using watershed characteristics to focus $15,500 $15,500

 monitoring efforts in high-elevation lakes

IMR AZ Petrified Forest National Park Survey wilderness paleontological and biological 38,800 18,800

 resources for management planning

IMR WY Yellowstone National Park Documenting the presence and distribution of lynx 40,000 20,000

IMR UT Zion National Park Assess Stockponds, Catchments, and Check Dams 20,000 20,000

 to determine if they should be retained or removed

IMR CO Colorado National Monument Conduct Paleo Inventory in partnership with 20,000 13,900

 Museum of Western Colorado

IMR TX Lake Meredith National Recreation Area Complete urban interface boundary fence 40,000 20,000

IMR UT Timpanogos Cave National Monument Assess water quality and air mass movements 39,300 13,600

 in cave system

MWR AR Buffalo National River Control Exotic Species, Feral Swine (year 2 of 2) 45,640 23,840

MWR NE Missouri National Recreation River Zoological survey of Missouri NRR 39-mile 34,340 23,830

 district (yr 2 of 2)

MWR WI/ MN St. Croix National Scenic River sampling for pesticides in listed Mussel habitats 22,480 4,480

 of the St. Croix River (2 of 2 yr)

MWR NE Scotts Bluff National Monument Restore native Prairie Species (year 2 of 2) 29,520 13,820

MWR SD Wind Cave National Park Cave and Karst Inventory of Wind Cave 29,710 22,830

 National Park (yr 2 of 2)

MWR MN Grand Portage National Monument Conduct Integrated Pest Management Study 10,000 10,000

MWR WI/ MN St.Croix National Scenic River Gastropod survey 9,600 9,150

MWR SD Wind Cave National Park Remove Trail Constructin debris (cost split 466,300 9,350

 between RBG- yr 1, NRPP submittal, year 2-3)

MWR Multi Midwest Regional Office Culling Strategies and considerations in National 17,480 16,930

 Park Units with Emphasis on Bison and Elk

MWR MI Isle Royale National Park Inventory, Mass and Assess Recreation Impact 49,470 23,640

 in the Pristine Zone

MWR AR Buffalo National River Ecology of Bull Elk in Arkansas, Phase 1 25,140 23,840

MWR Multi Midwest Regional Office Train Park Resource Management staff in 88,610 8,710

 new RMP guidelines

MWR Multi Midwest Regional Office Assessment NA 3,880

NCR MD Catoctin Mountain Park Control invasive exotic plants 9,120 9,120

NCR MD Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Evaluate impacts of white-tailed deer on 16,020 16,020

 National Historical Park vegetation

NCR VA George Washington Memorial Parkway Subterranean explorations: Ground water 9,720 9,720

 amphipods

NCR DC National Capital Parks Central Restoration of ecological balance in Constitution 5,230 5,230

 Gardens Lake

NCR DC National Capital Regional Office Fostering natural resource stewardship 9,320 9,320

NCR DC National Capital Regional Office Building a vegetation classification of the 24,730 24,730

 National Capital Region

NCR DC Rock Creek Park Restoring meadows 3,430 3,430

NCR VA George Washington Memorial Parkway BioBlitz-surveying under represented 19,720 19,720

 taxonomic groups

NCR VA George Washington Memorial Parkway Inventory of snails 8,130 8,130

NCR DC National Capital Parks Central Conduct pollinator (bees and butterflies) 11,430 11,430

 inventories in horticultural areas

NCR DC National Capital Parks Central Complete urban forest inventory in two units 11,830 11,830

NCR VA Prince William Forest Park Continued disturbed lands reclamation at the 9,720 9,720

 Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine

NCR VA Prince William Forest Park Stream bank assessment 6,020 6,020

NCR WV Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Install bat gate at John Brown’s Cave 3,720 3,720

NCR WV Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Provide hack support for peregrine 5,320 5,320

 falcon restoration

NCR MD Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Protect state threatened and endangered plants 1,730 1,730

 National Historical Park during exotic removal

NCR MD Catoctin Mountain Park Prepare fire management plan and environmental 7,720 7,720

 assessment

NCR MD Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Develop rare threatened and endangered species 4,720 4,720

 National Historical Park GIS dataset for resource protection

NCR MD Antietam National Battlefield Protection of water quality at the Piper Farm 7,730 7,730

NCR VA George Washington Memorial Parkway Develop Classification of ecological communities 9,720 9,720

 in Potomac Gorge Section

(continued next page)
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 75

NRPP—Regional Block Allocation projects (continued)

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

NCR VA Manassas National Battlefield Park Collect data on white-tail deer exclosures for $9,120 $9,120

 natural resources interpretive programs

NER NY Fire Island National Seashore White-tailed deer monitoring 82,000 20,000

NER NY Gateway National Recreation Area Monitoring of experimental restoration 10,000 10,000

NER MA Cape Cod National Seashore Impacts of hunting on rabbit populations 115,300 65,300

NER MD Assateague Island National Seashore Estimation of nitrate loads in streamflow 119,910 35,210

 discharge to Chincoteague Bay

NER MD Assateague Island National Seashore Assess impacts to vegetation from grazing of 38,556 16,160

 exotic sika deer

NER VA Shenandoah National Park Develop a meteorology database 41,060 41,060

NER Northeast Regional Office Assessment NA 6,570

PWR WA Ebeys Landing National Historical Reserve Develop Restoration Protocols for Prairies 10,000 10,000

 & San Juan Island National Historical Park

PWR CA John Muir National Historic Site Cattle Pond Dam Removal and Restoration 4,800 4,800

PWR WA North Cascades, Mount Rainier, Whitebark Pine Restoration 38,000 38,000

 and Olympic National Parks

PWR Multi Multiple Pacific West Region Parks Professional Development in Natural 9,870 9,870

 Resource Management

PWR CA Multiple California Parks Use of Weed Free Feed in CA Parks 22,250 22,250

PWR CA Santa Monica Mountain National Assess Distribution and Status of Mountain Lions 43,921 43,920

 Recreation Area

PWR CA Santa Monica Mountain National Burn to Control Exotic Grasses in Valley Oaks 20,459 20,460

 Recreation Area

PWR CA Sequoia Kings Canyon National Parks Evaluate Invertebrate Recovery After Fish Removal 20,000 20,000

PWR CA Sequoia Kings Canyon National Parks Distribution and Habitat Association of Fishers 25,000 25,000

 and Other Rare Forest Carnivores

SER SC Cowpens National Battlefield Conduct Acoustic Monitoring for Endangered 67,600 32,000

 Bird, Amphibian Call and Aircraft Overflight

SER FL Gulf Islands National Seashore Determine Concentrations of Mercury Compounds 38,600 14,600

 in Fish, Water, and Sediments

SER FL Gulf Islands National Seashore An Inventory and Damage Assessment of 24,000 24,000

 Non-native mammals of Cat Island Mississippi (New Lands)

SER TN Great Smoky Mountains National Park Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Predator Beetle Survey 21,800 6,400

SER SC Cowpens National Battlefield NEPA Compliance For Prescribed Burning Effects 22,000 22,000

 on T&E Dwarf-Flowering Heartleaf

SER TN Big South Fork National River Develop Natural Resource Interpretation 11,700 11,700

 and Recreation Area Information At Big South Fork NRRA

SER VI Buck Island Reef National Monument Removal of invasive non-native plants at Buck 24,000 24,000

 Island Reef National Monument

SER GA Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Inventory, Map, and Monitor Mountain Skullcap 24,000 24,000

 Military Park

SER NC Cape Lookout National Seashore Develop Cape Lookout Horse Database to 12,600 12,600

 Department of Interior Standards for Data Analysis

SER FL Biscayne National Park Assess Densities and Impacts of Derelict Lobster 117,000 23,000

 and Crab Traps

Total $2,746,816 $1,360,000
76 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

NRPP—Special Alaska park projects funded in FY 2004

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

AKR AK Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve Escapement, population structure, genetics $294,000 $80,500

 and morphology of sockeye Salmon within Aniakchak

AKR AK Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve Identify marine bird distribution and evaluate 386,900 111,000

 visitor impacts

AKR AK Alaska Support Office Charter aircraft services for Western 24,800 24,800

 Contaminant project

AKR AK Wrangell-St Elias National Park & Preserve Investigate limnological conditions in Tanada 35,875 15,800

 Lake affecting Sockeye Salmon production

AKR AK Alaska Support Office Western airborne contaminant assessment 465,808 253,200

 project (WACAP)

AKR AK Across the board assessment 5,700

Total $1,207,383 $491,000

NRPP—Special Alaska park projects funded in FY 2004

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

See Appendix F

NRPP—Servicewide Projects

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

Special Projects

 Biosphere reserve assessment $15,000 $15,000

 Invertebrate symposuum 10,000 10,000

 GAP analysis of National Park System 72,000 72,000

 Seamless network to protect biodiversity 250,000 150,000

Technical and Policy Assistance to Parks

 Management tools/protecting dark night skies 46,500 46,500

 Addressing geoscience backlog in parks 50,500 50,500

 NPS risk and vulnerability to geologic hazards 21,600 21,600

 Enhance compliance regarding non-federal oil

 and gas management in parks 34,300 34,300

IMR UT Zion National Park Develop climate friendly action plan 25,000 25,000

 Advancement of restoration tools 50,000 50,000

 Assess threatened fish populations 12,200 12,200

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

 CESU Council 182,800 182,800

 Catalog of biological programs in CESUs 20,000 20,000

Education and Information 

 Views of the National Park System 63,500 63,500

 Field notebooks 30,000 30,000

 Year in Review 83,900 83,900

 Park Science 60,000 60,000

 Development of Interactive Multimedia 29,000 29,000

 Knowledge Centers

(continued next page)
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 77

NRPP—Servicewide Projects (continued)

Region State Park Project Title Total Project FY 2004

 Funding Funding

Professional Development and Recognition

 Director’s natural resource awards $34,900 $34,900

 Natural resource stewardship for 23,100 23,100

 professional development 

 George Wright Society 5,000 5,000

Natural Resource Deatabase Development and Information Technology 

 Making web technology available to natural 23,500 23,500

 resource program center

 Improve imformation technology security to 60,000 60,000

 natural resource program center

 Complete Resource Activity Management 17,500 17,500

 System (RAMS) client user interface revisions

 Revise RAMS to allow for performance reporting 37,800 37,800

 Subtotal of Projects $1,158,100

 Unobligated Funds due to contract problems, $34,900

 event cancellations due to hurricanes, etc.

Total $1,193,000
78 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 79

Appendix F: USGS—Biological Resources

USGS researchers are studying the 

impact of road reconstruction on Lake 

McDonald at Glacier National Park, 

Montana.

Photo by Sean Murdock

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2000, ACTIVE IN FY 2004, NO FY 2004 FUNDS

Title of Project FY 2004 Report

Integrating beaver, water and 

willow in the Savanna model at 

Rocky Mountain National Park

Ecological integrity of McDonald 

Watershed, Glacier National Park: 

Biotic indicators of water quality 

impairment at the reconstruction 

of Going-to-the-Sun Road

This study is developing a quantitative ecological model of beaver, 

elk, and willow interactions to be used in developing alternatives and 

predicted outcomes for the park’s Elk and Vegetation EIS process and 

in developing and monitoring future adaptive management actions. 

In FY 2004, a visiting scientist from Argentina helped refine model 

parameters and develop a user interface. The results, presented to 

park and EIS contract staff in March, show that a beaver colony could 

be indefinitely supported in the park on a 5-ha willow site fenced to 

prevent competition with elk. They also show that beaver and willow 

could be indefinitely supported with low densities of elk, but that 

beaver would be excluded when elk density became greater than 30 

elk per square kilometer. These results provide evidence supportive of 

EIS alternatives that suggest reducing populations and/or changing 

distributions of elk to recover natural beaver-willow mutualisms in 

the park’s riparian ecosystems. Plans for FY 2005 include (1) completing a Model Interface to make the model much more user friendly for 

Park staff and (2) submitting scientific papers to formally present the 

beaver/willow model and show how competition favors elk over 

beaver in the park’s riparian willow communities.

Bioassessment evaluates a stream’s ability to support and maintain a 

balanced, adaptive, functioning plant and animal community. By 

using many factors to compare the existing condition of a stream 

with its expected natural species composition, diversity, and functional organization, bioassessment can show whether the stream is 

degraded by any physical, chemical, or biological stressors; permit 

diagnosis of what stressor(s) may be causing any degradation 

observed; and facilitate the ability to detect intermittent stressors or 

the cumulative effect of multiple stressors. Researchers developed 

specific bioassessment methods to be used in Glacier NP during reconstruction of the Sun Road to permit comparing any stream sites that 

may become degraded by reconstruction activities to the natural, or 

reference, condition of the stream. The study focused on analyzing 

stream bottom, physical, and chemical conditions that characterize 

particular stream segments and developed a description of the reference condition. The baseline data and approaches researchers compiled showed there is a lack of significant longitudinal gradients in 

stream flow velocity, bottom material, and particulate matter 

suspended in the water, but presence of a significant temperature 

gradient. Taken together, these findings permitted researchers to 

develop a bioenergetic model of the expected distribution and abundance patterns of a stream’s larger invertebrate species. Although, 

because of changes in scheduling of the Sun Road reconstruction, researchers did not have opportunity to examine any stream conditions 

affected by reconstruction activities, it is believed the level of severity 

of any future environmental impacts can be assessed by comparing 

the species composition observed in the stream during or after occurrence of such impacts to the reference condition identified through 

the bioenergetic model. The final report provides the park with baseline data and approaches for future analysis of any eventual impacts 

that may occur as the Sun Road is reconstructed over the next decade.
80 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Bighorn sheep in Great Basin 

National Park: An assessment of 

population status, limiting 

factors and potential enhancement alternatives

Determine wind erosion rates 

to support protection of natural 

and cultural resources at 

Bandelier National Monument, 

New Mexico

Develop and populate an 

avifauna database at Mesa Verde 

National Park

Development of a model to 

evaluate impacts of fuelsreduction/prescribed fire in 

Pinyon-Juniper habitats on avian 

communities within Colorado 

Plateau National Parks

(continued on next page)

Submitted final report entitled An appraisal of the opportunities to 

restore mountain sheep to the South Snake Range, Nevada to Great 

Basin National Park in January 2004. This technical assistance effort 

concluded that at present suitable habitat does not occur in the park. 

A helicopter census conducted in February 2003 revealed no bighorn 

sheep. Three scientists inspected habitat conditions and concluded 

that habitat at GRBA is currently not suitable for bighorn sheep due 

to a history of overgrazing by domestic livestock and fire suppression 

in a fire-dependant ecosystem. They reported the ecosystem at present is unstable and will change either through disease and decadent 

stands of woody vegetation or by the return of fire, probably as 

catastrophic wildfire as excess large fuels are present and continue to 

accumulate. They also were concerned with the presence of domestic 

sheep allotments and that the originally resident subspecies of bighorn sheep is not present.

Funding for this project ended in FY 2004. However, data collected 

up to that time were inadequate to accurately estimate wind erosion 

rates, due to unexpected startup technical problems with wind erosion sampling devices and the high temporal variability observed in 

pulses of wind erosion. Researchers continue to collect wind erosion 

data with the equipment installed by this project, and are working 

to compare our data with findings from a mirror site at nearby Los 

Alamos National Laboratory. The early wind erosion estimates will be 

folded into an EIS for ecological restoration of pinyon-juniper woodlands currently being developed by Bandelier NM to address its most 

pressing resource management issue, the effects of accelerated soil 

erosion on natural and cultural resources.

With participation of park staff throughout the process, researchers 

have processed over 17,000 individual reference sources compiled 

from a large, extensive, 70 year collection of field notes, record cards, 

published and unpublished reports, and other printed data about the 

bird fauna of Mesa Verde National Park. Researchers have entered 

approximately 85% of this information into an Access database 

following standard NPS format. The resulting standardized, 

easily-searchable, GIS-related database will allow park staff to query, 

extract, and use the wealth of information tied up in bundles of records. Synthesis of data related to species and habitat will provide a 

comprehensive overview of bird occurrence, distribution, and population trends at Mesa Verde NP. Project completion, planned for May 

2005, will include a hands-on overview of the database and guidance 

for using and interpreting the data and for maintaining and updating 

the database as new data are obtained. Once organized and synthesized, this body of information may provide significant understanding 

and guidance for management of the park’s natural resources.

During the project’s introductory period, focused on Zion NP (2002–

2003), researchers completed a literature review, compiled historical 

accounts of population dynamics of breeding species, and updated a 

species list of birds reported within mature, mid-aged and young 

Pinyon-Juniper habitat and identified as resident, migrant, and 

vagrant nonbreeding species. Researchers established permanent 

transects, stratified by mature and young Pinyon-Juniper vegetation 

types, in areas of each vegetation type scheduled for fuels reduction, prior to proposed fuels reduction efforts. Baseline avian surveys 

were conducted prior to the fuels reduction effort, including additional counts conducted throughout 2004. Researchers reported the 

progress of the study to Colorado Plateau parks, including one park 

presentation that focused on preliminary results of the study, the proposed GIS model, and how to incorporate management alternatives 

resulting from the potential findings of this study. Researchers prepared geographic information data themes of Pinyon-Juniper habitat for 4 parks and obtained study permits from 3 parks. In FY 2005 

researchers will complete the study by comparing avian communities 

in prescribed burned areas to unburned areas, developing the model, 

and extending the model to other Colorado Plateau parks. The study 

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2002, ACTIVE IN FY 2004, NO FY 2004 FUNDS

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 81

Research in support of 

endangered Kemp’s ridley sea 

turtles at Padre Island National 

Seashore

Estimating black bear abundance 

in Great Smoky Mountains 

National Park using DNA extracted from hair samples

Testing and evaluation of remote 

sensing methods for estimating 

refuge characteristics of karst 

wetlands

(continued on next page)

will provide a copy of the GIS data theme and the model for avian 

habitat response to prescribed fire in differing Pinyon Juniper habitat 

types to each Colorado plateau park with significant Pinon-Juniper 

habitat. The results will allow parks to better assess potential impacts 

on avian community structure throughout prescribed burning management activities in Pinyon Juniper habitats.

Since 1978, efforts have been underway to re-establish a nesting 

colony of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles at Padre Island National Seashore 

(PAIS), Texas. Park Oriented Biological Support funds were received 

in FY 2002 and FY 2003 to collect data from nesting and stranded 

adults, stranded hatchlings, and dead embryos/hatchlings to analyze 

the number of Kemp’s ridleys nesting, nesting parameters (nest site 

fidelity, temporal and spatial patterns of nesting, number of nests per 

year, and re-migration intervals), results of the project to 

re-establish a nesting colony, number of dead adults found, and mortality factors for adults at PAIS and elsewhere in Texas. Analyses of 

blood and tissue samples collected continued during FY 2004. During 

FY 2005, analyses will be completed and a final report will be prepared. The NPS will use project results to help manage the growing 

nesting colony and reduce adult mortality.

This study is testing the feasibility of DNA sampling to estimate black 

bear population abundance in Great Smoky Mountains National Park 

and of using the results to design optimal sampling regimes and 

develop an efficient population monitoring technique. During the 

summer of 2004, researchers completed the study’s second and final 

year of DNA sampling. Over 10 weekly periods, researchers collected 

1,778 hair samples from a total of 65 sites. All but one site had bear 

activity during the 10 weeks. DNA analysis of the hair samples is to 

be completed in January 2005. Of 250 DNA hair samples collected in 

2003, 205 samples were successfully analyzed (82% success rate), 

representing 129 different bears. Eighty eight bears are represented 

only once. The remaining 117 DNA samples represent 41 different 

bears. Researchers used the recapture rates across the 10 sampling 

periods to calculate population abundance, resulting in a population estimate of 291 bears (95% CI = 251-345) for the study area. The 

preliminary findings indicate that a sufficient number DNA samples 

can be collected in an efficient manner. The number of sample sites 

visited per week typically represented 50 to 80% of the total sample 

sites, providing a good sampling intensity. Most hair samples (82%) 

contained sufficient amounts of DNA for sequencing. The preliminary 

population abundance estimates for 2003 indicate that this technique 

can provide desirable levels of precision of the population estimates. 

Future analyses of the DNA data will assess the effects of sampling 

site density, sampling duration, and subsampling intensity on capture 

probabilities and the precision of the population estimates. The final 

report, scheduled for May 2005, will include guidelines for proper 

sampling regimes.

The project goal is to determine feasibility of estimating density of 

solution holes by aerial imagery. Solution holes are depressions in the 

limestone substrate caused by the dissolution of limestone by water. 

These solution holes provide dry season refuge habitat for aquatic 

animals. The time table for this project was delayed due to administrative, technical, and weather challenges. Still, significant progress 

toward successful project completion has been made. Analysis of digital images from aerial overflights during the 2003 dry season led to a 

highly accurate base image map for the study area. This map revealed 

shortcomings that demonstrate the importance of mission timing and 

the inadequacy of standard image collection for this specific application. Standard air photo equipment is too costly and lacks sufficient 

resolution and flexibility to meet solution hole characterization 

requirements. Therefore, researchers formulated two alternate 

approaches to meet the mapping needs of the project. The first is to 

use a low-cost, quickly deployable, high-resolution, custom developed 

camera system, a prototype version of which was deployed in late 

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2002, ACTIVE IN FY 2004, NO FY 2004 FUNDS (continued)

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
82 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Distribution, population 

dynamics, and herbivory impacts 

of a pioneering elk herd on 

Chaco Culture National Historic 

Park

Effects of suspended load on 

stream biota

The importance of Walnut 

Canyon National Monument 

as habitat for cougars (Puma 

concolor) in an urban interface 

environment

(continued on next page)

FY 2004. Analyses of resulting data are currently underway. The 

second approach will be the evaluation in FY 2005 of the utility of 

summer FY 2004 LIDAR data for solution hole mapping purposes. 

Processing and analyses will progress in FY 2005 and plan to complete 

a final report within the next 6 months.

Fourteen and 18 elk captured/recaptured, radio-collared, and 

evaluated for physiological condition, November 2003 and April 2004, 

respectively have been monitored monthly for movements, home 

ranges, and survival. Twelve calf elk were captured and radio-tagged 

June-July 2004. Vegetation surveys, grazing surveys, browse 

surveys, and pellet group surveys were completed, summer 2004. 

Fecal samples for diet composition and diet quality analysis were collected beginning June 2004. All project activities will be repeated in 

2005 and 2006. Cow elk averaged 6.5% and 4.1% body fat in April 

2003 and April 2004, respectively. Lactating cow elk averaged 13.1% 

body fat in November 2003, indicative of diets at the low end of 

good diet quality. November body fat levels were the second highest 

detected during extensive sampling of elk herds throughout the western U.S. Survival of adult cows was 1.0 and 0.9 for 2003 and 2004, 

respectively; the only source of mortality was hunter harvest. Calf 

survival to date in 2004 was 1.0. Elk location data will be analyzed for 

elk use areas, movements, and habitat use. Annual home ranges of 

cow elk averaged 16.8 square miles. Overall use of preferred woody 

browse species was light. Elk use areas seem to be concentrated along 

the top and side draws of Chacra Mesa and along Chaco Wash. Little 

elk use occurs on South and West Mesas. Elk appeared to make use 

of unusual habitat features (i.e., caves) on park and adjacent tribal, 

state, and BLM lands, although analyses have not yet been completed. Preliminary analyses of vegetation composition, structure, use, 

and water infiltration rates indicate no impacts of elk and deer herbivory on herbaceous plant communities or soil properties. Analyses 

of food habits and dietary quality have not yet been completed.

Redwood Creek, in Redwood NP, is listed by the EPA as sedimentimpaired. This study used two years of monitoring of several streams 

in Redwood NP to assess sediment impairment in terms of the 

effect on health of salmon and their invertebrate prey base. Organic 

particles suspended in the stream water contributed significantly to 

stream turbidity at both beginnings and endings of storms. Organic 

content of the suspended sediments was highest in basins with the 

least amount of watershed disturbance. The nutritional value of 

suspended sediment particles as a food resource for invertebrates 

increased with an increase in the concentration of organic particles in 

the quantity of sediment suspended in the water. Both field and lab 

studies showed that the efficiency of feeding by salmon is affected by 

turbidity of the stream, but that some feeding goes on even at high 

turbidities. Links between suspended sediment composition and invertebrate prey base are being analyzed, a draft report was delivered, 

a master’s thesis will be completed, and two papers based on this 

work are under review. Once the master’s thesis is completed, a final 

report will be prepared. Preliminary conclusions are that a suspended 

load that is high in organic matter content can produce a positive 

effect on streams, whereas a high content of inorganic material in the 

suspended load may cause the health of fish and large invertebrate 

species to decline. The Park now has a solid baseline against which to 

compare future trends in sediment transport, suspended sediments, 

and stream health.

Urban development, transportation corridors and non-park management all have the potential to affect cougars near Walnut Canyon 

National Monument. Five cougars were tracked for about 1 year each, 

3 with GPS/Argos satellite collars, 1 each with GPS- and VHF-only collars. The study documented selection for rough terrain and forest 

cover year-round, selection for the National Monument during big 

game hunting seasons, no crossings of interstate highways and less 

than expected use of habitat near roads and residential areas. The 

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2002, ACTIVE IN FY 2004, NO FY 2004 FUNDS (continued)

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 83

Gaining baseline data on statelisted lake sturgeon (Acipenser 

fulvescens) and their spawning 

habitat across the international 

boundary between Minnesota 

and Ontario

Vegetation classification and 

mapping tools for national parks: 

demonstration products for 

Voyageurs National Park

Baseline monitoring of floodplain vegetation and geomorphology prior to dam removal, 

Elwha River, Olympic National 

Park

Protecting ecological resources 

at Acadia National Park through 

landscape scale conservation and 

easement planning

(continued on next page)

study also documented >80 kills by cougars, consisting of roughly 

equal proportions elk, mule deer and other prey. These other kills 

included an exceptional number of coyotes. Follow-on funding has 

been obtained to continue this work, which will lead tracking 7 more 

cougars and the production of integrated models of habitat selection 

as tools for impact assessment and planning.

In 2004, aerial and boat tracking of the 41 lake sturgeon that had 

received implants of combination radio/acoustic tags in 2002 and 

2003 continued throughout the open water season. The majority of 

the lake sturgeon locations were located in the Canadian portion of 

the South Arm of Rainy Lake, where they were associated with rocky 

structures and water less than 10 m deep. Few fish were relocated in 

deeper Minnesota waters typified by more homogenous habitat. 

Radio tracking and spawning mats were used to identify areas 

utilized by spawning fish. Spawning season locations were consistent 

with historically known spawning areas. Lake sturgeon eggs collected 

on spawning mats were positively identified by hatching a sub-sample 

in the laboratory. Field work on the project has been completed and 

the data is being analyzed and will be presented in a Master’s degree 

thesis to be completed in December 2004.

FY 2004 analyses of vegetation sampling data from the Voyageurs NP 

Vegetation Mapping Project confirmed 49 plant communities associations and provided additional plant community information. Plant 

community descriptions, a dichotomous key, and ordination diagrams 

were revised to reflect the new results and constitute vital ingredients 

to USGS Technical Report, Field Guide to the Plant Community Types 

of Voyageurs National Park. Representative ground photos have been 

selected for each community, and the introduction and appendixes 

are written. The field guide is currently in review. Two journal articles, 

one on vegetation classification, the other on applying classification 

in mapping, were drafted. Researchers are conducting additional 

analysis using GIS to explore plant community distribution in connection to early 20th century fires at Voyageurs NP. A third article is being written to discuss park resource management application and use 

of the vegetation map. In FY 2005, location maps of plant communities will be made for the field guide, the guide will undergo editing 

and peer review needed to meet requirements for USGS Technical 

Reports, and will be published. The articles will be submitted to peer 

review journals and a final abstract report submitted to the park. 

Park managers and researchers can use the field guide to identify 

plant communities in the field and to acquire ecological information.

FY 2004 activities involved field data collection along 15 permanent 

transects established to monitor changes in geomorphology and 

riparian vegetation along the Elwha River. Topography was surveyed, 

vegetation measured, tree cores were collected to age stands of 

woody vegetation, and data entry began. Data entry will continue in 

FY 2005, along with tree ring reading, data analysis and report 

preparation. Much of this work will comprise a Master’s thesis.

Acadia National Park desired a decision support model to help Park 

staff prioritize properties that might become available for conservation easements. In FY 2004, researchers met with Park staff and 

personnel from the Maine Coast Heritage Trust to discuss the model, 

developed and decided on appropriate data layers to use in the 

model, and developed a draft model that permits users to decide how 

to weight certain attributes to be used in the prioritization process 

and generate areas of high priority for acquisition. In FY 2005, this 

draft will be discussed with the Park and other interested groups, the 

model revised and finalized on the basis of Park input, and a final 

product and report turned over to the Park.

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2002, ACTIVE IN FY 2004, NO FY 2004 FUNDS (continued)

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
84 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Impact of stocking non-indigenous salmonids on a federallyendangered freshwater mussel 

within the Delaware Water Gap 

National Recreation Area

Evaluating the impacts of white 

tailed deer (Odocoileus virginicus) on vegetation within Pea 

Ridge National Military Park

Development of parasite risk 

assessment and control strategies 

for captive breeding of island fox 

(Urocyon littoralis) at Channel 

Islands NP

Habitat requirements of the 

endangered California freshwater shrimp (Syncaris pacifica) 

in streams on the Point Reyes 

National Seashore and Golden 

Gate National Recreation Area

Evaluation of canid scents as 

a management tool to reduce 

mammal predation on piping 

plover nests in coastal barrier 

parks

(continued on next page)

Qualitative mussel surveys completed for the Flat Brook show 

sporadic distribution of dwarf wedge mussels over an 18 mile stretch 

of the river within the NRA. Historic and present fish species occurrence data have been collected for the drainage. FY 2005 plans 

include determining the reproductive season of the mussel, which fish 

serve as hosts for mussel larvae, and the impact of stocked trout on 

those fish hosts. Data will be used by resource managers to develop 

strategies that balance the needs of an endangered species with 

those of the recreational angling public.

Field work was completed in August 2003 and data analysis in late 

October 2004. Researchers stratified sampling based on four predefined community types (oak forests with exposed aspects, oak 

forests with protected aspects, cedar thickets, and old fields) that 

differed from each other in overstory density, understory density and 

species richness, and groundflora richness and cover. Initial analysis of 

the deer browse survey shows significant differences in browsing 

intensity between these four community types. Early comparisons 

between exclosed and unexclosed areas had shown the existence of 

vegetation differences prior to the construction of exclosures. 

Generally, changes in vegetation in exclosed areas are not significantly different from changes detected in unexclosed areas, a not 

unexpected finding given the short duration of this study. The final 

report for this project is being prepared.

In FY 2002 and 2003, a working group of authorities on wildlife 

disease, wildlife pathology, wild canid husbandry, and wildlife 

parasitology familiar with island fox wild and captive populations and 

parasites assessed the relative risks posed by specific parasites versus 

dangers inherent in treating animals with concurrent infections, 

developed a plan to fill critical data gaps, and planned and conducted 

an intensive fecal parasite survey of park captive island fox pens to 

identify parasites of concern in each population. This work informed 

preparation of a draft report. In FY 2004 revisions and additional 

information provided by working group participants were used to 

develop and submit for review and comment a draft final report on 

parasite assessment and parasite management. The final report was 

submitted to the park by December 2004.

California freshwater shrimp were sampled on four occasions 

between November 2003 and August 2004 from 16 sites in 

Lagunitas Creek and 4 sites in Olema Creek, a small tributary of 

Lagunitas Creek. Shrimp were captured with a combination of dip 

nets, minnow traps, and seines from all sites in Lagunitas Creek. 

Shrimp have not been caught in Olema Creek. Concurrent with the 

shrimp collections, researchers measured water quality and other 

|habitat variables from each site and also sampled fish for gut 

contents. In general, shrimp were most numerous in habitats 

characterized by overhanging streambank vegetation, submerged 

root masses, sandy substrate, and low current velocity where 

threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), California roach (Hesperoleucus symmetricus) and Sacramento sucker (Catostomus occidentalis) were most numerous. Analysis of fish gut contents indicated 

that native sculpins (Cottus asper and C. gulosus) preyed on shrimp. 

In FY 2005, researchers plan to finish processing fish samples for gut 

contents and complete the final report. Information from this study 

will be useful for determining if past and current land use practices 

along Lagunitas and Olema Creeks are adversely influencing shrimp 

abundance.

In FY 2004, data were organized and placed in a relational database 

and analyses are underway. Predators were difficult to attract at some 

sites and small sample sizes may preclude complete analyses. In some 

areas, it appeared that scents of dominant predators affected smaller 

predators but this awaits further review and statistical comparisons. 

Some parks are faced with increasing generalist predator populations 

(i.e., meso-predator release hypothesis) that prey on endangered 

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2002, ACTIVE IN FY 2004, NO FY 2004 FUNDS (continued)

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 85

Southern Colorado Plateau Park 

network: Vegetation mapping 

needs assessment

shorebirds. Agency policies prefer to allow native predators to function without intervention where possible and alternatives to removal 

are sought. This approach would reduce predation without manipulating other predator populations, thus leaving predator-prey 

interactions intact. A report will be submitted in the first quarter of 

FY 2005 and a journal article prepared.

The Southern Colorado Plateau Park Network (SCPN) needed an 

initial assessment of park vegetation mapping needs preliminary to 

deciding on vegetation monitoring for each of the park units in the 

network. Only three of 19 parks in the network have recent vegetation mapping efforts. The project developed an extensive work plan 

for vegetation mapping that outlined each step required for implementing mapping with team roles defined and interactions described. 

It adhered to USGS-NPS Vegetation Mapping Program guidelines and 

to National Vegetation Classification Standards. In addition, the study 

identified existing tabular and spatial data available to initiate mapping projects. The SCPN used the plan to guide vegetation mapping 

at Petrified Forest NP, Mesa Verde NP, and Canyon de Chelly NM. The 

work plan has guided the network in developing team composition 

and project strategies for projects at other network parks.

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2002, ACTIVE IN FY 2004, NO FY 2004 FUNDS (continued)

Title of Project FY 2004 Report

Technical assistance in determining size and composition of 

non-native and native ungulate 

populations at Point Reyes 

National Seashore

Water developments in Theodore 

Roosevelt National Park, North 

Dakota: Implications for 

ungulates and herbivory

Assessing the risk of aerially 

borne pesticides to declining 

amphibian species in the national parks of the Sierra Nevada 

Mountains, California

(continued on next page)

Previously captured and instrumented non-native fallow deer (Dama 

dama) have been located bimonthly and 40 animals survive to date. 

A second aerial census of the Seashore’s fallow deer was completed 

in January 2004. During censuses, all visible fallow deer were counted 

from the air and instrumented animals were located both from the 

air and on the ground. Average group size was obtained in addition 

to a Lincoln-Petersen index. The 2 years of data are being analyzed 

to develop a fallow deer population estimate for the Seashore. This 

estimate and associated herd composition data will be included in 

the park’s Exotic Deer Management Plan Draft Environmental Impact 

Statement, to be released to the public in December 2004. In addition, a final study report is being prepared.

Researchers used a time-lapse video camera system for a second year 

of extended monitoring of wildlife during 2004 to estimate frequencies of water development use by bison, feral horses, elk, mule deer, 

and pronghorn. Researchers also sampled vegetation in the vicinity of 

water developments and at control sites to assess effects on plant 

succession of herbivory associated with water developments. During 

FY 2005, researchers will complete data analyses and prepare a report 

for the National Park Service. The report will provide information 

required for management decisions regarding the need to continue 

maintaining specific water developments in the South Unit of the 

park.

This project involves three experiments to examine dose/response 

relationships of pesticides on amphibian larvae. One, which examined 

the effect of environmentally realistic concentrations of chlorpyrifos, 

diazinon, malathion and their combinations on Pacific treefrogs, was 

funded by the POBS funds, conducted in 2003, and the analysis of 

results is underway. This experiment, using a surrogate species to test 

effects of atmospherically transported pesticides on declining amphibian species in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, involved field translocation experiments in three national parks in California and a laboratory experiment to test for, in a controlled environment, pesticide 

exposure effects seen in the field. The research involved tissue sample 

analysis for cholinesterase activity, water sample analysis for pesticide 

residues, selected tissue sample analysis for pesticide residues, and tissue sample analysis for DNA. Statistical analyses are in progress. Final 

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2002, ACTIVE IN FY 2004, RECEIVED FY 2004 FUNDS

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
86 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Determining rates and causes of 

summer elk calf mortality in 

Yellowstone National Park

Amphibian habitat fragmentation in Salt Creek, Canyonlands 

National Park: implications for 

reproduction and distribution

analysis will use survivorship, growth, time to metamorphosis (or 

Gosner Stage 41-45), and percent malformations as measures of 

response to pesticide exposure. The related experiments included (1) 

exposure from egg to metamorphosis of two frog species to 

endosulfan and chlorpyrifos at several concentrations and (2) exposure of 90 day old individuals of one species to several concentrations 

of diazinon, malathion, and chlorpyrifos parent and oxon chemicals 

(oxon forms of these pesticides are caused by partial breakdown of 

the parent compounds, are typically the form found in field 

investigations, and generally are more biologically active and toxic 

than the parent forms). These studies individually add to understanding of risks amphibians encounter from pesticides in the Sierra 

Nevada Mountains. When combined with field studies on the presence of pesticides in tissues, sediment, and water and on translocation experiments, they may provide a strong scientific foundation for 

addressing toxic pesticides and restoring amphibian populations.

This study investigated the fate of some 44 elk calves less than 6-days 

old that were captured in Yellowstone National Park in May and June 

2004, tagged with mortality transmitters, and monitored through the 

end of FY 2004. Thirteen calves survived through this time period; the 

others were killed by bears (18), coyotes (4), wolves (3), golden eagle 

(1); wolf or bear (1), unknown predators (2), and unknown, nonpredation (2). Basic results were similar to those observed in FY 2003. 

For FY 2005, attempts will be made to radio-tag and similarly monitor 

35-50 more neonate elk calves.

In 2004, additional tests of the fate of toad eggs laid in road crossings showed that numbers of eggs left in pools following one vehicle 

pass were very low, about half the eggs were lost after a single pass 

on average. Extrapolating to the maximum number of vehicles that 

could pass through a pool each day, 24 (12 vehicles are allowed into 

the lower part of Salt Creek each day, 24 assumes all drive back out 

the same day), about 0.5% of the eggs originally in the pool would 

remain after 24 vehicles drove through the pool. Visual/auditory 

encounter surveys of amphibians in open road, closed road and no 

road segments of Salt Creek Canyon conducted in late afternoon and 

shortly after dark once a month, May through September, revealed 

57 amphibians seen in the no road section, 516 in the closed road 

section, and 376 in the open road section. Data collected on habitat 

characteristics of randomly selected sections of the canyon that relate 

to suitability for Ambystoma tigrinum (tiger salamander) and Rana 

pipiens (leopard frog) in each of the three management zones (open-, 

closed, and no-road zones) have not been compiled and entered yet. 

Presence and abundance of aquatic habitat, vegetative cover, benthic 

characters and associated macroinvertebrates and amphibians were 

documented.

During winter FY 2005, the project will compile and analyze the 

habitat data, analyze toad data to assess population differences 

between management segments, and finalize the eggs-vehicle 

interaction data analysis and write the final report for the project. 

Canyonlands NP will use these data to assess the impact of vehicle use 

on amphibian populations in the canyon.

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2002, ACTIVE IN FY 2004, RECEIVED FY 2004 FUNDS (continued)

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 87

Effect of groundwater withdrawal on avian abundance and 

species richness in riparian areas 

of National Parks in the desert 

southwest

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

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.

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

Estimating distribution and 

amphibian occupancy of vernal 

pool breeding habitat

(continued on next page)

Field work and data collection have not yet begun. Scientists and 

managers from USGS, NPS, and University of Arizona have met to 

identify potential replicate study sites in the region in addition to 

those at Saguaro National Park; to identify additional partners; and 

to identify additional funding sources, deadlines for applying to these 

sources, and which partner will take the lead on submitting proposals for each of these opportunities. FY 2005 plans include obtaining 

additional matching funds to extend the project to many replicate 

riparian areas throughout the desert southwest, choosing the most 

appropriate replicate study sites, and coordinating with hydrologists 

at USGS, NPS, and UA to obtain data from all groundwater wells in 

the region.

This project is designed to 1) monitor fecal pollutants and nutrients in 

the carbonate island water lens underlying historic Fort Jefferson, 

2) determine the island’s geologic framework, and 3) determine 

annual fluctuations in the ephemeral freshwater lens. It is suspected 

that pollutants in the ground and surface water could be influencing surrounding coral reefs. The first and most difficult phase of the 

study, begun in August, has been completed. The drill team of 2 

geologists, 1 microbiologist, and 1 hydrologist worked in the waterfilled moat surrounding historic Fort Jefferson to core-drill 8 of 10 

monitoring wells to 18 ft below sea level and screen them with 1.5 

inch diameter PVC casing. They drilled the other 2 wells to 46 and 62 

ft respectively. The 62 ft well, installed in the Fort parade ground, was 

screened to 62 ft. Coralline Pleistocene limestone was encountered at 

55 ft. Preliminary results were provided to the Fort Jefferson restoration project now in progress and a short write up of the study team 

and its adventures was prepared for two DOI publications. Quarterly 

sampling from the wells and surface waters will begin in mid 

November 2004 and extend for 2 years. The work has proceeded as 

originally planned.

Removal of two dams on the Elwha River and return of anadromous 

salmonids to the upper river represent a high park restoration 

priority. Establishing baseline values of fish communities and marine 

derived nutrients is required prior to dam removal to track the ecological effects of restoration on the aquatic ecosystem. FY 2004 results 

included convening a workshop of partners to develop protocols; 

establishing study areas in stream reaches below, between, and above 

the dams; sampling fish, macroinvertebrate, and periphyton communities; collecting tissue samples from fish, macroinvertebrates, and 

algae for stable isotope analysis; and collecting salmon tissues from 

samples of Oncorhynchus mykiss populations between and above 

the dams to determine genetic structure. FY 2005 plans include both 

repeating the above sampling protocols; collecting riparian plant tissues for stable isotope analysis; and sampling in tributaries above and 

below natural barriers to salmon migration.

Spatially explicit area and point count surveys of the avian community were initiated in 2004. An ArcGIS database is being designed to 

include vegetative cover, elevation, bird abundances and behavior to 

help track avian response to restoration actions. Reference sites have 

been established to compare avian response to the wetland restoration and local fluctuations in bird abundance.

Distribution and amphibian occupancy of small ephemeral wetlands is 

not well understood in northeastern parks. Researchers have helped 

identify ephemeral wetland breeding habitats and estimate habitat occupancy by wood frogs and spotted salamanders. In FY 2004 

egg mass counts to estimate population of wood frogs and spotted 

salamanders , were conducted at 4 pools each in Acadia NP, Cape 

Cod NS, Rock Creek Park, and Shenandoah NP. Ground searches also 

were conducted at Rock Creek to determine the location of all vernal 

pools. In Acadia and Cape Cod, where the distribution of vernal pools 

is known, a subset of pools was selected to assess the proportion of 

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2004, RECEIVED FY 2004 FUNDS

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
88 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Impact of recreational and 

invasive species on resident 

aquatic species: Whiskeytown 

Recreation Area

Distribution of black bears in the 

Elwah Valley, Olympic National 

Park: Environmental baseline for 

assessing ecosystem effects of 

salmon restoration

Evaluating vertebrate monitoring indicators for sound decision 

making: Technical assistance to 

the Sonoran Desert Network 

inventory and monitoring 

program

(continued on next page)

area (i.e., vernal pools) occupied (PAO) by wood frogs and spotted 

salamanders. In FY 2005, these surveys will be continued and 

additional population estimation surveys will be conducted at 4 to 

10 pools in Delaware Water Gap NRA, where some counts have been 

conducted since 2001. PAO surveys will be conducted at 40 of the 281 

known pools at Delaware Water Gap, as well as at all 8 known pools 

in Rock Creek and 10 pools in the Potomac Gorge area of the 

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP. Future research will determine 

vernal pool locations and conduct PAO sampling of pools found in 

the southern half of Shenandoah NP and throughout Gettysburg NHP. 

For all population estimation and PAO surveys, habitat variables (e.g., 

pool area, pool depth, distance to road, percent adjacent forest cover, 

water pH and temperature) will be recorded; these can be used as 

covariates in analyses of detection and site occupancy.

In FY 2004, eight streams were sampled three times (late May/early 

June; early Aug; late Sept) to determine presence and abundance 

of native frogs and invasive species. Egg masses for foothill yellowlegged frogs were found at half the streams and a high count (n = 

38 total) as well as larvae at 7/8 sites. They were absent in only one 

creek, which was also the only stream with the invasive bullfrog present. At 6 sites in and around Whiskeytown Reservoir 115 turtles (113 

native; 2 introduced) were captured. Turtles appear to be stable. In 

FY 2005 several sites will need to be resurveyed, particularly the main 

feeder stream into the reservoir as a major forest fire occurred in this 

basin in late summer 2004. Increased effects from sedimentation are 

expected in areas with frog reproduction. Future research will focus 

on potential avoidance of sites by frogs where invasive fish are present. Turtle surveys need to be expanded into feeder streams and at 

more sites in the reservoir.

This project examines seasonal patterns of distribution and movements of black bears in Olympic NP prior to dam removal in the 

Elwha Valley. Park Oriented Biological Support funds supplemented 

other funding to assess the long-term ecological effects of salmon 

restoration on park bear populations and distributions. During 2004, 

radio-collars containing global positioning system (GPS) receivers were 

placed on 8 black bears in the Elwha watershed, bringing the total 

number of monitored bears to 15. Additionally, field tests of accuracy 

of GPS radio-collars in coniferous forests were completed. Preliminary 

results indicate that individual bears range broadly throughout the 

Elwha watershed, with use of riparian zones along the Elwha River 

concentrated during late spring. In FY 2005 the plan is to place GPS 

radio collars on 3-4 more black bears and collect location data twice 

daily on instrumented bears until summer 2006. The project will produce a master’s thesis during 2005 summarizing bear movements and 

distribution through 2004. Results will provide an ecological baseline 

for assessing effects of future salmon restoration in the Elwha Watershed on black bear movements, will help Olympic NP wildlife managers reduce seasonal human/bear conflicts in the Elwha backcountry, 

and will set the stage for establishing a long-term black bear monitoring program.

Changes in funding led to a need to redesign the project. The current 

plan is to start project activities in spring or mid summer 2005.

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2004, RECEIVED FY 2004 FUNDS (continued)

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 89

Augmentation and expansion of 

endangered freshwater 

mussel populations in the Big 

South Fork National River and 

Recreation Area

Assessing the relationship 

between acid precipitation, 

calcium depletion, and avian 

productivity in Great Smoky 

Mountains National Park

Riparian vegetation response 

to tamarisk invasion and flow 

regulation in Dinosaur National 

Monument

Effects of road mortality on 

native anuran populations at 

Saguaro National Park

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

(continued on next page)

During FY 2003 nearly 40,000 endangered juvenile mussels were released into the park. In FY 2004 gravid adult mussels collected from 

areas in the park were used to infest several species of captive fish 

with glochidia from these mussels to produce several thousand juvenile mussels. The juveniles, held in captivity for 2 months, experienced 

complete mortality. Plans for FY 2005 include using newly designed 

culture systems for juvenile mussels to continue efforts to produce 

and release into the Big South Fork Cumberland River artificially 

propagated juveniles of 2 federally endangered mussel species. The 

goal of this project is to restore as many of the 5 federally endangered mussel species in the Park as possible through population augmentation with juvenile mussels, and to expand their ranges within 

the Big South Fork Cumberland River.

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. High elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains receive some 

of the highest rates of deposit of air-borne nitrate and sulfate in 

eastern North America. One effect of the resulting acidification is loss 

of the essential element calcium. This study will use the Black-capped 

Chickadee as a model for evaluating the effects of acid precipitation 

on high elevation bird communities in the Southern Appalachians. 

FY 2004 funding initiated a Research Work Order at North Carolina 

State University to support a graduate student to conduct the 

research, with field work to begin in March 2005.

The stratigraphy of alluvial sediments together with precise 

aging of tamarisk are being used to improve understanding of the 

historical timing and pattern of tamarisk establishment and spread 

within Dinosaur NM. This work will be expanded in 2005 to different 

geomorphic settings on the Green and Yampa rivers. Additionally, 

woody vegetation cover, by species, has been sampled along three 

experimental river reaches, using transects aligned with permanent, 

long-term, surveyed channel cross-sections. Four cross-sections, stratified by geomorphic setting, are located at sites that have been paired 

according to management of tamarisk on alluvial surfaces: Physical 

removal (Treatment) or no removal (Control). Additional measurements, including vertical structure of woody riparian vegetation, 

along with cover and diversity of herbaceous riparian vegetation 

across a range of geomorphic surfaces, are planned for 2005. More 

than a decade of channel-change and empirical stage/discharge 

information at each site, along with an improved historical, processoriented understanding of tamarisk invasion, will provide a detailed 

description of the response of riparian vegetation to flow regulation 

and tamarisk invasion, as well as an assessment of the ecological 

efficacy of management interventions, such as physically removing 

tamarisk from specific geomorphic settings within the Park.

As a result of changes in funding, field work did not start in 2004. A 

master’s student will begin work in January 2005 and conduct field 

work in summer 2005 and summer 2006.

FY 2004 results included 13 nights spent capturing, measuring, banding, and radio-marking storm-petrels on two islands in the Channel 

Islands National Park. At Santa Barbara Island (SBI), researchers 

captured and banded 187 Ashy Storm-petrels, 20 Black Stormpetrels, and 1 Leach’s Storm-petrel. At Scorpion Rock off Santa Cruz 

Island (SCI), researchers captured and banded 220 Ashy, 0 Black, and 

1 Leach’s Storm-petrel. Eight previously banded Ashy Storm-petrels 

at SBI and 1 at Scorpion Rock were recaptured. Researchers radiomarked 15 Ashy Storm-petrel at SBI, and 28 at SCI. Between 23 July 

and 23 August 2004, 16 aerial tracking surveys were flewn with support from the U.S. Navy and covered >72,000 km2 of ocean. The 

surveys found storm-petrels (90 valid locations for 34 individuals) 

were aggregated over the continental shelfbreak from Pt. Conception 

to Pt Reyes, within the Santa Barbara Channel, and within Monterey 

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2004, RECEIVED FY 2004 FUNDS (continued)

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
90 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Does food availability impede 

bird restoration in Hawaii 

Volcanoes National Park?

The role of hybridization in cattail (Typha spp.) invasions of 

freshwater wetlands in Great 

Lakes National Parks

Importance of small wetlands to 

the diversity of amphibian 

assemblages in the Delaware 

Water Gap Recreation Area

Bay, CA. FY 2004 study results will be presented at the annual Pacific 

Seabird Group meeting in Portland, Oregon. FY 2005 plans include 

continuing capture-recapture efforts, radio-telemetry, diet collections, analysis of sex-specific capture, and a power analysis to evaluate trends in Standardized Catch Per Unit Effort. Final results will be 

presented to park staff and submitted for journal publication. These 

data augment the Channel Islands NP seabird monitoring program 

and will contribute toward assessing population size and trends, and 

population-specific foraging habitats—both aspects are required for 

effective adaptive management.

This study assesses whether availability of arthropod prey affects 

abundance and distribution of Hawaiian forest birds and whether 

arthropod abundance may limit bird recovery efforts. In FY 2004 

researchers established six study sites within relatively dry ohia 

(Metrosideros polymorpha) forests of Hawaii Volcanoes NP, performed 

the first of four semi-annual surveys of arthropod abundance on 

bird foraging substrates within each site, and conducted the first of 

four variable circular plot counts of all birds within each site. In FY 

2005 researchers will continue sampling to determine arthropod and 

bird abundances and will begin surveys of potential competitors of 

birds (ants and parasitic wasps), identification and enumeration of 

arthropods, and analyses of data.

The rapid and ongoing spread of cattails (Typha spp.) in national 

parks of the Great Lakes Region seriously threatens biodiversity and 

ecosystem function. One potential explanation for this invasion is an 

expansion of ecological tolerances through hybridization between 

Typha latifolia and a European invader, T. angustifolia. This study is 

designed to verify through genetic analysis the presence of hybrids 

in three Great Lakes national park units (Indiana Dunes NL, St. Croix 

NSR, and Voyageurs NP), and to determine if hybrids are capable of 

outgrowing their parental species under a variety of environmental 

conditions. In FY 2004, researchers collected field data on 150 cattails 

from each of 5 sites within these parks, and harvested leaf tissue for 

genetic analysis. During FY 2005, researchers will develop genetic 

fingerprints and will correlate hybridity with invasiveness. Depending 

on the purity of the T. latifolia- and T. angustifolia-type specimens 

collected, other populations may also need to be sought to identify 

species-diagnostic DNA markers.

Although often overlooked, small and ephemeral wetlands contribute 

to the maintenance of landscape-level biodiversity. This study will 

determine the importance of small wetlands to amphibian species 

diversity in Delaware Water Gap NRA. Using samples of amphibian 

assemblages in the park, researchers will develop spatial models to 

describe amphibian diversity as a function of the size and distribution 

on the landscape of wetlands of various hydroperiods. The study will 

use the models to predict consequences of wetland protection measures or of natural or human-induced changes in the park landscape 

on wetlands and wetland communities. Sampling for this study will 

begin November 2004.

PROJECTS AWARDED IN FY 2004, RECEIVED FY 2004 FUNDS (continued)

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 91
92 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 93

Appendix G: Summary of Fully-Funded Water 

Resources Division Competitive Projects—FY 2004

Overview of the upper Kijik River, 

Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, 

Alaska. One of four water quality 

monitoring sites in the park, the Kijik 

River flows into Lake Clark.

Title of Project FY 2004 Report

Management of Dune Slack 

Wetlands in Cape Cod National 

Seashore

Characterization of Macroinvertebrate Community and 

Drift in a Tributary of the Buffalo 

National River, Prior to Damming

Develop a Water Resources 

Management Plan for Mammoth 

Cave National Park

Stream and Riparian Characterization & Analysis at Petrified 

Forest National Park

Assess and Plan for Restoring 

Wetland and Riparian Habitats 

in Rodeo Lagoon Watershed, 

Golden Gate National Recreation 

Area, Marin County, CA

(continued on next page)

As municipal wells and wastewater treatment facilities are installed 

adjacent to Cape Cod National Seashore (CACO) boundaries, serious 

concerns have arisen over the possibility of groundwater withdrawal/

water table modifications affecting dune slack wetlands. This study 

identified and mapped 340 dune slack wetlands within the boundaries of CACO. Site specific abiotic and biotic data was collected at 

15 sites. Preliminary results indicate that a total of 105 wetland plant 

species were identified, although no State- or Federally-listed species 

were found. Results of analyses of hydrology, vegetation, and other 

variables will be used to improve dune slack conceptual models and 

to assess the severity of threats from water table modifications or 

other stressors. A final completion report is expected in 2005.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has granted a Clean Water Act 

Section 404 permit to dam Bear Creek, a large tributary to the Buffalo 

National River. This project collected macroinvertebrate samples at 

3 sites in order to document baseline conditions within Bear Creek. 

A total of 412 macroinvertebrate samples were collected and are 

currently being processed. A taxa list has been developed from the 

identifications and voucher specimens. Data analysis is currently 

underway and a final completion report is expected in 2005.

As south-central Kentucky’s population and industry continue to 

grow, the potential for pollution of the surface and ground waters of 

Mammoth Cave National Park can also be expected to increase. The 

development of a Water Resources Management Plan is currently 

underway to identify and address the current and near-future 

potential threats to the park’s aquatic resources. A scoping session 

and public forum was conducted in 2004 in order to identify water 

resource issues, assess current conditions, begin development of 

desired conditions of park waters and to assess potential strategies to 

protect aquatic-related park resources. A final WRMP is expected to 

be published in 2005.

Petrified Forest National Park management has identified a need to 

develop a more complete understanding of the ecological potential 

of riparian areas throughout the park to support native plants and 

animals. This is being accomplished by examining the water-shed scale 

interactions of precipitation, streamflow, groundwater and vegetation along a gradient of drainage basin area. Data is currently being 

collected at 17 study sites throughout the park. Data will be collected 

through the end of 2004, then analyzed with a final report expected 

in late 2005. The final report will contain: 1) the natural riparian community potential for each study stream; 2) identification of park 

riparian systems where restoration needs exist; and 3) recommendations for defining and establishing a long-term hydrological monitoring program for the park.

The objective of this study is to identify historic aquatic, wetland, 

and riparian habitats within the Rodeo Valley with high potential 

for restoration and to develop a conceptual restoration plan for high 

priority sites. A step-wise process was implemented to: 1) map historic 

features; 2) map existing conditions; and 3) to conduct a field 

evaluation of the restoration potential of historic aquatic, wetland, 

and riparian habitats.

Historic wetland assessment work was completed and published in 

2004 by the San Francisco Estuary Institute. Field evaluations and 

conceptual design work for potential restoration activities are 

currently underway by the University of California, Berkeley and is 

scheduled for completion in May, 2005.
94 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Evaluate Stream Temperature Regimes for Juvenile Coho in Redwood Creek, Redwood National 

Park, CA

Enhanced Wetlands Mapping for 

Tomales Bay Watershed, Point 

Reyes National Seashore, CA

Assess and Remove Alien Marine 

Alga (A. spicifera) from Kaloko 

Fishpond at Kaloko-Honokohau 

National Historic Park, HI

Nelson Slough Wetland Restoration Design and Implementation, 

Klondike Gold Rush National 

Historical Park, AK

Investigate Limnological 

Conditions in Tanada Lake 

Affecting Sockeye Salmon 

Production

(continued on next page)

The purpose of this project was to evaluate whether summer stream 

temperatures are a limiting factor for juvenile coho salmon in 

Redwood Creek. This project is related to the Government 

Performance and Results Act Ia4 Water Quality Objective. In 2003, the 

parks contracted for thermal infrared imaging of Redwood Creek. 

Thermal images were used to measure the surface water temperature 

along the main channel of Redwood Creek and identify warm versus 

cool reaches. On July 29, 2003, about sixty miles (90 % of the stream 

length) of Redwood Creek were photographed in about 11⁄2 hours. 

About 2,500 overlapping thermal images were acquired. A digital 

video of Redwood Creek was also acquired and provided good coverage of the channel and riparian zones. The final report and data were 

received in March 2004. Thermal images captured stream temperature 

during the warmest time of the day and on the hottest day of the 

summer. The water temperature profile of Redwood Creek showed 

quite a bit of variability with large changes of stream temperature 

over relatively short distances. For example, changes in water 

temperature greater than 1 degree C occurred in less than a half-mile 

and many were associated with the inflow of tributaries or springs. 

Based on the temperature data, Redwood Creek can generally be 

divided into four main reaches that showed similar temperature 

characteristics.

As a coastal park, Point Reyes National Seashore supports many 

different kinds of wetlands including fresh, brackish, and saltwater 

systems, a diminishing resource in coastal California. The park has 

identified the need for an enhanced inventory of these wetlands to 

better understand and protect this important resource. This current 

study has identified and mapped 717 polygons of wetlands comprising more than 1500 acres within the Tomales Bay watershed of the 

National Seashore. During visits to these sites, wetlands were 

delineated, classified, and assessed in order to evaluate their condition and functionality. A final report on this work is expected in 2005.

Acanthophora spicifera, an invasive, exotic marine alga has been 

identified in the historic 11-acre Kaloko fishpond at KalokoHonokohau National Historic Park. Funds were received in late 

FY 2004, and the University of Hawaii was selected to serve as 

principle investigator for this project. An initial field assessment is 

scheduled for January, 2005.

For many decades, Klondike Gold Rush NHP (KLGO) visitors and local 

residents drove off-road vehicles and automobiles through Nelson 

Slough, a small tidal wetland, in order to access the Taiya River Delta 

and tidal mudflats. While motorized vehicle traffic was restricted in 

the late 1990s, horse access was not eliminated until 2002. It is a 

current objective of park management to attempt to restore the 

natural bank structure and native vegetation of this currently degraded area and to improve its functionality as anadromous fish habitat. 

In FY 2004 necessary permits for this restoration work were acquired 

from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Alaska Department 

of Natural Resources. A local contractor Streamcraft, Inc. produced a 

restoration plan, site reconstruction was completed and native plant 

materials were collected from nearby locations and transplanted. Follow-up work in FY 2005 will include sowing of native plant seed 

collected in FY 2004, on-going monitoring, and the removal of 

exotics. It is also the plan of the park to develop an interpretive 

program focusing upon this restoration effort.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park/Preserve is responsible for managing 

subsistence salmon fisheries to maintain natural and healthy salmon 

populations. Unfortunately, we do not have an adequate understanding of our lake systems to determine if the harvest of 1.5 million sockeye salmon in Copper River fisheries annually is limiting the 

production of juvenile sockeye salmon within Park/Preserve waters. 

While the effects of artificial fertilization to lake productivity are well 

documented, the more subtle effects of fluctuating natural delivery 

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 95

Water Quality Impacts to the 

Snake River from Landslides

Identify Restoration, Reservations 

and Minimum Flows and Levels 

Targets for Biscayne National 

Park

Ground and Surface Water 

Interactions of the Buffalo 

National River

(continued on next page)

of marine derived nutrients to lake ecosystems through varying 

escapements are not. Although establishing this relationship will 

likely take several years, this project seeks to develop a protocol for 

examining the role of natural lake fertilization (salmon carcasses) 

within this ecosystem over a two year timeframe. If we are successful 

in developing a useful protocol, we intend to seek additional funding 

from other sources to continue collecting data and ultimately 

establish an escapement range.

This project is recommended and discussed in Hagerman Fossil Beds 

National Monuments’s (HAFO) 1999 Interim Water Resources Scoping 

Report and was submitted under FY 2000 and 2001 Unified Calls but 

was not funded. 

Through a renewed partnership between the NPS and USGS, a shortterm (two-year) water chemistry analysis about aquatic conditions 

of both surface and groundwater systems that flow into the Snake 

River. The river is an EPA listed 303d impaired water body and subject 

to specific water quality regulations that this project will investigate. 

Landslides caused by both surface and groundwater sources are 

contributing massive amounts of sediment and other water quality 

parameters into the Snake River. This information will provide the 

first data of its type, as well as baseline, for future comparisons and 

analysis. The project will help mitigate and resolve the landslide issue 

by identifying aquifer recharge areas with groundwater that is causing slope failures and help HAFO comply with state regulations for 

discharges into the Snake River. The project will also help resolve the 

landslide issue at HAFO by identifying recharge source areas of 

aquifers that are causing landslides that will enable efficient application of mitigative treatments. 

The state of Florida is revising its water resource rules. Consumptive 

use permits for water supply will change from 5-year permits to 

20-year permits in the year 2004. Prior to 2004, BISC and the state 

must agree on minimum flows and levels to prevent further harm to 

the system. More importantly they must decide on levels to be 

reserved for restoration and preservation of the Park. A means to 

approach this problem is to use continuous recording salinity equipment and isotopic relationships to develop a salinity envelope related 

to freshwater inflow. We propose to use continuous recording salinity 

equipment placed along the western shoreline of the Park and work 

with Dr. Peter Swart of the University of Miami on stable isotope 

chemistry to develop these relationships. This will be used to participate in the process to set water reservations for the Park.

Buffalo National River is located in karst terrain in northwestern 

Arkansas and is visited by over one million people each year who take 

part in hiking, swimming, canoeing, caving, and other recreational 

activities. Agricultural development (primarily hogs, cattle, and 

poultry) and forest clearing has increased nonpoint source pollution 

and represents the most significant long-term threat to the Buffalo 

River. The movement of water between ground water and surface 

water in karst terrains provides a major pathway for contaminant 

transfer between terrestrial and aquatic systems. To better understand the ecological implications of nonpoint source discharges within 

the Buffalo River basin, location of streamflow gain and loss and 

relations between water-quality characteristics and base flow of the 

stream must be defined. Identification of locations along the Buffalo 

River where ground water significantly contributes to streamflow is 

needed so sources of pathogens and fate and transport of contaminants can be better monitored and used to assess human health risks 

related to recreational activities. This synoptic study will evaluate the 

ground-water and surface-water interactions and assess base-flow 

water quality and quantity within the Buffalo River watershed.

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
96 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Determine Groundwater Impacts 

to the St. Croix National Scenic 

Riverway

Capture and Assess Stream 

Health in Highly Fragmented 

Parks 

Assess Hydrocarbon Pollution 

Threats to Park Waters 

Data Collection & Analysis 

of Required Water Quality 

Parameters; Outstanding Waters 

Designation 

(continued on next page)

The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, one of the original eight 

rivers designated under the Wild and Scenic River System, was included in the system for its outstanding scenic and recreational values and 

its diverse biota and clean water. Many of the values of the Riverway 

are related to its water quality, which is under constant threat from 

activities in its tributary watersheds. Several studies have been implemented to assess surface water quality in those tributaries, but very 

little is known about the groundwater hydrology and its influence on 

surface water quality in the St. Croix Basin. Groundwater sustains the 

flow in the St. Croix during dry periods of the year. 

Farming in the St. Croix Basin has been going on for over a century, 

with pesticides and fertilizers being applied for nearly half that time. 

Manure spreading on fields, septic systems, wastewater seepage 

ponds, and industry all has the potential to contaminate groundwater that eventually discharges into stream systems in the watershed. Changing land use (most notedly development extending from 

the St. Paul/Minneapolis Metro Area) has the potential to change the 

groundwater recharge and baseflow in the St.Croix. 

This study will provide a groundwater flow model that is greatly 

needed to improve the understanding of the hydrology of the St. 

Croix Basin. The sources and amount of baseflow contribution to the 

St. Croix River from its sub-basins will be more accurately known and 

understood, and water-resource managers can use the model as a 

tool to assess groundwater contamination susceptibility and the 

affects of hydrologic stress (e.g., development and land-use changes) 

on water resources of the Riverway. The model will provide a basis to 

interpret new and existing water-quality data and will provide a 

regional framework for more site-specific studies in the future. 

Parks in the National Capital Region (NCR) lack basic information on 

water resource conditions. This project provides NPS with detailed 

information on water quality (chemistry, physical habitat, biological 

assemblages) and aquatic health in these parks by: 1) determining 

the current status of water resources in six parks using an integrated 

monitoring approach; 2) establishing a rigorous physical, chemical, 

and biological baseline for detecting changes in conditions; and 3) 

providing a comprehensive assessment of water quality in the parks 

relative to regional reference sites, allowing prioritization of streams 

for protection and/or restoration. The project will analyze water 

chemistry (e.g., nitrate), physical habitat (e.g., embeddedness), and 

biotic assemblages (benthos, fishes) at a minimum of 55 randomlyselected sites along an urban to rural gradient and calculate indices 

of biotic integrity to assess health. This study complements a fish 

inventory of the NCR Inventory and Monitoring Program.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous contaminants 

of freshwater and marine ecosystems, and in an island park like Isle 

Royale are transported there via atmospheric deposition, through 

motorboat engine exhaust, and in fuel spills. PAH presence at Isle 

Royale is known but unstudied. This project proposes to assess the 

ecological impact of PAHs on the park’s aquatic communities (which 

are highly significant features on the park landscape) through 

analysis of sediments, benthic community structure, and sediment 

toxicity. The project fulfills commitments made by the park in 

response to public comment made on the park’s recently completed 

General Management Plan. 

Preliminary water quality data collected from sites within Black 

Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti National 

Recreation Area have shown that some constituents are better than 

standards dictated by the Clean Water Act and enacted by the State 

of Colorado. Recent explosive and potential future growth surrounding Black Canyon and Curecanti has necessitated an investigation into 

the feasibility of an antidegradation designation known as Outstanding Waters. This designation will protect the waters of Black Canyon 

National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area beyond 

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 97

Data Collection and Analysis 

of Required Water Quality 

Parameters; Outstanding Waters 

Designation 

Regional Point-Source 

Management to Support Special 

Protection Water Quality 

Regulations

Hydrodynamic Assessment of 

Estuarine Restoration of Pilgrim 

Lake and Salt Meadow, Truro 

(continued on next page)

current standards, consistent with Service-wide and park guidelines. 

The minimal schedule of constituents collected as part of the baseline 

water quality program does not meet those required by the State for 

Outstanding Waters designation. Therefore, high quality collection 

and analysis of required data will be required in the next two years 

in order to petition and defend this designation to the State Water 

Quality Control Commission.

Water is one of the most important resources for Buffalo National 

River. Preserving the water quality requires an understanding of 

water sources to the river. This is particularly important to the 

Buffalo since much of its water comes from springs during baseflow 

and there has never been a complete spring inventory conducted in 

Buffalo’s watershed. In karst geology like that of the Buffalo, underground drainage networks are interconnected so that groundwater 

recharge from outside the topographic watershed can influence the 

Buffalo. This proposal focuses on documenting two major sources of 

water that feed the Buffalo, springs and perennial streams. Along 

with locating and mapping these features, water quality measurements will be taken for each spring and stream. The results will 

allow park managers to isolate problem areas and evaluate springs 

that may be receiving groundwater from outside basins, and will be 

shared with agencies and researchers doing work involving springs.

The overall goal of the proposed project is the development of a 

point source management plan for the states and municipalities that 

abut and impact the park. The area defining the boundary of the 

plan includes the 8-mile section of the Delaware River between two 

national park units (Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area 

(DEWA) and Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River (UPDE)) 

and borders New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Wastewater 

facilities are allowed to discharge treated effluent directly into this 

segment of the river, which is immediately adjacent to the upstream 

boundary of the DEWA. Although the Delaware River Basin 

Commission will lead plan development, the DEWA must strive to 

meet requirements set forth in the enabling legislation and 

management goals. This project will address concerns about growth 

in affected communities as well as park development proposals. This 

“pro-active” approach to addressing common needs with states and 

municipalities will preserve and protect the designated Special 

Protection Waters of the Middle Delaware Scenic and Recreational 

River.

Tidal flow into this 200 ha (500-acre) back-barrier coastal lagoon and 

salt marsh system has been blocked by railroad and highway grades 

since 1867; original shallow-water estuarine environments have been 

replaced by brackish-to-fresh surface waters, and original salt marsh 

invaded by Typha, Phragmites and freshwater wetland shrubs. Water 

quality within the impounded lake is poor with high ammonium and 

phosphorus concentrations and dense cyanobacterial blooms 

(Mozgala 1974, Redfield & Emery 1977, Applebaum & Brenninkmeyer 

1988); the limited aquatic fauna are dominated by introduced carp 

(Cyprinus carpio) and chironomid midges. Eutrophic conditions may 

be caused by nutrient loading from road runoff and septic leachate; 

in fact, both highway traffic and residential development on this 

coastal systems barrier beach just outside Cape Cod National Seashore 

boundaries, Beach Point, is increasing rapidly. Eutrophication is 

exacerbated by the artificial restriction of tidal flushing that allows 

nutrients to accumulate. Because nearly all of the flood plain is 

within the park, restored tidal ranges and salinities should not affect 

adjacent properties. Nevertheless, all options for restored tidal flow 

require restoration of an inlet, or large culverts, through private lands 

and under town and state roads on the barrier beach but outside of 

Park boundaries. Hydrodynamic assessment is a necessary first step 

toward the cooperative restoration process

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
98 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2004 Report to Congress

Determine Source of E. coli 

Contamination at Central Avenue 

Beach, Indiana Dunes National 

Lakeshore 

The majority of visits to Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore are 

associated with beach recreation. Visitors enjoy the numerous beaches spread along the Lake Michigan shoreline, with numbers of visitors 

reaching into the millions every summer. In recent years, Central 

Avenue Beach has experienced an increase in beach closures 

associated with elevated levels of E. coli bacteria. Park personnel 

seek to protect public health by preventing visitors from swimming 

when E. coli levels are high. The reason for the recent increase in the 

number of beach closures is unclear. Investigations into the sources of 

bacteria and the factors influencing their abundance and persistence 

will be conducted. These inquiries will include bacterial analysis of 

the beach and the tributaries to the east and west of Central Avenue 

Beach.

Title of Project FY 2004 Report
 National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 99
The National Park Service is 

conducting coastal watershed 

assessments of ocean park resouces 

like this salt marsh at Cumberland 

Island National Seashore, Georgia. 

The Park Service is developing an 

ocean park stewardship plan in 

response to the President's U.S. 

Ocean Action Plan.
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 2005 / Printed on recycled paper