Funding the Natural Resource Challenge

Report to Congress, Fiscal Year 2008

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Natural Resource Stewardship and Science
Cover: Hawksbill turtle 

hatchlings head into the surf. 

Hatchlings are believed to 

ride currents of marine gyre 

systems, where they feed in 

rafts of seaweed while growing 

to approximately “dinner plate 

size." Perhaps one in 1,000 

survive to adulthood.

Photo: Lahela Burgess.
Funding the Natural Resource Challenge

Report to Congress, Fiscal Year 2008

Natural Resource Stewardship and Science

Washington, DC

U.S. Department of the Interior

National Park Service

Washington, DC

Executive Summary 5

Chapter I: Funding and Measuring Progress 9

Chapter II: Park and Regional Resource Management Programs 15

Park Base Funding Increases 15

Regional Resource Management Activities 19

Chapter III: Network Programs 25

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units 25

Exotic Plant Management Teams 30

Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Networks 32

Research Learning Centers 43

Chapter IV: The Natural Resource Preservation Program 49

Natural Resource Management Projects 49

Threatened and Endangered Species 51

Disturbed Lands Restoration 53

Small Park 55

Regional Block Allocation 56

Alaska Projects 58

USGS/BRD Technical Assistance 59

Servicewide Projects 59

Chapter V: Servicewide Natural Resource Programs 61

Air Quality Program 61

Biological Resource Management Program 65

Geologic Resources Program 70

Water Resources Program 74

Environmental Quality Program 78

Natural Sounds Program 79

Resource Protection Program 81

Chapter VI: Financial Details 85

Appendixes 99

Appendix A 99

Appendix B 101

Appendix C 113

Appendix D 115

Appendix E 119

Park Index 132

Contents

At Carl Sandburg Home National 

Historic Site (NC) crews used 

NRPP-Small Park Allocation funding to repair erosion damage 

and improve drainage on the Big 

Glassy Trail.
4 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 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 5

For nearly a century, the National Park Service (NPS) has been charged with managing 

the parks within the breadth and complexity 

of the NPS mission mandated by the Organic 

Act in 1916: “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.” Since its early 

days, the NPS has faced daunting challenges 

to eff ective natural resource management and 

today, park managers face an increasing array 

of dynamic and complex issues and unprecedented challenges, seemingly more than any 

encountered in the history of the NPS.

The best hope to restore and retain the 

rich natural heritage found in the National 

Park System is to be fully informed about 

park plants, animals, ecosystems and their 

inter relationships. Accordingly, the NPS 

introduc ed the Natural Resource Challenge 

(NRC) in 1999, with the full support of 

Congress. Original ly envisaged as a fi ve-year, 

$100 million program to strengthen natural 

resource management, the Challenge has realized a total of $77,552,000 in funding and has 

reinforced the natural resource stewardship 

and science legacy for the NPS. NRC programs have infl uenced every aspect of natural 

resource management in the NPS for most 

of this decade by increasing the capacity and 

professional expertise of natural resource 

managers, initiating and expanding research, 

protection, and restoration projects, enhancing natural resource education eff orts and 

supporting cooperative programs that engage 

partners in the shared study and protection of 

park’s natural resources.

Although the 100 million dollar vision for 

the Challenge has yet to be met, natural 

resource programs established at all levels 

of the NPS continue to provide far-reaching 

benefi ts. Individual park base increases and 

the expanded Natural Resource Preservation Program have improved park capacity to 

address critical natural resource projects and 

enhanced air, water, geologic and biological 

resource programs that provide technical assistance to parks. Inventory and Monitoring 

Networks have developed and implemented 

peer reviewed protocols to monitor “vital 

signs” and synthesize data to better understand the dynamic nature and condition of 

park ecosystems and to provide reference 

points for comparisons with other, altered 

environments. Exotic Plant Management 

Teams have treated acres of invasive plant 

infestations and Cooperative Park Ecosystem 

Studies Units have expanded our research 

portfolio through partnerships with academia, 

other agencies and non-profi t organizations. 

Research Learning Centers have facilitated 

research eff orts, provided educational opportunities and shared research results with 

researchers, local communities, students, educators, and the public.

NRC funded programs have produced tangible results in parks over the last nine years. 

One of the fi rst projects initiated with NRC 

funding was an eff ort to restore Bonneville 

cutthroat trout to streams in Great Basin 

National Park in Nevada. Great Basin received 

a park-base increase to support its eff orts to 

restore trout and other threatened or endangered species. In October 2008, the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service found that the Bonneville 

cutthroat trout was not warranted for listing 

under the Endangered Species Act, citing the 

work at Great Basin as a signifi cant factor in 

the decision.

Another notable project includes the 

endangered island fox and breeding bald 

eagle recovery programs at Channel Islands 

National Park in California. This highly 

success ful restoration eff ort and the myriad of 

collaborators have forged signifi cant relationships between the park, other federal agencies, 

the state and NGOs and continue to produce 

models for park stewardship.

The ongoing project to monitor the status 

of the panther population in Big Cypress 

National Preserve in Florida has been highly 

successful. It has provided information for 

management decisions that support and 

enhance panther recovery, and provided insight into the panthers’ behavioral and/

or demographic responses to natural events, 

management actions, and human impacts in 

Executive Summary

Natural Resource Challenge 

funding supported the restoration of the endangered Channel 

Islands fox.
6 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

south Florida. The many projects identifi ed 

in this 2008 Annual Report were successful largely in part due to NRC funding that 

enhanc ed natural resource programs throughout the Service.

The availability of sustained funding for 

natural resource work continues to be a 

challenge and the gains in natural resource 

stewardship over the life of the Natural 

Resource Challenge have proved signifi -

cant. Advancing a conservation agenda 

while simultaneously protecting our past 

natural resource investments against rapidly 

changing conditions in parks and surrounding 

areas will benefi t from applying new strategies, eff ective engagement with others and a 

greater eff ort within the National Park Service 

to coordinate across parks, regions and the 

Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 

Directorate. The Natural Resource Challenge 

will continue to enhance the National Park 

Service’s ability to address complex and 

changing natural resource issues to ensure that 

our nation’s natural heritage has the capacity 

to endure the challenges ahead, and in doing so, will remain unimpaired for our future 

generations.
 National Park Service 7

Members of the Big Cypress 

Panther family, kittens K-274, 

K-275, and K-276 were born in 

July 2008. Their mother is FP-153. 

Photo: Ralph Arwood

Inside-Out Photography, Inc.
8 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 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 9

The National Park Service (NPS) is a caretaker of America’s special places. Congress 

mandated this in 1916 with the passage of the 

Organic Act, which established the National 

Park Service and tasked the agency with the 

management of parks, monuments, and other 

federal lands. The act also defi ned the purpose 

of the newly created agency: “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.”

Park managers have worked hard to fulfi ll 

this mandate for almost a century. It has not 

always been easy. Since the early days of the 

National Park Service, park managers have 

faced issues that put pressure on public lands 

and natural resources. These issues have 

grown more complex as the nation—and its 

population—grew. Today’s natural resource 

managers face dynamic, complex issues that 

challenge their ability to meet the original 

mandate. The issues are both local, such as 

develop ment or invasive species on park 

lands, and international, such as climate 

change.

Conservation of our natural resources in light 

of these issues requires informed action. Every 

action the National Park Service takes toward 

managing its natural resources is part of the 

natural resource stewardship cycle—a process 

of discovery, learning, understanding, sharing, 

resource protection/restoration, and evaluation.

• Discovery is the process of fi nding something new, whether it comes from basic research, baseline inventories, or observation. 

• Learning is tactical research, monitoring, 

or study that gathers data in a scientifi cally 

sound manner to allow for the examination 

of causes, eff ects, and implications.

• Understanding is the process of analysis, 

synthesis, summarization, and critical review of data that creates information and 

then knowledge.

• Sharing is information disseminated to 

peers, partners, and the public.

• Resource protection/restoration is action, 

based in sound science, taken by managers 

to meet mission goals.

• Evaluation is the act of determining the 

eff ectiveness of the action—and can lead 

back to any other step in the cycle.

Since FY 2000, park managers have had assistance—in the form of the Natural Resource 

Challenge—in carrying out this natural resource stewardship cycle.

Natural Resource Challenge

The National Park Service announced the 

Natural Resource Challenge, a program to 

strengthen natural resources management in 

the National Park System, in 1999. With the 

support of Congress, the Natural Resource 

Challenge was launched in FY 2000. Originally envisioned as a fi ve-year, $100 million 

eff ort, the Natural Resource Challenge 

spanned FY 2000–2007 and received a total of 

$77,552,000 in funding (see Appendix A for a 

detailed funding history).

Natural Resource Challenge funding has 

increas ed the professional expertise of natural 

resource managers; introduced and expanded 

research, protection, and restoration projects; 

improved education eff orts; and supported 

cooperative programs that engage partners in 

studying natural resources. While the funding 

increases have ended, the natural resources in 

the National Park Service continue to benefi t 

from Natural Resource Challenge funds.

Funding

The Natural Resource Challenge included 

funding for park-level and Servicewide programs. Some of this funding augmented existing programs; the rest added important, but 

missing, components.

The Natural Resource Challenge included a 

series of requests for new funding that were 

developed by park superintendents and subject matter experts as necessary to meet future 

natural resources management needs. The 

Natural Resource Challenge provided base 

increases to 36 parks and enhanced eleven 

Servicewide natural resource stewardship 

programs, which benefi tted additional NPS 

sites. Table 1.1 shows the funding for ServiceChapter I: Funding and Measuring Progress

Field verifi cation of wetlands 

mapping with St. Mary’s 

University on the Copper 

Lake trail in Wrangell-St. Elias 

National Park and Preserve, 

2008.

Photo: Bruce Rogers
10 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

wide natural resource stewardship programs, 

distinguishing programs that received funding 

from the Natural Resource Challenge; it also 

identifi es the funding level for FY 1999, the 

year before the fi rst Challenge increases, and 

FY 2008.

Table 1.1

NPS Natural Resource Stewardship Programs 1

Program Components 1999 2008 Change

Natural Resource Challenge-Affected Programs

Air Quality Program 6,285 8,673 2,388

Biological Resource Management Program 2 & 3 0 9,765 9,765

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units 4 0 125 125

Geologic Resources Program 1,918 2,901 983

Inventory and Monitoring Program 4 5,787 43,836 38,049

Natural Resource Data and Information Program3 1,424 1,871 447

Natural Resource Preservation Program 5,432 8,100 2,668

Research Learning Centers (20 centers established, 12 Natural 

Resource Challenge funded)4

0

Resource Damage Assessment & Restoration Program 

(includes Oil Pollution Act) 

873 1,373 500

Resource Protection Fund 0 282 282

Water Resources Program 4,754 12,316 7,562

Subtotal 26,473 89,242 62,769

Programs Not Affected by Natural Resource Challenge

Cave and Karst Research Institute 0 323 323

Everglades—Comprehensive Restoration Plan (CERP) 0 4,657 4,657

Everglades—Critical Ecosystem Studies Initiative 1,200 3,849 2,649

Everglades Task Force Support 800 1,303 503

Geographic Information System (GIS) Program 1,336 1,235 -101

Glen Canyon Adaptive Management Program 4 0 96 96

Natural Sounds Program (formerly Overfl ight Program)3 200 3,527 3,327

Subtotal Non Natural Resource Challenge Programs 3,536 14,990 11,454

Subtotal—Servicewide Natural Resource Programs 30,009 104,232 74,223

National Park System Units, Other Field Units, and Central 

Offi ce Natural Resource Stewardship Programs

64,408 117,263 52,855

Total Natural Resource Stewardship 94,417 221,495 127,078

1 All numbers shown in thousands of dollars/Years in fi scal years

2

 Includes $375,000 for Emergency Supplemental - Highly Pathogenic Avian Infl uenza

3 Refl ects FY 2008 base transfer of $414,000 to Natural Resource Data and Information Program from Social Science ($67,000), Natural Sounds ($236,000), and Biological Resource Management Programs ($111,000).

4 Refl ects program funding after transfers to parks or regions
 National Park Service 11

Measuring Progress

The National Park Service, as with other 

government agencies, is tasked with reporting performance in a measurable way. The 

National Park Service measures the eff ectiveness of its natural resource and other programs using the performance goals identifi ed 

in the Depart ment of the Interior 2007–2012 

Strategic Plan, which was established according to the guidelines in the Government 

Perfor mance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993. 

The desired outcome for natural resources in 

the National Park System is resources in good 

condition as defi ned by the desired condition 

identifi ed in the Servicewide Strategic Plan, 

Annual Performance Plan, Annual Performance Report, and operational plans to standards in GPRA and Offi ce of Management and 

Budget (OMB) Directive A11—Preparation, 

Submission and Execution of the Budget.

The strategic plan targets, results for FY 2008, 

and Servicewide natural resource programs 

supporting park performance are listed in 

Table 1.2. The eleven natural resources goals 

listed are in two categories: goals relating to 

strategies to restore, maintain, sustain, and 

protect resources, and goals relating to strategies to improve information base, resource 

management, and technical assistance. The 

table compares FY 2008 actual performance 

to projected planned performance as set forth 

in the National Park Service’s FY 2009 Budget 

Justifi cation for all GPRA goals reported to 

Congress.

Reporting

The Natural Resource Challenge Report to 

Congress responds to a request in House 

Report 106-22 to provide information to 

Congress about the expenditures and related 

accomplish ments and results derived from 

Natural Resource Challenge funding. This 

report details expenditures and accomplishments for FY 2008, as well as achievements 

that parks and Servicewide programs have 

made due to cumulative funding provided 

during the eight-year span of the Natural 

Resource Challenge increases. To provide a 

more complete picture of the state of natural 

resources in the parks, this report also 

includes information about expenditures for 

Katrina Park of Northern Rocky 

Mountain Exotic Plant Management Team treats houndstongue 

(Cynoglossum offi cinale) at the 

"R Lazy S Hayfi eld" riparian area 

in Grand Teton National Park.

Photo: Chris Overbaugh
12 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Table 1.2

NPS Goal Targets for FY 2008

(NPS number/DOI number)

SERVICEWIDE NATURAL RESOURCE PROGRAM 

Supporting Park Performance

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

BUR Ia3A Visibility: 96% of NPS reporting parks has remained 

stable or improved. Actual: 97% (113 of 116 parks) remained 

stable or improved. (Exceeded)

BUR Ia3B Ozone:- % of NPS reporting parks has remained 

stable or improved. Actual: 92% (135 of 146 parks) remained 

stable or improved. (Exceeded)

BUR Ia3C Atmospheric deposition:76% of NPS reporting parks 

has remained stable or improved. Actual: 85% (46 of 54 parks) 

remained stable or improved. (Exceeded)

Air Quality

BUR Ia1B Invasive Plants Controlled: 0.44% of acres (7,050 

of 1,607,231acres) infested with invasive plants being maintained as free of invasive plans and 2.1% of acres ( 34.519 of 

1,607,231 acres) treated. Actual: 0.50% of acres (8,021acres) 

controlled and 4.1% of acres (66,069 acres) treated. (Exceeded) 

BUR Ia2A T&E Species: 33.9% (337 of 993) of federally listed 

species in parks making progress toward recovery. Actual: 

33.0% of park populations (328 of 993) making progress toward recovery. (Not met)1

BUR Ia2B Species of Management Concern: 12.7% (605 of 

4,765) of park populations of native species of management 

concern that are managed to desired condition. Actual 11.9% 

(566 of 4,765). (Not met)

BUR Ia2C Invasive Animals Controlled: 12.9% (104 of 806) of 

park populations of exotic (i.e. non-native) invasive animal 

species are effectively controlled. Actual: 13.6% (110 of 806) 

of park populations of exotic invasive animal species effectively controlled. (Exceeded)

Biological Resources Management

BUR Ia9 Paleo Sites in Good Condition: 37.6% (1,595 of 4,243) 

of paleontological localities in good condition. Actual 38.7% 

(1,643). (Exceeded)

Geologic Resources

BUR Ia4A Water Quality Miles: 98.4% (136,775 of 139,000) of 

surface water stream miles in parks that meet state and federal water quality standards as defi ned by the Clean Water Act. 

Actual 98.9% (145,962 of 147,467 miles). (Exceeded)

BUR Ia4B Water Quality Acres: 72.0% (3,045,960 of 4,230,500)

of surface waters acres in Parks that meet state and federal 

water quality standards as defi ned by the Clean Water Act. 

Actual 74.1% (3,338,275). (Exceeded)

BUR Ia4D Water Quantity: 10 surface and groundwater systems protected and/or restored. Actual 24 (exceeded)

Water Resources

Goals related to strategy to improve information base, resource management, and technical assistance

PART-6 Natural Resource Inventories: 84.5% (2,338) of the 

2,767 outstanding data sets identifi ed in 2002 of basic natural resource inventories for all parks will be delivered. Actual 

85.3% (2,361). (Exceeded)

Inventory and Monitoring

1

 The reported GPRA percentages and numbers are from the Performance Management Data System (PMDS). 

The ‘actual’ numbers differ from those reported by parks in the NPS Endangered Species Act Database. In 

FY 2008, 35% (369 out of 1,053) of park populations were making progress toward recovery. (Exceeded)
 National Park Service 13

Servicewide natural resource stewardship 

programs that are not part of the Natural 

Resource Challenge (e.g., Natural Sounds 

Program, Environmental Quality Program, 

Cave and Karst Program).

Future Challenges

Fiscal Year 2008 was the fi rst year since the 

completion of the Natural Resource Challenge 

funding increases that spanned 2000–2007. 

The state of natural resources in the National 

Park Service improved signifi cantly during 

that time, as this report documents. But, as the 

National Park Service looks toward its centennial in 2016, what does the future hold for 

natural resources?

Park managers must look ahead to the next 

round of challenges, whether they come from 

close to home or far away. Climate change, 

ocean stewardship, landscape fragmentation, 

invasive species, energy development, and the 

value of parks are all issues the National Park 

Service is beginning to, and will continue to, 

face. The availability of sustained funding for 

natural resources, which is eroding each year 

due to increases in fi xed costs, will determine 

the ability of the National Park Service to deal 

with these issues.

The gains in natural resource stewardship over 

the life of the Natural Resource Challenge 

were signifi cant, but the work of the National 

Park Service is not done. Park managers must 

continue to work with Congress, partners, 

and the American public to ensure that the 

nation’s special places remain unimpaired for 

current and future generations.
14 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 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 15

The Natural Resource Challenge helped NPS 

resource managers address complex resource 

issues at a variety of scales. Thirty-six parks 

received Natural Resource Challenge funding 

in FY 2001 or 2002. These funds were added 

to base budgets to be used for natural resource 

management projects in the following areas: 

• Invasive species control

• Threatened and endangered species restoration and recovery

• Native species eff orts

• Basic natural resource capability for small 

parks

Regional programs also benefi ted from the 

Natural Resource Challenge, which provided 

funding to establish specialist positions that 

could use their knowledge and skills to assist 

multiple parks with resource management issues.

Park Base Funding Increases

Parks of all sizes received base funding increases via the Natural Resource Challenge. 

Smaller parks, like Monocacy National Battlefi eld (MD) and Hopewell Culture National Historical Park (OH), used the funding to establish 

natural resource management programs. Prior 

to this funding, many small parks were forced 

to rely on the regional offi ce, staff from nearby 

parks, or internal staff from other divisions, 

such as law enforcement or interpretation, to 

help protect their natural resources.

Larger parks used Natural Resource Challenge funding to supplement existing resource 

management eff orts—to fi ll holes in their programs or staff s—or to establish programs that 

met an urgent but unfulfi lled need. In some 

cases parks were able to leverage the Natural 

Resource Challenge funding through partnerships and volunteer support. At Haleakala 

National Park (HI) the base increase was used 

to hire a volunteer coordinator to manage a 

volunteer program aimed at invasive management.

The funding from the Natural Resource Challenge remains today. Some parks, however, 

report an eff ective erosion of these funds as 

fi xed costs, such as salaries, rise. Parks have 

countered some of this erosion by obtaining 

Flexible Base Increases, engaging in partnerships, and competing for project funds. While 

these resourceful methods allow parks to 

spread out existing funds for maximum impact, defi ciencies remain.

• Curecanti National Recreation Area (CO)

reports that in FY 2008 Natural Resource 

Challenge funds supported an interdisciplinary quagga and zebra mussel prevention and monitoring program, including an 

integrative prevention and response plan. 

The current funding is insuffi cient, however, to keep the area free of the invasive, 

ecosystem-altering mussels or to contain 

an outbreak should one occur. Quagga and 

zebra mussels are a relatively new invasive, 

arriving and establishing themselves since 

the start of the Natural Resource Challenge 

in FY 2000.

• Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 

(CA) state that current base funding is unavailable to support seasonal employees 

working to contain exotic plants and that 

the parks may need to cut permanent basefunded FTEs (full-time equivalents) for the 

fi rst time since the Exotic Plant Management Program began in FY 2001.

• Acadia National Park (ME) reports that 

several positions funded by or targeted to 

be funded in part by the Natural Resource 

Challenge (including a botanist; two permanent, subject-to-furlough biological 

technician positions; and a data manager 

position) are vacant and cannot be rehired 

due to funding levels.

• Jewel Cave National Monument (SD)

identifi ed the need for funding that would 

provide a natural and cultural resource division chief that would oversee above- and 

below-ground resources, as well as cultural 

resources.

Even when parks are faced with these monetary challenges, natural resources benefi t from 

the Natural Resource Challenge. Parks continue to use the funds to engage in discovery, 

learning, understanding, sharing, protecting 

and restoring, and evaluating the diverse natural resources of the National Park System.

Chapter II: Park and Regional Resource Management 

Programs

Andrew Banasik, Chief, Natural 

Resource Management, 

Monocacy National Battlefi eld, 

leads a fi eld visit to the restored 

fi eld and stream at Thomas 

Farm. Prior to receiving a 

Natural Resource Challenge base 

increase, the battlefi eld had 

no dedicated natural resource 

management staff.
16 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Elk take heel at the Great 

Sand Dunes National Park and 

Preserve (CO) during an elk 

count. The count was part of the 

collection of vital sign data.

Discovery

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve 

(CO). Park staff assisted researchers with the 

collection of several datasets during FY 2008. 

A collaborative eff ort between the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Science Foundation, and the University of Colorado installed 

a global positioning system (GPS) base station 

on bedrock within the park to collect key positional data about the movement of the Rio 

Grande Rift, which encompasses much of the 

park. NPS researchers also collected data that 

quantify the darkness of the night sky and the 

level of ambient sound within the park. This 

information will serve as a baseline for future 

monitoring eff orts.

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park 

(OH). Park staff updated three datasets: birds 

and mammals, herpetofauna (reptiles and 

amphibians), and aquatic resources. The 

information for these updates was gathered 

through breeding surveys, bird walks, and 

bird banding; fi sh surveys and water quality monitor ing; and observation and visitor 

reports. Baseline information like this helps 

natural resource managers understand which 

species live in their parks.

Obed Wild and Scenic River (TN). Natural 

resource management activities in the park 

uncovered the presence of two aggressive 

exotic species—hemlock woolly adelgid and 

hydrilla—in FY 2008. The resource management specialist discovered hemlock woolly 

adelgid (Adelges tsugae) immediately adjacent 

to park boundaries. A funding request for a 

hemlock woolly adelgid survey was submitted 

and approved for the FY 2009 Servicewide 

Comprehensive Call (SCC); now park managers will use the funds for treatment and control. Botanists discovered large areas of hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata), which dominates 

the streambed along Daddys Creek. Park staff 

submitted and received approval for a project 

in the FY 2010 SCC to pinpoint the source of 

the infestation. In the meantime, the resource 

management specialist is working with the 

Southeast Region Exotic Plant Management 

Team to investigate treatment methods.

Walnut Canyon National Monument (AZ).

Park staff and cooperators produced several 

surveys and inventories during FY 2008. A 

seasonal resource technician, working with 

Northern Arizona University through the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, developed an invasive exotic plant 

inventory of the area. Surveys were completed 

for Mexican spotted owls (threatened) and 

northern goshawks (a federal species of concern) through the U.S. Geological Survey and 

a contract, respectively.
 National Park Service 17

Learning and Understanding

Appalachian National Scenic Trail (multiple 

states). In FY 2008, staff completed the fi rst 

resource management plan for the national 

scenic trail, fi nishing a multi-year eff ort. The 

comprehensive plan was a collaborative eff ort 

including all trail resource management staff 

and others. The plan—with sections on rare, 

threatened, and endangered species and 

plant communities; air, water, and cultural 

resources; threats; description of the current 

resource management program and needs; 

and project statements to meet those needs—

will help resource managers protect the 

diverse resources of the more than 2,000-mile 

trail that stretches from Maine to Georgia.

Catoctin Mountain Park (MD), Monocacy 

National Battlefi eld (MD), Rock Creek Park 

(DC), and Antietam National Battlefi eld (MD).

The high population density of white-tailed 

deer is one of the biggest challenges facing 

urban parks in the East. Ongoing monitoring 

programs at these parks help resource managers understand the eff ects of deer on park 

lands. At Catoctin, vegetation monitoring of 

24 plots showed very little forest regeneration 

over the past fi ve to ten years, while spotlight 

surveys of deer revealed a density of 105 deer 

per square mile (up from 88 in 2006). This 

information was used to prepare the Catoctin 

Mountain Park White-Tailed Deer Management 

Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, 

which will guide management of the species in 

the future.

Channel Islands National Park (CA). In 2008, 

park staff monitored all 32 kelp monitoring sites around the Channel Islands. The 

monitor ing of kelp forests helps staff evaluate 

the performance of newly established marine 

reserves that protect kelp forests off the 

Channel Islands. These forests provide food 

and shelter for more than 1,000 species of 

marine plants and animals. Natural Resource 

Challenge funds continue long-term evaluation of the sites established in 1982 and 2005 

and provide for the overall stewardship of the 

marine protected areas, as well as outreach 

and education.

Curecanti National Recreation Area (CO). Park 

staff continued the Gunnison sage-grouse 

habitat use study, which was initiated in 1999. 

The goal of the study is to develop a habitat 

utilization model that promotes sustainable 

management of the Gunnison Basin sagebrush 

steppe ecosystem in a manner that enhances 

the bird’s population. In FY 2008, researchers captured and fi tted 27 adult and juvenile 

grouse with radio transmitters. Field crews 

classifi ed 10,070 acres of sage-grouse habitat 

on public and private lands adjacent to the 

recreation area and completed 12 permanent 

nesting transects. NPS biologists, U.S. Geological Survey researchers, and Colorado 

Division of Wildlife biologists continued a 

chick survival study. While the Gunnison sagegrouse is not listed under the Endangered 

Species Act, the species is found only in a 

small area of Colorado and Utah.

Haleakala National Park (HI): Two endangered bird species, the `ua`u (Hawaiian 

dark-rumped petrel, Pterodroma phaeopygia sandwichensis) and the nene (Hawaiian 

goose, Branta sandvicensis), continued to be 

the focus of research in the park. Park staff 

monitored and recorded activity data on the 

ground-nesting `ua`u and recorded 68 nesting 

attempts for the nene.

Sharing

Homestead National Monument of America 

(NE). The Kids in Parks Program introduced 

children to the biodiversity of the monument. 

Using data from the Heartland Inventory and 

Monitoring Program and the Prairie Cluster 

Monitoring Program, staff developed six programs exploring plants, birds, bugs, aquatic 

macroinvertebrates, trees, and mammals. 

Each program was presented to economically 

and racially diverse children from YMCA day 

camps in Beatrice and Lincoln, Nebraska, and 

then to the public on the weekend. Overall, 

the eff ort reached 408 children through 18 

programs.

Padre Island National Seashore (TX). The 

Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle Monitoring Program, which in FY 2008 saw the largest 

number of nests found in the park (93) since 

record-keeping began in 1980, continues to 

include a strong public element. More than 

3,000 visitors attended 18 public hatchling 

releases. Park staff conducted 36 media interviews, wrote a biweekly column for a local newspaper, and invited the media to two 

hatchling releases. The Kemp’s ridley sea 

turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) is considered the 
18 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

most endangered sea turtle by the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 

(CA). The Exotic Plant Management Program 

includes an educational element to aid in 

early identifi cation (and therefore treatment/

control) of exotic species. Park staff developed weed identifi cation cards for park staff , 

neighbors, and visitor groups and presented 

information sessions about invasive plants and 

prevention techniques. Staff throughout the 

park received invasive plant newsletters and 

exotic plant observation cards that provided 

the information and means to identify and report exotic species.

Zion National Park (UT). The outreach program for the federally threatened desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) has three goals: to 

increase awareness of the needs of and threats 

to the species, foster enhancement of habitat 

on private lands, and increase the public’s support for protection of the species. As part of 

this eff ort, wildlife biological technicians created educational posters and activities, hosted 

six outreach events, and developed a welcome 

packet for new residents in and adjacent to 

desert tortoise habitat in Springdale, Utah. 

They shared this information with Joshua Tree 

National Park and Bryce Canyon National 

Park for use in their outreach programs.

Resource Protection and Restoration

Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site 

(MA). Major actions for the restoration of 

historic waterfront and marsh have been 

substantially completed. Site preparation 

included treatment of invasive non-native 

phragmites by the NPS Northeast Region 

Exotic Plant Management Team. Implementation included: excavation of contaminated 

sediments and a monoculture of invasive 

non-native phragmites in the intertidal marsh; 

grading to establish topography appropriate 

for high marsh, low marsh, and mudfl at environments; planting of 2000 high marsh plants 

from 12 species and nearly 12,000 low marsh 

plants from 4 species; and berm planting of 

350 sedges, 51 shrubs, and small trees from 4 

species. The park is now coordinating a multiresource monitoring program that began in 

2008 and will continue for at least fi ve years. 

The monitoring will be benefi cial for ongoing 

management, and also was required by project 

permits, but was not funded as part of the 

project.

Antietam National Battlefi eld (MD). Park 

priorities for 2008 included two closely 

linked projects: exotic plant control and 

historic scene restoration. Invasive plant species threaten important historic areas such as 

the Otto and Roulette Farms and the North, 

West, and East Woods. Park staff combined 

several techniques to manage these areas. To 

re-establish the historic appearance of the 

Otto Farm landscape by reducing woody vegetation and enhancing native vegetation, park 

staff performed two prescribed fi res, burning 

24 acres. The Roulette Farm is farmed as a hay 

fi eld by an agricultural permittee to maintain 

its open appearance. Park staff planted 100 

seedlings and 52 larger trees in the North and 

West Woods and shielded naturally regenerating seedlings with tree tubes to prevent damage from animal browsing and mowing. In the 

East Woods, park staff hand-pulled, treated, 

and monitored several exotic plant species.

Buck Island Reef National Monument (VI).

In an eff ort to lessen the potential for catastrophic loss of remaining populations and to 

increase species range into high-quality, protected habitat, researchers released 57 St. Croix ground lizards (Ameiva polops) on Buck Island in July 2008. Prior to the restoration, the 

globally endangered species was found only 

on three near-shore cays near St. Croix. This 

eff ort concludes 40 years of preparation for 

the restoration of the species to Buck Island 

—a long process that included elimination 

of mongoose and control of tree rats on the 

island, a habitat assessment, and an environmental assessment. The restored population 

will be monitored biannually by researchers 

from Texas A&M University, the National Park 

Service, and U.S. Virgin Islands Department 

of Planning and Natural Resources–Division 

of Fish and Wildlife.

Channel Islands National Park (CA). The end 

of 2008 marked a high point in the recovery 

of the endangered island fox (Urocyon littoralis). After a nine-year captive breeding and 

restoration eff ort, all captive breeding facilities 

were closed and the captive breeding program 

ceased due to the rapid success of the program. More than 650 island foxes now live in 

the northern Channel Islands, which is close 
 National Park Service 19

to meeting the biological criteria for de-listing 

from the endangered species list. Wild populations have increased rapidly due to high 

fox survival and high reproductive success in 

the wild. Park managers believe that the high 

survival rate is due primarily to the relocation 

of golden eagles, a primary predator of island 

foxes, from the northern Channel Islands to 

the mainland.

Great Basin National Park (NV). Park staff 

wrapped up an eight-year eff ort to restore the 

Bonneville cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus 

clarki utah) to park streams. Viable, self-reproducing populations were found in fi ve stream 

systems within the park. In October 2008, the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found that the 

Bonneville cutthroat trout was not warranted 

for listing under the Endangered Species Act, 

citing the work at Great Basin as a signifi cant 

factor in the decision. This project was one 

of the original Natural Resource Challenge 

funded projects.

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument 

(OR). In conjunction with the National Marine 

Fisheries Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Oregon Natural Desert Association, park staff initiated a project to increase 

threatened steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) 

populations in the Bridge Creek watershed. 

The project has two parts designed to make 

the habitat more suitable: installing in-stream 

structures to slow down fl ow of the stream 

and restoring riparian vegetation. In spring 

2008, 1,300 native tree cuttings were planted 

along Bridge Creek.

Evaluation

Buck Island Reef National Monument (VI).

The Buck Island Sea Turtle Research and 

Monitoring Program had another record sea 

turtle nesting year. The park usually records 

between 30-70 adult nesting hawksbill sea 

turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata). This year 

researchers observed 77 endangered hawksbill 

sea turtles nesting on the monument beaches; 

however this number is not the full seasonal 

nesting count as hawksbill turtles continued 

to nest after conclusion of night-time beach 

patrols through December. Observers also 

discovered 12 threatened green sea turtles 

(Chelonia mydas), one endangered leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) nest, 

and the return of one nesting threatened loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), which is 

a very rare occurrence in the Virgin Islands. 

To date only two adult loggerheads have been 

observed nesting in the Virgin Islands; their 

nests have done well and they continue to 

return to nest every two years. As of October 

15, 2008, prior to impact of Hurricane Omar 

(Category 3) hitting St. Croix and Buck Island 

Reef National Monument, staff recorded 560 

sea turtle nesting activities on the park’s 1500 

meters of available nesting beach.

Virgin Islands National Park (VI). The park has 

an extensive program for removal of exotic 

species, including cats, rats, mongoose, hogs, 

goats, sheep, and, new in FY 2008, chickens. 

These species create a number of problems 

in the park: disease transmission, impacts on 

native wildlife, destruction of natural resources, and damage to park trails. While removal 

for most species is an ongoing eff ort, staff continually monitor to see if all animals have been 

removed from a particular area. In the case 

of rats on Henley Cay, traps set by park staff 

found no animals; thus indicating that the cay 

remains rat-free.

Regional Resource Management Activities

The 391 sites in the National Park System are 

organized into seven geographic regions: Alaska, Intermountain, Midwest, National Capital, 

Northeast, Pacifi c West, and Southeast. These 

regional offi ces provide support and guidance 

to parks, leverage resources to most eff ectively 

respond to issues faced by multiple parks, and 

work with local and state agencies on behalf 

of parks. Table 2.1 details the number of NPS 

sites and acreage that each region serves, as 

well as the states the region covers.

Six of the seven regions reported continued 

erosion of funding for regional and park natural resource management programs. While 

Natural Resource Challenge funds dramatically improved the fi nancial dynamics in the 

regions, funding has eff ectively declined since 

FY 2002. Regional managers reported that 

parks are facing a number of challenges, including insuffi cient funding to cover annual 

operational costs and cost-of-living increases. 

This has translated into a continued loss of 

permanent, full-time natural resource staff 

positions and therefore less time and money 

available to address natural resource issues. 

The small to medium-sized parks are the most 
20 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

aff ected by the loss of natural resource staff 

and have dealt with fewer funds by not refi lling natural resource positions when they become vacant, sharing a single natural resource 

position among several parks, or having individuals assume part-time responsibility for 

other park divisions.

The parks and regions reported other challenges as well. Restrictions on travel funding 

reduced the ability of regional natural resource staff to provide technical assistance to 

parks and reduced the ability of park resource 

managers to travel to meetings or trainings to 

continue professional development or participate in external or interagency work groups. 

Some parks are also fi nding it diffi cult to identify partners for natural resource projects because many potential partners are hesitant to 

commit funds to projects scheduled three or 

more years out, the length of time required for 

project selections. Despite these challenges, 

several regions and parks were able to augment their resource management programs 

through partnerships with state agencies and 

citizen scientists.

The seven regions identifi ed climate change, 

development within and surrounding parks, 

threatened and endangered species, invasive 

species, restoration, and ocean/coastal stewardship as focus areas for their natural resource eff orts, which they undertake as part of 

the natural resource stewardship cycle.

Climate Change

The NPS Alaska Region formed a partnership with bureaus of the Department of the 

Interior (DOI) and others in Alaska to document and forecast the long-term eff ects of 

climate change on DOI areas in Northern 

Alaska. Three programs are part of this eff ort: 

WILDCAST (for NPS areas on the southern 

side of the Brooks Range), WILDREACH (for 

areas north of the Brooks Range), and the 

North Slope Initiative (also north and including Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve and Noatak National Preserve). These 

projects will provide information to help the 

parks plan ways to adapt to future changes in 

climate, soil conditions, land cover, fi re, and 

wildlife. One result of these projects to date is 

the availability of downscaled future climate 

maps for several Alaska parks. In addition, 

more than 100 scientifi c studies were presented as part of planning exercises, training, 

and science symposia in FY 2008. Another signifi cant accomplishment in FY 2008 was the 

receipt of three international awards for the 

2007 climate change issue of the Alaska Park 

Science journal.

Development

As the District of Columbia explores the selling of its properties for commercial purposes, 

NPS areas are being considered to fi ll the district’s recreational needs—which could result 

in public open space being used for “bricks 

and mortar” projects. Legislation has identiTable 2.1

Acreage and Sites per NPS Region

Region States Number of 

NPS Sites

Acres

Alaska AK 19 54.63 million

Intermountain MT, CO WY, UT, OK, TX, AZ, NM 91 10.19 million

Midwest NE, WI, AR, SD, KS, OH, IA, ND, IN, MO, MN, MI, IL 57 1.82 million

National Capital DC, VA, MD 34 77,432

Northeast ME, VT, NH, NY, RI, MA, CT, NJ, PA, WV, MD, VA 71 711,490

Pacifi c West MT, CA, ID, OR, NV, WA, HI, AZ, SAMOA, GUAM 58 12.82 million

Southeast KY, GA, TN, FL, NC, VA, MS, VI, LA, SC, MS, PR, AL 66 3.85 million
 National Park Service 21

Equipment and operational 

improvements have reduced, 

though not eliminated, fugitive 

dust releases from contaminated 

truck and road surfaces during 

transport of lead and zinc ore 

concentrates from the Red Dog 

across Cape Krusenstern National Monument in Alaska.

(NPS photo)

Patti Happe, Mitch Lewis, and 

Cokie Smith release a male fi sher 

into the Elwha Drainage, Olympic National Park, in March 2008.

Photo: Coke Smith

fi ed 80–85 acres of National Capital Parks–

East (DC, MD) land available for transfer to 

the District of Columbia for development into 

mixed commercial/residential and open space. 

Some of these lands include meadows managed for pollinators, river riparian areas, and 

wetlands. An additional 15 acres being considered for transfer would be used for recreation 

buildings and parking lots in the Fort Dupont 

area. Plans for construction of a consolidated 

Department of Homeland Security headquarters at the former St. Elizabeth’s Hospital site 

could destroy signifi cant portions of forest 

along Shepherd Parkway and threaten the 

prominent green backdrop that has been an 

important design element of the nation’s capital.

The National Park Service and U.S. Geological Survey continue to evaluate data from 

research on the eff ects of heavy metal dust 

contamination from the Red Dog Mine, the 

world’s largest lead-zinc mine, on the vegetation, snow, water, and wildlife of Cape

Krusenstern National Monument (AK)

and Noatak National Preserve (AK). While 

research has been ongoing for several years, 

new research has found that impacts to native 

vegetation (especially lichens) are widespread 

and severe in some areas. Limited and sublethal physiological eff ects were detected 

in small mammals and birds. A formal risk 

assess ment was completed, and risk management and environmental impact planning are 

underway with the oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Two new virtual learning centers reach beyond park boundaries to engage the public 

and park neighbors in resource stewardship. 

These virtual learning centers provide quick 

access to natural resource information. The 

Greater Yellowstone Science Learning Center 

and the Learning Center of the American 

Southwest form a collaboration among 51 NPS 

units in fi ve Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) 

networks, three Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs), and six nonprofi t partners. 

Designed to complement park websites, these 

virtual learning centers take a resource-centric 

approach to information, which is organized 

by resources as well as park units. Resources, 

therefore, no longer stop at park boundaries 

but can be viewed in a holistic manner that 

encourages exploration at multiple levels of 

scale and detail and highlights the signifi cance 

and connectivity of smaller parks to larger 

neighbors. (The virtual learning center websites are available at www.greateryellowstonescience.org/ and http://dev.southwestlearning.

org/. The Learning Center of the American 

Southwest is still under construction.)

Threatened and Endangered Species

The Intermountain Region, along with the 

Midwest Region, signed a memorandum 

of understanding (MOU) with the Western 

Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. 

This MOU provides for state and federal 

agency cooperation in the conservation and 

management of wildlife species and grassland 

habitats within the western Great Plains. The 

interagency cooperation will focus on shared 

collection and analysis of data related to 

threatened and endangered species (both state 

listed and federally listed) and other species of 

management concern.

Due to unregulated trapping and fragmentation of low-elevation forests, the fi sher 

(Martes pennant), a candidate species under 

the Endangered Species Act, was extirpated 

from the state of Washington in the mid to late 

20th century. In early 2008, park staff , Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists, and U.S. Geological Survey biologists 

released 18 fi shers—the fi rst of up to 100—in 

Olympic National Park (WA). This restoration 

eff ort was the result of eight years of analysis 

and planning among many partners. To evaluate the success of the restoration, managers 

launched a study that will help researchers understand the factors that infl uence the survival 

of released fi shers and to determine landscape 

components selected by fi shers in establishing home ranges. Data collection is ongoing, 

as the study will continue for several years 

(partial funding is secured through 2010), but 

so far preliminary results show that the fi sher 

has remarkable abilities to move widely from 

release sites and colonize diverse landscapes 

throughout the Olympic Peninsula.

Invasive Species

Since the late 1990s, large numbers of native 

birds have been found dead along the shores 

of the Great Lakes due to Type E botulism. 

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (MI)

lost nearly 3,000 birds in 2006 and another 

1,100 in 2007. Resource managers have initi-
22 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

ated a project to determine the factors that 

contribute to these outbreaks. The project 

includes four elements: water quality monitoring, toxin monitoring, underwater image 

and video collection, and stable isotope and 

stomach content analysis of toxin-killed birds. 

To date, data show that many of the birds 

examined were feeding on exotic species believed to be associated with botulism toxicity 

(e.g., quagga mussels and round gobies). The 

image and video collection have documented 

changes in light penetration, an increase in 

areas able to produce native algae, and quagga 

mussel and round goby population explosions. When complete, the study will add to 

the understanding of impacts from invasive 

species in the Great Lakes and, researchers 

hope, identify links in food pathways or ways 

to disrupt populations of exotic species to 

break the botulism toxin cycling and prevent 

die-off s of native birds.

Parks in the National Capital Region continue 

to be aff ected by exotic species. Three parks 

continued the treatment of areas aff ected by 

gypsy moths, a widespread forest pest that 

defoliates trees. With the detection of the 

emerald ash borer in Maryland and Virginia 

this year, National Capital parks took action. 

Antietam National Battlefi eld (MD) wrote 

and implemented an emerald ash borer monitoring plan and collaborated with Catoctin 

Mountain Park (MD), Chesapeake and Ohio 

Canal National Historical Park (DC, MD), and 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service on a larger-scale monitoring eff ort. Since the discovery 

of these exotic beetles in Michigan in 2002, 

they have spread to nine states and Canada’s 

Province of Ontario and killed tens of millions 

of ash trees.

Restoration

Halstead Meadow is a 25-acre wet meadow 

crossed by the General’s Highway in Sequoia 

National Park (CA). The rare and highly visible 

wetland had developed severe gullies 12–15 feet 

deep, resulting in a lower water table, dieback 

of wetland vegetation, and export of sediment 

downstream. Park staff and partners developed a pilot restoration design for upper Halstead Meadow in 2006, and earthmoving began in 2007. In 2008, volunteers helped repair 

erosional features and prepared the ground 

for planting; in June, contractors, volunteers, 

and park staff planted 53,000 native wetland 

plants. Monitoring in 2008–2009 will help 

staff evaluate pilot project methods and plan 

restoration of lower Halstead Meadow.

Ocean/Coastal Stewardship

Horseshoe crabs are an important marine 

resource. They serve as the primary preybase for sea turtles, sharks, and other marine 

organisms; their eggs provide critical food 

resources for migrating shorebirds; and they 

play the role of predator in the estuarine benthic community food web. Harvested within 

Cape Cod National Seashore (MA) boundaries prior to 2001, legislation ruled that the 

harvesting of horseshoe crabs, as a wildlife 

species, was prohibited. During that time, 

Cape Cod staff and University of Rhode Island researchers initiated a study to quantify 

spawning activity and egg densities on beaches 

within and outside the boundary. The sites 

establish ed during that study will be revisited 

in 2008 and 2009. Results from 2008 suggest that spawning crabs routinely return to 

the same beaches, which means that certain 

beaches are critical to spawning and population maintenance. Data analysis to compare 

spawning densities between the harvest and 

harvest ban periods is currently underway. 

The fi ndings from this study will have widespread implications to other seashores, U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service refuges, and other 

public lands.

Beginning in 2001, staff at Biscayne National 

Park (FL) cooperated with the Florida Fish 

and Wildlife Conservation Committee to develop a fi sheries management plan (FMP) that 

would guide the sustainable use of the park’s 

fi shery-related resources over the next fi ve to 

ten years. Using input from the public, a FMP 

working group, and local fi sheries experts, 

they prepared a draft environmental impact 

statement (EIS) to describe the fi ve management alternatives, the aff ected environment, 

and the environmental consequences of the 

alternatives. The draft EIS is expected to be 

released for public comment in early 2009. 

When implemented, the FMP will guide management actions that promote sustainability 

and responsible harvesting, leading to healthier marine resources.

At Canaveral National Seashore (FL), 5,400 

volunteers from schools, community groups, 
 National Park Service 23

and local organizations assisted park staff with 

an oyster reef restoration project. They treated 

13 acres of reefs by scraping down accumulated mounds of dead shells and covering the 

areas with restoration mats containing oyster 

shells in the natural live (vertical) position. 

These mats provide oyster larvae with a substrate on which to settle, creating a new reef 

over time. Oyster reefs are in dramatic decline 

due to habitat degradation, disease, overharvesting, reduced water quality, and recreational boating. As a keystone species and 

ecosystem engineer, oysters provide habitat 

for fi sh, crab, shrimp, and snails. This project 

was funded entirely by partners.
24 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 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 25

Park managers across the country are 

confront ed with increasingly complex and 

challenging issues that require a broad-based 

understanding of the status and trends in the 

condition of natural resources in parks, working with other agencies, and communicating 

with the public to protect natural systems 

and native species. To help in these eff orts, 

the Natural Resource Challenge funded four 

programs that link parks into biogeographic 

networks across the country: Cooperative 

Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs), Exotic 

Plant Management Teams (EPMTs), Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) networks, and 

Research Learning Centers (RLCs). Through 

these networks, the parks accomplish much 

more together than they could as single 

units—and the networks save money through 

consolidating eff orts and leveraging funding 

with partners.

These networks work side-by-side with park 

resource programs, the NPS Natural Resource 

Program Center, federal and state agencies, 

universities, non-profi t organizations, and 

other partners that share similar resource protection goals. They were, however, established 

as four separate entities so that they remain 

accountable for fulfi lling their purposes and 

accomplishing their goals. Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs) link parks 

with appropriate subject-matter experts at 

universities. Exotic Plant Management 

Teams (EPMTs) survey to discover invasive plant species in the parks, use the latest 

research and best practices to understand how 

to control them, and take action to control 

problem species and restore native species. 

Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) networks

off er discovery through baseline inventories of key ecosystem indicators, learning

through long-term monitoring of trends of 

these indicators, and understanding through 

collaboration with scientists at universities 

and other agencies. Sharing that information 

leads to science-based management decisions 

and actions to protect the parks. Continued monitoring will provide evaluation of 

the eff ectiveness of park actions. Research 

Learning Centers (RLCs) provide support 

and assistance for scientists working through 

park programs, I&M networks, CESUs, or 

the Natural Resource Program Center. RLCs 

strive to make research and science in the 

National Park System more eff ective and to 

communicate its results to peers, partners, and 

the public.

This chapter presents some of the accomplishments of the network programs in the context 

of the natural resource stewardship cycle: 

discovery, learning, understanding, sharing, resource protection and restoration, and 

evaluation.

COOPERATIVE ECOSYSTEM STUDIES UNITS

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESUs) 

are multi-agency partnerships between 

universit ies, federal agencies, and other institutions, organized around the country according to biogeographic areas. The National Park 

Service is one of 13 federal agencies within 

the CESU network, which was established in 

FY 1999 with leadership from the National 

Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and 

other federal agencies. A total of 188 universities (including 43 minority institutions) and 

45 non-federal research partners participate 

in the CESU network. The objectives of this 

network are to:

• Provide resource managers with 

high-quality scientifi c research, technical 

assistance, and education

• Deliver research and technical assistance 

that is timely, relevant to resource managers, and needed to develop and implement 

sound adaptive management approaches

• Ensure the independence and objectivity of 

research

• Create and maintain eff ective partnerships 

among federal agencies and universities to 

share resources and expertise

• Take full advantage of university resources 

while benefi ting faculty and students

• Encourage professional development of 

federal scientists

• Manage federal science resources effi ciently

The broad scope of CESUs includes the biological, physical, social, and cultural sciences 

needed to address natural and cultural 

resource management issues at multiple scales 

and across ecosystems.

Chapter III: Network Programs

The California Exotic Plant Management Team initiates a treatment of Harding grass (Phalaris 

aquatica) after inventorying a 

meadow at Redwoods National 

Park, California.
26 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

In FY 2008, the National Park Service received $1.985 million to support NPS participation 

in the CESU network. The Natural Resource 

Challenge funding provides salary and support for a coordinator at the host university 

in 12 of the 17 CESUs. The CESU coordinators are “brokers,” working with NPS park 

managers to identify research, technical 

assistance, and education needs, and to facilitate specializ ed expertise and assistance from 

the universities and other federal agency partners. An equal level of funding, $154,920, was 

allocat ed to each CESU; as in previous years, 

a portion of the funding provided Serviceand department-wide administrative support 

($125,960) and coordination activities. CESUs 

facilitated 777 projects, which were supported 

by a range of funding sources that totaled 

more than $45 million. These numbers represent a 9% decrease in project numbers, but a 

nearly 5% increase in project dollars.

Natural Resource Challenge funding is not 

available for 5 of the 17 coordinator positions 

(Californian, Great Rivers [formerly Upper 

& Middle Mississippi Valley], HawaiiPacifi c Islands, North and West Alaska, and 

Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast CESUs); 

regional offi ces help support NPS participation in those fi ve CESUs through assigning 

collateral duties to regional offi ce staff , providing additional funding, or assigning responsibilities to other CESU coordinators. Lack 

of national support has aff ected the ability of 

these CESUs to provide support for CESU 

operations at host universities or to provide 

funds for projects, especially at small parks 

that lack discretionary funding.

Table 3.1

Project Activity and Funding, by Region and Individual CESU, FY 2008

Region CESU Total Projects and Funding (All 

Sources), FY 2008

Projects Funding

Alaska North and West Alaska* 23 $780,793

Intermountain Colorado Plateau 153 $4,174,285

Desert Southwest 67 $2,351,029 

Rocky Mountains 181 $12,360,981

Midwest Great Plains 10 $289,046

Great Lakes-Northern Forest 30 $1,400,016

Great Rivers* 9 $535,109 

National Capital Chesapeake Watershed 26 $1,314,995

Northeast North Atlantic Coast 21 $1,319,970 

Pacifi c West Californian* 16 $547,458

Great Basin 33 $4,558,814

Hawaii-Pacifi c Islands* 20 $2,069,561

Pacifi c Northwest 55 $2,968,369

Southeast Gulf Coast 46 $2,863,874

Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast* 28 $1,678,934

South Florida/Caribbean 39 $4,802,508

Southern Appalachian Mountains 20 $1,029,391 

TOTALS 777 $45,045,133

* Not funded by the Natural Resource Challenge.
 National Park Service 27

In FY 2008, many CESUs reported level or 

declining project numbers and dollars; others 

reported a substantial increase in both. For 

example, the Chesapeake Watershed CESU 

saw a 285% increase in project dollars. The 

Rocky Mountains CESU also reported an 

increase: signifi cant funding increases came 

from the Centennial Challenge (six projects) 

and line-item construction funds that were 

used to assess the impacts from planned coal 

mine develop ment in the vicinity of Glacier 

National Park (MT). By contrast, the Great 

Basin CESU reported a 15% decline in project 

dollars due to a decline in Southern Nevada 

Public Lands Management Act funding. See 

Table 3.1 for project funding and activity for 

each CESU. Table 3.2 shows the total funding 

and number of NPS projects administered by 

the CESUs from FY 2001 to FY 2008.

Examples of CESUs activities in FY 2008 

include the following:

• In FY 2008, the number of federal agency 

partners remained at 13; the number of 

university and non-government partners was 233, representing a 3% increase 

over FY 2007. Although the network of 

17 CESUs is complete, individual CESUs 

continue to add partners.

• Four CESUs successfully completed 

their fi ve-year renewals in FY 2008: the 

Californian, Great Rivers, North and West 

Alaska, and Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast 

CESUs.

• In FY 2008, three NPS CESU research 

coordinator positions—Colorado Plateau, 

Gulf Coast, and Pacifi c Northwest 

CESUs—were vacated and refi lled.

• The CESU research coordinators continue 

to perform important collateral duties. 

CESUs and NPS coordinators provide key 

services to I&M networks and continue 

to play important roles in organizing and 

conducting workshops, symposia, regional 

summits, and training sessions on natural 

and cultural research and management 

issues. Coordinators continue to collaborate with each other to ensure that parks in 

their regions have access to the best available expertise across the entire CESU Network.

• Opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at participating CESU institutions to become involved in NPS CESU 

projects are being provided through project 

activities, internships, fellowships, design 

of degree programs, and student career 

positions. NPS personnel in the CESUs 

participate in student education by teaching 

classes, giving seminars, serving on graduate committees, providing student funding, 

and mentoring students.

• As the CESUs mature, opportunities 

for interagency and inter-university 

projects, includ ing those that involve 

ecosystem-level research and restoration, 

are increasing. For example, in FY 2008, 

the DOI Interagency Bison Strategy made 

use of data and information on bison genetics, ecology, and populations generated by 

university and agency partners, including 

those in the Gulf Coast, Rocky Mountains, 

and Great Plains CESUs.

• Climate change is an increasingly important 

CESU focus area. There are interagency 

activities in most biogeographic regions in 

the country, including collaboration across 

the borders with protected areas in Mexico 

and Canada.

CESU-Specifi c Accomplishments

Great Basin CESU: Great Basin National 

Park (NV). Staff at Great Basin National Park 

Table 3.2

NPS CESU Projects and Funding, FY 2001–2008

Fiscal Year Projects Initiated Total Funding CESUs in Network

2001 260 $10 million 8

2002 380 $15 million 12

2003 540 $19 million 16

2004 650 $27 million 17

2005 635 $32 million 17 

2006 728 $39 million 17

2007 848 $43 million 17

2008 777 $45 million 17
28 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Researchers discovered 

two different genetically 

defi ned “subpopulations” in 

the Badlands National Park 

(SD) bison herd. These two 

subpopulations correspond 

to the two historical lineages 

represented in this herd 

(Nebraska and Colorado).

collaborat ed with the University of Utah to 

develop a fi eld guide to mammals of the park 

and vicinity. The park has 22 sensitive mammal 

species and uses small mammals as indicator 

species of climate and habitat change. Park 

bio logists needed a tool to train staff in 

mammal identifi cation and assist in management, compliance, and NEPA planning. To 

meet this need University of Utah mammalogists together with NPS staff completed A 

Guide to the Mammals of Great Basin National 

Park. The guide includes a dichotomous 

identi fi cation key, mammal checklist, and 

species accounts summarizing the characteristics, regional distribution, natural history, 

and ecology of the 67 species of mammals 

found in the South Snake Range. The guide 

is now being used as a mammal identifi cation training tool and fi eld guide by park staff 

and is available to the public online (http://

www.nps.gov/grba/naturescience/upload/

CompletedGBguideAllSections.pdf ).

Great Plains CESU: Badlands National Park 

(SD). American bison are a critical keystone 

species in grassland ecosystems. Nearly all of 

the 500,000 bison that exist today are derived from a handful of publicly-managed herds 

in the U.S. and Canada which represent the 

genetic “stock” of the bison species. The 

 Badlands National Park bison herd was fi rst 

established in 1963 with bison originally from 

Nebraska (Fort Niobrara National Wildlife 

Refuge lineage) and later supplemented in 

1983 with bison from Colorado. Genetic data 

were collected over a period of fi ve years to 

investigate the levels and patterns of variation within the herd in order to assist with 

long-term management goals and priorities. 

Two diff erent genetically defi ned “subpopulations” were discovered in the Badlands herd, 

corresponding to the two historical lineages 

represented in this herd (Nebraska and 

Colorado). The observation that bison in this 

herd preferentially associate with others from 

their original founding lineage 25 years after 

the lineages were “mixed” was an unexpected 

fi nding by scientists and population managers. This new discovery could have signifi cant 

implications for the future management of 

this national resource and may require more 

detailed evaluations of hidden population 

structure and management policies with other 

important federal bison herds. Computer simulations were also performed to test the eff ects 

of intensive culling, which has been proposed 

to reduce the herd size from around 850 to 

600 bison. While culling duration (years) and 

intensity are predicted to have only a minimal impact on short-term (less than 10 years) 

genetic diversity, over longer periods (100 

years) total population size is expected to have 

a signifi cant impact on genetic diversity. The 

results of this study indicate that to maximize 

levels of genetic diversity the herd should be 

maintained with at least 800–1000 bison. This 
 National Park Service 29

study underscores the value of using modern 

biotechnology to help ensure the preservation and conservation of the park bison herd 

for generations to come and could provide 

valuable insight for future species conservation endeavors.

Great Rivers CESU: George Washington 

Carver National Monument (MO), Pea Ridge 

National Military Park (AR), and Wilson’s 

Creek National Battlefi eld (MO). Cooperators are working to develop an assessment of 

natural resources and watershed conditions 

for these sites that will provide (1) information 

for managers to more precisely and accurately 

defi ne desired future conditions and thus 

provide a more comprehensive and accurate 

assessment of current resource conditions 

and (2) assessment statistics and report summaries for park managers to develop reports 

that meet GPRA and OMB reporting requirements. The assessment will use available 

data from the I&M Program and other NPS 

and non-NPS sources. The project will also 

identify where additional data are needed to 

characterize the park’s natural resources and 

document these information gaps for each 

major resource group, ecological attribute, 

and spatial scale of analysis.

Hawaii Pacifi c-Islands CESU: Hawaii 

Volcanoes National Park (HI). In 2003, volunteers discover ed that federally endangered 

hawksbill sea turtles that nest within Hawaii 

Volcanoes National Park were also nesting at 

four adjacent beaches outside park boundaries. The park and CESU worked with volunteers, the Hawaii Natural History Association, 

and private landowners to initiate monitoring, reduce adverse eff ect on nesting habitat, 

and conduct outreach activities to educate 

the public. The project was very successful 

at reducing adverse eff ects on nesting. As of 

FY 2008, invasive plant and animal control 

in important nesting habitat resulted in 14 

success ful turtle nests and over 1,500 hatchlings that safely reached the ocean. To lessen 

the human impact on nesting habitat, project 

volunteers and cooperative staff provided 

education to numerous community members, 

visitors, and land owners via direct contact 

and the installation of interpretive signs 

for beach users. Additionally, baseline data 

were analyzed and compiled into a technical 

report detailing results of the last 15 years of 

Hawaii Island hawksbill turtle research. This 

long-term monitoring information is being 

shared with researchers and land and resource 

managers, and constitutes an important contribution to the understanding of hawksbill 

demography and reproductive biology and 

behavior.

Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast CESU: Great 

Smoky Mountains National Park (NC, TN). An 

Asian earthworm species (Amynthas agrestis), 

the Chinese jumping worm, was fi rst reported 

in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 

in 2002. This is an active worm that disturbs 

and consumes the organic surface layers of 

forest soils. Exotic earthworms are potentially destructive to forest litter and duff layers, thereby jeopardizing rare species, forest 

succession, and ecological processes over 

the long-term. Researchers focused on the 

southwest corner of the park where there is an 

active infestation of A. agrestis. The perimeter 

of this infestation was delineated and documented. Additional sampling on nearby lands 

was conducted to determine the distribution 

of endemic/rare/undescribed earthworm species within the same area, and to estimate the 

rate of spread of A. agrestis. Prescribed burning in small acreages and in the appropriate 

season was used to experimentally determine 

if existing populations of A. agrestis can be 

reduced and/or exterminated. It was determined that prescribed burning dramatically 

reduced abundance of A. agrestis, but populations rebounded if the duff layer was not fully 

consumed. This is important information for 

the park and will help determine the desired 

objectives of prescribed fi res in A. agrestis 

infest ed areas.

Rocky Mountains CESU: Glacier National 

Park (MT). The Montana Heritage Program 

began a pilot study to determine the presence 

of land snail species of concern likely to 

occur in the park. The work included training NPS personnel in survey and inventory 

techniques, as well as fi eld identifi cation of 

species, so the park can undertake additional 

survey work when resources become available. The inventory includ ed a fall 2008 survey 

of 20 sites. Researchers from the University 

of Montana found seven species new to the 

1967 park checklist, including brown-banded 

arion (Arion circumscriptus), chocolate arion

(Arion rufus), dusky arion (Arion subfuscus), 
30 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

glossy pillar (Cochlicopa lubrica), meadow 

slug (Derocerus laeve), reticulate taildropper 

(Prophysaon andersoni), and lovely vallonia 

(Vallonia pulchella). While this animal group is 

not included in the base inventories under the 

I&M Program, it is valuable to have a baseline 

inventory of this kind in light of the potential 

eff ects of climate change on species.

Southern Appalachian Mountains CESU: 

Obed Wild and Scenic River (TN). One of the 

strongest remaining populations of the spotfi n 

chub fi sh (Erimonax monachus) occurs within 

the Emory River watershed within the boundaries of the Obed Wild and Scenic River. 

Researchers from Tennessee Technological 

University identifi ed and mapped sensitive 

aquatic habitats and communities through the 

spring, summer, and fall. They discovered fi ve 

habitat variables that were signifi cantly associated with the presence or absence of spotfi n 

chubs: depth, substrate, velocity at substrate, 

velocity at 60%, and habitat unit occupied. 

Seven signifi cant habitat variables were identifi ed for both summer and fall: temperature, 

conductivity, depth, substrate, velocity at 

substrate, velocity at 60%, and habitat unit 

occupied. The results of this study will help 

park staff protect this species through preparation of a comprehensive resource monitoring plan for this state and federally threatened 

species.

EXOTIC PLANT MANAGEMENT TEAMS

National parks are home to complex native 

communities of plants and animals that 

have developed over millions of years. This 

natural heritage is threatened by the invasion 

of exotic plants and animals as well as by 

human-caused disturbances that foster the 

establishment of exotic species. The introduction of harmful exotic species is an emerging 

global problem. A Cornell University study 

in 2000 estimated that invasive plants and 

animals cost the U.S. Economy $137 billion 

annually. The Ecological Society of America 

notes that invasive species contribute to the 

listing of 35 to 46 percent of all threatened and 

endanger ed species. Exotic plants infest some 

2.6 million acres in the national parks. Control 

of exotic species is one of the most signifi cant 

land management issues facing national parks.

Exotic Plant Management Teams (EPMTs) are 

an important part of the NPS response to the 

problem of invasive plant species. The Natural 

Resource Challenge funded 16 EPMTs; these 

teams serve more than 200 parks. EPMTs 

provide a framework and fi rst response to exotic plant invasions within the National Park 

Service. The teams were modeled after the 

coordinated rapid response approach used 

in wild land fi re fi ghting. The success of the 

EPMTs derives from their ability to adapt to 

local conditions and needs using weed science 

expertise and partnerships. The EPMTs are 

composed of highly trained individuals with 

expertise in plant identifi cation, plant ecology, 

weed management, and pesticide use.

The goals of the EPMTs are to:

• Manage the sources of new infestations

• Reduce the eff ects of existing infestations

• Restore native plant communities

To achieve these goals the EPMTs combine 

techniques from inventory and monitoring, 

prevention, restoration, control, and research. 

Through Inventory and Monitoring the teams 

locate invasive plant infestations and detect 

changes in plant populations to facilitate 

development of management plans. EPMTs 

seek to manage the sources of new infestations, provide early detection of infestations, 

and develop outreach to staff and the public 

to increase awareness. Partnering with nonNPS researchers allows the EPMTs to identify 

and develop eff ective treatment methods. 

With treatment and control techniques the 

eff ects of existing infestations are reduced 

and eliminat ed. Restoring native plant communities and ecosystem functions reduces the 

chances of reinfestation. The teams leverage 

resources and maximize results through working with other agencies, adjacent landowners, 

and academic institutions. Table 3.3 shows the 

results of the EPMTs’ eff orts in FY 2008.

Table 3.3

FY 2008 EPMT Accomplishments

Inventoried Acres 169,695

Monitored Acres 85,612

Treated Acres 15,642

Gross Infested Acres 112,538

Infested Acres 17,946

Restored Acres 98

Maintained Acres 613
 National Park Service 31

The following lists include highlights of 

EPMT accomplishments for FY 2008.

Prevention

• In conjunction with the Midwest Invasive 

Plant Network, the Great Lakes EPMT

produced an early detection fl yer, Aquatic 

Invasive Plants in the Midwest, and a foldout laminated guide, Invasive Plants of the 

Eastern United States. Staff participated in 

a weed education booth at a local farmers’ 

market throughout the summer.

• The Colorado Plateau EPMT conducted 

training at Hubbell Trading Post National 

Historic Site (AZ) for the youth corps and 

volunteers who conduct invasive plant control activities at the park and on surrounding Navajo Nation tribal land.

Inventory and Monitoring

• EPMTs inventoried approximately 169,695 

acres, recording information on 366 

invasive plant species. Over the last eight 

years, the EPMT Program has inventoried 

more than three million acres and recorded 

information for more than 600 species.

• Teams monitored more than 85,600 acres 

and 243 invasive plant species. Monitoring is increasing as sustained treatments 

are making progress toward invasive plant 

goals.

• The Florida Caribbean EPMT is working with partners to map invasive species 

across the region. Using aerial mapping 

techniques developed by the U.S. Forest 

Service, the team has mapped more than 

four million acres in south Florida.

Treatment and Control

• EPMTs treated 347 taxa on 15,600 acres.

• Since 2005, the North Cascades EPMT

has worked with Lewis and Clark National 

Historical Park (OR, WA) to control dense 

populations of Himalayan blackberry 

(Rubus discolor) and evergreen blackberry 

(R. lacinatus) on a newly acquired tract. 

The large infestations have been dramatically reduced and now only require annual 

monitoring and minimal treatment maintenance to keep the area free of invasive 

plants. Native vegetation is being restored 

along the iconic Fort to Sea Trail.

• The Pacifi c Island EPMT has taken the 

lead role in controlling the tropical superweed miconia (Miconia calvescens) on the 

island of Maui. Miconia is being successfully contained across 35,000 acres.

Restoration and Research

• EPMTs restored 98 acres.

• At Minute Man National Historical Park 

(MA), the New England EPMT teamed 

up with a Student Conservation Association Invasive Species Project Team and the 

Town of Lincoln Conservation Department 

at a restoration site on the park’s border. 

The area, choked with Oriental bittersweet 

(Celastrus orbiculatus) and other invasive 

woody plants, looked remarkably diff erent after a few days of work. As exotic 

vines and shrubs die back, existing grasses 

and other native vegetation should fi ll in 

natural ly.

• The Lake Mead EPMT joined the Bureau 

of Land Management, U.S. Geological 

Survey, and University of California–Santa 

Barbara to conduct new research on the 

restoration of tamarisk (Tamarix aphylla) 

control sites following defoliation from 

bio-control.

Cooperation and Collaboration

• The Alaska EPMT partnered with the 

Southeast Alaska Guidance Association 

(SAGA), an Americorps program. SAGA 

worked in seven Alaskan national parks, 

giving nine weeks of service in 2008 

towards invasive plant control. The volunteer cooperative eff ort led to successfully 

treating nearly 60 acres.

• The National Capital EPMT is working 

to establish a Cooperative Weed Management Area in the nation’s capital, one of 

the fi rst in a major metropolitan area. The 

group will coordinate invasive plant control 

eff orts for various city agencies, private 

landowners, and federal agencies.

• The Rocky Mountain EPMT is leading 

an eff ort at ten parks in the northern Great 

Basin and Rocky Mountains to establish a 

series of strategic plans for the management 

of invasive plants.

• Guilford Courthouse National Military 

Park (NC) resource staff partnered with the 

Southeast EPMT, the Piedmont-South 

Atlantic Coast CESU, and North Carolina 

State University to develop a draft ten-year 

exotic plant management plan. This plan 

will serve as a template for other park units 

and partners. Ultimately the goal is to inA pedestaled saltcedar at White 

Sands National Monument in 

New Mexico before (top) and 

after treatment (bottom).
32 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

clude the prevention and containment of 

exotic plants in all aspects of park management.

INVENTORY AND MONITORING NETWORKS

The Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) 

Program is an important part of the eff ort to 

revitalize the NPS natural resource program 

and improve park management through 

greater reliance on scientifi c information. In 

2000, the National Park Service organized 

270 parks with signifi cant natural resources 

into a system of 32 bioregional I&M networks. 

The I&M Program provides funding, technical 

assistance, and coordination for these parks to 

complete 12 basic natural resource inventories 

and to monitor the condition, or “health,” of 

key vital sign parameters.

The scientifi cally sound information obtained 

through inventories and long-term ecological monitoring assists in decision-making, 

research, education, and promotion of public 

understanding of park resources. Combined 

with an eff ective education program, inventory and monitoring results can contribute 

not only to park issues, but also to larger 

quality-of-life issues that aff ect surrounding 

communities and can contribute signifi cantly 

to the environmental health of the nation. As 

a direct result of funding through the Natural 

Resource Challenge, the I&M Program has 

become a signifi cant component of the overall 

scientifi c and information management infrastructure and expertise of the National Park 

Service.

Parks in each I&M network share core funding and a professional staff that is augmented 

by funding and staff from park base accounts 

and other sources. The national program 

offi ce and 32 I&M networks leverage the 

program’s resources through partnerships 

with other NPS programs and agencies as part 

of a strategy to maximize the use and relevance of the data for target audiences. This 

integration and collaboration, and the interdisciplinary approach to compiling, analyzing, 

and reporting natural resource information, 

are key aspects of the I&M strategy.

For most parks, funding and staff from 

the I&M Program is the primary means of 

measur ing the status and trends in the condition of park resources and is a central component of an eff ective natural resource management program. Network staff are involved 

in numerous activities, such as organizing 

and cataloging data, analyzing and synthesizing data, modeling, providing data and 

expertise to park planners and for occasional 

resource assessments and resource stewardship strategies, and contributing to performance report ing. In just a few short years, the 

I&M networks have become known as a key 

source and supplier of reliable, organized, 

and retriev able information about parks that 

was formerly unavailable, misplaced, or lost to 

managers and others who needed the information for sound decisions or sound science.

Two factors have been key to the success of 

the 32 I&M networks: (1) leveraging limited 

funding and staff through partnerships with 

other programs and agencies and (2) explicitly 

linking park management and planning.

Partnerships and Leveraging

• I&M is not a stand-alone program. The 

network strategy allows parks to include 

and augment long-term monitoring that 

was already being done by parks, other 

NPS programs, and other agencies.

• In most networks, funding and staffi ng 

are closely intertwined between parks and 

networks.

• Parks were able to identify their highest 

priorities for monitoring (as opposed to 

a top-down, “one size fi ts all” approach), 

which allowed them to take advantage of 

local partnership opportunities.

• Parks enlisted subject-matter experts from 

more than 150 universities, plus the U.S. 

Geological Survey and other agencies, to 

design a scientifi cally credible monitoring 

program based on the best available information.

Explicit Link to Park Management

• I&M staff began by asking park managers 

and planners what they needed and how 

best to deliver the information to them.

• Park superintendents and natural resource 

staff are fully engaged through each network’s board of directors and technical 

committee.

• Park managers, planners, and interpreters are key audiences and are 

provided with products they can use. 

Science-communication and customer 
 National Park Service 33

satisfaction are key aspects of the I&M 

Program.

• I&M network data and expertise are a 

catalyst and key data source for natural 

resource condition assessments, resource 

stewardship strategies, and reporting on 

land health goals and other GPRA goals.

The primary responsibilities of the 32 I&M 

networks are to:

• facilitate baseline inventories

• collect, manage, analyze, and report longterm data for a modest set of vital signs 

(measurements of resource condition)

• eff ectively deliver data and information on 

resource condition to park managers, planners, interpreters, and other key audiences

Natural Resource Inventories

The inventory component of the I&M 

Program reports to the strategic planning goal 

on natural resource inventories that states 

that by September 30, 2008, acquisition or 

develop ment of 84.5% (2,338) of the 2,767 

outstanding data sets identifi ed in 2002 of 

basic natural resource inventories for all parks 

will be delivered. The increased funding for 

natural resource inventories received through 

the Natural Resource Challenge in FY 2000 

and FY 2002 has allowed the National Park 

Service to signifi cantly increase the rate at 

which the basic natural resource inventories 

are completed. The goals set for each year 

were ambitious, yet the I&M Program exceeded the FY 2008 goal by completing an additional 184 data sets, bringing the total to 2,361 

(85.3%) of the outstanding datasets.

Table 3.4 shows the number of baseline 

natural resource inventories completed in 

FY 2008 for the 270 parks served by the I&M 

Program. The number of data sets remaining 

after FY 2008 refl ects the number of parks 

with outstanding needs.

The purpose of the basic inventories is to 

assess and document the current condition 

and knowledge of natural resources in the 

parks and to establish a solid baseline for making scientifi cally sound management decisions 

and long-term monitoring plans that ensure 

Table 3.4

Natural Resource Inventories

Fiscal Year: 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Natural Resource 

Bibliography

257 263 270 270 270 270 270 270

Base Cartography Data 248 260 270 270 270 270 270 270

Air Quality Data 250 250 250 270 270 270 270 270

Air Quality Related 

Values

0 0 0 48 100 150 175 210

Climate Inventory 0 197 270 270 270 270 270 270

Geologic Resources 

Inventory

2 14 17 52 68 92 117 138

Soil Resources Inventory 37 57 57 59 70 100 141 171

Water Body Location/

Classifi cation

0 220 270 270 270 270 270 270

Baseline Water Quality 

Data

225 270 270 270 270 270 270 270

Vegetation Inventory 22 27 36 51 62 80 127 155

Species Lists 210 270 270 270 270 270 270 270

Species Occurrence & 

Distribution

0 0 0 3 44 100 200 270

Grand Total 1,251 1,828 1,982 2,103 2,234 2,412 2,650 2,834

Completed before 2001 473 473 473 473 473 473 473 473

GPRA Actual 778 1,355 1,509 1,630 1,761 1,939 2,177 2,361

GPRA Target 768 1,121 1,498 1,637 1,771 1,942 2,145 2,338

Percent GPRA Complete 54.5% 58.9% 63.6% 70.1% 78.7% 85.3%
34 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

the future health of the parks. The I&M 

Program continues to deliver high-quality data 

sets and other inventory products to parks 

each year, but because of budget shortfalls 

and increased costs, the delivery of the initially defi n ed inventory data sets and products 

to the 270 I&M parks will require at least 

another seven years at current funding levels, 

and even longer for some of the large Alaska 

parks.

These natural resource inventories reveal 

many new and exciting insights into the 

natural resources in parks. Not only are the 

investigations increasing our knowledge and 

understanding about park resources, but also 

the information provided is used to address a 

wide variety of resource management issues 

and activities. The profi les below illustrate 

how inventory results during FY 2008 were 

used to better understand, manage, and protect park resources.

Appalachian Highlands Network Parks (KY, 

NC, TN, VA). All inventories of vertebrates and 

vascular plants were completed for the network’s parks, verifying that this is one of the 

most species-rich temperate regions on earth. 

As part of the inventories, 720 new species 

were documented, including fi rst records of 

globally rare or state-listed species, as well as 

populations of federally listed endangered and 

threatened species that were previously unknown to the parks. Nationwide, Blue Ridge 

Parkway (NC, VA) and Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC, TN) have the highest 

amphibian diversity documented for any units 

in the National Park System and rank 3 and 

4, respectively, among parks nationwide for 

greatest vascular plant diversity.

Arctic Network: Noatak National Preserve 

and Bering Land Bridge National Preserve 

(AK). The Arctic Network completed an extensive lichen inventory that documents three 

species new to science: Hypogymnia castanea, 

H. fi stulosa, and H. beringiana. These lichens 

are members of the “bone lichen” group. They 

frequently form showy rosettes in the tundra, 

though H. beringiana is globally rare.

Central Alaska Network: Wrangell-St. Elias 

National Park and Preserve and Denali 

National Park and Preserve (AK). Field eff orts 

to sample remote streams in the parks resulted 

in extending the Alaska Department of Fish 

and Game’s Anadromous Waters Catalog. 

The presence of coho salmon in a tributary 

of the Nizina River approximately fi ve miles 

upstream of their previous known extent was 

documented, along with Chinook salmon in 

Moose Creek, sockeye salmon in the Gilahina 

River, coho salmon in Lake Creek, and the 

pink and coho salmon and Dolly Varden in 

four coastal Wrangell-St. Elias streams. The 

presence of Chinook and coho salmon was 

documented in Willow Creek, a tributary of 

the Tana River that had not been known to 

support anadromous fi sh (migrate from salt 

water to fresh water to spawn).

Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network: 

New River Gorge National River (WV). The 

recent vegetation classifi cation and mapping project resulted in the recognition of 

three new riparian vegetation associations: 

the sycamore–ash fl oodplain forest (Platanus 

occidentalis-Fraxinus pennsylvanica/Carpinus 

caroliniana/Verbesina alternifolia), the black 

willow slackwater woodland (Salix nigraBetula nigra/Scheonoplectus pungens), and the 

oak–tulip poplar/silver bell high fl oodplain 

forest (Quercus (alba, rubra, velutina)/Halesia 

tetraptera). These three types have not been 

documented from areas outside the New 

River Gorge and are potentially globally rare. 

Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network staff 

are currently working with NatureServe and 

other scientists to develop global conservation 

ranks for these communities.

Klamath Network: Oregon Caves National 

Monument (OR). A northern waterthrush 

(Seiurus noveboracensis), not currently listed 

on the park’s species list, was captured in the 

monument as part of a long-term land bird 

vital sign monitoring project. The birds are 

neotropical migrants and can usually be found 

spending their summers throughout Alaska 

and Canada and their winters in Florida, 

Mexico, and South America.

Mediterranean Coast Network: Channel 

Islands National Park (CA). Project staff 

from U.S. Geological Survey Colorado Plateau Research Station compiled and edited 

data from museum records and information 

from published and unpublished reports 

on bat distribution and abundance on the 

northern Channel Islands from 1985 through 
 National Park Service 35

1989. These previously unknown records are 

particularly valuable because they cover a time 

period prior to the loss of island foxes on San 

Miguel and Santa Rosa and prior to eradication of rats on Anacapa Island.

Mid-Atlantic Network Parks (VA). Vegetation mapping was completed for all parks in 

Virginia. A variety of rare vegetation communities was identifi ed, including Coastal 

Plain/Outer Piedmont Acidic Seepage Swamp, 

a G3 (vulnerable/rare) community known 

from most coastal states of the mid-Atlantic 

region from New York south but restricted 

to a specialized environment. Forested seeps 

provide breeding habitat for several uncommon dragon fl ies and damselfl ies, which 

are relatively small in size and threatened 

by beaver activities, agricultural pollutants, 

hydro logic disturbances, and logging. A 

regional analysis of all quantitative data for 

Virginia’s Piedmont and Coastal Plain provided an accurate evaluation of the vegetation 

communities in the Mid-Atlantic Network 

parks.

Mid-Atlantic Network: Shenandoah National 

Park (VA). Recent lichen surveys on roadside 

walls and banks discovered 28 lichen species 

new to the park and seven species new to 

Virginia. A lichen specimen from one of 

the park’s most popular rock outcrops was 

identifi ed as Calvitimela talayana, a species 

known only from eastern Siberia.

Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network: 

Assateague Island National Seashore (MD, 

VA). A three-year survey of dragonfl ies, 

beetles, bees, and other arthropods documented more than 600 species and included 

the fi rst recorded sightings in Maryland of two 

species of paper wasps, four species of leaf 

beetles, and two species of bees. The survey 

also noted the fi rst record of over-wintering 

in Maryland by the migratory common 

green darner dragonfl y and the most northern record to date of over-wintering by the 

Carolina saddlebag dragonfl y. Information 

from the survey will be used to make decisions 

concerning mosquito control measures, 

wildlife management, and protection of salt 

marshes and other habitats aff ected by climate 

change and rising sea levels.

Pacifi c Island Network: Haleakala National 

Park (HI). The Koele Mountain damselfl y 

(Megalagrion koelense) was recorded breeding 

in native lilies (Astelia menziesiana). Pacifi c 

Islands Network biologists also documented 

the use of high-elevation lakes as major breeding grounds for the giant Hawaiian darner, 

or Pinao (Anax strenuus), one of the largest 

dragon fl ies in the world, and recorded four 

species of endemic Hawaiian damselfl ies.

Southwest Alaska Network: Kenai Fjords 

National Park (AK). Rapid glacial recession 

(greater than 1 km/year for some tidewater 

glaciers) has left behind large areas of exposed substrate that are being colonized by 

early successional species, whereas the outer 

fjords are characterized by late-successional 

and old-growth coniferous forest. In 2008, 

26 forested and non-forested inventory plots 

originally measured in 1993 were re-surveyed. 

Preliminary results show detectable changes in 

species composition, shrub height, and shrub 

cover across the majority of sites. The 2008 

data, paired with ground photos from the 

plots, will provide Southwest Alaska Network 

staff with a qualitative measure of the rate of 

change in these communities as well as possible successional trajectories.

Vital Signs Monitoring

More than 1,000 scientists, resource specialists, park managers, and data managers actively contributed to the design and implementation of a long-term vital signs monitoring 

program, which produced an integrated, parkbased program with a strong link between 

inventory and monitoring information and 

management needs. Each network developed 

a monitoring program tailored to the highest 

needs of their parks by defi ning network goals 

and objectives, identifying and prioritizing 

potential vital signs, and selecting a modest set 

of vital signs for long-term monitoring.

As of September 30, 2008, all 270 (100%) of 

parks had identifi ed their vital signs; 253 (94%) 

had completed the design of their state-of-theart monitoring plans and implemented vital 

signs monitoring; and 197 (73%) had completed at least one year of fi eld data collection 

and are able to estimate current conditions 

for specifi c vital signs. The fi nal two networks 

funded in FY 2007 will implement monitoring 

during FY 2009, ahead of schedule. As a direct 

The Appalachian Highlands Network has completed inventories 

of vascular plants and vertebrates. This meadow vole was 

captured at the Blue Ridge Parkway during a mammal inventory

Photo: Nora Murdock

At Assateague Island National 

Seashore scientists noted the 

fi rst record of over-wintering in 

Maryland by the migratory common green darner dragonfl y.

Photo: Berlin Heck
36 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

result of the effi ciencies gained through the 

network approach, the majority of parks can 

now provide “current condition” estimates 

for key measurements of the condition of 

high-priority natural resources. The NPS 

performance goals for vital signs monitoring 

have been met or exceeded every year.

Table 3.5 shows the annual accomplishments of the 32 I&M networks in completing 

the planning and design of their long-term 

monitor ing programs and implementing vital 

signs monitoring.

The intent of park vital signs monitoring is 

to track a subset of physical, chemical, and 

biological elements and processes of park 

ecosystems that are selected to represent the 

overall health or condition of park resources, 

known or hypothesized eff ects of stressors, or 

elements that have important human values. 

The monitored elements and processes are a 

subset of the total suite of natural resources 

that park managers are directed to preserve 

“unimpaired for future generations,” including water, air, geological resources, plants and 

animals, and the ecological, biological, and 

physical processes that act on those resources.

Because of funding restrictions, only the 

highest-priority vital signs, or those that are 

already funded by another source, can be 

monitor ed initially. However, by leveraging Natural Resource Challenge funds with 

personnel and funding from other sources 

and establishing partnerships with other 

agencies and universities, it is often possible 

to monitor several vital signs and para meters 

together. For example, a fi eld crew may 

visit a stream segment and make numerous 

measure ments on the physical and chemical 

para meters of the water (e.g., channel width, 

fl ow rate, pH, dissolved oxygen) as well as 

measures of aquatic macroinvertebrate and 

fi sh communities (e.g., species occurrence, 

relative abundance) using funding from both 

the core vital signs and water quality monitoring components of the Natural Resource 

Challenge.

The number of networks and parks that 

expect to monitor a vital sign with currently 

available funding is summarized in Table 3.6. 

Vital signs monitored in fewer than 30 parks 

are not listed. The number of networks and 

parks for each vital sign category will change 

as each network completes the fi nal design 

and testing of sampling protocols and negotiates with partners on options for implementing the monitoring in as many sites as possible 

with the limited resources available.

The following profi les highlight park monitoring accomplishments during FY 2008 

that resulted in a better understanding of 

Table 3.5

Annual I&M Network Vital Signs Accomplishments

Actual and Projected Accomplishments

Vital Signs Monitoring and Resource Assessments

# Parks Completed by end of FY # Parks Projected

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Planning and Design Phase

Identify and Synthesize Existing Information270 270 270 270 270

Prioritize and Select Vital Signs (Vital 

Signs identifi ed)

250 270 270 270 270

Monitoring Plan Completed, Peer-Reviewed, and Approved – Operational 

Monitoring Begins (Monitoring 

Implemented)

157 197 253 270 270

Monitoring & Assessments Implemented

“Current Condition” Values Available 

for Specifi c Vital Signs - Operational 

Monitoring Ongoing

104 157 197 253 270

Park Natural Resource Condition Assessments Completed0 0 1 20 40

“Target Values” Identifi ed and 

Compared to “Current Condition” 

for Specifi c Vital Signs as part of 

Resource Stewardship Strategy Development

1 1 2 7 11
 National Park Service 37

Table 3.6

Number of Parks Monitoring a Vital Signs

Vital Sign Category Example Measures (varies by network) # Parks

Weather and Climate Temperature, precipitation, wind speed, ice on/off 255

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

pattern 

231

Water Chemistry pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity 224

Invasive/Exotic plants Early detection, presence/absence, area 214

Birds Species composition, distribution, abundance 188

Surface Water Dynamics Discharge/fl ow rates (cfs), gauge/stage height, lake 

elevation, spring/seep volume, sea level rise

184

Ozone Ozone concentration, damage to sensitive vegetation 151

Fire and Fuel Dynamics Long-term trend of fi re frequency, average fi re size, 

average burn severity, total area affected by fi re

125

Visibility & Particulate Matter IMPROVE network; visibility and fi ne particles 112

Wet and Dry Deposition Wet deposition chemistry, sulfur dioxide concentrations 111

Mammals Species composition, distribution, abundance 108

Forest/Woodland Communities Community diversity, coverage and abundance, condition & vigor classes, regeneration105

Vegetation Complexes Plant community diversity, relative species / guild 

abundance, structure / age class, incidence of disease

102

Soil Function and Dynamics Soil nutrients, cover and composition of biological soil 

crust communities, soil aggregate stability

91

Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Species composition and abundance 87

T&E Species and Communities Population estimates, distribution, sex & age ratios 81

Stream/River Channel 

Characteristics

Channel width, depth, and gradient, sinuosity, channel 

cross-section, pool frequency and depth, particle size

80

Groundwater Dynamics Flow rate, depth to ground water, withdrawal rates, 

recharge rates, volume in aquifer

75

Air Contaminants Concentrations of SOCs, PCBs, DDT, Hg 71

Amphibians and Reptiles Species distribution & abundance, population age/size 

structure, species diversity, percent area occupied

56

Fishes Community composition, abundance, distribution, age 

classes, occupancy, invasive species

60

Insect Pests Extent of insect related mortality, distribution and 

extent of standing dead/stressed/diseased trees, early 

detection

55

Grassland/Herb Communities Composition, structure, abundance, changes in treeline 52

Nutrient Dynamics Nitrate, ammonia, DON, nitrite, orthophosphate, 

total K

47

Riparian Communities Species composition and percent cover, distribution and 

density of selected plants, canopy height

47

Wetland Communities Species composition and percent cover, distribution and 

density of selected plants, canopy height, aerial extent

42

Invasive/Exotic animals Invasive species present, distribution, vegetation types 

invaded, early detection at invasion points

39

Water Toxics Organic and inorganic toxics, heavy metals 33

Coastal/Oceanographic Features 

& Processes

Rate of shoreline change, sea surface elevations, area 

and degree of subsidence through relative elevation 

data

32

Microorganisms Fecal coliform, E. coli, cyanobacteria 30

Soundscape Types and time periods of natural and anthropogenic 

sound; percent-time-audible

30
38 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

resources, better resource management, or 

better protection of park resources. These 

examples illustrate some of the successes 

that can be achieved through a program of 

consistent, continuous long-term monitoring 

of natural resources.

Integration of Science and Management

Appalachian Highlands Network: Great 

Smoky Mountains National Park (NC, TN).

The Twin Creeks Science and Education 

Center was dedicated in FY 2008. The new 

14,000-square-foot center near Gatlinburg, 

Tennessee, on the north slope of Mt. LeConte, 

houses the park’s natural history collections, a chemical use laboratory and biology 

laboratory, a multiple use room designed for 

cooperative research permittees, work space, 

and a 1,000-square-foot education/conference 

room. Offi ces for I&M, air quality, and vegetation management staff are also housed in the 

building to optimize collaborations between 

“outside” scientists and park staff .

Chihuahuan Desert Network: Big Bend 

National Park (TX) and Nearby Mexican Parks.

To address the importance of these sites for 

conserving biodiversity and the identifi cation 

of landscape connectivity and fragmentation as high-priority environmental indicators for these parks, network staff designed a 

new study to assess the suitability of habitat 

and landscape connectivity among Big Bend 

National Park, Cañon de Santa Elena in 

Chihuahua, Mexico, and Maderas del Carmen 

in Coahuila, Mexico. Ecological, biogeographical, and landscape modeling and population 

genetics will be used to predict the distribution of four carnivore species—kit fox (Vulpes 

macrotis), ringtail (Bassariscus astutus), gray 

fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), and striped 

skunk (Mephitis mephitis)—and to develop 

a linkage map that illustrates the quality of 

corridors connecting suitable habitat patches.

Cumberland/Piedmont Network: Mammoth Cave National Park (KY). Network staff 

develop ed a video executive summary (VES), 

a short, narrated PowerPoint presentation 

address ing the results of cave cricket monitoring at the park. This eff ort utilizes new media 

to better communicate the results of vital signs 

monitoring with park resource management 

offi cials and the public. VES was designed 

to entice busy park offi cials to watch a short, 

dynamic presentation, supplementing traditional media such as executive summaries. 

Each VES will be posted on its respective vital 

signs website to inform the public as well as 

park management.

Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network 

Parks (NJ, NY, PA, WV). As part of the network’s Landscape Dynamics Protocol, socioeconomic indicator atlases were completed 

for each park. These atlases provide park 

managers, planners, community leaders, and 

others with a better understanding of changing human activities and socioeconomic 

conditions in the area surrounding national 

park units.

Greater Yellowstone Network: Grand 

Teton National Park (WY) and Yellowstone 

National Park (ID, MT, WY). The ability to 

use the highest quality science information to manage park resources is one step 

closer as a result of the Greater Yellowstone 

Science Learning Center website at 

www.greateryellowstonescience.org. Nearly 

300 researchers work in these parks each 

year, producing more than 200 papers, manuscripts, books, and book chapters. To address 

the challenge of collecting, summarizing, and 

making this scientifi c information accessible, 

this website was developed as a portal for 

park managers, scientists, educators, students, 

the media, and the general public. NPS staff 

and cooperating scientists are already creating products for a web portal to help people 

understand park resources and management 

issues at various levels of complexity.

Heartland Network Parks (AR, IL, IN, KS, 

MN, MO, NE, OH). Network staff developed 

a protocol that represents the fi rst attempt 

anywhere to conduct annual monitoring 

of aquatic vegetation, invertebrates, and fi sh 

and their respective habitats (in-stream and 

riparian) in large spring ecosystems. There 

has never been a complete, published inventory of the aquatic vegetation, invertebrates, 

and fi sh from these springs, which are some 

of the largest springs in the United States. The 

protocol calls for annual, long-term monitoring that will provide critical information on 

long-term status and trends and a foundation 

for other scientists to develop protocols for 

monitoring similar springs around the world.
 National Park Service 39

North Coast and Cascades Network: Olympic 

National Park (WA), San Juan Island National 

Historical Park (WA), and Lewis and Clark 

National Historical Park (OR). One component of the North Coast and Cascades Network Inter tidal Protocol is rocky intertidal 

community monitoring. The network hosts 

the highest diversity of intertidal invertebrates 

and seaweeds along the entire west coast of 

North America. In 2008, four rocky intertidal 

monitoring sites were established in Olympic, 

along with two San Juan Island sites, and 

one Lewis and Clark site. The network will 

examine trends in light of water temperature, 

another component of the protocol. 

Temperature is a key driver of community 

structure and diversity and is predicted to be 

altered by global climate change.

Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network: Cape 

Cod National Seashore (MA). The Herring 

River restoration project is potentially one 

of the largest wetland restorations in the 

northeastern U.S. The I&M vegetation map 

support ed hydrologic modeling for the 

project, as the map and fi eld observations 

data provided the best available land cover 

information for existing conditions for the 

National Environmental Policy Act restoration 

process. Adaptive management and permitting 

processes will weigh land cover types resulting 

from changed conditions—e.g. uplands may 

become marsh, freshwater marsh may become 

tidal marsh, tidal cycles may be restored to 

freshwater bogs.

Servicewide Effort. The “Connect the Dots” 

eff ort is a strategic, long-term framework for 

coordinating the eff orts of the I&M networks, 

Watershed Condition Assessment Program, 

park planning, park-funded monitoring and 

research relevant to assessing natural resource 

condition, and other research and monitoring 

eff orts. A natural resource summary table will 

eventually be developed for each park as part 

of the park’s resource stewardship strategy 

document. This year, the 32 I&M networks are 

developing the fi rst draft of a vital signs summary table for each park, which will feed into 

the larger natural resource summary table. 

The “current condition” estimates for selected vital signs that I&M networks routinely 

provide will be a major contributor to 

develop ment of the natural resource summary 

table and will help managers and planners see 

how I&M scientifi c achievements relate to the 

watershed condition assessment and resource 

stewardship strategy eff orts.

San Francisco Bay Area Network: Muir Woods 

National Monument (CA). Coho and steelhead 

monitoring is conducted during three crucial 

periods in the life cycle of the salmon: juvenile, adult, and smolt. Spawner survey results 

indicated a dramatic decline during the 2007–

2008 coho salmon run. The Olema Creek 

watershed total redd production for this year 

class declined by 80% from the 2004–2005 

year class levels. The largest decline was 

observ ed in Redwood Creek, where total redd 

production declined by 99% for this year 

class. These dramatic declines track regional 

declines noted throughout the California 

Coast. Preliminary coho smolt production 

estimates indicate lower than normal overwintering survival rates, which ranged from 

29% in Redwood Creek to 8% in Pine Gulch. 

In contrast to the adult escapement and smolt 

production, spring rearing survival rates were 

higher than normal during the spring and 

summer of 2007.

Sonoran Desert Network: Montezuma Castle 

National Monument (AZ). In summer 2008, 

network staff detected relatively high levels 

of lead in Wet Beaver Creek at Montezuma 

Well, a unit of Montezuma Castle National 

Monument. Aqueous lead concentrations 

exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency partial body contact limits, indicating a signifi cant human and ecological health 

issue. Network staff quickly alerted park staff 

to take appropriate precautions and avoid 

exposure. Initial investigations suggest the 

elevated levels may be the result of natural 

leaching of mineral deposits upstream of the 

park, though a more detailed study is planned 

for 2009.

Partnerships / Leveraging

Greater Yellowstone Network: Grand 

Teton National Park (WY) and Yellowstone 

National Park (ID, MT, WY). Long-term 

network monitor ing began in 2004 to detect amphibian declines should they occur. 

Following years of drought in the Greater 

Yellowstone Eco system, amphibians and 

their habitat responded vibrantly to the wet 

winter and spring of 2008. While this snapshot indicates the resilience of the region’s 
40 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

native amphibians, whose widespread 

distributions and long lives as adults allows 

them to endure years of drought, it also suggests their vulnerability if climate change 

results in extended periods of unrelieved 

drought and shrinking wetlands. The monitoring also detected the threat of amphibian 

disease, with mass mortalities of Columbia 

spotted frogs and tiger salamanders; the 

suspect ed cause was ranavirus. The events 

in Yellowstone suggest both the importance 

of fi eld surveys in which disease victims 

are collect ed for analysis and the need for 

research on other diseases, including their 

vectors and causes.

Greater Yellowstone Network Parks (ID, MT, 

WY). The signifi cant outbreak of mountain 

pine beetle at parks in the Greater Yellowstone 

Network led to intense research in recent 

years to address the status, trends, and 

restoration of the highly valuable whitebark 

pine. Whitebark pine is viewed as a foundation species capable of changing forest 

structure and ecosystem dynamics in the 

subalpine zone. The latest research has shown 

that mountain pine beetle activity increases 

signifi cantly in whitebark pine with heavy 

white pine blister rust infection, a fi nding that 

has raised concerns regarding the health of 

the tree since the I&M Program established 

that blister rust infection is wide-spread, 

albeit at low proportions throughout the 

Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The results 

from monitoring will be used by the Greater 

Yellowstone Coordinat ing Committee whitebark pine subcommittee, which is developing 

an ecosystem-wide restoration plan.

Chihuahuan Desert Network: White Sands 

National Monument (NM) and Sister 

Park Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna 

Cuatrociénegas (Mexico). A grant through 

the Intermountain Region International 

Conservation Offi ce Sister Parks Program 

funded a three-day workshop held in early 

September 2008. Participants included 

representatives from two Mexican parks and 

the Mexican northeastern regional director 

for the Natural Commission of Protected Natural Areas, staff from White Sands 

National Monument and Chihuahuan Desert 

Network, and other university researchers. 

The network facilitated this eff ort by leading the Mexican participants through scoping resource issues, identifying management 

concerns, and identify ing vital signs that may 

be important to the sister park. If both park 

units use similar monitoring protocols, the 

exchange of information and data will be 

enhanced, and the data may be combined to 

detect trends or changes occurring across a 

broader area.

Gulf Coast Network: Gulf Islands National 

Seashore (FL, MS), Jean Lafi tte National 

Historical Park and Preserve (LA), Natchez 

Trace Parkway (AL, MS, TN), and Vicksburg 

National Military Park (MS). New LIDAR 

(Light Detection and Ranging) datasets 

were collect ed at Vicksburg and portions of 

Natchez Trace, along with large portions of 

Gulf Islands immediately after the passage 

of Hurricane Gustav in September 2008. 

This emergency eff ort was possible because 

several NPS Programs, including the Geologic 

Resources Program and the national I&M 

Program, were able to combine funds and 

partner with the U.S. Geological Survey Storm 

Response project to expand data collection 

to areas of NPS interest. In addition, network 

staff continu ed their collaborative eff ort with 

U.S. Geological Survey and Florida Integrated 

Science Center to collect and analyze EAARL 

(Experimental Advanced Airborne Research 

LIDAR) data for detecting change in vegetation and coastal topographic features. The 

team developed and performed extensive 

analyses of Jean Lafi tte National Historical 

Park and Preserve/Barataria Preserve vegetation data to evaluate the LIDAR-based models 

and began collaborative development of the 

vegetation models at Gulf Islands National 

Seashore/Naval Live Oaks Unit to develop 

methods for analyzing change in vegetation 

over time.

Mediterranean Coast Network: Santa Monica 

Mountains National Recreation Area (CA).

The preliminary vegetation map delivered 

to the park in August 2007 has become the 

data layer most requested by partners and 

outside agencies. Interest has been extremely 

high, and the data have already been used in 

a variety of reports and analyses. The map, 

which follows the NPS Vegetation Mapping 

Program Standards, includes more than 

50,000 mapped units ranging from native 

vege tation associations to land use types at the 

urban edge. This map will provide the critical 
 National Park Service 41

Dr. Lauren Nolfo-Clements (LSU 

Cooperator, left) and Nancy 

Walters (Resource Management 

Specialist) are assessing treecanopy coverage as part of the 

sampling being performed on 

Jean Lafi tte National Historical 

Park and Preserve to provide 

ground-truth assessment of the 

LIDAR classifi cation model under 

development for the Gulf Coast 

Network vegetation monitoring 

protocol.

Photo: Robert Woodman

baseline for the design and implementation 

of all long-term vegetation monitoring in the 

Santa Monica Mountains. Currently park staff 

are evaluating the accuracy of the map and 

expect to complete the accuracy assessment 

by the end of calendar year 2009.

Northern Colorado Plateau Network: Zion 

National Park (UT). The Utah Division of 

Water Quality (UDWQ) removed Zion 

National Park’s North Creek from its 303(d) 

list of impaired water bodies based on 

monitor ing results indicating that high salt 

concentrations are a natural result of underlying geology. Under the Clean Water Act 

(CWA), states must identify all waters that 

do not meet or are not expected to meet 

water quality standards. These waters have 

become known as “303(d)” water bodies 

after the CWA section in which the requirement is contain ed. The National Park Service 

has also petitioned the UDWQ to upgrade 

classifi cation of North Fork Virgin River 

from secondary-contact to primary-contact 

recreation; reclassifi cation is pending.

Southeast Alaska Network: Glacier Bay 

National Park and Preserve (AK). To assess 

the health and disease status of harbor seals

(Phoca vitulina), the network supported a 

partnership between the park, University of 

Alaska–Fairbanks, Oceans Alaska Science and 

Learning Center, Alaska Department of Fish 

& Game, and the Alaska Sealife Center. The 

study will assess contaminant load and health 

status in the context of the recent population 

decline, representing the fi rst systematic study 

of contaminant loads in an upper-trophic level 

predator in Glacier Bay. Archived samples 

collect ed during previous capture trips were 

sent for processing; analysis has begun.

Southeast Coast Network: Timucuan 

Ecological and Historic Preserve (FL). The 

network entered into an agreement with 

the City of Jacksonville, Florida Department of Environ mental Protection, The 

Nature Conservancy, and the preserve to 

collaborative ly preserve, protect, and enhance 

the preserve’s water quality. In FY 2008, 

monitor ing eff orts resulted in more than 

100,000 observations record ed at each of 
42 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

three permanent monitoring stations and 

nearly 100 samples sent in for laboratory analysis from a long-standing transect of stations. 

In addition, the network funded a probabilistic survey for a complete assessment of 

park waters. A preliminary summary of data 

resulted in a jointly authored presentation at 

the most recent Estuarine Research Society 

Conference (“Water Quality Monitoring 

through Partnerships at Timucuan Ecological 

and Historic Preserve”) and other regional 

and national forums. One signifi cant fi nding 

from shared data suggests slow fl ushing of the 

system, which means that preventing the infl ow of contaminants and excess nutrients will 

be essential to the long-term management and 

protection of park water resources.

Southern Colorado Plateau Network: Mesa 

Verde National Park (CO). Six large, highintensity fi res have swept through the park 

in the last 15 years, drastically altering the 

pinyon-juniper woodlands that occur over 

much of the park. The Southern Colorado 

Plateau Network and the park collaborated 

with researchers to delineate the diff erent 

vegetation types within the broader postfi re mixed herbaceous vegetation type. The 

team found that multiple pathways of postfi re succession were clearly evident in the 14 

diff erent vegetation associations they identifi -

ed. They also detected signifi cant diff erences 

in the susceptibility of the 14 associations to 

invasive plants, and the patterns were diff erent for invasive forbs—primarily musk thistle 

(Carduus nutans)—and grasses—primarily 

cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and smooth 

brome (Bromus inermis). Unlike the native 

perennial bunch grasses, cheatgrass presents 

an unprecedented continuous fuel that threatens post-fi re successional processes.

Credible Science

Great Lakes Network: Sleeping Bear Dunes 

National Lakeshore (MI) and Other Parks.

A fi ve-year project on diatoms, a diverse 

group of algae that preserves well in lake 

sediments, is providing insights into historic 

water quality conditions. In the fi fth and 

fi nal year of this network study, preliminary 

results show changes in diatom communities over time, with accelerated trajectories 

in recent years that suggest climate change as 

the driving force. A core from Lake Manitou 

in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore 

shows dramatic changes in the sedimentation 

rate and composition over the last 150 years. 

The sedimentation rate increased sharply 

between 1900 and 1920 and switched from 

an organic-dominated composition to one 

that is carbonate-dominated. Changes in 

both the rate and composition correspond 

to changes in land use on the island. Despite 

abandonment of farms and the second growth 

of forests on the island, the sedimentation 

rate and composition have not returned to 

pre-settlement conditions, suggesting an 

irrevocable change in the hydrology in the 

basin.

Mojave Desert Network Parks (CA, NV). The 

network is exploring remote sensing technologies for monitoring landscape-level patterns 

and processes. High-resolution imagery (1 m 

pixel size) is becoming more available and 

cost-eff ective but is still too coarse to evaluate plant community metrics. In FY 2008, 

the network supported the evaluation of 

very high-resolution (2-3 cm pixel size) aerial 

photography to estimate vegetation cover 

and composition and augment ground-based 

sampling in remote, inaccessible areas. This 

imagery also holds promise for detecting plant 

community shifts and quantifying abundance 

and spread of invasive species.

Northeast Temperate Network Parks (MA, 

ME, NH, NJ, NY, RI, VT). The Northeast 

Temperate Network mammal inventory 

provid ed data used to develop statistical 

models for estimating occupancy based on 

multiple detection methods, as reported in 

the Journal of Applied Ecology. Findings from 

the network’s study of changes in important 

landscape characteristics across a range of 

scales are reported in a paper to appear in 

Remote Sensing of Environment. The network’s forest ecological integrity scorecard 

methodology and results will be reported in 

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. In 

addition, a number of programs supported by 

the network were featured prominently in a 

BioScience article about citizen science.

South Florida/Caribbean Network Parks 

(FL). The revised Draft Cooperative Reef 

Fish Sampl ing Protocol is a joint eff ort to 

standard ize reef fi sh monitoring protocols and 

sampling design in the Florida Keys ranging 

from Biscayne National Park to Dry Tortugas 
 National Park Service 43

National Park. In March 2008, the network 

hosted the South Florida Reef Fish Sampling 

Methodology workshop, with attendees 

from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Association, National Park Service, University 

of Miami, and Florida Fish and Wildlife 

Conservation Commission. The past years 

have seen two disparate methods of reef 

fi sh visual surveys, and this workshop was a 

follow-up to a meeting in spring 2006, which 

for the fi rst time achieved agreement for the 

standardization of reef fi sh monitoring across 

all agencies.

Upper Columbia Basin Network (ID, MT, NV, 

OR, WA). A master’s degree candidate in the 

Department of Conservation Social Sciences 

at the University of Idaho recently developed 

an award-winning teaching curriculum that 

engaged high school volunteers in the longrange scientifi c monitoring of camas plant 

(Camassia quamash) populations in collaboration with the Upper Columbia Basin Network. 

Entitled “Camas Citizen Science Monitoring 

Program, May–August 2007, May–June 2008,” 

the teaching project was part of a NPS initiative to monitor selected indicator species 

that represent the overall health or condition 

of park resources. The master’s candidate 

was presented with the Rocky Mountains 

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Student 

Award for this eff ort.

RESEARCH LEARNING CENTERS

Beginning in FY 2001, the National Park 

Service created research learning centers 

(RLCs) as another essential part of the NPS 

eff ort to deal with complex and challenging natural resource issues. The mission of 

the RLCs is to increase the eff ectiveness and 

communication of research and science in the 

National Park System by:

• facilitating use of parks for scientifi c inquiry

• supporting science-informed decisionmaking

• communicating the relevance of and 

provid ing access to research knowledge

• promoting resource stewardship through 

partnerships

Twelve RLCs were funded through the 

Natural Resource Challenge; an additional 

eight were funded through a combination 

of existing park base and partner support. 

Centers are typically park-based but generally 

provide research and educational services to a 

network of parks. RLC support is an integral 

component of successful resource management, interpretation, and I&M programs at 

many parks.

Research continues to be a priority for 

RLCs. In FY 2008, research coordinators 

helped establish and implement more than 

1,000 research projects by collaborating with 

researchers; many of these research projects 

informed park management decisions. 

RLC eff orts helped produce more than 170 

peer-reviewed journal articles in FY 2008 

alone. The centers provided accommodations 

for more than 26,000 person-nights, saving 

researchers more than $1.2 million in lodging 

expenses. In addition to researchers, students 

play an important role in RLCs: about 40% 

of the RLCs off er internship and fellowship programs, and more than 450 university 

students participated in park research this 

year.

Science-communication and educational 

activities are integrated into many research 

projects to promote science literacy, 

science-informed decision-making, 

and resource steward ship. Hundreds of 

science-communication products are produced by the RLCs each year for use by teachers, 

students, park staff , and the public. These 

include on-line multi-media features, such as 

video and audio podcasts and electronic fi eld 

trips, along with more traditional products, 

such as research briefs, newsletters, brochures, resource and site bulletins, wayside 

and visitor center exhibits, and nature trail 

guides. RLCs held dozens of public workshops and seminars on specifi c topics such as 

mercury, invasive species, and wildlife conservation as well as conferences synthesizing 

a range of park research projects. Hundreds 

of teachers and thousands of students were 

engaged in hands-on science activities in and 

about parks. Internally, RLCs provided hundreds of hours of training for park resource 

managers, interpreters, and concessionaires. 

To jointly produce products that consistently 

convey high-quality resource information to 

managers and the public, RLCs collaborate 

with and support I&M and CESU programs.

Partnerships are the key to RLC success. In 
44 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

FY 2008, RLCs engaged hundreds of park 

partners, including universities and schools; 

non-profi t organizations; community groups; 

federal, state, and tribal agencies; and other 

NPS programs. RLC staff implemented and 

pioneered multiple citizen science programs, 

including “bioblitzes” and other long-term 

programs to monitor the health of a species 

or ecosystem. RLCs coordinated more than 

20,000 volunteer hours and leveraged more 

than $2.3 million in direct match and inkind support. Additionally, outside funding 

agencies supported millions more in research 

projects facilitated by the RLCs. A number 

of projects involve multiple research learning 

centers, leveraging park resources and bringing park themes together:

• Geology of the National Parks Curriculum 

Development (nine RLCs-NSF Grant)

• California Environmental Legacy Project 

(two RLCs-NSF Proposal)

• National ATBIs (more than fi ve RLCs—

Centennial Challenge Program)

• NPS Tel sessions on integrating interpreters and research programs (three RLCs)

RLCs facilitate science to aid park management and science education. The examples 

below are only a small part of RLC activities.

Appalachian Highlands Science Learning 

Center: Great Smoky Mountains National 

Park (NC, TN). Great Smoky Mountains National Park received a $1 million grant from 

Toyota, Inc. to use the park to reconnect 

Americans with their natural environment. 

The center will implement parts of the grant, 

including expanding science education to currently under-served audiences, adapting and 

expand ing middle school programs to other 

locations in the Smokies, and expanding the 

high school intern program and teacher training workshops. Additionally, another grant 

in partnership with the Eastern Band of the 

Cherokee Indian’s Central School District will 

provide two more years of a summer science 

camp in which middle school students assist 

researchers in the fi eld.

Atlantic Research Center: Cape Cod National 

Seashore (MA). The center works extensively 

on water quality monitoring projects and with 

the park management team to address natural 

resource issues. The center provides housing and lab space for research and supports 

nearly 50 research projects each year. Center 

staff continue to produce scientifi c publications and presentations that disseminate the 

results of research conducted in the park, 

ranging from natural history to estuarine 

ecology to engineering considerations for tidal 

restoration. Similarly, the audiences for these 

presenta tions have been extremely diverse, 

including students, citizens groups, and 

scientists and engineers.

California Mediterranean Research Learning 

Center: Santa Monica Mountains National 

Recreation Area (CA). Center staff coordinated, developed, and presented the “Technology 

Tools for Connecting People to Parks and 

Parks to People” session at the Pacifi c West 

Region/Alaska Region Superintendents/

Managers Conference in La Jolla, California. 

Discussion focused on the Cabrillo National 

Monument (CA) wireless system and the wide 

range of research, education, and emergency 

response applications enabled by wireless 

communications systems. The center also 

hosts the Mediterranean Coast I&M website, 

which includes datasets and reports from the 

network I & M Program and the research 

prospectus for the network parks. The center 

also supports local all-taxa biological inventory work.

Continental Divide Research Learning 

Center: Rocky Mountain National Park 

(CO). In cooperation with the Center of 

the American West at the University of 

Colorado, the center convened a two-day 

workshop on climate change and the park. 

The workshop brought together many of the 

region’s leading bio logists, physical scientists, and climatologists to assess the ecological consequences of climate change to 

the park, determine priorities and needs in 

monitoring and research, and suggest possible 

mitigation strategies. Workshop participants 

worked toward a consensus of the changes 

that the park will likely undergo as the region 

experienc es climate warming. The center also 

facilitates workshops on bighorn sheep in the 

park.

Crater Lake Science & Learning Center: Crater 

Lake National Park (OR). This center opened 

in 2006 and continues collaborative research 

and education projects with the Oregon 
 National Park Service 45

Institute of Technology and Southern Oregon 

University, the primary partner universities. 

The center also opened its researcher housing 

facility.

Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center: Glacier National Park (MT). The 

center engages the public by recruiting volunteers. In FY 2008, volunteers contributed 

nearly 4,500 hours to wildlife and vegetation monitoring and native plant restoration. 

The citizen science program to monitor the 

health of common loons in Waterton-Glacier 

International Peace Park engaged 120 volunteer observers, including 26 staff members, for 

approximately 300 surveys. Two new citizen 

science projects in 2008 included the mapping of non-native invasive plants in the backcountry and a high-country citizen science 

project that focused on determining the status 

of three wildlife species whose habitat may be 

adversely impacted by climate change.

Great Lakes Research & Education Center: 

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (IN). The 

center continues the study of methyl mercury 

in wetlands of the Grand Calumet watershed 

and Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. 

This project may allow broad-scale studies 

of methyl mercury to be conducted by NPS 

fi eld workers without a great deal of training 

and at a very modest cost compared to having 

specially trained fi eld researchers collect water 

for analysis. Several publications have been or 

will be produced from this work. “Park Break! 

2008” was a fi eld-based seminar design ed to 

give students at the PhD and masters levels 

a chance to interact with park scientists, 

managers, and policy-makers while exploring 

issues of importance to parks and protected 

areas on the wildland-urban interface. The 

National Park Service, Texas A&M University, 

U.S. Geological Survey, Student Conservation 

Association, and George Wright Society cosponsored the program.

Greater Yellowstone Science & Learning 

Center (WY). During FY 2008, the Greater 

Yellowstone Science Learning Center 

website (www.greateryellowstonescience.

org) continu ed to grow. More than 20 new 

resource briefs, four overviews, and other 

products on natural and cultural resources for 

Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

and Bighorn Canyon National Recreation 

Area (MT, WY) were completed and posted; 

many other pages were updated. The center 

website is the defi nitive source, regardless of 

who funds the studies, for scientifi c information on the resourc es considered most important to track in order to monitor ecosystem 

health and make informed management decisions at the three units. Center staff gathered 

exist ing information, previously scattered in 

various locations and formats, and developed 

new information and outreach products and 

made this information accessible through 

the website. In 2008, new partners joined the 

center, including the Yellowstone Association, 

Montana State University’s Computer Science 

Department, and the Sonoran Institute. 

Using Centennial Challenge funds, a website usability assessment and evaluation was 

started. During the three-year review for the 

Greater Yellowstone Vital Signs Network, an 

independent panel highlighted the network’s 

excellence in science-communication through 

the Greater Yellowstone Science Learning 

Center.

Jamaica Bay Institute: Gateway National 

Recreation Area (NY, NJ). The Jamaica Bay 

BioBlitz, held by the Jamaica Bay Institute, 

result ed in two publications in 2008. More 

than 250 volunteers attended the all-taxa 

BioBlitz and assisted scientists in documenting 

365 species throughout the Jamaica Bay Unit 

of Gateway. This year, the results of the event 

were verifi ed and published as an informative eight-page booklet highlighting interesting fi nds and general results. Staff developed 

a Microsoft Excel database of the raw data, 

which can be accessed at www.nps.gov/gate/

jamaica-bay-bioblitz.htm. Overall, the BioBlitz 

was a huge success; due to popular demand, 

the institute plans to host a second event this 

upcoming fall. Additional accomplishments 

include the Natural Resources Research 

Opportunities Catalogue for Jamaica Bay, 

prepar ed by the Jamaica Bay Institute and 

North Atlantic Coast CESU, and the annual 

Tri-State Harbor Herons and Colonial Water 

Birds conference.

Learning Center of the American Southwest.

The center continues to collaborate closely 

with three I&M networks and the Greater 

Yellowstone Science Learning Center to 

pioneer a comprehensive science and natural 

history website for more than 40 parks in the 

The Crater Lake Science and 

Learning Center was created in 

FY 2006 from sales of license 

plates and park base funds.

Photo: Mary Smothers

Visiting graduate student Brett 

Thelan trains a citizen science 

volunteer to monitor shellfi sh 

for the Atlantic Research Center 

at Cape Cod National Seashore.

NPS Photo
46 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Participants work with laptops 

and handheld devices as they 

explore Sunshine Creek during 

the Denali Susitna Exploration 

Camp offered through the Murie 

Science and Learning Center.

NPS Photo

American Southwest. Center staff actively 

support eff orts by additional RLCs and I&M 

networks to follow this robust and effi cient 

strategy for disseminating information to 

managers, stakeholders, and the public.

Mammoth Cave International Center for 

Science and Learning: Mammoth Cave 

National Park (KY). The center continues to 

support and coordinate many cave-related 

research projects that inform management, 

assist in the re-lighting of Mammoth Cave, 

provide research-based fi eld experiences 

for high school and college students as well 

as adult learners, and partner with Western 

Kentucky University’s Hoff man Institute to 

provide intensive, week-long, fi eld-based 

workshops and classes during the summer.

Murie Science and Learning Center: Denali 

National Park (AK). The center promotes 

park research priorities via fellowships. The 

Murie Science and Learning Center Fellowship Program used funds from the Alaska 

Geographic Association to extend fellowship opportunities across the Murie network 

(consist ing of eight parks in the Central Alaska 

and Arctic I&M Network) to fund projects on 

wood frogs, retreating glaciers, climate change 

and permafrost carbon, treeline advance in 

Noatak National Preserve, and Dall’s sheep.

North Coast and Cascades Research Learning 

Network: North Cascades National Park (WA).

In 2008, the network focused on communicating the presence of the network’s I&M 

Program and building public awareness of 

its value. As time passes, more emphasis will 

be placed on disseminating and interpreting 

the results of monitoring. To aid with this, the 

network committed funding and staff support 

to a cooperative agreement with Colorado 

State University and the Natural Resource 

Program Center Offi ce of Education and 

Outreach. The agreement was used to draft a 

science-communication plan for the network 

and develop sample communication materials (e.g., resource briefs, video podcasts, and 

graphic identity materials).

Ocean Alaska Science & Learning Center: 

Kenai Fjords National Park (AK). The center 

has taken the lead in Alaska for development 

of the state’s strategic ocean park plan and 

manages, in collaboration with the National 

Park Foundation, the Alaska Region Coastal 

and Marine Grant Program. The center 

synthesiz ed current climate change research 

and utilized the information to develop a 

presentation for staff and the general public, 

resulting in raised awareness of the potential 

impacts of rapid climate changes to northern 

ecosystems.

Old-Growth Bottomland Forest Research and 

Education Center: Congaree National Park 
 National Park Service 47

(SC). The center sponsored the 2008 Congaree 

National Park Research Symposium, which 

showcased research conducted at Congaree 

over the last 30 years. The center provided 

additional products and services to support 

current research projects and provide useful 

information to park management, including spatially explicit maps that delineated 

search areas for ivory-billed woodpecker 

(Campephilus principalis) research eff orts. 

Furthermore, the center developed and 

provid ed an array of high-quality science and 

citizen science education programs that integrate with on-the-ground science programs.

Pacifi c Coast Science and Learning Center: 

Point Reyes National Seashore (CA). Center 

staff analyzed 13 years of legacy I&M data, 

which resulted in a peer-reviewed journal 

publication that is informing wilderness 

manage ment at the park. The center also 

continu ed a highly successful high school 

science program for underrepresented 

students that immerses them in research 

projects with park staff and university 

scientists each summer. The staff also expanded collabora tion with the I&M Network, 

including hosting joint positions and projects 

in science-communication for the network, 

and with the interpretation program, including initiating an ocean education and outreach program with the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration that will reach 

thousands of visitors.

Schoodic Education and Research Center: 

Acadia National Park (ME). Acadia Partners 

for Science and Learning started a program 

in cooperation with the Maine Department 

of Education and the University of Maine 

to use research at Acadia as the basis for 

inquiry-based science programs in Maine 

high schools. The program engages hundreds 

of teachers and students in high-quality lab 

and fi eld-based science education. Acadia 

Partners built and extended partnerships 

with the Center for Science and Mathe matics 

Education Research at the University of 

Maine, the Senator George J. Mitchell Center 

for Environmental and Watershed Research, 

and the College Board. These partnerships 

have focused in diff erent ways on promoting 

resource stewardship by training teachers. 

More than 60 people volunteered 1,850 hours 

in conducting the park’s sixth annual BioBlitz 

focusing on true bugs (Hemiptera). The center 

continued the L.L.Bean Fellowship Program 

to support high-priority research projects.

Sierra Nevada Research Institute at 

Yosemite (CA). The institute was established as a University of California fi eld station 

in collaboration with the University of 

California–Merced, off ering programs for 

under represented youth from California’s 

Central Valley to participate in hands-on 

research programs. The center also has a full 

time UC faculty member on site to perform 

and coordinate research in the park.

Urban Ecology Research Learning Alliance: 

National Capital Parks (DC). The alliance 

facilitat ed three researcher-led workshops that 

connected science and park research projects 

to managers. It also began the Urban Ecology 

Science and Education Program with pilot 

urban ecology internships designed to provide much-needed on-the-ground support to 

natural resource managers and give students 

the opportunity to explore careers in science 

and natural resource management with the 

National Park Service, become familiar with 

issues in the fi eld of urban ecology, and gain 

hands-on work experience.
48 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 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 49

Established in 1981, the Natural Resources 

Preservation Program (NRPP) provides funding to parks for natural resource management 

projects that are beyond the scope of basefunded park budgets. The NRPP supports 

diverse park-level activities, including wildlife, 

fi sheries, and vegetation management; specialized inventories; planning; mitigation actions; 

and restoration activities.

Through the Natural Resource Challenge, 

funding for NRPP increased from $5,432,000 

in FY 2000 to $12,789,000 in FY 2003; however, recent budget cuts have decreased NRPP 

funding in FY 2008 to $8,100,000. Since 2005, 

NRPP has lost $4,689,000 to these funding reductions. In addition, regions were 

allowed to assess NRPP projects up to one 

percent of their budget to provide funding for 

contingency uses. These reductions translate 

into 20 to 25 fewer on-the-ground projects 

in parks per year—and reduced performance 

outcomes.

The NRPP continues to serve as a comprehensive, accountable funding source for 

resource management projects. Pre-panel 

technical reviews, professional cost estimates, 

and Servicewide Comprehensive Call (SCC) 

guidance continue to increase the accountability and effi ciency of this funding source. Over 

half of NRPP funds are available for general 

park-level natural resource management 

projects. The balance of the funds strategically target specifi c needs such as small park 

projects, disturbed lands restoration, threatened and endangered species projects, and 

funds that are distributed to the regions for 

their use for natural resource projects in parks 

(see Table 4.1). A complete list of all NRPP 

projects is included in Appendix B.

Natural Resource Management Projects 

($3,140,000)

Natural resource management projects make 

up the largest segment of the NRPP. 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. 

To receive NRPP–Natural Resource Management funding, regions must submit highpriority park project proposals for review 

and ranking by a panel of subject-matter 

experts. The panel provides project funding recommend ations to the NPS associate 

director for natural resource stewardship and 

science based on project quality, resource 

threats, and other factors. Not all highly 

ranked projects are funded as a result of this 

review. Highly ranked project proposals in 

excess of anticipat ed funds generally must be 

re submitted and re-compete during the next 

SCC. Projects must cost at least $50,000 but 

no more than $900,000 and be complete within three years. Many projects require at least 

two years to complete; most require three. 

Projects receive their funding annually and 

are subject to review and approval through an 

annual accomplishment report.

The total number of projects funded through 

the NRPP–Natural Resource Management 

Program has signifi cantly decreased since 

Chapter IV: Natural Resource Preservation Program

At Hawaii Volcanoes National 

Park, staff used NRPP funds to 

create three fenced enclosures 

for the federally endangered 

Mauna Loa silversword 

(Argyroxiphium kauense). The 

enclosures protect the plants 

from non-native ungulates in the 

Kahuku unit of the park.

Table 4.1

NRPP Funding Categories

Type of project Number of Projects Actual Allocation ($)

Natural Resource Management 33 3,140,000

Threatened and Endangered Species 11 467,000

Disturbed Lands Restoration 13 790,000

Small Park 62 933,000

Regional Block Allocation 74 1,303,000

Alaska Projects 11 467,000

USGS/BRD Technical Assistance Not Reported 236,000

Servicewide Projects 25 764,000

Total 229 $8,100,000
50 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

FY 2002, from a high of 82 projects in FY 2002 

to 33 projects in FY 2008. The majority of 

projects funded fall within these categories: 

restoration, invasive species control, resource 

assessment and mapping, and natural resource 

management plan development. The following examples highlight some of the FY 2008 

NRPP–Natural Resource Management 

projects.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC, 

TN). The park contains an extraordinary 

diver sity and abundance of native species and 

plant communities. Of the more than 1,600 

vascular plant species in the park, however, 

more than 20 percent (315 species) are exotic. 

These exotic species aff ect the diversity, abundance, and habitat function of native species 

throughout the park, including in more than 

50 acres of wetland habitat. Park staff , with 

the assistance of an AmeriCorps team, worked 

to eradicate exotic species at 11 targeted wetland sites and restore native plant communities using plant materials propagated from 

remnant on-site populations. In FY 2008, 

exotic plants were controlled on 9.5 acres of 

wetlands. Native species were planted at fi ve 

of the treatment sites, and seeds were collected for future restoration eff orts.

Jean Lafi tte National Historical Park and 

Preserve (LA). The park initiated a project to 

determine the eff ectiveness of prescribed fi re 

and the appropriate burning season to control 

Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) within 

marshes at the Barataria Preserve. In 2007, 

researchers sampled vegetation within the 

marsh to determine pre-burn Chinese tallow 

densities and native community structure and 

composition. All fi eld sampling was repeated 

in September 2008. Samples are still being 

processed from the 2008 fi eld season, and 

data are being entered. Due to weather and 

administrative issues, burning did not occur in 

the fi rst year, and project leaders will review 

project goals contingent on a cool-season 

burn this winter.

Saguaro National Park (AZ). The invasive 

buff elgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) is designated as a noxious weed in Arizona; by 

out-competing native species and promoting 

intense fi res, it threatens to alter the Sonoran 

Desert vegetation and cause local extinctions of saguaros. A multi-year project aims 

to remove invasive buff elgrass and fountain 

grass from the south-facing slopes of the 

Tanque Verde Ridge, restore habitat for four 

sensitive animal species—the Sonoran desert 

tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), gila monster 

(Heloderma suspectum), lesser long-nosed bat 

(Leptonycteris curasoae yerbabuenae), and 

cactus ferruginous pygmy-owl (Glaucidium 

brasilianum cactorum)—and increase public 

knowledge of exotic plants and their ecological impacts. In FY 2008, park staff and 

volunteers treated 653 acres of the invasive 

grasses using lessons learned from the 

establish ment of experimental plots. Park staff 

developed site bulletins and briefi ng statements about the project and participated in 22 

community events in 2008. Despite the park’s 

progress, buff elgrass continues to spread; 

the park continues to aggressively fi ght this 

species.

Servicewide. The eff ects of light pollution are 

being quantifi ed throughout the National Park 

System. This project continued a Servicewide 

strategy of inventorying night sky quality, 

allowing some parks to begin outreach programs and engage surrounding communities 

on light pollution issues. A park lighting guideline for Cape Hatteras National Seashore 

(NC), which will protect threatened loggerhead sea turtles, is underway. Data collection 

is complete at eight of the 20 parks and is in 

progress at an additional eight parks. Data has 

yet to be collected for four parks.

Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River 

(NY, PA). The Upper Delaware River provides 

high-quality habitat for nesting bald eagles. 

Staff began a project to determine the most 

important habitats for bald eagles along the 

river, map these habitats by type of use, and 

prioritize these areas for protection. Researchers document habitat utilization through performing fi eld observations, live-capturing and 

fi tting birds with radio and satellite transmitters, and tracking habitat use. Sixteen bald eagles and one golden eagle were live-captured 

and fi tted with transmitters. Because nestingpair territories along the river average approximately fi ve to six river miles, they seem to be 

approaching full occupation of the 73.4 miles 

of river. Twenty-nine young fl edged from 13 

of 15 active nests; this average of 2.23 young 

fl edged per successful nest is attributable to 

the high-quality habitat found in this area. 
 National Park Service 51

In FY 2008, park staff and 

volunteers treated 653 acres 

of invasive grasses at Saguaro 

National Park (AZ) using lessons 

learned from the establishment of experimental plots. The 

foreground shows an area posttreatment.

Thousands of school children follow the 

migra tions and movements of tagged bald 

and golden eagles every year at http://learner.

org/jnorth/eagle/. The Eagle Institute’s eagle 

watcher volunteers contacted more than 

7,100 visitors at six locations in the Upper 

Delaware area, educating and enabling visitors 

to observe bald eagles in a non-disruptive 

manner during the wintering season, a stressful and critical survival time for bald eagles.

Wind Cave National Park (SD). In 2005, the 

U.S. Geological Survey Northern Prairie 

Wildlife Research Center and the National 

Park Service initiated a cooperative study of 

elk population ecology. Researchers marked 

205 elk with GPS collars that track location 

and collect additional data, such as pregnancy 

status. An interim report included preliminary 

estimates of the park areas used by elk, rates 

of egress, cause-specifi c mortality rates, and 

age-class-specifi c pregnancy rates. Results will 

be updated, fi nalized, submitted for publication, and presented at professional conferences during FY 2009. The project’s outreach 

component included development of a slide 

program for the visitor center and presentation of preliminary results at 25 public programs and four public meetings for the park’s 

elk management plan/environmental impact 

statement. Researchers continue to share 

information with Custer State Park, South 

Dakota Game Fish and Parks, the Rocky 

Mountain Elk Foundation, ranching and hunting groups, and the Elk Partnership Group.

Threatened and Endangered Species Projects

NRPP funding for projects on threatened and 

endangered (T&E) species helps implement 

the Natural Resource Challenge and meet 

NPS strategic plan performance management 

goals. The long-term goal of the Threatened and Endangered Species Program is to 

increase the number of park populations of 

listed species that are making progress toward 

recovery and to restore these species when 

they have been extirpated from parks. The 

program funds on-the-ground conservation 

eff orts. In FY 2008, $467,000 was allocated 

specifi cally for these projects. The following examples highlight some of the FY 2008 

NRPP–Threatened and Endangered Species 

projects.
52 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Big South Fork National River and Recreation 

Area (KY, TN). In conjunction with the 

Kentucky Division of Fish and Wildlife 

Resources and several federal agencies, the 

park began to propagate and augment several federally listed mussel species. In June 

2008, 300 adult mussels were restored to 

the river. Species included the dromedary 

pearlymussel (Dromus dromas), oyster mussel (Epioblasma capsaeformis), fl uted kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus subtentum), and 

spectaclecase (Cumberlandia monodonta). 

Biologists checked the mussels in September 

and found them to be in good health; biologists will recheck them again in spring 2009. 

Also in spring 2009, biologists will release 

about 500 common mussel species into the 

river; these mussels are currently held in a 

quarantine facility to ensure their health.

Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve 

(WA). Golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta) 

was once a common component of native grasslands in Washington, Oregon, and 

British Columbia. Federally listed in 1997, 

the threatened species now exists in only 11 

populations, four of which are within the 

reserve. Working in conjunction with other 

federal and state agencies, non-profi ts, nongovernmental groups, and the University of 

Washington, park staff implemented a multiyear recovery plan for the species, which 

included continua tion of paintbrush habitat 

restoration, monitor ing of natural and restored populations, and expansion of science 

communications. Outreach included a U.S. 

Forest Service brochure and a website created 

by the Whidbey Land Trust to highlight prairie 

restoration (www.northsoundprairies.org/). 

In FY 2009, park staff will continue outplanting and monitor ing of paintbrush, develop 

interpretive signs for two sites, and expand the 

website to include pages on paintbrush restoration.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HI). Park 

staff initiated a project to establish at least 

5,000 individuals of the federally endangered 

Mauna Loa silversword (Argyroxiphium 

kauense) in three fenced enclosures protected 

from non-native ungulates in the Kahuku 

unit of the park. In 2007, 4,322 individuals 

were planted; in 2008, the planting of 3,454 

individuals completed the project. The total 

area protect ed in the enclosure (45 acres) 

exceed ed the project goal of 29 acres and 

will accommodate additional plantings in 

the future. Outreach eff orts include a video 

podcast and an exhibit in the Kilauea Visitor 

Center describing park restoration eff orts. 

Project partners included the Hawaii Silversword Foundation, University of Hawaii’s 

Volcano Rare Plant Facility, U.S. Geological 

Survey Biological Resources Division, U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service, Hawaii Division of 

Forestry and Wildlife, and Hawaii Department 

of Corrections.

Kalaupapa National Historical Park (HI).

Critically endangered monk seals (Monachus 

schauinslandi) frequent the park’s beaches 

but little was known about their distribution. 

Working in cooperation with the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 

National Marine Fisheries Service, the park 

examined spatial distribution patterns, foraging activity, nursing behavior, and mother-pup 

requirements of critically endangered monk 

seals around the park. Results of the distribution study showed that monk seals preferred 

the park’s remote sandy beaches for pupping 

and then expanded their foraging activity to 

deeper depths and habitats off West Molokai 

as animals matured. A graduate student from 

the University of Hawaii–Hilo examined 

mother-pup requirements, and volunteers will 

conduct surveys outside the park boundaries. 

The work is ongoing; results will be submitted 

at the end of the calendar year.

Mojave National Preserve (CA). Mojave 

National Preserve is home to the sole remaining source population of the endangered 

Mohave tui chub (Gila bicolor mohavensis). 

To learn more about possible eff ects of the 

mosquitofi sh, an introduced species, on the 

Mohave tui chub, staff tested the impact of 

mosquitofi sh on the survival of Mohave tui 

chub larva. The study found that mosquitofi sh 

appeared to have no eff ect on larval survival; 

in fact, mosquitofi sh populations declined 

over the course of the study. Most remaining 

mosquito fi sh were large females, suggesting 

that Mohave tui chubs were preying on the 

mosquitofi sh. The study also collected chubs 

from several locations to gather life history descriptions, which will be completed in 2009.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (AZ).

The monument continues to partner with 
 National Park Service 53

the Arizona Game & Fish Department, U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service, Pinacate Biosphere 

Reserve (Mexico), and other U.S. agencies to 

operate the Sonoran Pronghorn Semi-Captive 

Breeding Facility, which aims to boost recovery of the endangered Sonoran pronghorn 

(Antilocapra americana sonoriensis). The facility is located on the Cabeza Prieta National 

Wildlife Refuge, adjacent to the monument. 

As of October 2008, the facility contained 54 

Sonoran pronghorn, with 25 fawns born in 

2008. Five pronghorn were released in 2008; 

two died, likely due to epizootic hemorrhagic 

disease. The facility expects to release a much 

larger numbers of pronghorn into the wild in 

future years. In 2009, the fi rst releases into the 

monument may take place.

Presidio of San Francisco (CA). The rare 

annual, endangered plant species Presidio 

clarkia (Clarkia franciscana) and the 

threatened Marin dwarf-fl ax (Hesperlinon 

congestum) are adapted to xeric (dry) and 

nutrient-poor conditions and are threatened 

by competition from exotic grasses. The park 

initiated a project to stabilize populations 

of these species by reducing exotic grasses 

and restoring degraded habitat. In 2007, a 

researcher developed an experimental design 

for habitat restoration; the fi nal report is pending. In areas where invasive trees were removed, grassland restoration continues. A task 

agreement was awarded in FY 2008 to Golden 

Gate National Parks Conservancy (GGNPC) 

to develop an experimental design for new 

questions related to the Presidio clarkia and 

the Marin dwarf-fl ax habitat restoration. 

The GGNPC will soon award a contract for 

research to continue.

Disturbed Lands Restoration Projects 

In FY 2000, the Natural Resource Challenge 

established the Disturbed Lands Restoration 

Program, which provides funding for parks to 

restore disturbed lands. Disturbed lands are 

those park lands where the natural conditions 

and processes have been degraded, damaged, 

or destroyed by development (e.g., facilities, 

roads, mines, dams) and/or by agricultural 

practices. Restoration is the process of assisting the recovery of these disturbed areas 

through direct manipulation of degraded ecosystem components.

Past mining continues to be a major issue on 

NPS lands, leaving an estimated 3,100 sites 

with 8,400 mined features in 126 units of 

the National Park System. On July 25, 2008, 

the Department of the Interior’s Inspector 

General (IG) released Audit Report: Abandoned Mine Lands in the Department of the 

Interior. The report focused on human health 

and safety issues at abandoned mine land 

(AML) sites on NPS lands and concluded that 

the NPS AML program was in need of a fi rm 

commitment to protect the public, sustained 

funding, and dedicated staff . In response, 

the NPS director issued a memorandum to 

address a course of action with timelines for 

how the NPS will address the concerns raised 

by the IG. The program’s primary objective 

now is to oversee implementation of the IG’s 

recommendations, particularly in coordinating the temporary or long-term closures of 

high-risk sites, fi nalizing the Servicewide AML 

database, and identifying present and future 

funding sources.

In FY 2008, the Disturbed Lands Restoration Program administered $764,750 in NRPP 

funding for 14 park projects, distributed 

through three NPS regions. These projects 

restored nearly 619 acres of severely disturbed 

land. The following examples highlight some 

of the FY 2008 NRPP–Disturbed Lands 

Restoration projects.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park (NM). Since 

the 1920s, several generations of trails facilitated visitation in Carlsbad Cavern. The trails 

and their associated infrastructure aff ected 

cave resources, burying habitat for native 

fauna, introducing chemicals into the caves, 

upsetting the nutrient balance of the cave 

system, and creating an environment for 

non-native microbes to thrive and native 

microbes to over-populate. The park removed 

and rehabilitated some of the infrastructure 

within Carlsbad Cavern to remove sources of 

contamination and nutrient sources for nonnative microbes. The park also restored areas 

that were heavily impacted by trail development and use to provide a more suitable 

habitat for cave fauna. 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HI). The 

endangered Hawaiian goose or nene (Branta 

sandvicensis) breeds in the former Kipuka 

Nene Campground in the park. To return 
54 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Park staff corrected drainage and 

erosion on the Big Glassy Trail 

at Carl Sandburg Home National 

Historic Site (NC).

the campground to a natural landscape while 

improving goose habitat, park staff removed 

campground infrastructure and manipulated 

the land to aid in recovery. Features were 

removed (parking area and outhouses) or 

obscur ed (former access road), and the land 

was recontoured as necessary. Exotic plants 

were removed. Throughout the area, staff 

planted eight native plant species that were 

propagated in the park’s nursery. Nene use of 

the area was monitored throughout the duration of the project. Overall, the project was 

eff ective at removing the former campground 

while restoring a natural viewscape and an 

incon spicuous brooding site for the nene.

Mammoth Cave National Park (KY). Twentysix open wells or cisterns and three dumps 

in the park posed a serious threat to people 

and wildlife. Open shafts could entrap people, 

although no such incidents had occurred. 

The dumps contained an abundance of heavy 

metal scraps and hazardous compounds, 

which could become mobile in the acidic 

soil environment and available for uptake by 

wildlife such as the endangered Kentucky cave 

shrimp (Palaemonias ganteri), seven species 

of endangered fresh-water mussels, plus Gray 

and Indiana bats (Myotis grisescens and Myotis 

sodalis). Three Student Conservation Association interns worked on a project to restore 

habitat in these areas. Materials were hauled 

away from the dumps; 2,044 pounds of metals 

were recycled. The wells portion of the project 

is ongoing, as the staff conducts surveys of 

each well and formulates work plans. Elimination of the hazards led to the safeguarding of 

10 federally endangered species and eliminated 

numerous threats to visitors and staff .

Wupatki National Monument (AZ). Perennial 

surface waters and riparian habitat are critical to sustaining biodiversity within the arid 

Colorado Plateau. At Wupatki, perennial surface water is limited to Heiser and Peshlaki 

springs. Heiser Spring was developed to support historic ranching, a CCC camp, and a 

NPS operations area during the 20th century. 

Numerous structures were built, and all available spring water was contained and diverted 

for human use. As a result, the spring is one 

of the most severely impacted natural and 

cultural resources within the monument. The 

National Park Service has phased out operations in the Heiser area and removed most 

structures. The Wupatki General Management 

Plan proposed formally abandoning the area 

and restoring native riparian vegetation and 

surface water. The project improved resource 

conditions, restoring approximately one-half 

acre of riparian habitat for migratory and 

breeding birds; providing a source of perennial water for wildlife, including the American 

pronghorn, a regional “species of special 

management concern”; and restoring approximately 12 acres of Colorado Plateau desert 
 National Park Service 55

shrub vegetation. The project controlled 2.5 

acres of non-native, invasive vegetation and 

reclaimed the cultural integrity of approximately 12 documented archaeological sites and 

12 acres of cultural landscape.

Zion National Park (UT). The park General 

Management Plan (2001) recommends restoration of two miles of the Virgin River subjected 

to channelization since the 1920s. The ultimate 

goal of the project is to remove the stabilizing 

revetments to restore the natural connection between river and fl oodplain, improve 

riparian vegetation and aquatic habitats, and 

reinvigorate the natural cottonwood gallery 

of Zion Canyon. Planning for the project will 

continue over the next fi ve to seven years. As 

one part of the restoration eff ort, the park 

tested revegetation methods on small areas 

before embarking on the larger scale. Firstyear results showed a decrease in plants in 

more disturbed sites and that seeding methods 

had no eff ect on germination. The secondyear results are being analyzed and will eventually be compiled and published. In addition, 

the park is currently working with the U.S. 

Geological Survey to set up monitoring protocols for the project.

Small Park Projects

NRPP funding is provided to regions to 

allocate to small parks for projects. Small 

parks are defi ned, for the purposes of this 

funding, as those parks that fall in the lower 

third of funding for all parks (regional discretion regarding variances to this defi nition is 

allowed). These funds are provided to help 

small parks achieve some of their natural 

resource goals. Projects are generally selected 

during the Servicewide Comprehensive Call 

process. NRPP–Small Park funds are used for 

a wide variety of projects, including control 

of invasive plants, species inventory, ecosystem restoration, acoustical monitoring, and 

improve ment of visitor safety.

In FY 2008, NRPP–Small Park funds fi nanced 61 projects in at least 56 parks, totaling 

$933,000. Table 4.2 shows the funding and 

number of parks/projects by region.

The following examples highlight some of the 

FY 2008 NRPP–Small Park projects.

Arkansas Post National Memorial (AR).

Seasonal staff , with the assistance of Youth 

Conser vation Corps members, surveyed and 

treated six acres of invasive plants on the 

memorial unit; four of these acres received 

initial treatment in 2007. Staff created GIS 

maps of the treated areas to facilitate tracking treatment and results. The long-term 

goal is to move much of the aff ected area to 

a maintenance regime where exotic plants 

constitute less than one percent of the cover 

in a particular area. Forested areas that are 

moving toward the controlled designation 

receive spot treatments of plants that have resprouted or emergent exotic plants that grow 

from dormant seed. The strategy, if continued, will allow native plant communities to 

establish in treated areas. Monitoring of exotic 

plants is conducted by the Heartland I&M 

Network. The exotic plant program is a major 

component of the eff ort to restore ecological 

function to the forested areas of the memorial.

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site 

(NC). Big Glassy Trail serves as the main access 

route to the summit of Big Glassy Mountain. 

When the Sandburg family used this trail, 

maintenance required only the occasional 

removal of branches or small trees that fell 

across the pathway. Today, the one-mile trail 

receives much heavier traffi c; combined with 

steep trail alignment and run-off , this use 

Table 4.2

NRPP—Small Park Projects

Region Funding ($) Number of parks Number of projects

Alaska 19,000 2 2

Intermountain 242,000 15 14

Midwest 170,000 12 14

National Capital 19,000 2 2

Northeast 116,000 8 10

Pacifi c West 161,000 7 8

Southeast 206,000 10 11

Total $933,000 56 61
56 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

caused severe erosion in several areas. The 

granitic rock outcrops aff ected by trail erosion 

are part of a feature classifi ed by the National 

Vegetation Classifi cation System as Southern 

Appalachian low-elevation granitic dome, 

which has a rarity rating of G2, meaning that 

the community is globally imperiled. Park staff 

protected these areas by correcting the trail 

drainage and stopping erosion.

City of Rocks National Reserve (ID). Staff 

initiat ed a project to eradicate/control invasive 

plants on the reserve based on the recommendations of the City of Rocks National 

Reserve Invasive Plant Inventory. Work focused on the riparian areas of Circle, Trail, and 

Graham creeks, the primary water sources 

within park boundaries, which provide critical 

forage and shelter for native wildlife species.

If noxious weeds are controlled or eradicated 

in the riparian areas that serve as a conduit 

for the spread of noxious weeds, exotic plant 

management can be controlled within annual 

operations and resources. A two-person crew 

treated a total of 110 acres. Target weed species 

included Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense), 

bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), musk thistle 

(Carduss nutans), fi eld bindweed (Convulvulus 

arvensis), black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), 

hoary cress (Cardaria draba), and spotted 

knapweed (Centaurea maculosa), all of which 

are noxious weeds in Idaho, as well as other 

exotic species.

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (WV).

Harpers Ferry National Park contains more 

than 700 acres of karst topography—a landscape dominated by sinkholes, springs, and 

streams that sink into subsurface caverns. 

This survey will identify and locate all potential cave entrances and surface karst features 

in the Bolivar Heights, Elk Run, and School 

House Ridge North and South sections of the 

park. Contractors with expertise in recognizing karst and epikarst features will perform the 

work, which is scheduled for completion by 

April 2009.

Sitka National Historical Park (AK). Park 

staff initiated a project to test Environment 

and Natural Resources Institute (ENRI) 

macroinvertebrate and algae sampling protocols to analyze the stream health of the 

Indian River. The project included sampling 

macro invertebrates and algae, applying water 

quality indexes, and comparing results with 

previously established index streams. Local 

seventh-grade students helped sample macroinvertebrates as part of the Stream Team. Testing will continue for two more years, but the 

results of the macroinvertebrate sampling to 

date indicate very high water quality. The algae 

sampling discovered the presence of several 

species of algae, including the increasing diatom Didymosphenia geminate, which is known 

to exhibit invasive-like behavior in some areas 

of the world.

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument 

(AZ). Geology students at Northern Arizona 

Univer sity completed a detailed geologic 

survey of the entire monument and documented the baseline condition of the most 

unique geologic features to allow for future 

monitoring. Field data were collected in digital 

formats and incorporated into geographic 

information systems (GIS), along with appropriate metadata. In addition, they developed 

methods for repeat photography, with a list of 

important archival photos to re-photograph.

Regional Block Allocation Projects

NRPP funding is available to regions for block 

allocation Servicewide for park projects as a 

part of regional natural resource programs. 

Qualifi ed projects improve natural resource 

knowledge and condition, such as specialized inventories (those currently outside the 

scope of the Servicewide I&M Program’s 12 

databases) and mitigation actions (e.g., fossil 

inven tories and invasive plant or invasive 

animal control). 

NRPP–Regional Program Block Allocation 

funds are used for a wide variety of projects. 

For example, the Intermountain Region has 

funded projects that are multi-park projects, 

meaning the same project is conducted in 

several parks in that region. In the Southeast 

Region, the projects fall under several broad 

topical categories: resource inventories, ecology and species management, impacts to 

resourc es, and ecosystem restoration.

In FY 2008, NRPP–Regional Program Block 

Allocation funds allocated a total of $1,303,000 

to 74 projects in 52 parks. Table 4.3 shows 

the funding and number of parks/projects by 

region.
 National Park Service 57

The following examples highlight some of 

the FY 2008 NRPP–Regional Program Block 

Allocation projects.

Assateague Island National Seashore (MD, 

VA). Topographic maps created just after the 

powerful 1962 Ash Wednesday storm document the topography, shoreline, infrastructure, 

and habitats of northern Assateague Island, 

but the hard copy map format made their use 

diffi cult. A temporary student GIS technician 

digitized the maps and created GIS layers, 

providing a valuable asset for park management, improving the ability of interpretive staff 

to share the island’s cultural history with the 

public, and allowing park staff and scientists 

to evaluate both decadal and storm-related 

changes in island habitat and morphology. 

The data can be overlaid on current datasets, allow ing for the analysis of geomorphic 

change and other changes in island conditions, 

and can now be easily distributed to researchers, partner agencies, universities, and the 

general public by uploading the newly created 

GIS data to the NPS Data Store.

Badlands National Park (SD). Badlands 

National Park is a 244,000-acre repository 

of signifi cant mammalian and marine fossils 

that are at risk to erosion and fossil poaching. 

Currently, the park paleontologist is limited to 

reactive monitoring and salvage collection to 

support routine maintenance and construction. As a result, each year undocumented 

fossils worth thousands of dollars are stolen 

from the park. A survey crew began to document the park’s fossil resources in the Cedar 

Pass area, which receives high visitation, is 

prone to fossil poaching, and is often impacted by new construction. The Paleontology 

Locality Database team documented 13 new 

localities and completed site assessments for 

seven existing paleontological sites. Three 

paleontological localities remain in good 

condition. They collected more than thirty 

fossil specimens, which are being prepared for 

curation.

George Washington Memorial Parkway (MD, 

DC, VA). To address a need for baseline species 

diversity, abundance, and habitat preference of 

selected insects, park staff launched a survey 

of seven insect groups in Turkey Run and 

Great Falls parks. Researchers used a variety 

of survey techniques based on the most 

success ful methods for each group. To date, 

researchers identifi ed 529 species. A comparison of the results with recent surveys of 

selected insect groups elsewhere in the region, 

such as on Plummers Island (Maryland) on 

the opposite side of the Potomac River, will be 

of great interest.

Gulf Islands National Seashore (FL). Two 

major hurricanes within a 10-month period 

(Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 and 

Hurricane Katrina in July 2005) toppled many 

trees and dramatically increased downed 

wood that could create fuel for fi res in the 

Naval Live Oaks area. A combination of salt 

stress and bug infestation killed more trees. 

To reduce fuel loading on the western boundary, a contractor mechanically cleared the 

western boundary, and 64 acres were treated 

with prescribed fi re. A contactor also cleared 

the eastern and northern boundaries. These 

eff orts resulted in a proper fuel break along 

the boundary of Naval Live Oaks.

Sitka National Historical Park (AK). The park 

continues to monitor river fl ow on the Taiya 

River after removal of the U.S. Geological 

Survey gauge in fall 2008. A contractor helped 

NPS staff install a new gauge, which operatTable 4.3

Regional Block Allocation Projects

Region Funding ($) Number of parks Number of projects

Alaska 187,000 4 11

Intermountain 186,000 12 13

Midwest 186,000 8 11

National Capital 186,000 6 12

Northeast 186,000 7 12

Pacifi c West 186,000 6 6

Southeast 186,000 9 9

Total $1,303,000 52 74

A survey crew at Badlands 

National Park documented fossil 

resources at the park, like this 

fossilized turtle.

Installation of a water gauge on 

the Taiya River, Klondike Gold 

Rush National Historical Park, 

2008.

Photo: Dave Schirohauer.
58 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

ed simultaneously with the existing gauge 

to assist in calibration. The contractor also 

provided training to NPS staff on monitoring 

stream fl ow, surveying a reference point, and 

developing and maintaining rating curves. The 

contractor is analyzing gauge data and will 

provide a report on the 2008 water year.

Zion National Park (UT). Park staff initiated a 

project to determine the impacts of encroaching development on the threatened desert 

tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) population. The 

project included both research and a signifi -

cant educational component. In the fi rst year, 

staff monitored radio-tagged tortoises and 

created more than 40 posters and 27 activities for the local community. Event messages 

progress ed from generating interest and 

pride in the local desert tortoise population 

to providing tools for citizens to participate 

in stewardship. In the second year, park staff 

surveyed tortoises in conjunction with statetrained biologists and presented six outreach 

programs. Because crews encountered only 

two tortoises during transect surveys, they 

will change the focus to locational/behavioral 

questions (e.g., home range size, use of park 

compared to use of land in town, habitat use, 

seasonal movement patterns, patterns in colonial vs. individual burrow use). Results will be 

applied to management of this species and will 

become the focus of educational programs.

Alaska Special Projects

This funding category was established in 

FY 2003 to enable the National Park Service 

to undertake projects that improve the protection and management of Alaska’s NPS units, 

which are managed under the Alaska National 

Interest Lands Conservation Act and other 

Alaska-specifi c requirements. Selection criteria for projects supported through this source 

included appropriations language, proposal 

reviewers’ recommendations, and park and 

regional priorities. Alaska Special Projects 

funding focused on the highest priority natural 

resource projects that lacked adequate funding from other sources.

In FY 2008, NRPP–Alaska Special Projects 

funds allocated a total of $467,000 to parks. 

The following examples highlight some of 

these projects.

Denali National Park and Preserve (AK). The 

park contains signifi cant unidentifi ed paleontological resources. To address this, park staff 

initiated a two-year fi eld project to identify 

paleontological resources (dinosaur fossils 

or trace fossils) in the Cantwell Formation; 

develop a feature or site risk assessment of 

those resources; provide research, education, 

and interpretation opportunities; and present management priorities and options for 

their protection. To accomplish this project, 

the park initiated a CESU agreement with the 

University of Alaska–Fairbanks and the Dallas 

Museum of Science and Natural History.

Denali National Park and Preserve (AK). The 

park continued to document the nonvascular 

fl ora of Denali and make an assessment of the 

completeness of the nonvascular plant inventory data for two other parks in the Central 

Alaska Network ( Yukon-Charley Rivers 

National Preserve and Wrangell–St. Elias 

National Park and Preserve). Progress for all 

three parks this year included compilation of 

the known information on nonvascular specimens and creation of a database containing 

all documented and expected nonvascular 

plant species (mosses, lichens, and liverworts). 

In the comprehensive nonvascular plant 

inventory of 15 sites in Denali, researchers 

collect ed more than 400 voucher specimens, 

which identifi ed several new locations for the 

globally rare boreal felt lichen (Erioderma 

pedicellatum), previously not known to occur 

in Alaska. Many new taxa to Denali were documented through this work; fi nal totals will be 

known in the spring. 

Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and 

Preserve (AK). To support the preparation 

of an environmental impact statement for 

off -road vehicle use in the Nabesna District, 

the park collected information on wetlands, 

vegetation, scenic quality, and invasive species. 

Accomplish ments included fi eld verifi cation 

of wetlands and vegetation mapping by St. 

Mary’s University, with logistical support by 

park staff and aviation. This enables the park 

to overlay trail assessment data with wetlands/

vegetation mapping to quantify eff ects for 

both existing trails and proposed re-routes. 

The project also included completion of 

feasibility determinations and prescriptions 

for trail re-routes, which is invaluable for 

assess ing potential impacts to scenic quality 
 National Park Service 59

and for predicting potential spread of invasive 

species. Project funding allowed the collection of information essential to support the 

analysis of impacts of off -road vehicles, which 

will result in a trails management plan that will 

protect park resources.

USGS—Biological Resources

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. In 

FY 2008, the National Park Service contributed $236,000 via the NRPP USGS—Biological 

Resources funding to these projects. Information on the project topics and status reports 

are found in Appendix E.

Servicewide Projects

In addition to park-based projects, there are 

often needs that do not fi t into other funding categories but are import to achieving the 

mission of the National Park Service. These 

special needs are often interdisciplinary 

and may include activities with professional 

organiz ations, certain publications, or work 

on Service wide databases.

In FY 2008, NRPP–Servicewide Projects 

funds allocated a total of $764,000. The 

follow ing examples highlight some of these 

projects.

National Park Owners Manual for New 

Citizens of the United States of America. 

The booklet briefl y orients new citizens of 

the United States to the concept of public 

lands, particularly the National Park System, 

and their safe and legal use and enjoyment. 

The publication is given to new U.S. citizens 

at swearing-in ceremonies conducted in or 

near a variety of national parks. Parks that 

have distribut ed the booklet include Jefferson 

National Expansion Memorial, Everglades 

National Park and Ellis Island National 

Monument. It has proved very popular with 

national park staff s, offi ciating judges, and new 

citizens.

Park Science shares the implications of 

research fi ndings for national park management and planning. Edited for nontechnical 

audiences, articles explore the role of science 

in fi nding solutions to a broad array of park 

management issues. The publication is an 

eff ect ive means for NPS staff , federal and nonfederal researchers, conservation partners, 

and other collaborators to translate scientifi c 

information into usable knowledge for park 

management, planning, and interpretation.

Research Permit and Reporting System 

(RPRS). Scientifi c research in parks must 

be administered properly to meet NPS goals 

and policy, including resource management 

based on science, increase of knowledge for 

the benefi t of present and future generations, 

and the appropriate curation of scientifi c 

specimens. Parks are expected to administer 

scientifi c research permits fairly and effi ciently 

in a manner that will protect park resources, 

encourage research, follow appropriate policy 

and museum management guidelines, and 

ensure appropriate documentation of research projects. Providing trained research 

coordinators and park curators to conduct 

RPRS functions increases the eff ectiveness of 

RPRS for scientists who submit applications. 

Coordinators were trained in NPS policies, 

best practices in curation, and how to use the 

online RPRS.

Views of the National Parks (Views) is a 

multimedia educational program that engages 

the public and school children and off ers 

opportunities for life-long connections with 

national parks. Views is being transferred from 

an HTML framework to a Flash-based framework. This change will allow effi cient searching across modules, decrease module production time, standardize interface controls, and 

decrease the time for new pages to appear.
60 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 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 61

Servicewide natural resource programs 

provide invaluable services to the nearly 400 

units of the National Park Service. Within 

each discipline, program staff off er policy 

and regulatory expertise, provide technical 

assist ance and advice, help develop plans and 

proposals, and guide education and outreach 

eff orts. The Natural Resource Challenge 

enhanc ed these Servicewide eff orts by 

strengthening four basic program areas:

• Air Quality

• Biological Resource Management

• Geologic Resources

• Water Resources

In addition to these core programs, the 

Environmental Quality and Natural Sounds 

Programs also provide expertise and direct 

assistance to requesting parks. The Resource 

Protection Program, a Servicewide program 

that was formed by the Natural Resource 

Challenge, is included at the end of this 

chapter.

This chapter summarizes the results of the 

eff ective partnerships formed between parks 

and these programs that improve natural 

resources through discovery, learning, understanding, sharing, resource protection and 

restoration, and evaluation.

AIR QUALITY PROGRAM

The Air Quality Program is responsible for 

preserving, protecting, and enhancing air 

quality and air quality-related values in the 

National Park System in accordance with 

the NPS Organic Act and the Clean Air Act. 

Working in regulatory and policy arenas to 

accomplish this goal, the Air Quality Program 

emphasizes the collection and analysis of 

credible air quality information to support 

scientifi cally sound resource management 

decisions. Program activities, supplemented by 

funding from the Natural Resource Challenge, 

represent a substantial eff ort to gather information on the condition of natural resources, 

enhance managers’ ability to make informed 

decisions on natural resource protection and 

management, and pursue collaborative eff orts 

with regulators, the scientifi c community, and 

other stakeholders to improve air quality in 

parks. In FY 2008, the Air Resources Program 

received $8,673,000 to address these critical 

resource goals.

The Air Quality Program focuses its eff orts in 

six areas: collaboration, review and comment 

(prevention of signifi cant deterioration and 

the National Environmental Policy Act), regulatory review, interpretation and outreach, 

air quality monitoring, and ecosystem eff ects. 

The examples below highlight some of the 

FY 2008 eff orts in each of these areas. Following these examples is a detailed look at some 

of the projects facilitated by the Air Quality 

Program in FY 2008.

Collaboration

The program works in various policy arenas to help protect park resources from the 

adverse eff ects of air pollution. These activities involve coordination with states and the 

Environmental Protection Agency to help 

develop air programs that are consistent with 

preserving and protecting air quality in parks 

and participating in numerous stakeholder 

forums to review, discuss, and develop new air 

quality policies and strategies.

Review and Comment: Prevention of Signifi -

cant Deterioration and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

The Prevention of Signifi cant Deterioration 

Program established by the Clean Air Act gives 

federal land managers and park superintendents a responsibility to protect air quality 

related values (AQRVs), including visibility, 

of Class I areas. Whenever a major new or 

expand ing source wishes to locate near a 

Class I area, the National Park Service must 

assess whether its emissions would cause or 

contribute to an adverse impact on AQRVs. 

The Air Quality Program permit review activities involve an engineering analysis of proposed control technology to minimize emissions, 

review of the air quality impact analysis to 

deter mine whether impacts will be within 

federal air quality standards and limits, and 

an AQRV analysis to assess potential impacts 

on sensitive park resources. In FY 2008, the 

program reviewed 20 new source permit 

applica tions for projects proposing to locate 

near NPS-managed areas, routinely suggesting 

Chapter V: Servicewide Natural Resource Programs

Inventorying lichens at lower 

elevation along the Chilkoot trail 

in Klondike Gold Rush National 

Historical Park (AK), 2008.

Photo: Dave Schirokauer.
62 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

that the new sources be equipped with better 

pollution control technology to minimize 

emissions and, therefore, reduce impacts on 

NPS areas.

The Air Quality Program also reviews and 

provides comments on environmental impact 

statements, required by NEPA, issued by 

other federal agencies for federal actions that 

may impact air quality resources in NPS units 

(e.g., oil and gas development activities). This 

often involves extensive collaboration with 

the responsible agencies and other aff ected 

jurisdictions to ensure that air quality analyses 

are adequate to estimate potential impacts and 

that mitigation measures are considered.

Regulatory Review

The Air Quality Program staff reviews federal regulations regarding air quality. During 

FY 2008, the program provided comments 

on the Environmental Protection Agency’s 

proposed changes to the Prevention of Signifi -

cant Deterioration increment modeling rule 

and suggested revisions to minimize impacts 

on park air quality. The program also worked 

with Environmental Protection Agency staff 

in addressing technical issues in identifying 

which major stationary sources are subject to 

Best Available Retrofi t Technology (BART) 

analyses under the Regional Haze Rule and 

what level of controls should constitute 

BART. Program staff also began initial regulatory review on actions by some states as 

they develop state implementation plans for 

regional haze.

Interpretation and Outreach

Interpretive and public awareness programs 

and activities promote public appreciation and 

awareness of air quality conditions and eff ects 

in NPS areas. The outreach program synthesizes data from NPS air quality monitoring 

programs and disseminates this information to 

parks. Air quality-related interpretive projects 

and activities help promote public understanding of the highly complex issues facing 

the National Park Service.

To help disseminate air quality information to 

the public and educate the public on air quality issues in the parks, the program operates 

an air quality Web camera network consisting 

of 16 cameras at 15 park areas. In FY 2008, 

the NPS established a three-year partnership 

with Olympus Imaging America, Inc., resulting in funding for the technical support and 

equipment upgrades for the Air Quality Web 

Camera Network. These cameras often show 

the visible eff ects of air pollution. Because the 

cameras are typically located near air quality 

monitoring sites, the camera webpages display other information along with the photo, 

such as current levels of ozone, particulate 

matter, or sulfur dioxide air pollutants; visual 

range; and weather conditions. These popular 

websites had more than 100 million “hits” in 

FY 2008.

Air Quality Monitoring and Data Analysis

Monitoring projects provide air quality assessments for most park units with signifi cant 

natural resources, respond to park-specifi c 

monitoring issues, and identify status and 

trends of ambient air quality conditions in 

NPS units. Identifying the state of air quality 

and AQRVs in the parks is crucial to determine the emission reductions necessary to 

protect the resource and visitor health and 

enjoy ment. In their eff ort to plan for longterm monitoring of ecosystem health, the 

I&M networks monitor air quality as an ecosystem health indicator; thus, I&M networks 

rely on the Air Quality Program for guidance 

and support.

The program operates a network of ambient 

air quality monitoring sites in NPS units, 

measuring ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur 

dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate 

matter under the NPS Gaseous Pollutant 

Monitor ing Program; ozone and dry deposition as part of the Clean Air Status and 

Trends Network; wet deposition as part of the 

National Atmospheric Deposition Program/

National Trends Network; mercury under the 

Mercury Deposition Network; and visibility and particulate matter as part of the 

Inter agency Monitoring of Protected Visual 

Environ ments.

Funding for monitoring equipment, installation, and data analysis is covered and 

obligated under Servicewide contracts or 

cooperative agreements and managed by the 

Air Quality Program. Partners, in particular 

the Environmental Protection Agency, also 

contribute substantially to monitoring costs 

(approximately $2 million per year). Budget 

adjustments over past years, combined with 
 National Park Service 63

increasing operational costs, resulted in a 

need to reduce the amount of monitoring in a 

few parks, employ less-expensive monitoring 

equipment in some areas (e.g., portable ozone 

samplers), and solicit funding support from 

state and local agencies.

Ecosystem Effects

The Air Quality Program has identifi ed natural 

resources sensitive to air pollutants in more 

than 200 parks. It is also important to identify 

specifi c ecosystem indicators that respond to 

pollution and the thresholds, or critical loads, 

associated with a given response. Information 

on indicators and thresholds can be used to 

establish park management goals, report and 

communicate more eff ectively on resource 

trends and condition, and ultimately help protect sensitive resources in parks. The program 

collaborates with scientists from other federal 

and state agencies and universities in park and 

regional-scale ecosystem eff ects projects for 

the northeastern U.S. and the Rocky Mountains.

Air Quality Program Accomplishments

Discovery

Forty-four parks have made the fi rst step in 

developing a greenhouse gas emissions inventory using the Climate Leadership in Parks 

greenhouse gas emissions inventory tool; more 

than 50 parks received training in using the 

tool. This eff ort is part of the Climate Friendly 

Parks initiative, a collaboration between the 

Environmental Protection Agency and the National Park Service that seeks to understand 

climate change impacts in parks, assess and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute 

to climate change, help park managers prepare 

adaptation strategies, and educate the public 

about climate change impacts, park adaptation strategies, and ways to mitigate their own 

greenhouse gas emissions.

Learning and Understanding

Acadia (ME), Badlands (SD), Glacier (MT), 

Grand Teton (WY), Great Smoky Mountains 

(TN, NC), Isle Royale (MI), Joshua Tree (CA), 

Mount Rainier (WA), Rocky Mountain (CO), 

Sequoia (CA), Shenandoah (VA), Wind Cave 

(SD), and Yosemite (CA) National Parks. The 

Air Quality Program is working to provide 

park-specifi c information on resources sensitive to air quality, including measurable ecosystem indicators and quantitative thresholds 

for eff ects (i.e., pollutant levels where eff ects 

begin to occur), to guide park and regional 

planning eff orts. Ecological indicators and 

critical loads for atmospheric deposition of 

pollutants have been identifi ed for a number 

of parks, including Rocky Mountain, Shenandoah, and Great Smoky Mountains. The 

critical load for Rocky Mountain has been 

adopted as a park management goal and is being used to guide the Nitrogen Reduction Plan 

developed by the state of Colorado, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Park 

Service. The plan calls for a gradual reduction 

in nitrogen emissions in Colorado to reduce 

nitrogen deposition and related ecosystem 

impacts in the park. In Shenandoah and Great 

Smoky Mountains, critical loads for nitrogen and sulfur deposition are being used to 

evaluate ecosystem condition and air quality 

improve ment strategies. Critical loads are also 

a valuable communication tool, used to educate visitors about how ecosystems work and 

how their actions, such as driving cars and using electricity, aff ect ecosystems.

The Air Quality Program enhanced monitoring eff orts at many NPS units. At Hawaii 

Volcanoes National Park (HI), the opening 

of a new vent at Halema’uma’u doubled the 

sulfur dioxide emissions in the park. The Air 

Quality Program added to existing monitoring, helped enhance the public alert system 

used by the park, enhanced reporting of sulfur 

dioxide to the general AirNow webpages, and 

initiated special AirNow webpages to display 

the Hawaii sulfur dioxide levels. As part of the 

adaptive management plan and in support of 

the environmental impact statement and fi nal 

rule on winter use in Yellowstone National 

Park (ID, MT, WY), additional monitoring 

of air pollutants from winter vehicles was 

performed at two locations. Portable Ozone 

Monitoring Systems (POMS) were deployed 

in support of the I&M networks at Agate 

Fossil Beds National Monument (NE), Devils 

Tower National Monument (WY), Mojave 

National Preserve (CA), Yosemite National 

Park (CA), Joshua Tree National Park (CA), 

and Rocky Mountain National Park (CO). 

Enhanced monitoring instruments to better 

understand the concentrations and deposition 

of nitrogen to the ecosystem were installed at

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (TN, 

NC) and Rocky Mountain National Park (CO). 

These continuous analyzers measure gaseous 
64 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

reactive nitrogen oxides that are precursors to 

ozone formation and deposition. The Great 

Smoky Mountains monitoring is run under a 

partnership with the state of Tennessee and 

the Tennessee Valley Authority to provide 

a rural National Core Monitoring Network 

(NCore) station. In reference to the new 

ozone standard issued in 2008, program staff 

analyzed park monitoring, including POMS 

and representative monitors, to discover that 

92 parks with direct data measurements are 

likely to violate the new ozone standard.

Cumberland Piedmont Network: Abraham 

Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site (KY), 

Big South Fork National River and Recreation 

Area (KY, TN), Cumberland Gap National 

Historical Park (KY, TN, VA), and Mammoth 

Cave National Park (KY). The Air Quality 

Program is working with Western Kentucky 

University to assess the impact of mercury 

bioaccumulation in the parks. The purpose 

of this project is to examine the fate and 

transport of mercury in four parks with karst 

ecosystems. In FY 2008, sampling of bat hair, 

insects, water, and sediment was continued for 

mercury analyses.

National Capital Region Parks (DC, MD, 

VA). Staff began a project to determine the 

infl uenc es of atmospheric nitrogen deposition 

and ground-level ozone on the composition 

of native fl ora and on Japanese stiltgrass or 

microstegium (Microstegium vimeneum), an 

aggressive invasive species negatively aff ecting 

the native fl ora of all parks within the National 

Capital Region.

Southeast Alaska Network: Klondike Gold 

Rush National Historical Park, Glacier Bay 

National Park and Preserve, and Sitka 

National Historical Park (AK). FY 2008 was 

the fi rst year of a study designed as a followup and enhancement of a 1999 study that 

revealed elevated levels of contaminants in 

lichens at Klondike Gold Rush. Lichens were 

re-sampled in the park, and the study was 

expanded to include all parks in the Southeast Alaska Network. In addition to lichen 

tissue collection and analysis, passive ambient 

air samplers and deposition samplers were 

deploy ed at lichen collection sites in all three 

parks. More than 100 lichen samples were collected along with weekly passive air samples 

and seasonal deposition samples. The samples 

are all currently being processed. Initial work 

was also completed on an emissions inventory for Skagway. This is a collaborative eff ort 

between the National Park Service, U.S. Forest 

Service, municipality of Skagway, and state of 

Alaska.

Rocky Mountain National Park (CO).

RoMANS ( Rocky Mountain Airborne Nitrogen and Sulfur Study) was initiated to investigate the pollutant sources that contribute 

to nitrogen and sulfur deposition in the park. 

The fi rst step in mitigating the potential eff ects 

of enhanced nitrogen deposition to the park’s 

ecosystems is to identify the source regions 

that are upwind of the park and to quantify 

their relative contribution to the overall nitrogen deposition budget. RoMANS is the fi rst 

attempt to do this. Results from this study will 

guide policy-makers on the management of 

pollutant sources with the largest impact on 

the park.

Sharing 

In November 2007, the Four Corners Air 

Quality Task Force, including Air Quality 

Program staff , published a several-hundred 

page report containing 125 mitigation strategies for addressing air quality impacts from 

energy development and growth in the area. 

The Policy Oversight Group of the task force 

continued to meet to discuss implementation of the air pollution mitigation strategies. 

Staff also developed a year-long simulation of 

ozone and its precursors, which was evaluated in terms of its ability to predict regional 

ozone concentrations. Ozone “hotspots” due 

to emissions from oil and gas extraction were 

identifi ed. These eff orts raised the awareness 

of air quality issues and AQRVs at parks with 

the overall community and park staff . There is 

greater understanding of how the air quality in 

the area might be better managed, which will 

ultimately result in better protection of park 

resources.

A 2000 interagency eff ort, the Federal Land 

Managers’ Air Quality Related Values Work 

Group (FLAG), resulted in a report that 

provid es permitting agencies and permit 

appli cants with information about AQRVs and 

approaches for evaluating impacts on them. 

Because the science and regulatory frameworks have evolved since 2000, an interagency 

work group discussed revisions and updates 
 National Park Service 65

Air quality monitoring document the impact of pollution on 

visibility at Elk Ridge in Rocky 

Mountain National Park (CO). On 

a clear day visibility is 137 miles 

(220 km), contrasted with just 12 

miles (20 km) on an extremely 

poor air quality day.

to the FLAG document. In FY 2008, the group 

developed a draft revised report, which was 

approved by both the U.S. Department of the 

Interior and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The draft report underwent a 60-day 

public review and comment period. Public 

comments are being reviewed and appropriate changes will be made before fi nalizing the 

report.

Acadia (ME), Great Smoky Mountains (NC, 

TN), Mammoth Cave (KY), Rocky Mountain 

(CO), Sequoia and Kings Canyon (CA), and 

Yosemite (CA) National Parks. Program staff 

assisted these park areas with their ozone and 

fi ne particle health advisory programs. Parks 

issue advisories to staff and visitors when 

concentrations have the potential to reach 

unhealthy levels. Ozone air quality forecasting 

is supported through current data webpages 

and submission of data hourly to the Environmental Protection Agency AirNow air quality 

website where it is used on pollution maps 

and as presentation of current conditions. 

The data are used by several parks to provide 

public warnings of unhealthy air quality conditions for ozone and sulfur dioxide.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC, 

TN). Air Quality Program staff reviewed the 

fi nal design for an air quality educational 

travel ing exhibit. The exhibit will educate 

the public about air quality concerns at the 

park and provide information about what the 

public can do to conserve energy.

The Air Quality Program supported several 

projects to assess the ecological eff ects of 

air pollutants in parks, which resulted in the 

follow ing scientifi c publications: “Evaluating 

Regional Patterns in Nitrate Sources to Watersheds in National Parks of the Rocky Mountains using Nitrate Isotopes” in Environmental 

Science and Technology; “A Spatial Distribution of Acid-sensitive and Acid-impacted 

Streams in Relation to Watershed Features 

in the Southern Appalachian Mountains” 

[ Great Smoky Mountains National Park (TN, 

NC) and Shenandoah National Parks (VA)] in 

Water, Air, and Soil Pollution; “Fixing Nitrogen 

Levels” [ Rocky Mountain National Park (CO)] 

on the Environmental Research Web; and 

“Streamwater acid-base chemistry and critical loads of atmospheric sulfur deposition 

in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia” in

Environ mental Monitoring and Assessment.

BIOLOGICAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 

PROGRAM

The Biological Resource Management 

Program provides specialized support to assist 

NPS units address highly complex biological 

resource management issues in the following 

areas: ecosystem management and restoration, endangered species, human dimensions, 

integrated pest management, invasive animals, 

invasive plants, migratory species and migration corridors, vegetation mapping, and wildlife health. The program also provides support 

for the Exotic Plant Management Teams (see 

Chapter III). A scientifi c cadre with expertise 

in a variety of disciplines addresses priority 

and complex issues that arise from park to 

Department of the Interior needs.

In FY 2008, Natural Resource Challenge 

funding for the program’s work on strategic 

biological and invasive plant control support 

totaled $9,770,000. The examples below highlight some of the FY 2008 eff orts in each of 

the above-mentioned areas. Following these 

examples is a detailed look at some of the 

projects facilitated by the Biological Resource 

Management Program in FY 2008. Appendix 

C provides a sampling of Biological Resource 

Management Program projects addressed in 

FY 2008.

Ecosystem Management and Restoration

The Ecosystem Management and Restoration Program supports ecosystem approaches 

to management and facilitates consistent 

policy and practices in parks. Servicewide 

accomplishments include development of a 

guide defi ning desired future conditions, a 

draft framework for assessing the ecological 

integrity of natural resources, and a technical presentation and recommendations on 

roadside revegetation for use by the NPS 

Federal Highway Program. The program also 

provides direct support to parks; in FY 2008, 

16 parks benefi tted from consultations on 

restoration strategies, project work plans, 

and desired conditions determinations. The 

program works with partners on projects 

such as engag ing the National Ecosystem 

Restoration Council and participating as a 

team member on the DOI Bureau of Land 

Management program review of the use of 
66 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

interagency funds to develop native plant 

materials. The program also consulted and 

off er ed guidance on restoration and mitigation 

activities associat ed with the southwestern 

border issues.

Endangered Species

The Endangered Species Program works to 

restore and stabilize threatened and endangered (T&E) species federally listed under the 

Endangered Species Act (ESA) and species 

identifi ed by parks as species of management 

concern (SOMC). The program provides compliance, consultation, and technical assistance 

for T&E projects and technical assistance 

for SOMC projects. In 2008, 281 endangered 

species, 115 threatened species, and one 

similar ity of appearance species (American 

alligator listed because it is similar in appearance to the threatened American crocodile) 

currently and historically inhabited 195 NPS 

areas. In FY2008, parks reported in the NPS 

ESA Database that 35% of park T&E populations made progress toward recovery and more 

than $12.7 million was expended for this effort. The amount of progress made toward 

recovery, as defi ned by the NPS Threatened & 

Endangered Species GPRA goal, declined in 

FY 2008 because more than 150 park populations of American bald eagle, grizzly bear, and 

gray wolf were delist ed and are now tracked 

by the SOMC goal instead. In FY 2008, 4,513 

park SOMC populations were identifi ed, 

12.5% of these were managed to their desired condition, and nearly $16.5 million was 

expended. This program also ensured that 

theories and concepts behind conservation 

genetics are incorporated into landscape-level 

planning throughout the Service in addition to 

playing an integral role in the conservation of 

the American bison.

Human Dimensions

The Human Dimensions Program is new, 

establish ed in FY 2008 to provide Servicewide policy guidance, technical assistance, 

and consultation for integrating social science 

into biological decision-making. Understanding how visitors and stakeholders value 

biological resources and the management of 

those resources helps park managers protect 

park resourc es, incorporate diverse views 

in management decisions, and ensure that 

parks remain relevant. Servicewide initiatives include management of human-wildlife 

habituation and a national strategy to engage 

the public in biodiversity stewardship. Staff 

provided professional assistance to six parks 

in four regions and to other Servicewide 

resource programs and is partnering with 

other organiza tions to address human-wildlife 

confl icts and wildlife-associated risks in 

parks. The program also coordinated national 

eff orts associated with the All Taxa Biological 

Inventor ies and Bioblitzes funded through the 

Centennial Challenge.

Integrated Pest Management

Federal law directs all federal agencies to 

implement an integrated pest management 

(IPM) approach when addressing pest management activities through procurement, 

regulatory policies, and other management 

activities. The National Park Service defi nes 

pests as living organisms that interfere with 

the purpose of a specifi c site objective within a 

park or that jeopardize human health or safety. 

The National Park Service implements a 

nation wide IPM Program to reduce risk from 

pests and pest-related management activities 

aff ecting the public, employees, park resources, and the environment. The IPM process 

involves the coordinated use of science-based 

decision-making, pest biology, environmental 

information, site ecology, and available technology to prevent unacceptable levels of pest 

damage using cost-eff ective means and posing 

the least possible risk to people and resources. 

The IPM approach, which incorporates the 

concepts of adaptive management, is the process used to manage pest animal and plant 

species (native or nonnative) on NPS lands.

Invasive Plants

The spread of invasive species is recognized 

as one of the major factors contributing to 

ecosystem change and instability throughout the world. The proliferation of invasive 

plants is changing the native landscape across 

North America. The National Park Service 

is not immune to this accelerating biological 

invasion—invasive plants have been found on 

virtually all NPS lands. Current estimates are 

that more than 2.6 million acres, or between 

3–5 percent, of park lands are dominated by 

non-native, invasive plant species. Invasive 

plant programs within the National Park 

Service work to manage the sources of new 

infestations, reduce the eff ects of existing 

infestations, and restore native plant com-
 National Park Service 67

Joe Castello, Lake Mead 

EPMT Special Projects Lead, is 

preparing to cut down an exotic 

invasive date palm tree (Phoenix 

dactyolifera) from the Middle 

East at Death Valley National 

Park (CA, NV) in December 2007. 

Some palm tree species have 

spread into springs of the desert 

displacing native plants and 

increasing wildfi re danger.

Photo: Curt Deuser

munities and eco system functions. The Exotic 

Plant Management Teams are part of the NPS 

response to the invasive plant problem (see 

Chapter III).

Migratory Species

The National Park Service is in the process of 

developing a program to address landscapelevel guidance on the stewardship of migratory species-addressing corridors, habitat 

fragmentation, climate change impacts and 

connectivity. A component of this program is 

the Park Flight Migratory Bird Program which 

works to protect shared migratory bird species 

and their habitats in the national parks. The 

program develops bird conservation and 

educa tion projects and creates opportunities 

for technical exchange and cooperation between U.S. national parks and protected areas 

in Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. 

Park Flight is a partnership between the 

National Park Service and a variety of nongovernmental organizations and state and 

federal agencies.

Vegetation Mapping

The Vegetation Mapping Program, part of 

the NPS I&M Program, develops vegetation 

map inventories for the 270 national parks in 

the I&M Program. The Vegetation Mapping 

Program adheres to established inventory 

mapping standards, ensuring that the products are nationally consistent, appropriately 

detailed in scale and resolution, and accurate. 

This information complements a wide variety 

of resource assessment, park management, 

and conservation needs. As vegetation mapping progresses throughout the parks, the 

program off ers expertise and recommendations on forest health and integrity.

Wildlife Health

The Wildlife Health Program provides professional veterinary and wildlife management support to parks, regions, and the NPS 

directorate on the policy and technical aspects 

of wildlife diseases and their manage ment, 

preventive health actions, fertility control, fi eld 

anesthesia, and animal welfare issues. The 

Wildlife Health Program provides Servicewide leadership in addressing diseases on 
68 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

NPS lands, with particular emphasis on highly 

pathogenic avian infl uenza (HPAI) in wildlife and chronic wasting disease (CWD). The 

Wildlife Health Program provides technical 

assistance, consultation, and training to enhance the ability of park staff to meet the increasing demands of wildlife health issues.

Biological Resource Management Program 

Accomplishments

Discovery

Great Basin National Park (NV). Yellow-bellied 

marmots (Marmota fl aviventris), Utah mountain kingsnakes (Lampropeltis pyromelana 

infralabialis), pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus 

idahoensis), and sagebrush voles (Lemmiscus 

curtatus) are dependent upon sagebrush habitat, and their populations have declined across 

the Great Basin. Staff collected locality and 

habitat data on these species to guide restoration and fi re management of sagebrush habitats. These surveys documented six previously 

unknown populations of marmots, no pygmy 

rabbits (suggesting that pygmy rabbit habitat is 

extremely limited), no king snakes (although 

anecdotal reports and suitable habitat suggest 

that they are present), and two previously undocumented park species (Merriam’s shrew 

[Sorex merriami] and chisel-toothed kangaroo 

rat [Dipodomys microps]).

Learning and Understanding

Grand Teton National Park (WY). Park staff 

began a project to measure the impacts of 

the invasive New Zealand (NZ) mud snail 

(Potamopyrgus antipodarum) on the endemic 

Jackson Lake spring snail (Pyrgulopsis robusta) 

and their shared algal resource. A secondary 

objective is to understand how these interactions and the impacts of the NZ mud snail on 

entire stream communities vary with resource 

availability. The study found that the NZ mud 

snail (1) has the strongest grazing impacts 

in highly productive streams, (2) reduced 

competitive eff ects on the endemic snail with 

increased resources, and (3) potentially will 

also dominate benthic communities in highly 

productive streams. Understanding how the 

impacts of the NZ mud snail diff er across a 

productivity gradient might allow managers 

to predict impacts in stream communities in 

future invasions.

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve 

(CO) and Rocky Mountain National Park (CO).

Limber pines are long-lived, slow-growing 

trees that range in elevation from 2,600 to 

3,400 meters in Colorado. Recently researchers have found some limber pines infected 

with white pine blister rust, a lethal, nonnative 

disease of white pines. In conjunction with 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rocky 

Mountain Research Station, the parks began 

a study to determine the frequency and geographic variation in white pine blister rust resistance in limber pine to evaluate the effi cacy 

of proactive management intervention and aid 

in the prioritization of stands for restoration 

within the parks.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC, 

TN). American chestnut trees have been 

decimat ed by the chestnut blight fungus. In an 

eff ort to preserve remaining elements of native 

American chestnut, the park began sampling 

infected trees for detection and potential for 

hypovirulence (an infection of the blight that 

is less damaging to the tree) and fi eld-testing 

of an American chestnut predictive model for 

trees within the park. To date, the sampling 

and screening has yielded locations of 55 

American chestnut trees previously unknown 

in the park, 20 of which had no lethal cankers. 

The study is ongoing; results of compatibility 

tests and a master’s thesis will be produced 

from this part of the project.

Lake Clark National Park (AK). Park staff 

initiat ed the collection of baseline data for 

northern pike (Esox lucius) residing in the 

Chulitna River and Chulitna Bay area of the 

 Lake Clark watershed. Specifi c project objectives were to determine basic population 

parameters and seasonal movement patterns 

and to identify critical spawning, feeding, and 

over-wintering habitats. Early data suggest 

that northern pike reside in the shallows of 

Chulitna Bay and the lower Chulitna River 

between April and October and in the deeper 

waters of Chulitna Bay and Lake Clark during 

the winter months (November–March). The 

fi nal report is in progress.

Voyageurs National Park (MN). The Canada 

lynx (Lynx canadensis) is a federally threatened species. In FY 2008, the park continued 

a project to improve the limited knowledge 

of the ecology and population status of the 

species. No detections of Canada lynx were 

made, but other mesocarnivores (medium-
 National Park Service 69

At Great Basin National Park 

(NV) yellow-bellied marmot 

populations are declining.

Photo: Dave Herr

Roselvy Juárez from El Salvador 

holds a Northern Flicker at the 

Palomarin Field Station in Point 

Reyes National Seashore (CA) as 

an international intern (International Volunteers in Parks) with 

the National Park Service Park 

Flight Migratory Bird Program. 

El Salvador shares 169 migratory 

bird species with the U.S.

sized mammalian carnivores) were sighted; 

data are being analyzed for patterns in distribution and relative abundance. Snowshoe 

hare (Lepus americanus) pellet counts confi rm 

that the park contains limited quality snowshoe hare habitat and generally low numbers 

of snowshoe hares, which are the primary 

food source for Canada lynx. While no lynx 

were captured and fi tted with GPS collars 

during the two years of this project (2007/08), 

lynx have been detected in or near the park 

in 2003, 2004, and 2009. The project’s fi nal 

report will provide an assessment of Canada 

lynx habitat quality within and adjacent to the 

park.

Wind Cave National Park (SD). Development of a forage production and allocation 

model will assist the park in making scienceinformed decisions regarding the management 

of foraging species and their forage. With the 

assistance of the Great Rivers CESU and a 

PhD student at the University of Missouri, 

the park began to assess and model predictors of forage production for rangeland and 

woodland habitats, estimate food habits of 

bison and elk, and develop a forage allocation 

model and estimate carrying capacity based 

on forage availability and nutritional constraints. FY 2008 accomplishments include an 

assessment of current and historical data, fi eld 

sampling, and preliminary analysis of fi eld 

data, including food habits of bison (Bison 

bison) and elk (Cervus canadensis). Upcoming 

work includes the initial programming and 

development of the forage model, continued 

statistical analysis of historical and fi eld data, 

and completion of vegetation sampling.

Sharing

Wildlife Disease & Anesthesia Training.

The Wildlife Health Program produced a 

training CD entitled Highly Pathogenic Avian 

Infl uenza Surveillance in the National Park 

Service to teach park personnel how to safely 

conduct surveillance for Highly Pathogenic 

Avian Infl uenza (HPAI) in sick and dead birds. 

The training CD was distributed to over 200 

park units in all seven NPS regions that last 

year receiv ed surveillance kits for collecting 

samples. The program taught a wildlife fi eld 

anesthesia class to 20 students from seven 

parks and offi ces representing three NPS 

regions, thus facilitating safe and eff ective 

capture of wildlife and aiding those parks’ 

natural resource and visitor protection programs. In addition, the program provided on 

site fi eld anesthesia training and assistance 

on capture projects at Big Cypress National 

Preserve (FL), Isle Royale National Park (MN), 

Rocky Mountain National Park (CO), and 

Wind Cave National Park (SD). The fi rst NPS 

wildlife managers’ training course on wildlife 

diseases was attended by personnel from six 

NPS regions, and accomplished by the Wildlife Health Program through a CESU agreement with the University of Wyoming.

Golden Gate National Recreation Area (CA).

The federally endangered tidewater goby 

(Eucyclogobius newberryi) is a small fi sh that 

inhabits only California waters. It was once 

found in at least 134 localities; 23 of these are 

considered extirpated, and 55–70 are either so 

small or degraded that their persistence is uncertain. In 2007, the park launched a project 

to establish a self-sustaining population in 

Tomales Bay in Marin County, California. 

In 2008, tidewater gobies were translocated 

to new locations within a tidal wetland restoration project (Giacomini Ranch Wetland 

Restoration) in partnership with the U.S. 

Geological Survey. Initial assessments of these 

transplants are starting; preliminary data indicate low survivorship. The U.S. Geological 

Survey will produce a report summarizing the 

effi cacy of translocation activities in 2009. The 

park is working with the California Academy 

of Science to produce a public display including an audio program on tidewater gobies to 

increase awareness of the endangered species.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation 

Area (CA). A vegetation mapping project 

documented the changes in vegetation composition in the recreation area over the past 

70 years in relation to fi re history. This project 

funded the collection of fi eld data at historic 

vegetation plot locations using methods 

original ly employed in the 1920s and 1930s to 

create vegetation maps. In FY 2009, the park’s 

fi re GIS specialist will recheck and analyze 

these data and produce a report and article for 

publication summarizing the observed changes in vegetation in relation to fi re history.

Resource Protection and Restoration

Craters of the Moon National Monument 

and Preserve (ID) and Raven’s Eye Wilderness 

Study Area (ID). NPS staff partnered with 
70 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to 

perform aerial mapping of the Raven’s Eye 

WSA to detect new leafy spurge infestations. 

Helicopter crews located 73 infestations and 

landed to treat six with biological controls 

(Aphthona sp.). Crews on foot remapped, 

monitored, and treated previously mapped 

infestations on BLM lands and mapped, 

describ ed, and treated new infestations on 

NPS lands. Crews inventoried more than 1,000 

acres and treated 30 small sites.

Haleakala National Park (HI). The 

Manawainui area of the Koa Forest encompasses the biologically richest lands in the 

park, hosting at least eight endangered plant 

species, two endangered bird species, and 

numerous other rare plants and animals. An 

invasion of feral goats, pigs, and axis deer 

from adjacent lands threatened this stronghold of biodiversity. To protect the old growth 

areas of the Koa Forest, the park continued 

to remove feral animals from the Manawainui 

area. In 2007, park staff fenced off the area. 

In 2008, they continued removal of the exotic 

animals from the area within the fence.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (IN). In 

conjunction with The Nature Conservancy, 

the park began a project to increase the 

presence of state-listed plant species, including establishing 18 new populations of eight 

state-listed species through plant propagation, out-planting, and seed dispersal, and 

increasing the existing population size of 16 

species through habitat modifi cations. Species 

included Lathyrus japonicas, Cypripedium 

candidum, Thuja occidentalis, Carex atherodes, 

and others.

Evaluation

Wildlife Disease Diagnostics & Support. The 

Wildlife Health and Management Program 

performed diagnostic investigations into the 

causes of mortality from 391 wildlife cases submitted from parks in six NPS regions. In addition, the WHP collaborated with the NPS Offi ce of Public Health on diagnosis of diseases 

that could be transmitted to humans, including two case investigations of a wildlife link 

to human plague (Greater Yellowstone Area 

[ID, MT, WY] and Grand Canyon National Park 

[AZ]), one of which was fatal. Staff collaborated with the NPS Offi ce of Public Health and 

Risk Management Division on an additional 

component to Reference Manual 50B titled 

Safe Work Practices for Employees Handling 

Wildlife to benefi t personnel throughout the 

NPS. The Wildlife Health Program provided 

direct support for the management of plague 

in prairie dogs at Badlands and Wind Cave 

National Parks (SD) and Florissant Fossil Beds 

National Monument (CO) as well as consultation on plague management at numerous 

other park units in the western U.S.

Stones River National Battlefi eld (TN). The 

park partnered with a graduate student at 

Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) 

to evaluate the eff ectiveness of conservation practices in a rare calcareous glade 

community. The project included monitoring at three types of sites: glade edges that 

have not been invaded by Chinese privet 

(Ligustrum sinense), glade edges that have 

been invaded by Chinese privet where removal was conducted after initial monitoring, and 

glade edges that have been invaded by Chinese 

privet where removal will not be conducted. 

Soil samples were collected in each area; the 

data will be analyzed by the MTSU student. 

Additional work to be conducted by MTSU 

includes re-establishment of glade monitoring 

plots set up in 1995 and photo point monitoring.

GEOLOGIC RESOURCES PROGRAM

The Geologic Resources Program focuses 

its eff orts in six broad categories: geologic 

process es and features, geologic education 

and outreach, disturbed lands restoration, 

geologic resource evaluation, soil resources 

inventory and management, and minerals 

management.

In FY 2000, the Geologic Resources Program 

received a Natural Resource Challenge 

increase of $695,000, which allowed the 

program to add six geologic specialists in the 

areas of cave and karst resource management, 

coastal geology, disturbed land restoration, 

geologic hazards management, and paleontology, complementing the expertise of existing program staff . In the years following that 

increase, however, budget erosion due to an 

essentially fl at budget and increasing costs 

have reduced that support capability to just 

two of those specialists. The remainder of 

the increase has been redirected to cover cost 

increases for the entire program. The program 
 National Park Service 71

currently has 18 permanent staff that provide 

technical assistance and policy and regulatory 

support, and present NPS geologic education and outreach to the public. The program 

supplements paid staff with partner employees, interns, and volunteers. Partnerships with 

geologic organizations and funds from other 

NPS sources permit the program to accomplish many of its projects.

In FY 2008, funding for the Geologic 

Resources Program totaled $2,872,000. The 

examples below describe some of the FY 2008 

eff orts in each of the program’s focus areas. 

Following these examples is a detailed look at 

additional projects facilitated by the Geologic 

Resources Program in FY 2008.

Geologic Processes and Features

The program provides cave and karst, coastal 

geology, geologic hazard, and paleontology 

expertise. The National Park Service manages 

at least 128 parks containing cave and karst 

features; the program supports Servicewide 

eff orts for cave conservation, management, 

protection, and science. Coastal geology staff 

provide technical support and programmatic 

guidance for the almost 100 NPS units with 

coastal and lakeshore geology concerns, assisting park staff with such concerns as hurricane 

and storm impacts, restoration, and coastal 

resource inventory and monitoring. The 

program also helps parks assess and evaluate 

geologic hazards, which occur when natural 

processes confl ict with development or other 

human activities. For the 14 NPS units that 

include fossils as a park purpose or primary 

resources and the 208 parks with documented 

fossil resources, program staff coordinate 

the reporting of paleontology goals and the 

preparation and publishing of I&M network 

paleontological resource summaries, work 

with other federal agencies on the proposed 

Paleontological Resources Preservation Act, 

and provide policy and regulatory advice 

on paleontological resource protection and 

preservation issues. In FY 2008, paleontology staff completed paleontological resource 

I&M reports for fi ve networks, comprising 33 

parks, and performed literature research and 

prepared park narratives for seven additional 

networks, encompassing 69 parks.

Geologic Education and Outreach

Program staff began education and outreach 

eff orts in 1996 to increase park and public 

awareness of the unique geologic resources in 

national parks and to engage the professional 

geology community and earth science educators in assisting parks with geologic resource 

management and research issues and in using 

parks for teaching geology. Many national 

parks depend on program staff for assistance 

in developing and maintaining high-quality 

geologic education and outreach materials and 

in collaborating with the geosciences community to assist park resource management.

Program staff manage the Geoscientists-inthe-Parks program, which links professional 

geologic organizations and the academic community to parks in an eff ort to address the 

backlog of geoscience needs. In FY 2008, 42 

geoscience participants worked in 25 parks 

and two central offi ces, helping parks meet 

critical needs in natural resource management, 

research, public safety, and formal and informal education. Participants directly reached 

tens of thousands of park visitors through 

geologic outreach and education programs, 

and many more benefi ted through improvements to park websites.

Disturbed Lands Restoration

Program staff prepare technical guidance, review park work plans for technical 

adequacy, and provide oversight on cost 

account ing and accomplishments reporting 

for the NRPP Disturbed Lands Restoration 

program (see Chapter IV). Staff also oversee 

the implementation of the Department of the 

Interior Inspector General’s recommendations for dealing with human health and safety 

issues at abandoned mine lands on NPS sites, 

found in the Audit Report: Abandoned Mine 

Lands in the Department of the Interior (2008). 

The program administered $789,100 to 14 park 

projects in FY 2008.

Geologic Resource Evaluation

The Geologic Resources Inventory (GRI, 

former ly known as the Geologic Resource 

Evaluation, or GRE) is funded by the Natural 

Resource Challenge through the I&M 

Program and provides digital geologic maps 

and geology-related information to parks. 

Program staff help managers integrate the use 

of geologic resource information in resource 

management decisions through the use of 

three main products: an on-site scoping 
72 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

meeting with park staff and geologic experts 

to evaluate and discuss the park’s geologic 

resourc es and related resource management 

issues, a comprehensive digital geologic map, 

and a comprehensive geologic report. By the 

close of 2008, program staff had held scoping 

meetings in 202 parks and, with the assistance 

of partners, completed digital geologic maps 

for 138 parks. In FY 2008, 18 new reports were 

distributed to parks, networks, and regions.

Soil Resources Inventory and Management

The Natural Resource Challenge also funds 

the Soil Resources Inventory and Management (SRI) project through the I&M Program. 

Geologic resources staff manage this project, 

which provides digital soil maps and soil resource management information to parks. 

Through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources 

Conservation Service and the National 

Cooperative Soil Survey, the SRI helps park 

managers obtain the information needed to 

sustainably manage soil and to protect water 

quality, wetlands, vegetation, and wildlife 

habitats. In FY 2008, SRIs for 32 I&M parks 

and four non-I&M parks were completed.

Minerals Management

Thirty-two NPS units contain nearly 750 

active private mineral exploration or development operations. With expertise in mining 

and oil/gas development technology, regulations and policy, impact mitigation, geology, reclamation, and mining claim validity 

examinations, Geologic Resources Program 

staff help managers eff ectively protect park 

resources and values from the adverse eff ects 

of past, current, and future mining within 

and adjacent to NPS units. Staff ensure that 

operations conform to oil and gas regulations, 

which require operators to use the technologically feasible methods least damaging to park 

resources and to reclaim their sites to prior 

conditions after operations. In FY 2008, staff 

reviewed 10 new oil and gas proposals covering 49 operations in seven parks.

Geologic Resources Program Accomplishments

Discovery

Badlands National Park (SD), Guadalupe 

Mountains National Park (TX), and Glen 

Canyon National Recreation Area (AZ, UT). 

Staff initiated soil resources inventories for 

these parks and held scoping sessions to begin 

the process of information gathering. When 

the inventories are complete, the key products 

will be digital maps of park soils; data about 

the physical, chemical, and biological properties of these soils; metadata; and information 

products such as fact sheets and image galleries.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (AK), 

Golden Gate National Recreation Area (CA), 

Gulf Islands National Seashore (FL, MS), and 

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (MI).

With the U.S. Geological Survey, program staff 

convened a multi-agency workshop to clarify 

the needs of a Servicewide marine mapping 

program and identifi ed and implemented pilot 

marine mapping projects in these sites.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (AZ, 

UT) and Richmond National Battlefi eld Park 

(VA). Two Geoscientists-in-the-Parks participants conducted geohazards assessments at 

these NPS units.

Learning and Understanding

The Cave and Karst Program coordinator 

provided technical advice to 14 park units 

and other federal, state, and local agencies, 

including reviewing and commenting on the 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Bexar County 

Karst Invertebrates Draft Recovery Plan for 

listing endangered cave-dwelling species in 

the San Antonio, Texas, area. He served on a 

NPS working group and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service committee looking into whitenose syndrome, a new and potentially deadly 

fungus found on hibernating bats within caves 

in four northeastern states.

Geologic Resources Program staff provided 

technical expertise to seven parks concerning the assessment and evaluation of geologic 

hazards. Examples include the identifi cation 

of hazardous areas for rockfall instigated by 

seismic activity at Acadia National Park (ME),

assessment of rockfall potential in the vicinity of popular climbing routes at Devils Tower 

National Monument (WY), evaluation of a 

landslide with tsunami potential at Glacier Bay 

National Park (AK), and appraisal of a rockfall 

that threatened archeological resources at 

Walnut Canyon National Monument (AZ).
 National Park Service 73

Big South Fork National River and Recreation 

Area (KY, TN) and Joshua Tree National Park 

(CA). Park staff will use soil resources inventories to address current and future management issues regarding limitations for equestrian and mountain bike trails and off -road 

vehicles in Big South Fork and to identify soil 

physical properties to be used in an ecological model to determine critical habitat for the 

desert tortoise in Joshua Tree.

Buck Island Reef National Monument (USVI). 

The Geologic Resources Inventory team 

integrat ed a U.S. Geological Survey terrestrial 

map of St. Croix Island and the monument 

with benthic habitat maps from the National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

This was the fi rst map of its kind for the inventory.

Buck Island Reef National Monument (USVI), 

Canaveral National Seashore (FL), Cape 

Lookout National Seashore (NC), Point Reyes 

National Seashore (CA), and San Juan Island 

National Historical Park (WA). Shoreline maps, 

which incorporate landforms, vegetation, soil, 

and coastal processes, were completed for 

these areas. These maps were developed using 

new protocols developed by the National 

Park Service in collaboration with the U.S. 

Geological Survey, state surveys, and academic 

institutions.

Padre Island National Seashore (TX). Geologic 

Resources Program staff revised the seashore’s 

oil and gas development scenario to refl ect 

current increases in oil and gas drilling as well 

as environmental impacts not anticipated in 

the site’s Oil and Gas Management Plan.

Sharing 

Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation 

Area (MA), Cape Lookout National Seashore 

(NC), Cumberland Island National Seashore 

(GA), Fire Island National Seashore (NY), 

Pu’ukohola National Historic Site (HI), Saugus 

Iron Works National Historic Site (MA), and 

Salem Maritime National Historic Site (MA).

Coastal Geology Program staff gave 15 presentations to park staff , visitors, and neighbors in 

seven parks. Eighty-three park staff and 188 

visitors and residents attended these sessions, 

which covered basic coastal process and storm 

dynamics, current and recent storm events, 

and potential changes in local parks and 

regional coastal areas. Materials developed for 

the presentations were left with park staff for 

future use with park visitors.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore (NC) and 

Gulf Islands National Seashore (FL, MS). 

Geologic Resources Program staff published 

a paper in the George Wright Forum entitled 

“Protecting Cultural Resources in Coastal 

U.S. National Parks from Climate Change,” 

which describes the impact of climate change 

at Cape Hatteras and management actions at 

Fort Massachusetts in Gulf Islands.

Mammoth Cave National Park (KY). Two local 

teachers, funded by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers as part of the 

Geoscientists-in-the-Parks program, prepared 

three interpretive trail guides for the park and 

used the knowledge they acquired during the 

summer to enhance the science curricula at 

their schools. They communicated information about research methods and appreciation of the park’s unique cave resources to 

students and the local community. Due to 

the success of the program, the association pledged its support to the park for an 

additional two years.

Resource Protection and Restoration

Fort Bowie National Historic Site (AZ).

Geologic Resources Program staff assisted 

with the clarifi cation of CFR regulations for a 

mining claim operator whose proposed access 

through the park could adversely aff ect historic Native American resources and the historic 

Butterfi eld Overland Mail Route.

Gulf Islands National Seashore (FL, MS).

Program staff provided extensive technical 

support on the environmental and policy 

implications pertaining to the develop ment 

of a science-based barrier island restoration strategy for inclusion in the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers Draft Mississippi Coastal 

Improvement Program Comprehensive 

Plan and Programmatic Environmental 

Impact Statement. The restoration strategy, 

develop ed cooperatively with other federal 

agencies, address es specifi c actions to mitigate substantial erosion and land loss on the 

barrier islands caused by frequent intense 

storms, sea level rise, and a defi cit in the sediment budget attributed to the dredging of 

sand from navigation channels near the island.
74 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Program staff administered 14 disturbed lands 

restoration projects, including restoration of 

prairies in fi ve NPS units within the Southern 

Plains Network, restoration of two prominent volcanic buttes in Lava Beds National 

Monument (CA), restoration of paleodunes 

and climbing dune dynamics in Point Reyes 

National Seashore (CA), restoration of habitat 

in off -trail areas in Carlsbad Caverns National 

Park (NM), restoration of soils and vegetation 

at Running Eagle Falls in Glacier National Park 

(MT), and wetland restoration in the Johnson 

Ferry Unit in Chattahoochee River National 

Recreation Area (GA).

WATER RESOURCES PROGRAM

The Water Resources Program provides 

leadership for the preservation, protection, 

and management of the water and aquatic 

resources of NPS units. As with all natural 

resource issues today, water resource issues 

are complex, including such topics as water 

quality, water rights, planning, fl oodplain 

management, erosion and sediment control, 

protection of wetland and riparian habitats, 

watershed condition, fi sheries management, 

and ocean and coastal resources. The Water 

Resources Program helps parks address these 

issues through fi ve main areas: water resource 

projects, water quality vital signs monitoring, watershed condition assessments, water 

resource protection – aquatic resource professionals, and water resource technical assistance.

Base funding for the Water Resources 

Program in FY 2008 was $12,316,000. In 

FY 2008, the Water Resources Program 

continu ed to deliver a high level of support 

to parks in addressing a wide variety of water 

and aquatic resource-related issues. The 

Program provided services directly to parks 

through a broad range of programs: Water 

Resource Protection Projects, Water Quality 

Monitoring, Watershed Condition Assessments, Water Resource Protection–Aquatic 

Resource Professionals, and Technical Assistance. Each of these focus areas is highlighted 

below, followed by a detailed look at some of 

the projects facilitated by the Water Resources 

Program in FY 2008. Appendix D provides 

a complete listing of all Water Resources 

Program projects for FY 2008.

Water Resource Projects

Water resource projects fall into two categories: water resource protection and cooperative academic fi sheries projects. The Natural 

Resource Challenge funds water resource 

protection projects that involve data collection and analyses used to describe surface and 

ground water fl ow regimes and investigate the 

dependence of park resources upon water. 

These eff orts are targeted toward development 

of scientifi c information that will contribute 

to decisions that protect or restore surface or 

ground water systems. Studies are conducted 

by scientists with expertise in fi elds that are 

appropriate for the park resources being 

examined. The majority of FY 2008 project 

funds were used to support ongoing studies 

designed to characterize surface or ground 

water fl ow systems. Project funds are also 

used to study the relationships between water 

quantity and fl ow timing and water-dependent 

park resources. Studies of water-dependent 

resources included riparian/wetland vegetation, fi sh migration, anchialine ponds (landlocked ponds with an underground connection to the ocean), and geomorphology.

A small amount of Water Resource Program 

base funding is used to develop and increase 

cooperative relationships between the 

academic community and the NPS fi sheries 

program. These projects help introduce top 

caliber fi sheries students to NPS programs 

as well as expanding the level of fi sheries 

expertise available to parks. FY 2008 water 

resources base funding was not adequate to 

support a third project category, competitive 

projects, through which many park-based 

activities were previously funded.

Water Quality Vital Signs Monitoring

The National Park Service supports the 

Depart ment of the Interior strategic goal to 

signifi cantly reduce the number of stream 

and river miles and acres of lakes and marine 

areas that do not meet water quality standards. 

The National Park Service also strives to 

protect unimpaired water quality in parks 

from future impairment. The Service works 

with state Clean Water Act programs and 

takes appropriate management actions to 

support the restora tion of impaired water 

bodies. Presently, about 120 NPS units have 

one or more water bodies that do not meet 

state water quality standards for one or more 
 National Park Service 75

pollutants on approximately 1,800 miles of 

rivers and streams and 1,066,000 acres of 

lakes, reservoirs, estuaries, and marine areas. Because water quality is a key vital sign 

in determining overall aquatic ecosystem 

health, the Water Quality Vital Signs Monitoring Program continues to be implemented in 

full integration with the NPS Park Vital Signs 

Monitoring Program. Fully integrating these 

programs creates considerable cost savings 

in staffi ng, planning and design, administration, implementation, data management, and 

reporting.

Watershed Condition Assessment Program

The Watershed Condition Assessment 

Program (WCAP) provides technical guidance 

and accountability oversight to assess watershed resource conditions in parks. By FY 2014, 

the WCAP hopes to fund a natural resource 

condition assessment project for each of 

the 270-plus parks in the NPS Vital Signs 

Monitor ing Program. Parks receiving these 

assessments will be in an improved position 

to defi ne natural resource conservation 

indicators and targets via park planning and to 

report to overall resource condition performance accountability measures (e.g., land health 

goals in the Department of Interior’s Strategic 

Plan). Relying on existing data from multiple 

sources and best professional judgment, 

each assessment provides an interdisciplinary synthesis and report on current condition status, critical data gaps, and existing or 

emerging vulnerability/risk factors for important natural resources. Assessments also strive 

to develop overall condition ratings for park 

areas at the geographic scale requested by 

the receiving park (e.g., by park watersheds, 

habitat types, or management zones).

In FY 2003, the WCAP began an eff ort to 

assess coastal water resources and watershed 

conditions in 53 parks with signifi cant ocean 

and Great Lakes resources by FY 2014. Since 

FY 2003, the WCAP initiated assessments in 

47 coastal and Great Lakes parks; fi nal reports 

have been published for 27 parks. Reports 

from these assessments characterize the 

relative health or status of upland, wetland, 

riparian, marine, estuarine, and Great Lakes 

resources within the National Park System.

In FY 2008, the WCAP also funded projects 

that addressed emerging, high-priority park 

watershed condition issues that, because 

of the applicable timeframes, could not be 

appropriate ly directed through the competitive project funding program.

Water Resource Protection—Aquatic Resource 

Professionals

Through the Natural Resource Challenge 

in FY 2002–2003, the National Park Service 

received $1,205,000 to fund aquatic resource 

specialists in the fi eld. Fifteen positions were 

fully funded in FY 2008, although three of 

the positions were vacant for part of the fi scal 

year. The positions are supported through a 

cost-share arrangement between the Water 

Resources Program (Natural Resource 

Challenge funding) and local park and/or 

regional offi ces. Twelve of the positions are 

duty-stationed in parks and one each is located in the Sonoran Network Offi ce, Center 

for Urban Ecology in the National Capitol 

Region, and Utah State Offi ce. This network 

of highly trained professionals provides park 

managers with fi eld-level expertise that would 

otherwise not be available to address their 

highest priority aquatic resource needs in 

areas such as fi sheries biology, marine and 

aquatic ecology, and groundwater hydrology.

Water Resources Technical Assistance

Prior to the Natural Resource Challenge, the 

Water Resources Technical Assistance Program was the fundamental component of the 

Water Resources Program; it has not been 

expanded by Natural Resource Challenge 

funding. Through the technical assistance effort, the Water Resources Program provides 

direct assist ance to parks on high-priority 

needs using a combination of its own staff and 

expert ise acquired through cooperative agreements. More than 170 parks obtained technical 

assistance from the Water Resources Division 

in FY 2008.

Water Resources Program Accomplishments

Discovery

Fort Frederica National Monument (GA). The 

Southeast Coast I&M Network received funding from the Water Resources Program for a 

baseline water quality inventory at the monument.

Learning and Understanding

Water Resources Program staff facilitated the 

creation of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Pro-
76 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

gram Steering Committee and provided leadership for the development and implementation of a program action plan.

The Water Resources Program established 

an Ocean and Coastal Resources Branch to 

provide overall leadership and coordination 

in ocean resource stewardship within the 

National Park Service. The program supports 

coastal watershed assessment and management; coral reef, ocean, and coastal habitat 

mapping, protection, and restoration; and 

marine fi sheries and recreational uses management.

The fi eld-based aquatic resource professionals 

assisted parks with many projects in FY 2008. 

They collaborated with Intermountain Region 

facilities management engineers to develop a 

statement of work and engineering estimate 

for a new water supply well at Tucson Mountain District at Saguaro National Park (AZ), 

developed a status report of water quality and 

water supply issues and made recommendations regarding management of the water 

supply system at Fort Bowie National Historic 

Site (AZ), monitored nearshore water quality 

at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore 

(MI) and evaluated potential causes for avian 

botulism outbreaks, assisted with re-licensing 

of operations of the Saluda Dam aff ecting 

Congaree National Park (SC) by attending 

stakeholder meeting to develop an ecologically 

sustainable fl ow prescription for the dam, and 

provided site assessments, biological opinions, 

hydrologic evaluations, and storm-water management suggestions to National Capital Parks 

– East regarding fl ooding of urban communities outside the park boundaries.

Olympic National Park (WA). Natural resource 

condition assessments were initiated at 35 

parks and supplemental funding was provided 

to four park assessments started in previous 

years. Coastal resource assessments were initiated in four coastal parks and supplemental 

funding was provided to assessments started 

in previous years in four other parks. The 

coastal resource assessment report for Olympic National Park was published.

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Denali 

National Park and Preserve, and YukonCharley Rivers National Preserve (AK). These 

NPS sites contain many shallow lakes that 

provide important wetland habitat. Aquatic 

resource professional staff implemented monitoring plans for 15 lakes in Bering Land Bridge, 

92 lakes in Denali, and two lakes in YukonCharley.

The Water Resources Program enhanced 

learning and understanding of water resources in parks. Technical support and funding 

aided in the development of the Emergency 

Prevention and Response Plan for Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia within the Lake Superior 

Basin and the Quagga Mussel Planning and 

Response Guide for National Park Service Units

in the Intermountain and Pacifi c West regions. 

Program staff completed and published the 

Katmai National Park and Preserve/Alagnak Wild River Water Resources Information 

and Issues Overview Report; the Guadalupe 

Mountains National Park Physical Resources 

Stewardship Report; and Hydrogeology and 

Water-Supply Wells, Grand Teton National 

Park. Staff also completed a functional assessment and suggested desired conditions for 

the Pueblo Colorado Wash riparian zone at 

Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site 

(AZ) and performed on-site evaluation of three 

large wetland systems, their hydrology, and 

the potential to enhance the wetland functions 

of each area at Richmond National Battlefi eld 

Park (VA).

Sharing 

In 2008, the National Park Service completed national and regional-level ocean park 

steward ship action plans that call for increasing the agency’s scientifi c and organizational 

capacity to manage ocean and coastal resources, in concert with federal, state, and local 

partners.

Water Resources Program funds supported 

the development of a Servicewide water 

quality data management program within 

the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

STORET national water quality database. Four 

water quality research associates and a student 

worked to support database development, 

management, and reporting activities through 

cooperative agreements with Colorado State 

University. The Servicewide STORET database has served as the starting point for most 

network water quality data compilation and 

analysis eff orts and also the program’s baseline water quality data inventory and analysis 
 National Park Service 77

reports. In addition to data from states and 

other entities, this archive now hosts more 

than 3.45 million results for 1,800 diff erent 

physical, chemical, or biological characteristics 

from 26,570 monitoring locations in support 

of 882 diff erent projects conducted in or near 

227 units of the National Park System. Use of 

NPSTORET increased among other government entities, including the U.S. Geological 

Survey, U.S. Agency for International Development, and Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.

Resource Protection and Restoration

The Water Resources Program off ered a 

high level of support to parks for many 

resource protection and restoration projects 

in FY 2008. Technical support and funding 

were provided for wetland restoration projects in several NPS units, including Channel 

Islands National Park (CA), Fire Island National Seashore (NY), Grand Teton National 

Park (WY), Lewis and Clark National Historical Park (OR), Point Reyes National Seashore 

(CA), Rocky Mountain National Park (CO), 

and Sequoia National Park (CA). The Big 

Lagoon Wetland Restoration Project, Surfer 

Parking Lot restoration planning, Crissy 

Marsh Expansion Project, and Giacomini 

Wetland Restoration at Golden Gate National 

Recreation Area (CA) benefi tted from the 

assistance of program staff . Staff initiated a 

project for fi sh and habitat restoration at Point 

Reyes National Seashore (CA), improving

aquatic habitat through the removal of nonnative riparian vegetation and restoration of 

stream bank habitat. Staff provided oversight 

to a project for the removal of non-native 

fi sh species in several lakes in North Cascades 

National Park (WA), trained park staff to 

recognize and delineate wetlands in Prince 

William Forest Park (VA), provided technical 

assistance regarding a proposal to restore wetland/spring habitats at Travertine Springs in 

Death Valley National Park (CA), and assisted 

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area (CA)

in restoring a rare salt spring that provides the 

only known habitat for the endemic Howell’s 

alkali grass (Puccinellia howellii). Staff also 

assisted Niobrara National Scenic River (NE)

with continuing a partnership with the state 

of Nebraska to protect instream fl ows in the 

Niobrara River.

Great Sand Dunes National Park (CO) and 

Saguaro National Park (AZ). Waters rights 

issues continue to be an important focus for 

the Water Resources Program. Program staff 

worked to secure a water right decree from the 

Colorado Water Court that protects groundwater within Great Sand Dunes National 

Park. Since the claim was fi led in 2004, Water 

Resources Program staff have assist ed the park 

with identifying data needs and providing 

quality assurance for data collected by gauging streams and monitoring wells. Plans are 

The Ocean and Coastal Resources 

Branch provides leadership and 

coordination to protect ocean 

resources such as this coral 

in National Park of American 

Samoa.
78 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

underway to drill an additional 10 monitoring 

wells along the park boundary to administer 

the water right. The Water Resources staff also 

completed scientifi c studies to support water 

right claims fi led with the state of Arizona 

for Rincon Creek at the request of Saguaro 

National Park. Obtaining the water right 

for instream fl ow maintenance on Rincon 

Creek would protect the water and associated 

animals and plants, including the only riparian 

forest in the park, from large non-NPS water 

diversions.

Mount Rainier National Park (WA). Over the 

past few years, the park experienced several 

instances of severe fl ooding that damaged 

park facilities. The Water Resources Program 

identifi ed fl ood hazards in the park and 

worked to mitigate them.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 

(CA) and Great Smoky Mountains National 

Park (TN, NC). Water Resources Program staff 

provided technical and policy support for 18 

fl oodplain statements of fi ndings that included 

Halstead Meadows Road Reconstruction at 

 Sequoia and the Oconaluftee Visitor Center at 

Great Smoky Mountains.

Yellowstone National Park (ID, MT, WY).

The National Park Service has worked with 

the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology 

since 2006 to complete planning, data collection and well closure activities for a geothermal well believed to be hydrologically 

connect ed to a hydrothermal water complex 

near Mammoth, Wyoming. Because the NPS 

interest involved the protection of Yellowstone National Park water rights, the Water 

Resources Program provided funds to cover 

the additional cost associat ed with the selected plugging method. The 421-foot-deep well 

was declared plugged on August 5, 2008.

Zion National Park (UT). With support from 

network monitoring results, North Creek was 

removed from the state list of impaired waters 

after it was shown that high salt concentrations are a natural result of underlying 

geology. Under the Clean Water Act (CWA), 

states must identify all waters that do not meet 

or are not expected to meet water quality standards. These waters have become known as 

“303(d)” water bodies after the CWA section 

in which the requirement is contained.

Evaluation

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation 

Area (CA) and Valley Forge National Historical 

Park (PA). A number of projects within the 

Water Resources Water Quality Vital Signs 

Monitoring Program addressed the evaluation 

of park water quality monitoring activities. 

The Mediterranean Coast Network established a cooperative agreement with California 

State University of Los Angeles to evaluate 

the sampling strategy included in the draft 

water quality monitoring protocol for Santa 

Monica Mountains, among other activities. A 

cooperative agreement between the University 

of Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic Network will 

develop water quality and quantity monitoring objectives for Valley Forge and review and 

evaluate existing water quality monitoring 

programs and protocols.

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY PROGRAM

Federal law requires the National Park Service 

to make informed decisions that promote the 

conservation of park resources unimpaired 

for current and future enjoyment. That 

require ment comes from two key statutes: 

the 1916 Organic Act (see Chapter I) and the 

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA). NEPA requires all federal agencies to 

prepare studies of the impacts of and alternatives to proposed actions, use those studies in 

deciding whether to proceed with the actions, 

and diligently attempt to involve the aff ected 

public before any decision is made.

The Environmental Quality Program helps fulfi ll this requirement in two ways. The Environmental Compliance Program helps parks 

comply with NEPA and related statutes, and 

the Environmental Response, Damage Assessment, and Restoration Program helps parks 

address resource injuries caused by incidents 

such as oil spills and hazardous substance 

releases.

Environmental Compliance Program

The Environmental Compliance Program 

provid es policy development, technical 

assistance, training, and project management to parks in the areas of impact analysis 

and conservation planning under NEPA and 

related statutes. Specifi cally, this program 

is intended to assist parks with complex, 

controver sial, and potentially precedentsetting NEPA analyses and decisions; this 
 National Park Service 79

assistance is generally not available at the park 

or regional levels. In FY 2008, the Environmental Compliance Program managed more 

than $5.2 million of NEPA project work in 27 

parks. Many of these projects are multi-year 

eff orts that also involve the Department of the 

Interior Offi ce of the Solicitor, Department of 

Justice, state governments, and the public.

Environmental Response, Damage Assessment, and Restoration Program

The Environmental Response, 

Damage Assess ment, and Restoration Program 

(ERDAR) provides policy development, technical assistance, training, and case management to parks to address incident-caused 

injuries to resources. Under the Park System 

Resource Protection Act; Oil Pollution Act; 

Park System Resources Protection Act (16 

U.S.C. 19jj); and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability 

Act, the National Park Service is authorized to 

take actions to prevent or minimize injuries, 

assess and seek recovery of compensatory 

damages, and restore injured resources that 

are associated with discharges of oil, releases 

of hazardous substances, and other incidents that injure NPS resources. ERDAR 

helps parks apply these authorities since this 

assistance is highly specialized and generally 

not available at the park or regional levels. In 

FY 2008, ERDAR recovered more than $6.8 

million in compensatory damages for 19 parks 

and managed more than $580,600 of restoration project work. Most of these cases and 

projects are multi-year eff orts that involve a 

variety of other agencies, both at the federal 

and state levels.

NATURAL SOUNDS PROGRAM

The Natural Sounds Program was established 

in 2000 to provide parks with assistance, guidance, and a Servicewide approach to managing acoustic environments (or soundscapes) 

in a way that balances the expectations of 

park visitors with the protection of park 

resources and values. The Natural Sounds 

Program protects, maintains, and restores 

soundscape resources and values by working in partner ship with parks and others to 

increase scientifi c and public understanding of 

the value and character of park soundscapes. 

An important element of this mission is working with the Federal Aviation Administration 

to implement the National Parks Air Tour 

Manage ment Act. Specifi cally, the Natural 

Sounds Program provides technical assistance 

to parks by monitoring acoustic conditions, 

collecting and analyzing data, developing 

ambient acoustic baseline information, and 

providing planning assistance including drafting and reviewing park plans and NEPA documents.

Given the increased understanding of the 

important role the acoustic environment plays 

in overall ecosystem health as well visitor 

enjoyment and wilderness management, the 

Natural Sounds Program has seen a signifi cant 

increase in interest from parks and regions 

over the past year and, therefore, a signifi cant 

increase in workload and accomplishments. In 

FY 2008, the Natural Sounds Program assisted 

25 parks with 49 specifi c projects; the following examples highlight some of these projects.

Learning and Understanding

Natural Sounds Program staff completed 

acoustic monitoring at 20 parks, fi nished 

acoustic monitoring reports for three parks, 

trained park staff on acoustic monitoring protocol and equipment at six parks, and initiat ed 

the process for assessing noise source issues 

(e.g., energy development, watercraft, ORVs, 

construction equipment, motorcycles). Three 

of the monitoring projects took place at Great 

Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (CO), 

Mount Rushmore National Memorial (SD), 

and San Antonio Missions National Historical 

Park (TX).

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve 

(CO). Because an energy development project 

is proposed for the adjacent Baca National 

Wildlife Refuge, the Natural Sounds Program 

was asked to capture baseline ambient sound 

measurements in the park. This will allow the 

park to better identify noise impacts if the 

energy development project begins. Acoustic 

technicians collected and analyzed data, 

complet ing an acoustic monitoring report 

for the park and for staff from Baca National 

Wildlife Refuge for use in the environ mental 

assessment proposing the development. 

The monitoring eff ort discovered that the 

acoustical environment in Great Sand Dunes 

was exceptionally quiet—one of the quietest locations ever monitored by the Natural 

Sounds Program. Ambient levels this low are 

extremely rare and thus extremely vulnerable 
80 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

to impacts from noise sources.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial (SD).

The importance of regulating low-fl ying air 

tours is readily apparent at Mount Rushmore 

National Memorial, where interpretive talks 

are regularly interrupted by air tours: acoustic monitoring at the Grand View Terrace, 

the promenade below the faces at Mount 

Rushmore, indicates that almost every 

45-minute interpretive talk is interrupted 

at least three times by low-fl ying air tours. 

These fi gures echo complaints received by 

park managers from visitors regarding the 

noise from air tours. The National Park Service contin ues to try to work with the Federal 

Aviation Administration to regulate air tours 

consistent with the congressional mandate 

of the National Parks Air Tour Management 

Act of 2000, which is designed to prevent or 

mitigate impacts to national park resources 

and visitor enjoyment from low-fl ying air 

tours.

San Antonio Missions National Historical 

Park (TX). The Texas Department of Transportation recently issued a Finding of No 

Signifi cant Impact for the extension of one 

of the runways at Stinson Municipal Airport, 

which is immediate ly adjacent to Mission San 

Juan. The goal of this monitoring eff ort was 

to capture baseline ambient measurements 

prior to the completion of the runway expansion. The park is concerned about increasing 

aircraft overfl ights and their impacts on interpretive programs and visitor enjoyment of the 

historical site. Over a one-month period, the 

Natural Sounds Program monitored acoustics; collected sound pressure level, audio, 

and wind speed data; and conducted on-site 

listening exercise to aid with sound source 

identifi ca tion. A preliminary monitoring 

report was sent to the park, with a detailed 

report to be sent when complete.

Sharing

Natural Sounds Program planning activities 

included making progress on air tour management plans for Mount Rainier National 

Park (WA), Haleakala National Park (HI), and 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HI); assisting Zion National Park (UT) and Minuteman 

National Historical Park (MA) with soundscape management plans; developing a 

quantitative framework for analyzing noise 

impacts to wildlife, visitor experience, ethnographic resources, and soundscape for the 

Grand Canyon National Park (AZ) Overfl ights 

Environ mental Impact Statement; reviewing and comment ing on the draft Federal 

Register notice for clarifying the defi nition of 

substantial restoration of natural quiet and 

draft impact thresholds for the Grand Canyon 

National Park Overfl ights Environmental 

Impact Statement; and providing assistance to 

Low-fl ying air tours impact onthe-ground visitor experience 

at Mount Rushmore National 

Memorial (SD).

NPS Photo
 National Park Service 81

parks on other planning eff orts such as GMPs, 

wilderness plans, transportation management 

plans, and resource stewardship plans.

The Natural Sounds Program continued to 

provide education and outreach eff orts. The 

Natural Sounds Program held a soundscape 

planning workshop in the Alaska Region; 

provid ed acoustic equipment and interpretative materials to Global Explorers (Connecting Kids to Parks), a non-profi t, for use in 

their Leading the Way programs; developed 

a key resource information and issues handbook for park interpreters as part of an interpretative toolbox; developed a brochure about 

the Natural Sounds Program; worked with the 

Arthur Carhart Wilderness Training Center 

to develop a soundscape module as part of 

a wilder ness training course; and provided 

information for articles and interviews for 

several magazines. 

RESOURCE PROTECTION PROGRAM

In its seventh year of funding from the Natural 

Resource Challenge, the Resource Protection Program supports projects that propose 

innovative approaches involving natural 

resource specialists, protection rangers, 

researchers, and partners from other agencies 

to focus on resources at risk. In FY 2008, the 

Resource Protection Program distributed 

$282,000 for such projects. The following 

examples highlight some of the FY 2008 

Resource Protection projects.

Learning and Understanding

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument 

and Coronado National Memorial (AZ). The 

Depart ment of Homeland Security constructed fi ve miles of “pedestrian fence” along the 

international border with Mexico at Organ 

Pipe and two miles of fence at Coronado. To 

assess the eff ects of these fences on hydrologic 

fl ow patterns, the parks hired a contractor for 

the installation of channel geomorphology 

transects, which will allow measurement of 

changes in channels. The contractor provided 

a written report, electronic versions of all 

photo points, GPS data on transect locations, 

and an electronic database to track changes 

over time. The parks continue to use the 

transects to re-read the channels after rain 

events.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (MI). Staff 

continued a project to assess the status of rare 

dune forest plant communities, determine 

ecological and anthropogenic threats to the 

long-term viability of key species, and prepare 

ecological and law enforcement monitoring plans. Highlights of the project include 

documen tation of numerous populations 

of the state-threatened Lake Huron tansy 

(Tanacetum huronense) and two state species 

of concern, American dune (Elymus mollis) 

and blue wild rye (Elymus glaucus Buckley), 

in 20 miles of surveyed shoreline, and documentation of numerous bryophyte and lichen 

surveys previous ly unreported in the lakeshore. Both monitoring plans and the interpretive component were initiated and will be 

completed following analysis of collected fi eld 

data. A cooperative agreement with Northern 

Michigan University will extend fi eld work 

through a fourth fi eld season (FY 2009), 

which will provide a more complete data set 

and more useful fi nal product.

Sharing

Biscayne National Park (FL). The park continued to work toward reversing the observed 

decline in fi sheries resources and reducing 

the number of fi sheries violations through 

increased visitor education and fi sheries 

enforcement. Staff launched an innovative 

“Fisheries Awareness” class for individuals 

who receive citations related to fi shing regulation violations. Class attendance (including 

among non-cited participants) continues to 

increase, and the U.S. Magistrate Court agreed 

to use the class as mitigation for a visitor’s fi rst 

fi sheries citation. Additional outreach eff orts 

included fi sh identifi cation classes for law 

enforcement staff at Biscayne and Everglades 

National Park and the Florida Keys National 

Marine Sanctuary and a program for campers. Enforcement activities include more 

stops to check anglers’ catches, “ride-alongs” 

by resource management staff to aid in fi sh 

identifi ca tion, and law enforcement ranger 

participation in bi-weekly fi sh creel surveys.

Katmai National Park and Preserve (AK).

Natural Resource Protection funds were 

combined with park base funds to create a 

backcountry bear safety education program. 

The program included purchasing GPS units 

to document food-related trash locations, 

funding increased backcountry patrols in 
82 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

bear-viewing and sport-fi shing areas, purchasing six bear-resistant food containers for visitors on multi-day river trips, printing several 

thousand “Best Bear Viewing Practices on 

the Katmai Coast” brochures, and producing 

a backcountry bear safety orientation movie. 

The brochure and movie will be distributed at 

2009 commercial use authorization meetings; 

commercial operators will be asked to show 

the movie to clients before entering the park. 

To measure project success, backcountry rangers will document bear-human problem areas 

before and after program implementation.
 National Park Service 83
84 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 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 85

This chapter presents fi nancial details for 

Servicewide natural resource programs. Information in Chapters I–V describe program 

accomplishments and highlight which of the 

programs have benefi ted from the Natural 

Resource Challenge funding increases provided between FY 2000 and FY 2007 and how 

the programs were aff ected. FY 2007 marked 

the fi nal year of planned Natural Resource 

Challenge increases, but the programs continued to benefi t in FY 2008 from the sustained 

increases.

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 identifi -

Chapter VI: Financial Details

Researchers at the George Washington Memorial Parkway (VA, 

MD, DC) conducted surveys of 

insects. Information from the 

surveys will provide managers 

with a better understanding of 

the park's biodiversity.

able 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-by-program fi nancial 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 

manage ment generally, are separately identifi ed. Table 6.1 shows total funding for 

the parks that received Natural Resource 

Challenge funding.

Below are details of funding changes by 

program between FY 2007 and FY 2008. In 

addition, where appropriate, additional detail 

is provided regarding how funding within 

these programs has been allocated.
86 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Table 6.1

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

FY 2001 or 

FY 2002

FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 

Park

Amount of 

Challenge 

Increase

NR Total NR Total NR Total NR Total NR Total NR Total NR Total 

Acadia NP 345,000 849,827 794,395 755,087 752,395 695,273 726,254 728,833

Antietam NB 150,000 319,965 316,723 314,900 353,000 350,000 420,000 421,360 

Appalachian National 

Scenic Trail 142,000 263,638 256,603 258,337 298,642 299,453 310,919 316,667 

Big Cypress NPr1 399,000 1,033,640 1,010,000 1,108,140 1,108,140 1,085,907 1,104,663 1,050,220 

Buck Island Reef NM2 100,000 270,000 216,450 216,000 216,000 216,000 216,000 216,000 

Catoctin Mountain 

Park 89,000 254,400 231,900 232,200 272,414 174,867 200,594 204,976 

Channel Islands NP 498,000 1,406,622 1,406,622 1,440,607 1,891,222 1,891,222 1,891,222 2,255,648 

Coronado NMem 60,000 94,993 105,231 95,236 108,000 60,000 60,000 60,000 

Curecanti NM 141,000 657,500 690,600 719,300 724,000 731,700 741,900 859,100 

Dinosaur NM 189,000 501,800 559,375 568,874 571,152 524,200 627,280 772,738 

Gates of the Arctic 

NP&Pr 148,000 362,401 363,039 349,164 377,345 357,517 342,014 534,945 

Great Basin NP 126,000 331,450 315,756 375,939 367,080 382,600 454,600 483,157 

Great Sand Dunes NP 180,000 291,700 287,500 281,300 281,300 323,400 332,000 325,300 

Great Smoky 

Mountains NP3 402,000 1,245,100 1,152,700 1,003,200 1,231,700 476,000 353,200 2,258,200

Haleakala NP 480,000 1,561,660 1,372,200 1,196,400 1,196,400 1,404,882 1,458,403 1,492,557 

Homestead NM of 

America 82,000 104,500 104,500 81,198 82,460 82,353 87,731 77,244 

Hopewell Culture 

NHP 105,000 95,000 79,322 103,047 99,953 109,519 106,024 106,332 

Jewel Cave NM 50,000 168,500 168,500 167,140 159,203 153,330 161,422 170,571 

John Day Fossil Beds 

NM 95,000 129,000 130,000 115,000 127,101 119,000 129,000 129,000 

Kalaupapa NHP4 211,000 549,000 549,000 549,000 499,000 534,000 549,000 787,000 

Lake Clark NP&Pr 147,000 321,500 319,810 250,000 262,600 245,800 261,032 259,900 

Little River Canyon 

NPr5 85,000 182,426 174,027 112,900 171,275 95,898 96,371 111,941 

Mojave NPr* 470,000 1,264,000 1,219,073 1,177,488 1,178,297 1,165,193 1,160,397 1,147,303 

Monocacy NB* 118,000 120,000 116,000 116,000 116,000 116,000 116,000 116,000 

Obed W&SR 195,000 245,000 193,318 188,775 188,775 188,775 195,000 182,751 

Padre Island NS 95,000 408,000 403,825 543,000 471,896 600,200 589,492 547,307 

Pictured Rocks NL 55,000 194,650 207,000 211,000 237,000 238,832 243,664 266,547 

Rock Creek Park* 163,000 436,522 393,168 359,104 299,000 376,300 307,977 305,881 

San Juan Island NHP 95,000 124,600 125,050 124,600 124,600 116,837 101,200 123,230 

Saugus Iron Works 

NHS 58,000 58,000 58,000 69,900 58,000 58,000 58,000 58,000

Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPs6 112,000 1,446,000 1,424,400 1,424,400 1,457,400 1,563,600 1,590,600 1,885,200 

Stones River NB7 132,000 132,000 137,100 127,924 132,000 208,277 188,182 267,954 

Sunset Crater, Walnut 

Canyon, & Wupatki 

NMs

100,000 166,762 171,227 186,341 191,683 196,426 208,661 204,024 

Theodore Roosevelt 

NP 133,000 302,500 292,500 282,500 281,500 264,660 301,400 332,600 

Virgin Islands NP8 399,000 1,077,234 1,002,726 941,500 877,234 877,234 399,000 399,000

Zion NP9 246,000 536,300 515,872 518,774 485,274 518,774 467,101 492,344 

Totals 6,595,000 17,506,190 16,863,512 16,564,275 15,047,667 16,802,029 16,556,303 19,162,997 

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 from Coral Reef Initiative in FY 2001.

3

 Also received a non-Challenge $367K base increase in FY 2001.
 National Park Service 87

Table 6.2

Air Quality Program

FY 2007 allocation 8,692,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 44,000

Net FY 2007 Decrease

Total available in FY 2007 8,736,000

FY 2008 allocation 8,736,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 75,000

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -138,000

Total available in FY 2008 8,673,000

Change from FY 2007 -63,000

Table 6.3

Air Quality Program Funding by Categories

Program Management & Implementation 1,266,000

Air quality monitoring, projects, and analysis 5,005,000

Collaboration & Outreach 329,000

Technical assistance 2,073,000

Total available in FY 2008 8,673,000

Table 6.4

Biological Resources Management Program

FY 2007 allocation 8,401,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 44,000

Base adjustment11 368,000

Invasive species increase 750,000

Highly Pathogenic Avian Infl uenza 375,000

Total available in FY 2007 9,938,000

FY 2008 allocation 9,563,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 97,000

Highly Pathogenic Avian Infl uenza 375,000

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -159,000

Base transfer12 -111,000

Total available in FY 2008 9,765,000

Change from FY 2007 -173,000

4

 FY 2008 includes $238K from Coral Reef Initiative.

5

 Figures shown for FY 2001 and 2002 refl ect a correction to those reported in last year’s report. 6

 Received NRC money in FY 2002 ($498K for Santa Cruz Island restoration) and in FY 2005 ($477K for island fox 

recovery).

7

 Also received in FY 2008 one time Flexible Park Base Funding in amount of $333,000 to address scorecard issues, not refl ected in total. 8

 Figures shown for FY 2001 and 2002 refl ect a correction to those reported in FY 2007 report. 9

 FY 2008 does not include natural resource projects funded through the SCC ($213,702).

10 Refl ects FY 2008 across-the-board rescission. 11 Transferred from I&M Program funding.

12 Transferred to Natural Resource Data and Information Program.
88 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Table 6.5

Biological Resource Management Program Funding by Categories

Biological Resource Projects—National Level Support 583,000

Natives Branch 376,000

Ecological Restoration 275,000

Endangered Species Program 425,000

Exotic Plant Management Program 5,594,000

Integrated Pest Management Program 275,000

Invasive Animal Program 275,000

Invasive Plant Program 280,000

Migratory Bird Program 175,000

Vegetation Mapping 250,000

Wildlife Management and Health Program 925,000

Base funding in FY 2008 9,433,000

Highly Pathogenic Avian Infl uenza 332,000

Total available funding in FY 2008 9,765,000

Table 6.6

Cave and Karst Research Institute

Funding allocation in FY 2007 328,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase

Total available in FY 2007 328,000

FY 2008 allocation 328,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 0

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -5,000

Total available in FY 2008 323,000

Change from FY 2007 -5,000

Table 6.7

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units—National Network Support

Total allocation/available in FY 2007 127,000

FY 2008 allocation 127,000

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -2,000

Total available in FY 2008 125,000

Change from FY 2007 -2,000
 National Park Service 89

Table 6.8

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units Funding Distribution

FY 2001 or 2003 funding

Californian CESU—no Challenge funding

Chesapeake Watershed CESU 155,000

Colorado Plateau CESU 155,000

Desert Southwest CESU 155,000

Great Basin CESU 155,000

Great Lakes-Northern Forest CESU 153,000

Great Plains CESU 155,000

Gulf Coast CESU 153,000

Hawaii-Pacifi c Islands—no Challenge funding

North and West Alaska CESU—no Challenge funding

North Atlantic Coast CESU 155,000

Pacifi c Northwest CESU 155,000

Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast CESU—no Challenge funding

Rocky Mountains CESU 155,000

South Florida-Caribbean CESU 155,000

Southern Appalachian Mountains CESU 155,000

Upper and Middle Mississippi Valley CESU—no Challenge funding13

Table 6.9

Geographic Information System Program

Funding allocation in FY 2007 1,255,000

Base Change 0

Net FY 2007 Decrease 0

Total available in FY 2007 1,255,000

FY 2008 allocation 1,255,000

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -20,000

Total available in FY 2008 1,235,000

Change from FY 2008 -$20,000

Table 6.10

Geologic Resources Program

Funding allocation in FY 2007 2,672,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 40,000

Base adjustment11 150,000

Total available in FY 2007 2,862,000

FY 2008 allocation 2,862,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 85,000

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -46,000

Total available in FY 2008 2,901,000

Change from FY 2007 $39,000

13 Name changed to Great Rivers CESU.
90 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Table 6.11

Geologic Resources Program Funding by Categories

Cave & Karst 102,000

Coastal Geology 296,000

Disturbed Lands/AML 580,000

Geologic Hazards 116,000

Geologic Resource Evaluation 647,000

Minerals Management 855,000

Paleontology 102,000

Soil Resources 203,000

FY 2008 Total 2,901,000

Table 6.12

Inventory and Monitoring Program

FY 2007 Allocation 43,124,000

Classifi ed FY 2007 Pay Increase 169,000

Programmatic Increase 1,000,000

Net FY 2007 Decrease14 -518,000

Total Available in FY 2007 43,775,000

FY 2008 allocation 43,775,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 508,000

Base Transfer15 261,000

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -708,000

Total available in FY 2008 43,836,000

Change from FY 2007 61,000

Table 6.13

Inventory and Monitoring Program Funding by Categories

Natural Resource Inventory Projects 10,776,675

Vital Signs Monitoring 27,504,380

Information Management 2,454,590

Regional Coordinators 910,000

Program Administration 2,190,355

Total available in FY 2008 43,836,000

14 Transfer of I&M funding ($518K) to Biological Resource Management Program ($368K) and Geologic Resources 

Program ($150K) to support vegetation mapping, soil mapping, and geologic mapping inventories.

15 Transferred from Mammoth Cave National Park prototype I&M program to the Cumberland Piedmont Network.
 National Park Service 91

Table 6.14

Allocation of Funding among Basic Natural Resource Inventories

Air Quality Related Values 319,900

Geologic Resource Inventories 1,850,600

Soil Surveys

Alaska 295,300

Outside of Alaska 2,556,000

Water Resource Data 137,700

Vegetation Mapping

Alaska 492,200

Outside of Alaska 4,183,600

Species Lists 103,177

Other Natural Resource Inventories 838,198

Total 10,776,675

Flying squirrel captured during 

East Stroudsburg University's 

mammal inventory of the 

Appalachian National Scenic 

Trail from Pennsylvania to 

Connecticut.
92 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Table 6.15

Allocation of Monitoring Funding among Networks and Prototypes

Network FY First funded FY 2008 

Amount

North Coast and Cascades 2001 758,000

Northeast Coastal and Barrier 2001 773,640

Heartland 2001 715,360

Sonoran Desert 2001 679,530

Cumberland/Piedmont 2001 952,740

Central Alaska 2002 1,224,790

National Capital 2002 757,000

Northern Colorado Plateau 2002 983,900

San Francisco Bay Area 2002 763,300

Greater Yellowstone 2002 734,360

Appalachian Highland 2002 424,275

Mediterranean Coast 2002 312,250

Southwest Alaska 2002 1,445,300

Northeast Temperate 2003 784,560

Southern Colorado Plateau 2003 1,213,100

Pacifi c Island 2003 1,566,580

Great Lakes 2003 1,307,675

Gulf Coast 2004 929,370

Rocky Mountain 2004 638,680

Sierra Nevada 2004 660,235

Eastern Rivers and Mountains 2004 653,640

Klamath 2004 1,559,680

Arctic 2005 802,290

Southeast Coast 2005 1,272,340

Upper Columbia Basin 2006 526,160

Southern Plains 2006 392,975

Mojave Desert 2006 859,975

Southeast Alaska 2006 1,527,200

South Florida/Caribbean 2006 436,875

Mid-Atlantic 2006 303,100

Chihuahuan Desert 2007 770,200

Northern Great Plains 2007 775,300

Total 27,504,380
 National Park Service 93

Table 6.16

Natural Resources Data and Information Program

FY 2007 Allocation 1,424,000

Classifi ed FY 2007 Pay Increase 19,000

Total available in FY 2007 1,443,000

FY 2008 allocation 1,443,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 37,000

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -23,000

Base Transfer16 414,000

Total available in FY 2008 1,871,000

Change from FY 2007 428,000

Table 6.17

Natural Resources Preservation Program (NRPP)

FY 2007 Allocation 8,229,000

Base Change 0

Net FY 2007 Decrease 0

Total available in FY 2007 8,229,000

FY 2008 allocation 8,229,000

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -129,000

Total available in FY 2008 8,100,000

Change from FY 2007 -129,000

Table 6.18

Allocation of NRPP Among Project Categories and Projects Funded

Allocation Projects

Alaska Projects 467,000 11

Disturbed Land Restoration 790,000 13

Natural Resource Management 3,140,000 33

Regional Block Allocation 1,303,000 74

Servicewide 764,000 25

Small Park 933,000 62

Threatened & Endangered Species 467,000 11

USGS/BRD Technical Assistance 236,000

16 Base transfer from Biological Resource Management ($111,000), Natural Sounds ($236,000), and Social Science 

Programs ($67,000).
94 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Table 6.19

Natural Sound Program

FY 2007 allocation 1,399,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 5,000

FY 2007 Increase 2,402,000

Total available in FY 2007 3,806,000

FY 2008 allocation 3,806,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 17,000

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -60,000

Base Transfer17 -236,000

Total available in FY 2008 3,527,000

Change from FY 2007 -279,000

Table 6.20

Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program* 

FY 2007 allocation 1,344,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 17,000

Total available in FY 2007 1,361,000

FY 2008 allocation 1,361,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 34,000

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -22,000

Total available in FY 2008 1,373,000

Change from FY 2007 12,000

Table 6.21

Resource Protection Fund

FY 2007 allocation 286,000

Total available in FY 2007 286,000

FY 2008 allocation 286,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 0

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -4,000

Total available in FY 2008 282,000

Change from FY 2007 -4,000

Table 6.22

Water Resources Program

FY 2007 allocation 12,325,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 74,000

Total available in FY 2007 12,399,000

FY 2008 allocation 12,399,000

Classifi ed Pay Increase 114,000

Net FY 2008 Decrease10 -197,000

Total available in FY 2008 12,316,000

Change from FY 2007 -83,000

17 Base transfer of $236,000 to Natural Resource Data and Information Program.
 National Park Service 95

Table 6.23

Water Resources Program Funding by Categories

Water Resource Projects

 Water Resource Protection 911,900

 Other Projects 14,250

Water Quality Monitoring 2,737,900

Water Resource Protection—Aquatic Resource Professionals 1,205,000

Watershed Condition Assessment Program

 Critical Projects 225,300

 Coastal Projects 440,300

 Natural Resource and Watershed Condition Assessments 1,406,800

 Other Projects 381,900

Water Resource Technical Assistance 4,992,650

Total 12,316,000
96 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Table 6.24

Allocation of Water Quality Monitoring Funding 

Network Number of Parks FY 2008 Funding

Central Alaska 5 94,200

Heartland 15 78,800

Northeast Coastal and Barrier 8 86,500

National Capital 11 68,200

Cumberland/Piedmont 14 56,700

Appalachian Highlands 4 67,200

Northern Colorado Plateau 16 103,700

Greater Yellowstone 3 68,200

Sonoran Desert 11 61,500

North Coast and Cascades 7 78,800

San Francisco Bay 6 67,200

Mediterranean Coast 3 73,000

Southwest Alaska 5 133,600

Northeast Temperate 10 57,700

Southern Colorado Plateau 19 119,100

Pacifi c Island 9 145,100

Great Lakes 9 118,200

Gulf Coast 8 85,500

Rocky Mountain 6 58,600

Sierra Nevada 3 60,600

Eastern Rivers and Mountains 9 60,600

Arctic 5 144,100

Klamath 6 73,000

Southeast Coast 17 116,300

Upper Columbia Basin 8 48,000

Southern Plains 10 27,900

Mojave Desert 6 76,900

Southeast Alaska 3 40,400

South Florida/Caribbean 6 141,300

Mid-Atlantic 11 42,300

Chihuahuan 6 70,200

Northern Great Plains 13 77,900

Servicewide Data Management 136,600

Total 272 2,737,900
 National Park Service 97
98 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 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. 

Smith’s Longspur (Calcarius 

pictus) is a species of concern 

that breeds on National Park 

and Refuge lands in the Brooks 

Range, Alaska. The species 

breeds on well drained slopes in 

broad glacial valleys within 1 km 

of creeks or ephemeral runoff.
 National Park Service 99

Appendix A: Natural Resource Challenge Funding History

Challenge Elements Increase 

FY 2000

Increase 

FY 2001

Increase 

FY 2002

Increase 

FY 2003

Increase 

FY 2004

Increase 

FY 2005

Increase 

FY 2006

Increase 

FY 2007

Total 

through 

FY 2007

Inventory and Monitoring

Resources

Basic inventories (except vegetation mapping)7,309 1,987 9,296

Vegetation mapping (with 

USGS)

 1,746 2,235 3,981

Park air emissions inventory 200 200

Monitor vital signs in park 

networks

 4,191 4,200 6,855 4,939 3,068 3,931* 1,000 28,184

Monitor water quality in park 

networks

 1,272 497 592 521 2,882

Watershed assessment 3,080 3,080

Expand air quality monitoring 

and related activities

 2,600 2,600

Make natural resources data 

usable 

 1,098 1,098

Fix Critical Problems 

Natural Resource Preservation 

Program project funding

2,875 4,000 -3,931* 2,944

Alaska Natural Resource Projects 497 497

Establish resource protection 

fund

 300 300

Water resource protection & 

restoration/project funds

 823 823

Water resource protection & 

restoration/ fi eld specialists

 1,000 200 1,200

Native/nonnative species mgt 

& Exotic Plant Mgt Teams

3,449 2,400 2,136 7,985

Implement Resource Protection Act/restore resources 500 500

Protect geologic resources 696 696

Park invasive species control/

T&E species recovery 

 3,395 3,200 6,595

Attract Scientists 

Establish learning centers 898 1,800 2,698

Establish Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units 1,596 397 1,993

Annual Increase 14,329 15,219 20,000 17,884 5,531 3,589 0 1,000 77,552

Total Annual Funding 14,329 29,548 49,548 67,432 72,963 76,552 76,552 77,552 77,552
100 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 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 101

Appendix B: NRPP Projects FY 2008

Bush clover at Indiana Dunes 

National Lakeshore (IL).

Table B.1

NRPP Natural Resource Management Fully Funded Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Saguaro National Park Remove Invasive Exotic Plants from Critical 

Habitats at Saguaro National Park 196,000 51,000

Amistad National 

Recreation Area

Survey and Monument 41 Miles of Impacted 

Park Boundary 123,000 37,000

Big Bend National Park Protect Big Bend Slider 68,000 33,000

Bryce Canyon National 

Park

Protection and Restoration of Dark Night 

Skies 400,000 219,700

Wind Cave National Park

An Evaluation of the Movements and 

Distribution of Elk at Wind Cave National 

Park, South Dakota

176,000 88,000

Upper Delaware Scenic 

& Recreational River

Identify Threatened Bald Eagle Habitat and 

Develop Management Plan 145,000 30,000

Gateway National 

Recreation Area Bathymetric Survey of Bays Parkwide 96,000 96,000

Point Reyes National 

Seashore

National Academy of Sciences Study of 

Shellfi sh Mariculture 37,300 37,300

Jean Lafi tte National 

Historical Park and 

Preserve

Assessing Fire for Control of Exotic Chinese 

Tallow in the Marshes of the Barataria 

Preserve

123,000 65,000

Great Smoky Mountains 

National Park

Restore Rare Species to the park Wetland 

Habitats Being Lost to Exotic Plan Invasion 154,000 80,000

Cape Hatteras National 

Seashore

Study/Research on Shore Birds at Cape 

Hatteras National Seashore 13,000 13,000

Transfer to Servicewide Project "Challenge of 

Climate Change" Component B 50,000 50,000

TOTAL $1,581,300 $800,000

Table B.2

NRPP Natural Resource Management New and Ongoing Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Kenai Fjords National 

Park

Estimating the Brown Bear Population on 

the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska 210,000 5,000

Glacier Bay National 

Park & Preserve

Investigate Causal Factors of Harbor Seal 

Decline in Glacier Bay National Park and 

Preserve

300,000 113,000

Rocky Mountain 

National Park

Reduce Elk Numbers to Restore a Healthy 

Ecosystem that Supports Diverse Wildlife 308,300 47,000

Zion National Park Determine Recreational Impacts to Threatened Mexican Spotted Owls 198,000 137,000

Yellowstone National 

Park

Management of Introduced Mountain Goats 

in Yellowstone National Park 198,000 43,000

Canyon de Chelly 

National Monument

Implement Restoration Prescriptions: 

Native Seed Collection, Propagation and 

Revegetation

363,500 100,000

Voyageurs National Park

Assessing the Effects of the Namakan 

Reservoir Operations on Lake Sturgeon 

Ecological Habitats

297,000 105,000

Badlands National Park Assess Long Term Viability of Swift Fox in 

Badlands NP and South Dakota 342,000 131,000

Midwest Regional Offi ce

Determine Invasion Status and Ecological 

Impacts of an Exotic Zooplankter in Great 

Lakes Parks 

190,000 80,000

Indiana Dunes National 

Lakeshore

Restore the Biological Resources of the 

Cowles Bog Wetland Complex: Phase II—Fen 

Recovery

250,983 103,000
102 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

NRPP Natural Resource Management New and Ongoing Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

National Capital 

Regional Offi ce

To Weed or Not to Weed? An Economic 

Decision Support Tool for National Capital 

Region Parks

310,000 150,000

Cape Cod National 

Seashore Monitoring Spawning Horseshoe Crabs 172,000 94,000

Cape Cod National SeashoreCape Cod Shoreline Change and Resource 

Protection 177,000 65,000

Kalaupapa National Historical ParkExclude Ungulates From Northern Unit of 

Puu Alii Plateau 422,000 194,000

Point Reyes National 

Seashore Control Exotic Deer 686,000 261,000

Channel Islands National 

Park

Eradicate Dense Fennel and Facilitate 

Eradication of Feral Pigs 456,000 128,000

Hawaii Volcanoes 

National Park

Control Alien Weeds & Restore Rare & 

Endangered Plants 222,360 112,000

North Cascades National 

Park Eradicate Non-native Trout from Seven Lakes 383,134 126,000

Canaveral National 

Seashore

Create Hydrologic Model of Mosquito 

Lagoon at CANA 280,000 90,000

Mammoth Cave National 

Park

Optimal Lighting in the National Park 

Service Caves 239,047 187,000

Dry Tortugas National 

Park

Dry Tortugas Research Natural Area 

Implementation 282,000 69,000

TOTAL $6,287,324 $2,340,000

Table B.3

NRPP Threatened and Endangered Species Fully Funded Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Organ Pipe Cactus 

National Monument Sonoran Pronghorn Captive Breeding 150,000 58,000

Presidio of San Francisco Restore Habitat for Two Federally Listed 

Plant Species 149,070 38,400

Mojave National 

Preserve

Lake Ecology and Population Dynamics of 

Mohave Tui Chub 149,947 56,000

Ebey's Landing National 

Historical Reserve

Implement Recovery Plan for Threatened 

Golden Paintbrush 96,397 32,700

Kalaupapa National 

Historical Park

Habitat Use and Foraging of Endangered 

Monk Seal 95,531 32,400

Hawaii Volcanoes 

National Park

Begin Recovery of Mauna Loa Silversword in 

Park Addition 62,789 25,400

Big South Fork National 

River and Recreation 

Area

Propagate and Augment Federally Listed 

Mussels in BISO 144,000 80,000

TOTAL $847,734 $322,900
 National Park Service 103

Table B.4

NRPP Threatened and Endangered Species New and Ongoing Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Coronado National 

Memorial

Protect Mine Roosts of Endangered Lesser 

Long-nosed Bats 77,544 17,000

Padre Island National 

Seashore

Establish New Techniques to Protect 

Increasing Numbers of Endangered Kemp's 

Ridley Sea Turtle Eggs

150,000 52,000

Saint Croix National 

Scenic River

Sediment Dynamics in the St. Croix River and 

the Impact on Federally Endangered Mussels 149,174 46,000

Santa Monica Mountains 

National Recreation 

Area

Investigate & Mitigate Pollen Limitation in 

Pentachaeta lyonii 65,200 29,100

TOTAL $441,918 $144,100

Table B.5

NRPP Disturbed Lands Restoration Fully Funded Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Zion National Park Test Riparian Revegetation Methods 

Along the Virgin River 157,800 31,400

Carlsbad Caverns National 

Park

Restore Habitat in Carlsbad Cavern Offtrail Areas 25,911 25,900

Hawaii Volcanoes National 

Park Restore Kipuka Nene Campground 50,600 15,300

Mammoth Cave National 

Park

Restoration of 26 Abandoned Water 

Wells/Cisterns and 3 Dumps 115,900 98,000

TOTAL $350,211 $170,600 

Table B.6

NRPP Disturbed Lands Restoration New and Ongoing Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Big Bend National Park Restoring Grasslands in Big Bend 

National Park 91,815 94,000

Glacier National Park

Restore Severely Denuded, Eroding Park 

Lands in Lunch Creek and Iceberg Lake 

High Visitor Use Areas

110,737 25,000

Glacier National Park

Restoration of Soils and Vegetation at 

Running Eagle Falls in Glacier National 

Park

119,737 20,000

Southern Plains Inventory 

and Monitoring Network

Restore Prairie at Five National Park 

Units in Three States 119,789 104,000

Wupatki National Monument Restore Abandoned NPS Housing/

Maintenance Area at Heiser Springs 97,331 25,000

Point Reyes National 

Seashore

Restore Paleodune & Climbing Dune 

Dynamics at Point Reyes Headlands 113,162 214,000

Lava Beds National 

Monument

Restore Two Prominent Volcanic Buttes 

at LABE 102,322 70,500

Big South Fork National River 

and Recreation Area

Plug 8 Abandoned Wells and Perform 

Associated Surface Reclamation in Big 

South Fork NRRA

76,585 42,000

Chattahoochee River 

National Recreation Area

Support Corporate Wetland Restoration 

Partnership Initiative in Johnson Ferry 

Unit

93,890 24,900

TOTAL $925,368 $619,400
104 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Table B.7

NRPP Alaska Special Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Gates of the Arctic National 

Park & Preserve

Past and Present Habitat Use by 

Muskoxen 61,450 30,600 

Yukon-Charley Rivers 

National Preserve

Using Radiotelemetry to Assess Genetic 

Variation in Wolves of Yukon-Charley 

Rivers National Preserve

53,971 26,300 

Alaska Regional Offi ce

Mapping and Scientifi c Management 

of Off-Highway Vehicle Trails in Alaska 

-Implementing BMPs

200,790 54,800 

Denali National Park and 

Preserve

Inventory the Bryophyte and Lichen 

Flora of Denali, YUCH, and WRST 90,920 37,200 

Wrangell-Saint Elias National 

Park and Preserve

Inventory and Protection of 

Paleontological Sites (Dinosaurs) in 

Denali NP

197,005 98,800 

Gates of the Arctic National 

Park and Preserve

Evaluating Nutritional Condition of 

Arctic Ungulates 48,480 24,400 

Lake Clark National Park and 

Preserve

Airborne Digital Photography for 

Estimating Caribou Populations 21,120 21,330 

Wrangell-Saint Elias National 

Park and Preserve

Evaluating the Genetic Structure 

of Dall’s Sheep in Wrangell St. Elias 

National Park and Preserve

147,359 72,900 

Denali National Park and 

Preserve

Inventory and Protection of 

Paleontological Sites (Dinosaurs) in 

Denali NP

50,200 26,100 

Wrangell-Saint Elias National 

Park and Preserve

Paired-catchment study of ATV impacts 

on water quality in Wrangell-St. Elias 

NP&P

50,000 25,100 

Wrangell-Saint Elias National 

Park and Preserve

Evaluate natural resources affected by 

ORV trails along the Nabesna Road. 63,825 44,800 

TOTAL $985,120 $462,330

Table B.8

NRPP Small Park Block Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Grand Portage National 

Monument

Determine Population Structure and 

Distribution of Beaver in Grand Portage 

National Monument

15,025 14,000

Fort Union Trading Post 

National Historic Site

Protect Park from Losing 10 Feet of 

Land Along 1⁄2 Mile Boundary Annually 

to Erosion

14,400 10,250

Bent's Old Fort National 

Historic Site

Restore Eight Acres of Short-grass 

Prairie Adjacent to the Fort 92,638 12,500

Sunset Crater Volcano 

National Monument

Inventory & Map Unique Volcanic 

Features 39,482 19,500

Kings Mountain National 

Military Park

Conduct Survey of Odonata and 

Lepidoptera 37,560 12,100

Bent's Old Fort National 

Historic Site

Assess Results and Refi ne Strategies 

During Implementation of an 

Integrated Pest Management Plan

22,272 4,100

Chattahoochee River National 

Recreation Area

Stream Assessments and Stormwater 

Impacts in Tributaries of the 

Chattahoochee River

22,033 21,200

Herbert Hoover National 

Historic Site

Rehabilitation of Disturbed Land in 

Prairie Management Unit 1 (PMU 1) 14,662 10,555

Sand Creek Massacre National 

Historic Site

Develop Pilot Resources Stewardship 

Plan 20,000 20,000

Stones River National 

Battlefi eld

Development of Local Genotype Plant 

Source For Rehabilitation Of Forested 

Lands

25,000 23,100
 National Park Service 105

NRPP Small Park Block Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Chickamauga and 

Chattanooga National 

Military Park

Control Exotic Plants on Chickamauga 

Battlefi eld 25,000 23,500

Pea Ridge National Military 

Park

Mitigate And Rehabilitate Eroded 

Sections in Visitor Use Areas and Along 

Historic Traces

17,547 1,500

Grand Portage National 

Monument

Site Assessment and Management 

Recommendations for Conifer 

Regeneration along GRPO Trail Corridor

17,995 5,452

Sitka National Historical Park

Conduct Benthic Invertebrate and 

Algae Investigations to Determine 

Biological Water Quality Indexes

39,000 9,405

Florissant Fossil Beds National 

Monument

Develop Database for Paleontological 

Collecting Localities and Upgrade 

Inventory-Monitoring Database

11,776 3,000

Fort Necessity National 

Battlefi eld

Control Exotic Honeysuckle within a 

25-Acre American Woodcock Habitat 

(Phase II, ref. PMIS#99577)

338,910 20,000

City of Rocks National Reserve

Canadian Invasion: To Defend and 

Protect Signifi cant Riparian Corridors 

from Attacking Weeds

22,776 11,351

Devils Tower National 

Monument

Control/Eliminate Exotic Invasive Plant 

Species 40,000 37,900

Boston Harbor Islands 

National Recreation Area

Restore Natural Biodiversity to Boston 

Harbor Islands 52,810 16,700

Hagerman Fossil Beds 

National Monument

Would You Like Salt With Your Cedar? 

Tamarisk Eradication at Hagerman 

Fossil Beds NM

24,110 23,000

Fort Davis National Historic 

Site

Develop A Flood Mitigation Plan To 

Lower Threat To Life And Property 30,000 10,000

Cedar Breaks National 

Monument

Survey Rare Plants and Establish 

Compliance with Conservation 

Agreement (2-Year Project)

39,981 20,000

Hubbell Trading Post National 

Historic Site

Integrate Newly Introduced Agricultural 

Activity with Natural Resource 

Management at HUTR

40,000 20,000

Coronado National Memorial Close Hazardous Mines to Improve 

Employee and Visitor Safety 20,000 20,000

Pipestone National 

Monument

Inventory/Defi ne Upland Vegetation 

Conditions and Implement Disturbed 

Lands Restoration

14,787 13,900

Fort Scott National Historic 

Site

Control Invasive Species and Increase 

Diversity in Tallgrass Prairie Restoration 14,775 21,589

Grand Portage National 

Monument

Initial Butterfl y Survey and Interpretive 

Program Development for Grand 

Portage National Monument

2,900 2,970

Midwest Regional Offi ce Development of Park Natural Resource 

Programs 163,600 40,000

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller 

National Historical Park

Evaluate Vernal Pool Use by 

Amphibians 20,950 14,250

Richmond National Battlefi eld 

Park

Conduct Natural Heritage Surveys at 

High Priority Park units 9,000 6,650

George Washington 

Memorial Parkway

Inventory Insects in Turkey Run and 

Great Falls Parks 30,000 10,000

White Sands National 

Monument

White Sands National Monument 

Monitoring Wells 3,900 3,900

Vicksburg National Military 

Park

Determine Effects of Battlefi eld 

Restoration through Enhanced 

Monitoring Program

24,000 22,200

Timucuan Ecological and 

Historic Preserve

Control Non-Native Plants on NPS 

Uplands and Islands 22,008 20,300
106 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

NRPP Small Park Block Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Muir Woods National 

Monument

Control Invasive Plants to Protect Coast 

Redwood Ecosystems 32,050 16,300

Carl Sandburg Home National 

Historic Site

Correcting Trail Drainage and Erosion 

at Carl Sandburg Home NHS 14,580 13,800

Fort Donelson National 

Battlefi eld

Continuation of Exotic Plant 

Management: Fort Donelson National 

Battlefi eld

15,000 13,900

De Soto National Memorial Condition Assessment of Mangrove 

Community 24,725 23,100

War in the Pacifi c National 

Historical Park

Assessing and Mitigating the 

Environmental Impacts of Off-Road 

Vehicle Use at War In The Pacifi c NHP

23,450 23,450

Kings Mountain National 

Military Park

Monitor Invasive Exotic Plant 

Populations and Retreat Resprouts 86,000 11,000

Fort Pulaski National 

Monument

Shoreline Dynamics In Response To 

Physical Forcing Along the north 

shoreline of Cockspur Island

24,800 16,000

San Juan Island National 

Historical Park

Implement Native Prairie Restoration at 

EBLA and SAJH 60,000 39,000

Klondike Gold Rush National 

Historical Park

Inventory Lichens in Klondike Gold 

Rush NHP 19,600 9,405

Timpanogos Cave National 

Monument

Establish Bat Species Baseline through 

Echolocation Monitoring Stations 38,950 20,000

Canyon de Chelly National 

Monument

Determine Distribution and Abundance 

of Threatened Mexican Spotted Owls 

on North Rim

37,900 18,000

Lyndon B. Johnson National 

Historical Park

Inventory Listed Species and Potential 

Indicator Species at Newly Acquired 

Land at Pecos National Historical Park

37,934 19,500

Walnut Canyon National 

Monument

Acoustic Monitoring in Walnut Canyon 

National Monument 29,700 20,000

Scotts Bluff National 

Monument

Treat Exotic Plants at Scotts Bluff 

National Monument Using an 

Integrated Approach

29,878 14,070

Jewel Cave National 

Monument

Upgrade and Complete 

Photomonitoring System Along Cave 

Tour Routes

7,857 7,386

Mount Rushmore National 

Memorial

Evaluate Short-Term Effectiveness of 

Rehabilitation Treatments for Burned 

Slash Piles at MORU

29,315 13,870

Hot Springs National Park

Monitor Radon in Spring Waters to 

Manage Access to Facilities at Hot 

Springs National Park

3,810 3,772

Arkansas Post National 

Memorial

Inventory, mapping and control of 

exotic plants 20,350 11,929

John Muir National Historic 

Site Yellow Star Thistle Project 30,000 31,200

Harpers Ferry National 

Historical Park Survey of Karst Features 9,700 9,000

Richmond National Battlefi eld 

Park

Treat Exotic Infestation at Newly 

Acquired Riparian Zone 45,000 28,270

Morristown National 

Historical Park

Establish a Forest Demonstration Plot at 

Morristown NHP 36,865 2,800

Muir Woods National 

Monument

Develop methods and control Ehrharta 

erecta in Muir Woods 30,000 15,000

Lava Beds National 

Monument

Replace Old Trail/Cave Counters with 

TRAFx Advanced Counting Systems 6,710 1,206

Morristown National 

Historical Park

Monitor & Assess Native Plant 

Restoration & Treatments 7,000 7,000

Valley Forge National 

Historical Park Revision of Field Management Plan 2,500 2,500
 National Park Service 107

NRPP Small Park Block Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Northeast Regional Director's 

Staff

Support Invasive Plant Management at 

Northeast Small Parks 6,670 6,670

Saugus Iron Works National 

Historic Site

Feasibility Study for restoration of 

Phragmites-dominated wetlands below 

SAIR Turning Basin

10,000 10,000

TOTAL $2,049,241 $933,000

Table B.9

NRPP Regional Program Block Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

San Antonio Missions 

National Historical Park Control of Non-Native Vegetation 33,600 19,590

Fort Scott National Historic 

Site

Control Invasive Species and Increase 

Diversity in Tallgrass Prairie Restoration 14,775 18,611

Chattahoochee River National 

Recreation Area Develop and Implement IPM Program 20,535 17,631

Fort Bowie National Historic 

Site

Analyze and Rehabilitate Apache 

Spring Watershed 35,213 6,857

Alaska Regional Offi ce

Natural Resource Employees 

Professionalization and Technical 

Competency Enhancement

156,661 11,636

Alaska Regional Offi ce

Alaska Park Cooperative and Technical 

Assistance Projects (Regional Block 

Grant)

131,150 32,475

Alaska Regional Offi ce Produce Alaska Park Science Journal 434,882 8,429

Alaska Regional Offi ce Alaska Scientifi c and Technical Reports 54,000 15,035

Buffalo National River Revise River Use Management Plan 18,000 16,600

NCR Regional Offi ce

Photo-interpretation and Accuracy 

Assessment for Vegetation 

Classifi cation in NCR

95,700 2,200

Delaware Water Gap 

National Recreation Area

Measurement of Land Cover/Use 

Change Trends in the Upper Delaware 

River Basin and Growth Projection

21,250 11,170

Mojave National Preserve Wildlife Monitoring in Mojave National 

Preserve 92,920 16,685

Denali National Park & 

Preserve

Implement Regional Integrated Pest 

Management (IPM) Program to Ensure 

Health of Natural Resources

48,600 6,345

Alaska Regional Offi ce Arctic Park Science Symposium 2007–

2008 29,837 16,685

Stones River National 

Battlefi eld

Rehabilitation of Four Wetland 

Sites: Removal of Invasive Plants and 

Revegetation with Natives

22,951 25,400

Olympic National Park

Improve Razor Clam Management at 

Olympic National Park by Predicting 

Pathogen Outbreaks

70,557 6,400

Voyageurs National Park

Assess Impact of Colonial Waterbirds 

to VOYA Resources: Movement Ecology 

and Demographics

17,460 7,500

Gateway National Recreation 

Area

Bathymetric Survey of Jamaica Bay and 

Other Bays Parkwide: Closing a Gap in 

the Saltmarsh Loss Model

112,000 8,400

Great Basin National Park

Re-establish Three Species of Extirpated 

Native Fish - Restore Entire Aquatic 

Community

73,638 11,500

Great Smoky Mountains 

National Park

Analysis of Aquatic Invertebrate 

Diversity in an Imperiled High Elevation 

Watershed

20,680 20,000

North Cascades National Park Status and Distribution of the Marbled 

Murrelet in NOCA 65,425 19,300
108 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

NRPP Regional Program Block Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Indiana Dunes National 

Lakeshore Improve Rare Prairie Resource 18,000 23,000

Zion National Park

Determine Impacts from Encroaching 

Development to the Threatened Desert 

Tortoise Population in Zion

34,605 10,000

Rocky Mountain National 

Park

Identify and Survey Habitat for 

the Mexican Spotted Owl in Rocky 

Mountain and Great Sand Dunes NP.

40,000 22,400

Walnut Canyon National 

Monument

The Infl uence of Water Availability 

on Wildlife Communities in Walnut 

Canyon

24,006 6,734

Sleeping Bear Dunes National 

Lakeshore

Eliminate Recently Established Deer to 

Protect Unique South Manitou Island 

Vegetation

13,908 31,435

Isle Royale National Park Conduct an Inland Lakes Creel Census 

at Isle Royale National Park 12,437 10,000

NCR Regional Offi ce

Providing Opportunities for 

Professional Development for NCR 

Natural Resources

78,700 8,200

Catoctin Mountain Park

Investigate Ecological Succession in 

Forest Blowdowns Associated with 

Hurricane Ivan

26,600 4,120

George Washington 

Memorial Parkway

Inventory Seven Groups of Insects 

in Turkey Run and Great Falls Parks, 

Virginia

29,800 30,000

Prince William Forest Park

Determine Community Structure, 

Movement Patterns, and Conservation 

Concerns for Carnivores of PRWI

29,900 7,000

Gulf Islands National 

Seashore

Conduct Prescribed Burn to Reduce 

Fuel Loading from Hurricane Dennis 

and Katrina

23,750 7,700

Glen Canyon National 

Recreation Area

Develop Resource Assessment Protocols 

for Grazing Allotments 39,100 10,000

Mammoth Cave National 

Park

Restoration of Damaged Calcite and 

Gypsum in Crystal Cave, Mammoth 

Cave National Park

23,600 20,000

SER Regional Offi ce

Purchase Boat and Electrofi shing 

Equipment to Support Park Technical 

Assistance Requests in the SER

23,220 10,000

Devils Tower National 

Monument

Restore a 50 Acre Shortgrass Meadow 

and Control Exotic Invasive Plant 

Species

40,000 20,000

Congaree National Park

Determine Source(s) Of Fecal 

Contamination in Toms Creek 

Watershed Entering Congaree National 

Park

25,000 19,900

Carl Sandburg Home National 

Historic Site

Treat Hemlock Trees for Infestations of 

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and Elongate 

Hemlock Scale

28,560 23,499

Jean Lafi tte National 

Historical Park and Preserve

Eradicate Exotic Chinese Tallow and 

Restore Native Vegetation at the 

Historic Chenier Grand Coquille

23,900 20,200

Petrifi ed Forest National Park

Inventory Paleontological Resources On 

Newly Acquired Park Lands For General 

Management Plan

37,308 23,500

Glacier National Park Assess and Restore Native Habitat 144,000 44,363

Manassas National Battlefi eld 

Park

Post Clear Cut Plant and Aquatic 

Community Monitoring 12,200 700

Cedar Breaks National 

Monument

Prevent Degradation of Native 

Mountain Meadows 39,850 65,140

Badlands National Park Expand Park Paleontological Database 

to Cover all of the Cedar Pass Area 18,000 16,290
 National Park Service 109

NRPP Regional Program Block Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Prince William Forest Park Identify Orchid-Fungi Relationships for 

Isotria medeoloides 30,000 7,273

Fire Island National Seashore

Impacts of Beach Scraping and 

Artifi cial Dune Creation on the Natural 

Resources

80,852 31,176

Haleakala National Park

Remove Feral Animals To Protect 

Rare High Elevation Koa-Ohia Forest 

Community

140,470 23,000

Isle Royale National Park Determine Status of American Marten 

at Isle Royale National Park 17,995 12,861

Apostle Islands National 

Lakeshore

Determine Population Dynamics of 

Archipelagic Deer Population Needed 

for Harvest Management

17,910 22,100

Buffalo National River Protect Arkansas' Most Important Gray 

Bat Hibernaculum 18,000 3,600

Shenandoah National Park

Remove Non-native Plants from a 

Globally Rare Community—Monitor 

Rare and Non-native Species Extent

43,500 7,400

Arkansas Post National 

Memorial

Inventory, Mapping, and Control of 

Exotic Plants 20,350 9,440

Upper Delaware Scenic & 

Recreational River

Determine Status of State-Endangered 

Bridle Shiner in Delaware River and 

Selected Tributaries

40,000 21,720

Catoctin Mountain Park

Create a Protocol for the Analysis 

of Deer Browse Data at Catoctin 

Mountain Park

11,500 45,700

Denali National Park and 

Preserve

Develop High Resolution Climate Maps 

for the Alaska Region 42,692 28,700

Alaska Regional Offi ce

Volunteer Crew for Invasive Plant 

Removal in DENA, KATM, KEFJ, and 

WRST

132,968 25,000

Carlsbad Caverns National 

Park

Replace Wooden Barrier to Left-Hand 

Tunnel in Carlsbad Cavern 5,240 25,000

Harpers Ferry National 

Historical Park Survey of Karst Features 9,700 13,275

Sleeping Bear Dunes National 

Lakeshore

Protect Federally Endangered Piping 

Plover through Predator Control 17,850 18,003

Shenandoah National Park

Status and Trends of Park Fisheries—A 

Pilot Initiative for Reporting 

Monitoring Information

36,000 18,200

NCR Regional Offi ce Supporting Science Informed Decision 

Making in NCR Parks 75,000 10,000

NCR Regional Offi ce

Integrating Science with Resource 

Management through Collaborative 

Approaches

71,900 10,000

Delaware Water Gap 

National Recreation Area

Suppress Alien Invasive Plants in 

Regenerating Hemlock Forests in 

Delaware Water Gap NRA

42,400 24,400

Assateague Island National 

Seashore

Digitize Historic Post-Storm Map to 

Enhance Resource Interpretation and 

Management

11,170 20,000

Manassas National Battlefi eld 

Park

Prepare Natural Resource Planning 

Documents 10,000 9,300

Wrangell-Saint Elias National 

Park and Preserve

Evaluate Natural Resources Affected by 

ORV Trails Along the Nabesna Road. 63,825 23,000

Hawaii Volcanoes National 

Park East Rift Rain Forest Rare Plant Project 78,580 17,000

Cape Cod National Seashore Evaluate Common Eider Die-Off at 

Cape Cod National Seashore 25,400 8,950

Alaska Regional Offi ce Contract Wildlife Section of Invasive 

Plant Management Plan EA 8,605 5,200
110 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

NRPP Regional Program Block Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE TOTAL FUNDING FY 2008 

FUNDING

Klondike Gold Rush National 

Historical Park

Install Gauge & Measure Flow on 

the Taiya River for Natural Resources 

Monitoring and Visitor Safety

13,130 12,839

Rocky Mountain National 

Park

Provide Access to a Bighorn Sheep 

Mineral Lick 40,000 16,685

Shenandoah National Park

Sustain Repression of Mile-a-Minute 

Weed by Applying Pre-emergent 

Herbicide

5,200 20,200

Mesa Verde National Park Sources of Mercury Deposition to Mesa 

Verde National Park, Colorado 25,000 19,900

Effi gy Mounds National 

Monument

Control and Survey New Garlic Mustard 

Populations 15,000 16,177

Fire Island National Seashore Resource Management Technical 

Assistance 30,000 7,900

Gateway National Recreation 

Area

Coastal Studies and Monitoring at 

Sandy Hook 20,000 18,871

All Regions Regional Assessments 17,500 17,500

TOTAL $3,556,515 $1,303,000

Table B.10

NRPP Servicewide Projects

PARK PROJECT TITLE FY 2008 FUNDING

NRSS Serving as NPS Senior Scientist for ADNRSS and 

Director 50,000

NRSS Director's Annual Natural Resource Awards 30,000

Barrier Island Project 25,000

SCB Support 10,000

Frontiers in Eco/Envir 10,000

Print New Owners Manual 9,600

RPRS Training 8,000

Research Learning Center (RLC) Support 25,000

Sierra Nevada Nutrient Project 20,000

BIRE Support Collaboration Bison Reintroduction Efforts 

and NPS Bison Conservation 75,000

BIRE Initiate and Implement Critical Migratory Species 

Data Compilation and Program Development 35,000

Park Science 60,000

GERE Monitoring and Compliance Assistance for Parks 

Managing Non-Federal Oil and Gas Operations 17,000

FY08 Cave & Karst Program 35,000

Emergency Response Program 35,000

WARE NRPC Assist Parks with Planning 40,000

ID of Ext & Mineral Project 35,000

READ Program to Support Incidents 35,000

Enhance Views of the NP Program 35,000

NCSE Conference Support 5,000

Challenge of Climate Change ($50K from NRPP-NRM 

Funding Source) 85,000

Web/Non-Web Des NRPC 23,000

Support for Ocean/Coral Reef In 70,000

BIRE Support and Development for Bioblitz and All Taxa 

Biotic Inventory Efforts Servicewide 10,000

Facilitation on Biological Col 10,000

TOTAL $792,600 
 National Park Service 111
112 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 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 113

Appendix C: Biological Resource Projects—National 

Level Support

National Park Service staff collect 

accuracy assessment data at a 

high elevation Mojave Desert 

scrub site in Joshua Tree National 

Park (CA).

Table C.1

Park Project Title Project 

Total

Funded 

Amount

Congaree National Park Conduct Acoustic Sampling To Detect Endangered Bird 

Species $50,000 $25,000

Craters of the Moon 

National Monument

Locate and Control Leafy Spurge in Wilderness Study 

Area $49,700 $19,400

Glacier National Park Control Backcountry Invasive Weeds $50,000 $17,000

Golden Gate National 

Recreation Area Establish Endangered Tidewater Goby Population $50,000 $30,000

Grand Canyon National 

Park

Supplemental Feeding Station for Improving Wild 

Condor Reproduction & Reducing Lead Poisoning $50,000 $15,000

Grand Teton National 

Park

The Invasive New Zealand Mudsnail vs the Candidate 

Threatened Jackson Lake Springsnail $49,900 $13,300

Great Basin National 

Park

Sage Steppe & Fuels Management: Building the 

Knowledge Base $46,600 $18,200

Great Sand Dunes 

National Park

Rocky Mountain 

National Park

Limber Pine Restoration in the Presence of an Exotic 

Pathogen $50,000 $50,000

Great Smoky Mountains 

National Park

Protection of American Chestnut Landscape through 

Detection and Development of a Native Resistant Strain $50,000 $25,000

Haleakala National 

Park

Remove Feral Animals To Protect Rare Koa-Ohia Forest 

Community $50,000 $25,000

Hawaii Volcanoes 

National Park

Assess Habitat Use & Investigate Causes of Adult Nene 

Mortality $49,920 $31,440

Indiana Dunes National 

Lakeshore

Enhance State Listed Species Through Habitat 

Modifi cations and Introductions $50,000 $10,200

Indiana Dunes National 

Lakeshore

Restore Endangered Karner Blue Butterfl y to East Unit 

of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore $35,690 $14,080

Lake Clark National 

Park and Preserve Conserving Sustainable Northern Pike Populations $46,300 $6,600

Mammoth Cave 

National Park Restoration of Tall Grass Prairie 50,000 $22,000

Mount Rainier National 

Park

Mortality Risk of Western Toads from Roads/Trails at 

Tipsoo Lake $49,580 $38,434

National Park of 

American Samoa Rehabilitate Disturbed Lands on Alva Ridge $39,100 $24,800

Santa Monica 

Mountains National 

Recreation Area

Using Historic Plot Data to Assess Vegetation Change $36,600 $36,600

Stones River National 

Battlefi eld

Restoration of Cedar Glades and Barrens Designated 

State Natural Area $50,000 $50,000

Voyagers National Park Improve Limited Knowledge of Ecology and Population 

Status of Threatened Canada Lynx $50,000 $19,900

Wind Cave National 

Park

Develop Long Term Management Strategy to Protect 

Genetically Pure Bison Herd $50,000 $25,000

Wind Cave National 

Park

Development of a Forage Production and Allocation 

Model $50,000 $50,000

Yellowstone National 

Park

Develop Techniques to Evaluate Effectiveness of Grizzly 

Bear Management Areas $50,000 $16,700

 Total funding for FY 2008 $583,654
114 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 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 115

Appendix D: Water Resource Protection Projects—

FY 2008

Subsistence harvested sockeye 

salmon drying on a rack, Sixmile 

Lake, Lake Clark National Park 

and Preserve (AK).

Photo: Reilly Newman 

Table D.1

Water Resource Protection Projects

Park Region Project Title FY 2008 Funding 

$(000s)

ALL ALL Support to the Offi ce of the Solicitor 190.0

CHIC IMR Hydrologic Data Collection 13.6

WICA IMR Groundwater Study 59.9

MOCA IMR Hydrologic Data Collection for the Verde River 

Adjudication 63.4

LAME PWR Hydrologic Data Collection and Groundwater Modeling 29.7

MEVE IMR Hydrologic Data Collection 1.6

KAHO PWR Investigation of Hydrology and Water Dependent 

Values 82.8

GRSA IMR Hydrogeologic Data Analysis 120.6

BIBE MWR Collection of Hydrologic Data 28.7

DEVA PWR Participation in Groundwater Model Development 75.4

GRTE IMR Investigation of Hydrology of the Gros Ventre River 14.4

GRBA PWR Investigation of Hydrogeology and Hydrologic Data 

Collection 124.4

TUZI PWR Hydrogeology Study 27.5

NIOB MWR Investigation of Water Dependent Resources 50.0

OBED SER Investigation of Water Dependent Values 20.0

ALL ALL Technical Support to All Projects and Technical 

Assistances 9.9

TOTAL 911.9

Table D.2

Natural Resource Condition Assessment Projects

Region Agency, Cooperator/Partner, or 

Contractor State Parks

FY 2008 

Funding 

$(000s)

Alaska Pacifi c Northwest CESU/Saint Mary’s 

University of Minnesota AK WRST 174.0

Intermountain

Desert Southwest CESU/ArizonaSonora Desert Museum, Sonoran 

Institute

AZ CHIR, CORO, FOBO 190.0

Colorado Plateau CESU/Natural 

Heritage New Mexico, University of 

New Mexico

NM PECO, FOUN 94.3

Rocky Mountain CESU/Utah State 

University WY GRTE (supplemental funding) 25.0

Midwest Upper and Middle Mississippi Valley 

CESU/University of Missouri MO, AR GWCA, WICR, PERI 193.8

National 

Capital

Chesapeake Watershed CESU/ 

University of Maryland MD, VA MONO, MANA, ANTI 53.2
116 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Natural Resource Condition Assessment Projects

Region Agency, Cooperator/Partner, or 

Contractor State Parks

FY 2008 

Funding 

$(000s)

Northeast

Chesapeake Watershed CESU/Penn 

State University PA VAFO, HOFU 80.2

Southern Appalachian CESU/

Conservation Management Institute 

at Virginia Tech

VA RICH, PETE 78.7

Pacifi c West

Humboldt State University CA, OR

REDW, WHIS, ORCA 

(supplemental 

funding)

20.0

Northwest Management, Inc. ID, MT BIHO, CIRO, CRMO, 

HAFO 57.0

Californian CESU/University of 

California Santa Barbara CA SAMO, PINN, JOMU 102.0

Yosemite National Park CA YOSE, DEPO 40.0

Pacifi c Northwest CESU/University of 

Washington OR, WA EBLA, FOVA, LEWI, SAJH 93.0

Southeast Piedmont – South Atlantic Coast 

CESU/ University of Georgia

KY, NC, SC, 

TN, VA

BLRI, CUGA, BISO, 

KIMO, COWP, NISI 205.6

Total 39 parks 1406.8

Table D.3

Coastal Watershed Condition Assessment Projects

Region Agency, Cooperator/Partner, or 

Contractor State Parks

FY 2008 

Funding

$(000s)

Northeast

North Atlantic CESU/ University of 

Maine, Orono, University of Rhode 

Island

MA, RI

BOHA, CACO, SAIR 

(second-year and 

supplemental funding)

77.3

North Atlantic CESU/ University of 

Maine, Orono MA ACAD (supplemental funding) 8.0

Chesapeake CESU/University of 

Maryland Center for Environmental 

Science

MD ASIS 100.0

Midwest Great Lakes-Northern Forest CESU/

University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point WI ISRO 90.0

Southeast South Florida – Caribbean CESU/

Florida Tech FL CANA 90.0

Pacifi c West Contracting services – Fung & 

Associates HI KALA 75.0

TOTAL 8 parks 440.3
 National Park Service 117

Table D.4

Watershed Condition Assessment High Priority Projects

Region State Park Project Title FY2008 Funding 

$(000s)

Intermountain AZ ORPI Emergency Actions to Stabilize Quitobaquito 

Pond, and Related Activities

13.4

 Intermountain NM PECO

Remove Artifi cial Levee and Connect Glorieta 

Creek to its Recently Restored Floodplain at 

Pecos National Historical Park

5.9

Intermountain MT YELL Closure of Geothermal Well Located Within the 

Yellowstone Controlled Ground Water Area 35.0

Intermountain WY YELL

Application of Stable and Radioactive Isotope 

Sampling to Determine the Sources of Water 

that Recharges the Talus Aquifer and Discharges 

at Mammoth Crystal Springs

14.0

Midwest MI Multiple Develop a VHS Prevention and Response Plan 

for Lake Superior Parks 15.0

Midwest MI SLBE Preliminary Water Balance Model for the Glen 

Lake and Crystal River Watershed 2.0

Midwest MI SLBE

Factors Contributing to Large-Scale Outbreaks of 

Type E Botulism at Sleeping Bear Dunes National 

Lakeshore

12.5

Midwest MI SLBE Benthic Habitat Mapping at Sleeping Bear 

Dunes National Lakeshore 20.0

Midwest IA EFMO

Integrating NPS Science and Planning in 

Developing a Resource Stewardship Strategy for 

Effi gy Mounds National Monument

38.0

Pacifi c West CA WHIS

Oversee Construction of Caltrans Mitigation 

Measures for Damage to Rare Salt Spring 

Habitat and Monitor Effectiveness

9.0

Pacifi c West CA SEKI

Repair Erosional Features Prior to Planting at 

the Upper Halstead Meadow Pilot Restoration 

Project

8.0

Pacifi c West CA SEKI Sunset Meadow Headcut Treatment at Sequoia 

and Kings Canyon National Parks 6.5

Pacifi c West CA GOGA Rodeo Beach Wetland Complex Final Restoration 

Design, Golden Gate National Recreation Area 15.0

Servicewide Multiple Funding for USGS-NPS Liaison to Facilitate 

Interagency Partnerships and Project Support 20.0

Servicewide Multiple NPS Regulation and Policy Handbook for 

Superintendents of Ocean and Coastal Parks 11.0

Total 12 + 

Parks 225.3

D.5

Cooperative Academic Program for Fisheries Project

Region State Park Project Title

Intermountain WY GRTE

Assessment of Cutthroat Survival and Growth in Irrigation Ditches 

Off the Gros Ventre River and Population Connections to the Snake 

River
118 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 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 119

Appendix E: USGS—Biological Resources

USGS researchers are studying 

human/black bear interactions 

in Canyon de Chelly National 

Monument (AZ) to inform the 

park and Navajo Nation efforts 

to develop a cooperative 

management strategy.

Table E.1

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

Predicting Spread of Invasive Exotic 

Plants into De-Watered Reservoirs 

Following Dam Removal on the 

Elwha River, Olympic National Park 

(WA)

Removal of two high-head dams on the Elwha River in Olympic 

National Park will expose 276 ha of barren soil in the de-watered 

reservoirs. Preventing the establishment of invasive exotic plants by 

prioritizing areas for control and removal is the highest management 

priority for the reservoirs. This project facilitates achieving this goal 

by updating a past survey for exotic plants, spatially modeling spread 

from known sources, and identifying unexplored potential sources of 

priority species. During FY 2008, researchers conducted fi eld work to 

update and expand the geographic extent of previous exotic plant 

surveys. The locations and population sizes of exotic plant species have 

been compiled in a database and entered in the park’s geographic 

information system (GIS). In addition, species have been prioritized for 

modeling, and references on seed properties and dispersal dynamics 

of priority species have been accumulated and incorporated in the 

species database. Researchers are developing wind dispersal models 

summarizing wind records during seed dispersal periods and designing 

alternative conceptual models for integrating wind models with GIS 

spatial data layers. During FY 2009, researchers will develop the wind 

dispersal model and predict the spread of current populations of 

appropriate exotic species as well as develop dispersal models for birds 

and ungulates. Models will be used to identify source areas for exotics 

that may not have been surveyed yet. Products will include maps of 

known invasion sites and potential new sources. In addition, the wind 

model will be made available in a form that can be calibrated to actual 

wind measurements during dam removal to provide more accurate 

predictions.

Use of Molecular Techniques in 

Surveying Infectious Diseases 

of Gray Wolves in Yellowstone 

National Park (WY, MT, ID)

This research aims to better understand (i) spatial and temporal 

patterns of selected pathogens in Yellowstone National Park wolves, 

(ii) impacts of disease on wolf survival, and (iii) the potential role of 

domestic dogs and sympatric carnivores in pathogen persistence in 

the park. In 2007-08 researchers addressed each goal using techniques 

ranging from serological and molecular assays to computer simulation 

models. The study has used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to survey 

for pathogens actively circulating in the park. Researchers completed 

a pilot study using PCR to screen wolf fecal material (scats) for canine 

parvovirus (CPV) and canine adenovirus (CAV-1), both present in the 

park (based on previous serological work) and capable of causing pup 

mortality. After testing to verify that the cooperating laboratory’s 

assays were suffi ciently sensitive to detect small quantities of viral 

genetic material, researchers screened over 250 wolf scats collected 

from 13 packs during summer 2007. Because all these scats tested 

negative for these viruses, researchers have continued collecting 

additional wolf scats during fall, winter, and spring and will have them 

screened to test the possibility that the appropriate season for CPV and 

CAV-1 transmission was previously missed. Researchers are preparing 

a manuscript that will summarize the spatial and temporal patterns of 

pathogen exposure in wolves and coyotes using serological data.

Technical Assistance in Determining 

Population Abundance And 

Composition Of Non-Native Deer 

and Elk During Phased Population 

Reductions at Santa Rosa Island, 

Channel Islands National Park (CA)

The privately owned, non-native elk and mule deer at Santa Rosa 

Island, Channel Islands National Park are to be removed by the end 

of 2011 under a court-mandated settlement agreement. Removal 

is to be accomplished by a 4-year step-down in abundance of each 

species between December 2008 and December 2011. Currently, 

numbers of each species are estimated via a simple total aerial count 

of animal numbers each December. This project is intended to provide 

statistically reliable estimates of the variability in estimates of elk and 

deer abundance. FY 2008 work involved assessing such abundance 

estimation methods as ground and aerial line transects, aerial block 

counts, and double counts and participating in the simple total aerial 

counts, ground surveys throughout Santa Rosa Island, and review of a 

number of existing sampling methodologies. A simultaneous double 

count sampling protocol was selected, with implementation of the 

counts scheduled for mid-February 2009. Data analyses of these counts 

will follow methodologies being developed for simultaneous double 

counts at other national park units. A technical report evaluating 

the December 2007 total aerial count and population composition 

estimates was provided to the park in May 2008.
120 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

Determine the Effects of Food 

Quality on Juvenile Unionid Mussel 

Survival and growth in the St. Croix 

National Scenic Riverway (WI)

This research, initiated in FY 2008 and to be completed in FY 2010, 

assesses relationships between nutrient conditions and mussel food 

quality in the river corridor and within the four sub-basins of Lake St. 

Croix and relationships among seston and benthic food quality and the 

survival and growth of juvenile mussels in the river versus the lacustrine 

habitats of contrasting water quality. During a 28 day summer fi eld 

exposure involving juvenile mussels in the St. Croix River, the study 

deployed a total of 48 cages at 4 riverine and 4 lake locations, with 

six cages per location and two mussels (one each, Lampsilis cardium

and L. siliquoidea) in each cage. Upon termination, all cages and 

juvenile mussels were recovered, with 95% mussel survival. During 

the mussel deployment, researchers collected a total of 425 samples 

of food resources available to the mussels at each location, which 

included sediment, water nutrient, and seston samples. These samples 

will be analyzed for essential fatty acids, carbon, nitrogen, total and 

volatile suspended solids, total nitrogen and total phosphorus, soluble 

reactive phosphorus, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate-nitrite nitrogen, and 

chlorophyll a. In October, researchers met with NPS outreach specialists, 

managers, and scientists to discuss ways to better communicate our 

scientifi c results to the public. Researchers also presented an update 

of this work at the 20th Annual St. Croix River Research Rendezvous. 

Researchers are currently processing food and tissue samples.

Tracking Nene Movements across 

Park Boundaries 

The federally endangered Nene (Branta sandvicensis), or Hawaiian 

Goose, was reduced to as few as 30 individuals by 1952 due to 

the combination of unregulated hunting, introduced mammalian 

predators, and large-scale habitat degradation. Recovering Nene 

subpopulations on Hawai`i Island may now be in the process of 

reestablishing traditional movement patterns and migration routes. The 

objectives of this project are to use satellite telemetry devices to gain 

a broader understanding of incipient island-wide migration patterns 

and to facilitate further management and restoration of seasonal Nene 

habitat within Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park (HI). Researchers have 

secured all necessary state and federal threatened and endangered 

species permits, the services of an attending veterinarian, and approval 

for animal handling protocols. The receipt of satellite transmitter 

devices was delayed by requisition processing and the manufacturer’s 

production cue. In the interim, researchers monitored the identities and 

nesting status of banded Nene in conjunction with wildlife managers 

at the park throughout fi scal year 2008. This monitoring has identifi ed 

candidates for transmitter attachment. Researchers received six 

transmitters in January 2009. Working in conjunction with NPS wildlife 

managers, researchers plan to attach transmitters to male Nene of 

three different families with goslings in early February. Researchers will 

closely monitor these subjects for three weeks. Habitat selection studies 

will commence at this time. A committee will evaluate the effects of 

transmitter attachment prior to deployment of additional units. A total 

of 13 birds will be monitored with satellite transmitter devices during 

the course of this study.
 National Park Service 121

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

Does Acadia National Park (ME) 

Need a Sea Run Brook Trout 

Management Plan? Detecting 

Marine Habitat Use by StreamDwelling Trout in a Coastal Stream

Historic records indicate that searun brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) 

were present in many streams within Acadia National Park. The current 

status of these populations is largely unknown. While anecdotal 

angler reports indicate that searun brook trout still exist in coastal 

Maine streams, there is a paucity of scientifi c information regarding 

current population sizes, movement strategies, and factors infl uencing 

or hindering movement. This project seeks to determine the range 

of movement strategies exhibited by brook trout in Stanley Brook 

and examine the impact that various movement strategies have on 

survival and growth. To help answer these questions, researchers have 

been individually marking brook trout in Stanley Brook with passive 

integrated transponder (PIT) tags since 2006. The use of PIT tags allows 

both identifi cation of individual trout in subsequent electrofi shing 

surveys and also continuous monitoring of fi sh movements through 

the use of PIT tag antennas. Researchers conducted electrofi shing 

samples in each of May and September, 2008. Over the course of the 

two samples researchers handled ~2,000 brook trout; about half of 

which were previously untagged. All fi sh collected were measured 

(length and weight), the location of capture was noted (river kilometer 

from brook/ocean confl uence), scales were taken to determine age, 

and fi n clips were collected for later genetic analysis. These fi eld 

data, when coupled with PIT tag antenna data, will allow researchers 

to identify what movement strategy individual trout are exhibiting 

and what the consequences to growth and survival are. In October 

2008, an antenna array was installed at the brook/ocean confl uence 

to monitor fi sh movements between the fresh water and marine 

environment. A conductivity/temperature/depth data sonde was also 

near the antennas to monitor seawater intrusion into the brook. Since 

that time, 91 individual brook trout, representing about 8% of the 

study population, have been detected moving from freshwater towards 

the marine environment. Although data collection and analysis are 

ongoing, preliminary results indicate that individual trout captured 

during electrofi shing surveys over the entire length of the 2 kilometer 

study reach are being detected by the antennas at river kilometer 0. 

Researchers have also observed some trout moving from upstream 

locations to river kilometer 0 repeatedly for brief periods of time 

(days), while other trout that moved downstream, were detected by 

the antennas briefl y and then not detected again (potentially, because 

they moved to the marine environment and will return to the brook in 

the spring).

Black Bear Population Size and 

Distribution in Glacier National Park 

(MT)

No information exists on the status of Glacier National Park’s black bear 

(Ursus americanus) population. Black bears were sampled in 2004 using 

noninvasive hair collection methods as part of a 7.8 million-acre study 

of the regional grizzly bear (U. arctos) population. During microsatellite 

analysis to identify individual grizzly bears, samples were identifi ed 

as black bear hair. This project will identify individual black bears, use 

mark-recapture models to estimate black bear population abundance, 

and describe density patterns in the greater Glacier National Park area. 

When analyses for both species are completed, researchers will have a 

unique opportunity to compare the population density and distribution 

of these sympatric species. Genetic analysis to identify individuals 

and gender of the black bear hair samples began in 2008 and will be 

completed by March 1, 2009. Data analyses, manuscript preparation, 

and presentation of results will be conducted in 2009.
122 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

The Infl uence of Water Quality 

on the Health of Riparian Bird 

Communities in the Desert 

Southwest

Riparian woodlands bordering the Santa Cruz River at Tumacacori 

National Historical Park (AZ) provide habitat for numerous breeding, 

wintering, and migratory birds. A recent increase in the number of 

riparian birds exhibiting physical abnormalities (e.g., lesions, tumors) 

along the Santa Cruz River has raised concerns about the overall health 

of the park’s riparian bird community. Poor water quality in the Santa 

Cruz River, infectious avian diseases, or an interaction between these 

two factors may be responsible for the observed abnormalities, but to 

date, no effort has been made to assess the prevalence or diagnose 

the cause of the abnormalities. To address these issues, researchers 

are monitoring breeding populations of riparian birds at the park 

and Cienega Creek Preserve (the nearby control site) by examining 

adult and nestling birds for physical abnormalities and collecting 

tissue samples (e.g., blood, feathers, infertile eggs) for analysis. In 

2008, researchers monitored a total of 272 nests of 39 species and 

examined >200 nestling and >100 adult birds. Physical abnormalities 

were rare in nestling birds (<0.5%) but more common in adult birds 

(6.8%) at Tumacacori NHP, including lesions on adult Bewick’s Wrens 

(Thryomanes bewickii; n = 1), Lucy’s Warblers (Vermivora luciae; n 

= 1), and Yellow-breasted Chats (Icteria virens; n = 5). Researchers 

are currently analyzing tissue samples taken from affected birds to 

confi rm or refute the presence of diseases (i.e., avian pox) within the 

breeding bird community. Additional tissue samples will be analyzed to 

determine if elevated levels of environmental contaminants (e.g., heavy 

metals, DDT) originating from the Santa Cruz River are present in adult 

and nestling birds. Field work at Tumacacori NHP and Cienega Creek 

Preserve will resume beginning in April 2009.

Monitoring the Body Condition of 

Caribou in Late Winter: Developing 

and Evaluating a "Hands Off" 

Approach

Body condition may be the most important correlate of survival and 

reproduction for Arctic and sub-Arctic ungulates. Climate-related 

changes in forage resources may impair the ability of northern 

ungulates to establish and maintain body reserves. Because noninvasive techniques to assess body condition are currently lacking, 

researchers are developing and evaluating a ‘hands-off’ approach that 

uses isotopes of nitrogen in urine and fecal samples found on snow to 

assess the body condition of four caribou (Rangifer tarandus) herds in 

Alaska. Researchers completed fi eldwork in April 2008 and collected an 

additional 360 excreta samples. Approximately 1,200 urine and fecal 

samples have been collected since March 2006. The isolation of urinary 

creatinine from these samples was completed in August 2008 and 

all samples will be submitted for isotopic analysis by February 2009. 

Isolation and assessment of urinary urea and fecal fi ber residues will be 

complete by April 2009. Composite fecal samples from 30 sampling sites 

were submitted to Washington State University for dietary assessment 

(microhistology) and results are expected in July 2009. Researchers will 

begin estimating the body condition of each herd for 2006–08 after 

they receive the complete isotope sets that are necessary to run the 

model to determine the sources of urea nitrogen in caribou. Regional 

winter and summer weather data for each herd and year have been 

acquired, screened for quality, and made ready for correlation analyses 

with body condition data.
 National Park Service 123

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

Habitat Characterization of Juvenile 

Snook and Other Gamefi sh in 

Tarpon Bay, Everglades National 

Park (FL)

This study sampled and characterized the Tarpon Bay part of the 

Everglades National Park nearshore nekton assemblage with particular 

interest in young-of-the-year snook (Centropomus undecimalis). 

The sample design included measuring general water quality, 

habitat variables, and fi sh and macro-crustacean populations. 

Several hydrologic conditions including salinity, Secchi depth, and 

dissolved oxygen varied by season. Shorelines were dominated by 

red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle); co-occurring but less abundant 

vegetation included white mangroves (Laguncularia racemosa), 

buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus), and sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense). 

The most common substrate type was a fi rm peat; however, some 

areas of Tarpon Bay contained a muddy bottom so unconsolidated 

that sampling with a seine was not feasible. Forty-three seine hauls 

collected 9,697 individual nekton (fi sh and macro-crustaceans) 

representing 37 different taxa with an average of 225 nekton collected 

per net, producing a density of 81 nekton per 10 square meters. 

Anchovies (water-column schooling species that have a clumped 

distribution pattern) were by far the most abundant species captured 

(especially Anchoa mitchilli at 67% of the overall assemblage). 

Eucinostomus spp. (mojarras) were the second most abundant species 

(19% of assemblage) and the most frequently captured as they were 

collected in all 43 samples. Juveniles of six economically/recreationally 

important species were collected totaling 390 individuals and 4% of 

the total assemblage. Pink shrimp, Farfantepenaeus duorarum, were 

the most abundant such species (339), followed by blue crabs (19), 

gray snapper (15), sheepshead (8), red drum (6), and common snook 

(3). These data indicate Tarpon Bay shorelines appear to provide good 

habitat for juvenile pink shrimp which is ecologically important as 

several juvenile gamefi sh rely on penaeid shrimp for food.

Although young-of-the-year (YOY) common snook were a focus species 

for the present project, no age-0 fi sh and only three age-1 snook were 

collected to date in 2008. Several possible explanations that exist for 

the absence of these fi sh are being tested. One possibility relates to the 

small sample size. To address this possibility, researchers began seining 

specifi c shorelines where YOY snook have previously been captured, in 

addition to the normal random sampling. However, researchers found 

no juvenile snook in those “known” locations thus far. Additionally, 

because electro-fi shing can cover a considerably larger area, and thus 

provide a greater probability of locating juvenile snook if they are 

present, researchers arranged follow-up cooperative work to electrofi sh at the end of the wet season (planned for early November 2008 

when salinities are traditionally low). Although gear avoidance by 

YOY snook provides another possible yet unlikely explanation for 

the lack of YOY snook captures, similar use of seines in Tampa Bay by 

others have captured YOY snook, suggesting it is unlikely that these 

nets are ineffective in Tarpon Bay. A third explanation for the absence 

of YOY snook in 2008 could be poor recruitment. Snook, like many 

species, exhibit cyclical patterns in juvenile recruitment, meaning that 

a few weak years may follow a strong recruitment year. Although no 

dedicated sampling program was underway in Tarpon Bay during 2006, 

researchers collected a large number of YOY snook for an ancillary 

project, suggesting a strong year. Perhaps 2007 and 2008 have been the 

subsequent weak recruitment years following a strong 2006. Scheduled 

sampling in November 2008 and January and May 2009 may help 

discern whether the recruitment over the past year was below average 

and thus provide an answer.
124 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

Baseline Analysis of Floodplain Soils 

Prior to Dam Removal, Elwha River, 

Olympic National Park (WA)

Work conducted to date includes collection of fi eld data, laboratory 

analysis, preliminary data analysis, and development of new 

collaborations. In August 2007, researchers collected soil, forest fl oor, 

and related information from 56 permanent vegetation quadrats along 

the Elwha River, Olympic National Park. The quadrats represented 

commonly occurring riparian vegetation patch types within each of 

three river reaches: downstream of the two large dams on the river, 

between the dams, and upstream of the dams. Within each quadrat, 

two points were systematically selected for subsampling at the 

midpoint of the up- and downstream edges of the quadrat. These two 

soil samples were composited. Samples were divided into four groups, 

for different physical, chemical and biological analyses. Soil texture, 

chemistry, and mycorrhizae were analyzed by USGS and samples made 

available to collaborators were analyzed for soil microbial communities. 

The work will quantify baseline conditions prior to the planned 

dam removals on the Elwha River, to which future sampling can be 

compared. Following dam removal, now anticipated to occur in 2012, 

resampling within the same permanent plots will reveal changes to 

the physical, chemical, and biological character of the soils. Also, the 

soil characterization will prove useful to NPS resource managers as 

they plan and implement revegetation of the lands that are currently 

submerged beneath Lake Mills.

Effects of Invasive Exotic Plants 

on Habitat Conditions and 

Performance of the Federally 

Endangered Astragalus 

Ampullarioides (Shivwits Milkvetch), 

Zion National Park

The purpose of this project is to provide Zion National Park with 

scientifi c information regarding conservation management of the 

federally endangered Astragalus ampullarioides (Shivwits milk-vetch)—

an edaphically restricted plant species that is endemic to southwestern 

Utah. This report describes work conducted during the third (and fi nal) 

year of data collection in FY 2008. In September 2007, 62 milk-vetchcentered experimental plots were established to examine effects of 

the invasive exotic grass red brome (Bromus rubens) on soil biological 

properties (composition of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi [AMF] 

community and mycorrhizal inoculation potential [MIP]) and on several 

measures of milk-vetch performance including seedling emergence 

and mortality, growth rates of adult plants, and reproductive output 

of adult plants. A fi nal report will be delivered to NPS in 2009. Results 

of descriptive fi eld studies (2006); predictive habitat modeling and 

soil seed-bank studies (2007); and fi eld, greenhouse, and laboratory 

experiments (2008) will be used to inform the development of 

management strategies and recovery efforts conducted by the NPS, the 

Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and 

the Shivwits Band of the Paiute Indian Tribe.

Experimental Control of Invasive 

Ant Species in Hawaii Volcanoes 

National Park (HI)

Approximately 20 species of invasive ants have been recorded from 

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. The ecological impacts of these 

species in Hawai‘i are poorly documented, but Argentine ants 

(Linepithema humile) and big-headed ants (Pheidole megacephala) are 

widely regarded as serious invasive pests outside their native ranges 

because they form large colonies and are highly aggressive towards 

other arthropods. Populations of these ant species in the park are 

discontinuous and interspersed with one another, and their capacity to 

disrupt native arthropod communities raises concerns about potential 

impacts on park ecosystems and special ecological management units. 

The primary goal of this research was to develop control methods for 

Argentine ants and big-headed ants in the park.

Researchers tested the effi cacy of three baits for controlling Argentine 

ants, two baits using acute toxins (Maxforce® and Xstinguish®) and 

one using a hormone to regulate insect growth (Australian Distance®). 

Researchers compared the effi cacy of four baits in controlling bigheaded ants, with two using acute toxins (Amdro® and Xstinguish®), 

and two using a toxin combined with a growth-inhibiting hormone 

(Australian Distance® “Plus” and Extinguish Plus®). This research 

has provided park managers with new tools for protecting critical 

populations of native arthropods (e.g., native pollinators), plant 

communities, and special ecological areas from invasive ants. Additional 

work should focus on increasing the effectiveness of controlling ants 

over larger areas.
 National Park Service 125

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

Movements and Activities of 

Cougars in High Visitor Use Areas 

of Zion National Park (UT)

During the last eight years Zion National Park and its neighboring 

communities have experienced increased sightings of cougars (Puma 

concolor) near people, people’s residences, and park facilities. A 

similar trend has occurred in nearby Capitol Reef National Park, with 

sightings of particular concern occurring near campgrounds and park 

facilities. Park managers requested research to inform them about the 

movements and behaviors of cougars in and near human-use areas as 

a basis for management decisions regarding increasing human safety, 

minimizing human impacts on cougars, and addressing concerns of 

non-park stakeholders, especially concerns that Zion was a source 

of potential problem animals. Researchers initiated investigation of 

cougars in and near Zion during 2006 to document movements relative 

to park boundaries and create models of cougar habitat use, including 

effects of nearness to human facilities. During 2007, researchers 

initiated similar investigations with similar objectives in and near 

Capitol Reef. From February 2006 through February 2008, researchers 

operated collars on 9 cougars near the boundaries of both parks: 3 

adult females, 1 adult male, and 2 sub-adult males near Zion; and 1 

adult female and 2 subadult females near Capitol Reef. Preliminary 

results show all 5 cougars successfully monitored at Zion extensively 

used both park and non-park lands and that there was no indication 

that there was a subpopulation of cougars largely residing within 

the park, insulated from the effects of sport hunting, and serving 

as a potential source of dispersers. At Capitol Reef, despite having 

captured the 3 monitored cougars near, but outside, the park’s western 

boundary, researchers found that only 2 of the animals made even very 

brief forays into the park. Rather, researchers found almost all cougar 

activity concentrated in or around higher elevation plateaus (Thousand 

Lakes Mountain and Boulder Mountain) to the west of the park.

Fishes and Riverine Habitat of 

Badlands National Park (SD), with 

Emphasis on the Sturgeon Chub 

and Other Imperiled Species

The NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program in Badlands National Park 

lacks information about the unique aquatic habitats including the 

White River, restored wetlands, constructed ponds, and Sage Creek (a 

tributary to the Cheyenne River). The White River is naturally turbid 

due to the sediment load collected from the highly erosive soils of the 

badlands. Several native fi shes, such as sturgeon chub (Macrhybopsis 

gelida), are rare, threatened, or species of special concern. The 

objectives of this study were to conduct surveys and collections 

of fi shes and other aquatic fauna, including reptiles, amphibians, 

zooplankton, and macrophytes, that inhabit Badlands National Park; 

describe the water quality and limnology of the streams, wetlands, and 

ponds within the park; and describe the population characteristics of 

sturgeon chub inhabiting the White River. The study was completed 

this fi scal year and all objectives were accomplished. A total of 2,855 

individual fi sh at nine sites were sampled on the White River near 

and within the park. Researchers added the yellow bullhead to the 

park species list. Only largemouth bass were found in bison ponds, 

with four ponds being fi shless; western silvery minnow and plains 

minnow were in Sage Creek. Researchers collected 88 sturgeon chub 

from the White River. Most length intervals for fi sh ages 1 – 5 years 

old were represented in the population, thus indicating frequent and 

successful spawning. Sturgeon chubs seemed to prey exclusively on 

macroinvertebrates; 91% of their stomach contents being individuals in 

the family Simulidae. The fi nal report included water quality data and 

fi sheries data for the White River, Sage Creek, and six bison watering 

ponds.
126 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

Using Acoustic Sampling of Bat 

Assemblages to Monitor Ecosystem 

Trends

Bats are a large fraction of mammal species richness in natural 

landscapes in western North America. Some species are abundant and 

provide signifi cant ecosystem services in natural and anthropogenic 

habitats. Nearly all feed predominantly on insects, and foraging activity 

is closely coupled to habitat and seasonal variation in secondary 

productivity. This project addresses methods development for longterm automated monitoring of bat acoustic activity as an indicator of 

ecosystem trends. In 2008, a third monitoring trial was conducted in six 

meadows in Yosemite National Park to compare bat activity at meadow 

center and edge sites. Acoustic monitors were re-deployed in March 

2008, periodically downloaded, evaluated and repaired as needed, and 

removed at the end of the year, completing fi eld work for the project. 

Data management and analysis continued through the year. Extraction 

and statistical analysis of species activity data are continuing, and a 

fi nal report and a draft manuscript will be submitted prior to June 

2009. Considerable progress was made in enhancing the capabilities of 

the Windows analytic software and improving its ease of use during 

the project. The newest version of the software now incorporates 

an expanded call parameter set, along with increased fl exibility for 

automatically screening data sets of bat call sequence fi les. Software 

capabilities for species labeling and for extracting activity measures 

are also considerably enhanced. The vast amount of data (roughly 

2.5 million acoustic fi les) collected on the project contribute to 

better delimiting the call repertoire of western bat species and are 

contributing to both testing newly implemented fi lter parameters 

and improving species identifi cation. Additional development of 

the program capabilities and species recognition fi lters will continue 

through the project end date and these tools, along with selected 

call examples and the documented data set, will be available to park 

managers. A relational database to store, manage, and manipulate the 

collected data is currently in development. This will be included as a 

product in the fi nal report.

Demography of Sea Turtle Nesting 

Populations in the Caribbean

The hawksbill sea turtle (Eremochelys imbricata) is a critically 

endangered species. Its life history stages include large geographic 

areas and various coastal and marine environments that make it 

diffi cult to monitor for status and conservation purposes. Monitoring 

numbers of nesting females, as well as their nests and hatchlings, is 

most practical on a large scale. Tagging a large proportion of these 

females permits monitoring not only nesting population numbers 

but also developing an estimation of adult female population size 

and vital rates, which permits assessment of the relative contribution 

of mortality and recruitment to population dynamics. National Park 

Service personnel at Buck Island Reef National Monument have been 

tagging sea turtles and monitoring their nests since 1988. This project 

includes assisting NPS personnel in the demographic analysis of these 

tagging data for 1988–2007 and providing recommendations for 

future monitoring. The preliminary analysis has indicated a stable 

survival rate over 20 years but substantial variability in probability of 

breeding. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that neophyte 

(fi rst-time) breeders skip more years before breeding again than do 

remigrant (experienced) breeders. Researchers also found evidence that 

up to two years after nesting, the probability of returning to nest is a 

function of years since nesting (energy accumulation), but after that it 

depends more on individual variation. In the next year researchers will 

work with the park to vet and refi ne preliminary results and develop 

monitoring recommendations. Researchers will also work on statistical 

methods for estimating the number of nesters for species less faithful 

to a nesting beach (e.g., leatherbacks) and for estimating the total 

number of adult female turtles (both nesters and skipped nesters). 

Finally, researchers will work with the park on evaluating their nest 

translocation management decision process.
 National Park Service 127

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

Soil Chemistry Changes Affected 

by Pine Trees and Exotic Plants 

in Native and Disturbed Pine 

Rockland, Everglades National Park 

(FL)

South Florida pine rockland, considered a globally imperiled habitat, 

is one of the centers of vascular plant biodiversity in Florida. While 

Everglades National Park contains the vast majority of the extant 

pine rocklands, it also contains a sizeable area (~200 ha) of former 

pine forest destroyed before the land was acquired by the federal 

government. This project deals with efforts to restore some semblance 

of pine rockland vegetation to the areas within the park where the 

rock and soil substrate was disturbed by heavy equipment as part 

of the farming activity. The objective of the study is to determine 

the effect of pine trees and non-native vegetation on changes in 

the chemistry of previously farmed soils. Soils were sampled at three 

formerly farmed sites that previously were studied in 1975 and three 

nearby undisturbed pinelands. Researchers also sampled the soil 

underneath the crown of four pine trees growing in disturbed sites 

to see if pine litter and throughfall infl uence soil chemistry. During 

FY 2009, chemical analyses will be completed on all samples and a 

report submitted to NPS resource managers.

An Evaluation of the Impact of 

Two Introduced Cichlids on Native 

Fish Communities in Everglades 

Wetlands

Ecological communities consist of multiple predators and prey, in which 

predators have varied hunting strategies and foraging preferences 

and the prey have varied anti-predator responses. Multiple predators 

can combine to have linear or non-linear effects that can either 

enhance or reduce the risk of predation experienced by prey. How 

this occurs in novel systems where predators and prey lack a coevolutionary history, and thus prey may be naïve to predation threats 

posed by non-indigenous predators, is not well understood. This study 

examined the predatory effect of two non-native fi shes, the African 

jewelfi sh (Hemichromis letourneuxi) and the Mayan cichlid (Cichlasoma 

urophthalmus), and the behavioral responses of a native Everglades 

prey assemblage. We used an in situ enclosure experiment to compare 

predation rates and prey selectivity, followed by behavioral trials in the 

laboratory to examine predator foraging tactics and prey responses to 

predation (microhabitat use and activity levels). When both predator 

species were present, researchers found no evidence that native prey 

experience a release from predation resulting from interference 

competition. C. urophthalmus exhibited a higher predation rate and 

different foraging preferences than H. letourneuxi. Overlap in habitat 

domain of predators and prey was important in predicting prey 

consumption, as prey were most often consumed when they occupied 

the same space in the water column as predators. The predators were 

found to be functionally different, and the behavioral responses of 

prey varied among species in response to the non-native predators. It is 

important to examine the behavior of predators and the responses of 

prey to determine the nature of these multiple predator interactions 

and the resulting impacts of non-native predators, especially as these 

predators continue to spread in the Everglades ecosystem. Researchers 

have presented the results of the study at the Greater Everglades 

Ecosystem Restoration Meeting in August 2008 (Naples, FL).

Assessing the Distribution and 

Effects of Chytrid Fungus on 

Amphibians in Grand Teton 

National Park (WY)

The pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes the 

skin disease chytridiomycosis, has been linked to amphibian population 

declines and extinctions worldwide. Bd has been implicated in recent 

declines of boreal toads (Bufo boreas) in Colorado, but populations of 

boreal toads in western Wyoming have high prevalence of Bd without 

suffering catastrophic mortality. In a fi eld and laboratory study, 

researchers investigated the prevalence of Bd in boreal toads from the 

Grand Teton ecosystem in Wyoming and tested the pathogenicity of 

Bd to these toads in several environments. The pathogen was present 

in breeding adults at all sites sampled, with a mean prevalence of 

67%. In an experiment with juvenile toadlets housed individually in 

wet environments, zoospores of Bd isolated from Grand Teton caused 

lethal disease in all Wyoming and Colorado animals within 35 days. 

Survival time was longer in toadlets from Wyoming than Colorado and 

in toadlets spending more time in dry sites. In a second trial involving 

Colorado toadlets exposed to 35% fewer Bd zoospores, infection 

peaked and subsided over 68 days with no lethal chytridiomycosis in 

any treatment. However, compared to drier aquaria with dry refuges, 

Bd infection intensity was 41% higher in more humid aquaria and 

81% higher without dry refuges available. The fi ndings suggest that 

although widely infected in nature, toads from Wyoming may escape 

chytridiomycosis due to a slight advantage in innate resistance or 

because their native habitat hinders Bd growth or provides more 

opportunities to reduce pathogen loads behaviorally than in Colorado. 

Some of the implications of these results are being investigated further.
128 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

Assessment of Upland Ecosystem 

Conditions in the Salt Creek 

Watershed, Canyonlands National 

Park (UT)

The purpose of this project is to assess the condition of upland 

ecosystems in the Salt Creek watershed and surrounding portions of 

Canyonlands National Park. Salt Creek is the only perennial stream 

in the park other than the Colorado River itself, and riparian and 

aquatic ecosystems associated with the Salt Creek drainage may be 

affected by upland watershed conditions impacted by past land-use 

practices (e.g., livestock grazing), recent to current visitor-use activities, 

or on-going drought. Field work for this project was completed in 

2008, with assessments conducted in conjunction with a companion 

project funded by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). This TNC project 

was initiated on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands adjacent 

to the park. Both projects used identical sampling strategies and fi eld 

methods, and combined analysis of both data sets will greatly improve 

the capacity to understand patterns of ecosystem condition in relation 

to past and on-going land-use activities, climate, and soil properties. 

For example, preliminary analyses suggest that soil stability and ground 

cover both tend to be higher on lands in the park than on BLM lands. 

Emerging patterns also suggest that particular soils and types of 

ecosystems are highly susceptible to long-term dominance by invasive 

exotic plants. Results of this project will allow NPS staff to evaluate 

current conditions in relation to management objectives and “desired 

future conditions” as well as to establish priorities for restoration or 

other management actions. Data collected on NPS lands will help BLM 

managers better understand the condition of lands they manage, and 

data for both companion projects will be used by the NPS Inventory 

and Monitoring Program, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation 

Service, TNC, and USGS to better understand ranges of variability 

in indicators of ecosystem condition and to develop hypotheses 

concerning the resistance and resilience of particular soils and 

ecological sites to interactive effects of climate and land-use activities.

Seagrass Condition Assessment 

Within the NPS North Atlantic 

Coastal Parks: Site Selection, 

Training, and Integration with 

National Programs

The NPS Northeast Coastal and Barrier and Northeast Temperate 

Networks have identifi ed seagrass condition indicators as a critical 

component of Vital Signs monitoring within northeastern region 

national park units. The goal of this project is to develop a feasible and 

meaningful approach to seagrass assessment that will be applicable 

to parks with extensive seagrass resources ( Acadia National Park, 

Cape Cod National Seashore, Fire Island National Seashore, and 

Assateague Island National Seashore). Work in FY 2008 included 

further development of a prototype monitoring plan for system-wide 

implementation, training NPS cooperators, and developing mechanisms 

for data input, management, and integration. In FY 2009, researchers 

will synthesize monitoring data collected during this protocol 

development study into a baseline assessment of seagrass condition in 

regional parks. Researchers will also prepare a protocol for bay-wide 

monitoring of seagrass condition.

Identifying Factors Driving the 

Divergent Effects of Disease on 

Amphibians in Two National Park 

Ecosystems in the Rocky Mountains

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a cause of amphibian declines 

worldwide, including in North America, but this chytrid fungus is also 

prevalent in the skin of some species that do not suffer adverse effects. 

The boreal toad (Bufo boreas) shows both results. It has declined 

severely in the south (CO, NM) but persists despite high prevalence of 

Bd in the north (WY, MT). In an earlier study, researchers found that 

warm temperatures and dry skin restrict the growth of Bd on boreal 

toads. In 2008, researchers conducted a comparative study of habitat 

use in WY ( Grand Teton National Park) and CO (Zirkel Range and Rocky 

Mountain National Park) to identify regional differences in average 

and extreme temperatures achieved by toads and the proportion 

of time spent in aquatic versus terrestrial environments. Analysis of 

telemetry, habitat, and temperature data and Bd samples is in progress. 

In 2009, researchers will experimentally compare "innate" Bd resistance 

in CO and WY toads to complement the comparison of regional 

environmental differences and their effects on Bd. This study should 

help to identify environmental and evolutionary factors enabling 

amphibians to coexist with Bd, a question of keen interest to both 

ecologists and managers.
 National Park Service 129

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

Human/Black Bear Interactions 

in Canyon de Chelly National 

Monument (AZ): Development of a 

Cooperative Management Strategy 

with the Navajo Nation 

Human/black bear confl ict in Canyon de Chelly National Monument is 

a long-term, unresolved problem that raises concern for human safety; 

however, no demographic information for the resident bear population 

is available to help managers develop a strategy to deal with the issue. 

Additionally, the monument is in the middle of a 10-year restoration 

project aimed at removing all of the invasive Russian olive (Elaeagnus 

angustifolia) along the canyon bottoms. Cursory data suggest bears 

rely on Russian olive as a food source in the monument, thus removal 

of the olive could potentially increase confl ict as bears adjust their 

feeding habits and movement patterns in response to the loss of this 

food source, potentially relying more on human crops and livestock. 

To understand how bears will respond to the loss of Russian olive, 

this project aims to collect information on feeding habits, movement 

patterns, and habitat use of bears in the monument. Collection of 

scat and vegetation data continued during 2008 to determine food 

habits and availability. Again, a huge percentage (~80%) of scats 

contained Russian olive, suggesting that the presence of Russian olive 

could be maintaining the bear population at a higher density than 

could be maintained by natural foods alone. Further analysis of scat 

and vegetation data will reveal if the bear population can persist on 

natural foods alone (once the olive is removed) and the degree to 

which bears will turn to crops and livestock as alternative food sources 

(thus creating increased bear/human confl icts). During summer 2008, 

researchers conducted bear sign surveys (tracks and scat) throughout 

the monument to determine occupancy rates of bears throughout the 

monument. Additionally, researchers began live-trapping efforts during 

summer 2008, fi tting bears with GPS collars to obtain location data 

for habitat use and movement pattern analyses. Currently researchers 

are tracking one male bear with a collar, and trapping efforts will 

continue during summer 2009 to fi t a total of 6 bears with GPS collars. 

Researchers also will continue to collect scat and vegetation data and 

continue discussions with local residents and park managers to develop 

acceptable and appropriate strategies for dealing with human/bear 

confl icts in Canyon de Chelly.

The Sugar Pine Dilemma: 

Prescription Burning and the 

Management of a Declining Species

Following more than 100 years of fi re exclusion, sugar pine trees 

experience high mortality in response to fi re. Managers seek possible 

cost-effective strategies to protect sugar pine from short-term negative 

effects of fi re. One option, localized removal of fuels from around 

the base of a tree, can act to alter the effects of fi re on mortality 

of individual trees directly by decreasing the amount of fi re-caused 

fi ne root damage and stem char or indirectly by reducing the chance 

of beetle attack on injured trees post fi re. In this study, conducted 

in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, researchers tested 

whether the manual removal of fuels from the base of stems could 

be an effective management approach for reducing fi re damage and 

subsequent beetle activity and thus reducing sugar pine mortality 

following prescribed fi re. Two sites received prescribed burns during 

Fall 2006 and a third during Fall 2007. In the summer prior to the 

prescribed fi re, tree size and beetle activity were recorded for 223, 83, 

and 357 sugar pine trees, respectively. Each tree was also assigned a 

raking treatment of raked (litter and duff removed from around the 

base of the tree within a 0.5 m radius) or unraked. Within a month 

after the prescribed fi re, percent of crown volume scorched and 

percent of basal stem circumference charred were measured for each 

tree. During the summer post fi re, the health status of each tree was 

determined (live or dead) and beetle activity was evaluated. Data were 

also recorded on health status and beetle activity two summers post 

fi re for two of the sites. Researchers found that pre-fi re beetle activity 

was not associated with post fi re mortality one year after a prescribed 

burn at any of the sites. While raking had no signifi cant effect on sugar 

pine survival, it did lead to signifi cantly lower fi re damage measured by 

percent circumference of the base of the tree charred during the fi re. 

Beetle activity the summer following the fi re was signifi cantly lower 

in trees that were raked. Although this reduction in beetle activity 

may lead to lower mortality rates associated with the treatment in 

subsequent years, mortality rates two years following the fi re did not 

differ signifi cantly between the treatment groups at the two sites 

surveyed the second summer. Researchers have presented the rationale 

and results of the work to NPS resource managers and UC Berkeley 

graduate students. Researchers are creating a report for NPS managers.
130 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

National Park Service Wildlife 

Disease Reporting Technical 

Assistance

This project will provide NPS with a Web-based platform for parks to 

report observations of wildlife disease or mortality using interactive 

text and geospatial interfaces and to share the information with 

other systems. Report analyses will assist wildlife disease specialists 

and regional public health coordinators gain better understanding of 

disease dynamics and emergence in parks and thus quickly respond 

to potential health threats. NPS managers also will gain a useful tool 

to recognize the appearance of exotic microorganisms and institute 

effective management strategies. Work in FY 2008 involved a complete 

re-engineering of the database and operating platform from what was 

originally proposed. This revised system will be much more fl exible, 

allow for data exchange with existing data systems, and allow the 

production of more sophisticated reports and maps. Additional funding 

received from other sources will help ensure that the system will be 

consistent with existing and developing medical and biodiversity 

informatics standards. Developers anticipate that the enhanced system 

will be available for trials in mid FY 2009. NPS Biological Resource 

Management Program staff were involved in a workshop with the 

Department of Homeland Security National Biosurveillance Integration 

Center (NBIC) where it was discussed how best to deliver wildlife 

disease information for NBIC use. The developing system would allow 

NPS data to be easily incorporated.

Snowy Plovers at Point Reyes 

National Seashore: Unraveling the 

Mystery of Mercury

Pacifi c coastal Snowy Plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus) are designated 

as threatened. The beaches at Point Reyes National Seashore provide 

attractive breeding habitat for Snowy Plovers, but a study in 2005 

implicated elevated mercury (Hg) at the seashore as a potential 

contributor to the plovers’ demise. If elevated environmental or food 

web Hg is found to be a defi nitive problem, management practices 

may be implemented or reinforced to mitigate harm to Snowy Plovers. 

This study contributes information to determine if such actions are 

warranted. The objectives were to determine potential pathways 

of elevated Hg concentrations to Snowy Plovers, investigate Hg in 

common prey including invertebrates attracted to periodic strandings 

of marine mammal carcasses, monitor Hg in addled Snowy Plover 

eggs, compare Hg in Point Reyes Snowy Plover eggs and invertebrates 

to those sampled elsewhere along coastal California, examine stable 

isotopes to determine contribution of marine mammal carcass versus 

beach-dwelling invertebrates to Snowy Plover food consumption, and 

recommend possible actions to reduce Hg concentrations in Snowy 

Plovers. Data collection began in 2006 and continued through FY 2008 

with the addition of invertebrate sampling sites along the coastline at 

San Francisco Bay and the analyses of egg samples from Point Mugu 

(coastal Southern CA), Alviso (San Francisco Bay, CA), and Point Reyes 

that were collected in FY 07 or 08. Results indicate that eggs collected 

from Point Reyes Snowy Plovers have elevated Hg concentrations 

compared to those from Alviso and Point Mugu. Large variations in Hg 

concentrations among eggs indicated that some birds are exposed to 

more Hg than others. Larvae collected from marine mammal carcasses 

contained higher Hg concentrations than all other invertebrates 

collected. Hg concentrations in beach-dwelling invertebrates from the 

seashore were comparable to those from other nearby coastal locations 

but signifi cantly higher than those from southern California. Although 

a proposed management practice may be to monitor for and remove 

or bury all mammal carcasses when detected to prevent a potential 

bioaccumulation pathway, the mobility of these birds may place them 

at risk throughout their local range. Researchers will interpret stable 

isotopes analyses completed in fall 2008 to determine relation of 

signature in Snowy Plover eggs to that in collected invertebrates. A 

fi nal report to the National Park Service will be completed in FY 2009.

Developing a Coral Conservation 

Strategy for the Global Warming 

Era in the National Park of 

American Samoa

The study purpose is to identify coral reef habitats, coral species, 

and coral colony characteristics that increase the resilience of coral 

reefs and coral colonies to sustained high seawater temperatures. 

Identifi cation of resistant habitats, species, and colonies can be used 

to establish a network of marine protected areas that will enhance the 

conservation of coral reefs in the face of global warming. The fi nal 

fi eld investigation involved removal of the fi nal long-term transplant 

experiment investigating the potential for physiological acclimatization 

of the coral Porites lobata to the environmental extremes of the Ofu 

back reef and the conducting of a follow-up set of experiments using 

the back reef coral Acropora hyacynthus to test host thermal tolerance 

of corals with different clades of symbiotic zooxanthellae. Recovered 

coral fragments were collected for laboratory analysis. The rest of the 

year involved completing laboratory analyses of the fi eld experiments.
 National Park Service 131

POBS REPORTS FOR FY 2008

Project Title Description

An Ecological Approach to 

Sustainable Control of Italian 

Thistle

Italian thistle (Carduus pycnocephalus L.) is a rapidly spreading noxious 

weed in and around Sequoia National Park. The objective of our study 

is to test two thistle reduction methods and two restoration methods 

to determine their individual and combined effects on both weeds 

and native plants. The theory is that long-term control may only be 

possible where native plants take the place of invasive thistles. The 

experimental design is a matrix that couples one thistle reduction 

method (no treatment control, herbicide, or clipping) with one 

restoration method (no treatment control, sowing native forb seeds, 

or planting native grass plugs). In spring 2007, researchers completed 

a pre-treatment inventory of the plants in each plot and then applied 

the thistle reduction treatments. In spring 2008, researchers repeated 

the surveys and thistle reduction treatments. USGS and NPS staff and 

community volunteers collected native forb and grass seeds in the two 

watersheds in summer 2007. Forb seeds were distributed in the plots in 

November 2007. Grass seeds were propagated by the NPS horticulturist 

for one year and then planted in the plots in February 2008. The 

effectiveness of the thistle control and native plant restoration 

methods will be assessed in spring 2009, after the plots are re-surveyed 

by USGS and NPS staff.
132 Funding the Natural Resource Challenge FY 2008 Report to Congress

Park Index

A

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic 

Site 64

Acadia National Park 15, 47, 63, 65, 72, 86, 116, 

121, 128

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument 63

Amistad National Recreation Area 101

Antietam National Battlefi eld 17, 18, 22, 86, 115

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore 109

Appalachian National Scenic Trail 17, 86, 91

Arkansas Post National Memorial 55, 106, 109

Assateague Island National Seashore 35, 57, 

109, 116, 128

B

Badlands National Park 28, 57, 63, 70, 72, 101, 

108, 125

Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site 104

Bering Land Bridge National Preserve 34, 76

Big Bend National Park 38, 101, 103, 115

Big Cypress National Preserve 5, 7, 69, 86

Big Hole National Battlefi eld 116

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area 45

Big South Fork National River and Recreation 

Area 52, 64, 73, 102, 103, 116

Biscayne National Park 22, 42, 81

Blue Ridge Parkway 34, 35, 116

Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation 

Area 73, 105, 116

Bryce Canyon National Park 18, 101

Buck Island Reef National Monument 18, 19, 

73, 86, 126

Buff alo National River 107, 109

C

Cabrillo National Monument 44

Canaveral National Seashore 22, 73, 102, 116

Canyon de Chelly National Monument 101, 

106, 119, 129

Canyonlands National Park 128

Cape Cod National Seashore 22, 39, 44, 45, 

102, 109, 116, 128

Cape Hatteras National Seashore 50, 73, 101

Cape Krusenstern National Monument 21

Cape Lookout National Seashore 73

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site 7, 

54, 55, 106, 108

Carlsbad Caverns National Park 53, 74, 103, 

109

Catoctin Mountain Park 17, 22, 86, 108, 109

Cedar Breaks National Monument 105, 108

Channel Islands National Park 5, 17, 18, 19, 34, 

77, 86, 102, 119

Chattahoochee River National Recreation 

Area 74, 103, 104, 107

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park 105

Chickasaw National Recreation Area 115

Chiricahua National Monument 115

City of Rocks National Reserve 56, 105, 116

Congaree National Park 46, 47, 76, 108, 113

Coronado National Memorial 81, 86, 103, 105, 

115

Cowpens National Battlefi eld 116

Crater Lake National Park 44

Craters of the Moon National Monument and 

Preserve 69, 113, 116

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park 64, 

116

Cumberland Island National Seashore 73

Curecanti National Recreation Area 15, 17, 86

D

Death Valley National Park 67, 77, 115

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation 

Area 107, 109

Denali National Park and Preserve 34, 46, 58, 

76, 104, 109

De Soto National Memorial 106

Devils Postpile National Monument 116

Devils Tower National Monument 63, 72, 105, 

108

Dinosaur National Monument 86

Dry Tortugas National Park 42, 102

E

Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve 

52, 102, 116

Effi gy Mounds National Monument 110, 117

Ellis Island National Monument 59

Everglades National Park 59, 81, 123, 127

F

Fire Island National Seashore 73, 77, 109, 110, 

128

Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument 70, 

105

Fort Bowie National Historic Site 73, 76, 107, 

115

Fort Davis National Historic Site 105

Fort Donelson National Battlefi eld 106

Fort Frederica National Monument 75

Fort Necessity National Battlefi eld 105

Fort Pulaski National Monument 106

Fort Scott National Historic Site 105, 107

Fort Union National Monument 115
 National Park Service 133

Fort Union Trading Post National Historic 

Site 104

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site 116

G

Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve 

20, 86, 104

Gateway National Recreation Area 45, 101, 107, 

110

George Washington Carver National Monument 29, 115

George Washington Memorial Parkway 57, 85, 

105, 108

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve 41, 64, 

72, 101

Glacier National Park 27, 29, 45, 63, 74, 103, 

108, 113, 121

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area 72, 108

Golden Gate National Recreation Area 69, 72, 

77, 113, 117

Grand Canyon National Park 70, 80, 113

Grand Portage National Monument 104, 105

Grand Teton National Park 11, 38, 39, 45, 63, 

68, 76, 77, 113, 115, 117, 127, 128

Great Basin National Park 5, 19, 26, 27, 28, 31, 

68, 69, 86, 89, 107, 113, 115

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve 

16, 68, 77, 79, 86, 108, 113, 115

Great Smoky Mountains National Park 29, 34, 

38, 44, 50, 63, 65, 68, 78, 86, 101, 107, 113

Guadalupe Mountains National Park 72, 76

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park 31

Gulf Islands National Seashore 40, 57, 72, 73, 

108

H

Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument 

105, 116

Haleakala National Park 15, 17, 35, 70, 80, 86, 

109, 113

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park 56, 

106, 109

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 29, 49, 52, 53, 

63, 80, 102, 103, 109, 113, 120, 124

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site 104

Homestead National Monument of America 

17, 86

Hopewell Culture National Historical Park 15, 

16, 86

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site 116

Hot Springs National Park 106

Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site 

31, 76, 105

I

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore 45, 70, 101, 

108, 113

Isle Royale National Park 63, 69, 108, 109, 116

J

Jean Lafi tte National Historical Park and Preserve 40, 41, 50, 101, 108

Jeff erson National Expansion Memorial 59

Jewel Cave National Monument 15, 86, 106

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument 19, 

86

John Muir National Historic Site 106

JOMU 116

Joshua Tree National Park 18, 63, 73, 113

K

Kalaupapa National Historical Park 52, 86, 102, 

116

Katmai National Park and Preserve 109

Kenai Fjords National Park 35, 46, 101, 109

Kings Mountain National Military Park 104, 

106, 116

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park 

57, 61, 64, 106, 110

L

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve 68, 86, 

104, 113, 115

Lake Mead National Recreation Area 115

Lava Beds National Monument 74, 103, 106

Lewis and Clark National Historical Park 31, 

39, 77, 116

Little River Canyon National Preserve 86

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park 

106

M

Mammoth Cave National Park 38, 46, 54, 64, 

65, 73, 90, 102, 103, 108, 113

Manassas National Battlefi eld Park 108, 109, 115

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park 105

Mesa Verde National Park 42, 110, 115

Minute Man National Historical Park 31

Mojave National Preserve 42, 52, 63, 86, 102, 

107, 113

Monocacy National Battlefi eld 15, 17, 86, 115

Montezuma Castle National Monument 39, 115

Morristown National Historical Park 106

Mount Rainier National Park 63, 78, 80, 113

Mount Rushmore National Memorial 79, 80, 

106

Muir Woods National Monument 39, 106

N

Natchez Trace Parkway 40

National Capital Parks 21, 47, 76

National Capital Parks–East 21

National Park of American Samoa 77, 113, 130

New River Gorge National River 34

Ninety Six National Historic Site 116

Niobrara National Scenic River 77, 115

Noatak National Preserve 20, 21, 34, 46
 National Park Service 134

North Cascades National Park 46, 77, 102, 107

O

Obed Wild and Scenic River 16, 30, 86, 115

Olympic National Park 21, 39, 76, 107, 119, 124

Oregon Caves National Monument 34, 116

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument 52, 81, 

102, 117

P

Padre Island National Seashore 17, 73, 86, 103

Pea Ridge National Military Park 29, 105, 115

Pecos National Historical Park 115, 117

Petersburg National Battlefi eld 116

Petrifi ed Forest National Park 108

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore 81, 86

Pinnacles National Monument 116

Pipestone National Monument 105

Point Reyes National Seashore 47, 69, 73, 74, 

77, 101, 102, 103, 130

Presidio of San Francisco 53, 102

Prince William Forest Park 77, 108, 109

Pu’ukohola National Historic Site 73

R

Redwood National and State Parks 116

Redwoods National Park 25

Richmond National Battlefi eld Park 72, 76, 

105, 106, 116

Rock Creek Park 17, 86

Rocky Mountain National Park 11, 31, 44, 51, 

63, 64, 65, 68, 69, 77, 101, 108, 110, 113, 128

S

Saguaro National Park 50, 51, 76, 77, 78, 101

Saint Croix National Scenic River 103

Salem Maritime National Historic Site 73

San Antonio Missions National Historical 

Park 79, 80, 107

Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site 

104

San Juan Island National Historical Park 39, 

73, 86, 106, 116

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation 

Area 40, 44, 69, 78, 103, 113, 116

Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site 18, 

73, 86, 107, 116

Scotts Bluff National Monument 106

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 15, 

18, 22, 63, 65, 77, 78, 86, 117, 129, 131

Shenandoah National Park 35, 63, 65, 109, 110

Sitka National Historical Park 56, 57, 64, 105

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore 21, 

42, 72, 76, 108, 109, 117

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway 120

Stones River National Battlefi eld 70, 86, 104, 

107, 113

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument 

56, 86, 104

T

Theodore Roosevelt National Park 86

Timpanogos Cave National Monument 106

Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve 41, 

42, 105

Tumacacori National Historical Park 122

Tuzigoot National Monument 115

U

Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational 

River 50, 101, 109

V

Valley Forge National Historical Park 78, 106, 

116

Vicksburg National Military Park 40, 105

Virgin Islands National Park 18, 19, 86

Voyagers National Park 113

Voyageurs National Park 68, 101, 107

W

Walnut Canyon National Monument 16, 72, 

86, 106, 108

War in the Pacifi c National Historical Park 106

Whiskeytown National Recreation Area 77, 

116, 117

White Sands National Monument 40, 105

Wilson’s Creek National Battlefi eld 29, 115

Wind Cave National Park 51, 63, 69, 70, 101, 113, 

115

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve 

9, 34, 58, 104, 109

Wupatki National Monument 54, 86, 103

Y

Yellowstone National Park 38, 39, 45, 63, 78, 

101, 113, 117, 119

Yosemite National Park 47, 63, 65, 116, 126

Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve 58, 

76, 104

Z

Zion National Park 18, 41, 55, 58, 78, 80, 86, 101, 

103, 108, 124, 125
 National Park Service 135

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 scientifi c 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 benefi ts of natural and cultural resource conservation and 

outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
Natural Resource Stewardship and Science

1849 C Street, NW

Washington, DC 20240

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National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior