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National Park Service Manageme

at

Grand Canyon National Park
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Legal Authorities

• Grand Canyon National Monument, 1908• NPS Organic Act, 1916• Grand Canyon National Park, 1919• National Environmental Policy Act, 1969• Grand Canyon Enlargement Act, 1975• Redwoods Act of 1978

*Grand Canyon Protection Act, 1992

Mandated Management Responsibilities• NPS Management Policies 2006

• GCNP General Management Plan 1995

* GCPA 1992 -- GCD AMP 1996

• GCNP Resource Management Plan 1997• Colorado River Management Plan 2006

*Where AMP Goals align with GCNP Resource Manage
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NPS Mandated Responsibiliti

NPS Organic Act of 1916

“The Service such established shall promote and regulate...to the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to enjoyment of the same in such a manner and by such means unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.”

Redwoods Act of 1978

“Congress further reaffirms, declares, and directs the promotivarious areas of the National Park System . . . The authorizatconstrued and the protection, management, and administratioconducted in light of the high public value and integrity of the and shall not be exercised in derogation of the values and purvarious areas have been established, ...

NPS Management Policies 200

“The Secretary has an absolute duty, which is not to be compmandate of the NPS Organic Act of 1916 to take whatever actrelief as will safeguard the units of the national park system.”
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NPS Organic Act of 1916

NPS Management 

Policies 2006

GCNP General 

Management Plan 1995

GCNP Resource 

Management Plan 1997

GCPA 1992; GCD 

AMP 1996

Colorado River 

Management Plan 2006

NPS Management Policies 

1. Improving Resource Conditions 

the Parks

“The Service will also strive to ensure that 

resources and values are passed on to futgenerations in a condition that is as good, than, the conditions that exist today. In p

Service will strive to restore the integrity oresources that have been damaged or comthe past.”
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NPS Management Policies 

2. Protection and Preservation o

Cultural Resources

“The National Park Service will employ 

effective concepts, techniques, and equprotect cultural resources against theftvandalism, overuse, deterioration, envimpacts, and other threats without comthe integrity of the resources.”
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NPS Management Policie

3. Wilderness Resource Manag

“All management decisions affecting wmust be consistent with the minimum concept. This concept is a documentused to determine if administrative aprojects, or programs undertaken by or its agents and affecting wilderness resources, or the visitor experience aand if so how to minimize impacts.”
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NPS Management Policie

4. Management of Threatened o

Endangered Plants and Anim

“The Service will survey for, protect, a

recover all species native to national punits that are listed under the EndangAct. The Service will fully meet its obunder the NPS Organic Act and EndanSpecies Act to both proactively conserspecies and prevent detrimental effecspecies.”
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NPS Management Policie

5. Management of Recreation U

“Superintendents will develop and impvisitor use management plans and takappropriate, to ensure that recreationactivities in the park are consistent wiauthorizing legislation or proclamation cause unacceptable impacts on park rvalues.”
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CRMP Litigation: Current St

•ROD Signed March 23, 2006•Lawsuit Filed March 28, 2006•Written Briefs and Arguments by DOJ to Federal Distr•Oral Arguments October 26, 2007 – US District Court

•District Court Ruled in Favor of NPS (11/27/07)•Appeal January 11, 2008 (On 100th anniversary of GC

appeal to the 9th Circuit Court, San Francisco, CA

•Opening Brief Filed May 12, 2008•Response Due August, 2008Currently responding to plaintiffs appeal
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Key Points in Case

“4. Whether NPS violated the Concessions Act by autho

commercial services that are inconsistent with preservvalues and resources of the river, to the highest exten5. Whether NPS violated its management policies when the wilderness character of the river by authorizing mopassenger exchanges, and generators (“motorized use7. Whether NPS violated the Organic Act when it failed 

baseline conditions and consider cumulative impacts astudies when making a “no-impairment” determination8. Whether NPS violated the Organic Act when it authoon the river that impair the natural soundscape.”
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Grand Canyon U.S. 

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NPS Research & Monitoring – Colorado River & Tributaries•Trails Monitoring & Rehabilitation•Vegetation Research, Monitoring, & Removal/Revegetation•Campsite Monitoring•Wildlife Research & Monitoring•Cultural Resources Research, Inventory, Protection & Preservation (historic and prehistoric)•Visitor Experience Research & Monitoring
Colorado River Management Plan

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How does administrative activities and river 

park resources in the Colorado River Co

(Stressors)

Resources Monitoring Progra

Effects

Resource Damage

Site Disturbance

Quality Degradation

Crowding & Congestion

Natural Resources

Water Quality

Wildlife

Vegetation

Air Quality

Soils

Visitor Experience

Quality of Recreation

Range of Services
Colorado River Management Plan

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Monitoring Wilderness 

Character

Involves a collective 

assessment of resource conditions (affects of human use)

Quality of visitor 

experience – opportunities for solitude or an unconfined type of recreation

Considers impacts of 

administrative use and activities
Colorado River Management Plan

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Integrated Bio-physical 

Monitoring Design

Avifauna, Vegetation, 

Archeological Sites, Campsite Condition

April (low use), September (high 

use)

45 sites per trip 

Æ 15 repeat + 30 

rotation

Develop new baseline conditions 

for new CRMP

Help determine management 

actions needed to address unacceptable resource conditions
Colorado River Management Plan

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Visitor Experience Monitoring Pro

Quality of visitor experience (temporal & spatial)On site impacts: River encounters, attraction site 

campsite competition, hiking exchanges, launch/taksafety

Off-site impacts: permit system, use statistics, et

Develop new baseline conditions for new CRMPHelp determine management actions needed to 

address unacceptable social conditions