Science and Conservation in National Parks

1. Science and Conservation in National Parks Loyal A. Mehrhoff

2. Science and Conservation in National Parks The National park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.

3. Science and Conservation in National Parks Guiding principles to balance use and protection: • Wise Decisions: Integrating social, economic, environmental, and ethical considerations into the decision -making process • Research and Technology: Incorporating research findings and new technologies to improve work practices, products, and services

4. Science and Conservation in National Parks Basics: • 385 units covering 83 million acres • 270 units with significant natural resources • $2.6 billion dollars in funding • 280 million visits per year

5. Science and Conservation in National Parks

6. Science and Conservation in National Parks Organization: • Service-wide: • Biology • Air • Water • Geology • Information • Environmental Quality • Regions • Parks • Partners

7. Science and Conservation in National Parks Director, NPS Fran Mainella Visitor & Resource Protection Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Mike Soukup Cultural Resources Park Planning Administration Air Chris Shaver Water Dan Kimball Environmental Quality Jake Hoogland NR Information Rich Gregory Geologic Dave Shaver Biological Loyal Mehrhoff

8. Science and Conservation in National Parks Increasing Science-based Decisions • Biology has been a secondary consideration • Lack of basic biological knowledge in parks • Loss of NPS researchers to USGS-BRD • Budget and personnel shortages • Increased legal challenges • Refined “impairment” guidance • Data Quality Act • Changes at universities

9. Science and Conservation in National Parks The Natural Resource Challenge • Increase scientific input into decisions • Double natural resource funding • Partnerships

10. Science and Conservation in National Parks The Natural Resource Challenge • What’s in parks? • Are parks in trouble? • Fixing what’s broken. • Science for Parks – Parks for Science!

11. Science and Conservation in National Parks What’s in parks? • 12 basic inventories • Vertebrate and vascular plant surveys • Improving information availability • NPSpecies database

12. Science and Conservation in National Parks Are parks in trouble? • Vital Signs monitoring • Early warning of problems

13. Science and Conservation in National Parks Fixing what’s broken. • Increase natural resource personnel • $12 million annually for new projects • $12 million base increases for parks • $8 million for invasive plant species • Partnerships: • National Cave and Karst Research Institute • Cooperative Conservation Initiative • Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units

14. Science and Conservation in National Parks Science for Parks – Parks for Science! • Increase infrastructure • Changes to policies • CESUs • Learning Centers • Funding to USGS • Geologists in the Park • Sabbaticals in the Park • Canon Scholars (8 x $78,000) • Investigators annual reports

15. Science and Conservation in National Parks Director, NPS Fran Mainella Visitor & Resource Protection Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Mike Soukup Cultural Resources Park Planning Administration Air Chris Shaver Water Dan Kimball Environmental Quality Jake Hoogland NR Information Rich Gregory Geologic Dave Shaver Biological Loyal Mehrhoff

16. Science and Conservation in National Parks Air Resources focuses on: • How air quality affects park resources • How can air pollution effects be mitigated or prevented • Soundscapes Image representative of clearest days at Grand Canyon Image representative of haziest days at Grand Canyon

17. Science and Conservation in National Parks Water Resources focuses on: • National water quality monitoring • Water Rights Protection • Contaminants • Projects to protect and restore water quality • Technical assistance: Is this a good place to build?

18. Science and Conservation in National Parks Geologic Resource focuses on: • Why do we care about rocks? • More than just rock - dynamic processes & resultant features • Critical information for understanding natural systems • 100s of mine operations • 798,000 disturbed acres

19. Science and Conservation in National Parks NR Information focuses on: • Inventory and Monitoring • Information Management • Public information

20. Science and Conservation in National Parks Environmental Quality focuses on: • Policy Guidance and Direct Technical Assistance • NEPA compliance training and assistance

21. Science and Conservation in National Parks Biological Resources focuses on: • Invasive species management • Wildlife management and health • Endangered species • Integrated pest management • Ecosystem restoration

22. Invasive Species Program Science and Conservation in National Parks • 16 Exotic Plant Management Teams (EPMT’s) • Modeled after rapid response fire teams; serve 219 parks • Expanding to alien animals

23. Science and Conservation in National Parks

24. Endangered Species Program Science and Conservation in National Parks

25. Endangered Species Program Science and Conservation in National Parks • Prevent extinctions • Restore extirpated species • Track species status • 400 Management Summaries

26. Wildlife Program Science and Conservation in National Parks • Maintain sustainable populations • Track hunting in parks • Manage wildlife diseases

27. Ecosystem Restoration Science and Conservation in National Parks • Service-wide NPS Strategy • Restoration Initiative • Natural processes • Minimize species efforts

28. Recovery Funding: 1999 Funding per Species ($, thousands) Trend Status of the Species

29. Recovery Funding: 1999 Funding per Species ($, thousands) Trend Status of the Species

30. Recovery Funding: 2001 Funding per Species ($, thousands) Trend Status of the Species

31. Recovery Funding: 2003 Funding per Species ($, thousands) Trend Status of the Species

32. Recovery Funding: 2003 Funding per Species ($, thousands) Trend Status of the Species

33. Recovery Funding • Grizzly $925,000 • Island fox $586,000 • Piping plover $569,000 • Desert tortoise $567,000 • Gray wolf $449,000 • N. spotted owl $432,000 • California condor $367,000 • Loggerhead sea turtle $342,000 • Mission blue butterfly $280,000 • Hawksbill sea turtle $276,000

34. Recovery Funding: Taxa Listed Speceis (%) & Funding (%) Trend Status of the Species

35. Getting More Science Science and Conservation in National Parks • Changing Processes to Emphasize Science: • Planning for Desired Future Conditions • Impairment analyses • GPRA – Strategic Performance Results • CESU Expertise to Fill the Gaps • Statistics • Social Sciences/Human Dimensions • Testing/analyses • Database support • Rare “ologists”

36. Future Directions Science and Conservation in National Parks • Invasive species: • Fuels reduction • Invasive animal control program • Restoration: • Desired Future Conditions • Ecological processes (e.g., fire) • Species that have been lost from parks • Globally rare species and communities • Decision Support • Landscape partnerships for: • Biodiversity; migratory, invasive species • Work with State and private parks

37. Contacts: http://www.nature.nps.gov/ Science and Conservation in National Parks • Research:http://www.nature.nps.gov/scienceresearch/research.htm • CESUs: http://www.cesu.org/cesu/ • Learning Centers: under development • Geologists in the Park: http://www2.nature.nps.gov/geology/gip/ • Cave and Karst: http://www2.nature.nps.gov/geology/caves/ • Canon Scholars: http://www.nature.nps.gov/canonscholarships/ • Sabbaticals in the Park: http://www.nature.nps.gov/Sabbaticals • Inventory and Monitoring: http://www1.nature.nps.gov/protectingrestoring/im/inventoryandmonitoring.htm

38. Science and Conservation in National Parks