E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Rare Plant and Exemplary Community Monitoring Fred Dieffenbach, Environmental Monitoring Coordinator National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Northeast Temperate Network

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Outline History, Perspective and the Future History, Perspective and the Future 2007 Program Review 2007 Program Review New Protocol New Protocol New Database and Decision Support System (DSS) New Database and Decision Support System (DSS) Field Implementation Field Implementation

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Schedule Morning 8:00 – 8:15Introductions 8:00 – 8:15Introductions 8:15 – 8:35Workshop Objectives 8:15 – 8:35Workshop Objectives 8:35 – 9:05Changes for :35 – 9:05Changes for :05 – 9:30History, Perspective and the Future 9:05 – 9:30History, Perspective and the Future 9:30 – 9: Program Review 9:30 – 9: Program Review 9:50 – 10:10Break 9:50 – 10:10Break 10:10 – 10:30New Protocol 10:10 – 10:30New Protocol 10:30 – 11:30New Database and Decision Support System (DSS) 10:30 – 11:30New Database and Decision Support System (DSS) 11:30 – 12:00Introduction to Field Implementation 11:30 – 12:00Introduction to Field Implementation 12:00 – 1:00Lunch 12:00 – 1:00Lunch

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Schedule Afternoon 1:00 – 3:30Field Implementation 1:00 – 3:30Field Implementation Step through new field form Step through new field form Monitoring packets Monitoring packets 3:30 – Open Discussion 3:30 – Open Discussion

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Workshop Objectives National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Northeast Temperate Network

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Background Background Perspective Perspective Understanding Understanding Workshop Objectives

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A History, Perspective and the Future National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Northeast Temperate Network

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A History, Perspective and the Future 14 inventories 14 inventories Maine – 1998 Maine – 1998 New Hampshire – 1991 New Hampshire – 1991 Vermont – 1991 Vermont – 1991 Massachusetts – 2000 Massachusetts – 2000 Connecticut – 1992 Connecticut – 1992 New York – 2000 New York – 2000 New Jersey – 2000 New Jersey – 2000 Pennsylvania – 1990 Pennsylvania – 1990 Maryland – 2000 Maryland – 2000 West Virginia – 1997 West Virginia – 1997 Virginia – 1994 Virginia – 1994 North Carolina and Tennessee – 1993 North Carolina and Tennessee – 1993 Georgia Georgia

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A History, Perspective and the Future

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A History, Perspective and the Future

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A History, Perspective and the Future

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A History, Perspective and the Future

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A History, Perspective and the Future

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A History, Perspective and the Future

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A History, Perspective and the Future Future Acquire better spatial data Acquire better spatial data Develop a “site level” monitoring effort Develop a “site level” monitoring effort Improve occurrence documentation and monitoring Improve occurrence documentation and monitoring Photo-monitoring Photo-monitoring Add new sites, occurrences and species Add new sites, occurrences and species

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A 2007 Program Review National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Northeast Temperate Network

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A 2007 Program Review Clearly state the existing program’s goals and objectives Clearly state the existing program’s goals and objectives Evaluate whether the program’s methods and procedures are sufficient to meet program goals and objectives Evaluate whether the program’s methods and procedures are sufficient to meet program goals and objectives Evaluate current process and criteria for regularly reviewing monitoring priorities Evaluate current process and criteria for regularly reviewing monitoring priorities Evaluate the current program’s ability to coordinate with relevant organizations Evaluate the current program’s ability to coordinate with relevant organizations Evaluate the process, schedule and criteria for periodic program review (after-action review) aimed at evaluating existing programmatic procedures, including: Evaluate the process, schedule and criteria for periodic program review (after-action review) aimed at evaluating existing programmatic procedures, including: data collection; data collection; reporting and data integration; reporting and data integration; volunteer recruitment, training and retention; volunteer recruitment, training and retention; and, program management and, program management Make recommendations for improvements as appropriate Make recommendations for improvements as appropriate

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A 2007 Program Review Approach “In addition to reviewing the program’s data, ATC will consult with key staff from the managing partners involved in the program, as well as with other stakeholders and experts including but not limited to members of the A.T. MEGA-Transect vegetation working group, Trail club representatives and staff from the State Natural Heritage Programs, as appropriate. The review results will be shared with all stakeholders as frequently as practicable and appropriate. The ATC will convene an independent group of experts that will review and finalize the recommendations generated by each phase of this project.”

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A 2007 Program Review Reviewers: Caroline Dufour – Evaluation Project Manager (ATC) Caroline Dufour – Evaluation Project Manager (ATC) Geraldine Tierney – (SUNY) Geraldine Tierney – (SUNY) David Field – (MATC) David Field – (MATC) Robert Pickett – (PATC) Robert Pickett – (PATC) Chris Mattrick – (White Mountain National Forest) Chris Mattrick – (White Mountain National Forest) Diane Pavek – (NPS) Diane Pavek – (NPS) Nora Murdock – (NPS APHN) Nora Murdock – (NPS APHN) Ted Elliman – (Consultant/IPANE Volunteer Coordinator) Ted Elliman – (Consultant/IPANE Volunteer Coordinator) Wendy Cass – (NPS SHEN) Wendy Cass – (NPS SHEN) Carolyn Wells – (USFWS) Carolyn Wells – (USFWS)

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A 2007 Program Review Program Goals Contribute to the protection of rare, threatened and endangered species and communities on Appalachian National Scenic Trail corridor lands Contribute to the protection of rare, threatened and endangered species and communities on Appalachian National Scenic Trail corridor lands Improve natural resources management and stewardship capacity by providing essential information in a timely fashion to land managers and decision-makers Improve natural resources management and stewardship capacity by providing essential information in a timely fashion to land managers and decision-makers Develop an appreciation for rare plants and animals in the A.T. community through volunteer involvement Develop an appreciation for rare plants and animals in the A.T. community through volunteer involvement Raise public awareness of the A.T. as a protected refuge for significant biodiversity Raise public awareness of the A.T. as a protected refuge for significant biodiversity

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A 2007 Program Review Program Objectives Identify trends such as decline, stability or increase in populations or occurrences of priority RTE species Identify trends such as decline, stability or increase in populations or occurrences of priority RTE species Identify and track threats to priority element occurrences of RTE species, populations and rare communities, anthropogenic or otherwise, and react as is appropriate and possible with available resources Identify and track threats to priority element occurrences of RTE species, populations and rare communities, anthropogenic or otherwise, and react as is appropriate and possible with available resources Prevent damage to RTE species element occurrences by A.T.- related recreational use or maintenance by using and distributing element occurrences information in all planning and implementation of operations and maintenance by relevant organizations and individuals Prevent damage to RTE species element occurrences by A.T.- related recreational use or maintenance by using and distributing element occurrences information in all planning and implementation of operations and maintenance by relevant organizations and individuals Actively protect priority RTE species on ATPO lands; provide information and encourage the protection of RTE species on lands owned by other agencies Actively protect priority RTE species on ATPO lands; provide information and encourage the protection of RTE species on lands owned by other agencies Evaluate the effectiveness of management actions; implement adaptive management Evaluate the effectiveness of management actions; implement adaptive management

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A 2007 Program Review

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A 2007 Program Review Results 96 recommendations 96 recommendations 7 categories 7 categories Program (2) Program (2) Monitoring priorities (12) Monitoring priorities (12) Coordination with relevant organizations (14) Coordination with relevant organizations (14) Data collection, reporting, management & sharing (36) Data collection, reporting, management & sharing (36) Management priorities (8) Management priorities (8) Volunteer management (20) Volunteer management (20) Implementation (4) Implementation (4) ATPO / NETN debated and prioritized recommendations ATPO / NETN debated and prioritized recommendations 20 to be implemented ASAP, others over time 20 to be implemented ASAP, others over time

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A 2007 Program Review

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Programmatic Review Findings Develop a written protocol Develop a written protocol Design and develop a new database Design and develop a new database Improve volunteer support Improve volunteer support Training Training Supplemental materials Supplemental materials Prioritize monitoring Prioritize monitoring

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A New Protocol National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Northeast Temperate Network

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A New Protocol

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A New Protocol To “… develop a protocol, including detailed standard operating procedures (SOPs), for citizen scientist monitoring of natural heritage elements along the Appalachian Trail. This protocol will build upon the existing natural heritage monitoring program, and draw upon the conclusions and recommendations of the January 2008 Program evaluation ……. ESF staff will attempt to enlist members of the AT MEGA-Transect Citizen Science Workgroup to provide pier review of the draft protocol, thereby ensuring that the protocol conforms with expectations for citizen scientist monitoring …”

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A New Protocol Objectives Determine long-term trends and variability for selected rare plant occurrences Determine long-term trends and variability for selected rare plant occurrences Number Number Life-stage distribution Life-stage distribution Determine long-term trends and variability in spatial extent Determine long-term trends and variability in spatial extent Identify threats to rare plant occurrences Identify threats to rare plant occurrences

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A New Protocol Products 3 Drafts 3 Drafts Protocol narrative Protocol narrative Protocol synopsis for volunteers Protocol synopsis for volunteers 3 SOP’s 3 SOP’s 2 responses to comments 2 responses to comments New field form New field form

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Database and Decision Support System National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Northeast Temperate Network

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Database and Decision Support System Database \ ˈ dā-tə- ˌ bās, ˈ da- also ˈ dä-\ : a usually large collection of data organized especially for rapid search and retrieval (as by a computer) Merriam-Webster Online A database is a structured collection of records or data that is stored in a computer system. The structure is achieved by organizing the data according to a database model. The model in most common use today is the relational model. Other models such as the hierarchical model and the network model use a more explicit representation of relationships. Wikipedia

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Database and Decision Support System Tread NatDiv Rare Plant and Exemplary Community

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Database and Decision Support System

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Database and Decision Support System

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Database and Decision Support System Approach Redesign db to conform with NPS standards Redesign db to conform with NPS standards Consolidate existing information when possible Consolidate existing information when possible Provide access to on-line resources Provide access to on-line resources Develop standardized reporting routines Develop standardized reporting routines Create multiple pathways to critical information Create multiple pathways to critical information Integrated QAQC system Integrated QAQC system Develop decision support system Develop decision support system Occurrence prioritization Occurrence prioritization Site prioritization Site prioritization Improved data entry Improved data entry

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Database and Decision Support System Click

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Field Implementation National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Northeast Temperate Network

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Field Implementation What’s New New system is not radically different than old New system is not radically different than old Relies on: Relies on: Establish value ranges Establish value ranges Defined selection criteria Defined selection criteria Independent of past observer and observations Independent of past observer and observations Ancillary data: Ancillary data: Invasive species Invasive species Common species Common species “Site” characteristics “Site” characteristics

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Field Implementation

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Field Implementation

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Field Implementation

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Field Implementation

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Northeast Temperate Network 54 Elm Street, Woodstock, VT National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior