NPS Natural Resource Condition Assessments: Supporting a Condition-Based Approach To Resource Management in Parks Webinar 1 (of 2) to Introduce & Showcase National Park Service (NPS) Natural Resource Condition Assessments (NRCAs) Jeff Albright National Coordinator – NPS NRCAs August 23, 2012

NPS Natural Resource Condition Assessments (aka NR Condition Assessments or NRCAs)  Webinar 1 (today): Making the case – the “what and why” for NRCAs – guidance and products (intro) – linkage to other NPS programs  Webinar 2 (August 30): Making it work – guidance and products (closer look) – highlights and good examples – keys to a successful outcome Both webinars will be recorded & posted to the NRCA web site

It’s the 21 st century. Do you know what condition your park resources are in?  Data vs. Information:  What the public expects from NPS: Strategic, Transparent, Accountable Data Analysis Translation Synthesis + = Useful Information

It is a dynamic time of change and uncertainty. Still, the basic questions haven’t changed.  What’s most important?  …what are the conditions?  …what are the condition influences?  …what are we doing, what are we planning to do? Similar questions have been raised before: 1) In the 1990’s to help justify NPS “Natural Resource Challenge” funding 2) at the 2003 GWS Meeting (“Integrating Science into Mgmt” session)

By whatever name you choose to give it… A condition-based approach to resource management makes sense. Adaptive Management Process

Natural Resource Condition Assessments (NRCAs) Evaluate current conditions for a subset of each park’s important natural resources. Per guidance: 1) Use indicators and structured frameworks 2) Rely on existing data and expertise from varied sources 3) Identify or develop useful ‘reference’ conditions 4)Take a spatial approach to assessing conditions

Use indicators and structured frameworks 1a) Use indicators and structured frameworks Frameworks help guide discussion and identification of focal study resources/indicators. Examples of framework options:  NPS I&M or Heinz frameworks  Decision support (logic model) frameworks  NatureServe/TNC “Ecological Integrity” framework Considerations: 1) what does the park want? 2)results can often be cross-walked from one framework to another

Use of an Ecosystem Management Decision Support Model (EMDS) for the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield NRCA

Use indicators and structured frameworks, cont. 1b) Use indicators and structured frameworks, cont. Choose a suite of resources/indicators that reflect a mix of physical, chemical & biological components. Focal study resources/indicators might include:  NPS Inventory & Monitoring (I&M) ‘Vital Signs’  Resources/Values from a park’s Foundation Document  Other things identified by park and resource specialists Considerations: 1) what’s most important? 2) what things are “well suited” to include? (we have data/expertise)

Excerpt of Indicator Table from Capulin Volcano NRCA

Rely on existing data/ expertise – varied sources 2) Rely on existing data/ expertise – varied sources NRCAs are about synthesis of existing data and knowledge, not new data collection. Operative guidance:  Look for multiple sources of data and expertise (not just NPS)  Use study methods appropriate to the situation  Document the data, methods, and level of confidence Consideration: Each report is likely to include a range of “more qualitative” to “more quantitative” analyses across focal study resources/indicators

Identify or develop useful ‘reference’ conditions 3) Identify or develop useful ‘reference’ conditions Provides a logical, defensible context for evaluating and reporting on current resource conditions. Types of reference that can be used:  Legal, regulatory, or other “desired” (mgmt based) conditions  Historical data, comparison sites, models (potential conds)  Best professional judgment (as adequately documented) Considerations: 1)can be revisited over time; can be a point value, or a range of values 2)can reflect conditions we want to achieve, or that we want to avoid

Excerpt of Indicator Table from Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites NRCA Biological Integrity

Take a spatial approach to assessing conditions 4) Take a spatial approach to assessing conditions Do we have spatially explicit data to evaluate OR can we develop spatial inferences re: conditions? Options:  Overall ‘condition ratings or scores’ by park areas are an option if it fits the study framework and the park wants it  Otherwise, many parks still benefit from an informal summary or synthesis of overall findings by park areas Considerations: 1) Each report is likely to include analyses and reporting that is spatially explicit (or inferred) for some resources/indicators, but not for others 2) Parks ID ‘areas of interest’ for summaries (watersheds, habitats, or… )

Essential Habitat Connectivity at Varied Reporting Scales – from Pinnacles Natl Mon NRCA

What’s included in the final report? All NRCAs use the standard report outline. 1.NRCA background information (boilerplate) 2.Park introduction and resource setting 3.Study scoping and design 4.Condition reporting (subset of resources/indicators) 5.Condition summaries (by park areas/topics of interest) 6.Appendices Consideration: Chap 4 includes specific ‘condition reporting’ elements

a) Describes park setting, natural resources, and some existing resource management issues or concerns; b) Provides credible reporting on current conditions (trend as possible) for the focal study resources/indicators; c) Provides a more holistic interpretation or summary of overall condition findings by park areas and/or topics of management interest How do we know it worked? Each NRCA results in a written report that:

1)The report and findings are deemed accurate, reliable, and useful by the receiving park! 2)Among other uses, the NRCA proves especially helpful as that park engages in:  Strategic resource planning – for example, developing a park’s Resource Stewardship Strategy (RSS)  Resource condition reporting – for example, developing a park’s State of the Park Report (SoPR) How we do we know it worked, cont. Usefulness is measured at the Park level:

54 NRCA Reports Completed & Published; >100 park NRCAs In Progress

NRCA Regional Contacts Alaska: Sara Wesser Intermountain: Patrick Malone Midwest: Carmen Thomson National Capital: Pat Campbell Northeast Region: Charles Roman & Pete Sharpe Pacific West: Marsha Davis Southeast: Dale McPherson

 Guidance, products, examples (Albright)  Highlights and examples from two experienced investigator teams: –University of Maryland, Center for Environmental Science (Dennison et al.) – Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, Geospatial Services (Drazkowski et al.)  Group discussion Don’t forget to join us for next week’s webinar: “The Science (and Art) of a Successful Natural Resources Condition Assessment Project” August 30, 2012

Questions? To learn more about NRCAs, download guidance and completed reports, etc.: