E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A A Decision Support System for Monitoring, Reporting and Forecasting Ecological Conditions of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail 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 Discussion: Current / existing management decision processes and data interests Fred Dieffenbach, Env. Monitoring Coordinator (NETN) Casey Reese, Natural Resource Mgr. (APPA) Matt Robinson, GIS/Mapping Specialist(ATC) Matt Robinson, GIS/Mapping Specialist (ATC) National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Northeast Temperate Network

Ecological Forecasting Project Guidelines enhance their decision support capabilities “The Ecological Forecasting Program … purpose is to help these partner organizations expand their use of NASA Earth science products, enhance their decision support capabilities ( emphasis added ), and increase the benefits to society derived from these products …”

Current Decision Structure I&M Program (Vital Signs Program) Share funding and core professional staff to conduct long-term ecological monitoring. Link parks that share similar geographic and natural resource characteristics to improve efficiency and reduce costs. More efficiently and effectively track resource condition and address performance goals. Maximize the use and relevance of the monitoring data for management decision-making and other park operations. Parks are encouraged to use or modify standard protocols and partner with existing programs wherever possible to allow comparability and synthesis of data at multiple scales, but the primary use of the data is at the park level for management decision-making and integration with park operations.

Discussion Who are the stakeholders (i.e., who are we building system for)? Is the DSS for the A.T.? Is the DSS for a broader audience? Both? How will the DSS integrate into current A.T. business practices? What questions are being asked and who is asking them? Sustainability? Financial Data Acquisition Field Imagery Does system address a need, solve a problem, provide information where there is currently a void, or simply exist as an example of a great technological achievement?

From October 18, 2004 VS Selection Meeting What do APPA people (resource mgrs.) need? What data does APPA need internally to manage? What data does APPA need for public awareness/education? What about the trail as a unique ecological transect?

Remarks by Steve Fancy (October 18, 2004) “Reality is that funding will NOT allow new, comprehensive, trail-wide monitoring.” Two Possible Approaches: 1. Use existing monitoring stations and supplement. This would mean using available funding (say $200k) to hire field people to do the supplemental sampling. 2. Rely on existing data that someone else is collecting entirely. Hire quantitative ecologist and/or data manager to gather data annually, analyze it, and write a report that summarizes everything along the trail. “Science Communication Specialist”

APPA Monitoring Plan (in progress) “… administering a large landscape scale monitoring program is expensive and resource intensive, and the A.T. environmental monitoring program is unable to afford that expense. Consequently, the A.T. environmental monitoring program will rely on data collected by other programs, agencies, parks and individuals and use these data to assess resource condition …”

APPA Monitoring Plan (in progress) “… administering a large landscape scale monitoring program is expensive and resource intensive, and the A.T. environmental monitoring program is unable to afford that expense. Consequently, the A.T. environmental monitoring program will rely on data collected by other programs, agencies, parks and individuals and use these data to assess resource condition …”

Level 1Level 2Level 3Vital SignPriority Air and Climate Air Quality Ozone 6 Wet and dry deposition Acid Deposition6 Visibility and particulate matter Visibility and Particulate Matter 2 Climate ChangePhenology 1 WaterWater QualityWater chemistry Water Chemistry2 Biological Integrity Invasive SpeciesInvasive/Exotic plants Invasive Plants4 Focal Species or Communities Forest vegetation Forest Vegetation3 Birds Breeding Birds3 Mountain Birds1 Terrestrial communities High Elevation Vegetation5 At-risk Biota T&E species and communities Rare Species1 Human use Visitor and Recreation Use Visitor usage Visitor Usage and Impact2 LandscapesLandscape DynamicsLandscape dynamics Landscape Dynamics5 Vital Signs

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