Annual administrative report (FY 2009) and work plan (FY 2010) for inventories and Vital Signs monitoring: South Florida / Caribbean Network

National Park Service South Florida/Caribbean Network

This Annual Administrative Report and Workplan summarizes the activities of the National Park Service South Florida / Caribbean Network (SFCN) in FY 09 and projected workplan in FY 10. The SFCN includes seven national parks with significant natural resources in the southern tip of the state of Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Croix and St. John: Big Cypress National Preserve, Biscayne National Park (BISC), Buck Island Reef National Monument (BUIS), Dry Tortugas National Park (DRTO), Everglades National Park (EVER), Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve (SARI), and Virgin Islands National Park (VIIS). In FY 2009 the SFCN received $1,932,373 in funding from the Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) program, as well as from the NPS Vegetation Mapping program, the NPS Water Resources Division, and Everglades National Park. This funding was used to conduct monitoring on marine and community resources as the network begins operational monitoring for core vital signs. In FY09, biological inventories were conducted, including year two for inventories for small and medium sized mammals as well as multiple vegetation and benthic habitat mapping efforts. SFCN implemented its Vital Signs Monitoring Plan, which shifted the program’s primary focus to operational monitoring. This significant shift required increased office space and staff. SFCN conducted marine benthic community Vital Sign monitoring in BISC, DRTO, VIIS, and BUIS. Marine Fish Community monitoring was conducted in BISC, DRTO, VIIS, VICRNM, and BUIS. SFCN hired and lost a marine ecologist. An administrative assistant was hired, a wildlife biological technician was hired through a SCEP appointment, and two SCA’s were identified as great candidates for SCEP appointments in FY10. A lionfish SCA was hired to assist with lionfish surveys with the marine team. The marine postdoctoral researcher developed protocols for marine fish communities titled “A cooperative multi-agency reef fish monitoring protocol for the Florida Keys coral reef ecosystem” while a second postdoctoral researcher was hired and his contract was not renewed for the vegetation Vital Signs. SFCN completed a vegetation map for De Soto National Memorial (DESO), continued work on a vegetation map for western BICY and NW EVER, BISC, SARI, DRTO and BUIS. Benthic habitat maps were completed for DRTO and offshore BISC.

Annual administrative report (FY 2009) and work plan (FY 2010) for inventories and Vital Signs monitoring: South Florida / Caribbean Network

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