Annual administrative report (FY 2008) and work plan (FY 2009) for Inventories and Vital Signs monitoring: South Florida / Caribbean Network

National Park Service South Florida/Caribbean Network

8This 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 09. 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 2008 the SFCN received $1,770,087 in funding from the Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) program, as well as from the NPS Vegetation Mapping program, and the NPS Water Resources Division. This funding was used to certify completed inventories of vertebrates and vascular plants; conduct monitoring on marine resources following SFCN prototype monitoring protocols, and to complete the development of the SFCN Vital Signs monitoring plan for review and adoption during FY08. In FY08, biological inventories were conducted, including inventories for small and medium sized mammals. SFCN completed its Vital Signs Monitoring Plan, which shifted the program’s primary focus from planning to implementation of monitoring. This significant shift required increased office space and staff. The SFCN expanded their Palmetto Bay office with seven new workstations and a conference room that doubles as our secure storage during extreme weather events for central files and sensitive equipment. SFCN conducted marine benthic community Vital Sign monitoring in BISC, DRTO, VIIS, and BUIS. Marine Fish Community monitoring was conducted in DRTO, VIIS, VICRNM, and BUIS. SFCN hired a marine ecologist, a GIS/data management specialist, a wildlife biological technician and a vegetation biological technician. Two postdoctoral researchers were funded to develop protocols for marine fish communities and vegetation Vital Signs. SFCN completed a vegetation map for BISC, continued work on a vegetation map for western BICY and NW EVER, and BUIS. Benthic habitat maps were completed for DRTO and offshore BISC.

Annual administrative report (FY 2008) and work plan (FY 2009) for Inventories and Vital Signs monitoring: South Florida / Caribbean Network

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