Natural resource condition assessment for Blue Ridge Parkway
Sundin G, Worsham L, Nibbelink NP, Mengak MT, Grossman G. 2013. Natural resource condition assessment for Blue Ridge Parkway. Natural Resource Report. NPS/BLRI/NRR—2013/699. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
This report provides a comprehensive assessment of the state of natural resources at Blue Ridge Parkway (BLRI). It also addresses sets of stressors that threaten these resources and the biological integrity of habitats in the park. This assessment focuses on vital signs outlined by the Appalachian Highlands Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Network (APHN), as well as on attributes relevant to the park’s natural resources. Assessed attributes are roughly organized into broad groups of resources as follows: air quality, weather and climate, water quality, vegetation, animal communities, and landscape dynamics. Data used in the assessment included I&M reports and bio-inventories, spatial information, park-commissioned reports, publicly-available data (EPA Storet, National Landcover Datasets), and personal communication with BLRI and APHN staff. No new field data was collected for this report. When available, published criteria were used to derive a condition assessment based on available data, and when appropriate, we identify opportunities for improved data collection to allow for stronger assessment in the future.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Sundin, Gary; Worsham, Luke; Nibbelink, Nathan; Mengak, Michael; Grossman, Gary
- Date of Issue
- 2013-08
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- APHN , BLRI , NRSS
- Keywords
- Air, Amphibians, Birds, Climate, Condition assessment, Disease, Exotic Species, Fish, Geology, Herpetofauna, Indicators, Invasive Species, Landscape, Mammals, Natural Resources, NRCA, Pests, Plants, Reptiles, Resource condition, Soils, Stressors, Threats, Trends, Water, Water Quality, Weather, Wildlife