Natural resource condition assessment: Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site

Tierney, Geraldine; Gibbs, James

This Natural Resource Condition Assessment evaluates current conditions and trends for a subset of natural resource indicators and identifies critical data gaps for Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. The indicators of condition included herein reflect the park’s resource setting, status of resource stewardship planning and science, and availability of data and expertise to assess current conditions for a variety of potential indicators. The goal of this report is to provide clear, credible, integrative reporting to assist and inform park managers, stake-holders and the public. This 77-hectare (191-acre) National Historic Site preserves and interprets the artwork and historically significant properties associated with the foremost American sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907). Located in Cornish, New Hampshire, the park preserves the home, studio, gardens and natural areas where Saint-Gaudens lived and worked at the turn of the last century. This estate was a focal point of the Cornish Art Colony, a social group of artists, writers and others attracted to the natural beauty of the area, including spectacular views of Mount Ascutney to the west across the Connecticut River. In all, the park preserves 19 historic buildings, four cultural landscapes, a collection of more than 10,000 catalogued objects including hundreds of original works of art, as well as hectares of forested ravine, agricultural lands, sections of two perennial streams, a pond, wetlands, and a stretch of shoreline along the Connecticut River. The park provides habitat for a variety of wildlife species including several species of conservation interest. Using the National Park Service Vital Signs Indicator Framework, 25 indicators of natural resource condition were selected for assessment and reporting herein. Assessment points were established to distinguish between acceptable or desired conditions (i.e., good condition) and those that warrant moderate concern or significant concern. These assessment points were derived from knowledge of ecological integrity, regulatory or program standards, park management goals, historical data or other sources. Key findings and recommendations are summarized by resource category in Table E-1.

Natural resource condition assessment: Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site

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