Natural resource condition assessment: American Memorial Park

Greene, Robbie; Jordan, Rebecca; Chojnacki, Janelle; Donaldson, Terry

The purpose of the Natural Resource Condition Assessment (NRCA) for American Memorial Park (AMP) is to provide park managers and National Park Service (NPS) staff with an accurate and complete compilation of all relevant data, research, findings, and literature related to AMP natural resources. The NRCA provides a broad evaluation of this data and assesses the condition of focal resources within the Park’s boundaries and among adjoining areas. The report is intended to assist in identifying priority issues related to the monitoring, maintenance, and conservation of park resources. Data gaps and research needs are acknowledged as part of the assessment, as is an inventory of threats and stressors to park resources, both of which should further assist in delineating future focal points for park management. This project was completed as a cooperative partnership between American Memorial Park and the University of Guam Marine Laboratory and its project partner, Pacific Coastal and Regional Planning (PCRP). The project was a collaborative effort, with coordination through an NPS point of contact on Guam and assistance from University of Guam Marine Laboratory, NPS staff on Saipan, and a multitude of other local contacts within the CNMI government and natural resource organizations on Saipan. While much of this project consisted of synthesizing existing research and literature, supplemental analyses of specific resources were conducted using publicly available datasets, and local expertise was consulted in areas or subject matter characterized by data gaps. This report begins with a detailed background on NRCAs, including their purpose and implementation. The document follows with an introduction to American Memorial Park, structured by a discussion of the geographic setting of Saipan, the legislation which created the Park, and the regulatory and land tenure environment of the park. Study design and methods are then detailed in chapter three, including the means of obtaining data, relevant information repositories, and the methods used for classifying resource (component) conditions. Five resource components were identified to represent the most prominent natural assets within American Memorial Park: mangroves and wetlands, coastal scrub and secondary forest, shore and near-shore environment, developed green space, and hydrological features. For each of these components the NRCA provides an introduction explaining the importance of the resource to the park followed by the means used for measuring the resource, an explanation of reference or baseline conditions for each measure, methods for resource assessment, and a description and graphic depiction of the condition assigned to each component. A discussion chapter concludes the report with a summary of resource condition assessments, a list of threats and stressors, and the identification of data gaps and research needs that could be prioritized in ongoing management and stewardship. The NRCA for American Memorial Park highlights a park surrounded by rapid changes in the natural, built, and cultural landscape. Shifts in environmental stressors continue to impact the Park at varying temporal scales. Long-term alterations in climate and ocean conditions create uncertainties for future natural resource conditions, while immediate and short-term concerns related to spillover effects from the adjacent urban environment have a more discernable influence. Extreme weather events such as typhoons continue to impact the Park’s resources but remain largely unstudied. This report discusses the impacts of the Category 4 Typhoon Soudelor to the Park after it made a direct hit to Saipan in August 2015. Soudelor caused widespread damage in the Park, felling up to 90% of the trees in some areas. However, little is known about the full impact of the storm on Park resources other than personal observation of NPS staff. This data gap is noted as a research need in this report.

Natural resource condition assessment: American Memorial Park

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