Natural resource condition assessment: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Jones, David; Cook, Roy; Sovell, John; Herron, Christopher; Benner, Jay; Decker, Karin; Beavers, Andrew; Beebee, Johannes; Weinzimmer, David; Schorr, Rob

The National Park Service (NPS) Natural Resource Condition Assessment (NRCA) Program administered by the NPS Water Resources Division evaluates current conditions for important natural resources and resource indicators using primarily existing information and data. NRCAs also report on trends in resource condition when possible, identify critical data gaps, and characterize a general level of confidence for study findings. This NRCA complements historic resource assessments, is multi-disciplinary in scope, employs a hierarchical indicator framework, identifies and develops reference conditions/values for comparison against current conditions, and emphasizes spatial evaluation of conditions and GIS products. Created in 1996, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (TAPR) is a unique and highly successful partnership between The Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service. The purpose of TAPR is to preserve, protect, and interpret for the public, an example of a tallgrass prairie ecosystem; to preserve and protect the cultural resources found within the preserve; and to interpret for the public, the cultural resources and the social and cultural values represented within the preserve. The combination of historic elements and high-quality tallgrass prairie is unparalleled within the NPS. The rural nature of the surrounding area, expansive views and lack of wind energy development creates scenery with high natural and cultural quality. Preserve managers and NPS initiatives have made great strides since the preserve was created in 1996 and an active monitoring program supports preserve management. Introduction of bison in 2009 presented challenges to the preserve but the herd is thriving and multiple ecosystem and visitation benefits are occurring as a result of their presence. The NRCA for Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Kansas began in 2012. This study employed a scoping process involving Colorado State University, preserve and NPS staff to discuss the NRCA framework, identify important preserve resources, and gather existing information and data. Indicators and measures for each resource were then identified and evaluated. Data and information were analyzed and synthesized to provide summaries and address condition, trend and confidence using a standardized but flexible framework. A total of 19 focal resources were examined: six addressing landscape context – system and human dimensions, three addressing chemical and physical attributes, and ten addressing biological attributes. Landscape context – system and human dimensions included land cover and land use, night sky, soundscape, scenery, climate change and fire disturbance regime. Climate change and land cover/land use were not assigned a condition or trend—they provide important context to the preserve and many natural resources, and can be a source of stress and management concern. Some of the land cover and land use-related stressors at TAPR and in the larger region are related to the development of rural agricultural land and increases in population/housing over time. The trend in land development, coupled with a lack of significantly-sized and linked protected areas in the region, presents challenges and risks to the conservation of preserve natural resources, including dark night skies, natural sounds, scenery and air and water quality. There are opportunities to mitigate the effects of some local stressors through planning, management and mitigation. Stressors driven by more distant factors such as light pollution generated by urban centers, and increase in regional transportation volumes affecting sights and sounds, and air quality issues in distant urban centers affecting prescribed burning are more difficult to mitigate. Collectively, this context supports resource planning and management within the preserve, and provides a foundation for collaborative conservation with other landowners in the surrounding area. The supporting chemical and physical......

Natural resource condition assessment: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

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