Natural resource condition assessment: Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve
Schwemm CA (ed). 2020. Natural resource condition assessment: Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve. Natural Resource Report. NPS/EBLA/NRR—2020/2102. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
The NRCA study team compiled existing data and information to characterize the condition and trends of high priority natural resources in Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve. This report and the spatial datasets provided with it are intended to inform and support Reserve managers and scientists in developing recommendations for protecting and improving the condition of natural resources in the Reserve. The NRCA can also assist Reserve resource managers in meeting the reporting requirements of the Government Performance Results Act and Office of Management and Budget. Resource elements selected for assessment were organized into nine sub-chapters in Chapter 4: 4.1 Air Quality; 4.2 Climate; 4.3 Freshwaters; 4.4 Wetland and Nearshore Vegetation; 4.5 Upland Vegetation; 4.6 Birds; 4.7 Vertebrates; 4.8 Natural Night Skies and Natural Quiet; and 4.9 Habitat Connectivity and Land Use. Indicators (quantitatively measurable descriptors) were identified to evaluate the condition and trend of each resource. Using these indicators reference conditions were established for each resource in relation to what is known about the historic values or descriptions of indicators, allowing an assessment of current conditions. If sufficient data were available, the trend in resource condition was determined. However, in most cases sufficient data were not available to provide a quantitative evaluation of condition or trend, so qualitative information and expert opinion were used instead. A confidence level was assigned to each assessment based on the strength of available information.