Cross-Boundary Stewardship for Wetland Integrity and Resilience in the Greater Rocky Mountain National Park Ecosystem
Tait MK and Brunson MW. 2020. Cross-Boundary Stewardship for Wetland Integrity and Resilience in the Greater Rocky Mountain National Park Ecosystem. Department of Environment and Society, Quinney College of Natural Resources, Utah State University. Logan, UT
INTRO: Long-term monitoring by the Rocky Mountain Inventory and Monitoring Network shows that approximately half of the wetlands in Rocky Mountain National Park (ROMO) are not in reference condition due to anthropogenic disturbances that often occur beyond park boundaries. Most protected areas, including ROMO, are part of larger ecological systems in which interactions with surrounding lands are critical for sustaining the species and ecological flows present within them. Therefore, more effective stewardship of wetlands within ROMO is likely to be achieved through cooperative efforts among entities that share responsibility for those wetlands. This research explored how to facilitate crossboundary wetland stewardship between ROMO and entities within the greater ecosystem through the identification of barriers and opportunities for cooperative management, as well as a network of social interactions. A synthesis of results from this research is presented in the report, but more information can be found in Meghan Tait’s Master’s thesis, which will be published in Utah State University’s Digital Commons.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Tait, Meghan; Brunson, Mark
- Date of Issue
- 2020-04
- Publisher
- Department of Environment and Society, Quinney College of Natural Resources, Utah State University
- Units
- ROMO