Current condition of standards from the Denali Park road vehicle management plan: 2019 summary report
Clark WC and Orlofsky KB. 2020. Current condition of standards from the Denali Park road vehicle management plan: 2019 summary report. Natural Resource Report. NPS/DENA/NRR—2020/2160. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
Conditions of six Vehicle Management Plan (VMP) indicators, the probability of observing the “big five” wildlife species (caribou, grizzly bear, moose, sheep, and wolf) from a bus, and statistics related to the number of vehicle entrances on the permit-controlled section of the Denali Park Road were observed and recorded for the 2019 regulatory year (May 25–September 12, 2019) (National Park Service 2012). The six tier–1 indicators are: (1) Number of vehicles stopped for wildlife in the same place at one time (wildlife stops); (2) number of vehicles parked at rest stops at one time; (3) number of vehicles visible in established viewscapes at one time; (4) hourly 10–minute gaps in traffic at sheep crossing locations (sheep gaps); (5) nighttime (2200–0600) traffic rates; and (6) amount of time a hiker waits for a bus (hiker wait time). The method for monitoring standards for a seventh indicator, large vehicle traffic (> 80,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating), has not been implemented. Here we: (1) compare current conditions of the VMP indicators to the 1–year VMP standards; (2) use 2015–2019 data to assess 5–year VMP standards; (3) recommend monitoring method improvements; and (4) provide recommendations for meeting the desired conditions of the resource as described by the VMP and measured by the indicators. Of 411 metrics, 31 met standards defined in the VMP for 2019.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Clark, William; Orlofsky, Kate
- Date of Issue
- 2020-07
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- DENA , NRSS
- Keywords
- adaptive management, carrying capacity, DENA, Denali National Park and Preserve, Vehicle Management Plan, visitor experience