Natural resource condition assessment: Petrified Forest National Park (revised with costs)

Wynne, J.

doi:10.36967/nrr-2279571

The Natural Resource Condition Assessment (NRCA) Program, administered by the National Park Service’s (NPS) Washington Support Office, Denver Service Center Planning Division, provides documentation about current conditions of important park natural resources through a spatially explicit, multidisciplinary synthesis of existing scientific data and knowledge. The workshop for Petrified Forest National Park (PEFO) NRCA was held on 02-04 September 2015. PEFO was originally established as a national monument in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt. Designated a national park in 1962, these lands were recognized as a national park unit because of the fossilized remains of Mesozoic forests that were of the great scientific value and by preserving these fossils, the public good would be promoted (NPS 2015). This body of literature and research was used to report on current conditions for the 14 natural resource topics park staff selected for its NRCA. These 14 natural resources (with 41 indicators) were grouped into three broad categories: landscape-scale, supporting environment (i.e., physical resources), and biological integrity. The latter included chapters on wildlife and vegetation. This NRCA includes an assessment of condition and trend for key resources determined by assessing multiple indicators for each focal resource (Chapter 4). A summary is provided for each resource category below. Most indicators were identified as currently in good condition (14 indicators) or warranting moderate concern (10); additionally, 14 indicators were identified as unknown or indeterminate based on a lack of information to complete the assessment. The most significantly impacted resources included air quality and the acoustic environment. The only natural resources considered to be in good condition were biodiversity, although most of the indicators rated at this level were indicative of inventory work into either diversity or habitat was largely completed; all of substantive indicators related to indicator species, the effects of alien plant species on ecosystem health or bait roost habitat were unknown or indeterminate. Indicator symbols and examples are shown in Tables E.1-1 and E.1-2. Because PEFO is a non-urban park, current and future threats are more associated with increased visitation and issues associated with growing population centers at considerable distances from the park’s boundary. Acoustic environment received a “significant concern” rating, which is primarily due to vehicular traffic. As visitation increases, the condition of the acoustic environment will be further eroded—unless efforts are ultimately taken to limit the number of vehicles on park roads. Air quality and night skies will continue to be challenged by the growing population centers of Flagstaff, Arizona and Gallup, New Mexico, and the expanding metropolitan areas of Phoenix, Arizona and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Unless these population centers address air and light pollution, improving these conditions at PEFO will be beyond the park’s control.

Natural resource condition assessment: Petrified Forest National Park (revised with costs)

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