Preliminary Consideration for Climate Monitoring Protocols for the Greater Yellowstone Network: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Teton National Park (including J.D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway), and Yellowstone National Park

Gray, Stephen

This document explains the rationale, motivations and suggested procedures for monitoring climate within the Greater Yellowstone Network (GRYN). This document focuses on using a network of climate stations in the GRYN to determine: 1.How climate in the parks of the GRYN varies at different spatial and temporal scales relevant to the management of natural resources, natural hazards and the dynamics of other vital signs. 2.If the climate of the GRYN has changed significantly from that of past decades to centuries as a result of natural or anthropogenic forcing. 3.If significant changes in GRYN climate are detected, do these changes warrant specific research or management actions to monitor or predict their effects on natural resources and other vital signs? The protocols consist of a narrative and appendices describing standards and operating procedures for the network. The narrative first defines objectives for the GRYN climate-monitoring program and the specific parameters to be monitored. This theme continues with a discussion of technical issues related to monitoring GRYN climate. The narrative then recounts the development of the existing climate-monitoring network within the GRYN, and explores the ability of this legacy network to meet the protocol objectives. Recommendations for updating and improving the legacy network follow. These recommendations include: 1.A policy calling for no loss of climate monitoring stations with long, continuous records from the parks of the GRYN and surrounding areas. 2.Adding stations in locations and strata of interest that area not adequately sampled by the current network (e.g. high elevations and whitebark pine communities). 3.Upgrading some existing stations to new NWS-COOP standards. 4.Designation of a climate program manager to oversee climate monitoring, reporting and data transfwer in the GRYN. The narrative also describes future research needed to improve climate monitoring in the GRYN and to better understand the links between climate and physical/biological processes in the region. The technical specifications and procedures discussed in the narrative and appendices should be viewed as general guidelines rather than rigid standards for climate monitoring in the GRYN. Most of the climate monitoring stations within the GRYN are operated by agencies other than NPS (e.g. NRCS, NOAA, EPA), and each of these agencies has their own set of standards and procedures. Given the broad range of elevation and the extreme environmental conditions encountered at sites in the GRYN, installation and equipment issues should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Information on suitable climate monitoring equipment is also included in the appendix. (Abstract as submitted by author).

Preliminary Consideration for Climate Monitoring Protocols for the Greater Yellowstone Network: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Teton National Park (including J.D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway), and Yellowstone National Park

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