Vital signs monitoring plan for the Klamath Network: Phase II report

Odion, Dennis; Sarr, Daniel; Truitt, Robert; Duff, Andrew; Bunn, Windy; Beever, Erik; Shafer, Sarah; Rocchio, Judy; Smith, Sean; Hoffman, Robert; Currens, Christopher; Madej, Mary Ann

From the authors' Executive Summary: "The broad goals of the NPS and KLMN vital signs monitoring program are: 1) to determine status and trends in selected indicators of the condition of park ecosystems to allow managers to make better-informed decisions; 2) to provide early warning of abnormal conditions and impairment of selected resources to help develop effective mitigation measures and reduce costs of management; 3) to provide data to foster better understanding of the dynamic nature and condition of park ecosystems and to provide reference points for comparisons with other, altered environments; 4) to provide data to meet legal and Congressional mandates related to natural resource protection and visitor enjoyment; and 5) to provide a means of measuring progress towards performance goals. In pursuit of these goals, the Klamath Network began species inventories in 2000 and is currently certifying species lists for vascular plants, vertebrates and other taxa, and updating natural resource bibliographic and metadata information systems. The network also began the three phase process for developing a monitoring program in 2003. This report chronicles the Phase I and Phase II processes in the development of a long-term monitoring plan, including descriptions of the biophysical environment of the Klamath parks, monitoring goals, relevant threats and monitoring issues, vital signs selection and prioritization strategies, and prioritized vital signs. In Phase I, the Klamath Network implemented a conceptual model-based strategy to create a natural resources monitoring program. An initial step in this process included the compilation of extensive information about park environments, processes, threats, and management concerns. From this information base, the network and partners developed a list of 33 monitoring questions and over 170 candidate vital signs. In Phase II, the network developed a two-step prioritization process that allowed selection of prioritized vital signs from the comprehensive list identified in the Phase I scoping process. The most important outcome of the Phase II process was the selection of vital signs with the highest priority for monitoring. This process requires a broad multi-taxa, multi-ecosystem perspective and careful scientific review. In the Klamath Network, we used two steps to prioritize vitals signs: 1) an extensive review with outside scientists in the region, 2) a final internal review by network natural resources staff. The top ten vital signs for the Klamath Network resulting from the two-step process are: non-native species; keystone and sensitive plants and animals; terrestrial vegetation; bird communities; intertidal communities; freshwater aquatic communities; cave collapse/entrance communities; water quality (aquatic, marine, and subterranean); land cover, use, pattern (roads); and environmental conditions in caves. [Each has a corresponding description of its measurable attribute in the document.] Sampling design, protocols, databases, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) associated with monitoring of each vital sign, and a full program implementation plan will be developed in Phase III, starting in FY 2006. In addition, the Klamath Network is actively working with other networks and interagency partners to identify collaborative and integrative ways to monitor vital signs for which there is broad interest, including non-native plant species (early detection), water quality, vegetation dynamics, bird communities, and high elevation ecosystems."

Vital signs monitoring plan for the Klamath Network: Phase II report

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