Condition Assessments of Natural Resources for Niobrara
National Scenic River and Mount Rushmore National Memorial
Sunil Narumalani
CALMIT, School of Natural Resources
University of Nebraska
Gary Willson
University of Nebraska/National Park Service
Abstract:
This
proposal pertains to an ecological assessment of natural
resource conditions in and adjacent to the Niobrara National
Scenic River (NIOB) in Nebraska, and Mount Rushmore National
Memorial (MORU), in South Dakota. The project will
contribute directly to the Environmental Protection Agency’s
Environmental Indicators Initiative and will use essential
ecological attributes developed by the EPA (Ecological
Assessment Framework) to identify and organize indicators of
the parks’ overall resource health. This project will
compile, assess, and summarize existing information, and
provide an evaluation on the state of NIOR and MORU with
reference to the type and extent of natural resources
existing within the parks, ecological condition of those
resources, degree of knowledge about influencing factors,
important physical processes (e.g., hydrology), and
watershed boundaries, amount and effect of resource use, and
major threats or stressors. The project will be performed
in the following three phases:
(1)
Summarize the biogeographic and physical setting of
the parks in both a regional and historic condition
context. Identify unique and significant park resources and
designations. Organize and conduct a meeting with NPS
personnel to identify ecosystem indicators within the EPA
Ecological Assessment Framework (EAF).
(2)
Apply the EPA EAF to provide a score/rating of
current resource conditions within each park. Document
assumptions and the logic for findings, describe level of
confidence, and identify critical data gaps.
(3)
Synthesize the resource data and information to
inform the NPS of the functional status of resources, and
current and emerging management issues associated with each
park.
Significant NPS input and
review will be required for each phase of the project.Funding Agency:
National Park Service
Modification # J6067070012
$125,341
Effective Dates: August 1, 2007 through January 30, 2009
