NPS

Figure 1. Native penstemon species are very important to the biodiversity of Rocky Mountain National Park. This beardless sidebells penstemon (P. virgatus) is common throughout most of the park at mid-summer, while Harbour’s beardtongue (not pictured) is rare. Both species are threatened by invasive, nonnative Dalmatian toadflax.

Applying science to park management at Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, happens quickly, sometimes the same day staff becomes aware of research results. Generally speaking, Natural Resource Challenge programs and universities are working together to develop and apply science-based management information throughout the National Park System; the following examples from Rocky Mountain National Park demonstrate that inserting good science into park practices does not need to take years.