Science for Parks

“Although an adequate science program alone cannot ensure the integrity of the national parks, it can enable faster identification of problems, greater understanding of causes and effects, and better insights about the prevention, mitigation, and management of problems.”
—National Research Council
Source: National Research Council. 1992. Science and the National Parks. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.

Stewardship of the vast array of resources in the national parks is a tremendously important and increasingly exacting responsibility for the National Park Service. Spread out over 85 million acres (34 million ha) in 388 units located in 49 states and 4 territories, park resources are incredibly diverse and dynamic. Ensuring their well-being amid global, regional, and local environmental forces of change and providing for their enjoyment by the roughly 275 million annual visitors to the national parks require sound management based on scientific information. As the articles in this chapter illustrate, science and collaborative scientific partnerships are addressing a wide variety of information needs and aiding park management decision making. Ecological information detailing the presence, distribution, sensitivity, and condition of park resources is helping managers to protect, restore, and recover natural systems. Sociological information about park visitors, such as their opinions about natural resource protection and their preferences for park interpretive information, is helping staff of the National Park Service become better stewards and public servants. Economic information, too, is being used to prioritize and plan resource management activities. Though the following articles highlight but a small portion of the scientific applications to park management for 2004, they are indicative of a healthy attitude toward park science for the future that includes collaboration, innovation, and dedication.

NPS/Natural Resource Information Division

The FY 2005 budget for the National Park Service funds an additional two vital signs monitoring networks: the Arctic Network in northwest Alaska and the Southeast Coast Network in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and North and South Carolina. This brings the number of funded networks to 24 (shown in green), with 8 proposed for funding in FY 2006 (gray). Monitoring networks are designed to document the status and trends of park natural resources in support of management decision making and resource protection.

Science for Parks Introduction

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