Vital Signs Monitoring

A suite of indicators to inform park management

Park vital signs monitoring is designed to inform managers of the condition of water, air, geologic resources, plants, and animals, and the various ecological, biological, and physical processes that act on those resources. Network Vital Signs are selected physical, chemical, and biological elements and processes of park ecosystems that represent the overall health or condition of the park (Figure 4); they may also be park attributes that are highly valued but not necessarily indicative of general park health. The Vital Signs selected for the National Capital Region Network (page 7) are a subset of the total suite of natural resources that park managers are directed to preserve. In situations where natural areas have been highly altered so that physical and biological processes no longer function naturally (e.g., fires and floods in developed areas), information obtained through monitoring can help managers understand how to develop the most effective approach to restoration or, in cases where restoration is impossible, ecologically sound management. The broad-based, scientific information obtained through monitoring will have multiple applications for decision making, research and education. Vital Signs monitoring is an integral part of the adaptive management cycle because it provides critical information about trends in natural resource conditions.

Assessment Scales

Figure 4. The list of ecological indicators monitored throughout the National Park System is expected to follow the ‘wedding cake design’ adopted from the USDA Forest Service and shown above, in which the majority of indicators are selected to provide site-specific data needed by park managers for making decisions and working with other agencies and individuals for the benefit of park resources. Nationwide, or at the level of the park network or ecosystem, there is also a set of indicators that are monitored in a standardized way to allow comparisons and synthesis of data across larger areas.

Monitoring data help to define the normal limits of natural variation in park resources and provide a basis for tracking the effect of management actions. Furthermore, understanding the dynamic nature of park ecosystems and the consequences of human activities is essential to maintain, enhance, or restore the ecological integrity of park ecosystems. The quality and amount of information now being collected at park, network, regional, and national levels is unprecedented in the National Park Service and will yield untold insights to scientists, educators, and managers alike.

Park staff take river samples as part of water quality assessment.
Photo: NPS

A bald eagle soars over park farmlands.
Photo: Brad Waldeon, NPS.

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