Landscape Dynamics Monitoring Protocol

Vital Signs: Landscape Dynamics
Protocol will be implemented: all ERMN parks

Justification/Issue being addressed:
Many of the parks in the ERMN are subject to encroaching residential, urban, and in some cases agricultural development, and recognize that these landscape issues are closely linked to park ecosystem functionality. Thus, land cover and use and landscape pattern change are given a high priority for long-term monitoring within and around the ERMN. Long-term monitoring of landscape-level indicators of relevant land use change over time that represent the ecological impacts of these changes can help managers to determine patterns in land use change which may threaten future ecological integrity within parks.

Monitoring objectives: The primary objectives of the landscape dynamics monitoring program are to:

1. Document long-term changes in land cover within and adjacent to ERMN park lands
2. Document long-term trends in habitat conversion to urban/suburban landscapes, creation of edge effects, reduction of functional ecosystem size, and elimination of important habitats.
3. Document in what way(s) did landscape pattern change (contextual change) within and adjacent to park lands.
4. Document local, regional and national trends in population characteristics and human behaviors as represented by a suite of socio-economic indicators.

Principal investigators and NPS lead: Kristina Callahan, ERMN Data Manager, will be the lead NPS contact for this protocol. Dr. Cynthia Brewer, Pennsylvania State University, was the lead PI for Objective 4 – developing and applying socio-economic indicators.