Inventory & Monitoring

The Inventory and Monitoring Program is a major component of the National Park Service’s strategy to improve park management through greater reliance on scientific information.  In April of 2000, a charter was created establishing the framework to begin development and implementation of an Inventory and Monitoring program within the Mediterranean Coast Network.  The Mediterranean Coast Network is one of 32 Vital Signs Networks linked by geographic similarities, common natural resources, and resource protection challenges.  These networks were established as an outgrowth of the National Park Service's Natural Resource Challenge.

The Inventory and Monitoring program has developed a comprehensive set of guidelines for parks and park networks to use for developing and implementing effective long-term resource monitoring activities.

The goals are:

• Inventory the natural resources under National Park Service stewardship to determine their status.
• Monitor park ecosystems to better understand their dynamic nature and condition and to provide reference points for comparisons with other, altered environments.
• Establish natural resource inventory and monitoring as a standard practice throughout the National Park system that transcends traditional program, activity, and fuding boundaries.
• Integrate natural resource inventory and monitoring information into National Park Service planning, management, and decision making.
• Share National Park Service accomplishments and information with other natural resource organizations and form partnerships for attaining common goals and objectives.