About Us
The Southern Colorado Plateau Network is based in the new Applied Research and Development building on the campus of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona and is affiliated with the Center for Sustainable Environments.
Mailing Address:
SCPN National Park Service
Northern Arizona University
PO Box 5765
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5765
Physical Address:
SCPN National Park Service
1298 S. Knoles Dr.
Northern Arizona University
Building 56, Room 140
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
Campus Maps
The organizational structure of the network comprises SCPN staff, Board of Directors, Technical Advisory Committee, and Scientific Panel.
Current SCPN Staff
Lisa Thomas (Program Manager) is an ecologist with the National Park Service and has served as Program Manager for the Southern Colorado Plateau Inventory and Monitoring Network since 2003. Her previous NPS experience includes ten years managing the Prairie Cluster Prototype Monitoring Program, ecological restoration of prairie and savanna vegetation in Midwestern parks, and rare plant research. She holds a M.A. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Indiana University and a B.S. in Biology from Missouri Southern State College. Her current research interests include plant community dynamics and the integration of monitoring results to assess ecological integrity. Email Lisa or phone 928-523-9280.
Mary Anne Schrade (CPCESU and SCPN Program Assistant) was born and raised in Flagstaff and holds a B.A. in Psychology from Northern Arizona University. Her work history includes 9-1-1 dispatch with the Flagstaff Police Department, Coconino County Sheriff's Office, and seasonal dispatch in Zion National Park. In 2004-2006, she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali, West Africa. Email Mary Anne or phone 928-523-1908.
Chris Lauver (Quantitative Ecologist) earned a PhD in Rangeland Science from Colorado State University and an M.S. in Forest & Range Management from Washington State University. Chris has been with NPS since 2003. From 2001 to 2003, he worked for the Forest Service as a Range Management Specialist on the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah. He has also been an Associate Scientist with the Kansas Biological Survey, an ecologist for the Kansas Natural Heritage Program, and courtesy faculty, all at the University of Kansas from 1988 to 2001. In Kansas, he developed a research program that focused on integrating field and remotely sensed data to identify and analyze natural areas and rare species habitat and served as co-PI in producing the Land Cover Map for the Kansas Gap Analysis project. Email Chris or phone 928-523-9505.
Stephen Monroe (Hydrologist) holds an M.S. in Forestry from Northern Arizona University and worked with the USGS in Flagstaff from 1989 to 2005. He has extensive experience in research and assessment of critical water issues in the western United States, and a focus of his research has been hydrology and ecology of springs in Grand Canyon National Park. Email Steve or phone 928-523-7458.
Anne Cully (Vegetation Ecologist) Bio under construction. Email Anne or phone 785-539-5503.
Jodi Norris (Spatial Analyst) joined the Southern Colorado Plateau Network after working for the U.S. Geological Survey in Wyoming. She has a PhD in Botany with research on paleoreconstructions of Central Rockies vegetation and biogeographic modeling of ponderosa pine. Her bachelor's and master's degrees are in Geology. Email Jodi or phone 928-523-1942.
Jim DeCoster (Plant Ecologist) received a B.A. in Pre-Architecture from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in Ecology from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. His dissertation research examined the impacts of tornados and hurricanes on Southeastern forests. He spent 3 years in the Everglades working as a Louisiana State University post-doc examining the vegetation and disturbance ecology of pine savannas. He joined NPS in 1999 as the Midwest Regional Fire Ecologist, where he oversaw the region’s fire monitoring program. He joined SCPN in August 2006 working as a plant ecologist, overseeing the integrated upland monitoring program. Email Jim or phone 928-523-7454.
Allison Snyder (Data Manager) joined the Southern Colorado Plateau Network in 2007. Prior to this, she assisted with data management in the I&M Pacific Island Network. She received a B.S. in Forestry from the University of Washington and a M.S. in Forestry from Northern Arizona University. Her thesis research included mapping wildfire burn severity with satellite imagery as well as examining forest change due to fire exclusion. Email Allison or phone 928-523-7426.
Megan Swan (Botanist) received a Masters of Science in Land Resources and Environmental Science at Montana State University. Her thesis included research on soil water use and root system characteristics of spotted knapweed. Megan also has experience working with soils with the USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station and collecting vegetation data with the Restoration Ecology Lab at Colorado State University. Email Megan or phone 928-523-7489.
Chris Sorensen (Data Management Assistant ) Bio under construction. Email Chris or phone 928-523-7480.
Affiliated Staff
Ron Hiebert (CP-CESU Director) has been the Research Coordinator for the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit since 1999. After a brief assignment at the University of Northern Colorado, he joined the National Park Service in 1979. Previous assignments include Ecologist and Chief Scientist at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and Chief Scientist and Associate Regional Director for the NPS Midwest Region. He received his B.S. degree from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and his M.S. and PhD from the University of Kansas. Research interests include population genetics, ecological restoration, and invasive species. Email Ron.
Mike Skoko (Cartographic Technician) Bio under construction. Email Mike.
Board of Directors
The SCPN Board of Directors provides guidance, oversight and advocacy in the development and implementation of the I&M Program for the 19 NPS units within the network. The BOD has five voting members and is composed of superintendents or assistant superintendents from five of the 19 NPS units within the SCPN. The Chairperson of the SCPN I&M Technical Advisory Committee and the SCPN Program Manager serve as non-voting members. To ensure effective coordination and communication with the NPS Intermountain Region Office and the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CP-CESU), the Intermountain Region I&M Coordinator and the CP-CESU Leader will serve as non-voting members.
Member |
Park |
|---|---|
| Dennis Carruth | AZRU |
| Brad Traver | BAND |
| Barbera West | CHCU |
| Pat Thompson | PEFO |
| Palma Wilson | GRCA |
| Ron Hiebert | CP-CESU |
| Bruce Bingham | IMR |
| Lisa Thomas | SCPN |
Technical Advisory Committee
The SCPN Inventory and Monitoring Technical Advisory Committee is responsible for the scientific and technical planning aspects, park-based logistic support, and resources management applications of the I&M Program for the 19 NPS units within the network. The TAC is composed of NPS natural resource representatives from the 19 SCPN NPS units, plus the CP-CESU Research Coordinator and the SCPN Program Manager.
Science Panel
A scientific peer review panel representing key disciplines (biological, physical, etc.) will be appointed to assist the network in planning for vital signs monitoring. Panel members will include scientists from the USGS- Biological Resource Division, academic institutions and others. The primary purpose of the scientific panel will be to provide guidance to the SCPN in the design and implementation of inventory and vital signs monitoring and other management activities related to the Natural Resource Challenge.