The NPS has initiated a long-term ecological monitoring program, known as "Vital Signs Monitoring", to provide the minimum infrastructure needed to track the overall condition of natural resources in parks and to provide early warning of situations that require intervention. The scientifically sound information obtained through this systems-based monitoring program will have multiple applications for management decision-making, park planning, research, education, and promoting public understanding of park resources.
Park vital signs are a subset of physical, chemical, and biological elements and processes of park ecosystems that are selected to represent the overall health or condition of park resources, known or hypothesized effects of stressors, and elements that have important human values.
The Southeast Alaska Network has identified 36 Vital Signs. Based on current staff and funding resources, we have selected 12 priority Vital Signs that are the Core Program for the Network. We will monitor additional Vital Signs as resources allow.
Listed below are the first Vital Signs for which full monitoring programs will be developed and implemented. Click any image for additional information.