Sonoran Desert Network

The Sonoran Desert Network (SODN) is one of 32 National Park Service (NPS) inventory and monitoring networks nationwide that are implementing vital signs monitoring in order to assess the condition of park ecosystems and develop a stronger scientific basis for stewardship and management of natural resources across the National Park System.

The Sonoran Desert Network (SODN) consists of 10 units in central and southern Arizona and 1 unit in southwestern New Mexico. These units are characteristic of the upper Sonoran subdivision of the Sonoran Desert Ecoregion and the Apache Highlands Ecoregion, and range in size from half a square mile to 517 square miles (147 to 133,882 hectares).

The goals of the NPS inventory and monitoring program are to:

• Inventory the natural resources and park ecosystems under National Park Service stewardship to determine their nature and 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 funding boundaries;

• Integrate natural resource inventory and monitoring information into National Park Service planning, management, and decision making; and

• Share NPS accomplishments and information with other natural resource organizations and form partnerships for reaching common goals and objectives.