Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Research Articles

An Analysis of Relict Plant Communities of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

This work being conducted on the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA) has two primary goals, each of which contains two specific objectives. The first major goal is to characterize the vegetation communities of the NRA. Specific objectives are to (1) develop a cover-type vegetation classification, and (2) prepare a map of these vegetation units, for the NRA. The second major goal is to seek relict examples of the range of vegetation types defined under the first goal. Specific objectives are to (1) develop a list of known and potential relict areas in the NRA, and (2) inspect and obtain quantitative descriptions of as many of these areas as possible. Identification of relict areas in the Glen Canyon NRA will provide places for basic scientific research in unaltered ecosystems. Further, such areas have value for the applied sciences of resource management, by defining the productive potentials of ecosystems. Relict areas are also reference points for guiding the reclamation of disturbed areas. The latter two points are especially important in the NRA, given that grazing and some minerals activity still occur there.

SUMMARY OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AREAS COOPERATING WITH THE U.W.-N.P.S. RESEARCH CENTER, 1986.

This section contains a summary of research activities within the National Park Service areas cooperating with the U.W.-N.P.S. Research Center in 1986, including Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Custer Battlefield National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Glacier National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Teton National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Wind Cave National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Zion National Park.

Summary of Research Activities within the National Park Service Areas Cooperating with the U.W.-N.P.S. Research Center, 1985

This section contains a summary of Research Activities within the National Park Service areas cooperating with the U.W.-N.P.S. Research Center in 1985, including Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Custer Battlefield National Monument, Devils Tower National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Glacier National Park, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Golden Spike National Historic Site, Grand Teton National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Wine Cave National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Zion National Park.

Recreational impacts on Colorado River beaches in Glen Canyon, Arizona

Recreational impact was measured on eight beaches in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and 15 beaches in Grand Canyon National Park using permanently located transects and plots. Recreational impact indices included densities of human trash and charcoal and a measure of sand discoloration due to charcoal. Significant increases in the indices occurred on several Glen Canyon beaches over a seven-month period. Sand discoloration became significantly higher over all Glen Canyon beaches during the same time period. All indices were significantly higher in Glen Canyon than on similar Grand Canyon beaches. These differences are probably due to differences in: (a) level of impacts tolerated by the respective management regimes and, (b) in the number of user days among the two National Park Service administrative units. Management alternatives are presented for reversing the present trends of recreational impact on Glen Canyon beaches.