US National Park Service Research Articles

Evaluation of internal loading and water level changes: implications for phosphorus, algal production, and nuisance blooms in Kabetogama Lake, Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Hydrologic manipulations have the potential to exacerbate or remediate eutrophication in productive reservoirs. Dam operations at Kabetogama Lake, Minnesota, were modified in 2000 to restore a more natural water regime and improve water quality. The US Geological Survey and National Park Service evaluated nutrient, algae, and nuisance bloom data in relation to changes in Kabetogama Lake water levels. Comparison of the results of this study to previous studies indicates that chlorophyll a concentrations have decreased, whereas total phosphorus (TP) concentrations have not changed significantly since 2000. Water and sediment quality data were collected at Voyageurs National Park during 2008–2009 to assess internal phosphorus loading and determine whether loading is a factor affecting TP concentrations and algal productivity. Kabetogama Lake often was mixed vertically, except for occasional stratification measured in certain areas, including Lost Bay in the northeastern part of Kabetogama Lake. Stratification, higher bottom water and sediment nutrient concentrations than in other parts of the lake, and phosphorus release rates estimated from sediment core incubations indicated that Lost Bay is one of several areas that may be contributing to internal loading. Internal loading of TP is a concern because increased TP may cause excessive algal growth including potentially toxic cyanobacteria.

The Los Angeles Urban Rangers: actualizing geographic thought

The Los Angeles Urban Rangers (LAUR) is one of a growing number of collectives associated with the art world that offer new methods for expressing and performing insights rooted in geographical thought. Borrowing the US National Park Service ranger ‘persona,’ the LAUR demonstrate a number of ways to untangle nature-society issues in cities. The ranger persona is successful in part because of its ability to spatially relocate the affect associated with (supposed) pristine nature to urban places. The article contains a toolkit of programs that the LAUR have employed to re-activate urban space.

The Use of Electromagnetic Induction in Locating Graves and Mapping Cemeteries: an Example from Native North America

ABSTRACTOne of the most popular applications of geophysics to archaeological problems has been to locate unmarked graves and map cemeteries. Although electromagnetic (EM) induction was one of the early techniques used in such applications, alternative techniques such as ground‐penetrating radar and resistivity have become more popular in recent years. Despite some of the method's drawbacks the EM method still presents numerous advantages such as speed in data collection and collection in a variety of survey environments and ground cover. A case study from Ocmulgee National Monument, USA is presented that identified numerous anomalies that may be interpreted as Native American burials. Small anomalies having low apparent conductivity were distributed near the Funeral Mound (Mound C); a known cemetery. The conductivity survey redefined the spatial extent of the cemetery and increased our understanding of burial density. The data collected during the 2010 field season will aid in conservation efforts and help the US National Park Service avoid these sensitive materials during future archaeological work and park management. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Lepidoptera of White Sands National Monument, Otero County, New Mexico, USA 3. A new species of Aleptina Dyar, 1902 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Amphipyrinae, Psaphidini)

In 2006 the US National Park Service initiated a long-term study of the Lepidoptera at White Sands National Monument, Otero County, New Mexico. Aleptina arenaria sp. n., described here, was discovered in 2008, the second year of the study. The adult moths and male and female genitalia are illustrated.

Pediatric sport injury in backcountry wilderness destinations

Summary Aims To identify the distribution, causes, and severity of injuries involving children aged 0–6 years engaged in backcountry wilderness sport activities. Methods A retrospective review of incident reports involving children aged 0–6 years in 20 US National Park Service units designated as backcountry wilderness destinations. Results There were 1672 incidents involving children aged 0–6 years. This accounted for 18.4% of the total incidents for all age demographics. Fifty-eight of the pediatric incidents were fatalities, 589 required emergency medical transport, and 995 were minor treat and release incidents. Hiking activities accounted for 20% of all incidents and 26% were swimming and boating related. Swimming and boating incidents were responsible for 62% of all fatalities. Conclusions It was concluded that children aged 0–6 years account for almost 20% of all outdoor sport incidents and that swimming and boating were the most common activities leading to fatalities.

Response of non-native lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) to 15 years of harvest in Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park

Introduced lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ) threaten to extirpate native Yellowstone cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri ) in the 34 000 ha Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park, USA. Suppression (and eventual eradication) of the lake trout population is deemed necessary for the conservation of Yellowstone cutthroat trout. A US National Park Service gill-netting program removed nearly 450 000 lake trout from Yellowstone Lake from 1995 through 2009. We examined temporal variation in individual growth, body condition, length and age at maturity, fecundity, mortality, and population models to assess the efficacy of the lake trout suppression program. Population metrics did not indicate overharvest despite more than a decade of fish removal. The current rate of population growth is positive; however, it is lower than it would be in the absence of lake trout suppression. Fishing effort needs to increase above observed levels to reduce population growth rate below replacement. Additionally, high sensitivity of population growth rate to reproductive vital rates indicates that increasing fishing mortality for sexually mature lake trout may increase the effectiveness of suppression. Lake trout suppression in Yellowstone Lake illustrates the complexities of trying to remove an apex predator to restore a relatively large remote lentic ecosystem with a simple fish assemblage.

Park Rangers as Public Health Educators: The Public Health in the Parks Grants Initiative

Health education in nontraditional settings can supplement messages received in more traditional venues, such as schools and health care facilities, and can reach new populations. In 2007, the US National Park Service awarded one-time seed grants of $10 000 or less to 16 parks in 16 states to fund the development of public health-focused programs for visitors. These programs used a wide variety of formats and addressed topics such as air pollution, prevention of vector-borne diseases, and promotion of physical activity in the parks. Almost 12 000 visitors attended the programs in 2007. Most programs were supported by park management and were well received by visitors. National parks and similar settings may be underutilized resources for delivering health messages to the general population.

No barrier at the boundaries: implementing regional frameworks for noise management in protected natural areas

We compare the status of regional or ecosystem frameworks for managing airborne and underwater noise sources in the US, with particular emphasis on transportation noise in national marine sanctuaries and national parks. The Organic Act demands that the US National Park Service (NPS) preserve natural and cultural resources unimpaired for future generations, and NPS policies provide explicit guidance for managing acoustical environments to meet this standard. The US Office of National Marine Sanctuaries identifies noise as a threat to sanctuary resources, but does not address how the program should manage noise levels to minimize impacts to wildlife and protect the aesthetic resources within sanctuaries. Methods and results from 2 case studies that address noise management in spatially explicit contexts are highlighted: the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the Grand Canyon National Park. In both case studies, noise gener- ated by transportation networks that extend far beyond protected area boundaries must be managed to conserve local resources. Effective noise control policies must be developed through partnerships among transportation and resource management agencies, surmounting differences in their mis- sions, professional cultures, and historical precedents. Four collective approaches for managing noise in protected natural areas emerge from this analysis: (1) investing in monitoring programs and data management; (2) expanding the resolution and scope of impact assessment tools; (3) enhancing coor- dination and the governance structure; and (4) engaging and educating US citizens regarding the benefits of quieting.

Haleakalā Highway:

This paper presents a new theme in Pacific historiography by examining a case study in the development of public infrastructure in the Hawaiian Islands. The history of Haleakalā Highway on Maui illustrates how a scenic road was planned and built as a commercial enterprise to help develop tourism as a new industry in Hawai‘i. It demonstrates how Maui's haole elite (white businessmen and landholders) persistently advocated the road over the course of nearly three decades. To facilitate construction, these leaders forged successful partnerships with the Territory of Hawaii and the US government, taking advantage of funding, but also the technical expertise of federal agencies. Building Haleakalā Highway also prompts questions about the attitudes of indigenous Hawaiians towards the project, their involvement, and its impact on their lives. The English-language archive, however, appears to be silent on this issue. Completed in 1935, Haleakalā Highway today is a cultural resource that exhibits the landscape ideals of the US National Park Service and engineering standards of the US Bureau of Public Roads.

Dead Men Walking: Search and Rescue in US National Parks

To identify search and rescue (SAR) trends in US National Park Service (NPS) units. A retrospective review of the US National Park Service Annual Search and Rescue Reports from 1992 to 2007 and the SAR statistics for all NPS units in 2005. From 1992 to 2007 there were 78,488 individuals involved in 65,439 SAR incidents. These incidents ended with 2659 fatalities, 24,288 ill or injured individuals, and 13,212 saves. On average there were 11.2 SAR incidents each day at an average cost of $895 per operation. Total SAR costs from 1992 to 2007 were $58,572 164. In 2005, 50% of the 2430 SAR operations occurred in just 5 NPS units. Grand Canyon National Park (307) and Gateway National Recreation Area (293) reported the most SAR operations. Yosemite National Park accounted for 25% of the total NPS SAR costs ($1.2 million); Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve ($29,310) and Denali National Park and Preserve ($18,345) had the highest average SAR costs. Hiking (48%) and boating (21%) were the most common activities requiring SAR assistance. Hiking (22.8%), suicides (12.1%), swimming (10.1%), and boating (10.1%) activities were the most common activities resulting in fatalities. Without the presence of NPS personnel responding to SAR incidents, 1 in 5 (20%) of those requesting SAR assistance would be a fatality. Future research and the development of any prevention efforts should focus on the 5 NPS units where 50% of all SAR incidents are occurring.

The Lepidoptera of White Sands National Monument, Otero County, New Mexico, USA 1. Two new species of Noctuidae (Lepidoptera, Noctuinae, Agrotini)

The white gypsum dune ecosystem in the Tularosa Basin in south central New Mexico is the largest gypsum dune field on earth, covering 712.25 km2. White Sands National Monument in Otero County, New Mexico, protects approximately 40%, 297.85 km2, of this dune field. In 2006 the US National Park Service initiated a long term study of the Lepidoptera at White Sands National Monument, resulting in the discovery of two new species, Euxoa lafontainei Metzler & Forbes, n. sp. and Protogygia whitesandsensis Metzler & Forbes, n. sp. described herein. Adult moths and male and female genitalia are illustrated for Euxoa lafontainei, and adults and male genitalia are illustrated for Protogygia whitesandsensis and its relatives.

Monitoring land use and cover around parks: A conceptual approach

Many of the habitats and resources which influence ecological functioning within National Parks, and protected areas in general, are located outside of their borders in unprotected areas. Hence, land use and land cover changes in surrounding areas may substantially influence the natural resources within parks. The US National Park Service has recognized these threats and incorporated land use and land cover monitoring into its Inventory and Monitoring Program. The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework based on a conceptual approach for planning and implementing monitoring within this Program. We present a conceptual model, based on ecological theory, which illustrates how land use and land cover change impact park resources, and helps to identify monitoring indicators that will measure relevant attributes of land use and land cover change. We also discuss potential sources of data for quantifying indicators of land use and land cover change over time, including remote sensing data and ancillary spatial datasets. Finally, we describe steps for analyzing monitoring data so that the intensity and direction of changes in land use and land cover over time are quantified, as well as trends in the status of important park resources impacted by these changes. Integration of land use and land cover monitoring data and park resource data will allow for analysis of change from past to present, and can be used to project trends into the future to provide knowledge about potential land use and land cover change scenarios and ecological impacts. We illustrate our monitoring approach with an example from the Inventory and Monitoring Program's Greater Yellowstone Network.

A Place for the Donkey: Natives and Aliens in the US Virgin Islands

This paper is concerned with one aspect of the protection of the natural environment by the US National Park Service at the Virgin Islands National Park, the Park Service classification of flora and fauna as native, non-native, naturalised and invasive. This is part of an interest by the Park Service and others to restore nature parks to the ecosystem thought to exist before European influence. Many St Johnians, long-time island residents and descendants of the early enslaved population, see things differently. For them, plants and animals that are part of their collective history and way of life belong on the island and in the park, even if conservation biologists classify them as invasive aliens. Islanders thus see recreating ecosystems, or wilderness, as erasing them from the history of the island and its landscape. The paper illustrates this with the case of the donkey, which the Park Service sees primarly as a destructive, non-native invasive, and which St Johnians see as a valued part of their lives and history. The donkey has found a space though in the park, thanks to its supporters, including some within the Park Service.

A comparison of local and non-local visitor information-seeking behavior by visitors to civil war-related US National Park Service sites

Although previous research has documented differences between local and non-local visitors, the differences in the information sources referenced when planning trips have not been assessed in published studies. Differences in the sources used by local and non-local visitors to National Park Service Civil War conflict sites were examined, as were differences in ages and visitation characteristics. Although the vast majority of respondents had gathered information about the sites prior to visiting, differences existed in the type of sources used in general, sources used by locals as opposed to non-locals and sources used by visitors of different ages. Locals were more likely to be younger and to use past experience and the advice of acquaintances, whereas non-locals were more likely to be older and use impersonal sources. The results from this study can be used to target certain geographic or demographic populations with site information.

Search and Rescue Trends Associated With Recreational Travel in US National Parks

National parks are popular travel destinations worldwide. Unfortunately, negative health experiences can and do occur during travel in national parks. This study investigated search and rescue (SAR) trends associated with recreational travel in US National Park Service (NPS) units. A retrospective study was conducted of the Annual US National Park Service Search and Rescue Report for the years 2003 to 2006. From 2003 to 2006, there were 12,337 SAR operations involving 15,537 visitors. The total operational costs were US$16,552,053. The operations ended with 522 fatalities, 4,860 ill or injured visitors, and 2,855 saves. Almost half (40%) of the operations occurred on Saturday and Sunday, and visitors aged 20 to 29 years were involved in 23% of the incidents. Males accounted for 66.3% of the visitors requiring SAR assistance. Day hiking, motorized boating, swimming, overnight hiking, and nonmotorized boating were the participant activities resulting in the most SAR operations. The vast majority of visitors requiring SAR assistance were located within a 24-hour period, and the most common rescue environments were mountain areas between 1,524 and 4,572 m, lakes, rivers, oceans, and coastal areas. An error in judgment, fatigue and physical conditions, and insufficient equipment, clothing, and experience were the most common contributing factors. SAR incidents can be expensive and end with severe health consequences. NPS management should develop education and preventive efforts focused on hikers, boaters, and swimmers who are males and aged 20 to 29 years, addressing issues of adequate judgment, preparation, and experience.

Recreational Travel Fatalities in US National Parks

Injuries are a public health problem affecting traveling populations such as tourists visiting National Parks. This study investigates the distribution of visitor fatalities in US National Park Service (NPS) units and identifies the predeath activities and contributing factors associated with them. A retrospective study was conducted of visitor fatalities from all NPS units during 2003 and 2004. There were 356 reported fatalities during 2003 and 2004. Fatalities were most common during the summer months and on weekends. Males accounted for 75% of the reported fatalities, and visitors aged 20 to 29 and 50 to 59 years accounted for 51% of all deaths. Only 99 of 388 (26%) NPS units reported at least 1 fatality, and only 10 units reported 10 or more fatalities. However, these 10 units were responsible for 36% of all fatalities. Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Blue Ridge Parkway, Grand Canyon National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Yosemite National Park reported the highest number of fatalities. Domestic visitors accounted for 73% of the fatalities, and European visitors accounted for 13%. Transportation and water-based activities recorded the highest number of fatalities. Motor vehicle crashes accounted for 20% of fatalities and was followed by suicide (17%), swimming (11%), hiking (10%), plane crashes (9%), climbing (6%), and boating (5%) incidents. Fatalities in NPS units are not widespread and are related to more common events such as motor vehicle crashes, suicide, swimming, and hiking rather than exotic causes such as bears or other wildlife. It is recommended that preventive techniques first be developed in the 10 NPS units responsible for 36% of the total NPS-wide fatalities.

All Things Useful and Ornamental: A Praxis-based Model for Conservation Education

Conservation has matured into a professional discipline with its own body of knowledge, practical methodology and professional community of practitioners and educators. Conservation does not assume a priori a singular dedication to the physical fabric alone but rather to the entire resource including the associated intangible qualities, thus bringing the conservation process back into the social realm of people, places and things. In order to train skilled conservators in the physical and ethical exigencies of cultural heritage conservation, it is necessary to unite theory with practice. The University of Pennsylvania and the US National Park Service entered into a collaborative partnership in 1991 to explore the mutual needs for applied research and training in conservation and cultural resource management. This institutional collaboration has allowed a critical component of the professional training of conservators to be realized while providing much needed service to park sites. It has brought field-based problems into the academy where research protocols have been developed, tested and then re-introduced back into the field and most importantly it has exposed students to the complexities of ethical behaviour and professional conduct.

The fish fauna from Arenosa Shelter (41VV99), Lower Pecos region, Texas

Salvage excavations (1965–1968) at Arenosa Shelter in the arid Lower Pecos cultural region yielded over 47,000 faunal specimens and 1000 bone artifacts. This large Pecos River terrace site is near the Rio Grande confluence and international border. Recent research using US National Park Service collections studied the subsistence and bone technology practices of prehistoric residents. Small to large fish remains formed a significant minority of the faunal sample. The remains provided evidence of previously undocumented capture and carcass processing techniques used during the Middle to Terminal Late Archaic. Fish skeletal material also entered the region's bone technology to be used in specific, limited roles as tools.

Visitor management policy of national parks, national wildlife areas and refuges in Canada and the united states: A policy analysis of public documents

The published visitor management policies of national parks, national wildlife areas and refuges in Canada and the United States are important components of the overall management system. This paper analyses how the visitor management policies that apply to all units operated by each agency compare to each other and compare to an ideal framework, using data from publicly‐available sources. Analysis was undertaken by policy comparison of all publicly‐available documents available in the Canadian inter‐university library system and the internet. The quantity and quality of visitor management policy is higher with higher funding levels, as demonstrated by the US National Park Service at the high end of the spectrum, and the Canadian Wildlife Service at the low end. The US National Park Service has the most comprehensive visitor management policy, and this policy is well coordinated in one overall document. The Canadian Wildlife Service has a very weak visitor management policy structure that lacks even basic goals for visitor management. Some visitor policy gaps exist for each agency. All agencies lack explicit policies governing visitor length of stay, human resources required for visitor management and economic impact measurement. This is the first policy analysis of this type undertaken. It provides a basis for the revision and improvement of these policies in the future.

Sacred Mountains: Themes and Teachings

As the highest and most impressive features of the landscape, mountains have an unusual power to awaken a sense of the sacred. Their soaring summits, the clouds and thunder that swirl about their peaks, the life-giving waters that flow from their heights, these and other characteristics imbue them with an aura of mystery and sanctity. In that aura, people of diverse backgrounds, both traditional and modern, experience a deeper reality that gives meaning and vitality to their lives. Drawing on many of the themes associated with sacred mountains around the world, The Mountain Institute in Washington DC has developed with the US National Park Service innovative educational activities that highlight the spiritual and cultural meanings of natural features of mountain environments in different cultures. The purpose of the project is to connect a broad range of visitors with nature, enrich their experiences, and give them deep-seated, sustainable reasons for conserving the environment. Efforts to conserve the environmental integrity and cultural diversity associated with sacred mountains need to involve the many diverse peoples and traditions that revere and care for them.