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Statement for Management — John Day Fossil

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Statement for Management — John Day Fossil STATEMENT FOR MANAGEMENT JOHN DAY FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Prepared by ' \ waffi^ -/- zQs^S- Superintendent, JoHnLB*ay Fossil Beds National Monument Date cr-^<5~-?z. Approved by _^ Regional Director, Pacific Northwest Region Date /p/wsto- I. LOCATION John Day Fossil Beds National Monument consists of three widely separated units in Wheeler and Grant Counties of north central Oregon: the Sheep Rock Unit, the Painted Hills Unit, and the Clarno Unit. (See Region, Vicinity, and Boundary Maps). The Sheep Rock Unit lies in Grant County 5 miles west of the city of Dayville, adjacent to U.S. 26 and Oregon 19. The Painted Hills Unit is in Wheeler County 6 miles from U.S. 26 near Mitchell. The Clarno Unit, also in Wheeler County, is located 20 miles west of Fossil, and about 3 0 miles east of Shaniko on Oregon 218. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is in the Second Congressional District. II. PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE John Day Fossil Beds National Monument was authorized October 26, 1974, and established October 8, 1975, under the authority of Public Law 93-486, 88 Stat. 1461 (see Appendix A). THE VICINITY JOHN DAY FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT OREGON UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR-NATIONAL PARK SERVICE mlio.on APR! T«|D«C 2 3 In 1967 the Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings, and Monuments, in its report on the National Park Service study of John Day Fossil Beds, determined that "it is eminently suitable for geological and paleontological exhibit and interpretive purposes as a John Day Fossil Beds National Monument." The Department of the Interior report to Congress dated December 10, 1973, stated that "establishment of the monument is intended to preserve, protect, and interpret the extensive tertiary fossils found in the geologic formations of these areas." Based on these cited provisions and the more general provisions of the National Park Service's 1916 Organic Act, the purpose of the monument is: To identify, interpret, and protect the geological, paleontological, natural, and cultural resources along the central and upper John Day River and to provide facilities that will promote and assist visitor recreational enjoyment and understanding of the same. The national significance of the monument lies in the geological and paleontological resources of the John Day River Basin. Its sedimentary strata, representing five major geological formations of the Columbia plateaus, span most of the last 50 million years 4 and four consecutive geologic epochs. These strata contain one of North America's longest continuous records of plant and animal fossils, tracing the evolution of life forms from the subtropical climate of the Eocene epoch through the semi-arid climate of the Pliocene epoch. Dr. J. D. Merriam, who studied the area intensively as early as 1899, said: "Although there are other geological sections, particularly in the Western United States, which furnish as remarkable history...there are probably none of which the relations of the various chapters to each other are more evident than they are in the record inscribed in the walls of the John Day canyon." Another noted paleontologist, R.W. Chaney, said in the 1920's that "no other region in the world shows more complete sequence of tertiary land populations, both plant and animal, than the John Day Basin." In addition to the significant paleontological and related geological resources, the monument possesses historic, archaeological, wildlife, water, and vegetation resources, as well as beautiful scenery which contribute to the quality of the area. 5 III. INFLUENCES: INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS A. Legislative and Administrative Requirements Legislative Requirements Constraints written into the act of October 26, 1974 (P.L. 93-486, 88 Stat. 146), which authorized John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, and the Act of November 10, 1978 (P.L. 95-625, 92 Stat. 3467), which amended portions of the enabling legislation, are as follows: Lands: Public Law 95-625 revised the boundaries by adding 1,411 acres to the monument and deleting 1,62 0 acres from the monument as established by Public Law 93-486. Some $3,500,000 is authorized for acquisition of the new acreage. NOTE: Reversionary provisions in deeds transmitting state- owned lands within the boundaries of the monument to the United States stipulate that if any of those lands should cease to be used for park purposes, ownership would then revert to the State of Oregon. Visitor Center: "The Secretary shall designate the principal visitor center as the Thomas Condon Visitor Center." This statement is noteworthy in that it not only 6 specifies the name, but states the intent for the establishment of a visitor center at the National Monument. Exclusion of Camp Hancock: Map No. NM-JDFB-2 0,014-A, dated June 1971, and referenced in the enabling act, identifies a 10-acre former lease that the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry held from the Bureau of Land Management. This land is an exclusion from the Clarno Unit of the monument and is utilized primarily as an overnight outdoor classroom and research center for students of all ages. As such, the presence of this installation, and the personnel using it, has some influence upon adjacent resources and visitors. In 1985, title was transferred to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. Historic District: An area of approximately 200 acres of land including irrigated bottomlands, buildings, corrals, and associated grounds within the Sheep Rock Unit is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the "James Cant Ranch Historic District" and is thus subject to the provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act and related laws and regulations. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, currently designated a Class II area for air quality objectives, has been recommended for redesignation to Class I. Section 164(d) of 7 the Clean Air Act requires that "all national monuments, primitive areas, national preserves" be reviewed, and that the Department of the Interior "recommend any appropriate areas for redesignation as Class I where air quality related values are important attributes of the area." Therefore, in August 1979, the Department of the Interior recommended the park be designated Class I by the State of Oregon. This designation would provide the Federal manager further authority for protecting air quality. The State of Oregon has initiated the redesignation process. Administrative Constraints John Day Fossil Beds National Monument contains three separated units located in relatively isolated, sparsely populated east central Oregon. The remoteness of the monument from population centers, and the extreme distance separating the units, influences both management and planning for services and interpretive developments. The units are: The Sheep Rock unit, situated 5 miles north of Dayville, Oregon, comprising approximately 8,640 acres. The Painted Hills Unit, situated about 10 miles northwest of Mitchell, Oregon, comprising approximately 2,997 acres. 8 The Clarno Unit, located 20 miles west of Fossil, Oregon, comprising approximately 2,043 acres. Park Headquarters is in John Day, Oregon, approximately 40 miles from the closest unit, Sheep Rock. Jurisdictional Limitation The National Park Service has proprietary jurisdiction within the monument. Proprietary jurisdiction limits the Federal government's authority to enforce certain laws, particularly those involving crimes against persons. In particular the National Park Service has no authority on private lands within the monument to enforce the regulations contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (Title 36, Part 1, Section 1.1(b)) except for scenic easement violations. B. Resources Paleontology and Geology The paleontological and associated geological resources of the John Day basin are the resources for which this area is recognized nationally, and even internationally, and why the area is a component of the National Park System. 9 Many statements have been made on why this resource is unique and so scientifically important. Within a relatively small geographical area a tremendous span of earth history is represented by the fossil record. Public interest is enhanced by the particular portion of time represented. Beginning roughly 50 million years ago and continuing intermittently up to approximately 5 million years ago, a major portion of the Cenozoic Era, when mammals and flowering plants were asserting their places as dominant members of the animal and plant worlds, is represented. Adaptations living organisms were making to a changing world during this time span has great application to better understanding of the natural world today. The number and variety of fossils being found here - both in terms of species variety and types of fossils (vertebrate bones, limbs, leaves, seeds, pollens, soils, tracks, etc.); the quality of preservation of many of the fossils; and the presence of datable rock layers in proximity to where the fossils are located also contribute to the special significance of the resource. In summary, there are few places in the world where the "Age of Mammals" can be presented and interpreted for public benefit and enjoyment as clearly, or in so compact an area, as within the John Day River Basin. 10 The three units of the monument differ in their geologic history and, consequently, in their fossil composition. The Clarno Unit contains exposures of the oldest fossil bearing formation, the Clarno. Ancient mudslides containing
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