(Revised with Costs), Petrified Forest National Park

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(Revised with Costs), Petrified Forest National Park National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Natural Resource Condition Assessment Petrified Forest National Park (Revised with Costs) Natural Resource Report NPS/PEFO/NRR—2020/2186 The production of this document cost $ 112,132, including costs associated with data collection, processing, analysis, and subsequent authoring, editing, and publication. ON THE COVER Milky Way over Battleship Rock, Petrified Forest National Park Jacob Holgerson, NPS Natural Resource Condition Assessment Petrified Forest National Park (Revised with Costs) Natural Resource Report NPS/PEFO/NRR—2020/2186 J. Judson Wynne1 1 Department of Biological Sciences Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research Northern Arizona University Box 5640 Flagstaff, AZ 86011 November 2020 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science office in Fort Collins, Colorado, publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics. These reports are of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Report Series is used to disseminate comprehensive information and analysis about natural resources and related topics concerning lands managed by the National Park Service. The series supports the advancement of science, informed decision-making, and the achievement of the National Park Service mission. The series also provides a forum for presenting more lengthy results that may not be accepted by publications with page limitations. All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner. This report received informal peer review, which was provided by subject-matter experts who were not directly involved in the collection, analysis, or reporting of the data. The level and extent of peer review was based on the importance of report content or its potentially controversial or precedent- setting nature. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government. This report is available in digital format from the Natural Resource Condition Assessment Program website and the Natural Resource Publications Management website. If you have difficulty accessing information in this publication, particularly if using assistive technology, please email [email protected]. Please cite this publication as: Wynne, J. J. 2020. Natural resource condition assessment: Petrified Forest National Park (revised with costs). Natural Resource Report NPS/PEFO/NRR—2020/2186. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/nrr-2279571. NPS 110/173813, November 2020 ii Contents Page Figures................................................................................................................................................... ix Tables .................................................................................................................................................... xi Appendices ........................................................................................................................................... xv Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... xvii Chapter 1. NRCA Background Information .......................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2. Introduction and Resource Setting ....................................................................................... 5 2.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 6 2.1.1. Enabling Legislation ........................................................................................................ 6 2.1.2. Geographic Setting .......................................................................................................... 6 2.1.3. Visitation Statistics ........................................................................................................ 10 2.2. Natural Resources .................................................................................................................. 10 2.2.1. Ecological Units and Watersheds .................................................................................. 10 2.3. Resource Stewardship ........................................................................................................... 11 2.3.1. Management Directives and Planning Guidance........................................................... 11 2.3.2. Status of Supporting Science ......................................................................................... 13 Chapter 3. Study Scoping and Design ................................................................................................. 15 3.1 Preliminary Scoping ............................................................................................................... 15 3.2 Study Design .......................................................................................................................... 25 3.2.1. Indicator Framework, Focal Study Resources and Indicators ....................................... 25 3.2.2. Reporting Areas ............................................................................................................... 25 3.2.3 General Approach and Methods ....................................................................................... 25 Chapter 4. Natural Resource Conditions.............................................................................................. 29 4.1. Viewshed ............................................................................................................................... 29 4.1.1. Condition Summary....................................................................................................... 29 4.1.2. Background and Importance .......................................................................................... 29 4.1.3. Data and Methods .......................................................................................................... 30 iii Contents (continued) Page 4.1.4. Reference Conditions .................................................................................................... 30 4.1.5. Indicators & Measures ................................................................................................... 31 4.1.6. Conditions and Trend .................................................................................................... 32 4.1.7. Threats, Issues, and Data Gaps ...................................................................................... 33 4.1.8. Sources of Expertise ...................................................................................................... 34 4.2. Night Sky ............................................................................................................................... 35 4.2.1. Condition Summary....................................................................................................... 35 4.2.2. Background and Importance .......................................................................................... 35 4.2.3. Data and Methods .......................................................................................................... 36 4.2.4. Indicators & Measures ................................................................................................... 38 4.2.5. Reference Conditions .................................................................................................... 39 4.2.6. Conditions and Trend .................................................................................................... 39 4.2.7. Threats, Issues, and Data Gaps ...................................................................................... 40 4.2.8. Sources of Expertise ...................................................................................................... 40 4.3. Acoustic Environment ........................................................................................................... 41 4.3.1. Condition Summary....................................................................................................... 41 4.3.2. Background and Importance .......................................................................................... 42 4.3.3. Data and Methods .......................................................................................................... 44 4.3.4. Indicators & Measures ................................................................................................... 45 4.3.5. Reference Conditions .................................................................................................... 49 4.3.6. Conditions and Trend ...................................................................................................
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