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A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park

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A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Program Center A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR—2010/228 ON THE COVER Rocky Mountain National Park Photograph by: Billy Schweiger A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR—2010/228 David M. Theobald1,2 Jill S. Baron2,3 Peter Newman1 Barry Noon4 John B. Norman III1,2 Ian Leinwand1 Sophia E. Linn1 Richard Sherer4 Katherine E. Williams2,5 Melannie Hartman2 1Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1480 2Natural Resource Ecology Lab, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1499 3U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, CO 80523 4Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1474 5Current address: Department of Biology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071 This report was prepared under Task Order J2380060103 (Cooperative Agreement #H1200040001) July 2010 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center Fort Collins, Colorado The Natural Resource Publication series addresses natural resource topics that are of interest and applicability to a broad readership in the National Park Service and to others in the management of natural resources, including the scientific community, the public, and the NPS conservation and environmental constituencies. Manuscripts are peer-reviewed to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and is designed and published in a professional manner. Natural Resource Reports are the designated medium for disseminating high priority, current natural resource management information with managerial application. The series targets a general, diverse audience, and may contain NPS policy considerations or address sensitive issues of management applicability. Examples of the diverse array of reports published in this series include vital signs monitoring plans; monitoring protocols; "how to" resource management papers; proceedings of resource management workshops or conferences; annual reports of resource programs or divisions of the Natural Resource Program Center; resource action plans; fact sheets; and regularly-published newsletters. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations and data in this report are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the U.S. Department of the Interior, NPS. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the National Park Service. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Printed copies of reports in these series may be produced in a limited quantity and they are only available as long as the supply lasts. This report is also available from the NPS Water Resources Division and the Natural Resource Publications Management website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/NRPM) on the Internet or by sending a request to the address on the back cover. Please cite this publication as: Theobald, D. M., J. S. Baron, P. Newman, B. Noon, J. B. Norman, III, I. Leinwand, S. E. Linn, R. Scherer, K. E. Williams, and M. Hartman. 2010. A natural resource condition assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR—2010/228. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. TIC Number: 121/105044 Authorship of individual indicators: Air and Climate: - Baron, J. S., K. E. Williams, and M. Hartman. 2010. Condition of alpine lakes and atmospheric deposition. In: A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR— 2010/228. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. ii Water: - Theobald, D. M. and J. B. Norman, III. 2010. Extent and connectivity of wetland and riparian areas. In: A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR— 2010/228. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. Biotic Integrity: - Theobald, D. M. and J. B. Norman, III. 2010. Extent of exotic terrestrial plants. In: A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR—2010/228. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. - Theobald, D. M. and J. B. Norman, III. 2010. Extent and connectivity of fish distributions. In: A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR—2010/228. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. - Scherer, R., I. Leinwand, B. R. Noon, and D. M. Theobald. 2010. Extent of suitable beaver habitat. In: A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR— 2010/228. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. Landscapes: - Noon, B. R., D. M. Theobald, and J. Norman, III. 2010. Extent and pattern of major ecological systems. In: A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR—2010/228. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. - Theobald, D. M., B. R. Noon, and J. Norman, III. 2010. Connectivity of natural landscapes. In: A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Rocky Mountain National Park. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/WRD/NRR—2010/228. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 121/105044, July 2010 iii Contents Page Contents ................................................................................................................................. iv Figures ................................................................................................................................. viii Tables .................................................................................................................................... xii Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ xiv Air and climate: Condition of Alpine Lakes and Atmospheric Deposition ...................... xv Water: Extent and Connectivity of Wetland and Riparian Areas .................................... xvi Biotic Integrity: Exotic Terrestrial Plant Species ........................................................... xvii Biotic Integrity: Extent and Connectivity of Fish Distributions .................................... xviii Biotic Integrity: Extent of Suitable Beaver Habitat ......................................................... xix Landscapes: Extent and Pattern of Major Ecological Systems ......................................... xx Landscapes: Connectivity of Natural Landscapes ........................................................... xxi Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................ xxii Prologue .............................................................................................................................. xxii Chapter 1. NRCA Background Information....................................................................... 1 1.1 NRCA Description ............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 NRCA Purpose and Use .................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2. Park Resource Setting/Stewardship Context ................................................... 5 2.1 Park Resource Setting ........................................................................................................ 5 2.1.1 Description and Characterization of Park Natural Resources .................................... 5 2.1.2 Overview of Resource Condition Issues .................................................................. 17 2.2 Resource Stewardship Context ........................................................................................ 17 Chapter 3. Study Approach ................................................................................................ 19 3.1 Preliminary Scoping ........................................................................................................ 19 iv 3.1.1 Advisory/Oversight Team ........................................................................................ 19 3.1.2 Scoping Workshop ................................................................................................... 21 3.2 Reporting Areas ............................................................................................................... 22 3.3 Assessment Frameworks Used in the Study .................................................................... 23 3.4 Reference Condition Framework ..................................................................................... 26 3.5 Estimate of Concern and Degree of Confidence ............................................................. 31 Chapter 4. Natural Resource Conditions ......................................................................... 33 4.1 Regional Context and Issue Characterization .................................................................. 33 4.1.1 Estimating Visitor Use through Accessibility Modeling ........................................
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