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Science in Glacier National Park PDF

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Global Change Research Inventory and Monitoring Cultural Red Resources Bench & Social *^ Sciences Research Geographic Science Information System in Glacier National Park Science in Glacier National Park WATERTON GLACIER INTERNATIONALPEACEPARK-PARCINTERNATIONALDCLAPAIX Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation http://archive.org/details/scienceinglacierOOnati Science in Glacier National Park 1991 - 1992 The Annua/ Report of the Cooperative Park Studies Unit Glacier National Park and The University of Montana Table of Contents Introduction / Cooperative Research in Glacier National Park 2 Global Change Research 4 Inventory and Monitoring 17 Resource Studies 28 Water 28 Aquatic 29 Vegetation 33 Wildlife 39 Fire Ecology Studies 43 Red Bench Fire Studies 45 Cultural Resources Studies 51 Social Sciences 52 Geographic Information System 53 External Issues 58 Contributed Studies 61 Contributors 70 Bibliography and New Publications 71 This annual report was edited by Brenda Coen, Division of Natural Resources, Glacier National Park. The cover was designed by Bill Hayden, Interpretive Division, Glacier National Park. This report was published in cooperation with the Glacier Natural History Association and printed by the Hungry Horse News, Columbia Falls, Montana. Introduction James T. Tilmant, Chief Division of Natural Resources The two-year period covered by this issue view from the Future, Science in Glacier of Glacier's Science Summary has been National Park 1990), one might assume , one of change and growth for the Park's that change, even within the human Science Program. These changes have confines of programmatic organizational come in both personnel and organizational structure, was inevitable for Glacier and structure. elsewhere in the Park Service. The need for change in our approach to Natural Park management has taken a bold step Resources Management is touted to improve the responsiveness of park everywhere today and is surfacing on research and the quality of its resources many fronts within our government's management programs through a resource management agencies. Indeed, reorganizational effort. The organizational as we are developing this Science change was instituted by the combining Summary there is talk in Washington D.C. of the park's resource management and of creating a new National Biological scientific research program functions into Survey to oversee and conduct ecological a single Division of Natural Resources. research for all Department of the Interior The new Division incorporates the agencies. functions of research, technical resources management and resources data The need for a highly professional management and serves as the primary approach to resources management source of information and understanding within the National Park Service was for the Glacier National Park ecosystem. recently summarized in a paper by Steve The Division's major goal is to carry out a Veirs entitled Management and Change in highly professional resources Natural Areas presented at the Fourth management program in accordance with World Congress on National Parks and the Park's Resource Management Plan. Protected Areas, Caracas, Venezuela, February, 1992. Veirs states that "we arrived at Glacier during the summer of used to think that parks were the I 1 991 , eager to take on the job of changeless baselines against which we implementing the organizational change could measure the changes in our that would bring together the scientific environment. But the parks are changing research and park resource management in subtle ways: assailed by human use, programs into a single well-coordinated habitat conversion, introduction of non- division. am excited about this task native species, disease, pollution, I because have long believed that pesticides, etc.... Park managers can no I professional resources management is a longer make environmental decisions science and needs a scientific perspective about their preserves from the saddle of in its design and implementation. In their horses." addition, our science programs are often so distant from park management that the The issues with which Glacier and other results of scientist's efforts are either not national parks are dealing are complex appreciated or not readily known and and ecosystem oriented, extending well utilized by resource managers. Since my beyond the park borders. Park arrival, I have been further stimulated by management is faced with the concerns the recent National Academy of Sciences of conservationists, ecolog-ists, Report on Science in the National Parks preservationists, recreationists, and a momentum that seems to be economists and many others perspectives growing toward an appropriate emphasis as they make decisions. Often the on the importance of professional important decisions influencing park resources management programs within resources are not even the park the Service. managers' to make, but involve sufficiently influencing adjacent land In looking back at the philosophically managers and planners to make decisions challenging presentation that Cliff in the best interest of park resources. It Martinka provided in our last Science is under the principles of providing good Summary (See: Our National Parks - A scientific advice upon which to make or SCIENCE in Glacier National Park ; influence these decisions that the Glacier Under Cliff's direction the past two years, National Park science program is the Glacier National Park CPSU has taken operating. on an identity and become functional. It is now an integral part of our science A major source of growth for Glacier's program with nine coordinated research program has been the selection and projects and a course that is taught on subsequent funding of Glacier as a Campus by park staff. designated component of the National Park Service Global Climate Change Areas of emphasis within our program Program. Dr. Daniel Fagre, who arrived in over the past two years have been Glacier from Indiana Dunes during vegetation rehabilitation techniques, September, 1991, has become the GCC exotic plant control, fire recovery and Program Coordinator for the Glacier ecological changes associated with the National Park Biogeographic Area. Dan's Red Bench Fire, resource inventory and program has grown quickly and now monitoring technique development, involves two universities, the U.S.F.S. endangered species studies including the Intermountain Research Station, the grey wolf, grizzly bear and bald eagle, U.S.G.S., and NASA scientists. Details of ecosystem modeling in relation to global this program are provided in a following climate change, and GIS database section of this Summary. development. During the winter of 1991- 92, the park completed a new draft Another area of growth in the Science Resources Management Plan that will be Program has been with our Cooperative used to guide program priorities. The Park Studies Unit (CPSU) at the University following summaries are intended to of Montana. Cliff Martinka has taken on document and bring the reader up to date the role of program Senior Scientist and is on program activities over the past two serving as a leader for CPSU activities. years on a project by project basis. The Campus Connection - Cooperative Research in Glacier National Park Clifford J. Martinka, Senior Scientist In 1990, a new era of cooperative public. The document went on to outline research and education emerged in the kinds of contributions that each party northwestern Montana. The foundation would make in support of the agreement; for change was a formal agreement staff, facilities and funds were considered between the National Park Service (NPS) especially important to a prosperous and the University of Montana (UM) to partnership. establish a Cooperative Park Studies Unit (CPSU). The CPSU concept had been in The accord contained one particularly place nationally for nearly two decades, significant element that was intended to but this was the first time the foster the credibility of park science. It organizational focus was on a park called for the establishment of an science program that was already in advisory committee that develops and existence. In effect, Glacier National Park implements a process to evaluate plans became the functional base for staff and accomplishments of the Unit staff. In scientists as well as for cooperating essence, this process represented an investigators from the University. addition to the framework of peer review that is currently required of park The agreement proposed development of scientists: it extends and complements a general program of research and the rigorous evaluations that precede teaching related to the natural and publication of research results in technical cultural resources of Glacier National journals. One result is that the UM will Park. Topics of mutual interest included ultimately become a partner not just in inventory and monitoring of park science, but also in park management. resources, knowledge and techniques for addressing threats to the integrity of During its first three years, strategy, role those resources, and the education of and function were prominent issues as staff, students, visitors and the general the Unit continued to seek its identity. In 2 SCIENCE in Glacier National Park . response, a series of strategic principles Work orders were especially useful for was formulated from a mission that building the complex programs required "explored the values and fostered the role for global change and wildland fire of national parks as international scientific research initiatives. resources." The principles guided development of a program that reflected Collaborative research was also a the intent of the original agreement. program element that extended staff They essentially stated that: involvement to other agencies and universities. A study that is measuring 1 The CPSU functions as an the diversity of beetles in park forests international center for mountain reveals the complicated relationships landscape ecology: it responds to required by these efforts. The project is markets that include park, regional, being administered through CPSUs at national, and international clients. Montana State University and the University of California, Davis, with a 2. Scientific research is an investment park staff scientist serving as coordinator that provides options for the restora- for the former and investigator for the tion and conservation of ecosystems latter. Another project links the park that are local to global in extent. global change program with the interests in snow of the National Aeronautic and 3. Education complements and enhances Space Administration. And still another is the value of scientific research: carrying this focus on snow back to program performance reflects the full wildland fire in an attempt to understand potential of its human resources. how forest canopy removal influences white-tailed deer (Odocoi/eus virgin/anus), From an organizational perspective, the elk (Cervus elaphus) and moose (A/ces CPSU consists of a staff of six scientists alces) during the snowy winter months. stationed in Glacier National Park. The Other examples point to collaborative group includes a senior scientist, climate science as an expanding trend within the specialist, wildlife ecologist, landscape CPSU. specialist, conservation biologist, and aquatic ecologist. As professional In 1992, the educational component of scientists, they function as contributors agreement was addressed through a to a broad park program of natural scheduled campus class entitled "Science resources management by providing in National Parks." The course explored original research and professional the history, philosophy, and role of park consultation on regional ecosystem, science as a basis for understanding the biological diversity, threatened species, research process, its relationship to park global change, and human roles in natural management, and its more general systems. At the same time, they provide contributions to natural resources program leadership by helping to design, conservation. Knowledge and its source, implement, and manage research ventures the organization of science, conservation that involve colleagues from the scientific challenges and legal perspectives were and academic communities. emphasized along with the concept of management as scientific experimenta- The agreement facilitates cooperative tion. Guest speakers from national parks research where both Glacier National Park and other agencies complemented weekly and UM are interested in a particular lectures by the CPSU senior scientist: research topic. Work orders are the they were especially helpful in providing a administrative vehicle for establishing a look at life after graduation. The class is formal relationship that blends campus scheduled again for the spring semester expertise into the park science program. of 1993. From 1990 through 1992, there were nine work orders that addressed a variety By late 1992, staff scientists realized that of interesting subjects. For example, one while opportunities for park science project explored the ecology of under- continued to expand, there were ground aquatic habitats -- its relevance constraints that challenged their was anticipated in waters rights negotia- management skills. In response, tions. Another sought information about collaboration emerged as a means for the daily activities of park visitors - its addressing financial deficiencies and a goal was to provide a basis for planning. plethora of research issues, every one of SCIENCE in Glacier National Park which seemed to demand attention. The essentially no failures when the process is group set out to mesh research goals put to work - it is much like a rolling with those of park management, hoop that bounces along the same track recognizing that some changes in their but never covers the same ground. individual programs would likely be Another attribute is that a new world for required. Predicting success for any scientists has been created, one where attempt to change organizational culture ideas are tested under the sometimes is fraught with risk. But there are ways messy reality of field conditions. With to narrow the odds -- in this case these points in mind, the perceptive adaptive resource management provides reader may detect a dilemma. Are the insider advantage. traditions of science capable of assimilating this emerging concept or will Adaptive resource management is a a revolution be required for the concept that has been around for several construction of a new paradigm? For decades. Recent emphasis on its now, the answer to this question remains potential values has emerged from at well hidden in the inertia of university and least two sources. First is a need for agency research cultures. But the more sophisticated management of foundation for change is being poured and natural resources. Second is a need for future advantage will be gained by those more reliable knowledge about natural actively involved in both design and resources. Both requirements meet in the construction activities. field where management represents an experimental commons. The process The CPSU at Glacier National Park is in a includes a sequential consideration of unique position to help construct a new values, observations, assumptions, model for park science. Its past provides hypotheses, predictions, experiments, a framework of knowledge, experience, measurements, evaluations and and expertise that is essential for adjustments. It is at least a partial continuing performance in an often substitute for the current management chaotic organizational world. But that is process that originates from the same no longer enough where a competitive values and perhaps the same edge requires frequent sharpening by assumptions, but then extends through change. That edge is provided by human policies, goals and management actions. resources with the vision, energy, and freedom to pursue strategic goals for the One of the interesting attributes of park. And people are the strength of the adaptive management is that there are Cooperative Park Studies Unit. Glacier National Park - An International Resource for Global Change Research Introduction Human activities are causing numerous relatively unimpacted by humans to global changes, one of which may be the accurately detect rates of background overall climate of our planet. Global change. Many national parks are ideal as warming and changes in our sites for being able to detect subtle global atmosphere's composition have been climate changes without the confounding documented and most scientists attribute effects of localized impacts. National both trends to humans. However, Parks can be part of a planetary network estimating the rates of future climate for sensing climate change. change and detecting meaningful impacts of climate change on our immediate There also is a need to understand how landscapes are more problematic. Most intact ecosystems, representing each terrestrial ecosystems are themselves major biome, respond to climate change. changing so rapidly it is difficult to With such information on underlying interpret which system responses may be dynamics, more accurate predictions can to global climate changes and which to be made concerning how various more direct human disturbance such as disturbed ecosystems will respond to ecosystem fragmentation. Therefore, climate change. National Parks with there is a critical need to use places intact ecosystems are ideal for use as SCIENCE in Glacier National Park

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Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.