Southeast Alaska Network Vital Signs Monitoring

Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program

Southeast Alaska NetworkVital Signs Monitoring

Glacier Bay National Park and PreserveKlondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

Sitka National Historical Park

Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program May 6, 2009

We face tough challenges

The world is not only more complex than we understand,

it’s more complex than we can understand.J. B. S. Haldane

…preserve [dynamic systems] unimpaired…


What do Vital Sign Monitoring Data Provide?

Context and perspective; range of variation

Trend detection

Covariate and response variables; not subject to crisis of the day

Raise flags, temper reactions, tell stories


What SEAN is not built to do…

• Research: Investigate causal relationships– The “how” and “why” questions

• Assess value:– Management significance– Identify thresholds for management response– Define a desired condition or state


What SEAN is built to do…• Answer questions:

– What? Where? When? How much change? What direction? What magnitude? What range?

• And answer them with scientific rigor– Embrace uncertainty– Refining understanding over the long term

• Work with park managers to understand context for change

• Provide data on select ecosystem elements that represent covariates and response variables

• Analyze, report, deliver dataSoutheast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program


Key Principles

Be relevant to the Parks

Do a few things wellFocus. Design elegantly. Work efficiently.Scope for the optimum; design for reality.

Build a program that is longer-lived than our careers, larger than

ourselvesMust be sustainable

More than philosophy – major implications for program structure

Do you remember how we got here?

Selection and Identification ofSEAN Vital Signs



Vital Sign Identification Process

1. Scoping Workshops– Marine, Freshwater, Terrestrial– Build conceptual models

Terrestrial plant succession following glacial recession…


Influences on Marine Systems…


Primary succession in streams…


Marine-derived nutrients…


Intertidal zone…


Everything should be made

as simple as possible.

But not one bit simpler.-Einstein


SEAN Holistic Model: Drivers of Change



Marine Environments Freshwater Environments

Terrestrial Environments

Ungulates

Breeding Landbird Populations

Streamflow

Macroinvertebrates and Algae

Freshwater Water QualitySalmonids

Humpback WhalesMarine Predators

Forage FishesHarbor SealsKiller Whales

Steller Sea Lions

Kittlitz’s MurreletsPhenology

Western Toads

Wetland Communities

Intertidal Communities

Landcover and Landform

Bald EaglesBears

BiodiversityPests and DiseasesPlant Communities

Vital Sign Selection Process

1. Scoping Workshops– Marine, Freshwater, Terrestrial– Build conceptual models, incorporate into Phase I Report

2. Use conceptual models to identify candidate Vital Signs

3. Rate and rank based on ecological and management significance criteria

4. Adjust the ranking based on professional judgment


Vital Sign Selection Process

36

12Core Program

6Secondary Program

Optimum

overlaid with

Reality

80200

18


Core and Secondary Programs

• Core Program– SEAN will initiate, develop,

implement, and directly fund– Full, formal monitoring

protocols• Secondary

– Parks lead and fund– Parks would likely continue to

monitor with or without the I&M Program

– SEAN will contribute data management and data delivery support as time and resources allow


NPS Photo

SEAN Core ProgramCore Program

1. Airborne Contaminants2. Marine Predators3. Weather and Climate4. Streamflow5. Freshwater Water Quality6. Oceanography7. Marine Contaminants8. Freshwater Contaminants9. Intertidal Communities10. Landform and Landcover11. Kittlitz’s Murrelets12. Glacial Dynamics (extent)

Secondary Program1. Freshwater Macroinverts, Algae2. Invasive and Exotic Plants3. Western Toads4. Humpback Whales5. Human Use and Mode of Access6. Underwater Sound



Vital Signs Relation to Conceptual Models


Marine Environments Freshwater Environments

Terrestrial Environments

Ungulates

Breeding Landbird Populations

Streamflow

Macroinvertebrates and Algae

Freshwater Water QualitySalmonids

Humpback WhalesMarine Predators

Forage FishesHarbor SealsKiller Whales

Steller Sea Lions

Kittlitz’s MurreletsPhenology

Western Toads

Wetland Communities

Intertidal Communities

Landcover and Landform

Bald EaglesBears

BiodiversityPests and DiseasesPlant Communities

SEAN Core Program

Airborne ContaminantsFreshwater Water QualityFreshwater Contaminants

Glacial DynamicsIntertidal Communities

Kittlitz’s MurreletsMarine Contaminants

Marine PredatorsOceanography

StreamflowWeather and Climate

Landform and LandcoverSoutheast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program


Vital Signs Relation to Conceptual Models

Data Management Tenets

Single Authoritative Source Concept

Web-based delivery


NPS Photo:Moynahan

Southeast Alaska NetworkInventory and Monitoring Program May 6, 2009Design: 1-2-3-4 Operation: 4-3-2-1


How the work is getting done

Blurring the lines between Parks and SEAN

Project Leaders, Park Leads

Cooperators and PartnersCESU, IAs

Mussel Watch, NWS, WRCC, NODC

Contractors


Network Structure

Program Manager

Park StaffTechnical Committee

Chiefs of Resources

Board of Directors

SEAN Staff

Data ManagerEcologist

(Editor)(Term Biotech)

(Sci Comm Specialist)


Program Structure – SEAN Hub

SEAN Project LeaderSergeant

KLGO Park LeadWilbarger

GLBA Park LeadSoiseth/Murdoch

SITK Park LeadSmith

SEAN Data ManagerJohnson

SEAN Program MgrMoynahan

Validation, Certification

Maintenance, Calibration, Data Collection

Data flo

w, train

ing, supplies

Admin, budget, reporting

Freshwater Quality


Program Structure – Park Lead

Project/Park LeaderSharman

Field Ops, Analysis, Reporting

SEAN Data StewardSergeant

SEAN Data ManagerJohnson

Standard graphics, tables


Validation, Certification

Admin, budget, reporting

Validation, CertificationBasic d

ata proces

sing

Oceanography


Program Structure – Partner

SEAN Project LeaderSergeant

KLGO Park LeadWilbarger

GLBA Park LeadSharman

SITK Park LeadSmith

NOAA Mussel Watch Program

Reporting, web delivery


Annual Funding Agreement

Sample Collection

Sample D

elivery

NOAA Contracted

Lab

Data

Marine Contaminants


Budget

$505,000 Vital Signs Funding

$39,800 WRD Funding (1.66 ATB)

$544,800


Budget

45%

30%

18%

4% 2%FY10 Allocation

PersonnelCoop. AgreementsOps/EquipTravelOther


Budget

53%

25%

15%

5% 1%FY11 Allocation



Budget

66%

23%

5%5% 1%

FY12 Allocation



COLA to Locality Pay

• Transition began in FY10, complete of FY13

• Cost-to-program increases

• Upshot: personnel costs increase ~20-25%

• Protocol development costs >> operation


Are SEAN commitments sustainable?

Yes, with vigilanceReal personnel cost

impactsSEAN staff are fully

bookedVS programs and DM

commitments are brutally focused

NPS Photo:Moynahan


Glacier Bay National Park and PreserveNPS Photo: Moynahan


Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park

NPS Photo


Sitka National Historical Park

NPS Photo


SEAN

Three happy guys with beards couldn’t be wrong

Documents

Southeast Alaska Network Vital Signs Monitoring