E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A A.T. MEGA-Transect National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Northeast Temperate Network Fred Dieffenbach – National Park Service

Who am I? Why am I here? - James Stockdale, 1992

There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know. - Donald Rumsfeld Who is doing what?

A.T. MEGA-Transect: An Introduction Monitor – Collect and synthesize existing and new data on key indicators of environmental health from agencies, organizations, researchers, and citizen scientists Understand – Transform status and trend data into knowledge through analysis, synthesis, and modeling Inform – Provide early warning of undesirable conditions or trends, such as climate change, as a means of better protecting the resources and reducing costs of management Engage – Share knowledge by engaging, educating, and involving decision makers, stakeholder organizations, and citizens

A.T. MEGA-Transect: An Introduction

A.T. MEGA-Transect A concept vs. traditional organization Active vs. dormant

A.T. MEGA-Transect

Current Status No office building Not independently funded No staff Agency & independent projects Scientific protocols GIS toolkit New monitoring plan MEGA- Transect Center

Acid Deposition Forest Health Non-indigenous Species NASA Decision Support System Vegetation Mapping Water Quality American Chestnut Elevational Landscapes Mountain Birds Phenology Rare Plant Monitoring Acid Deposition American Chestnut Elevational Landscapes Forest Health Non-indigenous Species Mountain Birds NASA Decision Support System Phenology Rare Plant Monitoring Vegetation Mapping Water Quality Ongoing Activities

Acid Deposition USGS Project Investigating soil ANC recovery process 3-4 year start to finish Combines Intensive soil sampling Forest vegetation Water Began in 2010

Forest Health Forest Service data (FIA/FHM) helps us determine: How much Where it exists Who owns it How it is changing Is it growing or declining Disease

Sampling Assistance

Non-indigenous Invasive Species G.A. USDA-NRCS PLANTS DB Help identify and track the spread of problematic species New protocol Prioritize species of concern Raise awareness

NASA Decision Support System Received funding May 2009 Limited field work in 2010 Integrates satellite imagery with ecological models, GIS data and on-the-ground projects to assist resource managers Four year time frame.

Vegetation Mapping Aerial photography Mapping and field work Finished product 2015

Water Quality USGS producing a baseline report on AT water resources Have identified potential WQ protocols Future monitoring options under review

Rare Plant Monitoring Longest running A.T. environmental monitoring program New protocol Reset priorities

Mountain Birds Mountain “Birdwatch” methodology Field manual GIS layers identify survey locations Database & online entry system Field surveys at approximately 40 routes

Phenology Biologically timed events, for example: Frog calling Bud Break Fall foliage Bird migration Insect hatch

Where do we go from here? Do we continue looking for funding to build an organization? Should NPS continue developing scientific protocols? Does the existing citizen science model work? Should we reassess our priorities and objectives? Where do we go from here? Do we continue looking for funding to build an organization? TBD Should NPS continue developing scientific protocols? YES Does the existing citizen science model work? Qualified YES Should we reassess our priorities and objectives? YES, YES, YES

Questions / Discussion

E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C A Northeast Temperate Network 54 Elm Street, Woodstock, VT National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior