CESU BLM AZ-Recreation Impact Inventory, Monitoring and Assessment, Arizona Strip District, Arizona
Description of Program and/or Project Background: The project is a long-term inventory, monitoring, and assessment program of human impacts resulting from recreation uses on the Arizona Strip District using a standardized quantitative recreation monitoring approach. Using baseline data compiled in a geo-referenced database of impacts available on an easily accessed website, existing recreation sites will be monitored on a regular schedule to determine recreation-created impacts and make management recommendations for future actions. Graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in the recreation monitoring and assessment program and conference presentations and publications in pertinent scientific literature will represent the results of these studies, not required as deliverables to the BLM. Regular reporting with recommendations to management and staff will be conducted in order to assist the BLM in protecting and maintaining recreation settings and opportunities. Recreation assessments would also be conducted under this agreement for National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) areas, such as national monuments, wilderness areas and national trails. Data collected during the inventory and the BLM and recipient will jointly develop monitoring. Project data will be available to the BLM on an as needed basis. This project provides opportunities for students and/or entry-level professionals to work with experienced, professional land managers to obtain experience in complex public land management issues. This project will provide the background experience by which students may make long term career goals and decisions, and will enable continuing development between the recipient and the BLM in terms of student development, recruitment, and service opportunities between the two entities. To ensure that data collection is useful and reliable, a standard monitoring procedure will be followed. This will also include proper GPS techniques with geo-referenced data, sites, and photos. Inventories, monitoring reports, and assessment projects will provide reliable, quantitative data which can be analyzed and stored to aid BLM management in identifying recreation-related human impact use patterns and trends. These trends can then be used to determine appropriate management actions and prescriptions to be included in land use planning and ongoing management efforts. Objectives: 1. To continue a comprehensive recreation impact monitoring program for the Arizona Strip Field Office (see L10AC20359), Vermilion Cliffs and Grand Canyon-Parashant national monuments that would include: a. Inventories on a regularly scheduled basis. b. Monitor and report on a scheduled format. c. Geo-referenced data, sites, and photos. d. A web-based monitoring management tool to provide easy access to the inventory/monitoring information and to determine when on-site assessment has exceeded standards or to track critical site variables. 2. To continue a recreation impact inventory/monitoring program which provides the Arizona Strip Field Office, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, and Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument with the appropriate resource information in a valid, reliable, and timely manner in order for site managers to make decisions regarding recreation land use prescriptions in order to protect the natural and cultural resources and the recreational experiences of the recreating public. 3. To continue inventory, monitoring and assessment protocols to assess future recreational opportunities in order to make recommendations for National Landscape Conservation System units, such as the national monuments, wilderness areas, and the Old Spanish National Historic and Arizona National Scenic trails on the Arizona Strip Field Office. 4. To continue to provide opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students, interns, and/or entry level professionals to work with experienced, professional land managers and staff to obtain experience in complex land management issues. To provide students, interns, and/ entry level professionals experience by which they may make long term career goals and decisions. To continue and expand student development, recruitment and service opportunities between the BLM and the recipient. Scientific integrity is vital to Department of the Interior (DOI) activities under which scientific research, data, summaries, syntheses, interpretations, presentations, and/or publications are developed and used. Failure to uphold the highest degree of scientific integrity will result not only in potentially flawed scientific results, interpretations, and applications but will damage DOI�s reputation and ability to uphold the public�s trust. All work performed must comply with the DOI Scientific Integrity Policy posted to http://www.doi.gov, or its equivalent as provided by their organization or State law.
Office: Bureau of Land Management
ebell@blm.gov
