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Natural resource condition assessment and climate change vulnerability assessment for Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve Active

By Climate Adaptation Science Centers August 23, 2017

Investigators from UW and NPS staff will collaborate to accomplish the following specific objectives. The project will be conducted in two phases, and this Task Agreement funds both phases. Phase I- NRCA 1. Complete a NRCA for all the major habitats of the subalpine and upper elevation riparian preserve part of ORCA. The project will result in a park-specific report and spatial data that: a) describe park resources in a regional context; b) provide an interdisciplinary evaluation of current resource conditions and discernible trends; c) document critical data gaps and research needs; and d) document high-priority resource management issues. This NRCA will provide an evaluation of natural resource condition for approximately five priority park natural resource habitats, and will focus on the newly acquired preserve portion of the park (approximately 4,600 acres). The assessment relies on existing information and will combine these sources with professional judgment from interdisciplinary specialists and NPS staff to evaluate the overall status, condition, and integrity of the selected NPS-managed ecological resources. Phase II - CCVA 2. Complete a CCVA for all the major habitats ofthe subalpine and upper elevation riparian preserve part of ORCA. Resource managers at ORCA are concerned that the subalpine habitats are at risk from the effects of climate change. The purpose is to complete a CCVA for these habitats as a supplemental document to the NRCA covering the preserve lands recently added to the park extent. The goal of this CCVA is to provide vulnerability and adaption information that will aid resource managers at ORCA in planning for the protection or preservation of these habitats under a changing climate or to mitigate for the effects of climate change on these habitats. This CCVA has four specific objectives: a. To quantify the vulnerabilities to climate change of the parks subalpine habitats, by identifying those subalpine habitats and species that are likely to be more of less vulnerable, and how those vulnerabilities vary spatially. The subalpine habitats within ORCA are the following vegetation alliances: i. subalpine wet meadow ii. subalpine seasonally dry meadow iii. subalpine rock field/outcrop iv. subalpine forest b. To project how these subalpine habitats and species will change their status and distributions under climate change. In order to accomplish this objective, the effects of climate change on vegetation alliances associated (nearby/adjacent) to subalpine habitats must also be quantified. These additional habitats will be limited to the following alliances: 1. alder thicket ii. willow thicket 111. bitter cherry thicket iv. montane chaparral v. montane open shrubland vi. cushion buckwheat gravel field c. To identify potential adaptation options, monitoring strategies, or mitigation options that can be used to protect vulnerable subalpine habitats and species. d. To complete an evaluation of the proposed process in reference to recommending strategies, approaches, or options for incorporating a CCVA in past, future, or ongoing NRCA or Resource Stewardship Strategy (RSS) projects.

Investigators from UW and NPS staff will collaborate to accomplish the following specific objectives. The project will be conducted in two phases, and this Task Agreement funds both phases. Phase I- NRCA 1. Complete a NRCA for all the major habitats of the subalpine and upper elevation riparian preserve part of ORCA. The project will result in a park-specific report and spatial data that: a) describe park resources in a regional context; b) provide an interdisciplinary evaluation of current resource conditions and discernible trends; c) document critical data gaps and research needs; and d) document high-priority resource management issues. This NRCA will provide an evaluation of natural resource condition for approximately five priority park natural resource habitats, and will focus on the newly acquired preserve portion of the park (approximately 4,600 acres). The assessment relies on existing information and will combine these sources with professional judgment from interdisciplinary specialists and NPS staff to evaluate the overall status, condition, and integrity of the selected NPS-managed ecological resources. Phase II - CCVA 2. Complete a CCVA for all the major habitats ofthe subalpine and upper elevation riparian preserve part of ORCA. Resource managers at ORCA are concerned that the subalpine habitats are at risk from the effects of climate change. The purpose is to complete a CCVA for these habitats as a supplemental document to the NRCA covering the preserve lands recently added to the park extent. The goal of this CCVA is to provide vulnerability and adaption information that will aid resource managers at ORCA in planning for the protection or preservation of these habitats under a changing climate or to mitigate for the effects of climate change on these habitats. This CCVA has four specific objectives: a. To quantify the vulnerabilities to climate change of the parks subalpine habitats, by identifying those subalpine habitats and species that are likely to be more of less vulnerable, and how those vulnerabilities vary spatially. The subalpine habitats within ORCA are the following vegetation alliances: i. subalpine wet meadow ii. subalpine seasonally dry meadow iii. subalpine rock field/outcrop iv. subalpine forest b. To project how these subalpine habitats and species will change their status and distributions under climate change. In order to accomplish this objective, the effects of climate change on vegetation alliances associated (nearby/adjacent) to subalpine habitats must also be quantified. These additional habitats will be limited to the following alliances: 1. alder thicket ii. willow thicket 111. bitter cherry thicket iv. montane chaparral v. montane open shrubland vi. cushion buckwheat gravel field c. To identify potential adaptation options, monitoring strategies, or mitigation options that can be used to protect vulnerable subalpine habitats and species. d. To complete an evaluation of the proposed process in reference to recommending strategies, approaches, or options for incorporating a CCVA in past, future, or ongoing NRCA or Resource Stewardship Strategy (RSS) projects.