Reporting Vital Signs Results

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ReportingVital Signs Results

• Who Cares?

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Information Management 35-40 of Monitoring
Program

• Plan for change (10 generations of software and
  operating systems in first 20 years at Channel
  Islands National Park)
• Use standard software, avoid custom programs
• Identify common fields that relate all databases,
  e.g., date location

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Apple DOS-MS DOS-Windows-UNIX-Windows 95/98
Data Factory-DB Master-Dbase-Access
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Reporting Purposes

• Accountability
• Documentation
• Archive data samples
• Communication
• Improve collaboration cooperation
• Garner Support
• For action
• For additional resources
• Inspirationshare the joy

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Reporting Audiences

• PeersManagers Scientists
• SupportersLay Professionals
• FundersCongress Administration
• CollaboratorsPartners Agencies
• CriticsConstructive Others
• MediaTraditional WWW
• Future Generations

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Kinds of Reports

• Protocol Annual Performance Review
• Analysis Synthesis
• Programmaticadministrative
• Peer-reviewed Journals
• Symposia, workshops, professional society
  annual meetings
• State of the Park(s)

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Protocol Annual Reports

• Describe current conditions
• Archive annual data and document monitoring
  activities for the year
• Provide an end-point for otherwise endless
  monitoring activities
• Document changes in monitoring protocols
• Encourage collaboration, WWW

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Protocol Reviews

• Conduct periodic formal reviews of operations and
  results (10-year intervals)
• Review design criteria for accuracy and precision
• Analyze data for power to resolve changes
• Recommend protocol revisions maintain
  continuity (peer-review)

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Analysis and Synthesis

• Discover new features and characteristics of
  monitored systems
• Address complex environmental issues
• Explore new analytical methodologies
• Resolve specific management issues and provide
  recommendations
• Develop new conservation strategies

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Programmaticadministrative

• Record efforts made (inputs rather than outcomes)
• Account for funds and FTE expended
• Describe programmatic goals and accomplishments
• Show how vital signs monitoring integrates with
  other park operations

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Peer-reviewed Journals

• Record new observations
• Suggest new insights interpretations of data
• Establish credible advances in knowledge
• Contribute to historical record
• Place parks in cultural and ecological perspective

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Symposia, Workshops, Professional Society
Meetings

• Focus attention of specific topics
• Review and summarize information
• Identify emerging issues
• Explore new approaches
• Evaluate new technology

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State of the Park(s) Corporate Annual Report

• Reports outcomes
• Explains what park managers know about the park
  that others dont know
• Describes current park conditions
• Highlights natural events and improving
  conditions
• Identifies situations of concerndeclining
  resources
• Explores future issues directions

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How Do We Do It?

• Bottom UpTop Down
• Ad Hoc or Planned?

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Does the Existing NPS Publications Program Meet
This Need?
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Parks Networks

• Develop reports in hard copy post on internet
• Administrative
• Protocol Annual Review
• Analytical Synthesis
• Provide information to WASO to compile for State
  of the Park(s)

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Individual Scientists

• Coordinate with parks networks
• Produce peer-reviewed journal articles
• Make presentations at symposia professional
  society meetings

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WASO (IM, Water, Air)

• Use information from networks
• Prepare administrative report to the Congress
• Accomplishments
• How money spent
• Develop State of the Parks Report
• Print Post on Internet

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Other
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Other Models?(USGS, NOAA, USFS, FWS)

• National consolidated publications program for
  all vital signs reports
• Regional programs
• Network programs
• CESU-based programs
• Park programs
• Combination of the above