2018 Wilderness Report - National Park Service › orgs › 1981 › upload › 2018-NPS-Wilderness-Report_508.pdfwilderness character. The report also demostrates wilderness accomplishments

National Park ServiceUS Department of Interior

Wilderness Stewardship DivisionVisitor and Resource Protection Directorate

2018 Wilderness ReportNational Park Service Wilderness Stewardship Program

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM • 2018 REPORT2

National Park Service Management Policies 2006, Chapter 6: Wilderness Preservation and Management

The National Park Service will manage wilderness areas for the use and enjoyment of the American people in such a manner as will leave them unimpaired for future use and enjoyment as wilderness. Management will include the protection of these areas, the preservation of their wilderness character, and the gather and dissemination of information regarding their use and enjoyment as wilderness. The purpose of wilderness in the national parks includes the preservation of wilderness character and wilderness resources in an unimpaired condition and, in accordance with the Wilderness Act, wilderness areas shall be devoted to the public purposes of recreational, scenice, scientific, educational, conservation, and historical use.

Cover Photo: Shenandoah Wilderness, Shenandoah National Park. Photo Credit: NPS

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Table of ContentsMessage from Division Chief ............... 4

2018 NPS Wilderness Champions ......... 5

StewardShip & Science ........ 7 training & development ... 10 communication & collaboration ........................ 12

Park-Based Wilderness Character Preservation Efforts

Wilderness Character Monitoring Guidance

Exploring the Nexus Between NEPA and Minimum Requirements Analysis

Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Self-Assessment

Wilderness Stewardship Datasheet

Updates from the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute

Preservation of Wilderness Character Trainings

Park-Specific Wilderness Workshops

US Border Patrol Wilderness Training

Collaboration with the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center

Interagency Trainings

Wilderness Stewardship Certificate Program

Wilderness Management Distance Education Program

Historic Preservation in Wilderness Training

2018 Training Summary Table

Upcoming NPS WIlderness Interpretation and Education Strategy

Wilderness Resource Brief Library

NPS Wilderness Communication Resources

Region-Specfic Wilderness Pages on InsideNPS

Wilderness Websites and Collaborative Digital Communication Efforts

Semi-Annual National Wilderness Update (Newsletter)

Interagency Wilderness Explorers Activity Booklet

Regional Wilderness Highlights

National Wilderness Leadership Council

Interagency Wilderness Advisory GroupsA. Wilderness Stewardship Division Organizational Chart & Staff Information ...... 18

B. Designated Wilderness Summary Table ........................................................ 19

APPENDICES

Note: Links to all referenced documents in this report are avaliable by email ([email protected]).

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM • 2018 REPORT4

Message froM Chief of Wilderness steWardship

On behalf of the Visitor and Resource Protection Directorate and Wilderness Stewardship Division, I am pleased to share the National Park Service (NPS) Wilderness Program Report for 2018. This report serves as a comprehensive summary of key accomplishments in NPS wilderness stewardship and management during calendar year 2018.

The Wilderness Stewardship Division is one of the smallest in the NPS, yet one of the most productive, thanks to the dedication of Erin Drake (Wilderness Communications and Outreach Specialist), Tim Devine (Wilderness Training Specialist) and Thomas Garcia (Administrative Assistant), so it’s quite fitting to use this forum to extend my respect and appreciation for their commitment to NPS wilderness (see page 18 for staff bios).

This annual report provides a great platform to acknowledge wilderness stewards throughout the NPS who have contributed their expertise, time and energy to meet the legal mandate and/or policy requirements to preserve wilderness character. The report also demostrates wilderness accomplishments supporting the Secretarial priorities of recreational access and active management on NPS wilderness lands.

The members and liaisons who serve on the National Wilderness Leadership Council (NWLC) deserve special recognition for their commitment to wilderness stewardship. In particular, I’d like to thank Adrienne Lindholm (outgoing Chair) for her service during 2018/2019 and express my appreciation to Woody Smeck (incoming Chair) and Jennifer Flynn (incoming Vice-Chair) for their willingness to accept leadership roles in the NWLC. The transition to new leadership will occur during the NWLC annual meeting in August 2019.

The Wes Henry “Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship” Awards have long represented the most prestigious level of recognition for NPS wilderness stewards and champions. It’s an honor to highlight the achievements of the 2018 award recipients in the individual, team and external partner categories on page 5. These awards will be presented in Washington, DC in August 2019, during a ceremony hosted by the National Parks Foundation.

I hope you enjoy reading this annual report and invite you to reach out if you have any wilderness stewardship-related questions or concerns that you would like to discuss. In closing this introduction, I encourage all NPS staff (and your families) to find some time to immerse yourself in wilderness, whether it be for a few hours or several days. I think you will find both tangible and intangible values that are sure to refresh the human body, mind, and spirit.

Sincerely,

If you know wilderness in the way that you know love, you would be unwilling to let it go. ... This is the story of our past and it will be the story of our future.

Terry Tempest Williams,Author and Conservationist

Roger Semler

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2018 nps Wilderness ChaMpions

NPS Director’s Wes Henry Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Award Recipients

The NPS Director’s Wes Henry Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Awards are the NPS’s annual recognition of outstanding contributions to wilderness stewardship by an individual, a group/team, and non-governmental partner, including those involving interpretation and education; management of natural, cultural, and social resources; planning; protection; and maintenance operations. Award recipients are nominated by fellow NPS staff and selected by an interdisciplinary panel. The following award recipients will be recognized during an awards ceremony in August 2019.

Individual Award: Adrienne Lindholm

Adrienne Lindholm, Wilderness Program Coordinator for the Alaska Region, has made

outstanding contributions to wilderness stewardship at the park, regional, and national levels for almost 20 years. She has proactively brought tailored wilderness trainings to staff throughout the region, including the development of a new MRA training for park and regional staff and an annual ANILCA course. Adrienne collaborated with the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center to develop several online wilderness courses, and in 2018,

she brought the first ever wilderness training to the Alaska Leadership Council (ALC). In her ongoing role as Regional Wilderness Coordinator, Adrienne has raised the level of awareness and understanding throughout Alaska by coordinating the Backcountry and Wilderness Advisory Group, regularly engaging the ALC on wilderness issues, and fostering interagency relationships. She has played an important role in every backcountry and wilderness plan in the Alaska Region, including serving as a core team member/author of the Denali and Lake Clark National Parks & Preserves plans (both GMP amendments). Adrienne spearheaded the development of several compliance tools that foster open dialogue about projects in wilderness, including the Minimum Requirement Analysis ‘Short Form’ as well as the development of a framework to evaluate commercial filming requests. She engaged the regional GIS team and initiated: (1) a 7-year project to accurately depict eligible and designated wilderness boundaries for all Alaska parks and (2) a database of all installations in Alaska parks.

Adrienne champions wilderness stewardship and wilderness character preservation in Alaska’s wilderness parks and has been an integral team member on national wilderness work groups and currently serves as the Chair for the NPS National Wilderness Leadership Council. Adrienne continues to go above and beyond her expected duties to enhance wilderness stewardship across the National Wilderness Preservation System.

Team Award: Fire Island NS Breach Management Plan Team

In 2012, Hurricane Sandy impacted a wide swath of New York and New

Jersey, including Fire Island National Seashore. The hurricane created a breach in the barrier island within the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness, and the NPS was called into action to determine how to manage it. Accordingly, in 2016 the NPS prepared a draft Fire Island Wilderness Breach Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, which evaluated three alternatives: (1) closure with mechanical process; (2) non-action/natural processes; and (3) no human intervention unless criteria are exceeded.

Fire Island Wilderness Breach. Photo credit: Dr. Charles Flagg, SUNY Stonybrook

During the public review and planning process, there was both support for and opposition to closing the breach. As time went on, and more science became available, concern on flooding eased, while support for allowing the breach to

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM • 2018 REPORT6

remain open stayed steady. The third alternative became the NPS preferred alternative in the final EIS, released in December 2017, and ultimately the selected alternative in the Record of Decision, signed in July 2018.

The seashore’s Breach Management Plan Team worked over a period of six years, shepherding the Plan through planning, public comment, compliance processes, and ultimately to a Record of Decision by the agency. This strong interdisciplinary team worked collaboratively to achieve the NPS mission while navigating difficult questions around ecology, wilderness stewardship, wilderness character, naturalness, and management objectives. The team engaged staff engaging staff at the park, region, and national levels and deserve kudos for their abilities, dedication, resourcefulness, and positive impacts on park resources, including wilderness.

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics (LNT), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has made highly significant and positive effects on preserving wilderness character throughout the NPS and the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS). In 1987, a “no trace” program was formed for wilderness and backcountry travel. The US Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and NPS cooperatively distributed a pamphlet entitled “Leave No Trace Land Ethics.” In 1993, an Outdoor Recreation Summit with land management agencies, NGOs and members of the outdoor industry

convened in to form an independent Leave No Trace organization -- establishing LNT in 1994. This same year, In 1994, LNT entered into the first of a series of Memorandums of Understandings (MOUs) with the NPS, BLM, USFS, and US Fish and Wildlife Service. NPS continues to maintain this formal relationship as one of the longest in NPS history.

Today, LNT reaches over 15 million Americans and dozens of countries each year with conservation initiatives, education, training, research, and outreach. LNT conducts important research that helps managers and visitors to public lands reduce their impact and support conservation and preservation efforts. Corporate partners, individual members, foundation support, and the sales of LNT educational materials provide the primary support for the organization. In the past few years, LNT has worked closely with the NPS to cultivate a sustainable, thoughtful outdoor ethic and inspire park visitors to practice the seven principles of LNT. Specific programs initiated in NPS sites include the “Hot Spot” program, the “Travelling Trainers” program, the “Leave No Trace in Every Park” program, and the “Zero Landfill” program.

In 2019, LNT is celebrating their 25th anniversary of promoting and inspiring responsible outdoor recreation on America’s public lands. Thanks to the dedication and commitment of LNT and its supporters, preservation of wilderness character has been enhanced in wilderness areas administered by the NPS and throughout the NWPS.

Non-Government Partner Award: Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics

Staff from Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.Photo Credit: LNT

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Stewardship & ScienceAssessment Efforts Support Wilderness Character Preservation in Designated Wilderness

The Wilderness Character Building Blocks, as outlined in the 2014 NPS Wilderness Character Integration User Guide, provide the foundation for effectively integrating wilderness character into planning, management, and monitoring by breaking down the components of outstanding wilderness stewardship into achievable and meaningful steps. The Building Blocks establish a shared understanding of what is most important about each wilderness area and articulate those values for inclusion in a wilderness character framework. There are three Building Blocks:

• Wilderness Basics

• Wilderness Character Baseline Assessment

• Integrate Wilderness Character intoManagement and Operations

The Wilderness Basics is a concise document summarizing fundamental information about a wilderness. It can provide the substance of the first chapter of a Wilderness Stewardship Plan and be integrated into other park plans. The totemical component of the Wilderness Basics is the Wilderness Character Narrative, a qualitative description of what is unique and essential about a wilderness area, organized by qualities of wilderness character. In 2018, Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Natural Bridges National Monument completed narratives. As of 2018, a total of 47 national park units have completed narratives.

The Wilderness Character Baseline Assessment identifies relevant measures for monitoring to establish baseline conditions for the status of each tangible quality of wilderness character in a wilderness area. The baseline assessment also sets the stage for ongoing monitoring to track trends in wilderness character over time. In 2018, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Congaree National Park, and Natural Bridges National Monument completed baseline assessments. As of 2018, a total of 27 national park units have completed baseline assessments.

Integrating wilderness character into management and operations includes implementing best practices like the proactive use of Minimum Requirements Analyses and establishing a park interdisciplinary wilderness committee.

Each park containing wilderness is at a different stage in developing wilderness-related plans, monitoring programs, and operational guidelines. The Building Blocks approach provides maximum flexibility for staff to begin this work in the order that best suits park needs, resulting in greater efficiency and effectiveness of wilderness stewardship.

Work Group Progresses on Wilderness Character Monitoring Tools and Guidance

Identified as a 2018 work group by the NPS Wilderness Leadership Council, an interdisciplinary group of NPS staff began drafting a set of measures for wilderness

The NPS Wilderness Stewardship Program is responsible for the stewardship of over 44 million acres of designated wilderness.

Using the best available science to inform sound decision-making, the NPS Wilderness Stewardship Program strives to preserve wilderness character and ensure the protection of the wilderness resource for current and future generations.

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character monitoring that are vetted by subject matter experts and likely apply to many parks -- deemed ‘strongly encouraged measures.’ As the name implies, parks with wilderness would be encouraged to use this set of measures where applicable. The set of strongly encouraged measures is not required and does not preclude a park from using some or all identified while also using park-specific measures not listed in the set.

The work group’s efforts to describe and define the measures, rooted in relevant national datasets and nationally-agreed upon parameters, means time saved for the park and more consistency in wilderness character monitoring across the NPS. A draft of the strongly encouraged measures will be made available for servicewide review in 2019.

Work Group Drafts Guidance for Nexus Between NEPA and MRAs

In 2018, the National Wilderness Leadership Council work group charged with developing guidance for completing Categorical Exclusions (CE), Environmental Assessments (EA), and Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) for NPS actions that occur within proposed, recommended, eligible, potential and designated wilderness made significant progress. The upcoming guidance will: 1) clarify the Minimum Requirements Analysis (MRA) and Minimum Requirement Concept as discussed in NPS

Management Policies 2006 and Director’s Order 41 and 2) describe how to integrate these concepts into National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes and documents. Developed in response to conflicting interpretations of the requirements for addressing wilderness actions in NEPA documents, this guidance will be further refined in 2019 before finalizing.

Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Self-Assessment Tool Now Available

The Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Self-Assessment Tool was developed by the National Wilderness Leadership Council and the Wilderness Stewardship Division to help wilderness managers assess the overall status of wilderness stewardship in their respective park. The self-assessment tool is comprised of 25 questions that reflect high priority standards of excellence and best practices that are fundamental to meeting the NPS legal and policymandate to preserve wilderness character and to integrate wilderness stewardship into park planning, compliance, and operations.

These questions identify the most fundamental of wilderness stewardship actions, helping to streamline and clarify what’s most important for parks considering what to do next in wilderness stewardship. The self-assessment results encourage wilderness managers to take affirmative actions to improve overall wilderness stewardship while providing consistency throughout wilderness in the NPS.

NPS Wilderness Stewardship Datasheet Tracks on Key Wilderness Information

In 2018, the NPS National Wilderness Stewardship Datasheet continued to be populated and validated by the Wilderness Stewardship Division in collaboration with parks and regions. This datasheet serves as the single comprehensive repository for critical wilderness data, including wilderness status, acreages, stewardship tracking, and contacts. The datasheet is available for reference by all NPS staff when needing to provide accurate and up-to-date information about wilderness areas in the national park system.

Updates and New Research from the Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute

The Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute (ALWRI) conducts diverse scientific projects related to biophysical, social and cultural sciences. These efforts include research projects, syntheses, expert panels, inventory and monitoring programs, consultation, and management tools. ALWRI is an interagency center stationed in Missoula, MT, and welcomes collaboration with managers from all levels of the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) agencies. Further information, including science highlights, can be found at leopold.wilderness.net.

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A key 2018 research project coordinated by ALWRI examined the nexus between habitat conservation within protected area lands, including NPS wilderness, and large groupings of vertebrate species. Few previous studies have analyzed the effectiveness of US protected lands in safeguarding habitat for large groupings of vertebrate species. Using newly released species habitat data and protected lands data from the US Geological Survey, these patterns were further investigated.

Researchers analyzed the predicted habitat for more than 1,700 species of mammal, bird, amphibian, and reptile across the continental United States’ protected areas on federal, state, and municipal lands. Results of this analysis are synthesized into tabular summaries and raw data are loaded into the database. This database is connected to an draft interactive map, giving users the ability to explore results and ask detailed questions about specific species on specific blocks of land, such as targeted species found within a particular habitat of a NPS wilderness area.

For example, a user could query the map for information specific to Olympic National Park’s Daniel J. Evans Wilderness, with results showing the area and a list of the top species of mammal, bird, amphibian and reptile occurring within the park’s wilderness.

In 2019, the interactive map will be finalized and available for use. Climate change estimates will be added to the map, allowing managers to see how habitat for species will be shifting in the future.

Bald eagles fly above the surf of the Daneil J. Evans Wilderness, Olympic National Park.Photo credit: NPS/Molly Travis

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM • 2018 REPORT10

CaANLpfuaiNe

Wilderness stewardship and management is highly dynamic and always evolving. In order to ensure that wilderness practitioners and interdisciplinary partners are managing most effectively, the NPS Wilderness Stewardship Program promotes opportunities for wilderness training and professional development.

Training & DevelopmentPreservation of Wilderness Character Training

Preservation of wilderness character is the central mandate of the Wilderness Act. To help managers interpret and successfully implement this mandate, two national Preservation of Wilderness Character Trainings were offered in May and September. Staff from across the country attended, ranging from biotechs and park partners to chief rangers and superintendents, with 47 people receiving the training in 2018.

The training, hosted by the Wilderness Stewardship Division and supported by a grant from the Mather Training Center’s Learning and Development Program, focused on wilderness-related law and policy, wilderness character integration into planning and monitoring, minimum requirements analysis, public outreach, and more. Upon returning home, participants were charged with facilitating further discussion around wilderness character preservation and integration with fellow NPS staff - of all disciplines - as well as partners and the public. As one participant commented, this training “increased my understanding of the concept and ‘practice’ of wilderness and expanded my awareness of potential applications and interactions.”

Park-Specific Workshops Grow Wilderness Stewardship Awareness

Ten park/office-specific wilderness workshops were conducted in 2018 at Cumberland Island

National Seashore and Black Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains, Joshua Tree, Kenai Fjords, Rocky Mountain, and Saguaro National Parks. The offices for the NPS Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorates and NPS Alaska Leadership Council also received training.

Workshop topics include a comprehensive review of the Wilderness Act and NPS wilderness policy, discussion about wilderness character and the Minimum Requirements Analysis concept, and park-specific topics of interest. Attendees appreciated the place-based focus of the training and the opportunity for an interdisciplinary dialogue.

Wilderness Training for US Border Patrol

ooperation between the US Border Patrol nd NPS has been ongoing for many years. n example of this partnership is providing PS wilderness training at the Public Lands iaisons Agent annual meeting. Border Patrol articipants in the 2018 training included agents rom all sector and national offices. Agents se this information to do place-based training t their offices. This training has also assisted n providing more effective Border Patrol and PS collaboration during the surge of NPS law nforcement along the southern border.

Collaboration with the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center

The interagency Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center (Carhart) provides

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a variety of interagency wilderness trainings, including face-to-face classroom instruction, online courses, blended learning opportunities, and webinars. Tim Devine, NPS Wilderness Stewardship Division - Branch Chief for Training and Development, is stationed at Carhart in Missoula, MT. Online training resources are available at carhart.wilderness.net.

Interagency Trainings Build Wilderness Stewardship Awareness

Each year, Carhart offers a tailored suite of online and classroom trainings to help address wilderness stewardship throughout the interagency National Wilderness Preservation System. In 2018, Carhart provided:

• Two regional trainings in NM and MT• One national leadership training in MT

• Two webinars (wilderness and accessbility;sustainable camping on the Pacific CrestTrail)

Wilderness Blended Learning Opportunities

The Wilderness Stewardship Certificate Program (WSCP) is a collaborative project between the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center, Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands at Indiana University, and the Society for Wilderness Stewardship. WSCP is a professional development program that builds credentials and increases capacity in individuals, agencies, and organizations working with the National Wilderness Preservation System. Certificates combine self-paced online learning with professional mentorship and field-based

assignments.

The Wilderness Management Distance EducationProgram (WMDEP) is offered by the University ofMontana in partnership with the Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center. WMDEP offers the only undergraduate and graduate Certificates in Wilderness Management in the country.

Executing an Historic Preservation Project in Wilderness Training

There is a longstanding perceived conflict between cultural and wilderness laws and stewardship. To help alleviate this perception the NPS Vanishing Treasures Program partnered with the interagency Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center and the NPS Wilderness Stewardship Division to develop and host “Executing an Historic Preservation Project in Wilderness.” Taught workshop-style, the course presents an overview of law and policy, illuminates the historical context for the pertinent court cases, showcases traditional skills often required to execute historic preservation projects in wilderness, and provides an opportunity for robust discussions. The 2018 workshop was hosted at Bandelier National Monument.

2018 Training Summary

Training TypeNPS Staff Trained

NPS Preservation of Wilderness Character Trainings 47

NPS Park-Specific Wilderness Workshops 251

NPS Historic Preservation In Wilderness Training 12

Carhart Interagency National Wilderness Leadership Training 11

Carhart Interagency Regional Wilderness Stewardship Trainings

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Carhart Online Courses(users with NPS email addresses) 247

Wilderness Management Distance Education Program 18

Wilderness Stewardship Online Certificate Program 3

Carhart Webinars Data not available

Total NPS Staff Trained: 606

Total US Border Patrol Staff Trained: 25

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Communication & CollaborationInterdisciplinary Work Group Begins Work on Strategy for Wilderness Interpretation and Education

Identified as a 2018 work group by the NPS National Wilderness Leadership Council, a group of seven NPS staff with expertise in interpretation, education, communications, and wilderness began development of a national Wilderness Interpretation and Education Strategy. This Strategy will give wilderness parks a consistent starting point to communicate about NPS wilderness and develop interpretive and educational content for programs, websites, social media, and other non-personal services. The Secretarial priority of recreational access is addressed in this Strategy.

The Wilderness Stewardship Division was also a member of the NPS National Council for Interpretation, Volunteers, and Education to help ensure this Strategy complements current and anticipated future interpretation and education best practices.

A draft of the Strategy will be made available for servicewide review in 2019 and finalized in early 2020. This Strategy will replace the 2002 Wilderness Education and Partnership Plan.

Wilderness Resource Brief Library Available for Servicewide Use

accessible language that emphasizes key points for consideration, citing relevant law and NPS policy where applicable. Each brief also includes links to supplemental digital resources and contact information to learn more. The resource brief library continues to grow as new topics are identified. Briefs developed in 2018 include:

The Wilderness Stewardship Division developed a series of topic-specific resource briefs to serve as a succinct reference for meetings, briefings, and outreach. Available servicewide, these briefs address topics in wilderness stewardship through

• Wilderness in the NPS

• NPS National Wilderness Leadership Council

• Minimum Requirements Analysis

• Wilderness Character

• Wilderness Character and Fire

• Wilderness Recreation

NPS Wilderness Communication Resources

Wilderness Stewardship Resource Brief Library

NPS.gov/wilderness (Subject Site)

NPS.gov/WSD (Organization Site)

Wilderness Stewardship Intranet Site [viewable by DOI only]

Common Learning Portal: Wilderness Stewardship

National Wilderness Update: Summer-Fall 2018

Interagency Wilderness Explorer Activity Booklet

The NPS Wilderness Stewardship Program is comprised of theWilderness Stewardship Division, Regional Wilderness Coordinators, Park Wilderness Managers, the National Wilderness Leadership Council, park/program and interagency partners.

The interdisciplinary nature of wilderness stewardship requires ongoing collaboration and dialogue with these different stakeholders. Additionally, meaningful outreach to diverse public audiences ensures that wilderness remains relevant in the 21st Century.

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NPS Wilderness Websites and Servicewide Communication Collaboration Grows

The Wilderness Stewardship Division (WSD) continued content creation and maintenance of four websites in 2018: Subject and Organizational sites on NPS.gov, the Wilderness Stewardship intranet site, and Wilderness Stewardship on the Common Learning Portal. Each serving a distinct need, ranging from the general interest in wilderness to management-related inquiries and online training, this website portfolio offers content tailored to different audiences.

WSD also partnered with the NPS Office of Communications to promote wilderness during specific communication initiatives throughout 2018. Wilderness content for social media and NPS.gov was developed during National Park Week, International Day of Women and Girls in Science, NPS Natural Resources Stewardship and Science mini-campaigns, and the 54th anniversary of the Wilderness Act.

‘National Wilderness Update’ Connects Staff and Partners with Important Wilderness Information

The Wilderness Stewardship Division continued to offer the semi-annual NPS Wilderness Update in 2018. This national newsletter conveys timely updates, upcoming initiatives, availability of new support resources, and training opportunities to internal and external stakeholders. The Wilderness Update is published twice a year and shared with over 300 NPS staff and partners.

Webinars Bring Current Wilderness Information to NPS Staff Servicewide

The Wilderness Stewardship Division (WSD) hosted two national webinars in 2018: 1) An introduction to the interagency Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute and 2) An review of the draft Framework to Evaluate Ecological Intervention Proposals in Wilderness (developed by the NPS National Wilderness Leadership Council). With more than 60 NPS staff attending these webinars, participants learned about both of these topics with real-time information and opportunities to exchange questions and ideas directly with webinar panelists. Given the success with these webinars, WSD intends to offer more webinars in 2019.

Interagency Wilderness Explorers Activity Booklet Use Grow

The Interagency Wilderness Explorers Activity Booklet, similar to the NPS Junior Ranger series, invites participants ages eight and up to complete a series of printed activities to learn more about wilderness in the National Wilderness Preservation System. With its intentional design that does not require an in-person visit to a wilderness park, participants can learn about wilderness through the activities and linked resources, and submit the completed book to either a park or the Wilderness Stewardship Division. More than 350 people completed the booklet at home in 2018, with more having completed them in parks.

Camp is set-up in the high country of the Stephen Mather Wilderness, North Cascades NP.Photo credit: NPS

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM • 2018 REPORT14

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regional highlightS

Six of the seven NPS regions have designated wilderness and other lands managed as wilderness. Each region’s identified Regional Wilderness Coordinator assists parks with wilderness stewardship issues and landscape-scale coordination.

The 2018 Regional Wilderness Coordinators are:

• Alaska - Adrienne Lindholm• Pacific West - Alan Schmierer• Intermountain - Melissa Trenchik

• Midwest - Chris Holbeck• Northeast - Jon Meade + Mike Bilecki• Southeast - Mark Kinzer

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The Alaska Leadership Council approved the use of the Alaska Region Minimum Requirements Analysis Short Form as a way to streamline compliance for simpler projects while encouraging interdisciplinary teams to give adequate thought to preserving

ilderness character. Additionally, the Alaska Region advanced the preservation of wilderness character by developing new interactive wilderness training urriculum and bringing it to the Alaska Regional Directorate, Kenai Fjords National Park, and other park and regional teams. Denali National Park Preserve finalized its Wilderness Character Narrative.

Wendy Artz was selected to receive the 2018 Alaska Region Excellence in Wilderness Stewardship Award for her commitment to wilderness at Katmai National Park & Preserve. Her work includes improving the park’s commercial filming permitting process, supporting wilderness research activities, and voluntarily supervising the interpretive wilderness rangers as part of her program.

3Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks partnered with American Rivers to inventory and protect ecological and hydrological function of historically-grazed and now-degraded mountain meadows in the parks. This effort, funded through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, aims to restore wilderness character and increase resiliency to climate change by improving wetland and fen function. To date, American Rivers (in partnership with the University of California - Davis and the US Forest Service) has performed a rapid condition assessment on 50 meadows that were identified as restoration candidates by the parks’ Soil and Moisture Conservation Crew between 1948 and 1981. Wilderness-appropriate restoration techniques were crafted through a meadow pilot study. Log Meadow, an 18-acre wilderness meadow degraded by headcuts and gullies, is easily accessible and a prime location to hone hand-labor techniques to be applied in future wilderness meadows. This initiative will help accelerate many wilderness meadow restoration efforts and improve the Natural Quality of wilderness character in parks and forests across the Sierra Nevada region - comprising the source of 60% of drinking water in California.

The Intermountain Region has completed all but one Wilderness Character Building Blocks Report for the region’s parks with wilderness. These reports contain a park’s Wilderness Basics and Wilderness Character Baseline Assessment. Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Grand Canyon National Park hired Wilderness Fellows to complete their Building Blocks Reports in 2018, and work continues at several wilderness parks to complete five-year wilderness character monitoring, following the initial baseline assessments.

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regional highlightS (continued)

5Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park completed a GIS-based approach to depict threats to wilderness character in the park. Maps were generated for selected weighted measures of wilderness character and then added together to produce a composite map of threats to wilderness character. The maps will be used by park staff to analyze the potential impacts of different management actions on wilderness character, inform decision-making and support new management plans, and improve internal staff communication and external public communication about wilderness.

6An additional 22,000 acres of prairie will be available for bison to graze within the Badlands Wilderness through a land exchange that provides a corridor between the Sage Creek and Conata Basin Units. The park’s herd of ~800 bison have historically been confined to the Sage Creek Unit but through the land exchange between a local rancher, Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, and the NPS, bison will have access to the Canata Basin where they have been excluded for more than 100 years. Bison are a keystone species in prairie ecosystems as they drive vegetation composition, affect nutrient cycling, and benefit wildlife like prairie dogs, which in turn support foxes, ferrets, and raptors. This land exchange benefits the public by providing wildlife viewing and photographic opportunities for park visitors and benefits wilderness by improving the natural quality of wilderness character. The National Park Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, Defenders of Wildlife and the Nature Conservancy all played a part in making this possible.

7The Record of Decision was signed for the Fire Island National Seashore Wilderness Breach Management Plan in 2018. The NPS will continue to monitor the breach and allow for the evolution, growth, and/or closure of the breach to be determined by natural barrier island processes. The approved management strategy calls for human intervention only “to prevent loss of life, flooding, and other severe economic and physical damage to the Great South Bay and surrounding areas.” The strategy requires continued monitoring of the natural ocean-to-bay channel, an effort that has been underway since it formed during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Starting in 2018, Shenandoah National Park began exploring a project aimed at restoring a portion of the Meadow Run Watershed, which falls largely within the Shenandoah Wilderness, in the southwest portion of the park. The park leadership team is working with NPS experts and external consultants to understand options for improving the underlying soil pH of the watershed through restoration efforts including liming applications. In 2019, public outreach and engagement will begin to gather feedback from stakeholders. This engagement will help inform the project, which will be analyzed in an Environmental Assessment for decision-making.

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9Everglades National Park made additional progress on its Wilderness Stewardship Plan in 2018. A workshop held in July looked at strategies for enhancing the park’s wilderness character through targeted management actions. Ideas were generated on the following topics: visitor use and experience; management of natural resources/ecological restoration; recreational and navigational facilities; administrative uses for research activities; management of cultural resources; and education and outreach.

+10 11Cumberland Gap National Historic Park continued to move forward with its newly-established internal wilderness committee. The committee reviews and assists with management actions that may affect wilderness stewardship. A current focus of the committee is existing infrastructure in wilderness and possibilities for enhancing the undeveloped quality of wilderness character. Congaree National Park completed a minor boundary modification in 2018 that added 100 acres to the park’s roadless area. This area, together with 4,600 acres added to the park in 2003, will be assessed for wilderness eligibility. Congaree currently has 21,700 acres of designated wilderness.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM • 2018 REPORT16

wilderneSS leaderShip council

The NPS Wilderness Leadership Council (NWLC) serves an advisory council to the Director on all matters pertaining to wilderness. The council strives to enhance the agency’s ability to address critical wilderness stewardship issues. Comprised of park, regional, and national staff, this interdisciplinary council represents perspectives from a variety of positions and management levels. Each council member serves a three-year term, with staggered rotation occurring each year. The following summaries highlight three of the nine work groups for 2018:

ECOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS IN

WILDERNESS

While ecological interventions are actions that degrade the untrammeled quality of wilderness character, they are usually proposed to restore or improve the natural quality of wilderness character. This work group, chaired by Adrienne Lindholm and Jack Oelfke, drafted guidelines and an evaluation framework to help staff review and evaluate proposals for ecological intervention in wilderness. In 2018, a webinar on this topic invited Servicewide review of the draft framework, and began incorporating all of this feedback into a revised evaluation framework. The work group aims to release the final guidelines and evaluation framework in 2019.

This work group, chaired by Ruth Scott and Fred Herling, is developing strategies and tools for the effective use of Programmatic Minimum Requirements Analysis (PMRA), helping to streamline efforts and reduce administrative burden. In 2018, the work group developed a first draft of a “Guide to PMRAs” following input from NPS staff. The Guide presents the potential positive and negative aspects of PMRA use; strategies and key criteria for creating high quality PMRAs; a list of suggested activity types that lend themselves to PMRAs; and a list of management considerations and cautions. The Guide is being refined and will be presented for NPS review in 2019.

PROGRAMMATIC MINIMUM

REQUIREMENTS ANALYSIS

WILDERNESS CLIMBING MANAGERS

NETWORK

This work group, chaired by Ray O’Neil and comprised of both NWLC members and other experienced NPS climbing managers, seeks to:

1. Provide additional guidance for inclusion in Reference Manual 41:Wilderness Stewardship that clarifies policies concerning fixed anchors inwilderness.

2. Provide a forum for parks with climbing activities to share ideas, discusscommon issues, and develop solutions.

This guidance is intended to help park superintendents make informed decisions that promote recreational access and climbing opportunities while ensuring the natural and cultural resources are protected and wilderness character is preserved. In 2018, the work group hosted a Climbing Managers Network meeting in conjunction with the Access Fund in Tucson, AZ and made significant progress on developing and finalizing the guidance. In 2019, this guidance will be reviewed by the NPS Visitor and Resource Protection Directorate for potential inclusion in Reference Manual 41.

2018 COUNCILSuperintendent

Dan Brown, Gulf Islands NSJennifer Flynn, Shenandoah NPPhilip Hooge, Glacier Bay NP&Pr

Bruce Noble, Black Canyon of the Gunnison NPWoody Smeck, Sequoia-Kings Canyon NPs (Aug-Dec Vice Chair)

Park Wilderness ManagerRuth Scott, Olympic NP

PJ Walker, Everglades NP

Visitor & Resource ProtectionRay O’Neil, Saguaro NP (Jan-Aug Chair)

Scott Brown, SE Utah Parks Group

Cultural ResourcesBlair Davenport, Pacific West Region

Natural ResourcesLinda Mazzu, Bryce Canyon NP

Interpretation & EducationKevin Sweeney, Lassen Volcanic NP

Facilities ManagementKirk Barrett, Lassen Volcanic NP

At LargeFred Herling, Everglades NP

Alaska Region/Park RepresentativeAdrienne Lindholm, Alaska Region (Jan-Aug Vice Chair; Aug-Dec Chair)

Wilderness Stewardship DivisionRoger Semler, Chief

Tim Devine, Branch Chief - Training & Development

Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training CenterAndrea Gehrke, Director

Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research InstituteSusan Fox, Director

Commercial ServicesKelly Chang, Alaska Region Chief of Commercial Services

Environmental Quality DivisionLindsay Gillham, Project Manager

Fire & AviationJay Lusher, Grand Canyon NP

Natural Resources Stewardship & ScienceKirsten Gallo, Inventory & Monitoring Division

Park Planning & Special StudiesPatrick Gregerson, Chief

Associate Directors For:Visitor & Resource Protection; Natural Resource Stewardship & Science; Cultural Resources; Park Planning, Facilities, & Lands

Department of Interior Solicitor’s Office:Dan Pulver, Attorney-Advisor

LIASO

NS

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interagency wilderneSS adviSory groupS

The interagency Wilderness Steering Committee and Wilderness Policy Council provide coordinated, national level guidance for the NPS, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and US Forest Service, with science and research support from the US Geological Survey.

The Wilderness Steering Committee, comprised of wilderness program leads, meets monthly to discuss high priority issues and initiatives across the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS).

The Wilderness Policy Council, comprised of Associate/Assistant Directors, meets periodically to identify common policy and guidance to be implemented across the NWPS.

NPS staff ford a river in the Katmai Wilderness, Katmai National Park & Preserve.Photo Credit: NPS/Semler

2018 WILDERNESS STEERING COMMITTEE

National Park ServiceRoger SemlerJohn Dennis

US Fish and Wildlife ServiceNancy Roeper

Bureau of Land ManagementPeter Mali (Vice Chair)

US Forest ServiceSandy Skrien (Chair)

US Geological SurveyRudy Schuster

Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center

Andrea Gehrke

Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research InstituteSusan Fox

2018 WILDERNESS POLICY COUNCIL

National Park ServiceLouis RoweGuy Adema

US Fish and Wildlife ServiceCynthia Martinez

Bureau of Land ManagementChristopher McAlear

US Forest ServiceSue Spear (Chair)

Carl Lucero

US Geological SurveyJohn Organ

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • WILDERNESS STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM • 2018 REPORT18

appendiX a: organiZational chartWilderness Stewardship Division, Visitor & Resource Protection Directorate

Associate Director LOUIS ROWE, ACTING

Deputy Associate Director

VACANT

Division Chief ROGER SEMLER (December 2014-Present)

Roger oversees the Division from Missoula, MT and serves as the principal adviser to the Director on wilderness-related issues. Roger began his career as a Wilderness Ranger at Katmai National Monument in 1977, where he developed a strong wilderness ethic and a life-long passion for wilderness stewardship. Roger’s career has emphasized visitor and resource protection and wilderness management, including

assignments as a Park Ranger at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park; District Ranger at Mount Rainier National park; District Ranger, Law Enforcement Specialist and Wilderness Manager at Glacier National Park; and Chief of Operations at Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve.

Administrative Assistant

THOMAS GARCIA (2018-Present)

Thomas Garcia is a US Marine Corps Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and served honorably for eight years on active duty. During that time, he gained a myriad of administrative experience while serving on a Commanding General’s staff for

both a Marine Logistics Group Headquarters and Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters, while stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA. In 2016, Thomas began his NPS career as the Executive Assistant for the NPS Associate Director of Visitor and Resource Protection. Thomas received his Bachelor’s in Applied Sociology from Texas State University.

Communications + Outreach Specialist

ERIN DRAKE (2012-Present)

Erin works from Denver, CO. She leads and coordinates communications for the NPS Wilderness Program - collaboratively partnering with parks, regions, and WASO programs on wilderness policy, stewardship, and management. Erin also develops public outreach and web content, including

strategic content development for NPS.gov/wilderness and NPS intranet websites. She has worked as a biotech at Olympic and Mesa Verde National Parks, a wildland firefighter for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, and in NPS communications at the National Interagency Fire Center. Erin has a Masters in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources from Colorado State University.

Branch Chief - Training + Development

TIM DEVINE (2005-Present)

Tim works out of the interagency Arthur Carhart National Wilderness Training Center in Missoula, MT. In addition to training and development, Tim is also the NPS representative at Carhart. He instructs various face-to-face and online wilderness stewardship training courses. He also

helps with NPS policy development and advises parks on wilderness stewardship issues. Tim’s NPS visitor/resource protection and natural resource management career stretches back to 1978 in a number of wilderness parks including Big Cypress National Preserve, Buffalo National River, and Everglades, Mount Rainier, Olympic, and Rocky Mountain National Parks.

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APPENDIX B: NPS DESIGNATED WILDERNESS SUMMARY TABLEREGION PARK WILDERNESS AREA ACRES

Alaska

Denali NP&Pr Denali Wilderness 2,146,000

Gates of the Arctic NP&Pr Gates of the Arctic Wilderness 7,154,000

Glacier Bay NP&Pr Glacier Bay Wilderness 2,656,000

Katmai NP&Pr Katmai Wilderness 3,323,000

Kobuk Valley NP Kobuk Valley Wilderness 176,000

Lake Clark NP&Pr J.S. Hammond Wilderness 2,592,000

Noatak NPr Noatak Wilderness 5,814,000

Wrangel-St. Elias NP&Pr Wrangell-St. Elias Wilderness 9,432,000

Pacific West

Craters of the Moon NMCraters of the Moon National Wilderness Area

43,243

Death Valley NP Death Valley Wilderness 3,190,455*

Devils Postpile NM Ansel Adams Wilderness 747

Haleakala NP Haleakala Wilderness 24,719

Hawai’i Volcanoes NP Hawai’i Volcanoes Wilderness 123,100

Joshua Tree NP Joshua Tree Wilderness 595,364

Lake Mead NRA

Black Canyon Wilderness 17,220

Bridge Canyon Wilderness 7,761

Eldorado Wilderness 26,250

Ireteba Peaks Wilderness 29,299

Jimbilinan Wilderness 18,879

Muddy Mountains Wilderness 3,521

Nellis Wash Wilderness 16,423

Pinto Valley Wilderness 39,173

Spirit Mountain Wilderness 32,913

Lassen Volcanic NP Lassen Volcanic Wilderness 79,061

Lava Beds NM Lava Beds Wilderness 28,460

Mojave NPr Mojave Wilderness 695,200

Mount Rainier NP Mount Rainier Wilderness 228,480

North Cascades NP Stephen Mather Wilderness 638,173

Olympic NP Daniel J. Evans Wilderness 876,447

Pinnacles NP Hain Wilderness 15,985

Point Reyes NS Philip Burton Wilderness 27,315

Sequoia & Kings Canyon NPsJohn Krebs Wilderness 39,740

Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness 768,222

Yosemite NP Yosemite Wilderness 704,624

REGION PARK WILDERNESS AREA ACRES

Inter -mountain

Bandelier NM Bandelier Wilderness 23,267

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Wilderness

15,599

Carlsbad Caverns NP Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness 33,125

Chiricahua NMChiricahua National Monument Wilderness

10,290

Great Sand Dunes NP&PrGreat Sand Dunes Wilderness 32,643

Sangre de Cristo Wilderness 40,595

Guadalupe Mountains NP Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness 46,850

Mesa Verde NP Mesa Verde Wilderness 8,500

Organ Pipe Cactus NM Organ Pipe Cactus Wilderness 312,600

Petrified Forest NPPetrified Forest National Wilderness Area

50,260

Rocky Mountain NPIndian Peaks Wilderness 2,959

Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness

249,126

Saguaro NP Saguaro Wilderness 70,905

Zion NP Zion Wilderness 124,406

Midwest

Apostle Islands NL Gaylord Nelson Wilderness 33,500

Badlands NP Badlands Wilderness 64,144

Buffalo NRi Buffalo National River Wilderness 34,933

Isle Royale NP Isle Royale Wilderness 132,018

Pictured Rocks NL Beaver Basin Wilderness 11,740

Sleeping Bear Dunes NL Sleeping Bear Dunes Wilderness 32,557

Theodore Roosevelt NP Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness 29,920

NortheastFire Island NS

Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness

1,380

Shenandoah NP Shenandoah Wilderness 79,579

Southeast

Congaree NP Congaree National Park Wilderness 21,700

Cumberland Island NS Cumberland Island Wilderness 9,907

Everglades NPMarjory Stonemean Douglas Wilderness

1,296,500

Gulf Islands NS Gulf Islands Wilderness 4,630

All acreages reference designated wilderness only, not designated potential wilderness.

For some parks, acreages listed reflect updated boundary mapping through GIS. This may result in a change from the legislated to “current designated’ acreage numbers listed.

*Death Valley Wilderness acreage updated in 2019 per Public Law 116-9.

National Park ServiceUS Department of Interior

Wilderness Stewardship DivisionVisitor and Resource Protection Directorate