Impacts of Intertidal Trampling on Intertidal Communities in Olympic NP

Project ID: UW-01-25

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Partner Institution: University of Washington

Fiscal Year: 2001

Initial Funding: $12,691

Total Funding: $43,691

Project Type: Research

Project Disciplines: Biological

National Park: Olympic National Park

Principal Investigator: Klinger, Terrie

Agreement Technical Representative: Fradkin, Steven

Abstract: The goal of this research is to determine the impact of human trampling on intertidal invertebrate and algal communities in Olympic National Park. The Park’s 65-mile wilderness coastline has few access points and contains few trails, requiring visitors to hike directly on intertidal habitats while exploring and “tide-pooling” in the park. Certain focal areas experience intense visitation because of their ease of access and use by Park-led interpretive groups. At present, only anecdotal information exists on the effects of trampling on the open Pacific-exposed Park coastline. The limited existing data from other sites comes mainly from sheltered coastlines. This project will quantify the effects of intertidal trampling and explore management options to ameliorate negative effects. Results will be useful to managers at Olympic National Park and managers of other coastal parks (exposed and sheltered) in addition to intertidal ecologists interested in disturbance dynamics. (Renumbered J9088010032.)

Deliverables:

• Integrating Law, Science, and Regulation in Public Lands Management: An Application of Policy Science to Manage Impacts from Human Trampling on the Rocky Shore of Olympic National Park, Washington, USA (Thesis Masters)
• Effects of human trampling in the barnacle zone along a gradient of use in Olympic National Park (Thesis Masters)