Develop Phase II of Repeat Photography Program to Engage Visitors and Document Landscape Changes in Yellowstone National Park and Continued Analysis of Visitor Use and Resource Impacts at Focal Attractions
Project ID: P19AC00825
Federal Agency: National Park Service
Partner Institution: Oregon State University
Fiscal Year: 2019
Initial Funding: $34,945
Total Funding: $34,945
Project Type: Research
Project Disciplines: Interdisciplinary
National Park: Yellowstone National Park
Principal Investigator: D'Antonio, Ashley
Agreement Technical Representative: James, Thomas
Abstract: The research in this proposal will support a pre-planning process being implemented in Yellowstone to address interrelated problems associated with increasing summer visitation in order to protect resources and improve visitor experience. This project will help with the continued development of tools to interpret landscape change, as well as engage visitors in the process of data collection via citizen participation in a repeat photography project. Phase II of the repeat photography portion of this project will develop outreach programs for schools (elementary, high school, and college curricula) to engage students in the value of repeat photography datasets and the benefits of monitoring landscape changes for park management and protection. The research in this study will also help the park continue to understand and monitor visitor use levels, visitor behaviors, and resource impacts at the park’s most heavily visited front and backcountry attractions and trails. The project will
entail reviewing and refming protocols used with citizen science data collection by high school YCC participants under NPS supervision as part of a program that motivates its youth participants to become involved in the natural, cultural and /or historical resource protection of their communities and beyond.
Project Objectives –
1. Develop tools for interpreting landscape change from repeat photography stations at up to 10 sites in high use areas of Yellowstone.
2. Develop school outreach programs to engage students with repeat photography as a way to monitor landscape change.
3. Analyze visitor density and resource impacts.
4. Analyze visitor patterns and behaviors at focal attractions.
5. Develop a communication plan to convey collected information.
6. Integrate past data and repeat photography data with ongoing visitor use study.