The Southwest Network Collaboration

The Southwest Network Collaboration is a joint effort between three natural resource inventory and monitoring networks in the National Park Service: Chihuahuan Desert Network, Sonoran Desert Network, and Southern Plains Network. In total, these networks encompass 29 National Park Service units. The goal of our collaboration is to improve effectiveness and efficiency in monitoring natural resources across all three networks.

Although each network conducts its own protocols for monitoring certain unique vital signs, our networks share protocols, training, data management, field crews, and reporting responsibilities for the following shared vital signs: climate; invasive exotic plants; groundwater; streams; springs, seeps, and tinajas; and terrestrial vegetation and soils.

Learn more at our network websites:

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  Chihuahuan Desert Network

  The Chihuahuan Desert Network contains seven parks.

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  Sonoran Desert Network

  The Sonoran Desert Network contains eleven parks.

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  Southern Plains Network

  The Southern Plains Network contains eleven parks.

Click on features of the map to discover which parks each network contains.