About Us

Monitoring upland vegetation and soils in Wupatki National Monument

NPS

The Southern Colorado Plateau Network (SCPN) is based in Flagstaff, Arizona. The network’s NPS staff includes the program manager, ecologists and technicians, a data management team, a science writer/editor, and a half-time program assistant. The network works collaboratively with the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystems Study Unit, the U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Arizona University, and other regional universities to bring in additional technical expertise as needed.

The organizational structure of the network also includes a Board of Directors, and Technical Advisory Committee.

Our mission is to track status and trends in the condition of selected park "vital signs" and to communicate the results to park managers, partners, and the public. In this way we work to promote the use of sound science in the preservation of natural and cultural resources held in trust by the National Park Service. Since 2000, the Southern Colorado Plateau Network has worked with 19 network parks to identify natural resource inventory and monitoring needs, complete basic inventories, and implement long-term ecological monitoring.

Contact Us

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors provides guidance, oversight and advocacy in the development and implementation of the I&M Program for the 19 NPS units in the Southern Colorado Plateau Network. The board has five voting members who are superintendents or assistant superintendents from five of the 19 NPS units. The chairperson of the network’s I&M Technical Advisory Committee and the network program manager serve as non-voting members. The National Park Service Intermountain Region I&M Coordinator and the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Research Coordinator also serve as non-voting members.

Technical Advisory Committee

The Technical Advisory Committee provides scientific and technical guidance and park-based logistical support for the Southern Colorado Plateau Network. It is composed of natural resource representatives from the 19 network park units, plus the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Research Coordinator and the network’s program manager.