IMPLEMENTATION OF PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCE INVENTORY AND MONITORING STRATEGIES BY THE U.S. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PROMOTES SCIENCE AND STEWARDSHIP OF NON-RENEWABLE FOSSILS

The National Park Service Paleontology Program recognizes the implementation of inventory and monitoring (I&M) of fossils as primary and essential to the management and stewardship of non-renewable paleontological resources. The NPS defines paleontological resource inventory as the compilation of baseline data to determine the scope, significance, distribution (both temporal and geospatial), and management issues associated with fossils. Paleontological resource monitoring is defined by the NPS as an assessment of the stability and condition of in situ fossils to understand the natural and anthropogenic factors which contribute to their loss or deterioration. In 1999, the Secretary of the Interior received a request from Congress for information regarding the management of fossils on federal lands. A Report to Congress on Fossils on Federal & Indian Lands (RTC) was prepared by the Department of the Interior in 2000, incorporating information from federal agencies, the scientific community, and the public. Principle 5 in the RTC, titled Effective Stewardship Requires Accurate Information, states, “Inventories and monitoring of fossils on federal lands are critical for sound fossil management. Thorough inventory data enables informed decision making and enhances interagency collaboration.” This statement reflects the management principles and practices of the NPS. This principle was incorporated into Section 6302 of the Paleontological Resource Preservation Act (2009) which states, “The Secretary shall develop appropriate plans for inventory, monitoring, and the scientific and educational use of paleontological resources.” I&M of paleontological resources is a core function and primary responsibility of the NPS Paleontology Program. Through paleontological resource I&M the NPS has applied scientific principles and resource management strategies in the stewardship of non-renewable fossils, resulting in many important new fossil discoveries in national parks.