Natural Area Monitoring at Indianapolis Parks

This case study describes how the Indianapolis Land Stewardship team's work expanded from a 13-acre acorn planting project in 1992 to 1,900 acres under management today. Monitoring has had to change to encompass the expanding program, including improved GIS tracking, long-term studies and vegetation surveys. 

In a nutshell, this resource offers:

• Descriptions of GIS monitoring that enables early detection/rapid response approach to non-native invasive species management.
• Ideas for how to grow and adapt a monitoring framework over time, with a small in-house staff.

How to use this resource:

• For examples of relevant, "always-on" monitoring to inform adaptive management efforts.
• As a way to make management, especially for non-native invasive species, as efficient as possible through monitoring.

Author: Brenda Howard, Spencer Goehl, Michael Jenkins

Date published: 2020

Point of contact: Brenda Howard, Indianapolis Department of Public Works, brenda.howard@indy.gov 

Citation: Howard, B. S.; Goehl, S. A.; and Jenkins, M. A. 2020. Evolution in Natural Area Monitoring at Indianapolis Parks. Cities and the Environment (CATE): Vol. 13: Iss. 1, Article 12.

Resource is available online here.