Monitoring the status of park glaciers can give the park an early indication of changes to downstream ecosystems that rely on cold glacial meltwaters.
NPS/Bill Baccus
Olympic is vast—a largely roadless area nearly the size of Rhode Island encompassing complex natural systems from the rocky Pacific coast to glacier-capped peaks. To understand and protect this ever-changing wilderness, park managers need information. What changes are we observing? How much change is normal?
Like a doctor feeling a patient’s heartbeat, scientists monitor ecological “vital signs” in Olympic and throughout the parks of the North Coast & Cascades Network. Shifts in vegetation, glaciers, intertidal communities, bird populations, and other sensitive environmental indicators can provide early signals of change.
Tracking vital signs is only part of the picture. Olympic scientists also conduct a wide range of research and monitoring in collaboration with tribal, state, and federal agencies; university researchers; and other park partners. Some research, like northern spotted owl monitoring, is just one puzzle piece in a much larger conservation effort spanning the species’ range. Other projects, like the volunteer teams that collect observations of endemic Olympic marmots, are led by park biologists.
Results from scientific study allow park managers to make better decisions and plan ahead to protect Olympic’s ecosystems against emerging issues. But data collected here is also valuable beyond park boundaries.
Olympic’s geography means that clean air from the Pacific Ocean and unpolluted water from mountain snowmelt provide a baseline for water and air quality elsewhere. Meanwhile, low levels of human disturbance in the wilderness allows us to pinpoint signs of ecological disruption from human and other causes. As we move into a future beyond historical climate norms, scientific study will continue to provide us with the tools to be informed stewards of this living laboratory—and our interconnected planet.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Amistad National Recreation Area, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Arches National Park, Assateague Island National Seashore, Big Bend National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Big Thicket National Preserve, Biscayne National Park, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, Buffalo National River, Cape Cod National Seashore, Capitol Reef National Park, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Channel Islands National Park, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Chickasaw National Recreation Area, City Of Rocks National Reserve, Colorado National Monument, Congaree National Park, Crater Lake National Park, Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Denali National Park & Preserve, Devils Tower National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, Everglades National Park, Fort Larned National Historic Site, Gateway National Recreation Area, Glacier National Park, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Portage National Monument, Grand Teton National Park, Great Basin National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, Homestead National Historical Park, Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, Hot Springs National Park, Indiana Dunes National Park, Isle Royale National Park, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Joshua Tree National Park, Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Lowell National Historical Park, Mammoth Cave National Park, Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park, Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, Monocacy National Battlefield, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Mount Rainier National Park, Natchez Trace Parkway, Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, Niobrara National Scenic River, North Cascades National Park, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, Olympic National Park, Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Padre Island National Seashore, Petersburg National Battlefield, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Pinnacles National Park, Pipestone National Monument, Prince William Forest Park, Redwood National and State Parks, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River, Rock Creek Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Saguaro National Park, Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, San Juan Island National Historical Park, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Shenandoah National Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, Tumacácori National Historical Park, Tuzigoot National Monument, Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Voyageurs National Park, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Wind Cave National Park, Women's Rights National Historical Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, Yucca House National Monument, Zion National Parkmore »
Offices:Air Resources Division, National Natural Landmarks Program, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate
Read the abstract and get the link to a published paper on a model to predict mercury risk park waterbodies: Kotalik, C.J. et al. 2025. Ecosystem drivers of freshwater mercury bioaccumulation are context-dependent: insights from continental-scale modeling. Environmental Science & Technology. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c07280
Offices:North Coast and Cascades Inventory & Monitoring Network, North Coast and Cascades Research Learning Center
AUGUST 2024 – So, how many elk are there in the park, anyway? It’s a common question at Olympic visitor centers, but surprisingly hard to answer. Threats including wildlife diseases and hunting on adjacent lands means wildlife managers need an accurate understanding of the size and makeup of the park's iconic Roosevelt elk herds. However, aerial surveys, which had been taking place since 1984, ended in 2015. Now, biologists are experimenting with a new way to monitor elk.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Antietam National Battlefield, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Bluestone National Scenic River, Booker T Washington National Monument, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Colonial National Historical Park, Crater Lake National Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Devils Postpile National Monument, Eisenhower National Historic Site, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington Memorial Parkway, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, Grand Teton National Park, Haleakalā National Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, Morristown National Historical Park, Mount Rainier National Park, National Capital Parks-East, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, Petersburg National Battlefield, Prince William Forest Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Rock Creek Park, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, Saratoga National Historical Park, Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Parkmore »
Offices:Eastern Rivers and Mountains Inventory & Monitoring Network, Greater Yellowstone Inventory & Monitoring Network, Inventory and Monitoring Division, Mid-Atlantic Inventory & Monitoring Network, National Capital Inventory & Monitoring Network, North Coast and Cascades Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northeast Temperate Inventory & Monitoring Network, Pacific Island Inventory & Monitoring Network, Rocky Mountain Inventory & Monitoring Network, Sierra Nevada Inventory & Monitoring Networkmore »
From coast to coast, the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division is helping park managers improve the health and function of forest ecosystems. From promoting resilient forests in the Northeast, to conserving whitebark pine in the West, to protecting Hawaiian forest birds from avian malaria, scientific partnerships are helping parks to share information, leverage funding sources, and work together for outcomes that extend beyond what any park could accomplish on its own.
Locations:Crater Lake National Park, Devils Postpile National Monument, Glacier National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Parkmore »
Offices:Greater Yellowstone Inventory & Monitoring Network, Inventory and Monitoring Division
Found mainly on public lands, whitebark pine is one of America’s most threatened and ecologically valuable tree species. A multi-agency alliance is using innovative strategies based on science to help it avoid extinction. Recent federal funding is helping.
Locations:Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, Hot Springs National Park, Hovenweep National Monument, Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, Indiana Dunes National Park, Isle Royale National Park, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Jewel Cave National Monument, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, John Muir National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Joshua Tree National Park, Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Kings Mountain National Military Park, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, Kobuk Valley National Park, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lava Beds National Monument, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park, Mammoth Cave National Park, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, Mesa Verde National Park, Minute Man National Historical Park, Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, Missouri National Recreational River, Mojave National Preserve, Monocacy National Battlefield, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Moores Creek National Battlefield, Morristown National Historical Park, Mount Rainier National Park, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Muir Woods National Monument, Natchez Trace Parkway, National Capital Parks-East, National Park of American Samoa, Natural Bridges National Monument, Navajo National Monument, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, Nez Perce National Historical Park, Ninety Six National Historic Site, Niobrara National Scenic River, Noatak National Preserve, North Cascades National Park, Obed Wild & Scenic River, Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, Olympic National Park, Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Oxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill Farm, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Padre Island National Seashore, Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park, Pea Ridge National Military Park, Pecos National Historical Park, Petersburg National Battlefield, Petrified Forest National Park, Petroglyph National Monument, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Pinnacles National Park, Pipe Spring National Monument, Pipestone National Monument, Piscataway Park, Point Reyes National Seashore, Presidio of San Francisco, Prince William Forest Park, Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park, Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Redwood National and State Parks, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Rock Creek Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Russell Cave National Monument, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Saguaro National Park, Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, San Juan Island National Historical Park, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Saratoga National Historical Park, Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, Scotts Bluff National Monument, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Shenandoah National Park, Shiloh National Military Park, Sitka National Historical Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Stones River National Battlefield, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Theodore Roosevelt Island, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, Tonto National Monument, Tumacácori National Historical Park, Tuzigoot National Monument, Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Vicksburg National Military Park, Virgin Islands National Park, Voyageurs National Park, Walnut Canyon National Monument, War In The Pacific National Historical Park, Washita Battlefield National Historic Site, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, White Sands National Park, Whitman Mission National Historic Site, Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, Wind Cave National Park, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve, Wright Brothers National Memorial, Wupatki National Monument, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, Yucca House National Monument, Yukon - Charley Rivers National Preserve, Zion National Parkmore »
To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation.
Locations:Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park
Offices:North Coast and Cascades Inventory & Monitoring Network, North Coast and Cascades Research Learning Center
MARCH 2024 – Even national parks transform over time—sometimes in dramatic ways! Explore a new visual tour through 30 years of data from the NCCN’s landscape change monitoring program, which uses satellite remote sensing to track disturbances in Olympic, Mount Rainier, and the North Cascades. This analysis also offers clues to how climate change may be altering disturbance patterns in wilderness areas across the Pacific Northwest.
Locations:Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park
Offices:North Coast and Cascades Research Learning Center
SEPTEMBER 2023 – Northern spotted owls are in trouble. Populations on the Olympic Peninsula fell by over 80% between 1995 and 2017; in Mount Rainier National Park, they declined nearly 75% over the same period. In response to declining numbers, autonomous recording units have become the front line of monitoring across the species’ range. This technology offers unique advantages, but challenges to the species survival remain.
Locations:Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park
Despite dire evidence of rising tree death, researchers found resilience and hope deep inside western Washington's forests. But it will take 21st-century monitoring methods to keep that hope alive.
Offices:North Coast and Cascades Research Learning Center
SEPTEMBER 2023 – What happens to bats in Olympic during the winter? While scientists know that some species migrate while others stay local, many of the details are still a mystery. That’s a problem, because winter is when bats are at greatest danger from white-nose syndrome. The installation of a new receiver connected to a global network of wildlife tracking stations will offer knowledge that park managers could use to help promote resilience to WNS in the future.
Locations:Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, San Juan Island National Historical Park
Offices:North Coast and Cascades Inventory & Monitoring Network, North Coast and Cascades Research Learning Center
SEPTEMBER 2023 – Over two years, teams at four parks in the North Coast & Cascades Network hiked hundreds of miles to collect samples of environmental DNA (eDNA) from park waters. These delicate samples promise to greatly expand our understanding of aquatic ecosystems, answering important questions about threatened species, emerging pathogens, ecological invaders, and more. What's next for this project?
This 2016 report details the status and trends of Olympic's natural resources—from Roosevelt elk to razor clams to river geomorphology.
The NPS DataStore archives studies and reports by park scientists or produced in collaboration with the NPS. Some reports below are part of the NPS Natural Resource Report Series or Science Report Series and are only published in the DataStore. Explore scientific journals and databases to find studies by researchers unaffiliated with the park.
To learn more or request information, please contact the North Coast & Cascades Research Learning Center.
Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.
Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.
Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.
Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.
Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.
Occurrence Tags
Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.
False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.
Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.
Abundance
Abundant:
Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.
Common:
Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.
Uncommon:
Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.
Rare:
Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.
Occasional:
Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).
Unknown: Abundance unknown
Nativeness
Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.
Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.
Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.
List Differences
The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.
The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.
The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.
