Western Region, National Park Service, Contract #CX8000 6 003

Smith, C.W.

English

ScholarSpace at University of Hawai'i at Manoa

213THE CPSU UHC. W. SmithDepartment of BotanyUniversity of Hawaii at ManoaHonolulu, Hawaii 96822On March 16, 1973, a Master Memorandum of understandingbetween the University of Hawaii and the National Park Servicewas signed which established the Cooperative National ParkResources Studies Unit at the University of Hawaii. The Unitis a jointly sponsored research unit whose function is toencourage and conduct biological research in Hawai'i'sNational Parks.The advantage for the National Park Service is the avail-ability of qualified research personnel, well-versed inHawaiian natural history, who can study the resources inHawafi's National Parks efficiently and effectively. Theobjective is to obtain information that will allow each Parkto formulate and update its Resource Management 'Plan.For the University the advantages are the encouragementand support of biological research by faculty and students inthe Parks. In this case students, normally encouraged to getas much supervised field experience as possible, are providedfinancial and logistic support which is generally the primarylimitation on field work. The faculty also benefits by thecontinued support of their professional development. Thusthe University benefits by the support and consequent upgradingof the graduate· program. in areas requiring extensive fieldwork.Each National Park has a Resources Management Plan. ThisPlan is formulated from the Park Service experience withineach Park. Within each Resource Management Plan, the variousproposals identify where further information is needed. Eachproposal requiring new action is then ranked in terms of itspriority and an estimate made of the money and time neededto fulfill the proposal. The priority assigned to any pro-posal depends on a number of criteria, not least among whichis the availability of funds and personnel.Each Park's resource management program is then evaluatedat the State and Regional levels. The top priority itemsrequiring research are then discussed with regard to theirurgency, feasibility, and the availability of funds.A Resource Management Plan is not a static objective fora particular Park. It is updated and modified as necessary,that is, it changes with the requirements of the resourcemanagers. However, there is a certain stability in the over-all proposal, and programs once instituted are followedthrough to their expected conclusion.214The CPSU UR Coordinating Committee is involved in thisprocess to a limited extent in that we review management plansand proposals . At times, the CPSU UH Coordinating Comm.ittee(consisting of three eiltomologists, three botanists~ oneornithologist and the research biologist fr01:n Hawaii VolcanoesNational Park) will identify resource management problemswhich it feels should be attended to; for example, the manage-ment of weeds. However, the role of the unit is to conductre&earch on subjects identified by the pa:J:':ks, and not to urgethe parks to take care of specific problems. Individuals andgroups should address their concerns directly to the parkmanagers.Once a research program has reached the stage that it isof sufficient priority arid funds are avc:l.ilable, t:he CPSU URis invited to find someone to investigate the problem. Aninitial estimate is made of the cost of the program, theavailability of sufficient qualified people, and adequatefacilities and equpiment. The Princi?al Investigator, who waybe a faculty memberora graduate student, is asked to write aresearch proposal with a detailed budget. The research pro-posal is evaluated within the Unit and Graduate Divi~ion ofthe University before it is passed on t~ the National Parkconcerned i th~ State Director, and the Chief Scientist of theWestern Region. At the Park, the proposal is checked to ensurethat their resource management problem is being addressed andthat it will provide the type of information that they need.At the State and Regional Offices the proposal is again assessedas meeting resource management needs but legal, budgetary andother criteria are also considered. I cannot ove~emphasizethe fact that all research conducted by the Unit has aE) itsprimary obj ective the optimal management of· some resourcewithin the National Parks. At this point, if all requirementshave been satisfied, a contract is drawn up b.etween theUniversity and National Park Service which identifies theresearch proposal, and by implication the research program,which is to be sponsored. Once all the appropriate signatureshave been obtained the CPSU UR administers the research pro-gram on behalf of the principal investigator; that is. the Unitprovides secretarial assistance, takes care of administrationrequirements (payroll, travel, supplies, etc.) and also ensuresthat the program is running smoothly. and reports are receivedwhen needed. The Unit tl:"ies to relieve the· researcher of allhassles so that the research program operates at its maximumefficiency. .Most research programs are long-term and require severalyears for completion; yet the CPSU UH operates on an annuallyrenewable contract. This apparent paradox is not a problemin reality. Assuming that the University and the NationalPark Service are satisfied with the overall program it is215understood that once a research program has been contractedit will be continued through its conclusion on a fundsavailable basis. No program would be prematurely terminatedunless the researcher has failed to comply with the contract.I must stress the contractual nature of any researchprogram conducted via the auspices of CPSU UH. There is areporting schedule, every six months. These·reports are anopportunity to briefly describe the highlights of progressto date and to identify problems experienced or anticipated.The report should normally be only two or three paragraphslong. However, as each segment of a research progra~ is com-pleted a technical report is required. This requirement isto fulfill the objectives of the research program; that isto give the Park resources managers the information they needas rapidly as possible. Later publication in an appropriatejournal is also encouraged.Apart from the formal program, CPSU DR does have certainlimited funds available to sponsor or assist researchers towork in Hawafi's National Parks. This assistance may berequested by one of the Parks which needs information, orbroaden the coverage of an ongoing independent researchprogram. The National Park Service is anxious to encourageresponsible research within the parks as much as possible.Though the CPSU UH was organized in 1973, the program-has taken some time to get into full operation. All programshave a certain latent period during which results are notforthcoming. Dr. Doty, Botany Dept., U.H. nursed the Unitthrough its formative years before handing it over to melast fall. I feel that now all major problems, misunder-standings, etc., have been resolved and that information isbecoming available rapidly and on schedule. The money avail-able to support research is limited and there are many Parkscompeting for the available funds. I think it is true tosay that HawaIi's National Parks have done remarkably wellin attracting the attention of the Regional Of£ice to suppo~tthe research needed for their Resource Management Plans. Ilook forward to many years of fruitful cooperation betweenthe University of Hawaii and the National Park Service duringwhich we can develop a research program to provide the infor-mation for a resource management program that will allow ourunique flora and fauna to flourish.

The CPSU UH

http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/18288/1/first-213-215.pdf

The CPSU UH

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