Fort Bowie National Historic Site

Augustus Snoten

Benjamin Brown

George Crook

When the climate changes enough, the vegetation communities growing in any given place will also change. Under an expanded bimodal climate zone, some plant communities in western national parks are more likely to change than others. National Park Service ecologists and partners investigated the future conditions that may force some of this change. Having this information can help park managers decide whether to resist, direct, or accept the change.

To protect soldiers and settlers traveling through the pass and to better execute the military operations against the Apache warriors, the US Army established a fort that would become the guardian of Apache Pass. Today, Fort Bowie National Historic Site commemorates the bravery and endurance of the US soldiers in their struggle to control the region and of the Apache warriors who fought to preserve their existence.

Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios.

Climate is one of many ecological indicators monitored by the National Park Service (NPS) Division of Inventory & Monitoring (I&M). Climate data help scientists to understand ecosystem processes and help to explain many of the patterns and trends observed in other natural-resource monitoring. In NPS units of the American Southwest, three I&M networks monitor climate using the scientific protocol described here.

Understanding changes in climate and water is key to assessing the condition of natural and cultural resources on national parks. At Fort Bowie National Historic Site, we conduct long-term monitoring of climate and groundwater to provide early warning of potential problems, allowing managers to mitigate them before they become worse. In this report, we present climate and groundwater data for water year 2024.

In the national parks of Southeast Arizona, desert plants, wildlife, and visitors all depend on reliable water sources. The Sonoran Desert Network monitors climate, springs, and streams at Chiricahua National Monument, Coronado National Memorial, and Fort Bowie National Historic Site. Understanding changes in these closely linked factors helps managers make informed decisions affecting natural resources. Learn about our recent findings.

Understanding changes in climate, groundwater, and surface water is key to assessing the condition of natural and cultural resources on national parks. At Fort Bowie National Historic Site we conduct long-term monitoring of climate, groundwater, and springs to provide early warning of potential problems, allowing managers to mitigate them before they become worse. In water year 2022, precipitation was boosted by an above average monsoon season.

The National Park Service is implementing the restoration of native amphibians in over 20 sensitive wetlands across eight southwestern national parks. However, there's a particular threat (that croaks) that requires the NPS and partners to collaborate and innovate to find solutions.