Description
Channel Islands National Park (CINP) includes the five northern islands off the coast of southern California and the surrounding waters out one nautical mile. Approximately 176 miles of coastline surround the islands; 80% of which is composed of rock. The diverse and undisturbed nature of the tidepools of this rocky coastline was recognized as a special feature of the islands in the enabling legislation. To conserve these communities unimpaired for future generations, the NPS has been monitoring the rocky intertidal communities at the islands since 1982. Sites were established between 1982 and 1994 using judgment sampling and considering visitation, accessibility, presence of representative organisms, wildlife disturbance, and safety. This report summarizes the 2007 sampling year efforts (from March 2007 to January 2008) and findings of the CINP Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Program.
