Northern Great Plains Network (NGPN)
More than 270 parks managed by the National Park Service (NPS) are organized into a system of 32 eco-regional networks linked by similar geographic and natural resource characteristics. In 2009 Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory and the National Park Service initiated Monitoring Birds of the National Park Service, Northern Great Plains Network (NGPN). The NGPN includes 13 national parks and monuments in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and eastern Wyoming.

A major component of park stewardship, monitoring is used to determine the status and trend in the condition of selected park resources, such as animals. Birds are often monitored as they respond quickly to changes in conditions making them good indicators of the health of ecosystems. A wide range of bird species on a park reflects a healthy variety of habitats and other animals and plants.

 
2012 Rocky Mountain Observatory