Landscape Dynamics & Human Demographics

Many of the parks in the Southern Plains Network (SOPN) are subject to encroaching and changing agricultural, residential and urban development, and these landscape modifications are closely linked to park ecosystem function. Due to the small size of many SOPN parks, the natural resources can be more influenced by land uses surrounding the park than actual management practices within the park. By following changes in human populations surrounding our parks and the resulting land use changes, park managers can better plan and prepare to minimize the effects from habitat fragmentation, increased pollution sources, increased avenues for exotic pests, and changes to our viewsheds and soundscapes.