SUMMARY AND HIGHLIGHTS

On November 9, 2000 by Proclamation of President Clinton, Craters of the Moon National Monument was enlarged "to assure protection of the entire Great Rift volcanic zone and associated lava features, all objects of scientific interest." The proclamation provides that the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management shall manage the monument cooperatively. However, the NPS has primary management authority over the portion of the monument that includes the exposed lava flows, a land area of approximately 465,000 acres. The total monument area is over 700,000 acres. The size of the monument was previously 53,440 acres. In addition to the wonderfully preserved and varied lava features, the monument includes areas where lava flows diverged around areas of higher ground forming isolated islands of older terrain called "kipukas." The kipukas provide a window on vegetative communities of the past that have been erased from much of the Snake River Plain.

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

The attached charts display the park budget and staffing for fiscal year 2000.

PUBLIC USE

Visitation: Annual visitation was 211,642, down 1.8% from calendar year 1999, a year which included a number of special events and activities honoring the park's 75^th Anniversary.

Visitor Survey: For the third consecutive year we surveyed a sampling of park visitors.

• 96% indicated an overall satisfaction with facilities and services
• 88% reflected an understanding of the significance of the resources of Craters of the Moon National Monument following their visit

NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

• Ongoing resources inventory and monitoring efforts continued; level I natural resource inventories have been nearly completed (prior to expansion of the monument)
• Completed the second field season of a three-year reptile and amphibian inventory project with Idaho State University
• Upgraded the IMPROVE network site to permit monitoring of air borne particulates effecting visibility
• Expanded the park's data base of known caves by 70 locations
• Initiated vegetation restoration of ground within the monument recently disturbed with rehabilitation of utility systems
• Completed a Wildland Fire Management Plan
• Hosted a workshop to identify critical monument resources and potential for future monitoring efforts.

INTERPRETATION AND EDUCATION

• Upgraded the park's Web page with educational venues, improved graphics, and expanded information on the park. Following issuance of the Presidential Proclamation expanding the monument, cooperated with the Bureau of Land Management in creating a new web page on the monument tied into the Bureau of Land Management web system.
• Received, along with our partners - NASA, the Idaho Space Grant Consortium and Idaho Public Television - the runner-up award in the Education category for 2000 National Park Partnership Award.
• Continued the Robert Limbert living history programs in schools and communities. This program is offered by a park cooperator and was begun in 1999 as part of the 75^th Anniversary.
• Replaced wayside exhibits along U.S. Highway 93 and made the pullouts more accessible to the public. Removed one exhibit from the right-of-way for safety reasons.
• For budgetary reasons, the park had to cut back on seasonal interpretive staff this year resulting in a reduction of programs offered to visitors by nearly 90% and over 50% reduction in visitor participation.

CRATERS OF THE MOON NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Sales were significantly down for the year ($177,000 compared to $208,000 in 1999). The Association donated $13,000 in support of projects at Craters of the Moon and Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monuments. In addition the Association provided $37,000 of in-kind services in aiding the NPS in providing visitor services and information in the two visitor centers.

VISITOR AND RESOURCE PROTECTION

The west experienced an extreme fire season. Chief Ranger Rummele continued in his capacity as the Safety Officer on a Type II Incident Management Team as well as providing post fire support for the Cerro Grande Fire at Bandelier National Monument. Craters of the Moon had one lightning caused fire (Echo Crater) which burned 578 acres within the Wilderness Area.

Fee Collection:

Entrance Station:
Single entrance Individual Commercial tour Golden Eagle (hologram) Park Pass Golden Age	$48,052 1,320 8,930 3,300 26,250 3,250
Total Entrance Station	$91,102
Campground	$31,082

Portions of Beauty Cave and Buffalo Cave, and all of Boy Scout Cave and Surprise Cave were temporarily closed this year after reports of fractured ceiling rock and examinations by NPS mine and cave authorities. The areas will remain closed until further evaluation of the condition and suitable management alternatives can be developed.

FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT/MAINTENANCE

In addition to routine maintenance and preventative maintenance work, staff completed or initiated a number of projects to improve visitors' experience and to rehabilitate old utility systems, including:

• Rehabilitated the park's wastewater treatment system at a much lower cost and with much less ground disturbance than replacing with a new treatment system
• Initiated restoration or replacement of components of the park's potable water system
• Replaced the concrete steps in front of the visitor center with a paved ramp, improving winter safety for visitors, improving accessibility, and easing snow removal
• Replaced interpretive wayside exhibits along Highway 93
• Installed new trash receptacles to eliminate animal access and improve worker safety and efficiency
• Completed remodeling work in seasonal housing.

With funding from the Recreation Fee Pilot Program, funded by visitor entry fees, the following facility improvements were made to enhance the visitor experience and protect park resources:

• Replaced counter tops in the visitor center restrooms
• Replaced selected trash cans with "animal proof" containers
• Replace obsolete film projection system used in school and outreach programs
• In addition a number of projects were initiated and will be completed in 2001

MISCELLANEOUS

Hosted three visits by Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, in the park and in the surrounding communities, during his inspections of the land areas and talks with local citizens interested in possible expansion of Craters of the Moon National Monument.