Grand Canyon National Park is an ecological refuge, with relatively undisturbed remnants of dwindling ecosystems (such as boreal forest and desert riparian communities), and numerous endemic, rare or endangered plant and animal species. Based on regional climate models, the Grand Canyon will be a warmer, drier place in the future. In addition, the National Park Service has established Management Policies which provide broader direction for all National Park Service units, including Grand Canyon. The Southern Colorado Plateau I&M Network, of which Grand Canyon National Park is a part, has developed several “vital signs” to track a subset of physical, chemical and biological elements and processes selected to represent the overall health or condition of park resources. In Grand Canyon National Park, these vital signs include water quality, bird communities, springs, aquatic macroinvertebrates and upland vegetation and soils.