Geologic Resources Inventory

The Geologic Resources Inventory (GRI) is a cooperative program between the National Park Service (NPS) and Colorado State University (CSU). The program is administered by the NPS Geologic Resources Division with funding from the NPS Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Division. The GRI is one of 12 fundamental natural resource inventories conducted by the National Park Service and its partners; other inventories include soil resources, base cartography, water body location and classification, air and water quality, vegetation, and species lists.

The GRI provides geologic map data and relevant geologic information to support resource management and science-based decision making in more than 270 parks throughout the National Park System. The GRI produces three products:

·         A geologic scoping meeting and scoping summary
·         Digital geologic map data
·         A park-specific geologic resources inventory report

Image of map of Overview of Digital Geologic Data for War in the Pacific NHP
GRI Report cover for Bighorn Cayon national Recreation Area
GRI report cover for Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Colorado State University research associates and student interns contribute significantly toward the completion of each product. Research associates assist with scoping meetings where participants identify geologic mapping needs and park-specific geologic issues, features, and processes. They also prepare the scoping summaries resulting from these meetings. Research associates and student interns developed and update the GRI GIS data model, and digitize, covert, and compile geologic maps from a variety of sources. Research associates research, write, edit, and develop graphics for each report.

Learn more about CSU’s contributions to the map and report products at the GRI reports and GRI maps pages.

For more information about the GRI, visit the NPS GRI home page.

GRI products are available through the NPS GRI publications page.

For more information about the I&M Division, visit the I&M home page.