This document outlines Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program's (EMAP's) strategy for indicator development. This strategy presents general approaches, criteria, and procedures for selecting and evaluating indicators in the context of a long-term monitoring program. EMAP's indicator development is a multiphase process to identify and evaluate indicators that can estimate the condition of ecological resources defined over large geographic areas using synoptic survey monitoring methods. The procedures described in this document outline this process from the identification of potentially useful indicators (research indicators) through the adoption of a set of core indicators for use in a national monitoring program. This strategy is intended to promote a consistent approach to indicator development across ecological resources and to provide a basis for internal and external review of EMAP indicators. The implementation of the strategy and refinement of the process will continue throughout the existence of EMAP.

"EPA/620/R-94/022"--Cover. "March 1994"--Cover. "Environmental Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency"--Title page. "The research described in this document was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The document was prepared at the EPA Environmental Research Laboratory in Athens, Georgia with technical contributions through contract #68-CO-0021 with Technical Resources, Inc., purchase order 0B0 387 NTTA to Arizona State University, cooperative agreement CR817489 with Indiana University, and contract #68-C8-0006 with ManTech Environmental Technology, Inc."--Page ii. Includes bibliographical references. Sponsored by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Contract Number: 68-CO-0021 68-C8-0006