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Description of Program and/or Project Background: The project is a long-term inventory, monitoring, and assessment program of human impacts resulting from recreation uses on the Arizona Strip District using a standardized quantitative recreation monitoring approach. Using baseline data compiled in a geo-referenced database of impacts available on an easily accessed website, existing recreation sites will be monitored on a regular schedule to determine recreation-created impacts and make management recommendations for future actions. Graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in the recreation monitoring and assessment program and conference presentations and publications in pertinent scientific literature will represent the results of these studies, not required as deliverables to the BLM. Regular reporting with recommendations to management and staff will be conducted in order to assist the BLM in protecting and maintaining recreation settings and opportunities. Recreation assessments would also be conducted under this agreement for National Landscape Conservation System (NLCS) areas, such as national monuments, wilderness areas and national trails. Data collected during the inventory and the BLM and recipient will jointly develop monitoring. Project data will be available to the BLM on an as needed basis. This project provides opportunities for students and/or entry-level professionals to work with experienced, professional land managers to obtain experience in complex public land management issues. This project will provide the background experience by which students may make long term career goals and decisions, and will enable continuing development between the recipient and the BLM in terms of student development, recruitment, and service opportunities between the two entities. To ensure that data collection is useful and reliable, a standard monitoring procedure will be followed. This will also include proper GPS techniques with geo-referenced data,

The Nation faces an increasing set of water resource challenges. Aging infrastructure, rapid population growth, depletion of groundwater resources, impaired water quality associated with particular land uses and land covers, water needed for human and environmental uses, and climate variability and change all play a role in determining the amount of fresh water available at any given place and time. Water shortages and water-use conflicts have become more commonplace in many areas of the United States, even in normal water years. As competition for water resources grows-for crop irrigation, growing cities and communities, energy production, and the environment-the need for information and tools to aid water resource managers also grows. Water issues and challenges are increasing across the Nation, but particularly in the West, due to prolonged drought. These water issues are exacerbating the challenges facing traditional water management approaches which by themselves no longer meet today's needs. The U.S. Department of the Interior's (Department) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America's Resources for Tomorrow) Program establishes a framework to provide Federal leadership and assistance on the efficient use of water, integrating water and energy policies to support the sustainable use of all natural resources, and coordinating the water conservation activities of various Department bureaus and offices. Through the WaterSMART Program, the Department is working to achieve a sustainable water management strategy to meet the Nation's water needs.

Improve access to and use of heritage resources, and promote their educational, scientific, cultural, and recreational values in a manner that meets U.S. Department of Interior priorities and Cultural Heritage and Paleontology Program goals. Individual projects shall meet one or more objectives: 1. Conduct studies, including inventory, excavation, records research, and collections-based research to improve the understanding of America¿s natural and cultural history; 2. Monitor at-risk heritage resources to track trends in condition and project effectiveness; 3. Stabilize at-risk heritage resources; 4. Train future cultural resource management practitioners and paleontologists through research projects, field schools and internships that capitalize on BLM heritage resources; 5. Assist with cultural heritage data and records management activities such as organizing, maintaining, and scanning site and survey records; creating, digitizing and maintaining geospatial data; and performing data entry; and 6. Preserve existing collections at recognized curation facilities through such activities as archival housing, stabilization or conservation. 7. Promote engagement with Native American communities and foster partnerships with tribal governments and programs; and 8. Promote public engagement, learning opportunities, and archaeological and/or paleontological ethics through heritage resources education and outreach programs, events, and products. 9. Conduct studies directed at determining impacts to heritage resources caused by activities such as prescribed fire, juniper control projects, vegetation removal by chaining or any land disturbing activity. 10. Stabilize at-risk historic structures 11. Develop and maintain historic sites with interpretive and educational potential.

The BLM has worked with the Geological Society of America GeoCorps America Program for over 15 years to provide geoscientists, college students, professionals, and retirees, hands on experience in overall land management. The need for geoscience expertise is great. In many cases, geoscience is not adequately addressed in education, resource management, geological hazards mitigation, and other geological work on public lands. The GeoCorps program, dating from 1997, strives to increase the number of geoscientists able to provide educational outreach to a multitude of diverse land managers in order to address a more global approach for overall land management decisions and to raise the publicÿfds knowledge and awareness of the value of geoscience resources on public lands. The objective of this program is to continue to provide geoscientists, college students, professionals, and retirees, hands on experience in resource management, geological hazards mitigation, and other geological work related to overall land management in order to develop skills and abilities in geosciences.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) intends to enter into a nationwide cooperative agreement with a nonprofit organization (Recipient) for training and education services relating to natural resources conservation and outdoor recreation management. Funds are intended to provide young adults and veterans with real life work experiences in stewardship of the environment in all fifty states by offering opportunities for education, leadership and personal development to the Recipient's participants, while providing a high quality public service in natural resources/recreation management and conservation. Recipient must have an extensive history of providing young people and veterans with opportunities to serve within the leading federal land management agencies, providing hands-on career training, internships and other education programs to young adults and veterans. Recipient recruits, selects, trains and places qualified young adults and veterans to serve in support of conservation and recreation management projects and has the capability and expertise to provide a series of conservation/recreation management experiences for youth ranging from high school to post graduate that collectively comprise a continuous opportunity for young adults to enhance their understanding of conservation and prepare for careers in natural resources/recreation management. Recipient has the experience, plant capacity and demonstrated capability to immediately and successfully place interns and conservation crews at over 400 USACE lake and river projects and other sites nationwide to include all fifty states in the United States.

From rangeland management to protection of cultural resources; fire suppression to energy development; trails and travel management to National Conservation Lands, the BLM values public involvement and a collaborative environment. When we facilitate activities and uses of the public lands, they are designed, permitted, and monitored with the goal of retaining or returning the land to a healthy condition once the use or activity ends. Our objective is to provide opportunities for youth (ages 16-30 years of age) to engage in BLM cultural and natural resource conservation-related projects and to increase public awareness and appreciation of those resources and recreational resource values found on public lands. These projects will provide participants with a mix of work experience, education, training, community involvement and support services, as well as the opportunity to develop citizenship values and skills through service to their community and the United States. As the young men and women gain experience in natural and cultural resource management, they will also develop an appreciation for public lands and learn about conservation-related career fields

This project represents an opportunity to enter into a cooperative agreement for cultural resources outreach, education and training to further effective cultural resource management on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Project lands. Stewardship of historic and cultural resources can be achieved by educating students, Corps staff, and public and private landowners holding outgrant leases, easements or licenses on USACE lands. A cooperative agreement with an educational institution will provide educational benefits and awareness to college students, interns, volunteers, neighbors, frequent users, the general public and future stewards of the sites, and provide benefits to the community of which these USACE sites are a part. The program would provide job training, education, and early career development for college-level students in archaeology, anthropology, and natural / cultural resource management. Students will learn appropriate survey and monitoring methods, field techniques, archival research, regulations and policy, and the latest technology to document and analyze cultural sites and historic properties.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 1. Authority This Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Federal Financial Assistance Funding Opportunity is being announced under the following legislative authority: WATERSHED RESTORATION AND ENHANCEMENT AGREEMENTS (WYDEN AMENDMENT), Public Law 104-208, Section 124, as amended Public Law 105-277, Section 136, which states: "Appropriations made for the BLM may be used by the Secretary of Interior for the purpose of entering into cooperative agreements with the heads of other Federal agencies, Tribal, State, and local governments, private and nonprofit entities, and landowners for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat and other resources on public or private land and the reduction of risk from natural disaster where public safety is threatened that benefit these resources on public lands within the watershed, and enhancement of fish and wildlife habitat and other resources on public or private land and the reduction of risk from natural disaster where public safety is threatened that benefit these resources on public lands within the watershed." 2. Description of Program and/or Project a. Background: The Yuma Field Office includes many acres along the lower Colorado and Gila Rivers. Extensive damming and conversion to upland has re-characterized the lands along the river that once were natural system, but are now dominated by invasive species. An increase in wildland fires in these areas also greatly affect the reduction in native vegetation and increase in invasive species. Rehabilitation efforts to improve sites offer migratory birds and other wildlife species native habitat for foraging and potential nesting. The Walker Fire in December of 2014 burned 1,110 acres of native marsh and riparian habitat. This area is home to the largest population of the Federally endangered Yuma clapper rail. The native riparian habitat also provides migratory habitat for the southwestern willow flycatcher. The Walker ESR Plan outline

The Colorado State Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been working with organizations on native plant projects on public lands for many years. BLM Colorado provides research opportunities by engaging cooperating partners to perform a variety of conservation and land management projects specifically addressing the importance of protecting native plant species on public lands. In particular, the Colorado State Office of the BLM seeks an organization partner for the purpose of conducting conservation and land management projects, to include, but not limited to, the following activities, as part of the BLM's Seeds of Success Program: seed collection activities on public lands located in Colorado; development of native plant materials; conducting studies and research to provide geneticially appropriate seed materials; improving technology for native seed production and ecosystem restoration; and providing hands-on experience to students and the public in the area of monitoring and managing rare plant species. This project will allow the cooperating partner to work alongside of BLM staff to further the understanding and appreciation of the our natural resources. BLM staff will provide mentoring and coaching opportunities for project participants to learn valuable skills in the field of botany and natural resources management.

The goal of this cooperative project is to implement an NPS framework to address climate change impacts on cultural resources in the Intermountain Region (IMR). Building on Phase I research (2014) that compiled existing climate change models and data for cultural resources in the IMR, the objectives of this Phase II DIP are to: 1). Update Phase I compilation of data to review and incorporate recent NPS work on climate change and cultural resources at the national and regional scales; and 2). Complete a climate change vulnerability assessment for cultural resources in national parks of the Intermountain Region based on current data and norms established by the NPS. This regionally scoped project, conducted by a team of natural and cultural resources experts, will produce and disseminate information that can be used by site managers to plan for protection of vulnerable cultural resources in conjunction with the NPS Climate Change Response Program.

In 2004, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) conducted a program evaluation of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) resource protection activities. The OMB found gaps in the monitoring of resource conditions to support management decisions and that the BLM had no reliable mechanism for reporting on the condition of public lands above the local scale. The BLM established an Interdisciplinary Core Team that evaluated assessment processes, resource inventories, and monitoring procedures and developed a comprehensive plan of action that would lay the foundation for a monitoring strategy. Two reports, (1) the Local Workgroup Report for the National Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring Strategy (BLM 2007) and (2) the Findings and Recommendations for Regional Monitoring for Wildlife and Water with an Emphasis on Energy Development (Falise et al. 2008), were also completed and provided vision toward developing an Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) Strategy. Additional or supplemental data collection for fuels treatments (pre and post treatment), wilderness study area monitoring, and rangeland health indicators provide the information to determine the effectiveness of management actions, and may be shared across BLM offices and interested publics.

The National Conservation Lands financially supports studies aimed at increasing our understanding of the resources present on BLM lands and the effectiveness of BLM¿s resource management decisions. The program seeks to develop and maintain strong partnerships with State, local, and private stakeholders in shared conservation stewardship by engaging partners in conducting management-focused research on the National Conservation Lands. Results from these studies on National Conservation Lands will inform management strategies utilized throughout BLM as well as other land management entities.

Monitoring avian populations and their associated habitats is a priority for avian conservation and management throughout the BLM. The BLM has been working with Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO) on bird conservation projects and programs since 1992. Information gained from these efforts has been incorporated and disseminated as the latest knowledge and recommendations for avian conservation throughout Oregon and Washington. Over the past decade KBO, in cooperation with several other organizations and individuals, has been involved in the intensive monitoring and inventory of neotropical migratory birds in the region. Additionally KBO has brought scare resources to the table in the form of skilled avian conservation staff to implement research, environmental education, social science and monitoring efforts. Their expertise and skills to access, retrieve and utilize the data stored in the Avian Knowledge Northwest (AKNW) database has been used to make comparative analyses and management recommendations for ongoing avian data collection efforts in Oregon and Washington. This has provided the BLM the unique ability to assess the growing avian conservation needs. The primary objective of this program is to evaluate the population health of landbirds in various habitats, and for the continued monitoring, research, environmental education, social science and adaptive management projects of avian conservation throughout OR and WA. The recipient will cooperatively assess and determine the status and trends of avifauna throughout OR and WA and continue to seek opportunities to engage the BLM in bird conservation opportunities at regional and national scales. The recipient is required to monitor species presence/absence, estimate densities, create habitat associations for guilds of avifauna and monitor population trends for individual species across habitat types and management regimes. The ability to analyze, interpret, incorporate and disseminate the information into planning a

The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund is soliciting proposals for the conservation of rhinoceroses and/or tigers throughout their ranges. The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act was passed in 1994 to provide financial resources for conservation of rhinoceros and tiger populations. The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund supports projects that promote conservation through: Enhanced protection of at-risk rhinoceros and tiger populations; Protected area/reserve management in important rhinoceros and tiger range; Veterinary care for wild populations; Habitat conservation and management; Reintroduction to former range; Restoration of habitat; Wildlife inspection, law enforcement, and forensics skills; Conservation education and community outreach; Efforts to decrease human-rhinoceros and human-tiger conflicts; Strengthening local capacity to implement conservation programs; Transfrontier rhinoceros and tiger conservation; Applied research on rhinoceros and tiger populations and their habitats, including surveys and monitoring; Development and execution of rhinoceros and tiger conservation management plans; and Compliance with applicable treaties and laws that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of rhinoceros and tigers or regulate the use and management of their habitat; Reducing demand for illegal rhino and tiger parts, products and live animals in consumer countries; Combatting trafficking of illegal rhino and tiger parts, products and live animals. Proposed project work should occur within the rhinoceros or tiger range, or, if work is to be conducted outside of the range, the proposal should show clear relevance to rhinoceros or tiger conservation. If the project includes research, the applicant must provide a convincing argument that the research addresses priority threats and that the results are likely to result in management actions.

The objective of this task statement is to inform planning and implementation of landscape(1) fuel treatment(2) strategies that allow for safe and effective management of wildfire to meet protection and resource management objectives. Projects funded under this task statement are intended to support the vision of the 2014 National Cohesive Wildfire Management Strategy, in particular progressing towards resilient landscapes.

The objective of this task statement is to inform planning and implementation of landscape(1) fuel treatment(2) strategies that allow for safe and effective management of wildfire to meet protection and resource management objectives. Projects funded under this task statement are intended to support the vision of the 2014 National Cohesive Wildfire Management Strategy, in particular progressing towards resilient landscapes.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Forest and Woodland Resource Management Program manages and conserves 58 million acres of forest and woodland in 12 western States and Alaska. These forests provide a range of ecosystem services including wildlife habitat, hydrologic function, and sustainable harvest of forest products valued by society. A primary activity of the program is to maintain and improve the resilience of forest and woodland ecosystems to wildfire, insects, disease, and drought through density management using timber sales, Stewardship agreements, and Good Neighbor (GNA) agreements.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Forest and Woodland Resource Management Program manages and conserves 58 million acres of forest and woodland in 12 western States and Alaska. These forests provide a range of ecosystem services including wildlife habitat, hydrologic function, and sustainable harvest of forest products valued by society. A primary activity of the program is to maintain and improve the resilience of forest and woodland ecosystems to wildfire, insects, disease, and drought through density management using timber sales, Stewardship agreements, and Good Neighbor (GNA) agreements. Priority activities under this announcement include preparation, administration, or implementation of timber sales, Stewardship and GNA projects that treat forest and woodlands.

he U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Mexican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) are soliciting proposals under the Wildlife Without Borders-Mexico Program for projects that address Mexico's capacity building for biodiversity conservation. Program Goal: Build human and institutional capacity for biodiversity conservation and management in Mexico through training. Of interest are projects that provide direct and significant training to Mexican personnel in terms of the number of individuals trained, the strategic or innovative nature of the training, and the impact of the training on the conservation of biodiversity. Program Objectives: * To address the training needs of Mexican natural resources managers for managing and conserving biodiversity; * To provide local communities access to training that links sound management practices in priority biodiversity areas with the creation of sustainable economic opportunities; * To involve key stakeholder groups to address biodiversity conservation challenges to enable the delivery and implementation of effective conservation actions.

This program will provide professional training, through the use of internships, mentoring, environmental education, and interpretive educational opportunities in order for young people to learn conservation and land management processes and policies as they relate to natural resources management of public lands. Furthermore, this program will achieve a variety resource management projects on public lands managed by the BLM¿s Eastern States Field Offices. Routine workload may include provision of outreach and interpretive services, visitor service patrol, facility maintenance, trail work, exotic species control or any other action supporting the implementation of BLMs approved plans.

2015 Forest Service National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Deadline: December 15, 2015 The Secretary of Agriculture has a congressionally designated advisory council that assists the U.S. Forest Service in establishing the grant categories and recommendations of final proposals for the Forest Service to consider. This is the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC). The Council serves to advise the Secretary of Agriculture on the status of the nation's urban and community forests and related natural resources. The NUCFAC seeks to establish sustainable urban and community forests, by encouraging communities of all sizes to manage and protect their natural resources, which, if well managed, improves the public's health, well-being, economic vitality, and creates resilient ecosystems for present and future generations. The Council recommends urban and community forestry projects that have national or multi-state application and impact through the U.S. Forest Service's competitive Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant Program. This year, the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC) has identified three national grant categories: 1. Analysis and Solutions for Development and Redevelopment Impacts on Urban and Community Forests, 2. Building Human Health Through Urban and Community Forestry, and 3. Climate Change and Its Impact on Trees and Water. An applicant may apply to more than one category; however they are to use a separate application for each category. The purpose of these grants is to address national issues. This RFP is not for local or State-wide projects. Click on link http://www.fs.fed.us/ucf/nucfac.shtml for full information on the 2016 Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost Share Grant. Search [CFDA number: 10.675], or [Grant Opportunity No.: USDA-FS-UCF-01-2016]. The grant applications are to be submitted through www.grants.gov. Contact Nancy Stremple, Natural Re