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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,

Background: The BLM Richfield Field Office works together with Utah State Parks, the Forest Service, and private land owners to manage and maintain the Paiute Trail and other motorized trails to provide a unique and seamless experience for users and the public. This trail is over 900 miles long and benefits the local economies of multiple communities, draws in thousands of visitors each year, and helps maintain solid working relationships between the agencies and landowners with cohesive goals to benefit the public through the motorized trail systems. The BLM has worked with and Utah State Parks for the past 5 years to provide maintenance, public outreach, and to improve the trails for the benefit of the public. The BLM Richfield Field Office is seeking proposals to assist with maintenance, education, and monitoring on the Paiute and associated OHV trails. Objective: 1. The partner and BLM will continue to provide monitoring, education, and maintenance on over 150 miles of motorized and Paiute ATV trail on public lands, provide upkeep on kiosks and trailheads, litter removal and to provide a quality experience for thousands of recreational visitors. Areas to be maintained include recreation areas and trailheads associated with the motorized trails. Otter Creek trail access including Fishermans Beach, Tamarisk Point, and South Point. Sauls Meadow, Kingston Canyon, Aurora Open Area, Glenwood Open Area, Bicknelll Bottoms Trailheads, Koosharem Reservoir, and other recreation areas and trailheads along the trails will be maintained. Work would also include public outreach and education, trail work, maintenance, sign installation and maintenance, clearing, improving, and additional work and special projects as needed along the motorized trails on public land connecting communities, state parks, and trailheads. This would ensure a well-marked, signed, and maintained long-distance trail system with adequate support facilities that are open to the general public for recreati

A landmark collaboration known as the International Technology Alliance (ITA) in Network and Information Sciences was initiated by the US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 2006. Awards were made to a Consortium of industrial and academic organizations from the United States and the United Kingdom that along with the US ARL and the UK Dstl formed an international research Alliance that is jointly conducting collaborative research focused on enhancing coalition operations. The key factors contributing to the success of this unique collaborative venture are: joint technical leadership and management by the Alliance (academia, industry, government in both countries); an arrangement fostering an open collaborative research environment to support deep collaboration among researchers; multi-disciplinary research approach applied to key coalition technical challenges; and an innovative transition model that is facilitating the rapid transition of research results to both commercial and military domains.The purpose of this US ARL and UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) ITA Program Announcement (PA) under W911NF-15-R-0003 is to solicit offers that will help to fulfill the research and development goals of the US Department of Army and UK Ministry of Defence. This PA announces a new and innovative opportunity for cooperation between the US and the UK in the area of Distributed Analytics and Information Science (DAIS). The DAIS ITA Program is comprised of two components: (1) the Basic Research Component and (2) the Technology Transition Component. The Basic Research Component will provide for fundamental research, the results of which will be in the public domain, while the Technology Transition Component will provide for the application of the fundamental research results to military, security and commercial applications to foster the best technologies for future defense and security needs. The Catalog of Federal Domestic As

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

This program will support implementation of the Island Lake Fire Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR) Plan. This BAR plan describes activities and treatments for lands and wildlife habitats burned during the Island Lake Fire. The fire burned wetland, riparian and upland vegetation composed of a mix of native and exotic species. The primary fire carrier was common reed (Phragmites australis), which allowed the fire to spread quickly throughout the river corridor. Dense stands of exotic saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) and areas with sparse and healthy stands of native mesquite, cottonwood, and willow were also consumed. Potential restoration sites were initially evaluated based on vegetation, site conditions, soils, water table depth, and fire severity. Sites were then prioritized based on the probability for restoration success. Strategic restoration efforts will be focused in areas encompassing about 6 percent (ca 200 acres) of the overall 3,304 acre fire. The identified restoration areas will be further refined through on the ground evaluation of desirable site characteristics listed above. The primary rehabilitation concern is re establishment of native wildlife habitats including riparian cottonwood and willow forest and mesquite woodlands. These habitats are increasingly rare and very productive for a diversity of wildlife species. This rehabilitation effort will focus on facilitated recovery of native species through integrated removal and herbicide treatment of exotics, cottonwood and willow pole planting, mesquite seeding, and flood irrigation. Activities under this funding opportunity will include, but are not limited to:Preparing restoration site boat accessAssistance with restoration site assessmentsRemoval of non-native saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) and common reed (Phragmites australis) through manual removal or herbicide treatmentsSite preparation activities such as raking, irrigating, and soil preparationMesquite seed collectionCottonwood and willow pole harvestingPol

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is focused on providing the essential and highest quality environmental information vital to our Nation's safety, prosperity and resilience. Toward this goal, the agency conducts and supports weather and climate research, oceanic and atmospheric observations, modeling, information management, assessments, interdisciplinary decision-support research, outreach, education, and partnership development. Climate variability and change present society with significant economic, health, safety, and security challenges and opportunities. In meeting these challenges, and as part of NOAA's climate portfolio within the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), the Climate Program Office (CPO) advances scientific understanding, monitoring, and prediction of climate and its impacts, to enable effective decisions. This funding opportunity focuses on the Climate Variability and Predictability (CVP) Program. The CVP Program supports research that enhances our process-level understanding of the climate system through observation, modeling, analysis, and field studies. This vital knowledge is needed to improve climate models and predictions so that scientists and society can better anticipate the impacts of future climate variability and change. To achieve its mission, the CVP Program invests in NOAA mission-critical research, which is carried out at NOAA and other federal laboratories, NOAA Cooperative Institutes, academic institutions and private sector research entities. The Program also coordinates its sponsored projects with major national and international scientific bodies including the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) - especially CLIVAR (Climate and Ocean Variability, Predictability and Change) and GEWEX (Global Energy and Water Cycle Exchanges) programs - and the U.S. Global Change Research program (USGCRP). Specific details of this funding opportunity are contained in the Full Announcement Text.

This ROSES NRA (NNH15ZDA001N) solicits basic and applied research in support of NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD). This NRA covers all aspects of basic and applied supporting research and technology in space and Earth sciences, including, but not limited to: theory, modeling, and analysis of SMD science data; aircraft, scientific balloon, sounding rocket, International Space Station, CubeSat and suborbital reusable launch vehicle investigations; development of experiment techniques suitable for future SMD space missions; development of concepts for future SMD space missions; development of advanced technologies relevant to SMD missions; development of techniques for and the laboratory analysis of both extraterrestrial samples returned by spacecraft, as well as terrestrial samples that support or otherwise help verify observations from SMD Earth system science missions; determination of atomic and composition parameters needed to analyze space data, as well as returned samples from the Earth or space; Earth surface observations and field campaigns that support SMD science missions; development of integrated Earth system models; development of systems for applying Earth science research data to societal needs; and development of applied information systems applicable to SMD objectives and data. Awards range from under $100K per year for focused, limited efforts (e.g., data analysis) to more than $1M per year for extensive activities (e.g., development of science experiment hardware). The funds available for awards in each program element offered in this ROSES NRA range from less than one to several million dollars, which allow selection from a few to as many as several dozen proposals depending on the program objectives and the submission of proposals of merit. Awards will be made as grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and inter- or intra-agency transfers depending on the nature of the proposing organization and/or program requirements. The typical per

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.

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

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 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 the conservation programs of nations whose activities directly or indirectly affect 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; * Reducing demand in consumer countries and trafficking for illegal rhino and tiger parts, products and live animals; * 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. 

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

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world. The National Park Service is seeking assistance with inventorying, monitoring, invasive species control, habitat restoration, and environmental education and outreach focused in southern Arizona but occasionally at additional areas in the southwest. The NPS and the Recipient will work together with partners to identify and implement invasive plant control, inventory and monitoring, and habitat restoration primarily in southern Arizona but potentially at additional sites in the Southwest. They will collaborate on various projects and tasks outlined below and determine the most expedient way of accomplishing them. The NPS and recipient will collaborate to identify additional partnerships and opportunities to connect data and conservation efforts to other ongoing or potential efforts. The Recipient will provide experienced and trained field staff capable of following rigorous protocols and procedures to ensure quality data standards and environmental compliance.

Shell is a leading oil and gas producer in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, a recognized pioneer in oil and gas exploration and production technology and one of America's leading oil and natural gas producers, gasoline and natural gas marketers and petrochemical manufacturers. Focus on energy awareness with special publics, increasing interest in technical careers among students and professional development in science and math among educators. We support K-12 programs that boost math and science skills, as well as university programs that aid engineering and geoscience students and departments. Shell funds projects at vocational and technical schools where chemical and refinery operators and technicians are trained. We are especially interested in supporting educational outreach in math, science and technology to women/minority students and academic institutions with ethnically diverse enrollments. Focus on biodiversity initiatives with support to programs that restore critical ecosystems, address water, air quality research, preserve wetlands and sponsor wetlands initiatives. As part of our commitment to environmental stewardship, we support projects that restore and protect critical ecosystems. In addition to restoration and preservation efforts, we fund research projects for threatened wildlife and/or habitats.

The goal of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Joint Venture (JV) Office is to assist partners in implementing effective science-based bird conservation projects in the Prairie Pothole (PPJV) and Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes (UMRGLJV) Joint Venture regions. Each JV has an Implementation Plan and conservation strategies identifying bird habitat, monitoring, and research needs with an emphasis on JV focal species. These plans and associated research and monitoring needs can be found at www.ppjv.org and www.uppermissgreatlakesjv.org. Both JVs have identified priority evaluation needs to fill information gaps and test assumptions used in plan development. Proposals for monitoring and applied research that improve JV conservation decision tools at larger scales (e.g., Bird Conservation Region) will be given higher grant priority. In addition, projects to address conservation priorities in State Wildlife Action Plans (http://teaming.com/state-wildlife-action-plans-swaps), and for JV focal species, should be highlighted. Proposals related to coordination, outreach, planning, and bird habitat restoration enhancement contributing toward goals identified in the JV plans will also be considered, if adequate funds are available. All submissions should explain how the outcome of proposed projects is regional in scope. All proposals should have a minimum 1:1 match of non-Federal dollars to Joint Venture request, and the partners providing secured match must be identified. Each proposal must include: applicant contact information, a detailed scope of work including justification, objectives or hypotheses, scope and location, clearly-explained project methods, anticipated outcomes, management implications, literature cited, proposed project timeline, a budget table identifying partners and match, a task timeline, and project-cost details. The linkage between proposed research/monitoring projects and a JV Implementation Plan must be clearly stated. Upon completio

The Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Fuels Treatment program was set up to provide assistance to communities at risk from catastrophic wildland fires in support of the National Fire Plan. Goals of the program were to: Develop community programs to expand local capability including: Assessing and planning mitigation activities, and community and homeowner education; Planning and implementing hazardous fuels reduction activities including the monitoring and maintenance associated with such hazardous fuels reduction activities that mitigate the threat of fire to communities and natural resources in high risk areas; Enhancing local and small business employment opportunities in rural communities; and Enhancing the knowledge of fire protection capability of rural fire districts by providing assistance in education, training, and mitigation methods. This program would implement and maintain greater coordination among local, state, and federal land management agencies and private landowners to effectively prioritize hazardous fuels treatments, and provide the framework for reducing the risks and consequences of wildland fire to the community. This program includes planning and implementing hazardous fuels reduction treatments, and monitoring and providing input on the effectiveness and quality of work being performed on or adjacent to federal lands, and working with land owners and public regarding the benefits of fire prevention and mitigation.

The principal objective of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Habitat Blueprint - Coastal and Marine Habitat Focus Area Grants solicitation is to identify and support comprehensive and cooperative habitat conservation project(s) in NOAA Habitat Focus Areas (HFAs) that sustain resilient and thriving marine and coastal resources, communities, and economies. Proposals submitted under this solicitation will be selected based on their ability to demonstrate success in achieving the NOAA Habitat Blueprint's primary objectives within three newly-selected HFAs - Biscayne Bay, FL; Puerto Rico's Northeast Reserves and Culebra Island, and Kachemak Bay, AK. These objectives vary from region to region, but they all effectively protect and/or restore high-priority habitat for managed fisheries, protected species, and other coastal and marine life; foster resilient coastal communities; advance habitat science; and lead to increased socio-economic benefits. HFA - specific objectives are identified in this federal funding opportunity, and successful proposals will achieve one or several objectives by: 1) addressing a habitat-based issue/concern contributing to the loss or deterioration of coastal resiliency or marine habitats for target managed or protected species (e.g. fish, marine mammals, sea turtles, corals); 2) identifying the project's outcomes and goal(s) and describing in detail the actions and project(s) to be undertaken to achieve those goals; and 3) describing the measurable impact on the issue/concern, target species, or resource, including proposed evaluation techniques. Proposals selected for funding through this solicitation will primarily be funded through cooperative agreements. Two-year cooperative agreement awards will be considered, and additional releases of funds may be used to fund selected proposals through FY16 without further competition. Awards are dependent upon FY15-FY16 congressional appropriations. NOAA anticipates appr

The Bureau of Land Management has been working with the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) since 2001 to re-introduce and monitor the Pink Sand-verbena population at the North Spit. The population has been monitored every year since 1997 and has grown from 1,700 plants to over 350,000 plants currently. The Conservation Strategy for pink sand verbena was developed and employed by IAE in 2004. This research and work has been the foundation and guideline for the ongoing monitoring used by IAE that is crucial part of the conservation strategy for this species. Pink sand-verbena is a Species of Concern by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS), listed as Endangered by the State of Oregon, listed as threatened with extinction by the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center, and listed as a BLM sensitive species. BLM manual 6840 for Special Status Species provides guidance to conserve listed species and the ecosystems on which they depend. The primary threats to the species include competition from European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria), habitat disturbance by off road vehicles (ORVs), and changes to the natural disturbance regime. Repeated seeding at Coos Bay North Spit since 1997 have resulted in the largest population of pink sand verbena in Oregon. Seed collected from the North Spit is currently the only seed source available in sufficient quantities for restoration efforts of the species throughout the State. Despite continued management treatments and seeding efforts at the North Spit, recent declines in the size and reproductive effort of plants at the site, and an increase in non-native species has been observed. Continued monitoring of this population combined with assessments of associated vegetation and substrate will allow for quantifying factors that influence successful re-introduction efforts for this dune species. At New River, 50,000-150,000 seeds have been dispersed within swales throughout the fore dune almost every year from 1997 to 2014. The population

. Support habitat management efforts to restore keystone wildlife and game species habitats and increase on-the-ground project work to reduce the threats to sage grouse, mule deer, and other sensitive species in high priority habitats. 2. Work with growers to continue to develop genetically appropriate native plant material for use in habitat restoration and reclamation. 3. Support studies to improve the effectiveness of conservation restoration efforts to include, but not be limited to, plant ecological and ecophysiological studies, seed bank persistence, plant propagation and development of agronomic production practices, and trait and/or seed source evaluations as well as seeding treatment and tool development via partners, State Offices and Eco-regional Plant Conservation and Restoration Programs. 4. Support pollinator studies and projects that increase the knowledge and nexus to the importance of native plant communities and pollinators to restoration durability and ecological function. 5. Monitor, protect, increase understanding and restore habitat that supports more than 1,700 rare plant species, more than 400 of which are found exclusively on BLM lands. These plants are integral ecological components of wildlife habitat often providing important forage and habitat structure. 6. Work with partners to implement priority species conservation actions. 7. Assist BLM programs such as Fuels and Emergency Stabilization & Restoration in restoring public lands and integrating more wide spread use of native plant materials. The BLM manages these resources and other vegetation managem

The Asian Elephant Conservation Fund solicits project proposals for the conservation of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) throughout its range. In 1997, with awareness of the increasing threat to the welfare of the already endangered Asian elephant The Asian Elephant Conservation Act was signed into law. The Act provides for the conservation of Asian elephants by supporting conservation programs in countries within the range of Asian elephants, and the projects of persons with demonstrated expertise in the conservation of Asian elephants. The Asian Elephant Conservation Fund supports projects that promote conservation of Asian elephants and their habitats through: Applied research on elephant populations and their habitats, including surveys and monitoring; Activities that result in fewer wild elephants being removed from the wild, reduce demand in consumer countries for ivory and other body parts, and prevent illegal killing of elephants; Development and execution of elephant conservation management plans; Compliance with applicable treaties and laws that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of elephants or regulate the use and management of elephant habitat; Conservation education and community outreach; Enhanced protection of at-risk elephant populations; Efforts to decrease human-elephant conflict; Habitat conservation and management, including improved protected area management in important elephant ranges; Strengthening local capacity to implement conservation programs; Transfrontier elephant conservation; and Wildlife inspection, law enforcement, and forensics skills. Support will also be given to projects that enhance the knowledge of decision makers and other stakeholders. These include legislators, teachers, school children, journalists, tourists, non-governmental organizations, and private sector organizations or businesses in order to strengthen their ability to positively influence wildlife conservation, management, legislation, policy, and finan