Opportunity Information: Apply for NWRS R2 22521 01
Apply for NWRS R2 22521 01
- The Region 2 in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Modeling habitat correlates of chronic wasting disease and identifying areas of higher risk in the San Andres Mountains of southcentral New Mexico." and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.650 Research Grants (Generic).
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 30, 2009 and posted on Jun 30, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 15, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $56,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $56,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
This funding opportunity was a FY 2009 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Region 2 cooperative agreement focused on chronic wasting disease (CWD) risk in the San Andres Mountains of southcentral New Mexico, particularly in and around San Andres National Wildlife Refuge (SANWR). The project’s central aim was to model how mule deer habitat use and related environmental factors correlate with CWD occurrence, and then use those relationships to identify locations that may present higher risk for future CWD detection or spread. In practical terms, the work was meant to connect where deer spend time (and why they use certain habitats) with where the disease has been found, so managers could better target surveillance and management actions.
The announcement frames CWD as a relatively recently recognized fatal disease affecting deer (Odocoileus spp.) and elk (Cervus elaphus) in North America, characterized by weight loss, neurological problems, and eventual death. It also emphasizes the scientific uncertainty that still surrounded key aspects of CWD at the time, including whether the abnormal, protease-resistant prion protein linked with CWD (PrP(CWD)) should be treated purely as a transmissible infectious agent (which the notice says is supported by most evidence), a spontaneous mutation product, or some combination. Another major uncertainty highlighted is transmission: if infectious, CWD could spread through direct animal-to-animal contact (contagious), indirectly through contaminated environments (noncontagious in the notice’s wording), or both. The opportunity underscores that CWD typically shows low prevalence and low morbidity at any given time, which makes detecting patterns and predicting risk more difficult and increases the value of careful habitat-based modeling.
The local problem motivating the project was the emergence of CWD in the San Andres Mountains. The first documented case in this area was confirmed in June 2002 on White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). After that initial detection, 14 additional CWD-positive deer were found, and the notice states that all known cases at that point were clustered in three distinct geographic areas: the WSMR Headquarters area, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Dripping Springs Recreation area and surrounding BLM lands, and a single positive case from the Stallion Range Center area of WSMR. This spatial clustering suggested that landscape features, habitat preferences, animal movements, or localized environmental contamination might be shaping where the disease appears, making spatial and habitat correlates a logical focus for research.
A key justification for the grant is that earlier modeling efforts projecting population-level impacts implied CWD could severely reduce (even “decimateâ€) deer and elk populations. However, the notice points out that many of those projections relied on speculative input values and questionable assumptions about transmission, especially the assumption of frequency-dependent transmission. It notes that such assumptions could effectively force models toward host population extinction outcomes, which may not reflect reality if the true transmission dynamics differ. Because transmission could occur through direct contact or environmental exposure, and because both pathways are strongly influenced by mule deer movement and habitat use, the announcement stresses the need to ground risk modeling in the ecology of mule deer in the San Andres Mountains rather than relying on generalized assumptions.
From an applicant and funding standpoint, the opportunity was issued as a discretionary cooperative agreement under CFDA 15.650 (Research Grants - Generic) with a single expected award totaling $56,000 (the award floor and ceiling were both $56,000). There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement. Eligible applicants were institutions of higher education, including both public/state-controlled and private universities. The posting date was June 30, 2009, with an application closing date of July 15, 2009, and the opportunity later archived on August 14, 2009. The contact listed for questions was Mara Weisenberger, Wildlife Biologist, reachable by phone at 575-382-5047 or by email at maraweisenberger@fws.gov.
Overall, the grant was designed to produce defensible, place-specific insight into how CWD risk in the San Andres Mountains might be tied to habitat conditions and mule deer behavior, improving on earlier high-level impact models by focusing on the real-world ecological drivers that shape where deer congregate, move, and potentially encounter infectious material. The end product implied by the title and description is a mapped or otherwise spatially explicit identification of higher-risk areas, useful for prioritizing monitoring, sampling, and management across SANWR, WSMR, and adjacent BLM lands.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What was this funding opportunity?
This was a FY 2009 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Region 2 discretionary cooperative agreement focused on chronic wasting disease (CWD) risk in the San Andres Mountains of southcentral New Mexico, with particular emphasis on areas in and around San Andres National Wildlife Refuge (SANWR).
What was the main goal of the project?
The central aim was to model how mule deer habitat use and related environmental factors correlate with where CWD has occurred, and then use those relationships to identify locations that may present higher risk for future CWD detection or spread.
What problem was the project trying to solve?
CWD had emerged in the San Andres Mountains, and known cases appeared clustered in specific locations. The project was meant to provide place-specific, defensible insight into how habitat conditions and mule deer behavior might be shaping where the disease is detected, so managers could better target surveillance and management actions.
Which species did the announcement describe as being affected by CWD?
The announcement described CWD as a fatal disease affecting deer (Odocoileus spp.) and elk (Cervus elaphus) in North America.
How did the announcement describe CWD symptoms?
It characterized CWD by weight loss, neurological problems, and eventual death.
What scientific uncertainties about CWD did the notice highlight?
The notice emphasized uncertainty (as framed at the time) about whether the abnormal, protease-resistant prion protein associated with CWD (PrP(CWD)) should be treated purely as a transmissible infectious agent (which it said most evidence supported), a spontaneous mutation product, or some combination. It also highlighted uncertainty about transmission pathways.
What transmission pathways did the notice discuss?
The notice discussed the possibility that CWD could spread through direct animal-to-animal contact (contagious), indirectly through contaminated environments (referred to as noncontagious in the notice’s wording), or through both pathways.
Why did the opportunity focus on mule deer habitat use?
Because both direct contact and environmental exposure can be strongly influenced by how mule deer move and where they spend time. The opportunity emphasized grounding risk modeling in the ecology of mule deer in the San Andres Mountains, rather than relying on generalized assumptions.
Why was habitat-based modeling considered valuable for CWD?
The notice emphasized that CWD typically shows low prevalence and low morbidity at any given time, which can make detecting patterns and predicting risk difficult. That context increased the perceived value of careful modeling using habitat and environmental correlates.
Where and when were the first known CWD detections in the local area described?
The first documented case in the San Andres Mountains area was confirmed in June 2002 on White Sands Missile Range (WSMR). After that initial detection, the notice reported 14 additional CWD-positive deer.
How were known CWD cases distributed geographically according to the notice?
The notice stated that all known cases at that point were clustered in three distinct geographic areas: the WSMR Headquarters area, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Dripping Springs Recreation area and surrounding BLM lands, and a single positive case from the Stallion Range Center area of WSMR.
Why did the notice pay attention to the clustering of cases?
The clustering suggested that landscape features, habitat preferences, animal movements, or localized environmental contamination might influence where CWD appears, making spatial and habitat correlates a logical focus for research.
How did the announcement position this work relative to earlier CWD impact models?
It noted that earlier modeling efforts projecting population-level impacts suggested CWD could severely reduce (even “decimateâ€) deer and elk populations, but also argued that many such projections relied on speculative input values and questionable assumptions about transmission, particularly frequency-dependent transmission.
What concern did the notice raise about frequency-dependent transmission assumptions?
The notice stated that assuming frequency-dependent transmission could effectively force models toward host population extinction outcomes, which may not reflect reality if true transmission dynamics differ.
What kind of output was implied by the project description?
The title and description implied a mapped or otherwise spatially explicit identification of higher-risk areas, intended to help prioritize monitoring, sampling, and management across SANWR, WSMR, and adjacent BLM lands.
What type of award was offered?
The opportunity was issued as a discretionary cooperative agreement.
What program or CFDA number was associated with the opportunity?
The opportunity was associated with CFDA 15.650 (Research Grants - Generic).
How many awards were expected and what was the funding amount?
A single award was expected. The total award amount was $56,000, with an award floor of $56,000 and an award ceiling of $56,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement was stated.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants were institutions of higher education, including public/state-controlled and private universities.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The posting date was June 30, 2009, and the application closing date was July 15, 2009.
When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was later archived on August 14, 2009.
Who was the listed contact for questions?
The listed contact was Mara Weisenberger, Wildlife Biologist.
How could applicants contact the listed point of contact?
By phone at 575-382-5047 or by email at maraweisenberger@fws.gov.
What geographic areas were specifically mentioned as relevant to the work?
The San Andres Mountains of southcentral New Mexico were the focus, particularly in and around San Andres National Wildlife Refuge (SANWR), and including White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) and adjacent Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands such as the Dripping Springs Recreation area.
What management use did the notice suggest for the project results?
The results were intended to help managers target surveillance and management actions by identifying areas that may present higher risk for future CWD detection or spread.
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