Opportunity Information: Apply for L16AS00057
Apply for L16AS00057
- The DOI-BLM in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OR/WA - Black Canyon Research Natural Area (RNA) Monitoring and Guidebook" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.238.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 15, 2016 and posted on Mar 15, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 14, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $9,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The OR/WA - Black Canyon Research Natural Area (RNA) Monitoring and Guidebook opportunity is a Bureau of Land Management (DOI-BLM) cooperative agreement aimed at building a long-term ecological record for the Black Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern/Research Natural Area (ACEC/RNA) in Wheeler County, eastern Oregon. This 6,639-acre area was formally designated in April 2015 under the John Day Basin Resource Management Plan and is being integrated into Oregon's statewide Research Natural Area system. A key reason the site is considered high priority is that it includes seven distinct plant community "cells," including one dominated by big sagebrush and Thurber's needlegrass that is not represented elsewhere in the statewide RNA network. The landscape also has a notably high concentration of endemic plant species, making it especially valuable for conservation, research, and detecting ecological change.
At its core, the project supports a broader nationwide effort to track climate change impacts on public lands by establishing permanent, quantitative baseline monitoring plots in ACEC/RNAs. RNAs in the western United States are set aside as relatively intact wildland reference areas used for research, education, and conservation, and they help protect regional biodiversity while serving as benchmarks against which more managed or disturbed lands can be compared. By setting up permanent plots and using agreed-upon natural area and vegetation monitoring protocols, the awardee will create a baseline dataset that can be revisited repeatedly over time. This allows scientists and land managers to detect vegetation shifts, evaluate ecosystem condition, and decide whether management actions are needed to maintain, conserve, preserve, or restore the specific plant communities these areas were designated to protect.
The monitoring work is intended to be comprehensive rather than limited to plant lists. The opportunity calls for establishing long-term plots and collecting standardized information not only on vegetation, but also on related site characteristics such as wildlife observations, geology, physiography, climate context, and land use history. The goal is to document current conditions in a way that makes future comparisons meaningful, so changes in plant composition, structure, or ecosystem function can be detected and interpreted. This monitoring also supports compliance with Executive Order 13186, which emphasizes the conservation and management of migratory birds and their habitats, recognizing that vegetation condition and habitat quality are tightly linked.
A major deliverable beyond the raw monitoring data is the creation of a formal RNA guidebook for the Black Canyon ACEC/RNA. The collected information is to be entered into RNA databases and used to produce a guidebook that can serve as a practical reference for universities, researchers, and educators, as well as state, federal, and local agencies, conservation organizations, and other partners. Guidebooks typically help users understand what ecological communities occur at the site, where monitoring plots are located, what methods were used, and why the site matters biologically and scientifically, which in turn supports consistent future monitoring and responsible research use.
The opportunity is listed as discretionary funding through a cooperative agreement, meaning BLM expects substantial involvement or collaboration during the project rather than a simple pass-through grant. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility notes in the full announcement). The funding opportunity number is L16AS00057 under CFDA 15.238, with an expected single award and an award ceiling of $9,000. The notice was posted March 15, 2016, created March 15, 2016, and had a closing date of May 14, 2016.
Finally, the announcement situates this work within ongoing RNA efforts in Oregon and the Intermountain West. It notes that the Western Stewardship Science Institute (WSSI), working with public and private landowners, has already produced more than ten RNA guidebooks in Oregon and continues to revisit established plots for continued monitoring. In that context, this project is meant to add Black Canyon to the growing network of well-documented reference sites, improving the region's ability to use adaptive management and compare ecological trends across similar ecosystems on public lands over the long term.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the OR/WA - Black Canyon Research Natural Area (RNA) Monitoring and Guidebook opportunity?
It is a Bureau of Land Management (DOI-BLM) cooperative agreement focused on establishing long-term ecological monitoring and producing a formal RNA guidebook for the Black Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern/Research Natural Area (ACEC/RNA) in Wheeler County, eastern Oregon.
Which federal agency is offering this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), within the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI).
Where is the project located?
The work is centered on the Black Canyon ACEC/RNA in Wheeler County in eastern Oregon.
How large is the Black Canyon ACEC/RNA?
The area covered by the site is 6,639 acres.
When was Black Canyon formally designated as an ACEC/RNA?
The site was formally designated in April 2015 under the John Day Basin Resource Management Plan.
How does this site fit into Oregon's broader RNA system?
Black Canyon is being integrated into Oregon's statewide Research Natural Area system, expanding the network of relatively intact reference areas used for research, education, and conservation.
Why is Black Canyon considered a high-priority RNA site?
The announcement identifies the site as high priority because it includes seven distinct plant community "cells," including one dominated by big sagebrush and Thurber's needlegrass that is not represented elsewhere in Oregon's statewide RNA network. The area also has a high concentration of endemic plant species.
What is the main purpose of the project?
The core purpose is to build a long-term ecological record by establishing permanent, quantitative baseline monitoring plots and collecting standardized information that can be revisited over time to detect ecological and vegetation change, including potential climate change impacts.
How does this project relate to climate change monitoring?
The project is described as part of a broader nationwide effort to track climate change impacts on public lands by setting permanent baseline monitoring plots in ACEC/RNAs and using agreed-upon natural area and vegetation monitoring protocols.
What are Research Natural Areas (RNAs) used for in the western United States?
RNAs are set aside as relatively intact wildland reference areas used for research, education, and conservation. They help protect regional biodiversity and serve as benchmarks for comparison with more managed or disturbed lands.
What kind of monitoring is expected under this opportunity?
The monitoring is intended to be comprehensive, including establishment of long-term plots and collection of standardized data on vegetation and related site characteristics.
Is the work limited to compiling plant species lists?
No. The announcement emphasizes that the monitoring should go beyond plant lists and include quantitative baseline plots and broader site documentation so future comparisons and interpretation of change are meaningful.
Besides vegetation, what other site characteristics are included in the monitoring scope?
The opportunity calls for standardized information on related site characteristics such as wildlife observations, geology, physiography, climate context, and land use history, in addition to vegetation.
Why are permanent monitoring plots important for this project?
Permanent plots create a repeatable baseline dataset that can be revisited to detect shifts in vegetation composition and structure, evaluate ecosystem condition, and inform whether management actions are needed to maintain, conserve, preserve, or restore the plant communities the area was designated to protect.
How will the monitoring results be used over time?
The baseline dataset is intended to support repeated revisits over time, allowing scientists and land managers to identify trends, compare conditions across years, and interpret ecological change within a reference landscape.
Does the opportunity mention any policy or compliance drivers?
Yes. The monitoring is described as supporting compliance with Executive Order 13186, which emphasizes conservation and management of migratory birds and their habitats, and notes the link between vegetation condition and habitat quality.
What is the RNA guidebook deliverable?
A major deliverable is a formal RNA guidebook for the Black Canyon ACEC/RNA, developed using the collected and compiled information from monitoring and site characterization.
What is the purpose of the Black Canyon RNA guidebook?
The guidebook is intended to serve as a practical reference for universities, researchers, educators, and agencies and partners, helping users understand what ecological communities occur at the site, where monitoring plots are located, what methods were used, and why the site is biologically and scientifically important.
Where will the monitoring information be stored or entered?
The announcement states that the collected information is to be entered into RNA databases and used to produce the guidebook.
What type of funding mechanism is used for this opportunity?
It is discretionary funding provided through a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?
The announcement indicates that BLM expects substantial involvement or collaboration during the project, rather than a simple pass-through grant arrangement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility notes in the full announcement.
What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA listing?
The funding opportunity number is L16AS00057, and it is listed under CFDA 15.238.
How many awards are expected under this opportunity?
The announcement indicates an expected single award.
What is the maximum funding amount available (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $9,000.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The notice was posted March 15, 2016 (created March 15, 2016) and had a closing date of May 14, 2016.
How does this project connect to ongoing RNA work in Oregon and the Intermountain West?
The announcement notes that the Western Stewardship Science Institute (WSSI) has produced more than ten RNA guidebooks in Oregon and continues to revisit established plots for continued monitoring, and frames this project as adding Black Canyon to that growing network of documented reference sites.
What is the long-term benefit of adding Black Canyon to the RNA network?
By adding a well-documented reference site with permanent plots and a guidebook, the region improves its ability to compare ecological trends across similar ecosystems, support adaptive management, and maintain a long-term record of ecological conditions on public lands.
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