THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS Population Dynamics of Threatened Piping Plovers on the Niobrara River, Nebraska THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the identifier for this National Park Service funding opportunity?

The opportunity is identified as NPS-NOIP15AC00078.

Was this an open, competitive grant solicitation?

No. The announcement explicitly stated "THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS," meaning it was not an open, competitive call for proposals.

What type of award was used for this opportunity?

This opportunity was issued as a cooperative agreement, which indicates substantial involvement by the National Park Service (NPS) in carrying out the project.

Why was a cooperative agreement used instead of a standard grant?

The project description noted substantial NPS involvement, including technical and logistical support, direct assistance with field monitoring, and leadership on an interpretive component. Those responsibilities align with a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant.

Was this opportunity connected to an existing partnership mechanism?

Yes. It was tied to the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network, specifically the Southern Appalachian CESU.

Who was the recipient named in the announcement?

The recipient was Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech).

Under what agreement mechanism did Virginia Tech participate?

Virginia Tech participated under an existing CESU Master Cooperative Agreement (P14AC00882) through the Southern Appalachian CESU.

Why was Virginia Tech selected for this project?

The announcement stated that Virginia Tech was uniquely qualified to perform the required fieldwork and scientific study and could provide the specific activities needed to meet NPS objectives efficiently.

What was the estimated total funding amount for the project?

The estimated total funding amount was $90,000.

What was the award ceiling?

The award ceiling was $90,000.

Was there a cost-share requirement?

No. The opportunity noted no cost-share requirement.

When was the opportunity posted?

It was posted on August 3, 2015.

What were the closing dates for the opportunity?

The original closing date was August 13, 2015, and the final closing date was also August 13, 2015.

What was the overall purpose of the project?

The purpose of the three-year project was to document and better understand the population dynamics of the threatened piping plover (Charadrius melodus) along the Niobrara River in northeastern Nebraska, and to use the findings to generate practical management recommendations.

Where did the study take place?

The work focused on the Niobrara River in northeastern Nebraska, including the 39-mile and 59-mile segments associated with the Missouri National Recreational River (MNRR), with emphasis on birds nesting on sandbars in the lower Niobrara.

Which species was the focus of the study?

The study focused on the piping plover (Charadrius melodus), described in the opportunity as a threatened species.

What time period did the project cover?

The project was described as a three-year effort, with field work focusing on the 2015 and 2016 breeding seasons.

What were the core scientific goals of the project?

The core goals included estimating survival and reproductive output (adult survival and chick production/fledging success) and determining how the Niobrara River group connects to other piping plover breeding populations across the Great Plains.

How did the project address habitat and nesting success?

A major part of the study aimed to link plover presence and nesting success to habitat conditions by combining remotely sensed imagery with on-the-ground monitoring information collected by multiple groups working along the river.

What did the project management plan say the joint objective was?

The joint objective was to improve understanding of piping plover population dynamics and habitat use on the lower Niobrara River and use those findings to generate practical management recommendations.

Was the project intended to support management decisions?

Yes. The project was designed to close knowledge gaps affecting how NPS and partners manage river sandbar habitat and make decisions that could support recovery of the threatened piping plover.

What were the recipient's main responsibilities?

The recipient's role centered on hands-on biological fieldwork and spatial analysis. Responsibilities included intensive field monitoring (locating and tracking nests, monitoring chicks), conducting bird banding, performing remote sensing analysis to evaluate habitat suitability and change, and assessing how habitat change influences plover occurrence and success.

What specific field activities were included in the recipient's role?

Field activities included locating and tracking nests, monitoring chicks, and conducting bird banding to support survival estimates and movement/connectivity analyses.

What specific remote sensing or spatial analysis tasks were included?

The recipient was responsible for remote sensing analysis to evaluate habitat suitability and changes over time, and for assessing how habitat change influences where plovers occur and how successful they are.

Did the project include a recovery-focused assessment of factors helping or hindering plovers?

Yes. The recipient was tasked with examining which factors help recovery efforts and which factors interfere with them, tying field observations and habitat data to broader recovery questions.

What role was NPS expected to play during the project?

NPS involvement was described as substantial. NPS was expected to provide technical and logistical support and subject-matter expertise, assist directly with field monitoring, and take the lead on implementing an interpretive component.

What is meant by the "interpretive component" mentioned for NPS?

The opportunity indicated NPS would lead an interpretive component, suggesting NPS planned a public-facing education or outreach element to help visitors and local stakeholders understand the species, its habitat needs, and management actions on the river.

How was connectivity to other populations addressed in the project?

One of the goals was determining how the Niobrara River piping plover group connects to other breeding populations across the Great Plains, supported by activities such as bird banding and related movement/connectivity analyses.

What was the expected outcome of the funded work?

The expected outcome was a stronger scientific basis for NPS management of piping plovers and their sandbar habitats on the Niobrara River, producing information intended to directly support decision-making and address gaps in understanding.

What habitat type was central to this study?

The work focused on plovers nesting on river sandbars in the lower Niobrara River and how sandbar habitat conditions relate to plover presence and nesting success.

Did the project involve data from multiple groups?

Yes. The project aimed to combine remotely sensed imagery with on-the-ground monitoring information collected by multiple groups working along the river.

How did the CESU structure relate to this award?

The arrangement leveraged the CESU structure used by federal land-management agencies to engage academic and technical partners for targeted research, monitoring, and applied science that directly informs management decisions.