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Vegetation Survey Hawks Nest Hollow Grant Opportunity (FON 21561 9 F017A) - FAQs

What is the Vegetation Survey Hawks Nest Hollow grant opportunity?

It was a discretionary research grant offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) under CFDA 15.650 (Research Grants - Generic). The project focused on launching a vegetation monitoring program at the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge (BCNWR) in Texas.

What was the main conservation purpose of this grant?

The broader conservation purpose was to support habitat protection for two federally listed songbirds: the golden-cheeked warbler and the black-capped vireo, by improving understanding of vegetation conditions and changes that affect habitat quality.

Where would the funded work take place?

The work was centered at the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge (BCNWR) in Texas.

What was the focus of the research and monitoring work?

The project was designed to help refuge staff and researchers understand how fire influences vegetation conditions across the refuge, particularly in ways that could affect wildlife habitat quality.

Why was the project described as time-sensitive?

The opportunity required plot establishment and initial monitoring to be completed by August 31, 2009, emphasizing the need to quickly put a workable monitoring framework in place and generate early results.

What monitoring system or protocol was expected to be used?

A central feature of the project was the use of FIREMON, a standardized system of fire effects monitoring methods.

Did the project require creating a brand-new monitoring protocol?

No. Investigators were expected to select monitoring protocols suitable for immediate use and long-term monitoring by choosing from FIREMON method alternatives, rather than developing an entirely new protocol from scratch.

Why did selecting among FIREMON method alternatives matter?

The selection would determine how consistently and efficiently the refuge could track vegetation change over time and compare burned versus unburned conditions.

What kinds of field sites and treatments were required?

Fieldwork requirements included baseline surveys at new experimental plots representing a mix of conditions: burned and unburned areas, and fenced and unfenced areas.

Why include fenced and unfenced areas?

Including fenced versus unfenced sites suggests the project aimed to separate fire-driven vegetation responses from the effects of grazing or browsing by wildlife, which can significantly influence plant recovery and structure after fire.

Were investigators only surveying newly established plots?

No. In addition to establishing and surveying new experimental plots, investigators were also expected to conduct surveys of other existing burned and unburned sites using the same FIREMON-based approach.

What was the purpose of surveying existing burned and unburned sites as well?

Surveying additional sites expanded the dataset beyond only newly established locations and strengthened the refuge-wide understanding of vegetation response.

Was an analysis component included, or was it fieldwork only?

The project included an initial analysis component aimed at identifying vegetation effects associated with fire, in addition to field data collection.

Did the opportunity specify which statistical methods had to be used?

No specific statistical methods were spelled out. The intent was to produce early interpretive results that could inform management decisions and support continued monitoring.

What kinds of early results were the project expected to produce?

Early results would typically include summaries of baseline vegetation composition and structure across treatments, comparisons of differences attributable to burn history and fencing, and identification of trends or indicators suitable for tracking in future survey cycles.

What agency offered this funding opportunity?

The funding opportunity was offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?

The Funding Opportunity Number was 21561 9 F017A.

What CFDA program was this grant associated with?

It was under CFDA 15.650, Research Grants - Generic.

How many awards were anticipated?

The opportunity anticipated a single award.

What was the estimated total funding amount and award ceiling?

The estimated total funding amount was $23,863, and this amount was also the award ceiling.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching funds.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.

What does the eligibility restriction suggest about the intended partnership?

It signals the refuge intended this as a research partnership with an academic institution rather than an open competition for all organization types.

When was the announcement posted?

The announcement was posted on May 1, 2009.

What was the application deadline?

The application window closed on May 10, 2009.

When was the opportunity archived?

It was later archived on June 9, 2009.

Who was the listed contact for questions or access issues?

The listed contact was Carl Schwope, Fire Management Officer at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

How could applicants or interested parties reach the listed contact?

Carl Schwope could be reached at 512-339-9432 or by email at carlschwope@fws.gov.