ANALYZING 14 YEARS OF LANDBIRD DATA FOR THE NORTHERN COLORADO PLATEAU I&M NETWORK | P18AS00614

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is this grant opportunity about?

This opportunity is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement focused on making full use of a long-running bird monitoring effort in the Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN). The core work is to analyze 14 years of breeding landbird monitoring data (collected since 2005) and pair that analysis with additional field monitoring during the 2019 breeding season.

Which federal agency is offering the award?

The award is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and is tied to the NPS Northern Colorado Plateau Network (NCPN).

Is this a competitive grant where organizations can apply?

No. The notice is a notice of intent to partner with the University of Delaware, and it explicitly states that no applications will be accepted. In other words, this is not an open competitive funding opportunity.

Who is the intended partner for this cooperative agreement?

The notice indicates an intent to partner with the University of Delaware, meaning the partner has effectively been pre-identified.

What type of funding instrument is this?

This is structured as a cooperative agreement, not an open competitive grant.

How many awards are expected?

The opportunity anticipates a single award.

What is the maximum funding amount available?

The award ceiling (maximum expected funding) is $48,650.

Why is the project focused on analyzing existing data instead of starting a new multi-year study?

The scope is described as focused and modest: it emphasizes targeted analysis of an existing long-term dataset plus one season of field monitoring, rather than a large multi-year expansion.

What is the main purpose of analyzing 14 years of landbird monitoring data?

The main purpose is to turn more than a decade of consistent monitoring into clear, defensible information about long-term population status and trends for breeding landbirds. Practically, that means evaluating how bird communities have changed over time, which species appear stable or in decline, and how patterns differ across habitat types and park units.

What time period does the existing dataset cover?

The dataset includes 14 years of landbird monitoring data collected since 2005.

What additional fieldwork is included in the project?

The project includes avian monitoring during the 2019 breeding season, roughly May through July, to extend the time series and keep the dataset current for trend detection.

Where will the work take place?

The work spans 12 National Park units across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Arizona, providing a broad, multi-state view of breeding bird communities in key Colorado Plateau ecosystems.

What kinds of birds are the focus of the monitoring and analysis?

The monitoring and analysis emphasize breeding landbirds. The NCPN treats landbirds as a "vital sign" because changes in breeding bird communities can indicate broader ecosystem integrity.

Why does the NPS consider landbirds a "vital sign"?

Breeding bird communities can act as indicators of ecosystem integrity. Birds are sensitive to changes in vegetation, water availability, climate, and disturbance, so tracking their status and trends provides an efficient way to detect broader ecological change.

Which habitat types are emphasized in this project?

The project emphasizes breeding landbirds associated with low-elevation riparian areas, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and sage shrubland habitats.

Why are these habitats singled out for emphasis?

These habitat types are described as ecologically important and can be especially vulnerable to pressures such as drought, invasive species, altered fire regimes, and land-use change. Long-term bird data in these habitats can be particularly valuable for management and interpretation.

What kinds of results is the project trying to produce?

The project aims to convert a long-running monitoring program into actionable trend results and updated field data. Intended outcomes include defensible information on long-term population status and trends, comparisons across habitats and park units, and an updated time series supported by 2019 breeding-season monitoring.

How will the 2019 monitoring help the overall effort?

Conducting monitoring during the 2019 breeding season helps maintain continuity and comparability by extending the time series and ensuring the dataset remains current for detecting trends.

How does this project support National Park Service decision-making?

By producing clear trend information from consistent monitoring, the project strengthens science-based stewardship across the Northern Colorado Plateau Network and helps parks better understand ecological conditions over time.

Does the project connect to regional or broader bird conservation efforts?

Yes. The project contributes to local and regional bird monitoring efforts by providing standardized, park-based trend information that can complement broader avian conservation programs.

Is there a public communication or interpretation component?

Yes. Beyond technical outputs, the project is intended to support communication and interpretation by helping parks explain to visitors and the public why these protected areas matter as breeding habitat and what long-term data show about ecological conditions over time.

What is the broader ecological significance of tracking breeding landbirds in these parks?

Because birds respond to changes in vegetation, water availability, climate, and disturbance, changes in breeding bird communities can help detect broader ecological shifts across key Colorado Plateau ecosystems represented by the NCPN parks.