Free Black Communities in the Shenandoah Valley Special History Study

The National Park Service (NPS), through Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park and the Interior Region 1 (IR-1), North Atlantic-Appalachian History and Preservation Assistance Office, requires the performance of research and writing of a Special History Study about free Black communities in the Shenandoah Valley in the years immediately preceding the Civil War and into the Reconstruction Era.

Deadline: Deadline for responding to this letter of interest is Wednesday, May 8, 2024.
Funding: Available funds will support a project up to $65,000 (including indirect costs)
For more information see the Request for Letters of Interest and the Scope of Work.
Additional Documents: Budget Worksheet (Excel)

Great Smoky Mountains National Park- Long-Term Ecological Monitoring Data Analyses

Project: The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking the assistance of principal investigator(s) for a project involving the analysis of long-term ecological monitoring data to provide trends in resource condition and to address inter-disciplinary questions that provide insight on the health of the Park’s ecosystems.
This project requires a principal investigator with experience in quantitative ecological analysis of terrestrial and/or aquatic systems.
Funding Source: National Park Service
Deadline: The deadline for responding to this letter of interest is May 31, 2024, by 5:00pm ET.
For more information see the Request for Letters of Interest and the Dataset Summary Spreadsheet.

Heritage Documentation Programs Recordation, Nationwide

Project: The Heritage Documentation Program is interested in cooperating with a CESU partner(s) to accomplishing the following in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines. Some elements may not be applicable to each project and are noted by and an “*”: Written Historic Report, Large Format Photographs, *Measured Drawings, Address peer review comments and revise report accordingly, Arrange documentation in accordance with Preparing HABS/HAER/HASLS Documentation for Transmittal to the Library of Congress.
Funding Sources: National Park Service.
Deadline for responses: June 1, 2024
For more information see the Request for Letters of Interest.

Ocean Environmental Monitoring and Sound Propagation Study at Mid-Atlantic Shelfbreak Offshore Wind Area

Description: Environmental assessments on offshore renewable energy development require accurate modeling and effective monitoring. Traditional sound propagation modeling for noise effect analysis often uses historical environmental variables that may not reflect oceanographic regime shifts due to climate change. Existing acoustic monitoring only evaluates species calls and signal/noise characteristics collected at the recording sites without incorporating oceanographic variables, and is thus unable to address broader issues such as ecological dynamics and oceanographic processes related to offshore wind development.The proposed study will deploy acoustic sensors in the vicinity of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF’s) Pioneer Array ocean observation platform to collect active and passive acoustic datasets and to conduct sound propagation measurements.
Closing Date for Applications: June 13, 2024 5:00 p.m., ET
Funding Source: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

For more information see the listing on Grants.gov

Request for Statements of Interest: Special History Study – The Sandburgs’ Views and Roles Related to African Americans and Civil Rights

Project: Responses to this Request for Statements of Interest will be used to identify potential investigators for a project to be funded by the National Park Service (NPS) and coordinated by Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (CARL). The project involves the development and production of a special history study that uses research and critical analysis to document Carl and Lillian Sandburg’s views on and relationships with African Americans and the struggle for civil rights. These resources will enable CARL to develop interpretive and educational programs that expand understanding of the Sandburgs and connect visitors with African American history and culture.

This project requires a principal investigator(s) with a deep knowledge of American history and literature, with a focus on the African American experience and civil rights, as well as prior experience researching, writing, and producing government reports, especially as related to NPS interpretive histories, historic contexts, or theme studies.

Deadline: The deadline for responding to this letter of interest has been extended to May 15, 2024 by 5:00pm ET. PLEASE NOTE: A budget is not requested at this time.

For more information see the full Request for Statements of Interest

Reality Bites on Cape Cod: Marine Debris Sculpture Raises Awareness for Plastic Problem

During the summer season of 2023, a 14-foot white shark loomed over Herring Cove along the Cape Cod National Seashore, reminding visitors of the potential dangers that lurk beneath the waves. However, this particular shark wasn’t like its living, breathing counterparts, as it was crafted entirely out of plastic debris. This art installation from the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) served both as a symbol of these important annual visitors to the Cape as well as a warning to the public of a greater threat to marine life: marine debris pollution. 

Funded through a unique opportunity from the NOAA Marine Debris Program and the National Park Service, this project sought to highlight plastic marine debris in an engaging way to visitors. Cindy Pease Roe, a local artist with an extensive background in upcycling plastic pollution, was commissioned to design and build a steel framework in the shape of a white shark and attach various marine debris items, found along the shoreline by groups of CCS volunteers. This spectacular sculpture was given the name “Sugar, aka Mama Shug” and placed on display at the Herring Cove Bathhouse for members of the public to admire and understand the harsh truth about the amount of plastic debris in our own backyards. The plastic components of this sculpture were from everyday items, forcing visitors to think about their personal impact on the environment. 

“This global environmental issue becomes not just local but personal,” says Aleutia Scott, North District Supervisor of Interpretation & Education at Cape Cod National Seashore.

When it comes to marine debris pollution in our oceans, reality bites. 

“Marine debris, including consumer debris, construction material, fishing gear and miscellaneous items, impacts the Cape Cod beaches in many ways,” explains Laura Ludwig, CCS Marine Debris and Plastics Program Director. “Visually, it can interfere with an otherwise pristine land- and seascape; logistically, it can present hazards of entanglement or ingestion to animals, and to pedestrians it can pose a threat to bare feet; economically, it can stretch the budget of the National Seashore to clean it all up and dispose of it properly.” 

Projects such as this are important for bringing awareness to this dynamic issue and creating a conversation around responsible plastic use. There are plans for a smaller version of the sculpture to be displayed inside the Cape Cod National Seashore Salt Pond Visitors Center, and similar plastic art installations are in the works around the Cape. 

Request for Letters of Interest: Special History Study- Fort Rosalie (Natchez, MS)

Project: The National Park Service (NPS), Interior Region 2 (IR-2)- South Atlantic-Gulf, is seeking the services of a principal investigator(s)/editor(s) for a project to be funded by the National Park Service (NPS) and coordinated by Natchez National Historical Park (NATC). The project involves the development and production of a multi-authored and multi-chaptered Special History Study detailing the history and significance of the Fort Rosalie Site, with a special focus on the experiences and interactions between people of Native American, European, and African descent.

Deadline: The deadline for responding to this letter of interest is April 15, 2024 by 5:00pm ET.

For more information see the request for letters of interest.

LOI: Science Communication for Regional Resource Initiatives in Northeastern National Parks:

The Northeast Region of the National Park Service is working to tackle the challenges created by climate change and other stressors through regional initiatives targeting key resources. With funding from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), these initiatives are moving forward as funded projects. Each initiative is working to bring the best available science and indigenous knowledge to bear on restoring or enhancing the resilience of cultural and natural resources entrusted to the National Park Service.

Deadline for Responding: March 22, 2024

Funds Available: $100,000 to $150,000 is available for the first two years of this project, inclusive of the CESU overhead rate of 17.5%.

For more information see the full Request for Letters of Research Interest and the Communications Strategic Planning Worksheet

Cape Cod National Seashore is announcing its Nickerson Fellowship through the NAC-CESU

The Joshua A. Nickerson Conservation Fellowship, offered in partnership by Cape Cod National Seashore Advisory Commission, Atlantic Research & Learning Center, and Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore, has provided support to qualified individuals since 1992. At least one fellowship is awarded each year to individuals whose work will contribute to our knowledge of natural and cultural resources within Cape Cod National Seashore, and of the relationships of these resources to the local communities in which they are found.

Proposals may be submitted for research in the broad areas of the natural and social sciences. Topics of interest include terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem processes, biotic and abiotic ecosystem components, cultural and natural resource management, and the political and social implications of resource protection and management.

The amount of the fellowship varies from year to year. Housing may also be available to fellowship recipients while research is being conducted in the park. Laboratory equipment and field equipment may be available as well.

Application Deadline: March 24, 2024

More information can be found on the Nickerson Fellowship page on the NPS website.