Purpose: The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Branch of Tribal Climate Resilience (TCR) is excited to announce a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) to coordinate with a Plant Ecologist on Tribal coastal restoration. The Plant Ecologist position will be funded by TCR through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Ecosystem Restoration Program to assess the botanical/native seed and plant materials needs, and to provide technical support for Tribes who are relocating, retreating, expanding, or utilizing protect-in-place measures to address climate-induced erosion and similar impacts.
Submission Deadline: Friday, January 31st, 7:59 pm Alaska Daylight Time / 11:59 pm Eastern Daylight Time
Eligibility: All CESU Partnering Institutions and Organizations – please fwd to your complete list of Regional CESU Partners
Please see the attached RSOI, Position Description, and Statement of Work for more information. Please reach out to both Alyssa Morris (alyssa.morris@bia.gov) and John Mosley (john.mosley@bia.gov), who are copied on this email, for any questions and to submit Statements of Interest.
From August to October in 2020 and 2021, Dr. H. Bryan Underwood of USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center and Dr. Donald Leopold of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry studied white-tailed deer in the fertile forests of Delaware. Their goal was to develop a cost-effective and efficient method for estimating deer populations without disrupting park staff. With the help of two graduate students, the researchers explored various existing deer counting methods to estimate the populations in both the First State National Historical Park and the adjacent Brandywine Creek State Park.
The professors conducted their study using two different field methods simultaneously. One approach involved distance sampling, which required two spotters per vehicle along various accessible roads, while the other utilized a total of sixteen baited and unbaited infrared cameras in areas unreachable by distance sampling. Underwood and Leopold decided that “placing bait, corn weighing just shy about twenty-three kilograms in a V pattern roughly five meters apart from the camera, would be the best way to attract as many deer as possible.” Bait was replenished and resulting data collected weekly, and each year, when October arrived, the cameras were removed from the parks.
One of the professors’ analyses involved sorting images by gender and age group and assigning a species label to create a unique identity for each male based on the number of antler points. These data were used to estimate the deer population with two ratio estimation approaches (Jacobson’s method and Bowden’s estimator). To eliminate overlapping data, the cameras captured loitering deer in bursts of photos separated by three minute intervals in 2020 then extended to five minute intervals in 2021. When questioned about the most noteworthy discovery Underwood stated, the most interesting, but perhaps not surprising, finding was that counts conducted from roads (as opposed to off-road using trail cameras) almost always produced lower estimates of abundance. Underwood also discussed critical facts about climate change and its impact on deer populations in the Northeast. He observed that while harsh winters can reduce deer mortality rates, exposure to novel infections, such as Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease virus (EHD), could significantly increase deer deaths. At smaller protected areas like First State National Historical Park, budget constraints often limit staffing for deer population surveys. The professors aimed to identify an effective and economical method for estimating deer populations without overburdening staff.
Furthermore, projects like this offer valuable research experiences for graduate students, exposing them to real-world challenges and fostering collaboration with agency personnel. Such opportunities help students discover their professional paths. By leveraging their existing skills, they enhanced the research project’s value, transforming a seemingly routine inquiry into something more impactful.
Above shows a photo from September 16, 2020 taken on one of the infrared cameras.This photo is from September 13, 2020 taken on an infrared camera.The photo features, from left to right, Sonja Werth Bookout, the natural resource manager for the National Parks Service; a graduate student in the center, Madison Hand; and Dr. H. Brian Underwood, one of the project leads, on the right.
Compiled and written by Shanea Togninalli, NAC CESU Student Assistant at the University of Rhode Island.
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) is seeking a Coordinator for the Chesapeake Global Collaboratory (CGC), who will be the point-of-contact for the Collaboratory throughout UMCES, and for external interactions with other University System of Maryland universities, government and nongovernmental groups, and other stakeholders.
The coordinator will provide scientific coordination for the CGC and also be responsible for the operations of CGC related to providing scientific support services to faculty. Scientific coordination includes: (1) organizing CGC activities (e.g., training, workshops, newsletter) to maximize the impact and efficiency of the CGC, (2) assisting in team building for specific projects that use the CGC, (3) assisting and, as appropriate, leading proposal preparations (Federal, state, foundations) that involve the CGC, and (4) participate in activities raising awareness within UMCES and to outside organizations about the services offered by the CGC. There will also be opportunities for the coordinator to engage in active research as part of CGC projects. Overseeing operations includes working as part of a team on scheduling, project management, and logistics of CGC activities and ensuring smooth and responsive daily operations of the CGC scientific enterprise. The coordinator will work closely with the CGC advisory committees, faculty, and UMCES administration. The coordinator will work with the personnel responsible for the new building but will not be responsible for the operations or personnel of the building.
Specific responsibilities include:
Managing CGC projects
Supporting Faculty Steering Committee and External Advisory groups
Coordinating the convening summits, workshops, and meetings
Preparing CGC communications for UMCES and external audiences
Representing the CGC at meetings
Participating in proposals that involve CGC activities
