Federal Partner: National Park Service

Produce Special History on the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Committee

Project Description: This project aims to create a conservation stewardship legacy second only to Teddy Roosevelt. Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP is the only national park dedicated to the interpretation of conservation stewardship. This project will broaden the context of what conservation stewardship means to all Americans; help the park communicate to the public the legacy of one of the nation’s strongest conservationists, Laurance Rockefeller. It will also analyze outdoor recreation opportunities and the effort to provide those opportunities to all Americans, specifically through the National Park Service, but also through other public lands; and whether those efforts of conservation stewardship supplemented the efforts of the Civil Rights Movement.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. David Glassberg, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Partner Institution: University of Massachusetts Amherst

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Taylor Brookins

Federal Involvement: NPS reviewed project drafts

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Cultural Resources

Project Sub-Discipline(s): Cultural and Historic

Start Year: 2018

End Year: 2023

Initial Funding Amount: $53,999.89

Federal Grant Number: P18AC01263

Amendments

  • Amendment Number: 03, Year: 2023, Amount: $-6,520.92

National Park or Protected Area: Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

Student and Other Involvement:

  • Masters Students: 2

Summary of Student Involvement: Research and editorial assistance

Assess Condition of Faunal Communities at Newly Acquired Barrett’s Farm Unit

Project Description: The goal of this project is to evaluate the current conditions of faunal communities (specifically breeding landbird, amphibian, reptile, and fish communities) at the newly acquired Barrett’s Farm Unit of Minute Man National Historical Park. Reference criteria will be the same as those used in the parkwide Natural Resource Condition Assessment conducted in 2009, prior to acquisition of the Barrett’s Farm Unit (NPS 2009). As in the 2009 Natural Resource Condition Assessment, reference criteria will be used to rank the condition of individual faunal communities as “good,” “caution,” or “significant concern.” The project will result in a final report suitable for the NPS Natural Resource Report series as well as a public-facing communication product. The published research, excepting locations of rare species if detected, will be free and publicly available.

Project objectives include (a) documenting amphibian, reptile, bird, and fish occurrences using data from iNaturalist, eBird, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, and other existing data sources; (b) surveying amphibians using anuran calling surveys, egg mass counts, time-constrained searches, coverboards, turtle trap surveys, and minnow trap surveys, mirroring the methodology used to assess wetlands in other portions of park; (c) concurrently surveying reptiles using time-constrained searches, coverboards, and turtle trap surveys; and (d) assessing the condition of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and fish on the Barrett’s Farm Unit.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Robert Stevenson, University of Massachusetts Boston

Partner Institution: University of Massachusetts Boston

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Tammy Cook

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Project Sub-Discipline(s): Biological (Ecology, Fish, Wildlife, Vegetation, T&E)

Start Year: 2022

End Year: 2024

Initial Funding Amount: $30,000.00

Federal Grant Number: P23AC00064

Location: Minute Man National Historical Park–WASO/WRD/NRCA

Ethnographic Overview and Assessment for the Blackstone River Valley

Project Description: The goal of this project is to assess the known historical and contemporary ethnographic contexts for people associated with the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, and to supplement the information with new research in order to deliver a written product which will guide future interpretation and educational programming for NPS and its partners.

This project aims to collect and assess the known evidence of historical and contemporary Native connections to the Blackstone River Valley, consult with tribal and other affiliated communities to collect additional observations and evidence, and deliver a report and raw materials that identifies tribal and affiliated people connections and make recommendations for NPS treatment of the Blackstone River Valley.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Cedric Woods, University of Massachusetts Boston

Partner Institution: University of Massachusetts Boston

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: David Goldstein

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Cultural Resources

Project Sub-Discipline(s): Arts & Humanities, Cultural and Historic

Start Year: 2020

End Year: 2025

Initial Funding Amount: $102,225.00

Federal Grant Number: P20AC00921

Amendments

  • Amendment Number: 02, Year: 2023, Amount: $80,000.00

Location: Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park

Ethnographic Overview and Assessment for Werowocomoco

Project Description: The goal of this agreement is to assess the known historical and contemporary ethnographic contexts for people associated with Werowocomoco, and to supplement the information with new research in order to deliver a written product which will guide future interpretation and educational programming for NPS and its partners.

Project objectives include these steps: 1) collect and assess the known evidence of historical and contemporary Native connection to Werowocomoco, 2) consult with tribal communities to collect additional observations and evidence, and 3) deliver a report and raw materials that identifies tribal connections and makes recommendations for NPS treatment of Werowocomoco and engagement of tribal communities in a way that re-balances the park as a Native place.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Cedric Woods, University of Massachusetts Boston

Partner Institution: University of Massachusetts Boston

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: David Goldstein

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Cultural Resources

Project Sub-Discipline(s): Arts & Humanities, Cultural and Historic

Start Year: 2019

End Year: 2023

Initial Funding Amount: $103,400.00

Federal Grant Number: P19AC01014

Location: Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (CAJO)

Assess the Feasibility of Oyster Restoration at Assateague Island National Seashore

Project Description: The goals of this project are to determine the distribution and timing of spat settlement for oysters within Sinepuxent and Chincoteague bays adjacent to Assateague Island and to determine if spat settlement is adequate enough to reestablish and restore native oyster populations in this area.

A one-year field study will be implemented by University of Maryland Eastern Shore staff and students to collect relevant parameters at 12 monitoring sites. Each site will be visited at two-week intervals for data collection. Study results and findings will be summarized into a comprehensive final report that will include a description of the methods used, results observed, and a discussion of findings. Suggestions for future management strategies associated with the potential for oyster restoration within the coastal bays will be provided. These results will be shared with an established regional working group including scientists from UMES, MD Department of Natural Resources, National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy, and the Maryland Coastal Bays Program to determine if future restoration of this species is practicable.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Bradley Stevens, University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

Partner Institution: University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Bill Hulslander

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Project Sub-Discipline(s): Biological (Ecology, Fish, Wildlife, Vegetation, T&E), Water (FW & Marine)

Start Year: 2018

End Year: 2021

Initial Funding Amount: $32,242.00

Federal Grant Number: P18AC01303

Location: Assateague Island

Oral History of the Katahdin Region

Project Description: The Katahdin Story Booth Project is a community-based oral history project focused on the lives of residents of the Greater Katahdin region in northern Maine. The project is overseen by the Millinocket Memorial Library (MML), with collaboration and support from the National Park Service (NPS) and the Maine Folklife Center (MFC) at the University of Maine, Orono (UMO). It began in 2018, when some 40 interviews were conducted by a student intern, MML and MFC staff, and residents themselves. Some interviews were transcribed and used as the basis for short audio podcasts by students at UMO. Another 30 interviews remain to be transcribed, along with additional interviews conducted by other residents in the intervening months. There is also the need to collect more interviews on a variety of subjects. Project administrators would also like to see public interpretation of these interviews, possibly including: (a) a stationary or traveling visual exhibition; (b) additional audio podcasts; and (c) an online exhibit and website.

Lead Principal Investigator: Debora Carver, University of Maine

Partner Institution: University of Maine

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: David Goldstein

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Cultural Resources

Project Sub-Discipline(s): Cultural and Historic

Start Year: 2020

End Year: 2022

Initial Funding Amount: $25,000.00

Federal Grant Number: P20AC00976

Amendments

  • Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2023, Amount: $-1,731.94

Location: Greater Katahdin region in Northern Maine

State(s): Maine

Map and Image the Acadia National Park Intertidal Zone during Low Tide

Project Description: Acadia National Park is located in the State of Maine. It protects much of Mount Desert Island, the Schoodic Peninsula, and associated smaller islands along the Atlantic coast. Originally created at Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916, renamed Lafayette National Park in 1919 and Acadia National Park in 1929, it is the oldest national park east of the Mississippi River. The intertidal zone is a critical part of Acadia National Park, but has not been adequately mapped at low tide, limiting assessments of risks from storms along the coast and management of intertidal natural and cultural resources. This project will provide critical images and maps of topography of the intertidal and intertidal resources at low tide. These products will inform understanding of coastal natural and cultural resources and will inform their management by NPS and other state and local agencies and organizations and private landowners.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Daniel Hayes, University of Maine

Partner Institution: University of Maine

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Abraham Miller-Rushing

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Project Sub-Discipline(s): Water (FW & Marine)

Start Year: 2020

End Year: 2023

Initial Funding Amount: $40,000.00

Federal Grant Number: P20AC00702

National Park or Protected Area: Acadia National Park

State(s): Maine

Environmental Correlates of Rocky Intertidal Community Structure

Project Description: Now and into the future parks need to use sound scientific data to identify best management practices of their resources to adapt to changes in the environment and human visitation. This is especially so in an era where a variety of threats and stressors affect park coastal habitats and associated resources that can result in increased operational costs for parks to ensure visitor safety and preserve park infrastructure and resource condition.

The rocky intertidal habitats of Acadia National Park (ACAD) are dominated by sessile invertebrates and algae, the community structure of which is determined by the interaction of numerous environmental factors. These species provide habitat and food for motile invertebrates, which are an important food source for other wildlife, like seabirds and fish. Environmental and anthropogenic pressures—such as trampling, harvesting, climate change, and invasive species—can have profound effects on intertidal communities. The broad goal of this project is to evaluate the condition of intertidal communities, identify important stressors to this resource, and to inform management decisions.

The resulting analyses and products from this project will increase the public and scientific community’s knowledge of how a variety of local and regional stressors affects the condition of rocky intertidal resources. This information is critical for evaluating current and future threats to natural and cultural resources so that strategies are developed to mitigate their impacts in the future. For example, scientific data is needed to understand whether and how visitation is affecting intertidal communities. This project will also provide needed information to support decision-making and planning within a multi-partner, regional working group evaluating intertidal health.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Amanda Klemmer, University of Maine

Partner Institution: University of Maine

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Jim Comiskey

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Project Sub-Discipline(s): Biological (Ecology, Fish, Wildlife, Vegetation, T&E), Water (FW & Marine)

Start Year: 2020

End Year: 2023

Initial Funding Amount: $59,076.00

Federal Grant Number: P20AC00349

Amendments

  • Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2021, Amount: $61,272.00

National Park or Protected Area: Acadia National Park

State(s): Maine

Region 1 Technical Cultural Landscape Preservation Assistance and Training

Project Description: This project will provide NPS Region 1 parks with advice on meeting the requirements of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHAP); support development of digital modeling as a research tool for preservation planning; provide assistance to parks based on prior research completed by the Recipient; train students in landscape preservation and disseminate research findings; and provide Women’s Rights National Historical Park with research and recommendations for the treatment of the historic landscape associated with the Hunt House.

Lead Principal Investigator: John Auwaerter, SUNY, College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Partner Institution: SUNY, College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Robert Page

Project Type: Technical Assistance

Project Discipline: Cultural Resources

Project Sub-Discipline(s): Cultural and Historic

Start Year: 2023

End Year: 2025

Initial Funding Amount: $109,000.00

Federal Grant Number: P23AC01998

Location: Women’s Rights National Historical Park

State(s): New York

Determine Abundance and Distribution of White-tailed Deer

Project Description: The purpose of this study is to contribute to local and regional understanding of the white-tailed deer population by providing a detailed assessment of the abundance (i.e., population size and density) and distribution of white-tailed deer in and around the Beaver Valley Unit of First State National Historical Park. Several methods will be deployed, each relying on a different set of assumptions and potential biases and will serve as cross validation of estimates.

This project aims to:

• Estimate deer abundance and distribution using conventional distance sampling methods from roads.
• Estimate deer abundance and distribution using infrared-triggered game cameras.
• Jointly utilize information from both types of surveys, which have different assumptions and potential biases, to cross-validate each other and produce a final estimate of population size and distribution.
• Produce a final report and survey methodology that the park can use for future monitoring.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Brian Underwood, SUNY, College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Partner Institution: SUNY, College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Rachel Mazur

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Project Sub-Discipline(s): Biological (Ecology, Fish, Wildlife, Vegetation, T&E)

Start Year: 2020

End Year: 2023

Initial Funding Amount: $74,952.00

Federal Grant Number: P20AC00554

Amendments

  • Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2020, Amount: $44,952.00
  • Amendment Number: 02, Year: 2021, Amount: $30,000.00

Location: Beaver Valley Unit of First State National Historical Park

State(s): Delaware