National Park Service – Page 8 – North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

Geophysical Survey of Cultural and Natural Resources at White Sands National Park

Project Description: For this project a geophysical survey will be conducted to locate and record covered cultural (hearth mounds, buried statures, archeological sites) and natural resources (fossil trackways and lakeshore features). This is a continuation of past surveys for the collection of additional imagery and analysis. The initial surveys to test the capabilities of geophysical equipment and gather data and images for public sharing and resource management and protection had great results. The surveys of the western half of the Park at a highly concentrated track site provided incredible images of buried tracks. The PI located tracks that could not be detected from the surface and provided justification for the bill that re- designated the monument to a park. The new legislation calls for the preservation of archeological and paleontological resources. The information gathered from this project will provide the knowledge to conduct extensive surveys in the future for the shorelines of Park, hearth mounds, and archeological sites.

The information from this survey will provide new media for public interpretation and understating. From this survey, GIS layers will be created and a final report on the significance of the unique characteristics that from these cultural and natural resources. The associated analyses, models, and supportive maps will provide important baseline information about the nature of geological conditions that formed and preserve this incredible fossil resources.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Sturt Manning, Cornell University

Partner Institution: Cornell University

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: David Bustos

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Project Sub-Discipline(s): Cultural and Historic

Start Year: 2020

End Year: 2024

Initial Funding Amount: $30,679.00

Federal Grant Number: P20AC00605

Amendments

Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2021, Amount: $30,679.00
Amendment Number: 02, Year: 2022, Amount: $49,080.00

National Park or Protected Area: White Sands (NPS)

Forest condition and management in Eastern US NPS units

Project Description: The forest resources in national parks in the eastern United States play crucial roles in connecting visitors with park natural and cultural resources. In addition, many eastern parks contain forests that play a critical ecological role in the region, since NPS forests tend to be older and more diverse than the surrounding landscape and provide regionally under-represented habitats for countless organisms. Sustainable management of park forests is imperative to ensure long-term ecosystem health, maintain biodiversity, and meet the NPS mission of preserving park resources unimpaired for future generations. This project will use the best available science on the condition and trends of NPS forestlands in the Eastern U.S. to identify best management practices that parks can undertake in preserving their forest resources.

Eastern forests face a range of interacting stressors: novel pests and pathogens, invasive plant dominance, over-abundant white-tailed deer populations, development of surrounding non-NPS lands, altered disturbance regimes, increasingly frequent extreme weather events, and changing climate conditions. The impacts of these stressors on park forests range from poor regeneration in parks due to heavy deer browse and invasive species presence which over time will lead to a complete shift in forest composition and ecosystem function. Collectively, these threats and stressors can result in increased operational costs for parks to ensure visitor safety and preserve park infrastructure and have the potential to change the character of a park’s specific resource that visitors have come to enjoy.

Knowing the condition of and trend in NPS forest regeneration and how stressors affect it will allow parks to prioritize and allocate resources more effectively. We will use data collected by four NPS Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) networks, representing >30 NPS units, to develop a condition assessment of NPS forests in the Eastern U.S. The I&M networks represented in this effort include: Northeast Temperate (NETN), Mid-Atlantic (MIDN), National Capital Region (NCRN), and Eastern Rivers and Mountains (ERMN) networks. Vegetation plot data collected by these I&M networks in more than 1000 permanent plots over the span of more than a decade will be analyzed to provide the crucial information needed to develop condition-specific forest management recommendations to maintain healthy forests into the future across the eastern U.S.

Lead Principal Investigator: Nick Fisichelli, Schoodic Institute

Partner Institution: Schoodic Institute

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)

Start Year: 2019

End Year: 2023

Initial Funding Amount: $106,158.70

Federal Grant Number: P19AC00880

Amendments

Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2020, Amount: $104,866.19

Location: Eastern Forests in the United States

Evaluating Potential National Natural Landmarks

Project Description: The primary objective of this project is to produce evaluation reports for two (2) potential National Natural Landmark sites. The NPS will identify the potential sites in cooperation with the Cooperator. Sites that were historically identified as potential NNLS and sites that have been previously evaluated and recommended for designation but were not designated owing to a moratorium will be considered, as will new sites that come to the NPS’ and project investigators’ attention. Selected potential sites will also represent a natural history theme not presently well represented by designated NNL sites.
A potential NNL evaluation report includes a site description, comparative analysis, and final recommendation regarding designation. Activities associated with preparation of an evaluation report may include land ownership research, consultation with landowners and other scientists, gathering known information about the site or resources, and site visits. Each evaluation will follow the specifications detailed within the “Evaluation of Potential NNLs: A Guide for Evaluators” to be provided by the NPS.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Stephen Mabee, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Partner Institution: University of Massachusetts Amherst

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Deb DiQuinzio

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Start Year: 2014

End Year: 2019

Initial Funding Amount: $17,000.00

Federal Grant Number: P14AC01186

Amendments

Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2016, Amount: $10,000.21

State(s): Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia

Continuation of post-Hurricane Sandy physical monitoring of the Old Inlet breach, Fire Island National Seashore

Project Description: On October 30, 2012, Hurricane Sandy produced a record storm surge along the Long Island coast. Along the western barrier islands, the water level reached 3.6 m above the National Geodetic Vertical Datum (NGVD), over a meter higher than the previous storm of record. Three inlets were opened along the ocean shoreline, including a breach at Old Inlet in the Wilderness Area of the National Seashore. To understand and monitor the physical characteristics of the breach at Old Inlet, bathymetric surveys within the breach, breach shoreline position, and breach stability analyses have been conducted periodically since establishment of the breach and are continuing.

The School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of Stony Brook University has maintained an aerial photographic history of the breach at two week to monthly intervals, beginning on November 2, 2012 and continuing to date. Images are posted at:_http://po.msre.sunysb.edu/GSB/

The School of Marine and Atmospheric Science of Stony Brook University Stony Brook University has also been evaluating the influence of the breach on water levels within Great South Bay. Eighteen reports of this assessment have been submitted periodically from December 2012 through April 2018. Reports are posted at: http://po.msrc.sunysb.edu/GSB/. In addition, nearly monthly messages accompanying the aerial overflights have also been issued.

We intend to continue the aerial photo reconnaissance flights and monitoring of Bay water levels, temperatures and salinities during the lifetime of the breach and after in the event of breach closure.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Charles Flagg, SUNY, Stony Brook University

Partner Institution: SUNY, Stony Brook University

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Jordan Raphael

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Project Sub-Discipline(s): Natural Hazards & Environmental Quality (NRDA), Water (FW & Marine)

Start Year: 2018

End Year: 2020

Initial Funding Amount: $9,635.00

Federal Grant Number: P18AC01151

Amendments

Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2020, Amount: $0.00

Location: Old Inlet breach, Fire Island National Seashore

State(s): New York

Assessment of Vegetation Condition in Long-term Deer Exclosures

Project Description: The goals of this project are to provide an assessment of the vegetation condition in long-term deer exclosures compared to original study data and to determine the efficiency of the National Park Service exclosure fences to support native biodiversity. The project will reexamine long-term deer exclosures to determine if they have been successful in increasing vegetation biodiversity at Morristown National Historical Park and provide park resource managers with science-based, quantitative metrics to develop future vegetation best management practices as well as information regarding whether the fences should be repaired or removed.

The project will survey the 25 existing long-term deer exclosures at Morristown National Historic Park and will determine which of the areas are still fully enclosed. The Recipient will then replicate the original vegetation sampling done in functioning exclosures and report on the success of the exclosure interventions. Conclusions as to efficiency of this technique will be framed and recommendations to NPS will be made based on science-based, quantitative data.

The objectives of this project will be to conduct a deer exclosure census which identifies the current status of fences and exclosures and to survey the vegetation in functioning exclosures in order to assess the vegetation condition and the efficiency of the management technique. The outcome of this project will be a final report and peer-reviewed publication that will provide park managers with science-based, quantitative data regarding the vegetation condition and the efficiency of the long-term deer exclosures to support native biodiversity. Furthermore, the project will provide management recommendations regarding the replacement, removal, and future monitoring of the existing exclosures.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Steven Handel, Rutgers University

Partner Institution: Rutgers University

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Robert Masson

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

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

Start Year: 2018

End Year: 2020

Initial Funding Amount: $30,000.00

Federal Grant Number: P18AC00941

Amendments

Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2020, Amount: $0.00
Amendment Number: 02, Year: 2020, Amount: $-563.03

Location: Morristown National Historic Park

State(s): New Jersey

Conserving WNS Affected Bat Populations in Acadia National Park: The Case for Continued Studies, Monitoring, Information Sharing, and Proactive Mitigation

Project Description: The goal of this project is to provide an assessment of how bats have and are likely to continue responding to the rapid and significant decline in their populations and to document both spatial and temporal changes that can help guide best management or mitigation actions for park maintenance projects and operations. This project supports a public purpose of facilitating the public’s understanding of natural resources by providing data analyses and a final report that will be shared to increase public awareness, knowledge, and support for the stewardship of the natural resources. The scientific community and researchers external to NPS will gain by new knowledge provided through research and related results disseminated of natural resource information.

Current data availability includes acoustic monitoring at 3 fixed sites that have been continuously surveyed using stationary acoustic detectors throughout the active season (late May through October) from 2010 through 2017, and an additional 6-20 passive or stationary sites have been surveyed for shorter intervals in support of park operations. Data from mist netting surveys was collected at or near these passive acoustic collection sites monitored at different times throughout the active season (April — October) summers from 2010 through 2017. Each of these data types provide differing but ultimately complimentary assessments of bat species presence and relative abundance through space and time. Importantly we have data available both before (2010 and 2011) and after (2012 onward) the first discovery of white-nose syndrome in ACAD.

Both acoustic and mist netting data collection employs a repeated sampling design that allows for an occupancy modelling approach (MacKenzie et al. 2002) to evaluate the proportion of sites occupied, by species, while accounting for imperfect detection of bats on a nightly basis. Accounting for imperfect detection may be particularly important for Myotis bats, because low abundances (due to population declines associated with white-nose syndrome) may reduce the ability to detect bat presence relative to other species with greater abundance. An occupancy modelling approach will allow us to probabilistically quantify the proportion of surveyed sites where each species is present, will provide a measure of spatial variation in occupancy across ACAD, and will provide an assessment of changes in occupancy through time. For sites repeatedly sampled across years, we can also assess rates of local extirpation and colonization using multi-season occupancy models (MacKenzie et al. 2003), and the likelihood of species co-occurrence using multi-species models (Rota et al. 2016).

In addition to changes in site occupancy we will evaluate both intra- and inter-annual variability in bat activity levels among sites. This assessment will be based on relative number of calls recorded during both regular (e.g. weekly) and biologically informed (e.g. maternity, volent periods) time intervals. Using these data, we will explore both spatial (across sites) and temporal (among years) patterns in bat activity throughout the park, which will provide a complimentary assessment to that of occupancy with respect to how populations of each species have been changing following the introduction of Pd into the park ecosystem.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Erik Blomberg, University of Maine

Partner Institution: University of Maine

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Rebecca Cole-Will

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

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

Start Year: 2018

End Year: 2021

Initial Funding Amount: $14,912.00

Federal Grant Number: P18AC00897

Amendments

Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2019, Amount: $15,000.00
Amendment Number: 02, Year: 2020, Amount: $15,000.00

Location: Acadia National Park

State(s): Maine

Monitoring & Management of White Nose Syndrome Affected Bats

Project Description: The public purpose of this project is to share bat population and status information with state and local conservation agencies along with park neighbors, thereby improving the lines of communication with these partners. The overall goal of this project is to promote recovery of white nose syndrome impacted bat species. The overall objective is to deliver interactive, engaging public programming concerning bat ecology and conservation. Providing these programs to park visitors will promote both adherence to conservation-based access and activity restrictions. This will equip the public with knowledge and incentives to engage in bat-friendly behaviors.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Brooke Maslo, Rutgers University

Partner Institution: Rutgers University

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Robert Masson

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

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

Start Year: 2018

End Year: 2020

Initial Funding Amount: $48,213.00

Federal Grant Number: P18AC00860

Amendments

Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2019, Amount: $5,993.00

Location: Morristown National Historical Park

State(s): New Jersey

Internships to Enhance Diversity Among Natural Resource Professionals

Project Description: The goal of the agreement is to increase the diversity of natural resource professionals through a formal education and internship program. Students will be engaged in a variety of research projects that provide real world experiences that connects with their college curriculum and that also specifically advance the natural resource management goals of the National Park Service partners in the greater Boston Harbor and Cape Cod areas. The research activities conducted at National Parks will be designed to build the student’s skills as well as help them develop a deep understanding of natural resources and the relevance of parks and public open space in their lives and for their communities. This project supports the Secretary’s priority Utilize science to identify best practices to manage land and water resources and adapt to changes in the environment; the NPS receives the indirect benefit of completing projects that identify best practices to manage land and water resources.

This natural resource internship program provides field-based training opportunities at Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, Cape Cod National Seashore and the Northeast Region’s Resource Stewardship and Science Program that are focused on ecosystem protection, management and restoration, which includes the physical, biological and behavioral sciences as well as related cultural resources management such as natural history archiving. The experiences will tie into student’s curriculum at University of Massachusetts, Boston Campus. The learning objectives include subject matter content, critical thinking, communication, integrity and project management.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Elizabeth Boyle, University of Massachusetts Boston

Partner Institution: University of Massachusetts Boston

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Amanda Babson

Project Type: Education

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Start Year: 2018

End Year: 2023

Initial Funding Amount: $22,000.00

Federal Grant Number: P18AC00762

Amendments

Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2019, Amount: $10,976.27
Amendment Number: 02, Year: 2020, Amount: $10,927.50
Amendment Number: 03, Year: 2021, Amount: $22,531.22

Location: Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, Cape Cod National Seashore, and University of Massachusetts, Boston Campus

State(s): Massachusetts

Assessment of Temporal Changes in Forest Conditions in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park

Project Description: The result expected from this project is to deliver data on habitat conditions, trends and updated assessments of the Sky Island forests of the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park (BIBE). This data will provide the park Fire Ecologist, the Fire Management Office, and Chief of Resources Management with the information needed to update and implement burn plans and wildland fire response strategies over the next ten years. The BIBE Fire Management Plan is in need of updates to reflect the requirements of park staff to prioritize management of this habitat. Recent isolated wildfires and the 2011 drought have elevated this need. This updated monitoring effort will contribute to the refinement of management strategies for wildland fire and fuels treatments in the Chisos Mountains of BIBE.

The project objectives include: evaluating forest resource conditions to provide important information about the status of Chisos Mountain Sky Island forests, as well as trends in this resource over the last 15 years, and characterization of the resource conditions at the appropriate scale.

The project will also resample a long-term, 15-year-old plot network to provide a longer-term (6-years post-drought) and landscape-scale assessment of the effects of the drought on tree mortality. Such characterization of current forest resource condition is therefore relevant for evaluating the vulnerability of this resource to a range of environmental stressors including both long-term climate change and future wildfire risk. In addition, the project will also report on the resource conditions to facilitate use of project findings in the park’s decision and planning processes.

Lead Principal Investigator: Dr. Andrew Barton, University of Maine

Partner Institution: University of Maine

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Tammy Cook

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Start Year: 2018

End Year: 2020

Initial Funding Amount: $40,883.00

Federal Grant Number: P18AC00722

Amendments

Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2020, Amount: $0.00

National Park or Protected Area: Big Bend (NPS)

Monitoring Estuarine Condition at Fire Island National Seashore and Gateway National Recreation Area (FY 2018-2022)

Project Description: Coastal environments include several habitats of concern for resource managers in coastal parks. Estuaries, beaches and nearshore areas are nursery grounds for many species of recreational and commercial importance, and they contribute significantly to visitor experience (e.g., boating, fishing, wildlife viewing) at coastal parks. Compromised water quality in coastal environments often results from regional population growth and local development. Water quality monitoring data collected by NPS Inventory & Monitoring network programs and coastal parks allow the NPS to evaluate conditions and track trends within park-boundaries. However, effective management of both estuarine and marine resources requires understanding water quality issues beyond park boundaries since most water quality problems originate there. Understanding this larger picture is a critical step in the successful management of coastal waters. The primary purpose of this study is not the acquisition of property or services for the direct benefit or use by the Federal Government, but rather to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation.

The objectives of this project are to implement the estuarine water quality and seagrass monitoring protocols on alternating parks per year. Measurements of water column condition indicators will occur at Fire Island National Seashore (FIIS) and Gateway National Recreation Area (GATE) in alternate years; and measurements of seagrass indicators at FIIS in April, June and October of all years as identified in the attached scope of work. Monitoring will follow the standard methods described in the NCBN protocols for monitoring estuarine nutrient enrichment. Seagrass condition indicators will be measured during the spring, summer and fall periods at FIIS and the sampling approach is consistent with the global seagrass monitoring protocol described at http://www.SeagrassNet.org.

Lead Principal Investigator: Bradley Peterson, SUNY, Stony Brook University

Partner Institution: SUNY, Stony Brook University

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Dr. Jim Comiskey

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

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

Start Year: 2018

End Year: 2022

Initial Funding Amount: $53,974.00

Federal Grant Number: P18AC00538

Amendments

Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2019, Amount: $70,290.00
Amendment Number: 02, Year: 2020, Amount: $55,008.00
Amendment Number: 03, Year: 2021, Amount: $0.00
Amendment Number: 04, Year: 2023, Amount: $0.00
Amendment Number: 05, Year: 2023, Amount: $0.00

National Parks or Protected Areas:

Fire Island (NPS)
Gateway (NPS)