Lead Principal Investigator: Fisichelli, Nick

Project Description: This project aims to create tools that improve the accessibility, interoperability, and usability of natural resource data—including inventory, monitoring, air quality, and weather datasets. By making these datasets easier for researchers, educators, and decision-makers to analyze and apply, the project supports federal priorities to expand data accessibility, strengthen understanding of natural resources, promote evidence-based decision-making, and advance conservation and land-management efforts.

To achieve these goals, the project will produce data analysis and visualization tools, along with user training guides and related materials. Project steps include conducting a discovery and needs assessment, designing a data workflow, developing analytical tools, and implementing and maintaining the system. The project will culminate in a final report and a scientific publication detailing the development process and the resulting analytical and visualization tools, enabling replication and adaptation for other natural resource data repositories.

Lead Principal Investigator: Nick Fisichelli, Schoodic Institute

Partner Institution: Schoodic Institute

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Mr. Abe Miller-Rushing

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Start Year: 2025

End Year: 2027

Initial Funding Amount: $348,755.00

Federal Grant Number: P25AC02112-00

Project Description: This project aims to identify locations where mercury concentrations in fish and wildlife may be elevated and pose risks to public health and ecosystem integrity. By engaging students and community members in collecting dragonfly larvae samples, the project will enhance public understanding of mercury contamination and promote shared stewardship of natural resources.

Lead Principal Investigator: Nick Fisichelli, Schoodic Institute

Partner Institution: Schoodic Institute

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Mr. Abe Miller-Rushing

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Start Year: 2025

End Year: 2029

Initial Funding Amount: $150,000.00

Federal Grant Number: P25AC01918-00

Project Description: This project aims to improve understanding of amphibian road crossing behavior and associated mortality in Acadia National Park. The findings will inform scientists, the public, and park managers about risks faced by amphibians and guide transportation planning and other mitigation measures designed to reduce mortality where crossings currently occur.

To achieve these goals, the project will support year-round monitoring to collect wildlife crossing data, assess annual variation, and identify roadway hotspots. Monitoring efforts will involve researchers, technicians, and citizen science volunteers. Collected data will be analyzed to develop a park-wide map of amphibian crossing hotspots and to identify opportunities for reducing amphibian mortality while also enhancing motorist safety.

Lead Principal Investigator: Nick Fisichelli, Schoodic Institute

Partner Institution: Schoodic Institute

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Mr. Abe Miller-Rushing

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

Start Year: 2025

End Year: 2027

Initial Funding Amount: $74,612.00

Federal Grant Number: P25AC01264-00

Location: Acadia

State(s): Maine

Maine Counties: Hancock

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. This is especially so in an era where a variety of threats and stressors affect park vegetation resources that can result in increased operational costs for parks to ensure visitor safety and preserve park infrastructure. Knowing the condition and trends in vegetation resources allow parks to prioritize and allocate resources more effectively. The goals of this task agreement are to collect data to assess the conditions and the factors affecting vegetation of 21 eastern parks within the Inventory and Monitoring Division (IMD) Northeast Temperate (NETN), Mid-Atlantic (MIDN), and Northeast Coastal
Barrier (NCBN) network parks.

This project provides long-term forest vegetation monitoring in plots located within NPS parks from ME to VA. These ecosystems are important to park operations, visitors’ experience, and are valuable resources that are constantly affected by environmental change and stressors. Monitoring data collected under this agreement will be used by NPS Inventory and Monitoring staff and Dr. Nicholas Fisichelli of Schoodic Institute to assess the overall condition of and factors affecting NPS vegetation communities and provide recommendations to park managers. For example, annual assessments of the condition of park vegetation can help park’s prioritize invasive species management, identify and adapt to newly emerging threats, and alter management practices as needed to promote healthy ecosystems. Schoodic Institute in cooperation with NPS IMD staff will perform analyses of the vegetation communities and environmental data to evaluate the roles of climate change, invasive exotic species, forest pests, and other stressors on vegetation health within eastern parks.

The resulting analyses will increase the public and scientific community’s knowledge of how a variety of local (e.g., deer browse) and regional (e.g. invasive species, climate change) stressors affect the condition of vegetation resources. This information is critical for evaluating current and future threats to regional vegetation structure, biodiversity, and other linked natural and cultural resources so that strategies can be developed to mitigate their impacts in the future. For example, scientific data is needed to understand and manage how the arrival of invasive forest pests, high deer browse, and invasive plant species are affecting the forests within our parks and local communities that not only provide refuge for species and are important to high water quality, but also contribute to the visitor experience as an integral component of many park’s cultural landscape.

Lead Principal Investigator: Nick Fisichelli, Schoodic Institute

Partner Institution: Schoodic Institute

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Dr. Jim Comiskey

Project Type: Research

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

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

Start Year: 2023

End Year: 2025

Initial Funding Amount: $270,393.26

Federal Grant Number: P23AC01633

Amendments

• Amendment Number: 01, Year: 2024, Amount: $66,142.88

Location: 21 inventory and monitoring parks in the National Park Service Northeast Region

National Parks or Protected Areas:

• Acadia (NPS)
• Appomattox Court House (NPS)
• Assateague Island (NPS)
• Booker T. Washington (NPS)
• Colonial (NPS)
• Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania (NPS)
• Gettysburg National Military (NPS)
• George Washington Birthplace (NPS)
• Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (NPS)

Project Description: The goal of this project is to communicate findings to park visitors and local communities for an already funded study. This project aims to assess Nor’easter vulnerability for three New England parks. We will coordinate and develop interpretive products across three Northeast parks (Acadia National Park, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area and Cape Cod National Seashore). These products will enhance public understanding of storm surge and coastal flooding and how communities can prepare for and adapt to changing conditions. Through this project, we will develop and implement a regional strategy to improve coastal climate communication across the northeastern US.

We will lead a virtual workshop to facilitate science communication from researchers to park managers to the broader
public. The objectives of the virtual workshop are to 1) examine storm modeling results for all three parks, 2) develop locally relevant science communication materials, and 3) share best practices for communicating about coastal change and storm preparedness with park visitors and local communities. This project will support Secretarial Priority Utilize science to identify best practices to manage land and water resources and adapt to changes in the environment by sharing science with neighboring communities, visitors, and students. By reaching these communities, it supports visitor safety and adapting to changes in the environment.

Lead Principal Investigator: Nick Fisichelli, Schoodic Institute

Partner Institution: Schoodic Institute

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Amanda Babson

Project Type: Technical Assistance

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

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

Start Year: 2019

End Year: 2023

Initial Funding Amount: $11,877.77

Federal Grant Number: P19AC00971

Amendments

• Amendment Number: 01, Year: 20, Amount: $2,969.74

Location: Acadia National Park, Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area and Cape Cod National Seashore

Project Description: Invasive plants and insects are one of the leading causes of damage and costly maintenance for the historic forest at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP and other public lands in the northeast. This project will provide critical information to assist land managers in identifying potential risks from invasive plants and insects and prioritize and enhance rapid response treatment approaches to minimize damage and reduce costs.

This project will develop a non-native invasive species risk assessment and response plan for forest management including a geographic information system analysis, rapid response plan using scientifically based thresholds, and enhance partnerships with other federal, state, local agencies and neighbors for increasing coordination in addressing shared goals of non-native invasive species management. This project directly addresses Secretary of the Interior goals of utilizing science to identify best practices to manage park resources; reducing long-term maintenance through proactive planning and rapid response to invasive species; and being a good neighbor by improving relationships with those bordering park lands.

Lead Principal Investigator: Nick Fisichelli, Schoodic Institute

Partner Institution: Schoodic Institute

Federal Agency: National Park Service

Federal Agency Technical Contact: Christina Marts

Project Type: Technical Assistance

Project Discipline: Natural Resources

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

Start Year: 2018

End Year: 2019

Initial Funding Amount: $32,670.00

Federal Grant Number: P18AC01248

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. This is especially so in an era where a variety of threats and stressors affect park vegetation resources that can result in increased operational costs for parks to ensure visitor safety and preserve park infrastructure. Knowing the condition and trends in vegetation resources allow parks to prioritize and allocate resources more effectively. The goals of this project are to collect data to assess the conditions and the factors affecting vegetation of 16 eastern parks within the Inventory and Monitoring Division (IMD) Northeast Temperate (NETN), Mid-Atlantic (MIDN), and Northeast Coastal Barrier (NCBN) network parks.

This is a two-part project collecting vegetation community data at 1) NETN’s long-term freshwater wetland monitoring plots located in Acadia National Park, and 2) long-term forest vegetation monitoring plots located within NPS parks from ME to VA. Both of these ecosystems are important to park operations, visitors’ experience, and are valuable resources that are constantly affected by environmental change and stressors. Monitoring data collected under this agreement will be used by NPS Inventory and Monitoring staff and Dr. Nicholas Fisichelli of Schoodic Institute to assess the overall condition of and factors affecting NPS vegetation communities and provide recommendations to park managers. For example, annual assessments of the condition of park vegetation can help park’s prioritize invasive species management, identify and adapt to newly emerging threats, and alter management practices as needed to promote healthy ecosystems. Schoodic Institute in cooperation with NPS IMD staff will perform analyses of the vegetation communities and environmental data to evaluate the roles of climate change, invasive exotic species, forest pests, and other stressors on vegetation health within eastern parks.

The resulting analyses will increase the public and scientific community’s knowledge of how a variety of local (e.g., deer browse, culverts) and regional (e.g. invasive species, climate change) stressors affect the condition of vegetation resources. This information is critical for evaluating current and future threats to regional vegetation structure, biodiversity, and other linked natural and cultural resources so that strategies can be developed to mitigate their impacts in the future. For example, scientific data is needed to understand and manage how the arrival of invasive forest pests, high deer browse, and invasive plant species are affecting the forests within our parks and local communities that not only provide refuge for species and are important to high water quality, but also contribute to the visitor experience as an integral component of many parks’ cultural landscape.

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: 2018

End Year: 2023

Initial Funding Amount: $85,134.64

Federal Grant Number: P18AC01230

Amendments

• Amendment Number: 1, Year: 2019, Amount: $114,462.37
• Amendment Number: 2, Year: 2020, Amount: $203,374.13
• Amendment Number: 3, Year: 2020, Amount: $71,253.43
• Amendment Number: 5, Year: 2022, Amount: $61,752.18

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