Bat Conservation International Inc

THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (SERVICE) WILL MITIGATE PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS FROM ADITS, SHAFTS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION THAT REMAIN AT ABANDONED MINE SITES ON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES (NWR), AND RESTORE VEGETATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF EMPLOYEES, THE VISITING PUBLIC, AND WILDLIFE. THIS WORK WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH FUNDING FROM THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW, WHICH INCLUDES PROVISIONS TO RESTORE NATIVE VEGETATION AND MITIGATE PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS ON MINED LAND ON FEDERAL LANDS. WITH THESE PROJECTS, THE SERVICE WILL IDENTIFY ABANDONED MINE LOCATIONS, ASSESS REMAINING HAZARDS, IMPLEMENT MITIGATION MEASURES WHERE NEEDED TO REDUCE ANY REMAINING RISK TO HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AND RESTORE NATIVE VEGETATION IN A MANNER THAT IS PROTECTIVE OF BATS AND OTHER WILDLIFE.

HQ CESU WILDLIFE AND BAT HABITAT PROTECTION AND RESTORATION ON PUBLIC LANDS

SAFEGUARDING AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AT DEFENSE-RELATED URANIUM MINES

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: L24AS00140FUNDING OPPORTUNITY GOALS TEXT: 1. IDENTIFYING AND SUPPORTING PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS WILDLIFE HABITAT RESTORATION THAT ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH RESTORATION LANDSCAPES, AND ADDRESS HABITAT LAND HEALTH STANDARDS, AND IMPROVING CONNECTIVITY SUPPORTING WILDLIFE MIGRATION SUCH AS BIG GAME, AND MIGRATORY BIRDS. 2. PROJECTS THAT SUPPORT COLLABORATIONS WITH STATE AND TRIBAL WILDLIFE AGENCIES TO ADDRESS DATA GAPS, IMPLEMENT COORDINATED LANDSCAPE OR REGIONAL MONITORING TO INFORM POPULATIONS STATUS AND TREND TIED TO PUBLIC LANDS ADMINISTERED BY BLM. 3. SUPPORT PROJECTS THAT WILL ASSIST BLM WITH USING EXISTING ASSESSMENTS OR DATA TO UNDERSTAND CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON LANDSCAPE OR PRIORITY ECOSYSTEMS IMPORTANT TO ACHIEVING SHORT- AND LONG-TERM HABITAT OBJECTIVES, FOR EXAMPLE WATER AVAILABILITY DURING EXTENDED DROUGHTS, OR NEW OR EMERGING IMPACTS FOR INVASIVE SPECIES.

THIS PROJECT WILL USE FATALITY AND BEHAVIORAL METRICS TO EVALUATE THE REDUCTION OF BAT FATALITIES AT WIND TURBINES USING AIRCRAFT LIGHTING DETECTION SYSTEMS (ADLS). THESE METRICS WILL ALLOW US TO UNDERSTAND THE REAL-WORLD EFFICACY AND IMPACT REDUCTION POTENTIAL OF ADLS AS A PASSIVE DETERRENT AT MULTIPLE COMMERCIAL-SCALE WIND ENERGY FACILITIES ACROSS SPACE AND TIME IN AN EFFORT TO LEAD TO STAKEHOLDER ACCEPTANCE OF ADLS AS A BAT FATALITY MINIMIZATION TOOL. SPECIFICALLY, OUR OBJECTIVES ARE TO: 1. DETERMINE FATALITY RATES OBSERVED AT FACILITIES WITH AND WITHOUT ADLS INSTALLED. WE WILL USE POST-CONSTRUCTION MONITORING (PCM) DATA FROM THE RENEW AND AMERICAN WIND WILDLIFE INFORMATION CENTER (AWWIC) DATABASES TO DESCRIBE FATALITY RATES AT WIND ENERGY FACILITIES WITH ADLS INSTALLED AND AN EQUAL NUMBER OF NEARBY FACILITIES WITHOUT ADLS. BY USING EXISTING PCM DATA, WE WILL MEASURE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ADLS ACROSS YEARS AND SITES IN A COST-EFFECTIVE MANNER. 2. QUANTIFY THE FATALITY RISK REDUCTION ASSOCIATED WITH ADLS USE AT WIND ENERGY FACILITIES. WE WILL COMBINE RADAR ACTIVITY RATES AND BAT ACOUSTIC EXPOSURE ACROSS A LANDSCAPE WITH FACILITIES UTILIZING AND NOT UTILIZING ADLS TO DETERMINE THE RISK REDUCTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF ADLS. 3. EVALUATE THE ATTRACTION OF NOCTURNAL BAT-LIKE OBJECTS TO AVIATION LIGHTING AT TWO WIND FACILITIES IN TWO LATE-SUMMER PERIODS WHEN FATALITIES ARE HIGHEST. WE WILL USE MULTIPLE RADAR SYSTEMS AND BAT ACOUSTIC SAMPLING AT A PAIR OF ADJACENT WIND FACILITIES EQUIPPED WITH AND WITHOUT OPERATIONAL ADLS SYSTEMS TO MEASURE ATTRACTION TO AVIATION LIGHTING USING ABUNDANCE AND TRAJECTORY OF BAT-LIKE OBJECTS AT A LANDSCAPE SCALE.

CESU - BLM - WO280, ABANDONED MINE LANDS (AML) PROGRAM - BIOLOGICAL ASSISTANCE FOR ABANDONED MINE ADIT/SHAFT CLOSURES IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES.

NABAT AND ONE HEALTH: EXPANDING THE NORTH AMERICAN BAT MONITORING PROGRAM (NABAT) TO MONITOR BAT HEALTH IN THE COVID ERA

BAT SPECIES ARE CRITICAL TO NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS BUT ARE IN DECLINE IN THE UNITED STATES DUE TO THE THREATS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, HABITAT LOSS AND DEGRADATION, AND MORTALITY FROM WHITE NOSE SYNDROME AND WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT EIGHTEEN PERCENT 8 45 OF NORTH AMERICAN BATS ARE THREATENED, ENDANGERED, OR CONSIDERED AT RISK SPECIES AND ADDITIONAL SPECIES ARE CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW FOR PROTECTION UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT BATS ARE BIOINDICATORS OF ECOSYSTEM INTEGRITY AND IMPROVING HABITATS FOR BATS PROVIDES BENEFIT TO OTHER WILDLIFE AND OVERALL ECOSYSTEM HEALTH OUR PROJECT MEETS THE PRIORITIES OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY BY RESTORING WILDLIFE HABITAT AND MONITORING POPULATIONS TO AID CONSERVATION PLANNING OUR MULTI PRONGED APPROACH, FOCUSED ON THE UPPER GILA BASIN SAFFORD FIELD OFFICE, ARIZONA AND LAS CRUCES DISTRICT OFFICE, NEW MEXICO WILL 1 RESTORE AND ENHANCE PRIORITY WATER SOURCES, RIPARIAN WILDLIFE HABITAT, AND OTHER SIGNIFICANT HABITAT FEATURES THAT WILL BENEFIT SENSITIVE BAT SPECIES AND OTHER WILDLIFE 2 RESTORE AND ENHANCE ESSENTIAL HABITAT ON THE LANDSCAPE TO SUPPORT RESILIENCY AND CONNECTIVITY FOR SENSITIVE MIGRATORY NECTARIVOROUS BATS 3 MONITOR BAT POPULATIONS USING THE NORTH AMERICAN BAT MONITORING PROGRAM NABAT 4 ASSIST AND GUIDE PRODUCTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCE COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTATION FOR PROJECTS RELATED TO HABITAT RESTORATION AND BIOLOGICAL SURVEYS AND 5 PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, AND OTHER TOOLS TO ASSIST BLM STAFF OVER THE 5 YEAR PROJECT DURATION, WE EXPECT TO DELIVER 1 WATER RESTORATION AND HABITAT IMPROVEMENTS IN 10 15 PRIORITY AREAS 2 PLANT AT LEAST 5,000 AGAVE PLANTS IN PRIORITY AREAS 3 COLLECT AND SUBMIT ACOUSTIC AND EDNA ENVIRONMENTAL DNA MONITORING DATA TO THE NABAT MONITORING PROGRAM FROM AT LEAST 4 PRIORITY GRID CELLS 4 NEPA DOCUMENTATION FOR THE CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION PROJECTS OUTLINED IN THIS APPLICATION AND COMPLETION OF CULTURAL RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS AND 5 MONITORING TOOLS TO ALLOW FOR EFFECTIVE EVALUATION OF HABITAT ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND DATA PRODUCTS MAPS, PRESENTATIONS, ETC TO INFORM WILDLIFE AND ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT ON BLM LANDS WITH THIS PROJECT, WE WILL MEET THE FUNDING PRIORITIES OF THE BLM BY IMPROVING AND RESTORING WILDLIFE HABITATS AND MONITORING POPULATIONS TO INFORM CONSERVATION PLANNING OUR EFFORTS WILL DELIVER ECOLOGICAL RESILIENCY TO THE UPPER GILA BASIN IN ARIZONA, ENHANCE, AND SUPPORT BLM S WILDLIFE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT EFFORTS, AND ULTIMATELY SUPPORT FEDERAL PRIORITIES TO CONSERVE 30 OF AMERICA S LAND AND WATER BY 2030

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: L24AS00140FUNDING OPPORTUNITY GOALS: 1. IDENTIFYING AND SUPPORTING PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS WILDLIFE HABITAT RESTORATION THAT ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH RESTORATION LANDSCAPES, AND ADDRESS HABITAT LAND HEALTH STANDARDS, AND IMPROVING CONNECTIVITY SUPPORTING WILDLIFE MIGRATION SUCH AS BIG GAME, AND MIGRATORY BIRDS. 2. PROJECTS THAT SUPPORT COLLABORATIONS WITH STATE AND TRIBAL WILDLIFE AGENCIES TO ADDRESS DATA GAPS, IMPLEMENT COORDINATED LANDSCAPE OR REGIONAL MONITORING TO INFORM POPULATIONS STATUS AND TREND TIED TO PUBLIC LANDS ADMINISTERED BY BLM. 3. SUPPORT PROJECTS THAT WILL ASSIST BLM WITH USING EXISTING ASSESSMENTS OR DATA TO UNDERSTAND CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON LANDSCAPE OR PRIORITY ECOSYSTEMS IMPORTANT TO ACHIEVING SHORT- AND LONG-TERM HABITAT OBJECTIVES, FOR EXAMPLE WATER AVAILABILITY DURING EXTENDED DROUGHTS, OR NEW OR EMERGING IMPACTS FOR INVASIVE SPECIES.THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO IMPLEMENT SCIENCE-DRIVEN HABITAT RESTORATION ACTIONS AUGMENTED BY ONGOING WILDLIFE MONITORING FOR THE BENEFIT OF BAT AND OTHER WILDLIFE POPULATIONS. OVER THE FIVE-YEAR LIFESPAN OF THE AGREEMENT, BCI WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH BLM STAFF AT THE NATIONAL, DISTRICT, AND FIELD OFFICE LEVEL TO IDENTIFY AND SELECT PROJECTS ON PRIORITY HABITAT, SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREAS, DESIGNATED UNITS, WATERSHED AREAS, AND OTHER SITES THAT OUR BLM PARTNERS IDENTIFY AS HIGH-PRIORITY SITES. BCI WILL WORK TO COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL TRIBES WHENEVER POSSIBLE. SPECIFIC RESTORATION ACTIONS WILL BE DETERMINED BY BCI AND BLM STAFF BUT WILL INCLUDE WATER RESTORATION AND VEGETATION MANAGEMENT WITH A FOCUS ON REMOVING INVASIVE PLANTS AND RESTORING NATIVE VEGETATION COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING AGAVE. ALL WORK WILL INCLUDE PRE AND POST-RESTORATION WILDLIFE MONITORING TO GAUGE THE EFFICACY OF THE CONSERVATION ACTION. BCI WILL IMPLEMENT MONITORING PROTOCOLS FOR EACH PROJECT TO ASSESS IMPACTS OF RESTORATION ACTIONS. BY FOCUSING ON WATER RESOURCES AND HEALTHY NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES, OUR RESTORATION WORK WILL BENEFIT BATS, WILDLIFE, AND HUMAN POPULATIONS BY BUILDING CLIMATE RESILIENCE ON THE LANDSCAPE. BCI WILL ADDITIONALLY SUPPORT THE BLM IN MEETING ALL STATE AND FEDERAL COMPLIANCE REGULATIONS, INCLUDING NEPA DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURAL RESOURCE SURVEYS. FINAL REPORTS, INCLUDING DETAILED GIS DATABASE INFORMATION AND UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEM (UAS) DATA, WILL HELP BLM DISTRICT AND FIELD OFFICES IN DEVELOPING AND PRIORITIZING FUTURE CONSERVATION ACTIONS.

PROTECTING BATS AND THEIR HABITATS IS STRATEGIC ACTION TO REDUCE ZOONOTIC PATHOGEN SPILLOVER RISK. THE MENTOR-BATS: CHAMPIONS OF BATS AND THEIR HABITATS FOR GLOBAL HEALTH USES THE SUCCESSFUL USFWS MENTOR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM MODEL TO INCREASE GLOBAL CAPACITY FOR CONSERVATION BY INVESTING IN EARLY-CAREER PROFESSIONALS. MENTOR-BATS WILL BUILD A TEAM OF TRANSDISCIPLINARY FELLOWS IN PRIORITY REGIONS AND PROVIDE RESOURCES, TRAINING, AND ENDURING RELATIONSHIPS TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN CONSERVATION INITIATIVES THAT BENEFIT BATS, PEOPLE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. THE PROGRAM INCORPORATES EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN THE FIELD, DIRECT MENTORSHIP, VIRTUAL LEARNING, PARTICIPATION IN EXISTING BAT CONSERVATION NETWORKS AND WORKING GROUPS, AND COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS TO EMPOWER AND GROW CAPACITY TO IDENTIFY RESOLVABLE THREATS AND PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS FOR PROTECTING VULNERABLE BAT POPULATIONS AND ADVANCING ONE HEALTH PRIORITIES. THE EXPECTED OUTCOME OF MENTOR-BATS IS INCREASED PROFESSIONAL CAPACITY AND CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP TO ENACT GOOD CONSERVATION PRACTICE IN AREAS WITH HIGH BAT-HUMAN INTERFACE. MENTOR-BATS WILL MEET THE URGENT NEED TO ENACT CONSERVATION PLANS TO PROTECT BATS AND PEOPLE IN PRIORITY AREAS AND DEVELOP CONSERVATION LEADERS TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE.

ABANDONED MINE LANDS

EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ULTRASONIC ACOUSTIC DETERRENTS IN REDUCING BAT FATALITIES AT WIND ENERGY FACILITIES

ABANDONED MINE LANDS (AML) PROGRAM - BIOLOGICAL ASSISTANCE FOR ABANDONED MINE ADIT/SHAFT CLOSURES IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES.

BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL (BCI), THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (USFWS), AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OFDEFENSE (DOD) WILL COLLABORATE TO SUPPORT BAT CONSERVATION AND MONITORING ACROSS ALL BRANCHES AND INSTALLATIONSOF THE DOD. THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO SUPPORT BAT CONSERVATION THROUGH CONTINUED, STANDARDIZEDMONITORING, FACILITATE PARTICIPATION, AND INCREASE DATA CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NORTH AMERICAN BAT MONITORINGPROGRAM (NABAT). THROUGH BCIS NATIONAL DATA PROCESSING LABORATORY (NDPL), ACOUSTIC DATA PROCESSING IS EFFICIENT,STANDARDIZED, REPEATABLE, AND TRANSPARENT. PROJECT PARTNER COLLABORATION WILL INCLUDE SUPPORT AND TRAINING BYBCI AND NABAT REGIONAL HUBS FOR USFWS AND DOD PERSONNEL FOR COLLECTING AND SUBMITTING BAT MONITORING DATA. BYINCREASING THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF DATA CONTRIBUTED TO NABAT, WE ARE IMPROVING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THESTATUS AND TRENDS OF NORTH AMERICAN BAT SPECIES TO INFORM EFFECTIVE CONSERVATION.

NORTHERN NEVADA ABANDONED MINE BAT RESEARCH AND INVENTORY

NEW CESU-GULF COAST COOPERATIVE ECO SUGGESTED VENDOR: INSTITUTE FOR RENEWABLE NATURAL RESOURCES TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, AGRILIFE RESEARCH COLLEGE STATION, TX 77843 PH. 979-229-7734 SUGGESTED GRANTS SPECIALIST: FAITH GRAVES HEADER TEXT: FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION THE USGS IS OFFERING A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TO A CESU PARTNER FOR RESEARCH THAT WILL DEVELOP OF OPEN SOURCE STANDARDS TO HELP UNIFY AUTOMATED SOLUTIONS FOR SPECIES CLASSIFICATION OF ACOUSTIC RECORDINGS OF BAT ECHOLOCATIONS. PI BRIAN REICHERT PR AND OTHER DOCS ATTACHED

LAUNCHING REGIONAL MONITORING HUBS IN THE SOUTHWEST AND PACIFIC SOUTHWEST IN SUPPORT OF THE NORTH AMERICAN BAT MONITORING PROGRAM

BAT MANAGEMENT

BAT ROOST HABITAT ASSESSMENT AND CONSERVATION PLANNING

PROGRAMMING SUPPORTS A COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK OF COOPERATIVE STUDY UNITS TO FACILITATE COOPERATIVE RESEARCH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING TO INFORM SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM. THE STUDY UNITS FACILITATE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY SCIENCE AND INTEGRATED INFORMATION PRODUCTS ACROSS MULTIPLE GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM. BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL AND THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WILL COLLABORATE TO ANNUALLY CONDUCT WHITENOSE SYNDROME (WNS) SPRING SURVEILLANCE, SUMMER BAT POPULATION MONITORING, SEASONAL BAT ROOST LOCATION IDENTIFICATION AND MONITORING, WINTER HIBERNACULA SURVEYS, AND OPPORTUNISTIC WINTER WNS SAMPLING. THE WORK WILL BE CONDUCTED WITH THE KLAMATH INVENTORY AND MONITORING NETWORK, MOJAVE DESERT NETWORK, AND THE PARKS ENCOMPASSED BY THESE NETWORKS, INCLUDING LAVA BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED INDIAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, PUBLIC PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

CONSERVATION OF MIGRATORY SPECIES REQUIRES CROSS-BORDER COLLABORATION WITHIN AND BEYOND THE UNITED STATES TO COORDINATE CONSERVATION MEASURES OVER THE ENTIRE SPECIES PHENOLOGY. UNDERSTANDING MOVEMENT PATTERNS AND HABITAT USE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IS ESSENTIAL TO COORDINATING THESE EFFORTS. A TOTAL OF 44 STATES IDENTIFY AT LEAST ONE OF THE THREE LONG-DISTANCE MIGRATORY BATS (SILVER-HAIRED, RED AND HOARY BATS) AS VULNERABLE, IMPERILED OR A SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN. DOCUMENTING MIGRATORY PHENOLOGY OF BATS HAS BEEN HINDERED BY A LACK OF ABILITY TO TRACK LONG-TERM MOVEMENT. RECENT ADVANCES IN RADIO-TRANSMITTER TECHNOLOGY AND INCREASED COVERAGE OF THE MOTUS WILDLIFE TRACKING SYSTEM (MOTUS) NETWORK PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO TRACK LONG-DISTANCE MIGRATORY BAT MOVEMENT. HOWEVER, THIS REQUIRES THE USE OF ADVANCED ATTACHMENT TECHNIQUES THAT ARE NOT COMMONLY USED IN THE UNITED STATES. LONG-TERM ATTACHMENT METHODS (MORE THAN 4 MONTHS) ARE AVAILABLE BUT ARE RARELY USED DUE TO A LACK OF ACCESSIBILITY OR FAMILIARITY. ATTACHMENT OF TRACKING TECHNOLOGY WITH COLLARS IS A PROVEN METHOD FOR SMALL BAT SPECIES AND IS REGULARLY USED TO ATTACH TRACKING DEVICES TO MIGRATORY INSECTIVOROUS BATS IN EUROPE AND INSECTIVOROUS AND FRUGIVOROUS BATS IN CENTRAL AMERICA. COLLAR ATTACHMENT OF TRANSMITTERS IS NOT COMMONLY USED IN THE UNITED STATES BUT BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL (BCI) IS CURRENTLY PIONEERING THE USE OF COLLARS TO TRACK THE FLORIDA BONNETED BAT AND CAVE MYOTIS. THE GREATEST BARRIER TO DEPLOYING TRANSMITTERS CAPABLE OF LONG-DURATION TRACKING OF MIGRATORY BATS IS A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ON HOW TO SAFELY USE COLLARS. WE PROPOSE TO ADVANCE THE USE OF MOTUS FOR TRACKING MIGRATORY BAT MOVEMENT BY BUILDING REGIONAL AND STATE CAPACITY TO SAFELY USE COLLARS TO ATTACH TRACKING DEVICES TO BATS. THIS WILL BE APPLICABLE TO CURRENT MOTUS TRACKING DEVICES AND FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES (E.G., GPS) THAT CAN DOCUMENT THE MOVEMENT AND HABITAT USE OF MIGRATORY BATS ACROSS THE ANNUAL CYCLE. WE WILL TRAIN STATE BIOLOGISTS IN THE NORTHEAST AND SOUTHEAST ON THE SAFE USE OF COLLAR ATTACHMENTS THROUGH A SERIES OF ONLINE AND IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS THAT PROVIDE HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE WITH THE METHOD. FURTHERMORE, WE WILL DEVELOP RESOURCES THAT CAN BE REFERENCED IN PERMITTING MATERIALS. THROUGH OUR WORKSHOPS AND TARGETED CAPTURE EFFORTS (LED BY THE BIODIVERSITY RESEARCH INSTITUTE) IN THE NORTHEAST WE WILL DEPLOY UP TO 205 TRACKING DEVICES COMPATIBLE WITH THE MOTUS NETWORK AND TWO NEW MOTUS STATIONS. THESE EFFORTS WILL HELP DEMONSTRATE THE UTILITY OF COLLAR ATTACHMENTS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PROVIDING DATA ON MIGRATORY MOVEMENT AND HABITAT USE OF BAT SPECIES OF CONSERVATION CONCERN. ALL MATERIALS AND MOVEMENT DATA WILL BE MADE EASILY AVAILABLE TO STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH BCI AND THE MOTUS WEBSITE. WE PROPOSE TO FOCUS ON LONG-DISTANCE MIGRATORY BAT SPECIES DUE TO THEIR WIDE RANGE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND AN URGENT NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEIR MOVEMENT PATTERNS. THIS INFORMATION WILL AID CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND POTENTIALLY REDUCE REGULATORY BURDENS AND THE NEED FOR LEGAL PROTECTION. THE METHODS AND MATERIALS THAT WE DEVELOP WILL BE RELEVANT BEYOND OUR TARGETED REGIONS AND SPECIES AS COLLARS BECOME MORE FAMILIAR TO STATE, FEDERAL, ACADEMIC AND PRIVATE-SECTOR BIOLOGISTS AND ARE USED MORE WIDELY BY BAT BIOLOGISTS.

THIS PROJECT AIMS TO UNDERSTAND SOUTHWEST BAT SPECIES SUSCEPTIBILITY TO WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME WNS , TO CONTINUE WNS SURVEILLANCE, AND TO EDUCATE VISITORS ABOUT PREVENTING HUMAN-CAUSED SPREADING OF THE PSEUDOGYMNOASCUS DESTRUCTANS PD FUNGUS.SUMMARY OF PROJECT SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES THIS PROJECT WILL 1 LOCATE HIBERNACULA SELECTED BY SOUTHWESTERN BAT SPECIES BY SEARCHING ALTERNATIVE ROOST FEATURES 2 EXAMINE SPECIES-SPECIFIC SELECTION OF ALTERATIVE WINTER ROOST FEATURES BY EVALUATING THE PHYSICAL AND MICROCLIMATE CHARACTERISTICS FEATURES 3 MONITOR FOR THE PRESENCE OF PD AND WNS BY COLLECTING SAMPLES FROM HIBERNACULA AND CAPTURING BATS IN SPRING, THEN SWAB BATS FOR PD SPORES AND SCREEN BATS FOR CLINICAL SIGNS OF WNS AND 4 DEVELOP AND EMPLOY STRATEGIES TO EDUCATE ZION AND CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARKS ROCK CLIMBING AND CANYONEERING COMMUNITY ABOUT BATS, WNS, AND BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR PREVENTING ITS SPREAD AND ENCOURAGE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN BAT CONSERVATION.PERFORMANCE GOALS INCLUDING MILESTONES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES PROJECT OUTCOMES INCLUDE 1 A DATABASE OF HIBERNACULA LOCATIONS THAT CAN BE VISITED ANNUALLY FOR PD SURVEILLANCE AND TO MONITOR FUTURE IMPACTS TO BAT POPULATIONS POST-ARRIVAL OF WNS 2 A PREDICTIVE DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVE HIBERNACULA THAT CAN DIRECT FUTURE HIBERNACULA SURVEYS 3 SURVEILLANCE DATA ON PD FUNGUS AND WNS PRESENCE IN SOUTHERN UTAH AND NORTHERN ARIZONA 4 BAT SPECIES ASSEMBLAGES FROM CAPTURES AT EACH PARK 5 MECHANISM FOR ELICITING AND DATABASING YEAR-ROUND BAT OBSERVATIONS FROM THE CLIMBING COMMUNITY 6 FINAL REPORT SUMMARIZING FINDINGS AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS AND 7 A PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATION ABOUT SPECIES-SPECIFIC SELECTION OF ALTERNATIVE HIBERNACULA.BENEFICIARIES ZION NATIONAL PARK, CEDAR BREAKS NATIONAL MONUMENT, PIPE SPRING NATIONAL MONUMENT, CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK

BAT MONITORING AND DISEASE SURVEILLANCE IN INTERIOR REGIONS 8, 9, AND 10

COLLABORATION ON PROCESSING AND SHARING OF NORTH AMERICAN BAT MONITORING PROGRAM (NABAT) DATA

BCI INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS & WORKSHOPS

WHITENOSE SYNDROME CONTINUES TO EMERGE IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES AND CANADA WITH IMPENDING SPREAD INTO MEXICO. THERE IS INCREASING EVIDENCE THAT WHITENOSE SYNDROME CAN CAUSE MORTALITY IN WESTERN BAT SPECIES, BUT THE FACTORS THAT DRIVE WHITENOSE SYNDROME MANIFESTATION OR THAT LIMIT DISEASE MORTALITY IN WESTERN BAT POPULATIONS ARE NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD. IN 2020, A WHITENOSE SYNDROME DRIVEN MASS MORTALITY EVENT OCCURRED IN CENTRAL TEXAS IN MYOTIS VELIFER, DISCOVERED OPPORTUNISTICALLY VIA PUBLIC ENCOUNTERS WITH DEAD BATS ON THE LANDSCAPE. ESTIMATES OF MORTALITY PIECED TOGETHER FROM HISTORICAL OBSERVATIONS AT MYOTIS VELIFER MATERNITY COLONIES SUGGESTS THAT WHITENOSE SYNDROME DRIVEN DECLINES WERE COMPARABLE TO THE MOST HIGHLY IMPACTED SPECIES E.G., MYOTIS LUCIFUGUS FROM THE MIDWESTERN EASTERN UNITED STATES WHOSE POPULATIONS HAVE DECLINED BY GREATER THAN 90%. IN CONTRAST, HIBERNATING MYOTIS VELIFER COLONIES IN NORTH TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA HAVE PERSISTED WITH PSEUDOGYMNOASCUS DESTRUCTANS FOR OVER SEVEN YEARS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION OF WHITENOSE SYNDROME MORTALITY. OUR PROPOSAL CONSOLIDATES EFFORTS FOR COLONY MONITORING AND PSEUDOGYMNOASCUS DESTRUCTANS SURVEILLANCE ACROSS THE RANGE OF MYOTIS VELIFER IN FIVE OF THE UNITED STATES ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO, KANSAS, OKLAHOMA, TEXAS AND TWO MEXICAN STATES COAHUILA NUEVO LEON TO 1 BUILD A SUMMER AND COLONY COUNT DATA PIPELINE TO ASSESS WHITENOSE SYNDROME IMPACTS, AND 2 TO INVESTIGATE PATTERNS AND DRIVERS OF VARIABILITY IN WHITENOSE SYNDROME PROGRESSION AND IMPACTS ACROSS THE RANGE OF MYOTIS VELIFER. THIS WORK WILL CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF WHITENOSE SYNDROME ECOLOGY IN THE SOUTHWEST, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING AREAS OF WHITENOSE SYNDROME REFUGIA FOR MYOTIS VELIFER AND THE FACTORS LEADING TO DISEASE SUPPRESSION OR POPULATION VULNERABILITY, AND INFORM WHITENOSE SYNDROME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES. IMPORTANTLY, THIS WORK ALSO BUILDS A FOUNDATION FOR ASSESSING WHITENOSE SYNDROME IMPACTS TO MYOTIS VELIFER IN CONJUNCTION WITH STATUS AND TRENDS EFFORTS LED BY THE NORTH AMERICAN BAT MONITORING PROGRAM AND ANY FUTURE SPECIES STATUS ASSESSMENTS.

TX BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL FY 2019 WNS RESEARCH GRANT

NPS-GUCO-CESU-2017

INVESTIGATE ALTERNATIVE WINTER ROOST FEATURES AND INITIATE PSEUDOGYMNOASCUS DESTRUCTANS AND WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME SURVEILLANCE

RELATING BAT FATALITY AT WIND POWER FACILITIES TO BAT ACTIVITY AND WEATHER PATTERNS

MIMBRES RIVER WILDLIFE AND HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECT

PROGRAMMING SUPPORTS A COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK OF COOPERATIVE STUDY UNITS TO FACILITATE COOPERATIVE RESEARCH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING TO INFORM SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM. THE STUDY UNITS FACILITATE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY SCIENCE AND INTEGRATED INFORMATION PRODUCTS ACROSS MULTIPLE GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM. IN THIS PROJECT, NPS IS PARTNERING WITH BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL (BCI) TO MAP AND PERFORM BAT SURVEYS AT A SERIES OF MINE COMPLEXES IN DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK. BAT SURVEYS OF THE MINE FEATURES WILL DOCUMENT OBSERVED BAT SIGN (LIVE BATS, GUANO, ROOST STAINING, ETC.) AND INCLUDE A SITE ASSESSMENT BASED ON QUALITY OF POTENTIAL ROOSTING HABITAT. CLOSURE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON BAT HABITAT ASSESSMENTS WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED FOR EACH MINE OPENING. GUANO, IF PRESENT, MAY BE COLLECTED FOR GENETIC ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE SPECIES COMPOSITION. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED INDIAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, PUBLIC PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC).

THIS GOAL OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO COMPLETE INTERNAL WILDLIFE SURVEYS IN ABANDONED MINE OPENINGS IN MOJA. THE RECIPIENT WILL COMPLETE INTERNAL WILDLIFE SURVEYS AT MINES BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT REMEDIATIONS. THE DATA FROM THIS PROJECT WILL INFORM MOJA ON WILDLIFE USE OF MINES. THE RECIPIENT WILL COMPLETE INTERNAL SURVEYS OF ABANDONED MINE FEATURES WITHOUT REMEDIATIONS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ALLIE, BESSIE, CEDAR HAVEN, GOLD BRONZE, IVANPAH, LUCKY FIND, SILVER HILL, SNOWSTORM, STANDARD, STONEWALL, SUZANNA R, AND TUNGSTEN SPRINGS. RECIPIENT WILL CONDUCT, AS SAFETY PERMITS, INTERNAL SURVEYS OF THE MINE FEATURES TO IDENTIFY THE PRESENCE OF WILDLIFE. METHODOLOGY TO COMPLETE THIS GOAL INCLUDE MAPPING UNDERGROUND (HAND DRAWN MAPS ARE A ROUGH SKETCH NOT TO SCALE WITH LIMITED DETAIL), LIDAR SCANS CAN BE TAKEN AT A LIMITED SUBSET OF FEATURES OF INTEREST, WORKINGS IDENTIFYING WILDLIFE SIGN AND TAKING ROCK TEMPERATURE AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY READINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, GUANO COLLECTION FOR SPECIES ANALYSIS, WHITE-NOSE SURVEILLANCE, AND OTHER OBSERVATIONS. THIS PROJECT SERVES TWO IMPORTANT PUBLIC PURPOSES: (1) THE PROJECT WILL SURVEY SELECTED ABANDONED MINE OPENINGS FOR WILDLIFE. THIS INFORMATION WILL BE USED TO ASSIST IN A REMEDIATION TYPE SELECTION (IF ANY) FOR THE MINE. THE OVERARCHING GOALS IN MINE REMEDIATION ARE TO BOTH PROTECT WILDLIFE FROM HUMAN INTRUSION AND TO PROTECT THE SAFETY OF HUMANS THAT RECREATIONALLY VISIT THE MINES. (2) THE PROJECT WILL MONITOR THE USE OF REMEDIATED ABANDONED MINES BY TOWNSEND S BIG-EARED BAT (CORYNORHINUS TOWNSENDII), A STATE OF CALIFORNIA SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN, AND OTHER MINE ROOSTING BATS, AS WELL AS DESERT TORTOISE (GOPHERUS AGASSIZII), WHICH IS FEDERALLY LISTED AS THREATENED UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.

WIN(D)-WIN(D) SOLUTIONS FOR WIND DEVELOPERS & BATS

BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES IN BAT CONSERVATI

BAT SPECIES INVENTORY AT BIG THICKET NATIONAL PRESERVE

BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL WILL CONDUCT CONSERVATION ACTIONS AT TWO BAT ROOSTS IN MEXICO TO PROTECT THE GREATER LONG-NOSED BAT (FEDERALLY ENDANGERED) AND TWO ADDITIONAL MIGRATORY BAT SPECIES BY STRENGTHENING COORDINATION ACROSS KEY PORTIONS OF THE SPECIES MIGRATORY CORRIDOR IN MEXICO, DIRECTLY SUPPORTING BAT POPULATIONS THAT PROVIDE ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.

BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED INDIAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, PUBLIC PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND INDIVIDUALS (INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC).BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO NPS STAFF AT ZION NATIONAL PARK TO ASSIST ECOLOGICAL MONITORING, DATA COLLECTION, AND MONITORING TO IMPROVE RESOURCE PROTECTION AND VISITOR EXPERIENCE. THIS PROJECT WILL SUPPORT A FULL-TIME FIELD ECOLOGIST FROM BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING: PLAN, CONDUCT, AND SUPERVISE ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION PROJECTS SYNTHESIZE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INTO REPORTS, PLANNING DOCUMENTS, AND FUNDING PROPOSALS SERVE AS A KNOWLEDGEABLE RESOURCE FOR VARIOUS DIVISIONS DEPARTMENTS FOR STUDY DESIGN, DATA COLLECTION STORAGE, AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS COORDINATE RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT BY USING DATA AND TOOLS AND DEVELOPS STRATEGIES TO ENSURE RESOURCES ARE MANAGED FOR THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE AT ZION NATIONAL PARK PROVIDE UP TO DATE INFORMATION TO VARIOUS PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT EDUCATING PARK STAFF, PARTNERS, AND VISITORS.FOR MORE INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE, REFER TO NPS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE POLICY GUIDANCE DOCUMENT ON USASPENDING.GOV AWARD DESCRIPTIONS (PROJECT ABSTRACTS), OR CONTACT THE NPS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE POLICY OFFICE AT FINANCIAL ASSITANCE POLICY@NPS.GOV.

HAWAIIAN HOARY BATS AS A MODEL SPECIES IN UNDERSTANDING AND MINIMIZING RISKS TO BATS FROM WIND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME, A FUNGAL DISEASE THAT AFFECTS HIBERNATING BATS, HAS CAUSED EXTREME DECLINES IN BAT POPULATIONS THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA. THE FUNGUS THAT CAUSES WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME CONTINUES TO SPREAD INTO ARID REGIONS OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES, WHERE BATS ARE ALREADY UNDER STRESS FROM DROUGHT. IN ADDITION, GLOBAL DECLINES IN INSECT POPULATIONS RAISE CONCERNS THAT REDUCED PREY RESOURCES COULD FURTHER IMPACT BAT POPULATIONS. DURING THE FALL, BEFORE BATS ENTER HIBERNATION, THEY MUST HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY PREY IN ORDER TO ACQUIRE SUFFICIENT FAT STORES TO SURVIVE WINTER HIBERNATION. BATS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME USE THEIR FAT STORES FASTER THAN HEALTHY BATS. THEREFORE, IMPROVING FORAGING HABITAT TO ENHANCE PREY QUALITY MAY AID SURVIVAL AND RECOVERY OF BAT POPULATIONS AFFECTED BY WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME. THIS APPROACH OFFERS LONG-TERM CONSERVATION VALUE THAT COULD BE WIDELY IMPLEMENTED. THIS PROJECT WILL BUILD UPON AN EXISTING HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW HABITAT IMPROVEMENTS CAN BENEFIT BAT POPULATIONS IN THE WEST. SPECIFICALLY, RESEARCHERS WILL DETERMINE IF THE RESTORATION OF DESERT SPRINGS IMPROVES PREY QUALITY AND QUANTITY AND BAT FORAGING ACTIVITY. BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL WILL WORK IN COLLABORATION WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL'S HABITAT PROTECTION AND RESTORATION PROGRAM TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT. THE PROJECT WILL BE CONDUCTED AT APPROXIMATELY SIX DESERT SPRINGS SITES (THREE RESTORED AND THREE UNRESTORED CONTROL SITES) MANAGED BY THE HASSAYAMPA FIELD OFFICE OF THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT IN ARIZONA. INSECTS WILL BE SAMPLED EACH NIGHT FOR A WEEK, FIVE TIMES PER YEAR, FOR THE DURATION OF THE TWO-YEAR STUDY. CAPTURED INSECTS WILL BE GROUPED BY SIZE AND IDENTIFIED TO ORDER TO ASSESS THE QUALITY OF AVAILABLE PREY. BAT ACTIVITY AND FORAGING RATES WILL ALSO BE EVALUATED USING ACOUSTIC DETECTORS PLACED AT EACH SITE. RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT WILL HELP DEVELOP EFFECTIVE LONG-TERM STRATEGIES TO BUILD RESILIENCY FOR BATS FACED WITH DROUGHT, ARIDITY, AND WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME INVASION IN WESTERN LANDSCAPES.

TX FY 2018 WNS REAEARCH

TX BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL - FY 2017 WNS RESEARCH GRANT

BAT CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

UNDERGROUND BAT SURVEY AND MAPPING AT MULTIPLE ABANDONED MINE SITES

BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL - CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRAINING

SPECIES CONSERVATION PLANNING IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE PERSISTENCE OF HIBERNATING BAT SPECIES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERE POPULATION DECLINES FROM WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME (WNS). BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL WILL WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE WNS NATIONAL RESPONSE AND THE NORTH AMERICAN BAT MONITORING PROGRAM TO USE EXISTING DATA AND ENGAGE THE RESOURCE MANAGER COMMUNITY TO DEVELOP AND OPTIMIZE HABITAT PROTECTION PRIORITIES TO ENABLE ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT OF MYOTIS SEPTENTRIONALIS, PERIMYOTIS SUBFLAVUS, AND MYOTIS LUCIFUGUS. THE PROJECT AIMS TO BRIDGE THE GAP FROM RESEARCH AND MONITORING TO CONSERVATION PLANNING TO RESULT IN HABITAT PROTECTIONS TO AID RESILIENCY AND PROMOTE PERSISTENCE OF SMALL, REMNANT POPULATIONS OF BAT SPECIES IMPERILED BY WNS. THE RESULTS OF THIS WORK WILL GUIDE AND PRIORITIZE CONSERVATION EFFORTS TO PROTECT AND RESTORE SITES WITH HIGHEST VALUE FOR AIDING POPULATION PERSISTENCE AND RECOVERY.

THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS PROJECTS THAT FURTHER THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ANDEFFORTS IN NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION, PROTECTION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY THAT ARE NOT COVERED UNDER OTHER SPECIFIC FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. THIS PROJECT PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL TO UTILIZE THEIR EXPERTISE IN ASSISTING IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CAVE GATES TO PROTECT NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES WITHOUT DISRUPTING THE HABITAT FOR BATS. REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL AGREEMENTSPURPOSE OF AWARD (SUMMARY OF THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT):THIS PROJECT WOULD PLACE BAT-FRIENDLY CAVE GATES THAT CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO STAFF AND RESEARCHERS FOR RESOURCE MONITORING AND RESEARCH WHILE PROTECTING THESE RESOURCES.SUMMARY OF PROJECT SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES:THE RECIPIENT SHALL ASSIST THE NPS IN DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ENTRY DETERRENCE FOR UP TO THREE HIGH-VULNERABILITY CAVES TO PREVENT IMPACTS TO IMPORTANT CULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES. THE RECIPIENT WILL SUB-CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION TO MEET PROJECT-SPECIFIC NEEDS USING APPROPRIATE MATERIALS AND METHODS.PERFORMANCE GOALS INCLUDING MILESTONES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES:A.INITIAL TRIBAL CONSULTATION ON GATE DESIGN TO DEMONSTRATE GENERIC CAVE GATE DESIGNS AND MATERIALS. B.UPDATES TO GATE DESIGN BASED ON CONSULTATION AND CONTINUED TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT ON GATE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION.C.SUB-CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION.D.RECIPIENT CONFIRMS WITH NPS GATE CONSTRUCTION IS COMPLETEBENEFICIARIES: PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, PUBLIC NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS ORGANIZATIONS, PRIVATE NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS ORGANIZATIONS, NON-FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, INDUSTRY AND PUBLIC DECISION MAKERS, RESEARCH SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

GENERAL WORKSHOP PLANNING AND TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 2013 WNS AND NA BAT WORKSHOP

INTERNAL WILDLIFE SURVEYS OF ABANDONED MINERAL LANDS IN MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE

BAT CONSERVATION IN MEXICO

RECOVERY IMPLEMENTATION

BCI BAT SCHOLARSHIPS AND CONSERVATION

CAPTURING AND SWABBING MYOTIDS POTENTIALLY IMPACTED BY WNS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN UNITED STATES

BLM ORWA SUBTERRANEAN BAT SURVEYS

TO SUPPORT COORDINATED COOPERATIVE RESEARCH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AND USABLE KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT TO INFORM SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM. TO FACILITATE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY SCIENCE AND INTEGRATED INFORMATION PRODUCTS RELATED TO THE RESOURCES OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM. TO MAINTAIN A COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK COOPERATIVE STUDY UNITS AS WILL PROVIDE FULL GEOGRAPHIC AND TOPICAL COVERAGE FOR RESEARCH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE RESOURCES CONTAINED IN UNITS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM AND THEIR LARGER REGIONS.MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA HAS A HIGH DIVERSITY OF BATS, WITH SOME DESIGNATED AS SENSITIVE SPECIES. BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL WILL ANALYZE UP TO SIX YEARS OF BAT ACOUSTIC DATA COLLECTED AT GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, MUIR WOODS NATIONAL MONUMENT, AND POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE, AND PROVIDE A SUMMARY REPORT. THIS DATA WILL HELP NPS PROTECT OUR BAT COMMUNITIES AND LEARN WHERE SENSITIVE BAT SPECIES OCCUR. ADDITIONALLY, BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL AND NPS WILL UTILIZE THIS MATERIAL TO DEVELOP PUBLIC OUTREACH MATERIALS.BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED INDIAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, PUBLIC PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND INDIVIDUALS (INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC).

BATS PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN POLLINATING UNITED STATES (U.S.) CROPS AND PLANTS, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING VITAL PEST CONTROL SERVICES FOR AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRIES, WITH AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF $53 BILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS PER YEAR. THIS AGREEMENT FOCUSES ON IMPROVING HABITAT QUALITY AND PREVENTING BAT HABITAT LOSS, A KEY FACTOR IN DECLINING POLLINATOR SPECIES. THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS AND TRADE (IPT) WILL FUND THE AGAVE RESTORATION INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT NECTAR BAT POPULATIONS AND SAFEGUARD THE AGAVE-DEPENDENT ECONOMY IN TEXAS.

EFFECTS OF WIND ENERGY PROJECTS ON BAT POPULATIONS

ASSESSING THE CONSERVATION STATUS OF BATS IN NORTH AMERICA

BAT CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

WY BAT HABITAT MANAGEMENT GC CESU

THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO CONDUCT UNDERGROUND SURVEYS AT THE LIPPINCOTT MINE TO DETERMINE HOW BATS (AND OTHER WILDLIFE) ARE USING THE MINE AND THEN USE THAT INFORMATION TO SELECT APPROPRIATE CLOSURE TYPES. BAT SURVEYS OF THIS MINE WILL DOCUMENT OBSERVED BAT SIGN (LIVE, BATS, GUANO, ROOST STAINING, ETC.) AND INCLUDE A SITE ASSESSMENT BASED ON QUALITY OF POTENTIAL ROOSTING HABITAT. CLOSURES RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON BAT HABITAT ASSESSMENT WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED FOR EACH MINE OPENING. GUANO, IF PRESENT, MAY BE COLLECTED FOR GENETIC ANALYSIS BY THE BAT ECOLOGY & GENETICS LAB AT NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY (NAU) TO DETERMINE SPECIES COMPOSITION. THESE SURVEYS WILL ALSO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON UNDERGROUND CULTURAL RESOURCES. THE PAPER MAPS AND LIDAR SCAN WILL BE VALUABLE TOOLS FOR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND INTERPRETATION.

LEGACY PROPOSAL: WNS & BATS - DOD READINESS ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS

SAVING A KEY MEXICAN POLLINATOR: PROTECTION, RECOVERY, AND CAPACITY TO CONSERVE THE ENDANGERED MEXICAN LONG-NOSED BAT

BAT MONITORING & ANALYSIS

15.945: COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMS - RESOURCES OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM PROGRAMMING SUPPORTS A COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK OF COOPERATIVE STUDY UNITS THAT PROVIDE FULL GEOGRAPHIC AND TOPICAL COVERAGE FOR RESEARCH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE RESOURCES WITHIN UNITS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM AND THEIR LARGER REGIONS. THE STUDY UNITS FACILITATE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY SCIENCE AND INTEGRATED INFORMATION PRODUCTS ACROSS MULTIPLE GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM. THIS PROJECT WILL PROTECT THE VISITING PUBLIC AND WILDLIFE FROM THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH ABANDONED MINE OPENINGS. ONE MINE OPENING IN THE LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA WILL BE MITIGATED BY INSTALLING A BAT COMPATIBLE GATE. THE ABANDONED MINE IS IN A LOCATION THAT REQUIRES ALL MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT TO BE TRANSPORTED BY HELICOPTER. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED INDIAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, PUBLIC PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

FOREST SERVICE RECOVERY ACT-N PHOENIX AML PROJECTS

CONSERVING AN ENDANGERED POLLINATOR: RESEARCH, PROTECTION, AND RECOVERY FOR THE MEXICAN LONG-NOSED BAT

DELIVER U.S. AIR FORCE BAT MONITORING DATA TO THE NORTH AMERICAN BAT MONITORING PROGRAM

FILIPINOS FOR ENDANGERED FLYING FOXES: ROOST SANCTUARY PROTECTION FOR THE WORLD S LARGEST BAT

15.945 COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMS - RESOURCES OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM CESU NETWORKPROGRAMMING SUPPORTS A COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK OF COOPERATIVE STUDY UNITS TO FACILITATE COOPERATIVE RESEARCH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING TO INFORM SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM. THE STUDY UNITS FACILITATE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY SCIENCE AND INTEGRATED INFORMATION PRODUCTS ACROSS MULTIPLE GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM. THIS PROJECT PROVIDES DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORTING ON A LONG-TERM DATASET COLLECTED ON BAT DIVERSITY, ABUNDANCE, AND HEALTH AT CHIRICAHUA NATIONAL MONUMENT AND CORONADO NATIONAL MEMORIAL. IT ALSO SUPPORTS DATA SHARING WITH THE LEADING BAT CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION TO INFORM NATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND WITH THE PUBLIC THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS AND A VIDEO PRODUCT. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED INDIAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, PUBLIC PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

MEXICAN LONG NOSED BAT STUDY

EFFICIENT AND ECONOMICAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT CONSERVE GROUND AND SURFACE WATER ON MANAGED RANGELANDS

P18AC01411

20181AJ545 BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL

STRATEGIC SEARCHES FOR FLORIDA BONNETED BAT (EUMOPS FLORIDANUS) ROOSTS IN BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE

ASSESS AND PROTECT LONG-NOSE BATS

PURPOSE OF AWARD (SUMMARY OF THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT):THE PURPOSE IS TO CONDUCT BAT SURVEYS IN 16 ABANDONED MINES IN ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT. SURVEYS ARE NEEDED TO HELP DETERMINE WHICH MITIGATIONS, IF ANY, SHOULD OCCUR IN EACH MINE AND HOW MITIGATIONS CAN REDUCE THE IMPACT ON BATS WHILE ALLOWING VISITOR ACCESS. IF NO BAT ACTIVITY IS FOUND, CERTAIN MINES MAY BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR RECREATION IF OTHERWISE DEEMED SAFE. SUMMARY OF PROJECT SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES:THE RECIPIENTS "SUBTERRANEAN TEAM" WILL VISIT EACH MINE AND CONDUCT INTERNAL BIOLOGICAL SURVEYS (PROVIDED ALL SAFETY CONCERNS CAN BE MITIGATED). A LIST OF 16 ABANDONED MINES HAS BEEN DESIGNATED FOR THIS PROJECT. INTERNAL SURVEYS PROVIDE THE MOST EFFICIENT AND COMPREHENSIVE MEANS OF ASSESSING WILDLIFE USE OF SUBTERRANEAN FEATURES. THE SUBTERRANEAN TEAMS ARE GENERALLY ABLE TO DETERMINE TYPE AND SEASONALITY OF BAT USE FROM A SINGLE INTERNAL VISIT. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER BATS ARE PRESENT DURING THE SURVEY, AN INVESTIGATION OF BAT SIGN AND OTHER PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SITE (E.G., EXTENSIVENESS, COMPLEXITY OF WORKINGS, MICROCLIMATE DIVERSITY, HYDROLOGY) ALLOW THE SURVEYORS TO ASSESS THE AVAILABLE HABITAT QUALITY OF THE FEATURE. THIS IN TURN INFORMS A CLOSURE RECOMMENDATION, WITH CONSIDERATION FOR METHODS AND TIMING OF CLOSURE TO BEST ACCOMMODATE WILDLIFE AND MINIMIZE DISTURBANCE.PERFORMANCE GOALS INCLUDING MILESTONES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES:AN INVESTIGATION OF BAT SIGN WILL OCCUR TO DETERMINE BAT ACTIVITY IN EACH MINE (DROPPINGS, SKELETAL REMAINS, FORAGING REMAINS, ETC.). THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EACH MINE WILL BE EVALUATED TO DETERMINE THE LIKELIHOOD AND EXTENT OF BAT USE (MICROCLIMATE DIVERSITY, HYDROLOGY, ETC.). THE PARK SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED THE CLOSURE OR MITIGATION RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON THE FINDINGS. THE RECIPIENT WILL PROVIDE A WRITTEN REPORT OF FINDINGS, CLOSURE RECOMMENDATIONS, PHOTOS, AND GEOSPATIAL DATA.BENEFICIARIES: THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, LOCAL COMMUNITIES, PARK VISITORS, BAT RESEARCHERS, AND WILDLIFE (BATS)

PROJECT PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION TO CONDUCT A BAT SURVEY AND CLOSURE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE DUCHESS MINE

SKIDOO UNDERGROUND MAPPING AND SURVEY

PROJECT PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION TO CONDUCT A BAT SURVEY AND CLOSURE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE CRACKER MINE AT GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

AFRICAN BAT CONSERVATION SUMMIT: ESTABLISHING A BAT CONSERVATION NETWORK 2013

PROVIDE RESEARCH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION FOR RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT FOR BAT POPULATION ESTIMATE