NPS Landbird Monitoring in North Coast Cascades Network by Institute of Bird Populations: 2011-2012

The Institute of Bird Populations (IBP) has a lengthy history of working with the National Park Service to inventory avifauna in park units throughout the country. In 2000, the Institute began working directly with NCCN parks, first, by working with North Cascades National Park to summarize recommendations of an expert panel for developing a spatially extensive inventory and monitoring program in North Cascades National Park (Siegel and Kuntz, 2000). Subsequently, the NCCN adapted those recommendations and established a cooperative agreement with the Institute to conduct large-scale avian inventories in North Cascades, Olympic, Mount Rainier, and San Juan Islands. The Institute completed fieldwork for these avian inventories in 2004 (Siegel et al. 2002, 2004a, 2004b, 2005a, 2005b). Consequently, the Institute has become the leading expert in conducting avian inventories and monitoring programs in national parks of the NCCN.

In October 2003, the Institute entered into a 3-year cooperative agreement with US Geological Survey to help the NCCN develop a Landbird Monitoring Plan that included a peer-reviewed monitoring protocol and a manual of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). A draft protocol and SOPs were written and peer-reviewed in summer/fall of 2006. Implementing this protocol enabled NCCN parks to track and understand how avian communities and their habitats respond to natural processes, to distinguish differences between human-induced disturbance effects and those caused by natural processes, to provide early detection of environmental impairment, and to provide park managers with comprehensive, scientifically-based information about the nature and status of selected biological resources occurring within park boundaries in a form that increases its accessibility and utility for making management decisions, for scientific research, and for educating the public.

This Task Agreement between NPS and the Institute is entered into for the purpose of:

1. Serve as Principal Investigator for all of the objectives identified in this agreement leading to the completion of an avian monitoring program in the NCCN (2011/2012).

2. Conduct monitoring surveys (point counts) at MORA, NOCA, OLYM (annual panel and first of 5 rotating panels, a total of 68 transects) and at LEWI (approximately 60 points) as described in the protocol and SOPs (see attachments). Collaborate with NPS on all aspects of implementation of the NCCN Landbird Monitoring Protocol and SOPs.

3. Supervise field operations and data management in the implementation of monitoring protocols.

4. Prepare and deliver reports, presentations, and technical papers as listed below with assistance from NPS lead.

The IBP will deliver the following products:

A.Project planning.
B.Hire personnel, buy equip, etc.
C.Revise protocol, SOPs, and database, as necessary
D.Conduct training of field staff
E.Conduct field surveys
F.Data entry.
G.Begin verifying data.

NOTE: This funding announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service, intention to fund the project activities without full and open competition in accordance with Department of Interior Policy, Departmental Manual 505DM2 based upon Unique Qualifications.