National Park Service Grant: Monitoring Horseback Rider Use at Ozar

The National Park Service offers a grant to conduct a research program aiming to gather baseline information for the roads and trails management plan at Ozar Park. The study will provide insights for sustainable horse trail use, with a focus on visitor use impacts monitoring. Kansas State University is recommended for its proximity and expertise. The research objectives include assessing current use trends, particularly during special events, and informing future management strategies. Collaboration between NPS staff and university researchers will ensure project compliance with environmental regulations and integration of findings into park operations. Closing date for applications is September 6, 2015.

Opportunity ID: 278716

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General Information

Document Type:	Grants Notice
Funding Opportunity Number:	NPS-NOIP15AC01605
Funding Opportunity Title:	THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS- Monitoring horseback rider use at OZAR- THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS
Opportunity Category:	Discretionary
Opportunity Category Explanation:	–
Funding Instrument Type:	Cooperative Agreement
Category of Funding Activity:	Environment Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Category Explanation:	–
Expected Number of Awards:	1
Assistance Listings:	15.945 — Cooperative Research and Training Programs – Resources of the National Park System
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement:	No
Version:	Synopsis 1
Posted Date:	Aug 28, 2015
Last Updated Date:	–
Original Closing Date for Applications:	Sep 06, 2015
Current Closing Date for Applications:	Sep 06, 2015
Archive Date:	Oct 06, 2015
Estimated Total Program Funding:	$37,771
Award Ceiling:	$37,771
Award Floor:	$0

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants:	Others (see text field entitled “Additional Information on Eligibility” for clarification)
Additional Information on Eligibility:	THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS- Members of the Great Plains CESU

Additional Information

Agency Name:	National Park Service
Description:	Project description: The overall purpose of this proposed program of research is to gather baseline information that will help support the creation of the roads and trails management plan for the park, which is currently underway. This research is intended to inform and guide NPS managers in providing sustainable horse trail use in the park. Also, this study will provide subject matter expertise within the fields of outdoor recreation and recreation ecology. We considered three universities for conducting this project: Southern Illinois University (SIU), Clemson University, and Kansas State University (KSU). KSU is recommended as the recipient of the award based on unique qualifications, location, and availability. We considered Dr. Park at SIU, but received no response to our inquiry. While Clemson has extensive experience on this topic, their distance from the project area would result in travel higher costs. The recommended principle investigator is well versed in visitor use impacts monitoring and is located near the park, which is preferable given the short duration of this focused and rapid study. NPS staff will collaborate with university researchers by: • Jointly participating in developing, reviewing and modifying project proposals, data, and or reports. • Ensuring compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and/or the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), as well as in obtaining any necessary permits prior to project activity. • Incorporating project findings into National Park Service operations and planning efforts. • If available, the NPS may provide in-kind support of necessary housing for researchers associated with the study via park housing. Availability of park housing cannot be guaranteed. The Recipient is a member of the (Great Plains CESU) who was awarded a Master Cooperative Agreement (H6000110100) allowing (Kansas State University) to participate in specific tasks, and can provide the necessary activities involved in this particular task while providing an effective outcome for NPS and the objectives of this research/educational project. Study objectives will focus on two elements that can benefit the most from empirical data: 1) collect an updated assessment of current use to better understand long term trends and increasing demand, particularly as related to special event rides which bring significant volumes of use into the park at one time 2) provide research results to inform the selection of indicators, thresholds, and management strategies.
Link to Additional Information:	–
Grantor Contact Information:	If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact: Noel Miller Grants Management Specialist Phone 402-661-1658 Email:noel_miller@nps.gov

Version History

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