National Park Service – THRO Conservation Crew for Prairie Restoration Grant

This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service’s intention to award a task agreement under a previously competed Youth Master Cooperative Agreement P15AC00017. The project motivates its youth participants to become involved in the natural, cultural, and/or historical resource protection of their communities and beyond. This conservation crew will consist of one (1) crew leader, one (1) invasive coordinator to oversee three (3) crewmembers assigned for two weeks at the park for noxious weed control. Interns will work with park staff and Exotic Plant Management Team to locate, identify, and treat noxious weeds with collateral duty for other natural resource operations at the park. Interns will receive training in pesticide application. All-terrain vehicle (ATV) operation, sprayer calibration, geographic information system (GIS)/global positioning system (GPS) applications, first aid/CPR and park orientation training. Personnel Protection Equipment use, and safety protocols. Resource objective is to manage invasive plants through ground-based application of approved herbicides. Map and treat pesticides under approved Pesticide Use Protocols (PUPs), conduct mechanical and biological control operations. Where feasible, broadcast seed disturbed areas with native seed mix, according to Natural Resource Conservation Service seed calculator.