Funding opportunity number: L24AS00140FUNDING opportunity goals: 1. Identifying and supporting projects that address wildlife habitat restoration that are in alignment with restoration landscapes, and…

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.