Project Grant F25AP02803

SINCE 2011, THE VERMONT FISH AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT (VFWD) HAS USED WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME (WNS) GRANTS TO STATES TO INCREASE VERMONTS CAPACITY FOR BUILDING AND EXPANDING A WNS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT MEETS OBJECTIVES LAID OUT IN THE WNS NATIONAL PLAN. FIVE OF VERMONTS SIX CAVE-HIBERNATING SPECIES ARE LISTED AS STATE THREATENED OR ENDANGERED, TWO OF WHICH ARE ALSO FEDERALLY ENDANGERED, ONE FEDERALLY PROPOSED ENDANGERED, AND ONE UNDERGOING A FEDERAL ASSESSMENT. WNS HAS CAUSED POPULATION DECLINES OF OVER 90 PERCENT FOR THREE IMPACTED BAT SPECIES. THE LONG-TERM, OVERARCHING GOALS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TO MONITOR AND BETTER UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS OF WNS ON AFFECTED AND SUSCEPTIBLE BAT SPECIES AND TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES TO RECOVER THEIR POPULATIONS. WE AIM TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN THE WHITE-NOSE NATIONAL PLAN, POPULATION MONITORING, INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, AND DISSEMINATION OF GUIDANCE AND RESULTS. ACTIVITIES INCLUDE CRITICAL POPULATION SURVEYS, RESEARCH COLLABORATION, DISEASE SURVEILLANCE, REDUCTION OF MORTALITY FROM NON-WNS THREATS, TARGETED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND ACTIONS TO INCREASE SURVIVAL AND RECOVERY OF INFECTED BATS. ACTIVITIES ARE EXPECTED TO SUPPORT POSITIVE POPULATION GROWTH BY WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO MONITOR POPULATIONS AND IDENTIFY THE BEST LOCATIONS FOR BENEFICIAL MANAGEMENT ACTIONS. LANDOWNERS AND LAND MANAGERS HOSTING BOTH SUMMER AND WINTER COLONY SITES WILL BENEFIT FROM UNDERSTANDING CURRENT POPULATION TRENDS AND WHAT MANAGEMENT ACTIONS THEY CAN TAKE TO BENEFIT BATS AFFECTED BY WNS. POPULATION MONITORING DATA WILL BE UPLOADED TO THE NORTH AMERICAN BAT MONITORING PROJECT, WHERE RESEARCHERS CAN ACQUIRE INFORMATION FOR ANSWERING IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT WNS IMPACTS TO BAT POPULATIONS AND AGENCIES CAN ANALYZE ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION DATA TO MAKE LISTING OR DE-LISTING DECISIONS AND INFORM CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY GUIDANCE.