Muddy River Mini Announcement for Youth Projects.doc

Office: Southern Nevada District Office Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: L23AS00144 Project Submission Dates and Times: April 24, 2023, 5:00pm ET

Project Title: Muddy River Restoration Youth Opportunity Maximum Available Funding in FY23: $10,000 BLM has determined $600 weekly stipend equal to $15.00 per hour is a reasonable. Stipends above this amount must be justified in the budget narrative.

Project Background Information: Muddy River is one of the most biologically diverse areas of Nevada, with a host of threatened, endangered, and endemic wildlife species, but this ecosystem has become degraded by past land uses and introduced invasive species. The floodplain was traditionally used by the Moapa Band of Paiutes for harvesting willows, and for other activities, and it remains and important area for them today. The Muddy River Floodplain Restoration Project was funded by a Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act Conservation Initiative grant to relocate an old agricultural levee to restore natual flooding – to improve conditions for the recovery of native plants – to approximately 1 mile of the stream channel. Digging up the old earthen levee and constructing a new, smaller berm further from the stream will create two swaths of disturbance (and a third from temporary roads used by heavy equipment to transport material between the old and new berm locations). Youth crews will participate in the restoration of native plants by performing restoration activities that include seed collection, planting, and caring for seedlings at these disturbed sites.

Project Objective: BLM, Southern Nevada District has an opportunity to introduce youth to natural resource-based careers in the BLM through participation in this restoration project. The project provides hands-on experience with plant identification, horticultural techniques, use of field tools and equipment, GPS-mapping, teamwork, communication skills and working with a broad range of interested parties. The District has restoration, wildlife, vegetation and cultural speciealists working on this project, who will be available to interpret cultural and natural aspects of public land management, and to discuss opportunities, career choices and educational requirements for resource-based careers.

Work Schedule: Generally four 10-hour days. Weekends might be required, but would be a rare occurance.

Qualification Requirements: This opportunity is suitable for youth interested in, and with the right attitude for outdoor work in a remote location.

Housing: Agency cannot provide housing.

Vehicle Needs: A 4WD youth crew vehicle will need to be provided by the awardee.

Other Project Considerations:

Training Requirements: Basice first aid, off-road driving, field safety, trailer towing.

Travel: The project site is approximately 12 miles west of the town of Moapa, Nevada. Occasional travel to Las Vegas, Lake Mead National Recreation Area and other nearby locations will be needed to transport seedlings and other restoration materials to the project site.

Duties: Collecting native plant seeds, transporting seedlings and materials to project sites. Digging holes, planting seedlings, sowing seeds by hand, raking in seeds, setting up simple irrigation systems, watering plants, setting up and maintaining plant shelters to protect seedlings form rabbits. The projected outcome is the conversion of approximately 10-acres of post-construction disturbance to a native plant-dominated woodland/shrubland/grassland thorugh the establishment of approximately 1,000 plants through out-planting, seeding, and plant protection and watering.

BLM’s Involvement: There will be substantial BLM programmatic involvement by BLM professionals that will work daily side by side with the recipient. BLM will provide project orientation and hands-on training. BLM will have the right to intervene by modifying the project management plan, if the project is not staying on schedule, technical issues arise, etc. In addition, BLM and the recipient will meet weekly to discuss progress and track project outcomes; review any training needs; and then make a decision what direction to take in finalizing project or move to the next phase.

BLM Program Contact:

Field PO Name: Jonathan (JJ) Smith

Field PO Phone Number: (702) 515-5070

Field PO Email: jpsmith@blm.gov

Applicants are encouraged to refer to the full program announcement number L23AS00144 posted on Grants.gov for all program requirements and applicable terms and conditions. Recipients selected for awards will be required to adhere to those requirements should an award be made.

PAGE