NWOD_Botany_Restoration.doc

Office: Northwest Oregon District Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: L23AS00444 Project Submission Dates and Times: April 14, 2023 5pm EST

Project Title: Northwest Oregon District Habitat Restoration and Monitoring Youth Intern Opportunity

Maximum Available Funding in FY23: $35,000 BLM has determined $600 weekly stipend equal to $15.00 per hour is reasonable.

Project Background Information: Thousands of acres of remnant prairie and oak habitat lie within the BLM’s Northwest Oregon District (NWOD). These rare habitats provide a home and resources to hundreds of wildlife and plant species that cannot survive in forests alone. Many of these species are on the Endangered Species List including Fender’s blue butterfly and Kincaid’s lupine. Since European settlement these habitats have disappeared due to conifer encroachment, wildfire suppression, and land conversion. Furthermore, the prairie and oak habitats that remain have been degraded by the introduction and establishment of non-native and invasive species.

Project Objective: BLM, NWOD District/Upper Willamette (UPW) Field Office, Oregon has an opportunity to introduce youth to Natural Resource careers, specifically habitat restoration and monitoring on public lands. The UPW Field Office botanist would like to engage in a partnership to introduce a person to the important work of restoring and monitoring prairies and oak savannas. This will be accomplished by providing them opportunities to gain hands-on field experience, learn about public lands management, further their understanding and appreciation of natural resources, and pique their interest in Natural Resource Management careers. From this they will gain an increased appreciation and understanding of our public lands and of the value of public service and are likely to become life-long advocates for those values. This opportunity will be focused on restoration of prairies and oak savannas/woodland and monitoring some of the rare species that call these places home. This project would be especially appropriate for college graduates with a degree in biology, environmental sciences, botany, or ecology and will provide opportunities to enhance basic career skills such as organization, writing, detail, and communication, as well as field skills including data collection, plant identification, use of GPS equipment and maps, and driving on rough rugged roads. Previous experience with any or all these skills would significantly enhance the experience.

Work Schedule: Generally, Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30PM, for approximately six months, with approximate start/end dates in May-November.

Qualification Requirements: This opportunity is suitable for youth with an undergraduate or graduate degree in biology, ecology, environmental science, botany, hydrology, or similar studies. As stated in the duties this opportunity will require time outdoors and field work that is often under rigorous physical conditions. Applicants must also meet the following criteria: 1) Pass a DOI security background check.

Housing: Agency cannot provide housing but may be able to assist in locating appropriate clean housing. A maximum monthly housing stipend of $600 is allowable.

Vehicle Needs: BLM will NOT provide a work vehicle for the project. Applicant’s will need to be able to provide for transportation to work sites.

Other Project Considerations:

Food: Food will be at the applicant’s expense.

All Supplies: BLM will NOT provide computer, GPS units, and supplies and equipment necessary for monitoring and data collection.

Travel: Field camping may be necessary to complete some monitoring due to remoteness of some locations. One week of travel will be necessary to complete field work at remote sites.

Duties: The successful applicant(s) will assist the BLM or partner resource specialists with field work that includes monitoring sensitive plant populations, treating weed populations, or removing encroaching conifers from meadows or from beneath oaks. Most of the work will be in the field and includes data collection utilizing multiple monitoring methods; some office work will be necessary for data entry.

Project expected outcomes include monitoring at least three sensitive plant populations, treating at least 30 acres of weeds, restoring at least 4 acres of prairie habitat, and releasing at least 5 oak trees.

BLM’s Involvement: There will be substantive BLM programmatic involvement because the BLM botanist will be working with the partner to help establish the workload of the intern and will join in field work to provide an orientation to public lands and hands-on training. BLM will have the right to intervene by modifying the project management plan, if project is not staying on schedule, technical issues arise, etc.

BLM Program Contact:

Susan Fritts

541-473-6274 sfritts@blm.gov

Applicants are encouraged to refer to the full program announcement number L23AS00444 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.

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