Youth Corps_Mini Announcement_Sage Grouse Flight Diverters 2023.doc

Office: Prineville Field Office Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: L24AS00057 Project Submission Dates and Times: February 29, 2024, 5pm EST

Project Title: Youth Crew for Flight Diverters in Greater Sage-Grouse Paulina and Brothers Priority Area of Conservation (PACs) Central Oregon Sage Grouse Habitat Youth Crew Project Maximum Available Funding in FY24: $20,000 Project Background Information: The Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), hereafter sage-grouse, is a sagebrush obligate species and depends on intact sagebrush steppe habitats to fulfill their life cycles. Sage-grouse found in central Oregon are the most northwestern populations and include the Brothers/North Wagontire Priority Area of Conservation (PAC) (hereafter Brothers PAC) and the Paulina/12-Mile/Misery Ridge PAC (hereafter Paulina PAC). These areas are designated as areas with the best available habitat, and it is the BLM’s priority to protect and enhance these areas. Sage-grouse across Oregon, including the Brothers and Paulina PACs, have steadily declined over the last decade due to habitat loss and fragmentation, increased predation, and direct mortality from collisions with barbed-wire fences. A relatively simple solution to mitigate the effects fences have on sage-grouse survival is to make fences more visible using plastic markers, also known as flight diverters. The threat of fence collisions can be diminished by up to 83%.

Project Objective: There are approximately 16 miles of known high-risk fence on BLM managed land within the Paulina PAC that need marked, and 12.5 miles of high-risk fence within the Brothers PAC. Approximately 45.4 miles of fence line have already been completed within the Brothers PAC by BLM and previous youth corps crews. The project work will engage youth and provide work experiences for their educational and potential career benefit. This will be accomplished through hands-on project work opportunities to gain experience, learn about public lands, and further their understanding and appreciation of natural resources.

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday. Work schedule will be up to supervisors and crew leads of the Youth Corps. Paulina PAC is more rural than the Brothers PAC and may require leaving for the field early. It may be beneficial to camp at or nearby the work site.

Qualification Requirements: This opportunity is suitable for youth with an interest in natural resources. Duties are completed outdoors, and field work is often under somewhat rigorous physical conditions, such as hiking and working in hot and dry and/or cold and wet conditions.

Housing: BLM will not provide housing.

Vehicle Needs: Youth Corps is responsible for transportation to and from field sites.

Other Project Considerations:

Field Site Locations: As stated above, some work sites where fences will be marked are rurally located. For example, some areas within the Paulina PAC are up to 2 hours away from Prineville and Bend. Camping may need to be considered to save time and travel costs. The BLM cannot provide camping equipment or food.

Supplies: The Prineville District BLM will provide the flight diverters. The Youth Corps will need to provide personal protective equipment, such as gloves and eye protection (if needed). It is highly recommended that gloves are worn for protection from the barbed wire, and the markers are a hard plastic that require some manipulation to fit on the wires.

Training Requirements: Training requirements will be determined by the supervisors and/or crew leads with the Youth Corps. A sage-grouse handout will be given to the crew leads from the Prineville BLM to teach crew members about sage-grouse biology, and what they can do to mitigate harmful impacts towards the species. The Prineville BLM can also give a presentation on sage-grouse biology and how to properly fit flight diverters to fences, if needed.

Travel: Driving to and from work sites is required. Consider the distances to and from sites as work sites are generally rurally located.

Duties: Crews will drive to and from work sites to place markers on predetermined fence lines. The BLM will provide crew leads with maps and/or shapefiles of priority areas to mark.

Expected outcomes will be determined between the BLM and the Youth Corps prior to the start of the field season. Typically, this is measured by miles of fence line completed or acres of habitat improved. At the end of the season, the Youth Corps will be responsible for submitting to the Prineville BLM a map and/or shapefile showing what was completed.

BLM’s Involvement: The Program Officer (Anna Smith),will be involved with the administration of the assistance agreement and related requirements and overall project oversight. The on-the-ground needs/project specific direction will be managed by the two Prineville BLM Wildlife Biologists as Technical Advisors. The BLM will have the right to intervene by modifying works sites if project is not staying on schedule, technical issues arise, etc. In addition, the BLM and Youth Corps will meet on a monthly basis to discuss progress. At the end of the field season and no later than December 31, 2024, the Youth Corps will provide the BLM will total miles completed,shapefiles showing fence lines that were marked, number of youth participants and total hours worked.

BLM Program Contact:

Field PO Name: Anna Smith, Brie Porter (wildlife biologist), Larry Ashton (wildlife biologist)

Field PO Phone Number: 541-416-4633

Field PO Email: brieanaporter@blm.gov and lashton@blm.gov

Applicants are encouraged to refer to the full program announcement number L24AS00057 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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