GLNF- CESU: Pilot Study of Acoustic Monitoring Research in Midwest Parks | NPS NOIP18AC00691

Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOIP18AC00691

The grant opportunity titled "GLNF- CESU: Pilot Study of Acoustic Monitoring Research in Midwest Parks" (Funding Opportunity Number NPS NOIP18AC00691) is a National Park Service discretionary funding opportunity offered through a cooperative agreement under the Department of the Interior. It supports a pilot research effort led by the University of Vermont in Burlington to install and test a newer approach to wildlife acoustic monitoring at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (often abbreviated as INDU). The project is framed as both a technology demonstration and a management-focused research effort, aiming to modernize how the park tracks wildlife presence and responses to habitat restoration.

At the core of the project is the deployment of acoustic monitoring systems that can record wildlife sounds and pair those recordings with imagery, then transmit the data automatically using cell phone technology. This is described as novel for park operations because it can reduce the need for frequent staff field visits to retrieve data, and it can also lower the time and cost associated with listening to recordings manually. By automating collection and transmission, the project is intended to enable monitoring of more species across more locations without a proportional increase in staffing, which is a common constraint in long-term ecological monitoring programs.

A major purpose of the work is to strengthen adaptive management at Indiana Dunes by linking monitoring directly to decision-making under the park's Resource Stewardship Strategy (RSS). In practical terms, the monitoring data are meant to help park managers evaluate whether on-the-ground actions to restore wetlands and savannas are producing the intended ecological outcomes. Instead of treating restoration as a one-time intervention, the pilot emphasizes tracking, analysis, and iterative learning, so that management actions can be adjusted based on evidence of what is or is not working.

Beyond the immediate management benefits, the opportunity highlights broader impacts. It positions the project as contributing to cutting-edge scientific methods, generating results that can be shared with the public, and supporting education and recreation by improving understanding of park wildlife and habitat conditions. It also emphasizes partnership-building and community engagement, with the monitoring effort serving as a platform for shared environmental stewardship among the park, external partners, and local communities.

Administratively, the opportunity is limited to eligible applicants that are public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The posted award ceiling is $230,000, with an expectation of one award. The opportunity was created on September 7, 2018, with an original closing date of September 17, 2018, and it is associated with CFDA number 15.945.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "GLNF- CESU: Pilot Study of Acoustic Monitoring Research in Midwest Parks" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 07, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 17, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $230,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

Apply for NPS NOIP18AC00691

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