Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is for a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Center (NRCASC) competitive financial assistance research award to a CESU partner.

Projects supported under this cooperative agreement should advance Administration priorities, including, but not limited to, American energy dominance, critical mineral development, water security, infrastructure resilience, and natural hazard preparedness. Research and activities may incorporate scientific expertise in areas such as hydrology, geology, geospatial science, biosecurity, and near-earth space science, including extreme events such as drought, flooding, wildland fire, coastal erosion, severe storms, and geologic hazards, to develop actionable science, data, and tools that support informed decision-making by resource managers and stakeholders.

Emory oak acorns are an important cultural resource for Tribes in the Southwest, and oak woodlands provide key habitat and forage for wildlife, including game species. Charcoal canker, an invasive fungal pathogen, worsens the harmful impacts of prolonged drought and altered fire regimes on Emory oak, resulting in lower acorn yields and higher oak mortality. This project will use data from 100 long-term Emory oak monitoring sites across Arizona to assess the prevalence of charcoal canker, how it relates to oak mortality, and the conditions that affect infection and tree death. Spatial modeling will produce maps that predict where drought and pathogen interactions could threaten the survival of Emory oak under future conditions. Managers can use these maps to identify areas of higher or lower resilience within existing Emory oak woodlands, helping prioritize conservation efforts and wildfire management to safeguard areas where Emory oak has a higher chance of persisting despite intensifying stressors. This project will provide science-based evidence for managing emerging pathogens, supporting EO 14313 - Establishing the President's Make America Beautiful Again Commission (July 3, 2025); improve habitat for game species in line with SO 3447 - Expanding Hunting and Fishing Access, Removing Unnecessary Barriers, and Ensuring Consistency Across the Department of the Interior Lands and Waters (January 7, 2026); offer insights for safeguarding timber resources in support of EO 14225 - Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production (March 1, 2025); and provide scientific evidence to inform wildfire preparedness, in accordance with EO 14239 -Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness (March 19, 2025). Finally, this work demonstrates the Department of the Interior's ongoing commitment to trust responsibilities.

This financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Program. CESU"s are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. Eligible recipients must be a participating partner of the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit.

RACHEL MILLER