Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOIP16AC01178 001
Heartland Vital Signs Monitoring Interns - HTLN is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement action that adds additional funding to an existing agreement (P16AC01178) with American Conservation Experience (ACE). The overall purpose is to place youth and early-career participants in hands-on natural resources work that directly supports science-based stewardship across the NPS Heartland Network. By combining fieldwork, applied science, and public-facing conservation values, the project is designed to both strengthen long-term ecological monitoring in multiple parks and give interns practical experience that can lead to future education and careers in natural resources management.
At the core of the opportunity is the monitoring of "vital signs" indicators of ecosystem health across 15 National Park units. These vital signs are long-term measures used to track ecological condition and change over time, helping park managers make informed decisions about conservation, restoration, and protection. In this case, the work focuses on established monitoring protocols for vegetation communities, invasive species, breeding birds, fish, and rare plant populations, with additional attention to evaluating ecosystem responses to prescribed fire. The intent is to expand the capacity of NPS scientists by providing trained interns who can support consistent data collection and observation across parks, which is essential for detecting trends, identifying emerging threats, and prioritizing management actions.
The internship duties are strongly field-oriented and span several specific projects. Interns support annual monitoring of rare plant populations at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield and Pipestone National Monument, helping document population status and potentially contributing to conservation planning for sensitive species. They assist with vegetation community monitoring and invasive plant monitoring, which typically involves identifying plant species, estimating cover or abundance, mapping invasives, and documenting habitat conditions. They also participate in deer spotlight surveys at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, Pea Ridge National Military Park, and Arkansas Post National Monument, a method commonly used to estimate deer presence and relative abundance to inform wildlife management and evaluate ecological impacts. Another component involves assessing bird habitat as part of breeding bird monitoring, which can include habitat characterization tied to bird survey points to better understand relationships between habitat conditions and bird community trends.
In addition to fieldwork, the opportunity includes a meaningful office and data-management workload, reflecting how modern ecological monitoring depends on careful data handling and reporting. Interns enter monitoring data and species occurrence information into databases and spreadsheets using tools like Microsoft Access and Excel, supporting data quality and long-term usability. They collect and process plant specimens for an in-house herbarium, contributing to verified reference collections that support accurate identification and long-term documentation. Interns may also conduct background research that supports analysis and reporting, then help summarize data and contribute to written products that communicate results to park staff and other audiences. Depending on project needs, they may also assist with invasive plant management through mechanical and chemical treatments, adding a direct resource-management element to the monitoring work.
Beyond technical outputs, the grant emphasizes youth engagement and public value. It is structured to build conservation awareness among participants and, indirectly, among visitors and communities by strengthening stewardship activities in national parks. The project is framed as shared environmental stewardship that helps youth connect their work to the protection of natural, cultural, and historical resources, while also producing information that benefits the broader scientific and research community through new knowledge and the dissemination of results. In practical terms, the funding supports one expected award (with an award ceiling of $355,100) under CFDA 15.931, issued by the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, as a discretionary cooperative agreement tied to this specific ACE partnership and the Heartland Network's long-term monitoring needs.Apply for NPS NOIP16AC01178 001
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the other (see text field entitled explanation of other category of funding activity for clarification) sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Heartland Vital Signs Monitoring Interns - HTLN" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.931.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 29, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 07, 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 $355,100.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "Heartland Vital Signs Monitoring Interns - HTLN" opportunity?
This is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement action that provides additional funding to an existing agreement (P16AC01178) with American Conservation Experience (ACE). Its purpose is to place youth and early-career participants in hands-on natural resources work that supports science-based stewardship across the NPS Heartland Network.
Who is issuing and funding this opportunity?
The opportunity is issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), as a discretionary cooperative agreement tied to the Heartland Network and an established partnership with American Conservation Experience (ACE).
What is the overall goal of the project?
The project is designed to strengthen long-term ecological monitoring across multiple national parks while giving interns practical experience that can support future education and careers in natural resources management. It combines fieldwork, applied science, and public-facing conservation values.
What does "vital signs" monitoring mean in this context?
"Vital signs" are long-term indicators of ecosystem health used to track ecological condition and change over time. These measurements help park managers make informed conservation, restoration, and protection decisions by detecting trends, identifying emerging threats, and prioritizing management actions.
How many National Park units are involved?
The monitoring work supports vital signs indicators across 15 National Park units within the NPS Heartland Network.
Which natural resource topics or indicators will interns work on?
The work focuses on established monitoring protocols for vegetation communities, invasive species, breeding birds, fish, and rare plant populations. The project also includes attention to evaluating ecosystem responses to prescribed fire.
What are the main fieldwork duties described for interns?
Intern duties are strongly field-oriented and include supporting rare plant monitoring, vegetation community monitoring, invasive plant monitoring, deer spotlight surveys, and bird habitat assessment related to breeding bird monitoring.
Which parks are specifically mentioned for rare plant population monitoring?
Rare plant populations are monitored at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield and Pipestone National Monument.
What kinds of tasks are involved in vegetation community and invasive plant monitoring?
Tasks typically include identifying plant species, estimating cover or abundance, mapping invasive plants, and documenting habitat conditions.
What are deer spotlight surveys, and where are they conducted in this project?
Deer spotlight surveys are used to estimate deer presence and relative abundance to inform wildlife management and evaluate ecological impacts. In this project, they are conducted at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, Pea Ridge National Military Park, and Arkansas Post National Monument.
How does breeding bird monitoring fit into the internship work?
Interns may assess bird habitat as part of breeding bird monitoring. This can include habitat characterization tied to bird survey points to better understand relationships between habitat conditions and bird community trends.
Is the internship only fieldwork, or is there office/data work too?
The opportunity includes a meaningful office and data-management workload. Modern ecological monitoring depends on careful data handling, quality control, and reporting, so interns support both field and office components.
What data tools or software are mentioned for data entry and management?
Interns enter monitoring data and species occurrence information into databases and spreadsheets using tools such as Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel.
Will interns work with plant specimens or herbarium materials?
Yes. Interns collect and process plant specimens for an in-house herbarium. This contributes to verified reference collections that support accurate identification and long-term documentation.
Are research and writing part of the internship duties?
They can be. Interns may conduct background research to support analysis and reporting, help summarize data, and contribute to written products that communicate results to park staff and other audiences.
Does the work include direct resource management activities, not just monitoring?
Potentially. Depending on project needs, interns may assist with invasive plant management through mechanical and chemical treatments, adding a direct resource-management element to the monitoring work.
How does this project support NPS science and park decision-making?
By providing trained interns who can support consistent data collection and observation across multiple parks, the project expands the capacity of NPS scientists. Consistent long-term monitoring is essential for detecting trends, identifying threats, and informing conservation and management actions.
What is the youth engagement or public value component of the grant?
The grant emphasizes youth engagement and shared environmental stewardship. It aims to build conservation awareness among participants and strengthen stewardship activities in national parks, benefiting visitors and communities while producing information that supports the broader scientific and research community through new knowledge and dissemination of results.
What type of federal assistance instrument is this?
It is a discretionary cooperative agreement action that adds funding to an existing cooperative agreement with ACE (P16AC01178).
What is the expected number of awards and the maximum funding amount mentioned?
The funding supports one expected award, with an award ceiling of $355,100.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.931.
Is this a brand-new agreement or tied to an existing partnership?
It is tied to an existing partnership and agreement. The action adds additional funding to an existing agreement (P16AC01178) with American Conservation Experience (ACE).
What kinds of outcomes or deliverables are implied by the description?
Implied outcomes include consistent field datasets for vital signs monitoring (vegetation, invasives, birds, fish, rare plants), documentation of ecosystem responses (including prescribed fire considerations), updated species occurrence records, curated herbarium specimens, and summarized results or written products for park staff and other audiences.
How does the project connect conservation work with career development?
By placing youth and early-career participants in hands-on natural resources work that blends fieldwork, applied science, and communication of results, the project provides practical experience intended to support future education and careers in natural resources management.
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