Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

Background
The US Geological Survey’s National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Center (NRCASC) is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner for research to support the project entitled “Advancement of a Prescribed Fire Recommendation Engine: Laying the foundation for climate change-informed prescribed fire management”. The funding opportunity goal is research to clarify the use of prescribed burns in managing ecosystems in the Southeastern United States and will characterize managers risk tolerances towards wildfire risk in the context of climate change. The recipient will work collaboratively with USGS to provide scientific advancement in the field of fire ecology and climate change ecology and will help to advance scientific modeling of prescribed fire opportunity windows as well as long term forecasts and predictions.

Grant Details
Research Objectives include:
- Better understand risk tolerances of prescribed-fire managers towards wildfire risk.
- Construct more accurate models depicting how managers view costs and benefits of conducting prescribed fires.
- Include longer term climate forecasts and projections into a previously developed decision support tool (the RxFR engine).

Eligibility Requirements
This financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. CESU’s are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. Eligible recipients must be a participating partner of the Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast.

Period of Performance
It is anticipated that an award will be made for one year. The total estimated funding for this project is $70,386. This award will be funded over one year, FY24.

Grant Value
$70,386

Place of Performance
Southeastern United States