Opportunity Information: Apply for NOIP16AC01387 001
The grant opportunity titled "Assessing Climate Vulnerability and Adaption Opportunities in Apostle Islands Wetlands" is a National Park Service (NPS) cooperative agreement focused on understanding how climate change could affect coastal wetlands within Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (APIS) in Lake Superior. APIS includes a mainland unit plus 21 islands and contains several high-quality wetland types such as lagoons, bogs, freshwater estuaries, fringing marshes, and peatlands. Because many of these wetlands are on protected lands and located on islands with relatively limited direct human disturbance, the project treats them as especially valuable "sentinel sites" that can reveal early or clear signals of climate-driven ecological change across the broader Great Lakes region.
The core purpose of the project is to fill key data gaps that currently limit proactive wetland management under changing climate conditions. Even though the wetlands are protected from many typical development pressures, they remain vulnerable to climate-related stressors including changes in Lake Superior water levels, more frequent and intense storms, increasing wave energy, and rising air and water temperatures. The opportunity calls for a comprehensive assessment of 11 major coastal wetlands in the park, combining current field measurements with comparisons to historic conditions where existing datasets allow. By pairing present-day observations with past records, the project aims to detect trends and understand how wetland hydrology, water quality, and biological communities are already shifting or may shift in the future.
The work is organized around three main applied research questions. First, the study will identify which APIS wetlands are most at risk from climate-related change, with special attention to hydroperiod dynamics (how long and how often areas are flooded or saturated) and how wetland size, shape, and connectivity to Lake Superior may change under altered lake levels and storm patterns. Second, it will determine which wetland biota are most likely to be affected, considering both individual species and broader community types, and it specifically asks whether any impacted species or communities are rare or uniquely important. This part of the project also requires thinking beyond diagnosis and into adaptation: what practical actions or management approaches could help wetland organisms persist or adjust as conditions change. Third, the project will develop a framework for using APIS as a long-term coastal wetland sentinel site for the Great Lakes, including recommendations on which wetlands and which biological or environmental indicators should be tracked over time, and how to measure those indicators efficiently and consistently for long-term monitoring.
Deliverables are expected to be both technical and management-oriented. The recipient (noted in the description as Northland College, selected for its expertise and proximity) is responsible for project oversight, study design, fieldwork, data analysis, and a final synthesis that translates findings into specific long-term adaptive management recommendations for NPS. The synthesis is also expected to incorporate results from bird and amphibian sampling conducted by project partners, ensuring that key wildlife components are integrated into the overall wetland vulnerability picture. In addition to providing data to NPS, the recipient is expected to communicate results to the broader scientific and resource management communities through presentations at conferences or symposia and through peer-reviewed publications, helping ensure the work informs Great Lakes wetland science beyond the Apostle Islands.
The NPS role is described as active collaboration rather than a hands-off grantor relationship, which is consistent with a cooperative agreement. NPS will jointly develop and refine the scope of work with the recipient, assign a technical representative to assist as needed, and review and approve modifications or any sub-awards before they are issued. NPS also retains authority to redirect work if necessary due to connections with other projects, and to halt activities if performance specifications are not met. The description emphasizes close monitoring and operational involvement during performance, including oversight related to staffing, organizational structures, and logistics, reflecting the shared-responsibility nature of the agreement.
Administratively, this opportunity is listed as discretionary funding through a cooperative agreement under the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, with activity aligned to natural resources (CFDA 15.945). The opportunity number is NOIP16AC01387 001. The posting indicates an award ceiling of $152,000 and an expectation of one award. It also notes that the underlying task agreement (P16AC01387) originally funded $75,921 and that a modification adding $2,500 was required to support current project activities, situating this opportunity as part of an ongoing effort under the Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (GLNF-CESU) master cooperative agreement (P12AC31164). The original posting dates show a creation date of July 31, 2017, and an original closing date of August 10, 2017, indicating the timeframe for the competition or award action.Apply for NOIP16AC01387 001
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Assessing Climate Vulnerability and Adaption Opportunities in Apostle Islands Wetlands" 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 Jul 31, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 10, 2017. (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 $152,000.00 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 title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Assessing Climate Vulnerability and Adaption Opportunities in Apostle Islands Wetlands."
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS).
Is this a grant or a cooperative agreement?
This opportunity is described as a cooperative agreement, meaning NPS is expected to play an active, collaborative role during the project rather than acting only as a passive funder.
What is the main purpose of the project?
The project is intended to fill key data gaps that currently limit proactive management of coastal wetlands in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (APIS) under changing climate conditions. It focuses on understanding how climate change could affect coastal wetland hydrology, water quality, and biological communities.
Where will the work take place?
The work will take place in Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (APIS) on Lake Superior, which includes a mainland unit plus 21 islands.
Why are APIS wetlands described as "sentinel sites"?
Many APIS wetlands are on protected lands and located on islands with relatively limited direct human disturbance. Because of that, they are treated as especially valuable "sentinel sites" that can show early or clear signals of climate-driven ecological change relevant to the broader Great Lakes region.
What types of wetlands are included in APIS?
The description notes several high-quality wetland types in APIS, including lagoons, bogs, freshwater estuaries, fringing marshes, and peatlands.
How many wetlands are being assessed?
The opportunity calls for a comprehensive assessment of 11 major coastal wetlands in the park.
What climate-related stressors are the wetlands vulnerable to?
The wetlands are described as vulnerable to climate-related stressors including changes in Lake Superior water levels, more frequent and intense storms, increasing wave energy, and rising air and water temperatures.
What does the project mean by comparing current conditions to historic conditions?
The project will combine current field measurements with comparisons to historic conditions where existing datasets allow. The intent is to use present-day observations alongside past records to detect trends and understand how wetland systems are already shifting or may shift in the future.
What are the main research questions the project will address?
The work is organized around three applied research questions: (1) which APIS wetlands are most at risk from climate-related change, especially related to hydroperiod and wetland size/shape/connectivity; (2) which wetland species and community types are most likely to be affected and what adaptation actions could help; and (3) how to build a long-term sentinel site framework for monitoring coastal wetlands in APIS and across the Great Lakes.
What is "hydroperiod" and why does it matter in this project?
Hydroperiod refers to how long and how often areas are flooded or saturated. The project emphasizes hydroperiod because changes in lake levels and storm patterns can alter wetland flooding dynamics, which in turn can drive changes in wetland extent, water quality, and biological communities.
What wetland characteristics will be evaluated for climate risk?
The opportunity highlights evaluating how wetland size, shape, and connectivity to Lake Superior may change under altered lake levels and storm patterns, along with hydroperiod dynamics.
What biological impacts will the project evaluate?
The project will determine which wetland biota are most likely to be affected, considering both individual species and broader community types. It also specifically asks whether any impacted species or communities are rare or uniquely important.
Does the project include adaptation planning as well as vulnerability assessment?
Yes. The second major research question explicitly moves from diagnosis to adaptation by asking what practical actions or management approaches could help wetland organisms persist or adjust as conditions change.
What is meant by creating a "sentinel site framework" for long-term monitoring?
The project will develop recommendations for using APIS as a long-term coastal wetland sentinel site for the Great Lakes, including which wetlands to track, which biological or environmental indicators to monitor, and how to measure those indicators efficiently and consistently over time.
What kinds of deliverables are expected?
Deliverables are described as both technical and management-oriented. The recipient is expected to complete oversight, study design, fieldwork, data analysis, and a final synthesis that translates findings into specific long-term adaptive management recommendations for NPS.
Will the project include wildlife sampling results (birds and amphibians)?
Yes. The final synthesis is expected to incorporate results from bird and amphibian sampling conducted by project partners so that key wildlife components are included in the overall vulnerability assessment.
Is public or scientific communication required?
Yes. In addition to providing data to NPS, the recipient is expected to communicate results to broader scientific and resource management communities through conference or symposium presentations and through peer-reviewed publications.
Who is identified as the recipient in the description?
The description notes Northland College as the recipient, citing its expertise and proximity.
How involved will NPS be during the project?
NPS is expected to be actively involved. The agency will jointly develop and refine the scope of work with the recipient, assign a technical representative, and review and approve modifications or any sub-awards before they are issued.
Can NPS redirect or halt project activities?
Yes. The description states that NPS retains authority to redirect work if needed (including due to connections with other projects) and to halt activities if performance specifications are not met.
What is the funding type and program classification listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed as discretionary funding through a cooperative agreement aligned to natural resources, with CFDA 15.945.
What is the opportunity number?
The opportunity number is NOIP16AC01387 001.
What is the award ceiling and how many awards are expected?
The posting indicates an award ceiling of $152,000 and an expectation of one award.
Is this opportunity connected to prior funding or an ongoing agreement?
Yes. The description indicates the underlying task agreement (P16AC01387) originally funded $75,921 and later required a $2,500 modification to support current project activities. It also situates the work under the Great Lakes-Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (GLNF-CESU) master cooperative agreement (P12AC31164).
What are the creation and closing dates shown in the posting?
The original posting dates shown are a creation date of July 31, 2017, and an original closing date of August 10, 2017.
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