Understanding the state of curl-leaf mountain mahogany | P19AS00195

Opportunity Information: Apply for P19AS00195

This National Park Service funding opportunity (P19AS00195) focuses on assessing the health and future outlook of curl-leaf mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifolius) within Bighorn Canyon and understanding how changes in Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) cover may be affecting habitat quality for bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis). The need for this work was highlighted in Bighorn Canyon's Natural Resource Condition Assessment (Komp et al. 2012), which pointed to gaps in knowledge about the condition of mountain mahogany stands and the extent to which juniper may be expanding into areas where mahogany is established. Because curl-leaf mountain mahogany is a key year-round forage source for bighorn sheep, the park is concerned that deterioration of this plant community could eventually translate into negative impacts on sheep nutrition, habitat suitability, and long-term population stability.

The project is motivated by documented vegetation changes within the park. Curl-leaf mountain mahogany is widespread, occurring across roughly 40 percent of Bighorn Canyon, yet in 2011 the park observed substantial areas of mahogany experiencing die-off from causes that were not clearly understood at the time. At the same time, Utah juniper has been noted as encroaching into mahogany-dominated areas, which can alter plant community structure and potentially reduce the availability of preferred browse. Although the bighorn sheep population in the park had remained relatively steady, the opportunity narrative emphasizes that bighorn sheep across the West often persist in small and fragmented groups and can be vulnerable to pressure from multiple directions, including disease, woody plant encroachment, and loss of primary forage species. In that context, continued decline of mountain mahogany, whether driven by long-term drought stress, increased insect or pest activity (such as tent caterpillars), or competition and shading from juniper expansion, is framed as a plausible pathway to future habitat degradation and eventual population decline.

The intended outcome of the funded work is a targeted condition assessment that gives park managers a clearer, evidence-based picture of what is happening to curl-leaf mountain mahogany and how vegetation dynamics are shifting in areas important to bighorn sheep. By pinpointing the extent of mahogany decline, identifying likely drivers, and clarifying the role of juniper encroachment, the assessment is meant to support practical management decisions and allow the park to design and implement a restoration strategy. The emphasis is on ensuring that mountain mahogany, as a critical forage plant, remains present and functional in the ecosystem over the long term, thereby helping maintain high-quality bighorn sheep habitat into the future.

Administratively, this was a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, using a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument. The activity category is Natural Resources and the CFDA number listed is 15.945. Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, indicating the park sought to partner with an academic entity capable of conducting field assessment and analysis. The opportunity was created on May 23, 2019, with an original closing date of June 1, 2019. The expected number of awards was one, with an award ceiling of $30,903, suggesting a single, focused project designed to fill a specific management-relevant information gap rather than support a broad multi-year research program.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Understanding the state of curl-leaf mountain mahogany" 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 May 23, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 01, 2019. (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 $30,903.00 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 P19AS00195

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