Pacific Grassroots Salmonid Initiative RFP
Proposal deadline: 12/19/2007

Pacific Grassroots Salmonid Initiative (PGSI) is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Restoration Center, the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (the Foundation). PGSI seeks to benefit native anadromous fishes and their habitats along the Pacific Coast of the United States.

Proposal deadline: December 19, 2007. (To receive the link to the Full Proposal Application form, it is recommended that you contact the Foundation by November 15, 2007 - details below).

A broad range of activities are eligible for funding including estuary and stream restoration, salmonid habitat conservation planning, applied research, and public education and outreach.

The most competitive projects are those that take place in priority estuaries or watersheds and target key salmon and steelhead populations and essential fish habitat as identified in federal, state, or local conservation management plans; have support from a variety of stakeholders; take a holistic approach; and use science-based, technically defensible methods.

Awards will be focused on Alaska, Oregon, and California. (Funding is available for projects located within Washington State under the Foundation's Community Salmon Fund. Information can be found here.

Most grants range from $25,000 to $75,000 in Foundation federal funds, and have a project period between 12 to 18 months.

Grantees must raise a minimum of one dollar of matching funds for the project for every dollar of Foundation federal grant funds. However, preference will be given to proposals with two dollars of matching funds to every dollar of Foundation federal grant funds.

To receive the link to the Full Proposal Application form and your user name and password, please send the information listed below tobarrett.bohnengel@nfwf.org. To allow for ample time to complete your application which includes a new Evaluation component, it is recommended that you send this information by November 15, 2007. To see proposal criteria, types of projects funded, grant conditions, and the application process, please click here.

Riparian Habitat Joint Venture Conference: Integrating Riparian Habitat Conservation & Flood Management in California
December 4 - 6, 2007 Sacramento, CA

This December, the Riparian Habitat Joint Venture (RHJV) will host agencies, organizations, scientists, engineers, landowners, and leaders endeavoring to protect the communities, property, and natural resources along the waterways across California. Their shared goal will be to tackle the many issues before them and to work toward integrating the many needs, ideas, and solutions for sustaining a safe, vibrant, and healthy environment all along the streams and rivers of California.

To see the full agenda and learn more about the conference, please click here. Questions? Email:rhjvconf@prbo.org. You may also call Candace Renger, Conference Planner, at (510) 524-1088.

Sustainable Conservation Seeks Researcher

Sustainable Conservation is looking for someone who might be interested in playing a role in our partnership with the horticulture industry to prevent the sale of invasive plant species. For detailed information on our effort, please go to www.plantright.org.

As you know, over 50% of the invasive plants in California were introduced through the horticulture trade. Our California Horticultural Invasives Prevention (Cal-HIP) is a dynamic partnership of nurseries, plant growers, landscape professionals, environmental groups, and government agencies that are working to shift gardening away from invasive species that are harming wildlands in California. In addition to phasing known invasives like pampas grass, Scotch broom, and Arundo donax out of the horticultural trade, Cal-HIP would like to design a simple predictive tool that will enable nursery owners to screen new plant material and assess its potential invasiveness.

Although much research has been conducted on Weed Risk Assessment around the world, more research is needed to determine which questions should be included in Cal-HIP’s screening methodology. The challenge will be finding a balance between effective screening questions and a methodology that is simple, easy to complete, and time effective.

SC is seeking a graduate or post doc student with botanical and/or risk assessment experience to gather research, interview experts, and make recommendations for a preliminary draft of the tool. The student will also be asked to investigate ways for nursery professionals to access reliable information about the plants they are screening. Research findings will be put directly to use through the Cal-HIP partnership and would be eligible for publication.