Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
The U.S. Geological Survey seeks a Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit partner to study drought, charcoal canker, and Emory oak survival in Arizona to guide conservation and wildfire management.
Funder: Geological Survey
Due Dates: November 30, 2026, 11:59 PM ET (Application)
Funding Amounts: $360,000 total for one anticipated two-year cooperative agreement (award range: $1–$360,000)
Summary: Supports research on Emory oak woodland resilience to drought, fire, and charcoal canker using Arizona monitoring data and spatial modeling.
Key Information: Applicants must be participating partners of the Colorado Plateau Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit.
Description
The U.S. Geological Survey’s National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Center offers a competitive cooperative agreement to study Emory oak woodland resilience. Emory oak acorns are culturally important to Tribes in the Southwest, and the woodlands provide wildlife habitat and forage. The project addresses how charcoal canker, an invasive fungal pathogen, interacts with prolonged drought and altered fire regimes to reduce acorn yields and increase oak mortality.
Research will use data from 100 long-term monitoring sites across Arizona to assess pathogen prevalence, mortality, and environmental drivers. Spatial modeling will identify areas where drought–pathogen interactions threaten future persistence. The resulting science and maps should help managers prioritize conservation and wildfire management, protect cultural and timber resources, and improve habitat for game species.
