Cooperative Agreement for Affiliated Partner with the Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU)
The Geological Survey supports a Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit partner to map invasive grass-fire cycles in eastern sagebrush grasslands and identify effective management strategies.
Funder: Geological Survey
Due Dates: November 14, 2026 (Applications, 11:59 PM ET)
Funding Amounts: $375,000 total estimated funding for one two-year cooperative agreement; award range $1–$375,000
Summary: Supports research mapping the invasive grass-fire cycle and identifying effective management strategies in the eastern sagebrush biome.
Key Information: Applicants must be participating partners of the Rocky Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU).
Description
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) supports research on the invasive grass-fire cycle in native grasslands of the eastern sagebrush biome. Invasive grasses such as cheatgrass can increase wildfire frequency and outcompete native plants after fire. However, grasslands in the Northern Great Plains may respond differently from the Great Basin, making management practices developed farther west ineffective or detrimental.
The project will collaborate with resource managers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wyoming Department of Agriculture. Research will document grass-fire cycle thresholds, analyze future fire, weather, and invasion scenarios in the north-central region, and synthesize regionally appropriate management practices. Results should help managers identify where post-fire interventions can limit invasive grasses and where intervention is unnecessary, supporting risk-informed wildfire management and community resilience.
