Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit | G23AS00142

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) through the Fort Collins Science Center (FORT). It supports research and applied work to improve how federal public lands track and manage visitor use, with an emphasis on strengthening methods for estimating visitation.

Which USGS office is offering the award?

The award is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), specifically through the Fort Collins Science Center (FORT).

What is the main purpose of the project?

The core purpose is to advance and evaluate newer, data-driven approaches to estimating visitation on federal public lands, especially in settings where traditional counting methods are difficult, expensive, time-intensive, or unreliable. The goal is to improve the evidence base behind alternative visitation estimation methods and support more defensible management decisions.

Why is USGS focusing on new ways to estimate visitation?

Many public land areas are remote, sprawling, or "porous" and do not have a single entrance gate or clear chokepoints. In those contexts, standard tools such as entrance counts, on-site surveys, and manual tallies can be hard to implement and may not produce reliable results. Because visitation estimates influence planning, staffing, maintenance, resource protection, and visitor experience decisions, USGS is seeking more robust and scalable approaches.

What kinds of visitor monitoring methods are being emphasized?

The project emphasizes "novel approaches" to visitor monitoring, meaning nontraditional data sources and analytical techniques that can complement or, in some situations, substitute for conventional counting programs.

What are examples of the novel data sources mentioned in the opportunity?

Examples explicitly highlighted include social media data (such as geotagged posts that can indicate where and when recreation happens), mobile device location data (aggregated signals that can be used to infer visitation levels and patterns), and mining online trip reports from websites where visitors document outings.

Is the goal to replace traditional counting methods entirely?

The opportunity describes novel approaches as tools that can complement or, in some contexts, substitute for conventional counting programs. The focus is on understanding when and where these approaches are valid and useful, and how they compare to traditional methods across different settings.

What problem is USGS trying to solve across agencies and land units?

Multiple federal agencies have begun experimenting with new data sources, but there is still a gap in understanding when and where these approaches work well, what their limitations are, and how results compare across different land units, agencies, and recreation settings. A major aim is to synthesize current knowledge and document best practices so offices do not have to reinvent methods independently.

What are the expected outcomes or deliverables described?

Based on the opportunity description, a central outcome is guidance that documents best practices and supports practical, defensible visitor monitoring and management decisions across federal public lands. The effort is intended to clarify the contexts where emerging data sources are most valid and useful and to strengthen the evidence base for their application.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to organizations that are already participating partners of the Pacific Northwest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program.

What is the CESU Program and why does it matter for eligibility?

CESUs are structured partnerships that link federal agencies with universities, nonprofits, and other research organizations to deliver research, technical assistance, and educational support. Because this award is issued under the CESU Program, only Pacific Northwest CESU partners are eligible to apply.

What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal partner during the project. In this case, USGS staff may collaborate closely on scoping, methodology, data interpretation, and deliverables, rather than serving only as a funder.

Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?

The offering agency is the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), listed as the Geological Survey.

What is the activity category for this opportunity?

The activity category is listed as Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What is the funding opportunity number?

The funding opportunity number is G23AS00142.

What is the CFDA listing for this opportunity?

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) listing is 15.808.

What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The award ceiling is listed as $190,000.

When was the application closing date?

The original closing date for applications was February 6, 2023.

What types of public lands are especially relevant to this work?

The opportunity highlights settings where traditional visitor counting is difficult, including areas without a single entrance gate or clear chokepoints, and places that are remote, sprawling, or otherwise "porous."

How will improved visitation estimates be used by public land managers?

The description notes that visitation estimates influence planning, staffing, maintenance, resource protection, and visitor experience decisions. Improving estimation methods is intended to support better management decisions on federal lands.