Created by an act of Congress in 1879, the USGS provides science for a changing world, which reflects and responds to society’s continuously evolving needs. As the science arm of the Department of the Interior, the USGS brings an array of earth, water, biological, and mapping data and expertise to bear in support of decision-making on environmental, resource, and public safety issues.
The grant program aims to support research in developing methods for reintroducing native Guam birds in areas where the Brown treesnake (BTS) presence is being controlled. The initiative seeks proposals from CESU (Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units) partners to document bird activities around intensive BTS control zones, especially the Control Population area on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The research should focus on evaluating bird use in these areas, attracting native birds from neighboring areas, and developing and testing technologies (like artificial nesting and roosting structures) to protect birds from BTS predation. The grant emphasizes conducting periodic bird surveys for a year, constructing and assessing the effectiveness of the nesting and roosting structures in the CP during the first year of their deployment.