Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP)

Invasive plants harm ecosystems by outcompeting native plants and destabilizing natural communities. To reduce harm, practitioners use control methods such as herbicides or mowing. Rising temperatures can create a fertilization effect that boosts plant growth, an impact that is even stronger in invasive species, which tend to grow much faster than non-invasive plants. As a result, the recommended doses and number of treatments of herbicides may no longer be effective for controlling invasive plants. To address the need for information on how invasive plant treatment strategies can be adapted to remain effective under warming temperatures in the Northeast, researchers will synthesize 1) practitioner knowledge on the success of past treatments and 2) the best available science on treatments. Incorporating science on whether and how treatment approaches can be more effective will address a critical need for invasive species practitioners in the Northeast, who report spending most of their time treating existing invasive plants. This work aligns with the goals of EO 14239 -Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness (March 19, 2025) by helping state and local practitioners mitigate invasive species-associated hazards, as well as EO 14303 -Restoring Gold Standard Science (May 23, 2025) and SO 3441 (Implementing the Requirements of Executive Order 14303, Restoring Gold Standard Science (August 29, 2025) by strengthening American leadership in adaptation science.Projects supported under this cooperative agreement should advance Administration priorities, including, but not limited to, American energy dominance, critical mineral development, water security, infrastructure resilience, and natural hazard preparedness. Research and activities may incorporate scientific expertise in areas such as hydrology, geology, geospatial science, biosecurity, and near-earth space science, including extreme events such as drought, flooding, wildland fire, coastal erosion, severe storms, and geologic hazards, to develop actionable science, data, and tools that support informed decision-making by resource managers and stakeholders. Funding Opportunity Number: G27AS00077. Assistance Listing: 15.808. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: ST. Award Amount: $1 – $350K per award.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is for a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Center (NRCASC) competitive research award to a CESU partner.Projects supported under this cooperative agreement should advance Administration priorities, including, but not limited to, American energy dominance, critical mineral development, water security, infrastructure resilience, and natural hazard preparedness. Research and activities may incorporate scientific expertise in areas such as hydrology, geology, geospatial science, biosecurity, and near-earth space science, including extreme events such as drought, flooding, wildland fire, coastal erosion, severe storms, and geologic hazards, to develop actionable science, data, and tools that support informed decision-making by resource managers and stakeholders.Invasive plants harm ecosystems and economies by reducing native biodiversity and altering native communities. However, scientists still do not fully understand why invasive species cause severe impacts in some places but not others. This project examines how drought, temperature, rainfall, wildfire, and land management practices (such as hay harvesting) influence the spread and ecological impacts of two invasive species in Oklahoma –the invasive grass King Ranch bluestem and eastern red cedar. The research will leverage existing long-term field experiments, regional plant distribution data, and environmental scenarios to predict where these invasive species may become most problematic under future conditions. King Ranch bluestem and dense stands of eastern red cedar have been linked to the rapid spread of wildfires. This work supports the goals of EO 14239 - Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness (March 19, 2025); EO 14308 -Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response (June 12, 2025) by improving invasive species hazard mitigation for state and local practitioners, as the work addresses the elevated fire risk posed by these invasive species. This work also supports EO 14313 -Establishing the President's Make America Beautiful Again Commission (July 3, 2025 ) by advancing science-informed conservation of natural resources and strengthening the capacity of agencies and communities to safeguard vulnerable ecosystems from biological degradation, in addition to EO 14303 -Restoring Gold Standard Science (May 23, 2025) and SO 3441-Implementing the Requirements of Executive Order 14303, Restoring Gold Standard Science (August 29, 2025 ) by contributing to American leadership in adaptation science. Funding Opportunity Number: G27AS00076. Assistance Listing: 15.808. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: ST. Award Amount: $1 – $370K per award.

Understanding inhabitant’s experiences of neighbourhoods to support their health and well-being is sponsored by European Commission — Horizon Europe. Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Robust evidence on how inhabitants experience their neighbourhood [1] and the impact of these experiences on their health and well-being. The research informs policies, strategies, neighbourhood planning and procurement for the green transition [1] of neighbourhoods, including their nature-positive [3] transformation and climate resilience. Scope: Neighbourhoods are human-social constructs and environments. They are shaped by complex inter-connections and interdependencies of human and non-human actors in the natural and built environment [1] they comprise. An increasing body of research is looking at the relationship between people and the built environment, from neuro-architectural aspects of space to atmosphere and ambiance aspects in urban design and planning, influencing also the perception of beauty. Digitalisation is also allowing to understand, map and enhance how inhabitants experience the built environment. Yet, more evidence is needed on how inhabitants react to and identify with their neighbourhoods as well as the effects of these experiences on their physical and mental health and overall well-being. Such insights can help inform spatial planning and regeneration strategies for the green transition of neighbourhoods, including their nature-positive transformation and climate resilience, while delivering positive social and cultural impacts such as sense of community, security and belonging, or cultural identity. This topic will further investigate how inhabitants experience their neighbourhoods, the impact of these experiences on their health and well-being, and how these experiences can be improved through NEB in the context of the green transition. Proposals are expected to address all of the following: Obtain a deep understanding of inhabitants’ sensory and emotional experience of their neighbourhood and the impact of these experiences on their health and well-being. Proposals are expected to: Involve in the research a diversity of people and groups, including those in a vulnerable situation and/or marginalised (such as women, children, youth, older adults, people with physical and psychological functional variations and their families/carers, LGTBIQA+ people, migrants and refugees). Assess the extent to which experiences and impacts vary across sociodemographic groups as well as in neighbourhoods with different characteristics. For example, in relation to the geography (e.g. urban, peri-urban, rural, coastal, insular areas); the quality of the built environment, including its accessibility and perceived beauty; social, economic and demographic characteristics (e.g. population density, social mixing, social infrastructure [1] , property census); reputation; access to natural, cultural and artistic spaces and offers. Provide consistent and comparable data across different project sites and populations, making use of, among others, the NEB self-assessment method [6] . Validate the findings in at least three neighbourhoods (in urban, peri-urban and rural areas) located in at least three different Member States and/or Associated Countries. Based on the research evidence, provide recommendations to local authorities and the artistic, cultural and heritage sector in those neighbourhoods on how to: Improve inhabitants’ experiences and sense of belonging of/in their neighbourhoods. Support the health and well-being of neighbourhood inhabitants. Guide the green transition of neighbourhoods, including their nature-positive transformation and climate resilience. Proposals are expected to follow a participatory [1] and transdisciplinary [1] approach through the integration of different actors and disciplines. This topic requires the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) [1] disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to Programme areas: Horizon Europe (HORIZON), Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, Health, Culture, creativity and inclusive society, Civil Security for Society, Digital, Industry and Space, Climate, Energy and Mobility, Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Keywords: Accessibility, Construction, Civil engineering, Infraestructures, Environment, resources and sustainability, Intangible cultural heritage, Involvement of vulnerable populations, Participatory/Participation, Protection of public spaces, Social Inclusion, Social Sciences and Humanities, Social sciences, interdisciplinary, Societal impact, Spatial planning, Sustainability, Sustainable development and climate action, Tangible cultural heritage, Vulnerable users, Wellbeing, New European Bauhaus