Create Model of Glacier Bay¿s Late Pleistocene Coastline

Description

This announcement is to provide public notice of the National Park Service (NPS), intention to fund the following project with University of Alaska Fairbanks under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) program. CESUs are partnerships that provide research, technical assistance, and education. The project intended award is $95,561.00 in 2014. This is a continuation of an existing agreement, number P11AC90458 (P11AT36145)ending on 12/31/2015. STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Agreements Concerning Cooperative Research and Training on NPS Resources (16 U.S.C. § 1a-2(j)): The Secretary may enter into agreements with public or private educational institutions, States and their political subdivisions, for the purpose of developing adequate, coordinated, cooperative research and training programs concerning the resources of the National Park System, and pursuant to such agreements, to accept from and make available to the cooperator such technical and support staff, financial assistance for mutually agreed upon research projects, supplies and equipment, facilities, and administrative services relating to cooperative research units as the Secretary deems appropriate. STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN: The peopling of the New World has become one of the most popular sagas of world history, capturing the attention of not only the scientific community, but indigenous communities, management agencies, and the public at large. Recent genetic, linguistic and archaeological research suggests that the Pacific Coast of North America served as one access corridor for the peopling of the New World. Researchers have posited that a contiguous environmental band, extending from Alaska to South America, facilitated migration of ancestral peoples from Asia throughout North and South America. However, our understanding of the exact location of ancient shorelines, prevailing environmental conditions, resource availability, and coastal habitation sites has been hampered by lack of, or poorly collated, data. Those data that exist are typically unpublished and/or scattered and are largely unavailable to the American public. The primary purpose of this agreement is to develop a model of Glacier Bay National Park¿s ancient coastline by collating extant data and conducting field tests to further validate existing theories of shoreline location and morphology. This project will bring together seasoned field researchers to search existing literature, compile scattered data, and conduct field tests to validate the premises of the analysis.The purpose of this project is to develop a model of Glacier Bay¿s ancestral coastline such that the scientific and public understanding of migration routes, settlement patterns, indigenous community kinship patterns, traditional resource uses, disease etymology, etc. is enhanced. At a local level, understanding the ancient coastal morphology and environment of Glacier Bay may assist the Tlingit nation with numerous ongoing ancestral heritage issues including locating village sites, resolving clan territorial claims, and validating and preserving oral tradition. The data compiled by this study will also identify a highly significant ecological and cultural park resource, and will make it available to better understand global climate change. Importantly, Glacier Bay National Park attracts thousands of annual visitors annually, many of whom are drawn by the areas dynamic geological history. The results of this study will be made available to international travelers interested in learning more about glaciology and ancestral human history.The successful completion of this project involves a substantial degree of cooperation between the National Park Service and the UAF researchers. The NPS archeologist and UAF researchers will work collaboratively in the field to locate, test and document remnants of ancient landscapes. Modifications to research methodologies, testing localities and other areas will be made collaboratively between the NPS and the researchers throughout the project as necessary. The researchers and NPS will jointly give presentations to park staff and the general public, conveying the results of the study as well as an appreciation and awareness of historic preservation and stewardship. The partner, in cooperation with the National Park Service will: The recipient will focus efforts on collecting geomorphological data in the field followed by analysis of data and preparation of a season report. Specific actions include: 1. UAF researchers will conduct field surveys and testing along the outer coast of Glacier Bay National Park. Following the field season, researchers will submit collected samples for AMS 14C dating, cosmogenic isotope dating, and pollen analyses. 3. UAF researchers will prepare a field season report identifying the areas surveyed, any refinements to the sampling strategy, results of tests, summarized conclusions, and recommendations for future work. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT -Substantial Involvement :The NPS archeologist will assist the UAF researchers in this cooperative research endeavor by (1) compiling (and/or making readily available) extant data and other related information on coastal geomorphology available, (2) cooperatively identify potential study sites along the coastline, (3) assisting with the development of logistical plans for accessing study sites including coordination of field research with appropriate NPS backcountry services, (4) conducting or facilitating necessary government-to-government consultations with tribal organizations, (5) interfacing between the cooperator and regional NPS Programs, (6) coordinating input of data into the NPS Archeological Sites Management Information System (ASMIS) program, (7) coordinating the NPS research permitting process, (8) cooperatively reviewing and modifying research methodologies and testing localities, and (9) reviewing and revising resulting publications, and (10) transferring the study results to NPS staff responsible for providing interpretive services to the public. SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION: Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award . The National Park Service did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria: Continuation ¿ The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant advere effect on the continuity or completion of the activity.This is the third season of this project. Technical contact information: Mary Beth Moss, mary_beth_moss@nps.gov, 907-945-1220, National Park Service, Alaska Region, End of FOA

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