Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with the Great Lakes Northern Forest Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

The USGS is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU partner to assist with the native mussel restoration efforts at the Indiana Dunes National Park (NPS-INDU). The proposed work will address the ongoing native mussel restoration within the watersheds of Indiana Dunes National Park. This work is consistent with priorities of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI)"s Native Mussel Initiative (NMI). The NMI has four restoration core needs that are directly adapted from the Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Strategy, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other related strategies. These four restoration needs are (1) Detection (mussel, host, and restoration locations), (2) Habitat (identify abiotic and biotic needs of mussels), (3) Biology/Disease (environmental stressors and host responses), and (4) Reintroduction (increase mussel population, assess ecosystem responses). The native mussel restoration is a collective effort. Thus, the CESU and its partners (USGS, NPS), as well their key stakeholders (e.g., Indiana Department of Natural Resources, IN-DNR) will work closely to develop the best science to improve the native mussel restoration efforts in the park. This work is consistent with the NMI’s goal for basin-wide restoration/protection under reintroduction goal: protect, restore, and enhance habitats to help sustain healthy populations of native species.