Assessment of Prairie Nymph Population and Development of a Habitat Management Plan

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This is a Notice of Intent (NOI) to award a non-competitive Task Agreement under the Gulf Coast, Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Master Cooperative Agreement (P12AC51051) in accordance with Department of Interior, 505 Departmental Manual 2.12C. The Prairie Nymph (Herbertia lahue) is a plant native to Mississippi that has been designated a State Species of Special Concern. Although uncommon throughout its range, the prairie nymph has become locally abundant in the areas of Vicksburg National Military Park (VICK) that are maintained in a short-grass and/or manicured condition. The flower has not been intensively studied, so little literature exists detailing its habitat preferences, life cycle, or reasons as to why its present-day range is so limited. In order to better understand this species and support its ongoing success at VICK, the park proposes to work with CESU cooperators to determine the current population status and develop monitoring efforts to determine the effects of land management practices (i.e., mowing, burning) on species success. This data will be used to create a Habitat Management Plan to be used by park management Please see attached Full Announcement for more information.

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