Ecological Restoration in Rocky Mountain National Park

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The purpose of this Agreement is to further collaborative ecological restoration in Rocky Mountain National Park and increase community engagement at the Park. The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service (hereafter: NPS) and Award Recipient would work cooperatively on a wide variety of restoration projects engaging volunteers from local communities. The NPS and Award Recipient are jointly herein referred to as "the Parties" (hereafter: singularly ⿿Party⿝). The objectives include: to restore ecosystems and habitats which benefit native species and the visitor experience within Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), to work collaboratively on restoration projects and leverage the strengths of both parties and to engage the local community in these ecosystems restoration projects. Examples of ecological restoration projects ongoing within RMNP include, but are not limited to: the restoration of aspen and willow dominated riparian vegetation communities that have been negatively impacted by ungulate browse, the restoration of sites for the purposes of beaver recolonization and potential reintroduction, the restoration of areas where the vegetation has experienced anthropogenic impacts from pipeline installation or roadwork, and the restoration of sites that have been impacted by natural disturbances such as fires or floods. Restoration or habitat enhancement activities must fall within one or more of the following broad categories to be within the scope of this agreement: 1) revegetation or stabilization of disturbed, burned, or denuded lands, riparian areas, sensitive ecosystems or plant communities, decommissioned roads or trails, or campgrounds and picnic areas; 2) watershed restoration; 3) soil stabilization, site preparation, or erosion control; 4) aquatic, riparian, or terrestrial habitat enhancement for aquatic, fish, wildlife (including mammal, reptile, amphibian, and bird), or plant species; 5) road, trail, corridor (e.g., powerline or highway right-of-ways), picnic area, campground, or day-use area improvements; 6) wilderness ecological condition or visitor experience enhancement or restoration; 7) collecting, storing, or increasing of plant seed, cuttings, or plantings; 8) seeding and planting of desired restoration or habitat enhancement plant species; or 9) any component of the RMNP Native Plant Materials program. Seed or plant collecting can occur under this agreement in areas not administered by RMNP only when other appropriate agreements, authorizations, or permissions are in place between the Award Recipient, RMNP, and the collection site(s) administrator.

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