[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 237 (Wednesday, December 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65119-65120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32226]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 2660]
Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific
Affairs; United States Man and the Biosphere Program: Request for
Proposals for the Tropical Ecosystems Directorate
The Tropical Ecosystems Directorate (TED) of the U.S. Man and the
Biosphere Program (U.S. MAB) announces a call for proposals to support
applied research on the management, harvesting, utilization and
marketing of tropical forest resources, both timber and nontimber, in
the tri-national Mayan forest of Mexico, Belize and Guatemala.
A small number of grants of $1000 to $3500 US each, will be awarded
in 1998. Persons interested in applying for these grants are encouraged
to first obtain a copy of the TED core project description from the
U.S. MAB Secretariat (Roger E. Soles), OES/ETC/MAB, U.S. Department of
State, Washington, D.C. 20522-4401. Tel. (202) 776-8318, Fax. (202)
776-8367.
Funding Objectives
U.S. MAB/TED funding should assist research teams to add a national
researcher to their effort as well as to: better integrate conservation
and sustainable development; add a particular discipline to an ongoing
research project; or explore the application of ongoing site-specific
research to an additional site in the Maya Tri-National region. U.S.
MAB/TED funding will not be provided for planning purposes.
Focal Issues
The TED recognizes that strategies to sustainably conserve the
Mayan forest must address the needs of the rural communities that live
in the forest and use its wild resources. Lack of an adequate knowledge
base on the ecology and management of these resource species,
nondestructive harvesting methods, and appropriate marketing and
commercialization of these products has negative impacts on the forest,
on the resource base, and on local economies. For this reason we
continue to invest in the development of new knowledge in these fields
through small grants. In order to ensure that this new knowledge will
be integrated into ongoing resource management and utilization
activities, and to enhance local capacity to continue to produce new
information as it is needed, our applied research program focuses on
the integration of students or recent graduates (at the Bachelor or
Master level), from the three countries into relevant projects led by
respected researchers in these fields and linked with NGO's, and
preferably local communities, in the region.
Content Requirements and Deadlines for Proposals
Persons interested should submit a one to two page proposal by
February 27, 1998. Each proposal should have: a title page, a one page
synopsis of the existing research project, up to five pages detailing
the proposed use of U.S. MAB/TED funds that would be complementary to
the TED core program, and a one-page budget with justification.
The U.S. MAB/TED will make final decisions by April 6, 1998.
No funds are available for institutional overhead. Only direct
costs can be supported.
Funds will be committed to the managing institutions identified in
the proposals during May 1998.
Evaluation and Review Process
Because of limited available funding, U.S. MAB/TED will give the
greatest preference to those proposals that directly complement the
objectives of the directorate's core program. Proposals will be
evaluated for the intrinsic merit of the research or activity, its
policy relevance, applicability to promoting sustainable use of
tropical forest resources in the Maya Tri-National Region, and the
quality and demonstrated productivity of the principals.
Principals will receive from the U.S. MAB Secretariat copies of all
U.S. MAB/TED review evaluations of their proposal and a written
notification of the directorate's decision on their project.
Submission of Proposals
Proposals may be submitted in Spanish or English to U.S. MAB
Secretariat, OES/ETC/MAB, Room 107, SA-44C, U.S. Department of State,
Washington, DC 20522-4401.
[[Page 65120]]
Individuals choosing to submit their proposals by Express Mail,
Federal Express, UPS, etc. must use the following address: U.S. MAB
Secretariat, Room 107, 2430 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20520.
Dated: November 28, 1997.
Roger E. Soles,
Executive Director, U.S. Man and the Biosphere Program, Office of
Ecology and Terrestrial Conservation.
[FR Doc. 97-32226 Filed 12-9-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4710-09-P
