Ncasi Foundation

TO OPERATE EXCLUSIVELY FOR CHARITABLE, EDUCATIONAL, RELIGIOUS, AND SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTIONS 501(C)(3) AND 170(C)(2) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986 (OR THE CORRESPONDING PROVISIONS OF ANY SUBSEQUENT UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE LAWS) FOR THE BENEFIT OF, OR TO PERFORM THE FUNCTIONS OF, OR TO CARRY OUT THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR AIR AND STREAM IMPROVEMENT, INC.

THE NCASI FOUNDATION ACCOMPLISHES ITS MISSION THROUGH SPONSORED RESEARCH, INDEPENDENT STUDIES, AND OUTREACH. NCASI FOUNDATION SPONSORED WORK ON "INVESTIGATING PRECURSOR BIAS IN METHOD 202 AND THE FEASIBILITY OF OTM-037 AS AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD FOR CONDENSABLE PM MEASUREMENT." THIS PROGRAM COMPARED CPM MEASUREMENT USING EPA METHOD 202 AND OTM-037. MEASUREMENT OF PM AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS ALONG EACH METHOD'S SAMPLING SETUP INFORMS WHETHER THE METHOD ITSELF IS AFFECTING CPM FORMATION, AND IF SO, TO WHAT DEGREE.NCASI FOUNDATION SPONSORED TECHNICAL WORK TO "IMPROVE THE SCIENCE AND RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESSES IN NATIONAL AMBIENT AIR QUALITY STANDARDS REVIEWS." THIS WORK WILL IDENTIFY MORE ROBUST METHODS TO ENSURE THE SCIENCE USED TO INFORM FUTURE AMBIENT AIR RULEMAKING IS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY AND WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE TO PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH AND WELFARE.NCASI FOUNDATION SPONSORED WORK ON "DEVELOPING A PACIFIC MARTEN HABITAT CONNECTIVITY MODEL FOR LASSEN NATIONAL FOREST (CA)." THE PROGRAM DEVELOPED A PACIFIC MARTEN HABITAT CONNECTIVITY MODEL WITHIN THE STORRIE FIRE BOUNDARY FOR LASSEN NATIONAL FOREST IN CA USING NOVEL TECHNIQUES AND REMOTE CAMERAS TO PRODUCE MAPS THAT CAN BE USED FOR FUTURE MARTEN HABITAT RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT.NCASI FOUNDATION SPONSORED WORK ON "DEVELOPMENT OF A CARBON AND WATER CALCULATOR FOR SFI LANDS." THIS PROJECT WILL DEVELOP AND HOST AN ONLINE TOOL THAT WILL ESTIMATE AND DISPLAY FOREST CARBON STOCKS, FOREST CARBON STOCK CHANGES, AND WATER RESOURCES ON LANDS CERTIFIED UNDER THE SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE (SFI) ACROSS THE CONTERMINOUS US.NCASI FOUNDATION SPONSORED WORK ON "WORKING FORESTS, FOREST SUSTAINABILITY, AND AT-RISK SPECIES THROUGH COLLABORATIVE CONSERVATION." THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO QUANTIFY THE ROLE OF WORKING FOREST LANDSCAPES IN CONSERVING SPECIES-AT-RISK AND MAINTAINING AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL COMMUNITIES. SPECIFICALLY, WE SEEK TO EXAMINE SPECIES FROM MULTIPLE TAXONOMIC GROUPS OVER AN EXTENDED TIME HORIZON IN A LANDSCAPE DOMINATED BY CERTIFIED, PRIVATE FORESTS MANAGED PRIMARILY FOR TIMBER PRODUCTION.NCASI FOUNDATION SPONSORED WORK ON "POLLINATOR PLANT ASSOCIATIONS, DIVERSITY, AND ABUNDANCE IN THE OREGON COAST RANGE." THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO CONDUCT SURVEYS OF POLLINATORS AND PLANTS THEY UTILIZE IN THE OREGON COAST RANGE. DATA COLLECTED WILL AID IN DEVELOPMENT OF SEED MIXES USED IN POLLINATOR HABITAT ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS ON THE SIUSLAW NATIONAL FOREST AND NEARBY PRIVATE INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE SAME WATERSHEDS.NCASI FOUNDATION SPONSORED WORK ON "INTENSIVE FOREST MANAGEMENT (IFM) AVIAN POINT COUNTS AND VEGETATION." THIS SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION OF SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION ON MANAGING FORESTED LANDSCAPES FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION WHILE SUSTAINING HIGH LEVELS OF TIMBER PRODUCTION. COOPERATORS ARE STUDYING THE EFFECTS OF IFM ON SONGBIRD AND ARTHROPOD ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY, AS WELL AS SONGBIRD POPULATIONS. NCASI FOUNDATION SPONSORED WORK ON "FISHER CONSERVATION IN OREGON UNDER THE CANDIDATE CONSERVATION AGREEMENT WITH ASSURANCES (CCAA) PROGRAM." SEVEN LANDOWNERS IN OREGON HAVE ENTERED INTO CANDIDATE CONSERVATION AGREEMENTS WITH ASSURANCES (CCAA) WITH THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE PRIOR TO THE PROPOSED THREATENED LISTING OF THE FISHER IN OREGON AND CALIFORNIA. PART OF THEIR INDIVIDUAL AGREEMENTS WITH USFWS STIPULATES THAT EACH CCAA PERMIT HOLDER CONTRIBUTE FUNDS TOWARDS FISHER CONSERVATION TO BE USED FOR RESEARCH OR HABITAT ENHANCEMENT. PROJECTS WILL ADDRESS FISHER DISTRIBUTIONS, POPULATION TRENDS, HABITAT RELATIONSHIPS, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT INFORM FISHER CONSERVATION.NCASI FOUNDATION SPONSORED WORK ON "CENTER FOR ADVANCED FORESTRY SYSTEMS (CAFS) PROGRAM." FUNDING COMMITTED BY CAFS MEMBER UNIVERSITIES WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT MULTI-YEAR RESEARCH PROJECTS CONSISTENT WITH CAFS TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP; DEVELOPMENT AND REFINEMENT OF DECISION-SUPPORT TOOLS; AND SYNTHESIS OF SCIENCE ON PRIORITY TOPICS SUCH AS FOREST HEALTH, CARBON, AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES RELEVANT TO FOREST INDUSTRY.NCASI FOUNDATION SPONSORED WORK ON "RED TREE VOLES IN WORKING FORESTS." THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION OF WHETHER YOUNG FOREST EXPANDS THE AVAILABILITY OF SUITABLE HABITAT FOR RED TREE VOLES AND PROVIDE NEEDED INFORMATION FOR CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE LAWSUITS FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT SUPPORT FOR THIS SPECIES.NCASI FOUNDATION SPONSORED WORK ON "2020 WESTSIDE FIRE SYNTHESIS AND QUANTITATIVE WILDFIRE RISK ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATION FRAMEWORK." THIS PROJECT WILL GENERATE A FORMAL QUANTITATIVE RISK ASSESSMENT FOR WESTERN CASCADES AND COAST RANGE FORESTS IN OREGON THAT PROVIDES A SPATIALLY EXPLICIT ASSESSMENT OF FIRE RISK AS A FUNCTION OF ANTHROPOGENIC AND NATURAL FACTORS.NCASI FOUNDATION SPONSORED WORK ON "IDENTIFYING SCIENCE-BASED CONSERVATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR HUMBOLDT MARTENS: FINE-SCALE HABITAT USE, MOVEMENT, AND DEMOGRAPHY IN LANDSCAPES THAT DIFFER IN FOREST COMPOSITION." THIS IS A MULTI-FACETED TELEMETRY STUDY PAIRED WITH NON-INVASIVE TECHNIQUES TO EVALUATE CRITICAL INFORMATION GAPS FOR HUMBOLDT MARTENS. THIS STUDY WILL PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED SCIENCE TO HELP WITH IDENTIFYING 4(D) RULE RELATED MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND RECOVERY EFFORTS FOR FEDERAL PARTNERS.