Cooperative Agreement P22AC00817

PURPOSE OF AWARDPERFORMANCE GOALS - A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WAS ENTERED INTO BY AND BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS) AND THE CONSERVATION CORPS NORTH BAY (CCNB) FOR THE PURPOSE OF CARRYING OUT THE PUBLIC PURPOSES OF TRAINING, EDUCATING AND PROVIDING WORK EXPERIENCE YOUTH WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR SERVICES TO GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA THROUGH CCNB WHICH FURTHERS THEIR EDUCATIONAL, CAREER OR PERSONAL GOALS. IN ADDITION, THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT ALLOWS FOR CARRYING OUT OTHER PUBLIC PURPOSES OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PROGRAMS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOME OF THIS TASK AGREEMENT IS FOR YOUTH PARTICIPANTS TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER GOALS AS WELL AS TO CONTINUE TO ONGOING EFFORTS TO RESTORE AND ENHANCE THE PARK'S VARIED CULTURAL LANDSCAPES AND NATURAL RESOURCES FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF MORE THAN 15 MILLION ANNUAL VISITORS.SUMMARY OF PROJECTTHE OBJECTIVE OF THIS TASK AGREEMENT IS TO COLLABORATE ON YOUTH EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION THROUGH HABITAT RESTORATION, WILDLAND FUELS MITIGATION, NATURAL RESOURCES PROJECT SUPPORT AND OUTDOOR FACILITY WORK (SUCH AS TRAILS AND FENCING) AT PARK SITES ACROSS DIVERSE LANDSCAPES OF MARIN COUNTY. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE WILL BE TO PROVIDE CCNB YOUTH CREWS MEANINGFUL WORK EXPERIENCES AND EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION THROUGH ON-THE-GROUND WORK IN MARIN COUNTY. THIS WORK WILL ALSO SUPPORT NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCE GOALS FOR FORT BAKER WHICH WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (FEIS) FOR THE SITE.PERFORMANCE GOALS INCLUDING MILESTONES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES:THE PROJECT MAY BE CONDUCTED IN MULTIPLE PHASES. THIS AGREEMENT INITIALLY FUNDS PHASE 1 WORK FOR CREWS OF 6-8 CORPSMEMBERS IN YEAR 1, BUT MAY BE MODIFIED TO ADD FUTURE PHASES, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING AND SATISFACTORY PROGRESS OF PROJECT WORK. FUTURE PHASES WOULD CONTINUE THE TASKS AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS FIRST PHASE, AS DESCRIBED BELOW.FORT BAKER- PROJECT WORK WILL FOCUS ON VEGETATION MANAGEMENT TO REDUCE INVASIVE PLANT POPULATIONS AND MITIGATE ROADSIDE HAZARDOUS FUELS. APPROXIMATELY 6 ACRES OF HIGHLY INVASIVE WOODY SHRUBS AND TREES INCLUDING FRENCH BROOM (GENISTA MONSPESSULANA), CHILEAN MAYTEN (MAYTENUS BOARIA), EUCALYPTUS (EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS), PRIDE OF MADEIRA (ECHIUM SPP.), AND BLACKWOOD ACACIA (ACACIA MELANOXYLON), AMONG OTHERS WILL BE TARGETED FOR REMOVAL IN THE FALL MONTHS OUTSIDE OF BIRD NESTING SEASON FOR THE RESTORATION OF COASTAL SCRUB AND PRAIRIE GRASSLAND HABITAT. ADDITIONALLY, 3 MILES OF ROADSIDE VEGETATION ALONG EAST RD & BUNKER RD WILL BE CUT AND CHIPPED ONSITE TO MAINTAIN A LOW FUEL LOAD AND MITIGATE WILDLAND FIRE HAZARDS THAT COULD ORIGINATE FROM ROADSIDE IGNITION SOURCES.DURING THE WINTER SEASON, WORK WILL FOCUS ON THE REVEGETATION OF NATIVE PLANT COMMUNITIES THAT SUPPORT THE FEDERALLY ENDANGERED MISSION BLUE BUTTERFLY (ICARICIA ICARIOIDES VAR. MISSIONENSIS)REDWOOD CREEK WATERSHED - PROJECT WORK WILL FOCUS ON MAINTAINING HEALTHY COASTAL GRASSLANDS THROUGH THE REMOVAL OF ENCROACHING SCRUB AND INVASIVE TREES WITH CHAINSAWS AND MANUAL TOOLS. EROSION CONTROL WORK MAY ALSO BE IMPLEMENTED WITHIN MUIR WOODS NATIONAL MONUMENT.BENEFICIARIES:THE PUBLIC WILL BENEFIT SUBSTANTIALLY FROM THIS PROJECT THROUGH YOUTH EDUCATION AND ON THE JOB TRAINING IN NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT.