GSER IRSC Appendix A_TechnicalSpecsDRAFT.pdf

Giant Sequoia Emergency Response Stewardship IRSC Sequoia and Sierra National Forest

DRAFT - APPENDIX A

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SERVICE WORK ITEMS

SECTION I – DESCRIPTION OF WORK:

The objective of this project is to provide for the long-term survival of Giant Sequoias by reducing the likelihood and effects of high severity wildfire before it occurs in previously unburned or moderately burned Giant Sequoia groves. Proposed urgent treatments include removal of green and dead surface and ladder fuels from immediately around large Giant Sequoias to prevent trees from torching. Emergency fuels treatments include:

1. Hand cutting and piling of small trees.

2. Mechanical cutting, skidding, and piling of dead and live trees.

3. Mastication of small trees and brush.

4. Mechanical cutting and removal of included forest products.

5. Scraping duff away from the base of large Sequoias.

6. Prescribed burn prep.

SECTION II – WORK ITEMS

Requirements pursuant to all Mechanical Fuels Reduction Items 1, 2, and 3

1. Heavy equipment requirements in Appendix B, C6.41# and C6.42# apply to all Mechanical Fuels Treatment.

2. Treatment of stumps is required for all cut conifer trees equal to or greater than 3” DBH according to C6.41#.

3. All skid trails and temporary roads shall be agreed to prior to their construction. Previously developed skid trails and roads shall be used to the maximum extent possible. Trails and roads shall be closed after use using water bars and other stabilizing features as agreed to, including blocking from future use.

4. Mechanical operations shall be accomplished with minimal turning of tracked equipment off of skid trails in order to limit disturbance to topsoil.

5. Whole tree yard all felled and down trees to a landing.

6. The biggest and healthiest trees will be retained, as will a minimum of the 4 largest snags per acre and 4 largest down logs per acre.

7. Prior to starting operations, contractor shall contact USA Alert to mark the areas of GTE and PacBell buried telephone cable, and PG&E buried power cable. All improvements associated with the linear uses, including junction boxes and cable route markers are to be protected.

Mandatory Items 1a, 1b, 1c, 2a, 2b, 3a, and 3b: Cut and Remove Included Timber

Cut and remove from Contract Area all trees and forest products which meet the minimum tree specifications as identified in Appendix B. All specifications of Appendix B apply to product removal.

Appendix C Road Maintenance requirements are commensurate with use.

Optional Items 1e, 2d, and 3d: Removal of TSA Products Remove from Contract Area all forest products that have been agreed to be included products for removal.

All specifications of Appendix B apply to product removal. Appendix C Road Maintenance requirements are commensurate with use.

Item #1 Black Mountain Grove Mechanical Fuels Reduction

Mandatory Item 1d: Mechanical Fuels Treatment

1. All dead trees >10.0” DBH shall be felled and whole tree skidded to an agreed upon landing to be decked/piled for disposal by FS. This material shall be kept separate from Included Product of Items 1a, 1b, and 1c unless Option Item 1e has been awarded for this material.

2. Dead oak and sequoia trees >12.0” DBH should be left standing for wildlife trees.

3. Tops, limbs, chunks, and other woody debris skidded to landings shall be piled with dead trees >10.0”

DBH, if not included as TSA. Landing piles shall be in accordance with the slash treatment specifications above.

4. Woody debris > 4” diameter and > 4’ in length that are not skid to landings shall be grapple piled in accordance with the slash treatment specifications above.

Mechanical Pile Specifications:

1. All landing piles (Items 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d) and grapple piles (Item 1d) shall be neat, compact, and sufficiently free of dirt to allow consumption of the piled debris when burned. Piles shall be constructed by alternating the butt ends of the logs and tops to help provide fine material on either end of the pile, to achieve pile compaction and to help aid in ignition.

2. All piles must be located at least 50 feet away from the bole of any live or dead large Sequoia >30”;

outside the drip line of all other residual trees when possible or at least 25’ from boles of live trees

>20” DBH.

3. Maximum grapple pile height shall not exceed 8 feet and no maximum height for landing piles.

4. No mechanical piles shall be within 50 feet of ephemeral stream channels or designated meadows edge or within 100 feet of intermittent or perennial drainages or 50 feet within private property.

5. A fire line to mineral soil shall be constructed around each landing pile and shall be a minimum 36 inches width. Fire line will not contain any substantial quantities of dead vegetative material.

6. Piles shall be covered with waterproof covering.

7. If Timber Subject to Agreement is awarded and majority of timber products are removed from contract area, the remaining landing slash to be piled shall meet the specifications of Appendix B C6.7#.

Mandatory Items 2c and 3c: Mastication

1. The contract shall select live leave trees at an average spacing of 30 x 30 feet. Spacing between individual trees may be varied up to 25 percent to select the most desirable leave trees. Leave trees shall be selected based on the following criteria:

a. Masticate all trees up to 10.5” DBH to meet the desired average spacing.

b. Leave healthy, undamaged trees with greater than 30 percent crown to meet spacing requirements. Species preference for leave trees, in order, is sequoia, sugar pine, other pines, all other species.

c. Leave all trees >10.5” DBH.

d. Leave all trees designated for protection by FS.

e. If no desirable leave trees exist at the required spacing interval, leave a live tree with minor damage. If no tree with minor damage exists, leave the largest live tree present.

2. All trees cut shall be completely severed below the live limbs. Stump height shall not exceed 6” above ground level.

3. Cut trees shall be felled away from unit boundaries, roads, telephone lines, power lines, established trails, fence lines, established land corners, and streams. Any trees or slash falling on such areas shall be promptly removed.

4. Masticate all brush as close to ground or natural obstacles as possible severing the lowest live limbs.

5. All existing and activity slash shall be masticated. The chips shall be spread in the project area and not accumulate to a depth greater than 4 inches.

6. Protection of the leave trees shall be high priority. Residual stand damage will be deemed unacceptable when 4 or more residual leave trees per acre have been damaged.

7. Up to approximately 15 percent of each masticated unit will be left untreated, in small clumps of trees and brush scattered throughout each unit. Approximately 6 to 8 clumps per acre of untreated areas are desired. Clumps should consist of approximately 5 to 8 trees <10.5” DBH. Clumps SHALL NOT be located within 25’ of large Sequoias >20” DBH and shall not be left as a ladder fuel to trees >20” DBH.

8. Existing water bars, and other drainage structures disturbed by the Contractor shall be restored. Additional erosion control measures shall be completed as directed by FS.

9. Retain the largest snags available on site for an average of 4 of the largest trees per acre, where possible. Preference is to retain snags that contain dead tops, cavities or evidence of fresh excavations by woodpeckers or other cavity-nesting birds.

10. Cultural sites will be flagged for avoidance with blue and red flagging; no treatments or impacts are permitted to the sites.

Items 4-8: Hand Fuels Treatments All cut trees shall have stumps treated in accordance with Appendix B C6.41#.

Do not cut the following:

1. Sequoias shall not be cut unless hazardous to contractors’ operation. Forest Service must be contacted prior to cutting operational sequoia trees >12” DBH unless imminent hazards.

2. Sequoia seedlings and large logs larger than 6’ in length, >30” in diameter and over half intact.

3. Any live tree over 20” DBH unless it is a safety hazard.

4. Any live willow, alder or other riparian dependent species unless it is forming a ladder fuel under a sequoia.

Mandatory Item 4: Abbott Hand Fuels Treatment:

Mandatory Item 5: Grant Hand Fuels Treatment:

Mandatory Item 8: Indian Basin Hand Fuels Treatment:

1. Ground Fuels Treatment

a. For sequoias > 19.9” DBH, remove up to 1’ of duff for 3’ width away from tree base, while leaving a minimum 6” depth to protect tree roots. Duff shall be scattered outside 3’ from tree base.

b. For sequoias >19.9” DBH with a cat face, scrape duff to mineral soil at least 5’ away from cat face.

c. Scrape duff to mineral soil at least 5’ away from all sequoia logs larger than 6’ in length, >30” in diameter and over half intact.

d. All residual live trees >20” DBH with a canopy in contact with a sequoia >19.9” DBH shall have duff scraped to 2’ away from base and duff scattered.

e. Avoid scraping and damaging young giant sequoia regeneration.

2. Vegetation Fuels Treatment:

a. Fall all live and dead cedar, pine, and fir trees that are 1’ in height to 20” DBH; and are within 25’ horizontal distance (bole face to bole face) away from all giant sequoias > 19.9” DBH.

b. All residual live trees >20” DBH with a canopy in contact with a sequoia >19.9” DBH canopy shall have all ladder fuel trees cut (up to 20’ from bole) including cedar, pine, and fir trees up to 20” DBH, all sequoia and oak trees <12” DBH.

c. All hand felled trees will be limbed entirely, tops bucked at 10” diameter for green trees and 15” diameter for dead trees. Tree boles not required to be piled (>10” diameter green and >15” diameter dead) shall be bucked into minimum 8’ lengths, moved at least 6’ away from sequoia base, and shall be left in contact with ground.

d. Cut and pile all continuous understory shrubs >18” in height within 25’ horizontal distance away from all giant sequoias > 19.9” DBH.

e. Trees and shrubs shall be cut as low to ground as possible, but no higher than 6 inches above natural obstacles.

f. Existing downed fuels including sequoia logs that are within 6’ from base of sequoias >19.9” DBH and between 3” to 24” diameter shall be bucked and moved at least 6 feet from base. Slash shall be piled as required.

g. Move all downed boles at least 10’ away from all sequoia logs larger than 6’ in length, >30” in diameter and over half intact. Pile if required, otherwise place in contact with ground.

h. All residual trees not meeting cut specifications (including sequoias <20” DBH) that are within 25’ of all giant sequoias larger than 20” DBH shall be pruned to 7 feet in height. All pruned limbs shall be piled as required.

Mandatory Item 6: Landslide Hand Fuels Treatment

1. Ground Fuels Treatment:

a. For sequoias > 29.9” DBH, remove up to 1’ of duff for 3’ width away from tree base, while leaving a minimum 6” depth to protect tree roots. Duff shall be scattered outside 3’ from tree base.

b. For sequoias >29.9” DBH with a cat face, scrape duff to mineral soil at least 5’ away from cat face.

c. Scrape duff to mineral soil at least 5’ away from all sequoia logs larger than 6’ in length, >30” in diameter and over half intact.

d. All residual live trees >20” DBH with a canopy in contact with a sequoia >29.9” DBH shall have duff scraped to 2’ away from base and duff scattered.

e. Avoid scraping and damaging young giant sequoia regeneration.

2. Vegetation Fuels Treatment:

a. Fall all live and dead cedar, pine, and fir trees that are 1’ in height to 20” DBH; and are within 25’ horizontal distance (bole face to bole face) away from all giant sequoias > 29.9” DBH and all sugar pines >19.9” DBH.

b. On slopes > 35%, directionally fall away from all giant sequoias larger than 20” DBH, all live and dead cedar, pine, and fir trees that are 1’ in height to 20” DBH; and are within 75’ horizontal distance (bole face to bole face) on the up-hill side, 50’ horizontal distance on side slopes, and 25’ horizontal distance on down-hill sides of large sequoia base.

c. All residual live trees >20” DBH with a crown in contact with the crown of a sequoia >29.9” DBH or sugar pine >20” DBH, shall have all ladder fuel trees cut (up to 20’ from bole) including cedar, pine, and fir trees up to 20” DBH and all sequoia and oak trees <12” DBH.

d. All hand felled trees will be limbed, tops bucked at 10” diameter for green trees and 15” diameter for dead trees. Tree boles not required to be piled (>10” diameter green and >15” diameter dead) shall be bucked into minimum 8’ lengths, moved at least 6’ away from sequoia base, and shall be left in contact with ground.

e. Cut and pile all continuous understory shrubs >18” in height within 50’ horizontal distance away from all giant sequoias > 29.9” DBH and all sugar pines >19.9” DBH.

f. Trees and shrubs shall be cut as low to ground as possible, but no higher than 6 inches above natural obstacles.

g. Existing downed fuels including sequoia logs that are within 6’ from base of sequoias >29.9” DBH and between 3” to 24” diameter shall be bucked and moved at least 6 feet from base.

Slash shall be piled as required.

h. Move all downed boles at least 10’ away from all sequoia logs larger than 6’ in length, >30” in diameter and over half intact. Pile if required, otherwise place in contact with ground.

i. All residual trees not meeting cut specifications (including sequoias <20” DBH) shall be pruned to 7 feet in height that are within 25’ of all giant sequoias larger than 29.9” DBH. All pruned limbs shall be piled as required.

Mandatory Item 7a and Optional Item 7b: Black Mountain Hand Fuels Treatment

a. For sequoias > 29.9” DBH, remove up to 1’ of duff for 5’ width away from tree base, while leaving a minimum 6” depth to protect tree roots. Duff shall be scattered outside 3’ from tree base.

b. For sequoias >29.9” DBH with a cat face, scrape duff to mineral soil at least 5’ away from cat face.

c. Scrape duff to mineral soil at least 5’ away from all sequoia logs larger than 6’ in length, >30” in diameter and over half intact.

d. All residual live trees >20” DBH with a canopy in contact with a sequoia >29.9” DBH shall have duff scraped to 2’ away from base and duff scattered.

e. Avoid scraping and damaging young giant sequoia regeneration.

2. Vegetation Fuels Treatment:

a. Fall all live and dead cedar, pine, and fir trees that are 1’ in height to 20” DBH; all sequoia and oak trees <12” DBH; and are within 50’ horizontal distance (bole face to bole face) away from all giant sequoias > 29.9” DBH and all sugar pines >19.9” DBH.

b. All residual live trees >20” DBH with a crown in contact with the crown of a sequoia >29.9” DBH or sugar pine >20” DBH, shall have all ladder fuel trees cut (up to 20’ from bole) including cedar, pine, and fir trees up to 20” DBH and all sequoia and oak trees <12” DBH.

c. On slopes > 35%, directionally fall away from all giant sequoias larger than 20” DBH, all live and dead cedar, pine, and fir trees that are 1’ in height to 20” DBH; and are within 75’ horizontal distance (bole face to bole face) on the up-hill side, 50’ horizontal distance on side slopes, and 25’ horizontal distance on down-hill sides of large sequoia base.

d. All hand felled trees will be limbed, tops bucked at 10” diameter for green trees and 15” diameter for dead trees. Tree boles not required to be piled (>10” diameter green and >15” diameter dead) shall be bucked into minimum 8’ lengths, moved at least 6’ away from sequoia base, and shall be left in contact with ground.

e. Cut and pile all continuous understory shrubs >18” in height within 50’ horizontal distance away from all giant sequoias > 29.9” DBH and all sugar pines >19.9” DBH.

f. Trees and shrubs shall be cut as low to ground as possible, but no higher than 6 inches above natural obstacles.

g. Existing downed fuels including sequoia logs that are within 6’ from base of sequoias >29.9” DBH and between 3” to 24” diameter shall be bucked and moved at least 6 feet from base.

Slash shall be piled as required.

h. Move all downed boles at least 10’ away from all sequoia logs larger than 6’ in length, >30” in diameter and over half intact. Pile if required, otherwise place in contact with ground.

i. All residual trees not meeting cut specifications (including sequoias <20” DBH) that are within 50’ of all giant sequoias larger than 29.9” DBH shall be pruned to 7 feet in height. All pruned limbs shall be piled as required.

Mandatory Item 7c: Black Mountain Hand Fuels Treatment

a. For sequoias > 29.9” DBH, remove up to 1’ of duff for 5’ width away from tree base, while leaving a minimum 6’ depth to protect tree roots. Duff shall be scattered outside 3’ from tree base.

b. For sequoias >29.9” DBH with a cat face, scrape duff to mineral soil at least 5’ away from cat face.

c. Scrape duff to mineral soil at least 5’ away from all sequoia logs larger than 6’ in length, >30” in diameter and over half intact.

d. All residual live trees >20” DBH with a canopy in contact with a sequoia >29.9” DBH shall have duff scraped to 2’ away from base and duff scattered.

e. Avoid scraping and damaging young giant sequoia regeneration.

2. Vegetation Fuels Treatment:

a. Fall and pile all live and dead trees that are 1’ in height to 6.0” DBH within 50’ horizontal distance (bole face to bole face) away from all giant sequoias > 29.9” DBH and all sugar pines

>19.9” DBH.

b. Existing downed fuels including sequoia logs that are within 6’ from base of sequoias >29.9” DBH and between 3” to 24” diameter shall be bucked and moved at least 6 feet from base.

Slash shall be piled as required.

c. Move all downed boles at least 10’ away from all sequoia logs larger than 6’ in length, >30” in diameter and over half intact. Pile if required, otherwise place in contact with ground.

d. All residual trees >12’ in height not meeting cut specifications (including sequoias <20” DBH) shall be pruned to 7’ in height that are within 50’ of all giant sequoias larger than 29.9” DBH. All pruned limbs shall be piled as required.

Items 4 – 8 Hand Pile Specifications:

1. Pile all green boles >10” diameter on large end, dead boles >15” diameter on large end, tops, and all severed limbs of contractor felled trees.

2. Pile all existing dead and downed fuels within 25’ of large sequoia trees >20” DBH.

3. Locate piles at minimum 15 feet from the bole of large pine trees and sequoia trees >20” DBH; stumps

>36” diameter; and large sequoia logs >30” diameter, 6’ in length and over half diameter intact.

4. Piles shall be neat, compact, and sufficiently free of dirt.

5. Piles shall be constructed by alternating the butt ends of the logs and tops.

6. Piles shall not be located under the drip line of a residual tree.

7. Piles shall be approximately 6’ in height, no less than 6’ in diameter, and up to 15’ in diameter.

8. Hand piles shall be at least 50 feet from ephemeral stream channels or designated meadows edge or at least 100 feet from intermittent or perennial drainages.

9. Contractor shall cut additional trees when needed for pile placement to meet the required distance away from large sequoia trees >20’ DBH and protect the residual stand.

10. In areas where it is not feasible to attain distance limitations as specified above, Contractor and Forest

Service will agree on pile locations.

11. Do not place piles on cultural sites, giant sequoia regeneration, or under identified wildlife trees.

Mandatory Item 9a McKinley Hand Fuels Treatment

1. Cut conifer trees <16” DBH to an average spacing of 20 x 20 leaving approximately 130 trees per acre.

2. Primary cut trees are suppressed, broken tops, and diseased trees regardless of species.

3. Leave all healthy dominant and codominant trees.

4. Species preference of leave trees: Giant sequoia, sugar pine free of disease, Jeffrey or ponderosa pine, incense cedar, white fir.

5. Cut all brush/shrubs below lowest live limb.

6. Cut openings as needed to create areas for slash piles.

7. Cut all dead conifer trees up to 20” DBH, leaving only 4 of the largest snags per acre. Do not cut any sequoia snags.

8. Pile all felled dead treetops, limbs, and boles up to 15” diameter.

9. Pile all existing (>3” diameter and 3’ in length) and activity fuels including cut conifers, shrubs, and brush.

10. Piles shall be located outside the drip line or at least 15’ from residual trees and in openings that are naturally occurring or created. Pile size should be adjusted to the size of the opening.

11. Piles shall be:

• constructed in a haystack like fashion with height approximately twice the diameter.

• Piles shall be as compact and as free of dirt as possible.

• The length of the pile shall be approximately equal to its width.

12. Piles shall NOT be:

• located within 15 feet of drainages.

• in Control Areas (CA) or within 15 ft of a control area.

• within 15 ft of unit boundaries.

• within 30 feet from snags.

13. Protruding slash overhanging pile’s edge greater than 6 feet in length, shall be cut off and added to pile.

14. No piling of slash within meadows, streams or within riparian vegetation.

15. Piles shall be kept at least 50 feet away from all streams, meadows, springs, seeps, and other sensitive aquatic areas. Greater distances may be required in certain habitats as determined by the aquatic biologist.

16. Contractor shall notify COR at least two weeks (14 days) prior to starting operations. Contractor shall coordinate implementation with the district aquatic biologist for operations in the Suitable Yosemite

Toad (YT) habitat as shown on the Contract Area Map, which have the following restrictions:

▪ Piles shall not be constructed in open dry lupine areas with multiple rodent burrows visibly present unless agreed to by district aquatic biologist.

▪ Piles shall not be located withing areas flagged for avoidance by district aquatic biologist.

17. Do not construct piles within 20 feet of decaying stumps that are associated with rodent burrow s that provide for protection of summer and overwintering terrestrial habitats or within the YT.

18. 5 logs of various decay class can be left per acre. Left logs should be larger that 15” DBH

6b RX burn Control Hand Line (Mandatory) Around unit 557a and in areas identified around the grove, hand line should be constructed. The unit boundary will be identified with a flag line.

Hand line will be:

1. 4 feet wide

2. Constructed using hand tools

3. Scraped down to mineral soil.

Optional Item 10: Transport of Surplus Timber Products

1. All timber products that are surplus or excess to the local markets are available for subsidized removal by rail.

2. Title Transfer of products will occur prior to debarking (when weight scaled) and being loaded on rail cars.

3. Pine logs may be transported within ecological bug/pest zones with no required mitigation measures to prevent the transport and spread of forest pests. See Figure 1 in attachment titled “Insect and Disease Risk Potential”.

4. All logs being transferred outside of ecological bug/pest zones shall be debarked. Any number of visually separate and clearly distinct small pieces of bark may remain if they are:

a. less than 3 cm in width (regardless of the length) or

b. greater than 3 cm in width with the total surface area of an individual piece of bark less than 50 square cm and

c. no more than 2 percent of the surface of all logs per railcar load may retain bark, with no single log retaining bark on more than 5 percent of its surface.