A_-_Ottawa_North_Zone_Wildlife_Openings_Statement_of_Work_and_Specifications.docx

SOLICITATION #12569R19Q0010

OTTAWA NATIONAL FOREST OPENINGS MAINTENANCE CONTRACT 2019

NORTH ZONE WILDLIFE OPENINGS

Attachment A – Statement of Work and Specifications Statement of Work and Site Conditions: This contract includes upland openings that were formerly more open than today, due to ingrowth of woody vegetation; mostly trees with some shrub land. We want most of the woody vegetation removed, to preserve the open, sunny character of these sites. Included are upland openings that can be maintained entirely via mechanical means such as tractors with rotary mower decks, skidsteers with mower decks, skidsteers with grinding heads (e.g. Fecon or similar forestry mulching heads), as well as portions of openings that we will not allow heavy equipment to operate on due to resource damage concerns. These openings areas would have to be maintained by people working on foot with hand-held chainsaws and rotary head brushsaws. We expect operators to have all the necessary equipment to efficiently and effectively cut and fell or mow/mulch undesired woody vegetation encroaching on the sites. We have also included a hunter walking trail that will require mostly mowing with some bucking and limbing of downed woody vegetation. This will be required to be finished at an earlier date than the other openings due to the grouse hunting season. Perimeters of openings have been flagged in pink and GPSed. Within some openings some reserve trees and shrubs have been blue-flagged to aid operators to avoid cutting them. We also expect operators to be proficient at identifying tree and shrub species common in this area. Our specifications require identifying and not cutting certain species of trees and shrubs as part of project implementation. Sensitive resources exist within some of the openings and need protection during project implementation. If additional archeological resources, listed plants or dens or nests of listed wildlife are found and occupied, work will cease immediately and the Forest Service will be contacted to determine next steps.

We expect the contract work to be completed in one Standard Operating Season (July 1 to November 14). Forest Service will determine favorable site conditions and notify Contractor within 24 hours that work can begin. Mobilization of equipment to the site can be done earlier if it does not cause road rutting or other resource concerns.

Road Access to the Sites Most of the work, Units A-J, are located in Houghton County, MI, around Kenton, MI. With the exception of Units E and G which are located in northern Iron County, south of Kenton, MI. Units A & B are accessed via FR2020, located northeast of Kenton, approximately 3.2 miles north of M-28. Unit B has an active railroad grade which separates it from Unit A and might require hand work only due to machinery access issues and slope. Unit C is accessible via FR2113, located east to southeast of Kenton, approximately 3.5 miles south of M-28. Unit D is accessible via FR3568, located southeast of Kenton, approximately 5.1 miles east of FH 16. Units E and G are accessible via FR3500, located southeast of Kenton, approximately 4.5 miles east of FH 16. Unit F is accessible via FH 16, located south of Kenton, approximately 4.5 miles south of M-28. Unit H is accessible via FR1238, located north of Kenton, approximately 1.2 miles east of FH 16. Unit I is accessible via FR 1230, located north of Kenton, approximately 1.0 miles east of FH 16. Unit I is slightly off of FR 1230 which might require some trail clearing to allow access for machinery to get to the opening. Unit J is the Hunter Walking Trail and is accessible via FR820, located northwest of Kenton, approximately 2.8 miles north of M-28. Unit J consists of the Hunter Walking Trail consisting of high grass. This unit will require mostly mowing with a little brush removal.

Contractor shall maintain Forest Service roads and trails in approximately the same conditions they are in at the beginning of the contract, and appropriate with the Contractor’s use. Performance of road and trail maintenance by Contractor may be required prior to, during, or after each period of use. Maintenance may include brushing, removal of fallen trees or logs, back blading, re-crowning and re-shaping to drain the road surface.

So far as practicable, Contractor shall protect access routes and other improvements (such as dikes, trails, berms, ditches, etc.):

a) Existing in the operating area

b) Determined to have a continuing need or use, and

c) Designated on the Project Area Map Contractor shall keep roads and trails needed for fire protection or other purposes and designated on the Project Area Map free of equipment, slash, and debris resulting from Contractor’s operations. Contractor shall restore any roads or trails damaged by Contractor’s operations.

Opening-Specific Site Conditions, Equipment Limitations, and Seasonal Operating Restrictions:

Openings are listed in order of priority for funding availability:

Opening Maintenance Cutting Specifications:

1. Dead standing snags will preferentially be left standing, unless deemed a safety concern by contractor.

2. Live cavity-containing trees >8” diameter breast height (bdh) will be retained whenever practical.

3. Bur oak, red oak, cedar, hemlock, apple and hawthorn should not be mowed, cut or girdled within perimeter of work sites.

4. Wildlife shrubs (blackberry and raspberry, serviceberry, hazel, winterberry holly, willows, etc.), cherry, paper birch, and white pine should be retained.

5. Some trees and shrubs of the key species mentioned above have been flagged with blue flagging. These trees and shrubs should be retained. This has been done by the Forest Service to aid contractors in identifying and retaining these species. In some instances, certain aspens have been flagged for retaining. This is to reduce the aspen’s suckering response post-cutting.

6. White and red pines greater than 14” dbh will be retained. Aspens greater than 12” dbh within the perimeter of work sites will generally be girdled, but can be felled if there is a compelling reason. All other trees shall be cut and completely severed from the stump.

7. Maximum stump height of cut or mowed/mulched trees shall be 6” or lower, or below any live branches that occur below 6”. For example, if green balsam boughs sprout 4” above the ground, the stump shall be cut below 4” level. Completely sever all trees and shrubs. Hinges are not acceptable. Stumps are not expected to be grubbed or pulled out.

8. Directionally falling trees onto each other is preferred to create brushpiles to serve as wildlife denning areas within the work sites.

9. If using mower deck or mulching head, minimize scalping to extent practical. Ideal mowing and mulching height is about 4”-6” above the ground. Exposing mineral soil is discouraged to prevent soil erosion and creating sites for invasive plants.

10. Prior to taking any equipment off a gravel-surfaced road into the woods trails and openings, the Forest Service must inspect all equipment to be visually free of dirt, seeds, or plant parts that may contain invasive species. Expectation is for equipment to have been cleaned with stiff broom or thoroughly washed prior to arrival at work site. If moving between the above work sites the operator will not be expected to clean their equipment. But if equipment leaves the Ottawa and works elsewhere, we expect the equipment to be cleaned again, and we will inspect it again before allowing work to resume at these project sites.

11. If fire danger is Very High or Extreme, Forest Service may temporarily suspend operations until fire danger declines.

12. If rutting is occurring, Forest Service may temporarily suspend mechanical operations until ground conditions improve.

13. Roads and trails are to be reshaped and bladed, if needed, to restore road/trail surfaces to pre-contract conditions, unless mutually-agreed to by both parties prior to onset of use.

14. If listed plants or dens or nests of listed species are found and occupied, work will cease immediately and the Forest Service biologist will be contacted to determine next steps.

15. If any heritage resources are discovered, work will cease immediately and the Forest Service archaeologist will be contacted to determine next steps.

Hunter Walking Trails Mowing Specifications:

1. Entire trail needs to be mowed down to a maximum height of 4-6” with a width of at least 10 feet where possible.

2. Any and all brush over 3” in diameter should be removed from the trail and discarded into adjacent wooded areas.