12FPC119Q0054_Amendment_003_Attachment_2_SOW_Juniata_County_GRP_Restoration_Maintenance_July_24_2019.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

FOR 832D3710010V2

GRASSLAND RESERVE PROGRAM RESTORATION

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE (NRCS)

I. OBJECTIVE

The objective of this contract/purchase order is to obtain services in the State of Pennsylvania (PA) for hayfield and pasture restoration for the 832D3710010V2 GRP permeant easement property located in Juniata County. Description of services is listed below. All practices in the Plan are required to be followed to restore perennial grasses and forbs. The purpose of restoration is to restore and protect the grazing uses and related conservation values on the property by conserving and enhancing grassland, shrubland, forbs, wildlife habitat and biodiversity.

II. BACKGROUND

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) NRCS has authority to administer voluntary conservation easement programs. Depending on the program, NRCS is authorized to acquire easement rights from participating landowners to achieve program purposes such as restoring and protecting wetlands, grasslands, and forest land resources and restoring and enhancing floodplains. NRCS is the lead agency within the United States Department of Agriculture charged with administering these programs.

III. SCOPE

The Contractor shall follow the Statement of Work and applicable regulations to provide Grassland Restoration Services for the associated property. The services entail the following:

1) Upland Wildlife Habitat Management

2) Cover Crop

3) Forage and Biomass Planting

4) Herbaceous Weed Treatment

5) Brush Management

IV. STANDARDS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Contractor shall follow the Statement of Work, applicable regulations, and conservation practice standards to provide Wetland Enhancement Services for the associated property.

The individual Conservation Practice standards and specifications can be found at https:// efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/toc.aspx?CatID=12487. The Contractor will be provided with a copy of the

Amendment 3 Attachment 2 SOW_GRP Juniata Solictation 12FPC119Q0054 Forage and Biomass Planting for the State of Pennslyvania, USDA NRCS

Conservation Practice standards and specifications upon acceptance of bid. Other specifications specific to this contracted work are listed in Section V., Description of Services of this Statement of Work.

Please see Attachment 1. GRP Practice Detail Map, for the field location and number of acres scheduled for treatment. The Contractor is responsible for implementing all Grassland Restoration Services in compliance with conservation practice standards.

The Contractor is responsible for having current knowledge of requirements of Pennsylvania state law associated with the services being solicited.

The Contractor will attend the pre-implementation meeting with the NRCS representative(s). The discussions and decisions shall be documented by the NRCS and the Contractor.

The Contractor will effectively communicate to NRCS the status of the Grassland Restoration Services, beginning with the start of the first practice and through to completion. The contractor will must notify NRCS field office at least 24 hours before proceeding with the first treatment.

Scheduling conflicts will be communicated ahead of time. Any changes or modifications to the planned treatment acres will be communicated to and approved by NRCS.

The Contractor will carry out activities during appropriate weather conditions so that herbicide treatment is effective.

Within 14 days of practice completion, the Contractor will submit the following Records of Application documentation to NRCS:

1. Extent of practice application (i.e. number of acres) and corresponding map

2. List of materials and methods used for practice implementation (see more specific deliverables for each practice below) and estimated hours of labor

Specific documentation for deliverables is listed below:

Upland Wildlife Habitat Management, Cover Crop, Forage and Biomass Planting, Herbaceous Weed Treatment, Brush Management

1. Dates a practice was implemented including field and acreage treated

2. Final invoices with applied seed mixes and any/all supporting documentation of implemented work.

3. Copy of all soils tests.

4. Invoices and final implementation rates of all applied lime and fertilizer.

Amendment 3 Attachment 2 SOW_GRP Juniata

V. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES

Brush Management (314) Field 9 – September 2019 (10 acres) Field 10 – mid June – mid September 2020, 2021, 2022 (10 acres)

Implement Brush Management activities by managing or removing woody plants (non-herbaceous trees and shrubs) in Field 9 that are encroaching the grassland easement acres. In Field 10, remove specifically those that are invasive and noxious where regrowth, resprouting or reoccurrence has occurred; the species targeted for control in Field 10 is "Tree-of-Heaven" (Ailanthus altissima). Brush Management for all fields is planned to: improve or restore quality plant diversity, and improve forage accessibility, quality, and quantity for livestock.

Brush Management will be accomplished through the use of:

2019- grubbing and removing non-herbaceous trees and shrubs in Field 9 across approximately 10 acres.

2020-2022: Use appropriate herbicide treatment from mid-June to mid-Setember (1 treatment/year) to kill “Tree-of-Heaven” on approximately 10 acres of Field 10.

2023: After consultation with NRCS representative to confirm mortality, remove Ailanthus trees from easement acres.

Refer to the Brush Management Job Sheet provided with the conservation plan for site-specific treatments planned. Refer to the conservation plan map for the areas on which Brush Management is to be implemented. Follow the Operation and Maintenance requirements found in the Brush Management Job Sheet provided with the Conservation Plan.

Cover Crop (340) Fields 2, 4 and 5, 6, 7, 9: May 2020

106.6 acres Plant an annual cover crop to suppress excessive weed pressures and break pest cycles.

The following species have been selected to meet the identified purpose of the cover crop, are compatible with the other components of the cropping system, and will be establish at the identified rates: seed annual ryegrass at a rate of 20 lb/ac or other equivalent spring annual cover crop. Seed from mid-April to early May, or as soon as soil conditions allow (To note, Fields 5, 6, 7, 9 contain soils with a seasonal high water table from approximately January - June. If soil moisture conditions limit or prohibit establishment of cover crop, contact NRCS.).

The cover crop will be established and terminated by the following methods:

Establishment- herbicide burndown, followed by no-till seeding of cover crop Maintenance/Termination- herbicide burndown to establish fall permanent grass seeding.

Amendment 3 Attachment 2 SOW_GRP Juniata

Following establishment of the cover crop, maintenance is important to control weeds, record rates and timing of nutrient application, and to completely terminate the cover crop to prevent crop competition.

See attached Implementation Requirements for details.

Forage and Biomass Planting (512) Fields 2 and 4: September 2020

36.7 acres Establish perennial species for hay at a rate 14 lbs meadow fescue, 8 lbs perennial ryegrass, 8 lbs orchardgrass, 5 lb red clover.

Fields 5, 6, 7, 9: September 2020

69.9 acres Establish perennial species for hay at a rate of 12 lbs orchardgrass, 8 lbs meadow brome, 8 lbs festulolium, 5 lb red clover. This practice will improve or maintain water quality and reduce or maintain erosion rates as identified in the RUSLE2 soil loss prediction calculations.

All seeding rates are calculated on a pure live (PLS) basis.

Follow Operations and Maintenance activities in 2021, as described in the Forage and Biomass Planting Job Sheet.

Field 10: September 2023 5 acres Establish perennial species for hay in the areas where the "Tree-of-Heaven" was treated and removed.

Field 10: Establish perennial species for hay at a rate 14 lbs meadow fescue, 8 lbs perennial ryegrass, 8 lbs orchardgrass, 2 lbs white clover. This practice will improve or maintain water quality and reduce or maintain erosion rates as identified in the RUSLE2 soil loss prediction calculations.

All seeding rates are calculated on a pure live (PLS) basis.

Follow Operations and Maintenance activities in 2024 as described in the Forage and Biomass Planting Job Sheet.

Herbaceous Weed Treatment (315) Field 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9: September 2019

106.6 acres Mow all fields to reduce height of weeds for burndown application. Apply burndown herbicide application approximate after 3-4 weeks of regrowth of weeds has occurred. Remove or control herbaceous weeds, including invasive, noxious or undesirable plants, in the location(s) indicated on the conservation plan map. The purpose of this weed control is to enhance accessibility, quantity, and quality of forage and/or browse.

The removal and control of herbaceous weeds will be completed according to the attached Implementation Requirements/Job Sheet and is being conducted to benefit and enhance the health and

Amendment 3 Attachment 2 SOW_GRP Juniata vigor of the desired introduced grasses. Follow the Operation and Maintenance Plan included with the management document.

Field 3: mid June-mid July 2020, 2021, and 2022

3.5 acres Remove or control herbaceous weeds, including invasive, noxious or undesirable plants, in the location(s) indicated on the conservation plan map. The purpose of this weed control is to enhance accessibility, quantity, and quality of forage and/or browse.

The removal and control of herbaceous weeds will be completed according to the attached Implementation Requirements/Job Sheet and is being conducted to benefit and enhance the health and vigor of the desired introduced grasses. Follow the Operation and Maintenance Plan included with the management document.

Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645) Field 10: September 2019, May 2020, May 2021

5.1 acres Maintain perennial vegetation to reduce soil erosion, and improve water quality and wildlife habitat.

The purpose of this practice is to treat upland wildlife habitat concerns identified during the conservation planning process that enable movement, or provide shelter, cover, food in proper amounts, locations and times to sustain wild animals that inhabit uplands during a portion of their life cycle.

To be compliant, 60% or more of the cover must be the acceptable introduced perennial grasses and/or native perennial grasses. Non-grass vegetation (excluding woody vegetation) that is beneficial to wildlife may be present, but cannot exceed 40% of the cover. Clovers, whether planted as part of an approved seed mix or occurring naturally on the site, will be considered “other species beneficial to wildlife” and as such cannot exceed 40% of the cover.

Operation and Maintenance: Mow all acres in the field, however avoid mowing areas currently infested with "Tree-of-Heaven". Maintenance mowing must be done once in May, once in early July and once in late September. In 2019, the mowing will only occur in September. Do not mow below 6 inches.

Fields 1 and 8: September 2019, August 2020, August 2021

29.1 acres Maintain perennial vegetation to reduce soil erosion, and improve water quality and wildlife habitat.

The purpose of this practice is to treat upland wildlife habitat concerns identified during the conservation planning process that enable movement, or provide shelter, cover, food in proper amounts, locations and times to sustain wild animals that inhabit uplands during a portion of their life cycle.

To be compliant, 60% or more of the cover must be the acceptable introduced perennial grasses and/or native perennial grasses. Non-grass vegetation (excluding woody vegetation) that is beneficial to

Amendment 3 Attachment 2 SOW_GRP Juniata wildlife may be present but cannot exceed 40% of the cover. Clovers, whether planted as part of an approved seed mix or occurring naturally on the site, will be considered “other species beneficial to wildlife” and as such cannot exceed 40% of the cover.

Operation and Maintenance: Mow all acres in the field. Maintenance mowing must be done in the month of August (except in 2019, when mowing will be completed by September 30); mowing should be done between August 1 and August 15 but will always be completed by August 31. Do not mow below 6 inches.

Field 3: September 2019, August 2020, August 2021 14 acres Maintain perennial vegetation to reduce soil erosion and improve water quality and wildlife habitat.

The purpose of this practice is to treat upland wildlife habitat concerns identified during the conservation planning process that enable movement, or provide shelter, cover, food in proper amounts, locations and times to sustain wild animals that inhabit uplands during a portion of their life cycle.

To be compliant, 60% or more of the cover must be the acceptable introduced perennial grasses and/or native perennial grasses. Non-grass vegetation (excluding woody vegetation) that is beneficial to wildlife may be present, but cannot exceed 40% of the cover. Clovers, whether planted as part of an approved seed mix or occurring naturally on the site, will be considered “other species beneficial to wildlife” and as such cannot exceed 40% of the cover.

Operation and Maintenance: Mow all acres in the field, where possible; due to the steep slope of the field, the entire field may not be possible to mow; please consult NRCS if there are safety concerns prior to mowing. Maintenance mowing must be done once in May, once in early July and once in late September. Do not mow below 6 inches.

VI. PERFORMANCE OF SERVICES:

The time spent to perform these items shall vary depending on the complexity of the site and the competence of the contractors involved.

VII. CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS

The Contractor shall:

Requirements for applying conservation practice GRP restoration/maintenance:

1. The person(s) performing or supervising the work must have a working knowledge and a basic understanding of organic approved farming methods, including, but not limited to plowing, planting small grain, forage and hay crops, growth stages of forages, mowing and weed identification.

2. The person(s) performing or supervising the work must know how to take soil tests according to current Land Grant University recommendations and apply organic-approved materials accordingly.

Amendment 3 Attachment 2 SOW_GRP Juniata

VIII. CIVIL RIGHTS AND PROGRAM DELIVERY

By signing this contract the Contractor assures the USDA that the program or activities provided for under this agreement will be conducted in compliance with all applicable Federal civil rights laws, rules, regulations, and policies. Any and all information gained through this Statement of Work or in the process of carrying out the Wetland Enhancement project are to be held confidential between the Contractor, NRCS, other designated partners and the landowner unless released by the landowner.

Information gained may not be shared with others and are considered private to the landowner. The Contractor will protect the privacy of information collected during the technical assistance process according to the provisions of Section 1619 of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008.

IX. CONTRACTING OFFICER (CO)

The designated Contracting Agency for this Statement of Work is NRCS. All administrative matters regarding this Statement of Work shall be directed to either the Contracting Specialist:

, Contract Specialist

USDA NRCS

Team 1 – Northeast Region

Phone:

Email:

Only the CO may authorize changes to this Statement of Work.

X. CONTRACTING OFFICER’S TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE (COTR)

The designated COTR for this Statement of Work is Timothy Peters. All deliverables and technical matters regarding the work involved in this Statement of Work shall be directed to the COTR at the following address:

Amendment 3 Attachment 2 SOW_GRP Juniata