Attachment 1 - SOW_RockLake -Invasive Removal- REVISED 6Aug25.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK

Removal of invasive trees from Rock Lake Wetland Reserve Easement 668C301100ZM2, Guadalupe County, New Mexico

Part I: General Information It is the mission of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to provide leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our nation’s natural resources and environment. The NRCS accomplishes this mission by providing technical and financial support through a number of federal programs. The Wetland Reserve Easements component of the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP-WRE) provides habitat for migratory waterfowl and other wetland dependent wildlife, including threatened and endangered species; improves water quality by filtering sediments and chemicals; reduces flooding; recharges groundwater; protects biological diversity; and provides opportunities for educational, scientific and limited recreational activities.

A. Introduction/Background NRCS is soliciting proposals to treat Russian olive and salt cedar on a property with a conservation easement owned by the US government. The property is managed for wetland and wildlife values. Prior to implementing the proposed conservation practices, NRCS will submit a Biological Assessment to US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF). The implementation of the action must follow the conservation measures agreed to by these agencies.

In 2012 NRCS paid for removal of Russian olive which resulted in the flourishing of wetland grasses and forbs including several protected plants. However, Russian olive is an invasive tree which requires multiple and continued treatments to prevent it from increased. Since 2012 the amount of trees has increased significantly so that areas that were previously grasses now appear to be forests. Removal of the invasives trees will benefit the wetland, the protected plants and increase the amount of grass that can be grazed if the landowner chooses to use the property for grazing.

Approximately 150 acres are wet enough to support Russian olive and salt cedar. Siberian elm is another invasive tree that may be present that needs to be removed. Approximately 70 acres have enough trees to consider in the cost estimate.

Revision: Approximately 80-acres have little to no Russian olive and salt cedar. Russian olive and salt cedar within this area must be treated. Roughly 21 acres have a thick cover of Russian olive, 8 acres are medium density and 40 acres are light cover of Russian olive. Another 2 acres have a thick stand of salt cedar. See Figure 5.

B. Applicable Legal Requirements This procurement contract must comply with the following regulations:

· National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969

· Pesticide labels and NMDA Pesticide Licensing

Part II: Work Requirements

The Contractor shall

· Furnish all labor, equipment, supervision, materials and incidentals necessary to perform the cutting of trees and application of herbicide.

· Complete work in the timeframe allowed which is expected to be from late-September through February. Revision: Timeframe is expected to be from September through March.

· Ensure that all approvals, authorities, and permits for conducting the tasks have been obtained prior to initiating fieldwork.

· Provide the required training and safety equipment for their employees.

· Provide competent supervision and skilled personnel to accomplish all work in progress.

· Take appropriate actions necessary to protect the life and health of employees on the job and the safety of the public,

· Be responsible for all cleanup work on the project site(s) and at the equipment storage area(s) prior to final inspection and acceptance.

· Ensure that vehicles are not driven into wet areas where equipment will cause ruts or get stuck.

Qualifications of PI shall be:

· Knowledge and experience with plant identification,

· Knowledge and licensing for flying aircraft if bidding on aerial spraying

· Knowledge and licensing of pesticide application

· Knowledge of laws regarding handling of protected species and

· Experience with safety measures to avoid injuries or damage to property.

All vehicles and equipment entering the project area must be clean of noxious weeds and free from oil leaks and are subject to inspection by the NRCS. Wash all equipment to thoroughly remove all dirt, plant, and other foreign material prior to entering the project area. Particular attention must be shown to the under carriage and any surface where soil containing exotic seeds may exist. These efforts are critical to prevent the introduction and establishment of non-native plant species into the project area.

Proper corrective clean-up and safety actions shall be followed when gasoline, diesel fuel, antifreeze, hydraulic fluid, or any other chemical contained within the vehicle or machinery is released in the project area. Do not use equipment that is leaking. Repair oil leaks immediately on discovery. Have oil pans and absorbent material in place prior to beginning repair work. Have the “on scene” capability of catching and absorbing leaks and spillage of petroleum products including antifreeze from breakdowns or repair actions with approved absorbent materials. Keep a supply of acceptable absorbent materials at the project site in the event of spills. Dig up soils contaminated with petroleum products including antifreeze, place in appropriate safety containers, and dispose of according to state or federal laws and rules or regulations. At minimum, fire extinguishers and hand tools must be located on site in case of a fire ignition while operating machinery or equipment. During times of elevated fire risk, pressurized water and additional fire suppression resources may also be required. Communication via telephone, radio, or satellite device must be available to immediately report emergencies or wildfire if not quickly contained. NRCS may limit or restrict work activity during times of high fire risk.

The Contractor shall have a long-handled shovel; Pulaski, McLeod, or combi-tool; and a five-pound capacity ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher available at the project location when project activities are occurring in each skidder, dozer, other large equipment. Each passenger vehicle, light truck, or medium truck up to 40,000 GVW must be equipped with a long-handled shovel and a two and one-half pound capacity ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher; and the tools and fire extinguishers must be in good working condition.

Part III. Technical Requirements A. Pre-Field Work Requirements Prior to fieldwork, the Contractor will become familiar with the site.

Before beginning fieldwork, the Contractor will coordinate with the NRCS POC to schedule the tasks and secure proper access to the project area.

B. Russian Olive and Salt Cedar Treatment The project area for Russian olive and salt cedar treatment is approximately 150 acres within the Rock Lake WRP easement in Santa Rosa, Guadalupe County, New Mexico. The treatment will consist of herbicide applications such as cut-stump, frill cut, basal bark and mechanical removal. The exact acreage of each treatment method will vary based on final conservation measures determined by the agencies. Some acres have dense levels of tall mature trees. Other areas have smaller, scattered trees. The targeted treatment is 90-100% reduction in Russian olive and salt cedar.

Mechanical removal with masticator, forestry mulcher, flail shredder, hydro axe, brush cutter, etc. will be allowed where the ground is not too wet and where large equipment will not impact protected plants. Masticating the trees is preferred where possible to reduce the amount of woody material to remove.

Revision: The zone where heavy equipment is NOT allowed due to wet ground and sensitive plant species is approximately 91-acres. However, most of the areas, approximately 17-acres, with heavy density of the targeted trees are outside the “No Equipment” zone. About 6-acres of the estimated 23 acres of heaviest cover are inside the “No Equipment" zone. The approximate areas are mapped in Figure 2.

Hand treatment via cut-stump is required near sensitive plants and water bodies to cut the trees and saplings generally 1-inch in diameter, immediately followed by a crew of herbicide applicators with backpack sprayers to treat the stumps within 15 minutes of being cut. This is manpower intensive but causes little or no surface disturbance. Habitat, or generic formulations of herbicide approved for use next to water, must be used within 20 feet of surface water. The preferred herbicide for use away from surface water is Garlon 4 but other herbicides approved for use may be used mixed with a blue dye and carrier oil.

Revision: Herbicides must be mixed with blue dye. Foliar, frill cut and basal spray may be used on smaller trees, generally less than 6-foot tall, and when practical on larger trees. However, most of the work is expected to be performed using cut-stump method. All herbicides must be used according to the label. NRCS recommends contractors to be familiar with the US Forest Service publication, “Field Guide for Managing Russian Olive in the Southwest” found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/nfs/files/legacy-media/r03/Russian%20Olive%20Field%20Guide%202017.pdf and use the recommended concentration of carrier oil with the selected herbicide.

Revision: Cut and pulled material must be either chipped, masticated or piled.

This may require moving material to drier areas outside of the wetland. A masticator would only be allowed on dry ground and where protected plants are not present. Contractors may provide a bid that only includes hand treatment or a combination of hand and mechanical treatments.

Revision: Woody material may be chipped or masticated within the treatment area, outside the “No Equipment” zone, in a layer not to exceed 2-inches. Where the amount of material will exceed a 2-inch layer, the woody material may be moved and chipped in the drier upland areas. The chipped material in the drier upland areas may be in piles or spread more than 2-inches thick. If the cut or pulled material is not chipped, then the woody material must be piled outside the “No Equipment” zone and away from the Rock Lake hatchery. If woody material is piled, the piles must not exceed 10 feet by 10 feet at base. See map of approved locations for piling the cut woody material. The same areas allowed for piling the cut material may also be used for staging and parking equipment.

Revision: Herbicide spraying within 50 feet of Post (aka Swan) Lake and Rock Lake, if permitted by NRCS, may only occur under the following optimal environmental conditions: Moderate temperatures (60 to 80 ºF), high relative humidity (65 to 90 percent), and light winds (3 to 7 m.p.h.). All other locations must follow the herbicide label. It may be possible that herbicides will not be allowed within a certain distance from the water edge and hand cutting would be required to the water’s edge. This is to reduce the risk of herbicide drift to the lakes. Trees and branches near water must not be allowed to fall into the lakes. This will require tying trunks and branches prior to cutting and pulling away from the water’s edge.

The ideal time of treatment is late September - October. If conditions and permits are not received in time to treat RO by February of 2026, the treatment must be delayed to September 2026.

Revision: NRCS may allow treatment from September through April 2026 and later depending on consultation with Federal and State agencies.

Workers applying herbicides must use PPE required by the pesticide label. In addition, workers using chain saws and piling the cut woody material must wear appropriate safety equipment.

Revision: All vehicles must remain on approved roads due to protected plants that are present on the property. The approved roads that can be cleared as part of the project are shown in Figure 4. Most are existing roads some of which are becoming overgrown with mesquite and other vegetation. Clearing these roads for the project is an allowed project cost. Not all roads may be suitable for heavy equipment. Contractor is responsible to determine where vehicles can safely travel and receive approval from NRCS for travel outside the approved roads shown in Figure 4.

Figure 1. Map of planned treatment of Russian Olive, approximately 150 acres

Revision: Figure 2. Map showing areas where heavy equipment cannot be used and areas where Russian olive and salt cedar are the heaviest. Salt cedar is predominantly found around the east pond but other trees are present east of Rock Lake.

Revision: Figure 3. Map showing where cut and pulled woody material may be piled for future burning or removal. These same areas may serve as staging areas for equipment.

Revision: Figure 4. Approved roads for UTV’s, trucks and other equipment. Other areas may be allowed following site inspection and approval by NRCS. Contractor is responsible to determine that these roads are safe for vehicles.

Figure 5. For cost estimate purposes the relative densities of Russian olive and salt cedar are approximately shown.

C. Reporting and Deliverables Requirements

Contractor shall provide copies of herbicide application records that include the date, amount, and type of herbicide applied, location, and weather conditions (temperature, wind, etc.) to the Agency POC.

D. Period of Performance and Payment

· September 2025 – March 2026. If project is delayed due to weather or permits, the project may be completed from September 2026- March 2027.

· No work is to be done from April through mid-September.

Revision: Work may be done from April through September ONLY if allowed by NRCS following consultation with Federal and State agencies.

The Contractor shall submit payment requests via the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP).

Part III: Supporting Information A. Confidentiality Information related to this contract is classified as confidential. Its distribution and use is restricted to the landowner and permitting agencies. Publication or disclosure of any part of this information is prohibited without the written permission of the NRCS and the landowner(s).

B. Place of Performance The project consists of 150 acres of wetland on private lands adjacent to the State Game and Fish Department Fish Hatchery on River Road in Santa Rosa.

C. Special Considerations NRCS will work with the Contractor and the landowner to resolve any access issues.

Technical questions should be directed to the POC, Athena Cholas, at 505-761-4419. Contracting questions should be directed to the assigned Contracting Officer.

Changes to task order content, analysis approach, level of effort, schedules and deliverables shall be made in writing by a revision to the task order by the Contracting Officer. These changes must receive written approval from the Contracting Officer before the additional work is started.

A task order is completed when the required end products are delivered by the Contractor and accepted by the NRCS in accordance with the executed task order and any formal revision thereof.

Rock Lake WRP Easement, ACEP-WRE Project Santa Rosa, Guadalupe County, New Mexico

NRCS is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Revision: At no time may Contractor allow its employees, subcontractors, family members, friends or any other person access to the property for fishing, diving, swimming or any way entering or placing anything into Post (aka Swan) Lake or Rock Lake. This could result in immediate termination of the contract.

D. Environmental and Cultural Considerations

Revision: Cultural resources are not known to be present on the property. NRCS will complete all necessary surveys before work is expected to start in late September.

Three protected plant species are present on the property. These species are not expected to occur where trees are thickest since these species grow in open areas. These species are expected to recover if stepped or driven on, but the work crews are asked to avoid individual plants minimize the amount of foot traffic as much as possible in areas where the species are mapped. See Figure 6.

Figure 6. Locations of protected plant species in 2023. Pink stars and polygons are Wright’s mash thistle, yellow polygons are Pecos sunflower, and white stars and polygon are Great Plains ladies’-tresses.

PECOS SUNFLOWER

Pecos sunflower (Helianthus paradoxus) is listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act and is also listed as endangered by the New Mexico Endangered Plant Species Act. There is a large population at Santa Rosa, New Mexico – mostly at spring seeps and ciénegas east of the Pecos River. It is uncommon at apparently similar ciénega habitats on the west side of the Pecos River including the project property where only two small patches were present in 2023 covering less than half an acre.

WRIGHT’S MARSH THISTLE

Wright’s marsh thistle (Cirsium wrightii) is listed as a threatened species by USFWS and as endangered by the State of New Mexico. It is an obligate wetland plant that occurs in a few widely distributed spring ciénegas in the American southwest. The Santa Rosa population is the largest of the seven populations remaining in New Mexico, Texas and Chihuahua. The project property has thousands of thistles on more than 26-acres.

GREAT PLAINS LADIES’-TRESSES ORCHID

Great Plains ladies-tresses is widespread throughout the tall grass prairies of the central states from north Texas to Wisconsin. A few small populations are approximately 250 miles disjunct to northern and eastern New Mexico where they occupy vulnerable wetland habitats. The State of New Mexico lists this orchid as endangered under the New Mexico Endangered Plant Species Act.

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