itzka_Invasives_Scope_of_Work_FY19Final.040819.pdf

PWS – Crystal River NWR Complex FY19

Performance Work Statement

FY19 CHASSAHOWITZKA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

INVASIVE PLANT PROJECT

PART I: ERADICATION OF BRAZILIAN PEPPER (SCHINUS

TEREBINTHIFOLIUS) AND OTHER NON-NATIVE PLANTS ON

CHASSAHOWITZKA NWR, FLORIDA

I. BACKGROUND/GENERAL INFORMATION

Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge was established by authority of the Migratory Bird Conservation Act in 1943 as “an inviolate sanctuary” for wintering waterfowl and other migratory birds.

Although waterfowl numbers have declined in Florida, the refuge has become increasingly important habitat for other species of migratory birds, including reddish egrets, a species in decline, and was used from 2001-2012 as a reintroduction site for endangered whooping cranes. Chassahowitzka’s estuarine habitat is an important breeding and feeding ground for marine life including loggerhead and green sea turtles and the abundance of submerged aquatic plants supports the threatened Florida manatee.

Unfortunately, the almost 31,000 acres of saltwater bays, estuaries, and brackish marshes have been invaded by exotic plants, including Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius) and cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica).

High winds and flood waters from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria helped facilitate the spread of Brazilian pepper and cogon grass from other areas throughout the refuge. Brazilian pepper is invading refuge islands and shading out native plants destroying habitat for native wildlife. Invasive control on the refuge will help eradicate invasive species for native wildlife and allow access for wildlife dependent recreational activities such as fishing and crabbing.

Previous contractual treatments have occurred on Chassahowitzka NWR for Brazilian pepper. The plants are scattered throughout the refuge with Brazilian pepper densities greatest in the Citrus County portion of the refuge on tree islands (Figure 4) and around the Gator Creek impoundment. Cogon grass is found in the Citrus County section of the refuge in the pine forest around the maintenance shop (Figure 3) and in the Hernando County section of the refuge on the tram road between the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area and the refuge.

Estimated exotic/invasive coverage for the project area is listed below:

2000 acres of Brazilian pepper scattered throughout the refuge mostly in the uplands within Citrus County and 100 acres of cogon grass located at the maintenance shop and along the tram road in Hernando County.

The delineated project area shall include all of Chassahowitzka NWR (Figure 2), including the maintenance area (Figure 3). The maintenance area is labelled Refuge Headquarters in Figure 2. The specific goal of this project shall be to treat all invasive and non-native plants including Category 1 & 2 invasive plants listed by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council within the entire refuge (30,843 acres).

II. PROJECT LOCATION

Chassahowitzka NWR is located in the southwestern corner of Citrus County and the northwestern corner of Hernando County, approximately 65 miles north of Tampa (Figure 1). The refuge contains a diverse ecosystem (Figures 5 and 6) including 17,063 acres of refuge marshlands (sawgrass, saltgrass, salt marsh cordgrass and black needlerush), 10,000 acres of estuarine habitat (shallow bays and tidal streams including the Chassahowitzka and Homosassa rivers and scattered mangrove islands), 2,560 acres of hardwood swamplands (red maple, redbay, sweetbay, and cabbage palm) and 250 acres of upland forest (live oak, scrub oak, longleaf pine, slash pine, wax myrtle, and saw palmetto).

III. WORK SPECIFICATIONS

The Contractor shall contact the Refuge Manager and/or the FWS COTR the week prior to performing any work on the refuge. This will give USFWS time to coordinate with partners concerning the herbicide applications.

The Contractor shall furnish all contract labor, equipment and supplies including herbicide, surfactant, and adjuvant to perform all operations for controlling all invasive and non-native plant species including Category 1 and 2 invasive plants listed by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council including those found (new infestations) during control operations in identified locations or as indicated on treatment area maps (attached). Brazilian pepper and cogon grass are known to occur in the treatment areas, however, the Contractor shall treat any other exotic species that are encountered. The Contractor shall employ approved Current Control Technologies (CCTs) for controlling all invasive non-native plants. Treated plants shall be left in place. Hand pulled saplings and seedlings shall be placed above the anticipated water line to desiccate.

The Contractor shall fully survey all treatment areas for non-native plant infestations. The Contractor will exercise caution not to damage existing native plant communities during survey efforts. FWS staff reserve the right to mobilize the Contractor to any areas provided funding remains on the task order to achieve habitat management goals of the Refuge.

Contractors shall perform treatments on Chassahowitzka NWR using a systematic approach such as north to south or south to north. During the spring and summer months from March-August, some refuge islands (Saddle Key, South Point, Crawl Key, and Bird Island) will have nesting birds including double-crested cormorants, herons and egrets. Those island will not be treated until nesting is completed.

The Contractor shall be responsible for completing an initial treatment of all targeted priority areas within ≤ 90 days of notification to begin work and shall perform a re-treatment after 150 days with final payment invoice submitted prior to the period of performance ending. This mechanism shall permit the Contractor to address, and effectively treat, any non-native or invasive plants that were missed during the initial treatment event, or re-treat plants not responding to initial herbicide application.

IV. DELIVERABLES AND REPORTS (Includes any hardware, software, or data items)

The Contractor shall complete the standard Universal Daily Progress Report (U-DPR) for all exotics treatments, to be provided prior to commencement of work, documenting all locations treated, herbicides and surfactants used, hours worked, targeted species and stems/acreage treated and seedlings pulled, equipment used and hours, etc., and shall submit U-DPRs to the FWS Site Manager or his/her designee on a bi-weekly basis (minimum).

The Contractor shall supply GPS coordinates and georeferenced map(s) of treated areas as part of the project deliverables to allow for post-treatment monitoring.

The Contractor shall be responsible for entering the U-DPR information into the state-managed WeedAR database per the primary contract. The Contractor may provide a copy of the WeedAR report with any invoice submitted for payment if desired.

V. ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

The task shall be considered completed following a thorough inspection of the delineated treatment area by the Site Manager or his/her designee, and only if, it is determined that the Contractor treated 100% of all invasive and non-native plants and infestations within the delineated treatment area and achieved a 95% control rate.

If determined that the Contractor did not achieve a 95% control rate following the initial and re-treatment event, one additional thorough re-treatment of the entire delineated treatment area shall be performed at the Contractor’s expense.

VI. GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED PROPERTY OR INFORMATION (if applicable)

The Government shall furnish no equipment, property or supplies for this task order. No exceptions shall be granted. The Contractor may access Chassahowitzka NWR from boat ramps on the Homosassa River (MacRaes), Mason Creek, Chassahowitzka River, Citrus County, and Pine Island in Hernando County.

The Contractor may be permitted to use the available freshwater supply for chemical mixing and clean-up at the Chassahowitzka maintenance shop.

VII. OTHER REQUIREMENTS OR PROVISIONS

The Contractor shall avoid any damage to native vegetation (overspray) and wildlife. Therefore, non-target damage and ground disturbance should be minimized. Chassahowitzka NWR provides habitat for hundreds of pairs of nesting birds from March through August. Access to specific islands will be restricted while birds are nesting in an effort to minimize disturbance.

The Contractor shall not collect, harass, harm or molest native plants or wildlife. The Contractor shall be responsible for the removal of all trash and treatment-related items. The Contractor shall be held liable if damage was determined to be the fault of the Contractor, the result of improper treatment techniques, or the result of Contractor negligence during control activities.

There are several privately owned parcels of land within the refuge boundary that are not to be treated.

These parcels will be identified for the Contractor prior to beginning work.

Prior to start of the project, the Contractor shall decontaminate all equipment to ensure no invasive non-native seeds and/or spores are transported to the treatment areas – trailers, trucks, back pack sprayers, etc.

that are dedicated to the project in perpetuity. Decontamination of equipment shall occur at the Contractor’s facility prior to commencement of invasive plant control operations. New disposable-type gloves shall be issued to applicators on each new day of control activities. Applicators shall thoroughly wash all clothing and footwear after each day’s control operations. Establishment of any new non-native plant species shall be required to be treated at the Contractor’s expense as determined by the REFUGE MANAGER OR FWS COTR if introduction was the result of Contractor negligence.

The maintenance area of Chassahowitzka NWR is accessible by vehicle. Access to the majority of Chassahowitzka NWR is limited by boat. Airboats are the best means of access due to extreme low tides and numerous oyster bars. The Contractor should exercise caution and frequently monitor the tides as many areas may have limited access on low tides. A large boat capable of transporting crews, chemical, and equipment over shallow waters will be necessary to access the site. During summer months, strong winds and thunderstorms may develop suddenly so the Contractor and crew must pay attention to weather and bay conditions. The refuge is remote with no potable water. There is a restroom facility located at the maintenance area and a composting toilet on Dog Island. All crews should have a first aid kit on hand. USFWS staff will provide the Contractor with a list of emergency contacts before work begins.

Environmental hazards include thunderstorms, heat stress, poison ivy, and biting insects such as mosquitoes and no-see-ums.

The Contractor shall work 8 hour days Monday to Friday unless approval is granted by the Refuge/Site Manager. Holiday, weekend and/or after hours work shall not be permitted.

The Contractor shall only apply herbicides that have been approved through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services’ Pesticide Use Proposal process. Confirmation of permitted herbicides may be coordinated with the Site/Refuge Manager, or addressed during the ‘pre-award teleconference’. No herbicides or surfactants shall be permitted to be stored on the premises overnight – only during actual control operations.

The Contractor shall provide workers with all Personal Protective Equipment. Hazards to be considered include thunderstorms, herbicide exposure, heat exhaustion and stress, biting insects, stinging venomous insects and snakes, and poisonous plants such as poison ivy. Appropriate precautions shall be implemented by the Contractor.

Twenty percent (20%) of the total contract award shall be retained until the re-treatment phase has been completed, and a final inspection has been conducted confirming control levels have been achieved.

VIII. TIME SCHEDULE/PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The project shall be completed in ≤ 180 days (6 months) following issuance of the task order and notification to begin work. The project includes an initial and re-treatment phase to ensure 100% treatment of all invasive and non-native invasive plants.

Optimum growing times during the summer months work best when using herbicides in this locale.

However, summer rains and excessive heat may limit the effectiveness of herbicide and the crew that administers it. Summertime also coincides with bird nesting season and care must be taken to avoid treatment when birds are actively nesting.

Figure 1: Location of Chassahowitzka NWR, Citrus and Hernando counties, FL

Figure 2: Acquisition boundary for Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge Homosassa, Florida.

Figure 3: Chassahowitzka NWR Google Earth image of maintenance shop compound.

Figure 4: Chassahowitzka NWR Google Earth image of known Brazilian pepper locations in Citrus Co.

Figure 5: Chassahowitzka NWR Color infrared

Figure 6: Chassahowitzka NWR Vegetation Types (2009)