B09_STATEMENT_OF_WORK_Chelsea_Skyline_Cut_and_Pile_final_Revision_1_03242025_Amendment_0001_0001.docx

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management Tres Rios Field Office 29211 Hwy. 184 Dolores, CO 81323 970-882-7296

STATEMENT OF WORK

PROJECT NAME

Chelsea and Skyline Hazardous Fuels Treatments

LOCATION OF PROJECT

The project areas are both located on the northeast side of Durango, Colorado. Chelsea (Township: 35N Range: 9W Section: 2) is located adjacent to the Durango Cliffs subdivision and Skyline (Township:35N Range:9W Section: 14) is adjacent to Florida Road and Raiders Ridge.

CONTRACT PERIOD

Contract period of performance may begin 6/1/2025 and all work must be completed by 12/1/2025.

SCHEDULE

Skyline, Part 3

Total

130.75 Acres

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

Purpose Southwest District Fire and Aviation in conjunction with the Tres Rios Field Office propose a project to reduce hazardous fuels on BLM parcels adjacent to the Durango Cliffs Subdivision and the Skyline Trail system east-northeast of City Reservoir Number One (see attached map).

Chelsea

55.75 acres of Gambel Oak and Pinyon Juniper in the Chelsea Treatment project area would be thinned and either piled and burned or masticated.

Skyline In the Skyline units, 60-90% of the Gambel Oak understory would be removed either by cut pile and burning, or with mastication. Additionally, up to 20% of the overstory pine (Ponderosa and Mixed Conifer) would be removed as needed in order to create 20-30 foot canopy gaps to mitigate the risk of running crown fires. The logs from this treatment would either be incorporated into piles for burning or removed depending on which option is more logistically feasible.

Project access The Chelsea project area is accessed from Florida Road taking the Durango Cliffs Drive into the Durango Cliffs Subdivision. The access to Chelsea M2 is through private parcels. The routes through said parcels were defined and agreed upon ahead of time through Memoranda’s of Understanding with the respective landowners. These routes are marked in the access maps (see appendices) and must not be deviated from without written permission from the COR. Landowners must be notified a week ahead of time before any agency or contractor personnel or equipment access the treatment area through the route defined in the MOU.

The Skyline project area is accessed from Florida Road taking Whippoorwill Drive to Mockingbird Valley Court and then to Scout Ridge Road. The access route to Skyline is also accessed through a private parcel and governed by and Memorandum of Understanding that must be adhered. Coordinate with BLM staff before accessing the project through private is a must. Public may access the Skyline project from the Skyline trail system.

The BLM is working on getting additional access MOUs in place for this project.

Thinning Guidelines

· Chelsea Unit M2:

· Remove 60% of live and dead Gambel Oak stems. Gambel oak stems retained shall be greater than 4 inches in diameter at root collar.

· Remove all brush regardless of species under the dripline of Ponderosa Pine trees.

· Remove 40% of Pinyon and Juniper trees in order to create 20-foot canopy gaps between the crowns of individual trees.

· Remove all brush regardless of species under the dripline of Pinyon and Juniper Trees.

· Leave areas (marked in green on map) will be left untouched.

· Skyline:

· Remove 60-90% of Gambel Oak within the treatment area with stems less than 4 inches at root collar.

· Remove all brush regardless of species under the dripline of all conifer trees.

· Thin spruce/mixed conifer stands creating 20 foot gaps between canopies. Retain Douglass Fir and Ponderosa while targeting less healthy trees. Limb ladder fuels of all conifer leave trees up to five feet. Retain 20-50% of conifer saplings, excluding those growing directly under the dripline of mature Ponderosa and Douglas Fir trees.

· Retain all Juniper trees unless growing under the drip line of a Douglass Fire or Ponderosa pine.

· Remove all brush regardless of species under the dripline of Pinyon and Juniper Trees.

· In addition to the above, the following apply:

1. When deciding which trees to retain, the order of preference is: Ponderosa, Douglas Fir, Juniper, Pinyon.

2. All trees that are cut within the project boundaries shall be completely severed from the stump(s). No live or dead limbs shall be left on the stump of cut trees.

3. Stump height shall not exceed six (6) inches measured on the uphill side or four (4) inches above an obstruction (rock, etc) located against the tree stump.

4. All main branches or stems shall be cut from the trunk of the tree and shall be cut as flush with the trunk as feasible.

5. All trees with a basal diameter >16 inches should not be cut.

6. If the contractor finds a raptor nest then buffer work away from the nest .5 miles and notify the COR.

7. Retain all trees that contain or are near raptor nests.

8. On the Skyline project, no heavy equipment may be used on slopes greater than 35% on either BLM or adjacent private land.

Thinning will reduce fuel loading and the potential for running crown fire by creating breaks in contiguous canopies. Tree density, species, and size vary widely across the treatment areas.

Cut trees Cut trees specifications include all trees more than 1 foot in height and greater than 1 inch in DRC. Trees with physical and biological culls such as: significant lean, rot, broken tops, and/or suppressed or unhealthily crown ratio. All cut trees and limbs will be piled to facilitate burning.

Reserved Trees Reserve live trees should be free of insects, disease, and physical or biological defects with a live crown ratio of 70% or greater. Any tree that has cavities or evidence of nesting will be reserved. Any survey tree must be reserved. Minimum leave tree size is 1 foot in height and 1 inch in DRC. Most (65%) reserved trees should be large and mature. Retain 20-50% of conifer saplings as appropriate to clear dripline of mature Ponderosa and Douglas Fir. Retain 50% of snags except those posing a safety hazard to operations. Snags with obvious signs of wildlife (nests/burrows) shall be reserved regardless of location.

Merchantable Material Decking All merchantable sawlogs resulting from the above thinning activities shall be decked at landing that will be approved by the COR in writing. A sawlog is considered any 8 inch Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) tree which can produce one or more 16 foot logs with a top diameter of 6 inches or greater that is ≥ 75 percent sound. The contractor may purchase merchantable material through negotiations with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), however; they are not obligated to do so. Limbing and topping shall be performed prior to skidding. All skid trails must be pre-approved by the COR or Project Inspector (PI). Skid trails constructed into hillsides shall have the fill slope re-contoured back onto the running surface upon completion of skid trail use.

Non-Merchantable Logs Logs that are not merchantable, smaller, or unsound, will be stacked in a separate log deck from the merchantable timber. The defect log deck can be sold as either biomass or firewood. The Non-merchantable timber and merchantable material can be decked together with written approval from the COR.

Other Available Forest Products Biomass may be purchased by the contractor at a negotiated rate no less than $0.01 per ton. This material includes all top wood that is 7inches in diameter inside bark down to 4 inches in diameter inside bark

Piles No less than 90% of all cut trees, live limbs and slash shall be piled. Piles are to be constructed to facilitate burning by the government at a later date. Minimum pile size is 5x5x5 feet. The contractor shall construct piles that are sufficiently compacted to allow for a high percentage of consumption from burning, this may require multiple cutting of stems, compacting the pile with equipment or other approved techniques. Piles should be constructed with branches and smaller diameter fuels piled on bottom and larger limbs/bole wood piled on top.

Piles should be spaced appropriately away from leave trees to avoid damage from burning. Anticipate flame lengths twice the piled fuel height when placing piles i.e (5 ft tall pile will have 10 ft flame lengths so pile should be placed at least 10 ft away from the nearest reserve trees). Piles will be constructed in a way to prevent toppling. Piles may be placed on stumps. Oak and other brush cut will need to be added to the piles. Piles shall not be constructed in swales, streams, springs, or within 15 feet any BLM recreational trail within the units. Piles shall not be placed on or near any cadastral survey markers, see “Cadastral Survey” below for more information. Piles may not be built under any electrical transmission line or utility line. Piles shall be free of soil.

BLM SHALL FURNISH OR PROVIDE

1. Georeferenced maps for Avenza Maps application and aerial photographs of the project area, as well as project oversight and inspection.

CONTRACTOR SHALL FURNISH

1. Work crews, all materials and supplies including personal protective equipment required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), necessary to carry out contract operations. The contractor must have a person who is fluent in English at the project site at all times and will be able to communicate about the specifics of the project.

STIPULATIONS

Damage to Existing Structures on BLM:

Damage to culverts, fences, cattle guards, gates and other improvements will be repaired by the contractor immediately and at the Contractor’s expense. Repairs shall be made to the previous conditions as determined by the COR or the BLM will hire the work done at the Contractor’s expense.

Damage to Existing Structures on Private All damage to private land, including roads, buildings, fences, and other infrastructure will need to be repaired immediately and at the Contractor’s expense.

Slope Restrictions for Heavy Equipment On the Skyline project area only, no heavy equipment may be used on slopes over 35% on either BLM or adjacent Private Land. (See Skyline Slope Map)

Road Surface Conditions:

Vehicles or equipment shall not be operated when the road is muddy or if on site moisture (rain/snow/hail/etc.) events exceed 0.25 inch in 1 hour or .75" in 24 hours, the COR may require a halt to traffic until the roads dry enough (or freeze) so that damage by vehicles does not occur. When/If such conditions are encountered, the Contractor shall stop work and immediately notify the COR/PI.

Road Maintenance Any excessive road damage from felling, equipment or trucks will be subject to repair by the contractor to continue work on the project or to release any/all payments.

Project area site To avoid impacts to surface sites, machinery will not operate in wet conditions that would produce ruts over 3” deep. Trails or ruts constructed into hillsides shall have the fill slope re-contoured back onto the running surface upon completion of use.

Stream Protection:

Skyline: Slash and other debris deposited in any stream channel as a result of operations shall be removed by the contractor and deposited at least five feet above the ordinary high water mark using care to minimize damage to stream channels and banks.

Chelsea M2: Slash and other debris deposited in any stream channel as a result of operations shall be removed by the contractor and deposited at least fifty feet away from the steam channel and banks.

Timber Trespass:

The project area is delineated, there is private land to the west and a significant reduction in forest cover along the outside edges of the project area. If the Contractor cuts or removes any timber and/or biomass material reserved or not authorized for removal under this contract, such cutting or removal shall be considered a willful trespass and render the Contractor liable for damages under applicable federal law. For purposes of determining damages under this section, the single damage value of the trespass timber shall be based upon the fair market value of the timber cut or removed at the time of trespass.

Soil Protection:

To the extent possible, existing landings and skid trails shall be utilized thus minimizing any new disturbance within the project area. During winter operations, heavy equipment shall operate only when soil is protected by at least 1 foot of packed snow or 2 inches of frozen soil.

For the Skyline project only: Heavy equipment may not be used on slopes over 35% (See Skyline Slope Map).

Cadastral Survey Protection:

The project area has been included in the BLM Cadastral Survey system. Modification or damage to any survey marker, boundary tree, etc. must be avoided. Any damage to survey markers/ boundary trees must be documented and reported to the PI immediately. Maps of the units have been created to include PLSS Survey grids and potential locations of PLSS markers at the intersection of grid points.

Snag Retention:

50% of snags except those posing a safety hazard to operations, shall be reserved. All Snags within 100 feet of roads should be cut and piled as appropriate. Snags within 50 feet of recreational trails should be cut and piled. Snags adjacent to piles shall be cut/piled to prevent fire spread in them. Emphasis should be placed on rotten/unstable snags for removal. Snags with obvious signs of wildlife (nests/burrows) shall be reserved regardless of location.

Erosion Control:

The Contractor shall insure erosion control measures are installed as operations progress, at the end of each operating season, prior to freeze up when winter operations are anticipated or as designated by the COR.

Administration:

Operations will proceed in a systematic manner through the project area as determined by the COR. The Contractor shall insure best management practices are utilized to minimize damage to soil, reproduction, and reserve trees.

Migratory Birds:

Work conducted from May 15 – July 15 must be done in such a way as to reduce the negative impacts to nesting migratory birds. If active nests are identified in the work area, the COR must be notified immediately, and work may have to proceed in a way to avoid the nesting area.

Raptor Nests:

If an active raptor nest is discovered, activity within a radius of .5 miles of the nest will be prohibited and the COR will be notified for further coordination.

Weeds:

The Contractor shall ensure that prior to moving to the contract area, all off-road equipment is free of soil, seeds, vegetative matter, or other debris that could contain or hold seeds, as determined by the COR. “Off-road equipment” includes all logging and construction machinery or vehicles that travel off designated roads as specified on the project map including UTVs. Equipment shall be considered clean when a visual inspection does not disclose such material. Disassembly of equipment components or specialized inspection tools is not required. Cleaning shall not take place on BLM land.

Public Access:

The project area will not be closed to the public during the contract period. BLM and/or the contractor may post signs at the entrance to the area to notify the public of the activity. The Contractor must be aware of the presence of people in the work area and adjust activities to account for their presence. Comment by Corbin, Tyler J: We can make the contractor post signs

Archeological or Cultural Discoveries:

The Contractor shall avoid disturbing all cultural sites. If in connection with operations under this contract the Contractor, his subcontractors, or the employees of any of them, discovers, encounters, or becomes aware of any objects or sites of cultural value on the contract area such as historical or prehistorical ruins, human remains, graves or grave markers, fossils, or artifacts; the Contractor shall immediately suspend all operations in the vicinity of the cultural value and shall notify the COR of the findings. Operations may resume at the discovery site upon receipt of written instructions and authorization by the COR.

Littering:

No littering is permitted, and the contractor shall be responsible for hauling all trash accumulated out of the area.

Work Camps:

The Contractor or his employees may not establish work camps in any of the project areas. All work sites are adjacent to private subdivisions in the City of Durango. Work camps may be established on BLM lands not adjacent to private subdivisions. The camp may consist of mobile trailers, pickup campers, tent trailers or tents.

The Contractor will be required to:

1. Provide adequate sanitary facilities

2. Provide metal garbage collection cans with lids

3. Keep the camp in a clean and orderly condition

4. Rehabilitate the area to the satisfaction of the COR

Injuries and Damage:

Contractors are expected to know and strictly adhere to all OSHA laws and regulations regarding the work being conducted under this contract. The Contractor, in their operations under this contract, shall not perform in a negligent manner causing any person or property to be injured or damaged.

Fire Stipulations:

During periods of extreme fire danger, the Contracting Officer (CO) may issue a restriction or closure order to the Contractor in writing. During periods when fire danger is rated high, very high or extreme as identified by the Durango Interagency Fire Dispatch Center (970-385-1324), the Contractor and their employees must, at a minimum, have a shovel, a class A_B_C fire extinguisher with a minimum of 1 pound of retardant, or a container with a minimum of 5 gallons of water at each chainsaw refueling site. It is prohibited to operate or use any internal combustion engine, on any timber, brush, or grass covered land, including trails traversing such land, without a spark arrester maintained in effective working order.

Hazardous Materials:

Use of hazardous materials requires that all appropriate State and Federal Regulations be complied with including, but not limited to, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) on hand and use of necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

On-site disposal of hazardous materials or waste including hydrocarbons is not authorized. On-site disposal will subject the Contractor to at least the cost of reclamation and the appropriate disposal of contaminated soil.

Incidental (de minims) leaks from fittings, gaskets or ruptured hoses will not subject the Contractor to remedial requirements. They will be considered to be normal and unavoidable losses. Continual leaks will be noted on inspection reports and correction through maintenance required.

Maintenance and repair operations that require the draining of engines or hydraulic systems may be conducted on site only if the fluids are captured, containerized, and removed from public lands for proper disposal.

PAYMENT

The Contractor’s inspection results are to be used as a guide for the Contractor’s use in complying with contract specifications and not as a basis for payment. Payment will be based on the Government’s inspection results. Payment will be made upon unit completion, based on completed acreage inspected and accepted by the Government, less the adjustment in payment based on the work quality level percentage, if any. If the work quality level equals or exceeds 95 percent before rework, full payment (100 percent) will be made for the number of acres inspected and accepted by the Government on the completed units. Units achieving a work quality level of 85 – 94 percent will be paid at that percentage rate. If units are accepted which do not meet 85 percent, payments will be made at a rate determined by multiplying the actual inspection percentage by the bid price.

Deliverables:

Payments may be made upon the completion of 50 percent of the total available acres (65.38 acres) depending on inspection by the COR. Payment in full is also acceptable if desired upon completion of the treatment acres in the project.

INSPECTION/ACCEPTANCE

Inspection/Acceptance of all service performed in accordance with this contract for purpose of initiating contractor payment shall be by the COR.

The BLM COR or PI designated by the Contracting Officer (CO) shall make periodic inspections of the project as a basis for payment and recommendations for adjustments in work quality while work is in progress. The Contractor is encouraged to observe inspections while they are being made.

As the basis for payment, inspections for compliance with contract specifications will be made for work units or areas reported as completed by the Contractor.

(Acceptable Quality Level)

Chelsea M2, Part 1

· 60% +- 10% of Gambel Oak stems are removed after treatment. Stems retained shall have DRC of 4” or more.

· No treatment in leave areas

· No less than 90% of all cut brush trees, live limbs and slash shall be piled. Piles may not be built too closely to leave trees or recreational trails.

· Piles must be built taller than they are wide, and wherever possible be built in openings away from live timber. (At minimum, pile should be built twice the distance of their height away from the driplines of live trees).

· All drainages will be buffered by distance of 50 feet from all mechanical and hand treatments, including slash piles.

Chelsea M2, Part 2

· All brush removed under the dripline of all Ponderosa trees

· No less than 90% of all cut brush trees, live limbs and slash shall be piled. Piles may not be built too closely to leave trees or recreational trails.

· Piles must be built taller than they are wide, and wherever possible be built in openings away from live timber. (At minimum, pile should be built twice the distance of their height away from the driplines of live trees).

· All drainages will be buffered by distance of 50 feet from all mechanical and hand treatments, including slash piles.

Chelsea M2, Part 3

· 40% of Pinyon Juniper trees removed after treatment

· At least 20’ canopy gaps between Pinyon and Juniper trees after treatments.

· No treatment in leave areas

· No less than 90% of all cut brush trees, live limbs and slash shall be piled. Piles may not be built too closely to leave trees or recreational trails.

· Piles must be built taller than they are wide, and wherever possible be built in openings away from live timber.. (At minimum, pile should be built twice the distance of their height away from the driplines of live trees).

· All drainages will be buffered by distance of 50 feet from all mechanical and hand treatments, including slash piles.

Skyline, Part 1

· All brush removed under the dripline of all conifer trees

· Retain 20-50% of conifer saplings as appropriate to clear dripline of mature Ponderosa and Douglas Fir.

· No less than 90% of all cut brush trees, live limbs and slash shall be piled. Piles may not be built too closely to leave trees or recreational trails.

· Piles must be built taller than they are wide, and wherever possible be built in openings away from live timber.. (At minimum, pile should be built twice the distance of their height away from the driplines of live trees).

· All drainages will be buffered by distance of 50 feet from all mechanical and hand treatments, including slash piles.

Skyline, Part 2

· Limb ladder fuels on all conifer leave trees up to five feet.

· No less than 90% of all cut brush trees, live limbs and slash shall be piled. Piles may not be built too closely to leave trees or recreational trails.

· Piles must be built taller than they are wide, and wherever possible be built in openings away from live timber.. (At minimum, pile should be built twice the distance of their height away from the driplines of live trees).

· All drainages will be buffered by distance of 50 feet from all mechanical and hand treatments, including slash piles.

Skyline, Part 3

· 60% - 90% of Gambel Oak stems are removed

· The 10% - 40% of Gambel Oak Stems that are left have a >4” DRC after treatment.

· No less than 90% of all cut brush trees, live limbs and slash shall be piled. Piles may not be built too closely to leave trees or recreational trails.

· Piles must be built taller than they are wide, and wherever possible be built in openings away from live timber.. (At minimum, pile should be built twice the distance of their height away from the driplines of live trees).

· All drainages will be buffered by distance of 50 feet from all mechanical and hand treatments, including slash piles.

Skyline, Part 4

· Thin mixed conifer trees by 20%, prioritizing by order for retention Ponderosa, Douglas Fir, Juniper, and Pinyon trees.

· Thinning shall be done in such a way as to create 20’ gaps between conifer canopies.

· Retain 20-50% of conifer saplings as appropriate to clear dripline of mature Ponderosa and Douglas Fir.

· Retain 50% of snags except those posing a safety hazard to operations.

· No less than 90% of all cut brush trees, live limbs and slash shall be piled. Piles may not be built too closely to leave trees or recreational trails.

· Piles must be built taller than they are wide, and wherever possible be built in openings away from live timber.. (At minimum, pile should be built twice the distance of their height away from the driplines of live trees).

· All drainages will be buffered by distance of 50 feet from all mechanical and hand treatments, including slash piles.

PROJECT SITE VISIT (Self-guided SHOW ME TRIP) Interested Contractors are encouraged to visit the project area before submittal of final bids. Avenza/pdf maps will be available to support a self-guided show me tour. Interested Contractors with additional questions please contact (COR) Tyler Corbin (970) 799-2957 or (PI) Jonathan Ott (303)-241-7049.

Definitions

Damaged Tree- Any reserve or “leave” tree that has been damaged by the Contractor.

Sapling- Small conifer tree less than six feet in height and three inches diameter at root collar (DRC).

Obstacle- For the purposes of this contract an obstacle is defined as any object, which can impede, or damage the tree cutting equipment. This could include rocks, logs, old stumps, road banks or culverts.

Treatment Unit/ Project area/Thinning Units – areas where contact work will be completed that is delineated on the Project area map.

MOU- Memorandum of understanding, an agreement between the BLM and a private landowner stipulating access routes to BLM land through private property. Access through private land must not deviate from the route stipulated in the MOU.

Cut/Take trees- Trees that are going to be removed by cutting

Brush - Vegetation consisting of shrub species with single or multi-stems originating at or near ground level not normally reaching twenty feet in height. Examples include but are not limited to oak brush, serviceberry, and sagebrush

CO – Contracting Officer COR – Contracting Officers’ Representative COR/PI - either the COR or the PI PI – Project Inspector Reserve Trees - Trees not to be cut. Trees that are the largest, dominant, and healthiest while maintaining a representation of all size classes within the stand.

Slash - Any material which has been cut or broken from a tree by the Contractor during operations Unsevered – not completely separated from the whole, pieces still attached.

**When a disagreement over definitions not listed arises, the Society of American Foresters, THE DICTIONARY of FORESTRY, will be used to determine accepted definitions.

Maps:

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