2023_LCDO_Rare_Plants_Statement_of_Work_FINAL.docx

Statement of Work Surveying, demographic monitoring, and habitat modelling for four rare plant species (Lepidospartum burgessii, Circium wrightii, Hedeoma todsenii, Peniocereus greggii var. Greggii) on the Las Cruces District Office Lepidospartum burgessii is a BLM Sensitive species found on gypseous sands and clays in the Alkali Lakes area of southeastern Otero County and in adjacent Texas. Exclosures were created in 1995 around a subset of the populations to protect them from grazing and allow future study of the effects of grazing on Lepidospartum burgessii. A complete census of all individuals on BLM land was conducted in 2009 / 2010. A monitoring program is needed to determine the trend of these populations and evaluate the effect of the exclosures on Lepidospartum burgessii and other vegetation / soil surface features.

Circium wrightii (Wright's Marsh Thistle) is a FWS Threatened species found on riparian and wetland habitats in Southern New Mexico. In 2023 when C. wrightii was accepted as a Threatened species, 8 known population areas were designated as critical habitat. Of those 8 areas none fall on BLM-LCDO managed land, but 5 of them are on non-BLM land where BLM-LCDO managed land is directly downstream: Alamosa Springs, Tularosa Creek, La Luz Canyon, Silver Springs, and Karr/Haynes Canyon. Additionally, there is an observation of 60+ C. wrightii individuals upstream of BLM-LCDO managed land at Burro Cienega (Sivinski, 2011). Surveys of C. wrightii are needed in these downstream locations to identify suitable habitat and/or populations of C. wrightii on BLM-LCDO managed land.

Hedeoma todsenii is an Endangered species listed in 1981 and found on BLM and adjacent USFS lands near Domingo Peak and Mountain Lion Peak 1988-1990. This metapopulation was extended to Cat Mountain to the north in 2017. This and a second metapopulation in the northern San Andres Mountains near Big Gyp Mountain and the Chalk Hills are the only two known. Monitoring on the Domingo Peak / Mountain Lion Peak populations was conducted from 1991 to 1995, then a subset of the plots were re-read in 2009; monitoring was reinitiated in 2017, with a total of 30 plots established. Continued monitoring is needed to understand the trend of this species, and revision to the existing monitoring protocols is needed to better account for the rhizomatous nature of the species. Almost all of the apparent potential habitat on BLM land has been surveyed at this point, but refined habitat modelling is needed to determine if there are areas of unsurveyed potential habitat where new populations might be found.

Peniocereus greggii var. greggii is a BLM Sensitive species found on gravelly bajadas in southwestern New Mexico. Prior to the initiation of pre-treatment surveys in 2012, populations of this species were included in herbicide treatments intended to restore grassland. In 2013, M. Howard, E. Ward, and K. Wilkins initiated a post-hoc study to examine the effects of these herbicide treatments on Peniocereus greggii var. greggii. Re-reading and analyzing this data will help us understand the effects of past herbicide treatments and determine if continued pre-treatment surveys are needed to avoid negative impacts to this plant.

Base year 1 (CY 2024):

1. Lepidospartum burgessii surveys and monitoring

a. Continue implementation of monitoring program to evaluate population trends.

b. Survey potential suitable habitat and historical occurences.

c. Document herbivory and other potential threats to the species.

d. Assess population trends and mortality, including the effects of grazing exclosures.

e. Document and analyze pollinator use on the plant.

2. Cirsium wrightii (Wright’s marsh thistle)

a. Survey potential habitat in Las Cruces District Office

i. Including the following locations in coordination with LCDO staff: Tularosa Creek (Designated CH), Alamosa Springs, Cuchillo, Downstream of Lincoln NF, Gila, Percha Creek, Burro Ciénaga

b. Survey historic locales

c. Complete census to find and document all individuals on BLM

d. Document and analyze pollinator use on the plant.

3. Hedeoma todsenii monitoring

a. Re-read 1/3 of the monitoring plots established in the Domingo Peak / Mountain Lion Peak / Cat Mountain area.

Option year 1 (CY 2025)

1. Cirsium wrightii (Wright’s marsh thistle)

a. If occurences found in CY2024, survey sites and consider monitoring plan development

b. Record any new individuals found in the vicinity of the previously-recorded plants.

2. Peniocereus greggii var. greggii monitoring

a. Re-read monitoring data on ca. 270 individuals near the Peloncillo and Pyramid Mountains, continuing the study initiated in 2013 examining the effects of herbicide treatments on Peniocereus greggii var. greggii.

b. Record any new individuals found in the vicinity of the previously recorded plants.

c. Analyze the data for any effects of herbicide treatments on plant condition or longevity.

3. Lepidospartum burgessii surveys & habitat modeling

a. Continue monitoring protocol established in CY24 and design habitat suitability model if deemed necessary through CY24 survey results.

4. Argemone pinnatisecta monitoring

a. Use a complete census method to find and GPS all individuals on BLM or BLM surface / DoD mineral lands in the drainages emptying Alamo, Mule, San Andres, and Dog canyons (ca. 600 acres), as approximately shown in pink on the map below.

5. Hedeoma todsenii monitoring

a. Re-read 1/3 of the monitoring plots established in the Domingo Peak / Mountain Lion Peak / Cat Mountain area.

Option year 2 (CY 2026)

1. Cirsium wrightii (Wright’s marsh thistle) monitoring

a. Continue monitoring plan for any recorded individuals

b. Record any new individuals found in the vicinity of the previously-recorded plants.

2. Peniocereus greggii var. greggii monitoring

a. Re-read monitoring data on ca. 270 individuals near the Peloncillo and Pyramid Mountains, continuing the study initiated in 2013 examining the effects of herbicide treatments on Peniocereus greggii var. greggii.

b. Record any new individuals found in the vicinity of the previously recorded plants.

c. Analyze the data for any effects of herbicide treatments on plant condition or longevity.

3. Lepidospartum burgessii surveys & habitat modeling

a. Design habitat suitability model if not completd in CY25

4. Hedeoma todsenii monitoring

a. Re-read 1/3 of the monitoring plots established in the Domingo Peak / Mountain Lion Peak / Cat Mountain area.

Schedule

1. Performance and budget period for this project will be November 1, 2023 through December 31, 2024. Field work determined by species phenology.

2. Pending funding, option years through 2026 are included.

Deliverables:

3. Annual report in pdf format summarizing monitoring efforts and outlining survey results.

4. Data

a. Element Occurrences (EO’s): For each SSPS occurrence, an EO record will be filled out via the Survey123 form provided by the BLM and submitted to the BLM with the following data:

· Administrative State (New Mexico)

· Administrative Unit Code (Las Cruces Field Office)

· Primary Observer(s)

· Organization of Primary Observer(s) (Contractor)

· Other Organization Name (Contractor company name)

· Observation Date

· Scientific Name and species code of Special Status Plant Species

· Species ID Verification (Contractor Submission Unverified)

· Survey Type (STATUS/INVENTORY – presence/absence location data)

· Observation Method (Visual)

· Project Association (Fuels Treatment Block Name; BLM-provided)

· Number of plants

· Primary health class

· Primary phenology

· Dominant Vegetation Type

· GPS (location updated with submeter accuracy)

· Photographs

· Rare Plant Diagnostic Character (plant filling the frame)

· Rare Plant Flower (if available)

· Rare Plant Habitat (macro photo with plant in center, taken from eye-level pointed down)

· General Comments – assign a unique plant ID reference number per observation

· BLM will provide a naming convention to follow

In addition to the Survey123 FLORA form submitted for EO, plant occurrence location data will be backed up with a single geotagged photo including the plant individual in good resolution and an in-frame unique plant ID reference number, as assigned in the “General Comments” section of the Survey123 form.

b. Survey Tracks and Documentation: Survey data must have tracks to be accepted. Surveys will be conducted during appropriate phenological periods to best identify the target species. Survey results (including negative findings) will be collected using the mobile data collection platform FieldMaps and QuickCapture with a backup, or with an equivalent software that provides sub-meter accuracy for survey tracking and observation points. The BLM will provide the Contractor with access to linked data form and maps via GeoPlatform that can be seamlessly uploaded into AGOL at the completion of each field day. This will ensure that contractors are collecting all necessary information for effective integration into the rare plant geospatial database. Collecting high quality data contributes to a better understanding of rare species distributions and provides immediate data to the BLM to aid in decision making. The contractor will be responsible for data QC.

Survey documentation is to be submitted, at minimum, upon completion of each species survey/monitoring. It can be reported in brief, and should include, at a minimum, the following information:

· Surveyor(s): First initial and last name of each Surveyor

· Group: Surveyor organization name

· Project Name: Official project name

· Date(s) Surveyed: Dates of field survey efforts

· Species Surveyed For: Scientific names of species searched for

· Calibration point and geotagged photographic evidence

· Transect Spacing: Distance between Surveyors or survey paths walked

· Survey Results Summary: 1) Presence or negative presence of species searched for. 2) Count by species of individuals found.

· GIS File of Survey Tracks (lines; routes collected by surveyors while walking transects)

· Submit GIS data in .shp, .kml or .kmz format; .shp files in coordinate system UTM NAD 83 Zone 13 N is the preferred GIS data format.

· GPS data collected should be accurate to at least 1 meter (3 feet).

· GIS File of Any EO’s Observed (confirm Survey123 submission)

· Relevant Notes: Notes may include known data omissions or deviations from Survey standards; habitat descriptions, including dominant associated species; and information about other sensitive resources observed. Survey data must have survey tracks; otherwise, they will not be accepted.

The Contractor may submit GIS files of survey tracks using FieldMaps and QuickCapture, as long as they have a backup GPS device or app (like Avenza) running simultaneously to record survey tracks. Otherwise, if the Contractor has access to and familiarity with another software or device that is capable of sub-meter accuracy and can provide all of the required information above in a report for each species, they may do so. The BLM notes that the major advantage of using the ESRI products is the ability to sync all data to AGOL at the end of each day (with an internet/cellular data connection), without the need of a computer.

The Contractor should provide data collected (both positive and negative survey results) using the mobile data collection platforms Survey123, FieldMaps, and QuickCapture (or an equivalent software for submitting GIS data approved by the BLM) at the completion of each species survey or monitoring effort. Digital data should be successfully uploaded or synced weekly throughout the life of the project using Survey123 and QuickCapture, or submitting GIS data directly to the POC.

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