A04_RFQ_SOW.pdf

Mingo National Wildlife Refuge Statement of Work for

Oak Seedling Recruitment through Inflation Reduction Act Funding

SCOPE: This statement of work defines the work required to perform herbicide hack and squirt midstory ecological forestry treatment to recruit oak seedlings within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Mingo National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge). The extent of the herbicide hack and squirt treatment is assigned to the area on the attached map labelled “Mingo NWR FY24 IRA Seedling Recruitment Contract Map,” which is a collection of 16 polygons that totals approximately 360 acres of distinct treatment areas. The entire herbicide treatment area is assigned within the refuge’s Pool 8 Greentree Reservoir Management Unit, a poorly drained bottomland forest characteristic of the Mingo Basin. The ecological purpose of the treatment as stated is to increase light availability to the forest floor to recruit existing oak seedlings, by deadening target stems while standing to improve potential tree roosting bat habitat in the management unit.

CONTRACT SPECIFICATIONS:

APPROVED METHOD: Apply a herbicide hack and squirt application to target woody species listed within this statement of work within the explicit “Contract Hack and Squirt Herbicide Treatment” polygons identified in the attached map in pink shading. A total of 360 acres of area is included in these herbicide treatment polygons using the following method: Using a hatchet or similar device, make cuts through the bark into the cambium at evenly spaced intervals around the tree with no more than 2 inch intervals between cut edges. Each cut (hack) should be parallel to the ground at a downward angle and form a pocket to limit herbicide from running out. Each cut shall expose at least two annual growth rings to ensure proper treatment. Each tree should have a number of cuts equal to that tree’s diameter in inches (a five inch diameter tree shall have 5 cuts). Using low pressure spray equipment, squirt (spray) 1 milliliter of herbicide solution into each cut until absorbed. Avoid over-filling which will cause herbicide to run out of cut. Only species listed below as “target species” shall be treated.

TARGET SPECIES: The treatment strategy is herbicide hack and squirt treatment of shade tolerant midstory trees within portions of the unit as labelled on the attached map. All individual stems less than 22 inches in diameter at breast height (4.5 feet above ground) of the target species listed below shall be treated within the treatment area polygons. Herbicide hack and squirt treatments will treat only the following species:

• Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraxiflua)

• Red maple (Acer rubrum and Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

• American elm (Ulums americana)

• Ash (Fraxinus pennslyvanica and Fraxinus profunda)

• Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

• Water locust (Gleditsia aquatica)

• Swamp cottonwood (Populus heterophylla)

EQUIPMENT: Hatchet, drywall hammer, shingler’s hammer or similar wood cutting device with cutting blade width 1 inch minimum to 2 inch maximum; and a closed top; drip-proof spray vessel approved for herbicide solutions calibrated to apply the herbicide at 1 mL per spray.

HERBICIDES: Target trees within polygons designated to be treated by hack and squirt treatment will receive a 1 mL solution of isopropylamine salt of imazapyr herbicide per cut (hack) in a dilution of herbicide with clean water. Trade names with approximately 53% active ingredient (Arsenal AC, Polaris AC Complete, etc) are to be diluted to a solution rate of 4-6 ounces of herbicide per gallon of solution;

trade names with approximately 27% active ingredient (Arsenal, Polaris, etc) are to be diluted to a solution rate of 8-12 ounces of herbicide per gallon of solution. A non-ionic surfactant or methylated seed oil adjuvant may be added to the solution at a rate not to exceed 0.6% of the total spray volume.

Trade name(s) of isopropylamine salt of imazapyr herbicide approved for use at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge through this contract can be verified by the refuge contact.

TREATMENT AREA POLYGONS: The boundaries of the project area treatment polygons within Pool 8 Greentree Reservoir Management Unit are not physically marked. The contractor is responsible for locating the treatment areas and marking the perimeter of the treatment area polygons with flagging or other removable markers. In addition to the supplied map, the refuge will provide the contractor with digital files (shapefiles, .kmz, Avenza PDF map, etc) upon request to aid in the accurate delineation of the treatment area polygons. To minimize confusion with other forest management actions, no paint shall be used in marking the treatment area. All marking materials must be removed by contractor after successful completion of the scope of work upon approval by refuge.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:

• This scope of work covers complete treatment of the project areas as identified in the contract map.

• The refuge will not provide herbicide or equipment to the contractor for this job.

• A site inspection is highly recommended. Access to the treatment areas can be arranged through the refuge contact. The refuge is open to the public daily from dawn until 30 minutes after dusk.

LOCATION: Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, 24279 MO-51, Puxico, MO 63960

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE: Hack and Squirt herbicide applications should occur only during the following environmental conditions:

• only during the following months: July, August, September, October, November

• if the target tree and treatment area is not in standing water

• 20ft winds are less than 12 mph

• rain is not forecasted for the workday or for 48 hours post-treatment

• when stems are not wet or ice/snow covered

The scope of work needs to be completed no later than November 15, 2024.

WORK SCHEDULE: Work may be completed any day of the week, except on Federal Holidays. Months when the work may be completed include July, August, September, October and November.

CONTACTS:

Ben Mense, Refuge Manager, ben_mense@fws.gov, office: 573-222-5735 Ext. 113: Cell: 573-225-4505

Bruce Henry, Refuge Forest Ecologist. Bruce_henry@fws.gov, cell: 608-518-7834 mailto:Bruce_henry@fws.gov