A04_SOW.docx

Sunrise Pass Cut and Pile

STATEMENT OF WORK

6/8/2023

PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to secure the service of cutting and piling services of live and dead trees on 251 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management Carson City District (BLM). The objective of this project is to modify wildfire behavior and intensity caused by pinyon and juniper trees in the project area.

LOCATION

The treatment units are located SE of Carson City, NV and NE of Gardnerville, NV in Lyon County, Nevada. The treatment units are along Sunrise Pass Road just west of the summit of Sunrise Pass in the Pine Nut Mountain Range. See vicinity and project maps.

PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION

Vegetation in the project area is typical of the western Great Basin and consists of a diverse mix of grasses, sagebrush, bitterbrush, rabbitbrush, pinyon and juniper trees.

The project area size is 251 acres, with elevation ranges between 6200 and 7100 feet, and slope ranges between 0 and 40 percent. The number of trees per acre and tree density varies throughout the units from widely scattered to moderately dense. Trees are generally small to medium size for the species. The project area topography is typical for the western Great Basin. The treatment unit consists of several adjacent yet disconnected sub-units, along both sides of Sunrise Pass Road and its spur roads. Treatment sub-units are all generally located within 50’-500’ of a road.

ACCESSIBILITY

The nearest full support community to the project is Carson City, NV. Average travel time from Carson City to the project site is 45 minutes to 1 hour. Access to the project is on dirt roads. Access is limited during the winter months due to weather and road conditions; roads in this area typically come muddy, snowy, and impassable after rain or snowstorms, and may remain that way throughout the winter. Although the project units can generally be reached by two-wheel drive vehicles (when roads are dry), four-wheel drive high clearance vehicles will improve access options. The Government does not assume obligation to plow snow or conduct special maintenance to keep roads open and maintained.

BOUNDARIES

The Government will load the treatment unit boundary into devices with GPS capability (e.g. Garmin GPS, Trimble GPS, iPad and/or iPhone with the Avenza PDF Maps app) provided by the Contractor. Areas within the treatment units to be excluded from treatment will be either noted on GPS device or marked with flagging. Any flagging hung by the Contractor will be pulled and properly disposed of before the project will be considered complete.

SCHEDULE/PROGRESS OF WORK

Project period of performance is from September 15, 2023 to March 1, 2024. Access is limited during the winter months due to weather and road conditions; roads in this area typically come muddy, snowy, and impassable after rain or snowstorms, and may remain that way throughout the winter.

Prior to start and during the performance period of the contract, the Government may specify priority areas to be treated. The Contractor will maintain progress at a rate that will assure completion within the contract time. At the pre-work conference, the Contractor will provide a work schedule which must be acceptable to the Government.

TREATMENT SPECIFICATIONS

Cut Specifications

· The contractor will manually cut 100% of all standing juniper trees, and selectively cut a portion of all standing pinyon pine in order to achieve a minimum post-treatment spacing of approximately 20’-25’ between tree canopies. Larger and healthier Pinyon pines trees will be favored to remain standing, while smaller intermediate pines and all junipers will be cut. 2 large codominant trees with entangled canopies may be treated as a single tree, with 20-25’ spacing to be in effect around the codominant pair.

· Stump height will not exceed 4 inches above level of ground or protruding rocks.

· All live limbs and stems must be severed from the stump of cut trees.

· All material from cut trees, both live and dead, will be piled.

· Material from cut trees will be scattered a minimum of 10’ outside the drip line of any live trees that remain.

· Hand loppers will be used to cut smallest trees and lowest limbs on larger trees where chainsaw use is deemed unsafe.

· Standing dead trees need to be severed from stumps and branches sticking upright need to be removed to prevent use as raptor perches.

· Do not cut: Live trees greater than 24 inches in diameter at ground level.

· Do not cut: Trees with old growth characteristics will not be cut. Old growth characteristics include gnarled limbs, thick fibrous bark, rounded or flattened (as opposed to pointed) canopy shape. Contractor will work with the Contract Officers Representative to identify old growth characteristics and avoid trees displaying these characteristics.

· Do not cut: Trees with obvious signs of wildlife use such as nest cavities or large stick nests.

· Do not cut: Jeffery Pine, Aspen, riparian vegetation, brush, or mountain mahogany.

Pile Specifications

· The contractor will hand pile all thinned material, as well as preexisting/residual material greater than 3 inches in diameter at large end.

· Piles will be a minimum of 6’ tall and 6’ in diameter, and a maximum of 8’ tall and 8’ in diameter.

· Piles will be placed at least 15’ beyond the drip line of any trees which remain. larger fuels to promote efficient and complete burning.

· Piles will be constructed with boles and limbs laid in a manner to reduce roll-out and to maintain compactness.

· Piles will not be built on top of decaying logs or stumps.

· Materials extending beyond the pile’s edge greater than 1 foot shall be cut off and materials placed into piles.

· Piles shall be well formed and built in a “Beehive/Dome” shape:

· Pile composition and structure should be as compact as possible with finer fuels below.

CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS

The Contractor will provide all tools, materials, equipment, and labor necessary to complete the work as specified in the contract.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

Soil Stability/Water Quality Protection - Contractor will cease operation when soil moisture levels result in significant soil compaction and/or rutting. Contractor's activities will be executed in a manner which avoids large drainages. Any significant rutting of the soil will be returned to the natural contour by the Contractor as part of the work process.

Weed Control - Contractor will ensure all equipment moved onto public land is free of soil, seeds, and vegetative matter or other debris that could contain or hold seeds. Contractor will employ whatever cleaning methods are necessary to ensure compliance and will notify the Government prior to moving each piece of equipment onto public land. Notification will include identifying the location of the equipment’s most recent operations.

Cultural Resource Protection - Locations of known historic or prehistoric sites, buildings, objects, and properties related to American history, architecture, archaeology, and culture, such as settler or Indian artifacts that need to be avoided by the Contractor will be identified on the ground by the Government. Discovery of such areas by either party during Contractor’s operations will be promptly reported to the other party and operations will be suspended at that location until the significance or potential significance of the resource is determined.

Fire Prevention/Suppression - Vegetation occurring in the Great Basin can be highly flammable. Under dry and windy weather conditions the potential for a fire start is high. The risk of wildfire is year-round. Be extra careful when working on or around the dry grasses. Check under vehicles when parking off road. Plan to perform any activity that could cause a spark (grinding or welding) in the morning, when the relative humidity is higher, and the temperatures are cooler. Also, be especially vigilant when operating heavy equipment with pivoting metal tracks on rocky ground. When treating, work from the outside edge to the center of the day’s treatment area.

The Contractor will (1) equip all diesel and/or gasoline operated engines with spark arresters that meet Forest Service standards set forth in the National Coordinating Group publication for Multiposition Small Engines, #430-4 (spark arresters are not required on equipment powered by exhaust driven turbo charged engines), (2) equip all machines powered by an internal combustion engine with at least one 10 lb. ABC rated fire extinguisher (minimum) or equivalent, (3) remove all concentrations of wood dust and debris from the equipment daily, (4) have one 10 lb. ABC rated fire extinguisher, one shovel, and five gallons water readily available adjacent to grinding/welding operations.

The Contractor will, independently and in cooperation with the Government, take all reasonable action to prevent and suppress fires on the project. Independent initial action will be prompt and will include the use of all personnel and equipment available in the project area.

Emergency Reporting Requirements:

1. 911 (initial call for all emergencies)

2. Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch: 775-883-5995 (wildland fire emergency line)

Information needed in reporting a wildland fire would include: Location (Geographical reference and/or Latitude/longitude coordinates), description on what the fire is doing, size, spread, color of smoke, etc.

The Government may require emergency measures, including the necessary shutting down of equipment or portions of operations during periods of high fire danger.

Under Title 43 CFR 9212 the holder of this permit may be held liable for any and all costs should a wildland fire occur caused by the activities associated with the construction, maintenance, or operation of this project. Fire trespass action might be initiated, and wildfire suppression costs may be collected from the holder of this permit.

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