09_0008_CORP_Appendix_A_BLM_Fuels_Juniper.doc

CORP Specifications Appendix B – BLM Fuels, Juniper Control

BLM FUELS- B—DESCRIPTION / SPECIFICATIONS / STATEMENT OF WORK

BLM FUELS-1 SCOPE OF CONTRACT

Description of Work – There will be six items in cutting juniper trees. Treatment costs may be determined by treatment method, as described below or by vegetation density and slope. All cut juniper trees shall have a stump height no more than 10 inch high.

1 – The work consists of cutting all juniper trees including seedlings and saplings, except those defined as leave trees, except over 18 inches.

2 – The work consists of cutting all juniper trees including seedlings and saplings, and limbing, lopping and scattering the limb wood of those cut trees except those defined as leave trees.

3 – The work consists of selectively cutting certain juniper trees to facilitate a planned prescribed fire. Approximately one half of the standing trees in a unit shall be cut, with severed trees distributed uniformly throughout the units. Where clumps of trees occur, if possible, cut trees shall be felled into standing trees and left leaning into or lying down in close proximity to standing trees. Trees defined as leave trees shall not be cut.

4 – The work consists of selectively cutting certain juniper trees to facilitate a planned prescribed fire. Approximately one third of the standing trees in a unit shall be cut, with severed trees distributed uniformly throughout the units. Where clumps of trees occur, if possible, cut trees shall be felled into standing trees and left leaning into or lying down in close proximity to standing trees. Trees defined as leave trees shall not be cut.

5 – The work consists of selectively cutting certain juniper trees based on the spacing between trees to facilitate a planned prescribed fire. Approximately one third to one half of the standing trees in a unit shall be cut, with severed trees distributed at random throughout the units. Where clumps of trees occur, if possible, cut trees shall be felled into standing trees and left leaning into or lying down in close proximity to standing trees. Trees defined as leave trees shall not be cut.

6—Lop and Scatter.

The level of difficulty and access for lop and scatter will be identified in the task order. The levels are based on the amount of the slash to be treated and reduction height of slash. The amount of slash to be lopped and scattered averages less than 20 tons per acre. Slash shall be reduced to the extent that it is within 12 inches of the ground at all points. The material to be treated consists of down woody material created from vegetation treatments (such as harvest, thinning, or slashing, etc.) or created through natural process. Lop and scatter all existing slash so that all top and side branches are free of the central stem so that the slash is reduced to within the limit of the ground at all points, as stated for the level of difficulty. Central stem length shall not exceed eight feet.

7 – Sever and Pile and Cover. All piles shall be constructed by laying limbs, stems, cut boles and other slash in the pile so as to be parallel with each other. On slopes over 15% material shall be piled perpendicular to the slope. Slash that causes large air spaces in piles shall be cut or crushed to eliminate air spaces. Each pile shall include an area of small sized slash (small branches less than 1/4 to1/2 inch in diameter and/or small branches with needles or leaves attached) to provide “kindling” for prompt ignition and to aid in combustion of larger slash. These fuels shall be placed in the center of the pile.

Unless otherwise approved by the COR, maximum hand pile size shall be 8 feet in diameter by 8 feet in height, and minimum hand pile size shall be 5 feet in diameter by 4 feet in height. There are no limits on the size of mechanical piles provided that no leave or reserve trees are within 30’ of the machine pile.

All piles shall be covered with a minimum of 6-foot by 6-foot piece of 4-mil thickness black polyethylene plastic, except that hand piles shall be covered such that at least 80 percent of the pile’s surface area shall be covered. All four corners and the middle of the plastic sheets shall be anchored with slash or other debris.

Unless otherwise approved by the COR, hand piles shall not be closer than 15 feet to reserve trees or 25 feet to a unit boundary, the distance shall be double for machine piles. Slash shall not be piled or placed on logs or stumps, in roadways or drainage ditches, or within channel bottoms, streams or within no-treatment zones. Piles shall be compact and free of dirt or other non-flammable material.

B.1.1 Location of Projects: The work will occur on lands administered by Prineville District and the Headquarters are located at Prineville, Oregon. The Prineville District consists of over 1.65 million acres of public lands and these lands are scattered throughout central Oregon, north to the Dalles, south to La Pine, west to Sisters, and east to the Grant/Harney County line. The counties included within the District are Wasco, Shermin, Gilliam, Jefferson, Wheeler, Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Klamath Lake and Morrow. Within the District are two Resource Areas, Deschutes and Central Oregon. Work also may also occur on private land using Wyden Amendment Authority.

B.1.2

Description of Units

Deschutes Resource Area – Average slope is 10% - 30%. Tree density is an average of 450 trees per acre. Seventy percent (70%) of the units can be accessed by 4x4 or ATV vehicles.

Central Oregon Resource Area– Average slope is 10% - 30%. Tree density is an average of 300 trees per acre. Eighty percent (80%) can be accessed by 4x4 or ATV vehicles.

B.1.3

Boundaries of Project Area All units are flagged with orange ribbon, (unless another color is specified by the COR on the task order). All units were surveyed using a Global Positioning System (GPS) and acreages computed on a horizontal basis.

B.1.4

Access B.1.5 Standard Access: For this contract, standard access is defined as (1) Roads passable with a 4-wheel drive or ATV type vehicle or (2) foot travel to the nearest project area boundary is one-half mile or less. The cost of standard access is to be included in the unit price quote.

B.1.5.1 Use of All Terrain Vehicle: If an all terrain vehicle is used, it shall be of such design that it will travel over rough, uneven terrain and not create wheel ruts and/or channels.

B.1.5.2 Contractor is responsible for coordinating access across private land. Roads in the project area are unsurfaced. The Contractor shall not cause rutting or other damage to public or privately owned roads, fences or other property.

B.1.6 Permit – State law requires a permit to operate power driven machinery. Permits must be obtained from the State Forestry Office in Salem or at local offices prior to the operation of power driven machinery. This requirement applies to chain saws.

B.2.0

DEFINITIONS

Old Growth Juniper Tree - These juniper trees can be identified by their growth form. Trees with deeply furrowed bark, round-topped canopies, and apparent cavities will be left. These trees may also contain one or more of the following characteristics; yellow lichens on branches, strips of bark pealing from trunk and/or lower limbs, large diameter lower limbs, portions of canopy dead, and dead spike top (some may be less than 6 inch DBH). Trees with these characteristics provide important habitat for numerous wildlife species.

Hardwood - This is a broad category that includes all woody plants with broad leaves and a well-defined trunk greater than 10 feet tall. This group includes, but is not limited to aspen, mahogany, cottonwood, willow, and alder.

DBH - diameter of the tree at breast height, measured at a point 4.5 feet above ground level from the uphill side of the tree.

Snag - Juniper trees that are dead or showing clear signs of low vigor because of disease or other factors.

Leave Trees

a. All hardwoods, pine, mahogany, snags, and old growth juniper trees as defined above.

b. Any tree having signs or survey marks.

c. All trees along fence lines that have fence wire attached to them.

d. Trees with cultural significance or obvious wildlife occupation, i.e. cavities or bird nests.

e. Any tree with blue or orange flagging on it.

f. Any tree in a leave patch.

g. NOTE: All leave trees are not marked. It is the contractor’s responsibility to identify them.

Uncut Surplus Trees – Trees that based on the specifications for each item would be targeted to cut but are uncut.

Closed Juniper Woodland - A stand of juniper where the understory shrubs (mostly sagebrush) have been lost and the lower branches of the juniper have begun to die or are already dead.

Pocket of Juniper - A group of three or more juniper growing in the midst of a sagebrush stand. In these pockets the outside juniper may have lower limbs down to the sagebrush, but the lower limbs inside the patch are dead.

Cut Leave Tree - A tree noted during inspection of the area as a tree that should not have been cut.

High Stump - A juniper tree stump left by the contractor that exceeds 10 inch in height, as measured on the uphill side of the stump.

Leave Patch - A group of trees surrounded by trees having orange flagging attached to them.

Limby Stump - A juniper tree stump left by the contractor having live limbs remaining.

Lopping – Cutting branch, limb or bole wood to achieve a defined height of material from ground level remaining after tree felling.

Slash – Woody material on the ground resulting from the falling of trees, limbing and lopping of limbs or branches from cut trees.

Stream - A drainage that flows water during the project work.

Wildlife Cover Pile - A pile created where three or more juniper trees have been directionally cut and felled to a common point.