C._Appendix_A.doc

Appendix A – Work Activity Items Malo East Lake Stewardship

Appendix A – Work Activity Items Malheur NF 10-year Stewardship AG-04KK-S-13-9000

Appendix A – Malheur NF 10 year Stewardship-Technical Specifications for Service Work Activities Mandatory Stewardship Project Number 1.0 – Pre-commercial Thinning (PCT) Acres: 4,756 The end result is to have average tree spacing of 18 to 20 feet apart, consisting of the largest, most fire resistant conifer species with the most desirable characteristics.

Units: units listed in the following subdivisions -

Sub Item1.1 MD subdivision: units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 37, 40, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 50A, 51, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 58A, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71, 72, 72A, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 92, 93, 94, 95, 100, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106, 116, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 155, 156, 157, 159 Sub Item 1.2 Calamity subdivision: units 3, 7, 26, 27, 89, 90, 91, & 123 Sub Item 1.3 Dairy Subdivision: units 8, 10, 15, 39, 40, & 53

· Thin all conifers from 12” tall to 10” DBH, with the exception of Western Larch.

· Space leave trees 8 to 10 feet from the outside of the crowns (crown spacing).

· Spacing may vary 25%.

· Species preference shall be WL, PP, and DF, LP, WF, GF

· No Western Larch shall be cut.

· Western Juniper from 2 feet tall to 18” DBH shall be felled and left in place unless needed for a leave tree. (Incidental amounts)

· Leave all hardwoods.

· Leave one 60’X60” clump of un-thinned trees per acre.

· Prefer trees with the largest diameter and the most crown ratio.

· Leave trees with less than 100 ht/dia ratio and no physical defects or insect damage or disease presence.

· Leave snags standing.

· Stump height shall not exceed 6”

· See Definitions for thinning around Mountain Mahogany.

· Roads, stock trails, and fences shall be clear of debris from PCT operations.

· All range improvements shall be protected or repaired if damaged.

· Stumps contain no lower live limbs.

· Leave all trees within 150 feet of springs, bogs, seeps or elk wallows.

· Leave all trees exhibiting visible wildlife nesting use. Hawks, eagles, owls, woodpeckers, and squirrels are of primary concern.

· “Wolfy” trees, trees with poor form, broken tops or numerous large limbs shall not be cut. Typically these trees are not of commercial value.

· No thinning shall occur within the buffers of any Category 1, 2, 3 or 4 stream course unless otherwise described in the task order.

· Trees shall be felled away from unit boundaries and other physical improvements. If a tree is felled on a boundary or improvement, it shall promptly be removed. If damage to improvements, the C.O. shall be immediately notified and the contractor shall pay the cost of restoration and repair.

Mandatory Stewardship Project Number 2.0– Grapple Piling of Activity Slash Acres: 4,756 The end result is to have all slash created from the logging and thinning processes to be piled at the landing or in the unit.

Units: units listed in the 2.1 MD subdivision, 2.2 Calamity subdivision and the 2.3 Dairy Subdivision.

· Equipment shall be washed and weed free before commencement of work.

· Pile all activity slash up to 12” in diameter on the small end.

· Piles shall be free of dirt, soil, rocks and other non-flammable material.

· Piles shall be no less than 6 feet high and 10 feet in width.

· Where possible, piles shall be no closer than 20 feet from the bole of the nearest live tree.

· Piles shall be constructed in such a manner as to easily ignite, combust completely, and contain fire within the pile perimeter.

· Logs over 12” on the small end shall not be piled or piled upon.

· Machine operations shall be conducted in such a manner as to minimize additional soil disturbance or compaction.

· Piling shall only be completed under “Dry” or “Frozen” conditions.

Mandatory Stewardship Project Number 4.1 – Sample Leave Tree Marking Each: 1

The purpose is to complete a sample leave tree mark of approximately 5 acres in the first three units per basal area prescription to be commercially thinned to show an understanding of the silviculture prescription as described in Appendix B, clause K-C.3.5.5#. Contracting Officer’s Representative shall accept the sample mark before any cutting is allowed. The contractor shall use orange paint to create a band around the leave tree at 4.5 feet height above the ground with additonal marks at the base of the tree. The contractor shall use orange paint to create a band around the leave tree at 4.5 feet height above the ground. The contractor shall provide the orange paint.

Optional Stewardship Project Number 4.2 – Sample Leave Tree Marking Each: 1

The purpose is to complete a sample leave tree mark of approximately 5 acres in the first three units per basal area prescription to be commercially thinned to show an understanding of the silviculture prescription as described in Appendix B, clause K-C.3.5.5#. Contracting Officer’s Representative shall accept the sample mark before any cutting is allowed. The contractor shall use orange paint to create a band around the leave tree at 4.5 feet height above the ground with additional marks at the base of the tree. The contractor shall provide the orange paint. Each sub-contractor shall be required to meet this requirement before felling is started.

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR ALL PROJECTS

The Forest Service has identified all commercial timber unit boundaries on the ground with flagging, tags and paint on boundary trees. The outside boundary lines for the other units have been flagged and tagged.

RESOURCE PROTECTION

1. No thinning or piling shall occur within the buffers of any Category 1, 2, 3 or 4 stream course (See Definitions) unless otherwise described in the task order.

2. Piling equipment may be allowed to cross Category 4 streams. All equipment crossing locations shall be approved in advance by the Contracting Officer. Other than at approved stream crossings, no equipment shall operate within the specified Category 4 stream, spring, seep or bog buffer area (see Definition D).

3. Trees shall be felled away from unit boundaries and other physical improvements such as roads, culverts, power or telephone lines, established trails, spring developments, stock driveways, fence lines, gates, established land corners, etc. Any tree falling on such areas shall be immediately removed. If the Contractor causes any damage to any physical improvement, the Contracting Officer shall be immediately notified and the Contractor shall pay the cost of restoration and repair.

4. If any cultural or archaeological sites are discovered within the work area or by the Contractor’s operation, the contractor shall immediately cease work in the immediate area and notify the Contracting Officer. The Government may unilaterally modify or cancel this contract to protect an area, object of antiquity, artifact or similar object which is or may be entitled to protection under 16 U.S.C. 431-433, 16 U.S.C. 470, PL 96-95 and 36 CFR 261 9(e). In accordance with 36 CFR 296. ( c), Contractor shall bear costs of restoration, provided that such payment shall not relieve Contractor from civil or criminal remedies otherwise provided by law. See Section H.20 for further information and requirements.

5. Fuel material shall be pulled back into the unit as follows:

All fuel material on or within 10 feet of any open or barricaded road.

All fuel material on firelines, ditches, berms, fill slopes, and cut banks.

All fuel material on or within 25 feet of physical improvements.

All fuel material within 10 feet of private land.

All fuel material within 10 feet of fence lines.

All fuel material within 25 feet of Superior trees (see definition J).

DEFINITIONS

A) Calendar Days: Every day shown on the calendar, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays included.

B) Contracting Officer: - The CO is the person executing this contract on behalf of the Government, including any duly appointed successor and authorized representative of the Contracting Officer acting within the limits of his/her authority.

C) Contracting Officer's Representative: - The COR is the on-site Contract Administrator for the Contracting Officer. The duties and responsibilities of a COR are defined in the letter of designation issued by the Contracting Officer.

D) Category 1-4 Streams:

Category 1 - Fish bearing streams that are either perennial or intermittent. Buffer width is 300 feet on each side.

Category 2 – Non-fish bearing streams that are perennial. Buffer width is 150 feet on each side.

Category 3 – Ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands greater than 1 acre. Buffer width is 150 from edge.

Category 4 – Non-fish bearing streams that are intermittent or ponds, lakes, and wetlands less than 1 acre. Buffer width is 100 feet.

E) Damage: Defect or deformity of a tree resulting from agents such as wind, snow, animals, insects, disease, and equipment, and evidenced by such things as dead or broken tops or trunks, crooks, and deep scars or damage to the bark on more than ¼ of the circumference of the tree.

F) DBH (Diameter Breast Height): A point on the bole of a tree 4.5 feet above the ground measured on the up hill side.

G) Leave Trees: Trees not designated for removal or other prescribed treatment. These trees shall be the best available, and be free of disease, sweeps and crooks with a healthy crown.

H) Superior Tree: A tree selected for genetic superiority for future seed collection. Identified by an orange band painted at DBH.

I) Mountain Mahogany Protection: Remove conifer trees less than 21” DBH and Juniper less than 18” DBH within 30’ of Mt. Mahogany clumps (clump is defined as 30’ in diameter and 4’ tall). If the trees cannot be removed without destroying 50% of the mahogany clump they shall be left uncut. For individual scattered Mt. Mahogany plants 4 feet in height, remove all trees under 14” DBH for 10 feet.

J) Dry Conditions: Refers to the months of July through September, or obviously dry to a depth of 4 inches during other months.

K) Snow Covered: Refers to the ground having a sufficient snow depth and strength to prevent soil disturbance and compaction. (Minimum 12” Depth)

L) Frozen: Refers to the ground being frozen to a depth of 4 inches or more.

M) Snag: Standing dead tree greater than 12 inches DBH. Not to be cut except as needed for safety. If cut for safety reasons, shall be left as a wildlife log.

N) Wildlife logs: Any log greater than 12 inches in diameter on the small end and at least 8 feet in length.

O) Old Growth Characteristics: Mature trees are those that are noticeably older and are considered as a different cohort than the rest of the second growth stand (a cohort is a group of trees that generally originated at the same time). They often are noticeably larger, have orange bark, have larger bark plates, are self-pruning, have generally a rougher form, and are desired to retain and enhance any existing old forest stand structure. All live trees over 21” DBH are to be retained. Emphasize retention of some of the older mature trees less than 21” DBH that have several of the characteristics just described.

P) Quality Assurance: The actions taken by the Government to assess the results to determine that they meet contract requirements. The methods for quality assurance are described in the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP).

Q) Quality Control: Those actions taken by a Contractor to control the production of outputs to ensure that they conform to the contract requirements.

R) Slash (existing and created): Boles of cut trees, tops and/or limbs created by the Contractor’s operations are created slash. Existing includes all woody material already dead on site which has to be treated to meet the end results.

S) Live Crown Ratio: The ratio of live crown to total height.

T) Grapple Piling: Creating clean, burnable piles from fuel materials on site using a tracked machine with low ground pressure, a boom, and a grapple with a thumb. See grapple pile specification or minimum size requirements.

U) Spacing: The horizontal distance from the trunk of one leave tree to the trunk of the next nearest leave tree. Average spacing is calculated from the leave trees per acre.

V) Thinning: The process of selecting and leaving the largest, most fire resistant trees (including those showing good health characteristics), to meet the average spacing rate listed for the units.

Trees that are selected to be left to meet the stocking level specified shall be desirable leave trees. The Contractor shall first select the most desirable species of trees as defined in item 1 below. The Contractor shall then select the most desirable leave trees as defined in item 2 below. In areas where there are not enough trees with the most desirable characteristics available to meet the specified stocking level, the Contractor shall select less desirable leave trees listed in item 2.

1. Desirable Species – the most fire tolerant defined as follows: Ponderosa pine, Western Larch, Douglas fir, Lodgepole pine, White Fir and Grand Fir in this order of preference. Criteria for selection between species is as follows, preferred species that are at least half the height of a less preferred species shall be left as the leave tree, given desirable tree characteristics are present.

2. Most Desirable Leave Trees: Trees that possess the following characteristics shall be the first choice for desirable leave trees:

a. Dominant Trees: Trees which are taller on the average when compared to other trees in the unit. These trees are not severely suppressed.

b. Co dominant Trees: Trees that are taller on the average when compared to other trees in the unit. These trees are not severely suppressed.

c. Healthy Foliage: Foliage shall be dark green in color with a full crown over one third or more of the trees.

d. Straight Bole: The bole or stem of the tree shall be relatively straight. Trees shall have a single branch terminal.

e. Free of Physical Damage: Trees shall not have physical damage from fire, animals or weather on more than one-fourth of the circumference of the bole or more than three feet of length of the bole.

f. Free of Disease Damage: Trees shall not have disease damage such as dwarf mistletoe or gall rust. g. Free of Insect Damage: Trees shall not have insect damage from Mountain and Western Pine Beetles and Ips Beetles. Symptoms of Mountain Pine Beetles are small red to yellowish pitch tubes (less than one-fourth inch) and boring dust in bark crevices and round the base of the tree. Symptoms of Ips and Western pine Beetles are dead tops and group killings without pitch tubes.

3. Less Desirable Leave Trees: When the prescribed stocking level of most desirable leave trees cannot be achieved with trees that posses the most desirable characteristics, the Contractor shall select trees with less desirable characteristics in the priority listed below:

a. Minor Defect: Trees with minor defect such a sharp crook or a small amount of animal damage.

b. Suppressed Trees: Trees that have been severely suppressed. Extremely short or nonexistent internodes, twisted gnarled stems, or an extreme sparseness of foliage usually characterizes them.

c. Other Live Trees: Trees other than insect or disease damaged trees with ¼ live crown.

d. Forked Trees: Those trees with two or more terminal leaders.

e. Physical Damage: Trees that have physical damage on half or more of the bole circumference and greater than three feet in length. Physical damage may be caused by equipment, falling trees, lightning, wind, animals, etc.

CONTRACTOR WORK REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS

Road Access: The Contractor may access the units from forest roads indicated on Contract Area Map. Some units require the Contractor to walk; access is to the access point noted on project map.

Pole Barricades: In cases where units are behind Pole Barricades, the Contractor shall open the barricade and leave it open while operations are ongoing in the unit. The Barricade shall be closed when operations are complete.

Tree Removal: All Included Timber agreed to shall be designated, cruised and paid for before cutting and/or removal.

Leave trees: 1) All snags that do not pose a hazard to operations as defined by the Oregon State Labor and Industry standards, shall be considered leave trees and left uncut. 2) All designated leave trees both in the treatment units and in the Optional Units shall be left uncut and undamaged. Operations shall be conducted in such a manner so as to not damage any leave trees during operations. See the contract provisions for penalties related to damage and/or cutting of commercial timber within the project area.

Unless otherwise approved by the Contracting Officer, all non-merchantable trees removed under the Mandatory and Optional work items shall be completely severed below the lowest live limb and within six (6) inches of the ground at an angle parallel to the slope, except when prevented by natural obstacles. A live limb is a limb of any size that has green needles attached. Cut trees shall be secured so they do not roll down hill and shall not be hung up on other trees or vegetation.

Slash created and/or trees dropped by the Contractor’s operations shall not be left outside the unit boundaries unless agreed to in writing by the Forest Service.

INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

A. UNSATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE

If the work is determined to have major defects, the Government will immediately notify the Contractor in writing and order improvement of the quality of future work. If the defects requiring action are not corrected within two consecutive workdays after receipt of notice in writing of unsatisfactory work, the Contractor’s right to proceed may be suspended and the contract considered to be in non-compliance. Repeated failure to perform work at an acceptable quality level shall also be considered in non-compliance.

B. REWORK AND REINSPECTION AFTER REWORK

When inspection results show a defect and the deficiency is correctable, payment will not be made until the deficiency has been corrected. Re-inspection after rework will be made in the same manner as the first inspection.

C. INSPECTION

CONTRACTOR QUALITY CONTROL PLAN

A. Quality Control Plan

The Contractor shall provide a Quality Control Plan (QCP) as part of the technical proposal. The Plan must demonstrate how the Contractor shall assure that quality of performance meets the objectives and requirements of the contract. The QCP shall specify:

- How quality shall be monitored to ensure performance standards are met.

- How the work shall be supervised.

- How results of the monitoring shall result in quality performance.

- Identify the personnel responsible for performing quality control.

- How the contractor shall insure trees over 21” DBH will not be cut.

- How the contractor shall insure clumps are place in the unit.

B. Contractor Quality Control Inspection

The Contractor shall assure that performance meets contract specification prior to requesting the Government to inspect for payment or acceptance. Upon completion of a unit, the Contractor shall contact the COR to set a mutually agreed upon date for inspection of completed work. The COR may observe the Contractor’s inspection at any time and shall otherwise have unlimited access to the inspection data.

C. Work Schedule

The Government may specify the priority of work by Project Area(s) or Treatment Unit(s).

In order to observe the work in progress, the Contractor shall notify the CO 24 hours in advance of changes in their established work schedule. Failure to notify the Government in changes to the established work schedule may result in the assessment of administrative costs.

GOVERNMENT–QUALITY ASSURANCE SURVEILLANCE PLAN

The Government will conduct visual inspections before, during and after operations to check compliance with the contract requirements for:

a. All transport, accountability, treatment and resource specifications are met.

b. All safety items as listed in clause entitled “SAFETY” are mitigated whenever present.

c. Operations follow approved work schedule.

Contractor shall correct all work that fails to meet contract requirements at no additional cost to the

Government.

The Government may periodically inspect all work to determine compliance with performance standards.

Inspections may include observations of operations, quality control procedures, and examination of

Individual cut and leave trees on a visual basis or by sample inspection plots. The Contractor is encouraged to observe inspections and will receive inspection reports upon request.

The CO will immediately notify the Contractor in writing and order improvements if the quality of work does not meet specifications.

MEASUREMENT AND PAYMENT

The area to be treated is stated on the project area map. All linear and area measurements under this contract are measured on a horizontal plane within the established boundaries. Boundaries are marked with paint, flags and tags in the commercial units and flags and tags in the noncommercial units.

Re-measurement. The Contractor may at any time after award request re-measurement of any unit. The request must be in writing within 10 days after completion of a unit or pay item. The Government’s re-measurement of the unit/sub item will be made within established boundaries.

If re-measurement indicates a variance of 5 percent or less in the acreage stated in the list of services, there will be no adjustment in acres and the Contractor shall pay for the actual cost of re-measurement.

If re-measurement results in a variance greater than 5 percent in the acreage stated in the list of services, payment shall be based on the re-measured acreage and the Government shall pay for the re-measurement.

The Government reserves the right to charge for cutting of designated reserve trees under the thinning tree selection criteria at the Damage tree rates as outlined in K-G 3.2.

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