Scope of Work.doc

WFM-0900-1-HFR-703-0904-13 Huron Fuels Mitigation – Red Pine Hazardous Fuels Timber Marking

SECTION C--DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

SCOPE

It is the intent of this contract to secure labor, equipment and supplies necessary to accomplish timber marking in red pine stands scheduled for timber harvest on the Mio Ranger Districts of the Huron-Manistee National Forests. The Four Timber Sales (Green Deeter, Hermit Thrush North, Nuthatch & Hermit Thrush South) involve timber marking only on approximately 767 acres.

Work will consist of painting trees in accordance with the technical specification outlined below.

DESCRIPTION AND LOCATIONS

The four Timber Sales are located on the Huron National Forest, west of Mio, Michigan. The Green Deeter Sale is located in Sections 21, 22 & 27, T26N, R1E, and is accessed from Forest Service roads 3027 and 3037. Hermit Thrush North Sale units are in Sections 18, 19, 20 & 29 of T26N, R1E and are accessed from Randall Road and Forest Service road 3035. The Nuthatch Timber Sale units are located in Sections 26, 27, 34 & 35 of T26N, R1W and are accessed by the McMasters Bridge Road and Highway 72. Hermit Thrush South Sale units are located north of Highway 18 near Roscommon, MI and have several county roads for access. The units are located in Sections 27, 33 & 34 of T25N, R2W and Sections 29, 30 & 32 of T25N, R1W.

Working Area Boundaries – Forest Service has painted and numbered payment unit boundaries using 2 or 3 Orange slashes and orange painted unit numbers. These unit boundaries were then traversed using GPS to establish total areas.

Marking Guides

General Marking Instructions These timber sales will be cut tree marked using the national designated paint scheme. All paint provided will be accounted for through out the life of this contract. The designated COR and district paint custodian will oversee the accountability procedures and go over in detail the exact procedures to be used prior to issuing any tree marking paint. If a problem is discovered by either party that party will notify the other immediately so corrective action can be taken.

Basal Area is generally the most important criteria for choosing how many trees to mark for harvest. Residual BA for each stand is given in the attached prescriptions. The criteria for selecting which trees to harvest depends on a number of factors that are described in these prescriptions. Overall, it is the quality of the residual stand that is most important.

Only timber marking will be done on these sale units. Volume determination is not required.

The specific merchantability specification and minimum piece specification requirements for each sale will be gone over in detail by the COR prior to starting the first payment unit.

DBH Marks:

All DBH marks will be slashes at least 2” (inches) wide and will cover approximately 75% of the trees circumference. This will require 2 or 3 swipes of paint for each slash. DBH marks will be made at not less than 4 ½ feet and not higher than 6 ½ feet from the ground. This technique will be used on both pulpwood and sawtimber. Marking timber should be avoided during extreme wet weather, or when the boles of standing timber are saturated and wet to the touch. The contractor should contact the COR for site specific details and direction when this saturation occurs. Paint will be expected to last a minimum of 4 years. If the contractor fails to use good judgment, he/she will remark the problem area with no adjustment in total acres. The Forest Service will supply only additional paint. The COR will review marking language and technique with contractor prior to starting first unit.

Stump Marks:

All marked trees require stump marks. Stump marks must intersect the ground and be located in a moss free area, on the downhill side of the stump. This may require scraping off moss/debris prior to painting the stump.

Individual Stand Prescriptions

(acres are approximate)

Project: Green Deeter

1) Present Stand Conditions

Density Basal

Area Site

Index Year

Origin

Species Composition: Red Pine sawtimber

2) Management Objective (DSC):

Density

* Underburn

3) Treatments to Achieve Management Objective:

The objective of thinning red pine in LSC 500 is to promote growth of the red pine crop trees and reduce the risk of crown fire by reducing crown-to-crown contact.

Compartment 108, stand 10

Compartment 109, stand 03

Compartment 109, stand 04

Free thin stands 3, 4 and 10 to leave a basal area of approximately 100-120.

4): Treatment Parameters:

Commercial Thinning:

Narrative: Stocking densities range from 150 sq. ft. /acre to over 200 sq. ft. /acre.

Thin to a leave basal area of 90 to 120 or row thin depending on stand conditions. In areas to be row thinned, cut 1 row and leave 2 rows or cut two rows and leave 2 rows depending on spacing. Skid trail spacing should be between 12-14 feet wide. In areas of high stocking densities, thin the leave row as needed to release potential crop trees. Discriminate against jack pine, poor formed oaks, and suppressed red pine. Retain mature oaks, aspen, and super canopy red and white pine where removal is not required for harvesting operations.

In areas of low stocking densities, mark only those trees that need to be removed for equipment access or release crop trees. In areas of stocking over 200 sq. ft. / acre, do not remove more than ½ of the basal area.

Wildlife: Where they occur retain at least 9 live jack pine or oak > 9” DBH per acre, to provide future dens and snags. In addition 3 trees per acre > 10”DBH will be retained to create dead and downed wood and 4 trees per acre of the largest diameter practical would be retained to provide mast/den trees.

Individual Stand Prescriptions

(acres are approximate)

Project: Hermit Thrush North

1) Present Stand Conditions

Density Basal

Area Site

Index Year

Origin

Density

The objective of thinning red pine in LSC 500 is to promote growth of the red pine crop trees and reduce the risk of crown fire by reducing crown-to-crown contact.

The red pine stands located in designated old growth areas (LSC 810) will be managed as old growth. These stands will also be thinned but the treatments will be designed to promote old growth characteristics such as large diameter trees at variable spacing and multiple canopy layers and to reduce fire hazard by reducing crown to crown contact between trees.

Compartment 83, Stand 26

Stand 26 is Old Growth

Cut 2 rows and leave two rows. Retain all hardwood and jack pine for species diversity and future snags. Remove red pine from around and under mature oak trees. Remove red pine from around white pine regeneration.

Compartment 86, stand 01

Compartment 86, stand 11

Free thin stand 01 to leave a basal area of approximately 90-100.

Free thin stand 11 to leave a basal area of approximately 110-120.

Compartment 87, stand 07

Cut 2 and leave 2 or cut 1 and leave 2 depending on spacing.

Cut rows must have a minimum of 12 feet of clearance.

Compartment 87. stand 01 Compartment 87, stand 06

Free thin stand 01 to leave a basal area of approximately 90- 100.

Free thin stand 06 to leave a basal area of approximately 100-110.

Compartment 87, stand 48

Free thin stand 48 to leave a basal area of approximately 100 -110.

South part of stand with lower stocking densities, mark only trees that need to be removed to provide access or release crop trees.

Thin to a leave basal area of 90 to 120 or row thin depending on stand conditions. In areas to be row thinned, cut 1 row and leave 2 rows or cut two rows and leave 2 rows depending on spacing. Skid trail spacing should be between 12-14 feet wide. In areas of high stocking densities, thin the leave row as needed to release potential crop trees. Discriminate against jack pine, poor formed oaks, and suppressed red pine. Retain mature oaks, aspen, and super canopy red and white pine where removal is not required for harvesting operations.

In areas of low stocking densities, mark only those trees that need to be removed for equipment access or release crop trees. In areas of stocking over 200 sq. ft. / acre, do not remove more than ½ of the basal area.

Wildlife: Where they occur retain at least 9 live jack pine or oak > 9” DBH per acre, to provide future dens and snags. In addition 3 trees per acre > 10”DBH will be retained to create dead and downed wood and 4 trees per acre of the largest diameter practical would be retained to provide mast/den trees.

Old Growth: Retain all oak and other species to increase species diversity. Remove red pine from around mature oak trees. Remove red pine from around white pine regeneration. Thin heavier along roads to highlight large red pines. To promote within stand diversity, create small patch clearcuts of ¼ to ½ acre in size at the rate of 1 per 10 acres, and expand any small openings by approximately one third of their current size.

Individual Stand Prescriptions

(acres are approximate)

Project: Nuthatch

1) Present Stand Conditions

No.

Stand

No.

Area Site

Index Year

Origin

Density

The objective of thinning red pine in LSC 500 is to promote growth of the red pine crop trees and reduce the risk of crown fire by reducing crown-to-crown contact.

The red pine stands located in designated old growth areas (LSC 810) will be managed as old growth. These stands will also be thinned but the treatments will be designed to promote old growth characteristics such as large diameter trees at variable spacing and multiple canopy layers and to reduce fire hazard by reducing crown to crown contact between trees.

Compartment 59, Stand 01

Compartment 60, Stand 02 Old Growth

Free thin to leave basal area of approximately 100-110. Retain all hardwood and jack pine for species diversity. Remove red pine from around and under mature oak trees. Thin heavier along roads to highlight large red pines.

Compartment 63, stand 32, 35

Old Growth

Cut 2 and leave 2 or cut 1 and leave 2 depending on spacing. Cut rows must have minimum of 12 feet of clearance. Remove all jack pine except those needed for snags. Do not remove jack pine pockets. Remove red pine from around and under mature oak trees. Thin heavier along private boundary (300’) to promote hardwood regeneration.

Compartment 63, stand 36, 37, 38

Compartment 71, stand 40

Old Growth

Free thin to leave basal area of approximately 110-120.

Thin to a leave basal area of 90 to 120 or row thin depending on stand conditions. In areas to be row thinned, cut 1 row and leave 2 rows or cut two rows and leave 2 rows depending on spacing. Skid trail spacing should be between 12-14 feet wide. In areas of high stocking densities, thin the leave row as needed to release potential crop trees. Discriminate against jack pine, poor formed oaks, and suppressed red pine. Retain mature oaks, aspen, and super canopy red and white pine where removal is not required for harvesting operations.

In areas of low stocking densities, mark only those trees that need to be removed for equipment access or release crop trees. In areas of stocking over 200 sq. ft. / acre, do not remove more than ½ of the basal area.

Wildlife: Where they occur retain at least 9 live jack pine or oak > 9” DBH per acre, to provide future dens and snags. In addition 3 trees per acre > 10”DBH will be retained to create dead and downed wood and 4 trees per acre of the largest diameter practical would be retained to provide mast/den trees.

Old Growth: Retain all oak and other species to increase species diversity. Remove red pine from around mature oak trees. Remove red pine from around white pine regeneration. Thin heavier along roads to highlight large red pines. To promote within stand diversity, create small patch clearcuts of ¼ to ½ acre in size at the rate of 1 per 10 acres, and expand any small openings by approximately one third of their current size.

Individual Stand Prescriptions

(acres are approximate)

Project: Hermit Thrush South

1) Present Stand Conditions

No.

Stand

No.

Area Site

Index Year

Origin

Species Composition: Red Pine sawtimber and poletimber with minor amounts of jack pine and oak.

Density

The objective of thinning red pine in LSC 500 is to promote growth of the red pine crop trees and reduce the risk of crown fire by reducing crown-to-crown contact. Periodic prescribed fires may be used in indicated stands to decrease the amount of fuels buildup after harvest. Post harvest/pre-burn surveys will determine the stocking level and fuel loads for development of the burn plan.

Compartment 11, Stand 12

Free thin to leave a basal area of approximately 90-100.

Compartment 12, stand 01, 06, 10

Cut rows must have a minimum of 12 feet of clearance. Free thin where necessary to leave a basal area of approximately 90-100.

Remove jack pine from cut and leave rows. Retain some of the scattered jack pine pockets for snags.

Compartment 13, stand 07

Free thin to leave a basal area of approximately 100-110.

Cut 2 and leave 2 in northern part of stand. (Never thinned)

Compartment 50, stand 24, 30, 43

Free thin to leave a basal area of approximately 100-120.

Compartment 51, stand 06

Compartment 51, stand 14, 18

Free thin to leave a basal area of approximately 100-120.

Compartment 52, stand 09, 32

Compartment 53, stand 25, 36

South end of stand 36 has to be row thinned.

Thin to a leave basal area of 90 to 120 or row thin depending on stand conditions. In areas to be row thinned, cut 1 row and leave 2 rows or cut two rows and leave 2 rows depending on spacing. Skid trail spacing should be between 12-14 feet wide. In areas of high stocking densities, thin the leave row as needed to release potential crop trees. Discriminate against jack pine, poor formed oaks, and suppressed red pine. Leave larger diameter oak or other hardwoods (> 14”DBH)

In areas of low stocking densities, mark only those trees that need to be removed for equipment access or release crop trees. In areas of stocking over 200 sq. ft. / acre, do not remove more than ½ of the basal area.

Wildlife: Where they occur retain at least 9 live jack pine or oak > 9” DBH per acre, to provide future dens and snags. In addition 3 trees per acre > 10”DBH will be retained to create dead and downed wood and 4 trees per acre of the largest diameter practical would be retained to provide mast/den trees.