4.Appendix A.docx

SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS

AAP - WFM-0900-1-HFR-686-0909-03

Project Name: Caribou Fuels Stewardship Attachment 1 – Appendix A

MANDATORY STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS

Desired Outcome – The end result is a reduction of hazardous fuels across the treatment area. The majority of the remaining piles of vegetative material are free of dirt and will burn clean. A minimum of twenty percent of the coarse woody debris is maintained. Duff layer is removed during scarification and mineral soil exposed for natural and/or tree planting success. Penetration of the soil profile is kept at a minimum. Damage to standing trees and pockets of target species regeneration is minimized.

Unit Boundaries- Boundaries of the items are shown on the attached “Contract Area Map” and marked in orange paint. Details on the boundaries can be found in the attached “Timber Specifications”.

Measurement- The acreages shown in the Schedule of Items are traversed. There may be unworkable areas within each Item. Unworkable areas may include, but are not limited to: stream channels; rock outcrops or hillsides with a 40% or greater slope; piling areas; clumps of trees; and naturally wet areas which do not lend themselves to equipment work. Unworkable areas can make up part of the 20% untreated vegetative material provided the area includes a variety of coarse woody debris. Unworkable areas may be left after agreement with the Forest Service.

Equipment Specifications

1. Tractors used shall be the crawler type and shall be equipped with track pads with grousers of at least 1.5 inches, safety canopy, and serviceable fire extinguisher. The minimum acceptable tractor size shall be those models rated at 140 flywheel horsepower.

2. Tractors used shall be equipped with a rake blade and a hydraulic system capable of operating the blade. A rear-mounted winch system is recommended for freeing the tractor from soft wet areas.

3. Operating supplies, all fuel, lubricating and other maintenance work shall be the Contractor’s responsibility.

Technical Specifications for Project Numbers 1, 5, 6 and 7;

1. Vegetative material occurring on 80 percent of the project units shall be raked into compact piles. This vegetation is further described as:

- dead, standing snags less than six (6) inches;

- live trees less than five (5) inches.;

- brush.

2. Soil scarification is expected throughout the project units and shall target areas of brush concentrations or areas that have more occurrence of balsam fir regeneration. Penetration of the rake blade into the ground shall be minimized with the intent of removing duff, brush and tree roots while maintaining the existing soil profile to the best extent possible.

3. Piles shall be pushed on all sides. A minimum of soil will be accepted in each pile to maximize a clean and complete burning of the pile. Slash piles shall be 10 feet away from any standing live trees greater than 5 inches DBH.

4. Extra care shall be taken to reduce the amount of dirt when piling brush and live trees. Where the vegetation removed includes tree and brush root wads with considerable amounts of dirt, pile separately from burnable piles.

5. All live trees 5 inches DBH or larger and all dead trees 6 inches DBH or larger shall be left standing.

6. Any tree with an orange painted band or slash shall be left standing.

7. Whenever possible retain sugar or red maples four (4) inches or larger.

8. Piles shall not be placed closer than 50 feet to any road or access route designated on the contract area map, and within 50 feet of the area boundaries.

9. Damage done by the Contractor to roads, access routes, and trails in the area of the work shall be repaired immediately by the Contractor.

10. In Project Number 7 restrict operations to July and August to provide a fresh seed bed for paper birch seed in the fall.

Technical Specifications for Project Numbers 2, 3, 4, and 8;

1. Vegetative material occurring on 80 percent of the project units shall be raked into compact piles. This vegetation is further described as:

- dead, standing snags less than six (6) inches;

- live balsam fir trees less than five (5) inches;

-brush.

3. Soil scarification is not expected throughout the project units in order to retain healthy trees of all age classes. Scarification shall target openings, areas adjacent to raked piles, concentrations of brush or balsam fir, or where there is not enough natural regeneration of target species. The penetration of the rake blade into the ground shall be minimized with the intent of removing duff, brush and tree roots while maintaining the existing soil profile to the best extent possible. The percentage of scarification shall vary within and between project units but could be up to 80 percent.

4. Protect target seedlings and saplings of jack, red and white pine, white cedar, white spruce, and paper birch. These species may include balsam fir where they occur in the 20 percent of the area not raked or where removal would damage leave trees.

5. Piles shall be pushed on all sides. A minimum of soil shall be accepted in each pile to maximize a clean and complete burning of the pile. Slash piles shall be 10 feet away from any standing live trees greater than 5 inches DBH.

6. Extra care shall be taken to reduce the amount of dirt when piling brush and live trees. Where the vegetation removed includes tree and brush root wads with considerable amounts of dirt, pile separately from burnable piles.

7. All live trees 5 inches DBH or larger and all dead trees 6 inches DBH or larger shall be left standing.

8. Any tree with an orange painted band or slash shall be left standing.

9. Whenever possible retain sugar or red maples four (4) inches or larger.

10. Piles shall not be placed closer than 50 feet to any road or access route designated on the contract area map, and within 50 feet of the area boundaries.

11. Damage done by the Contractor to roads, access routes, and trails in the area of the work shall be repaired immediately by the Contractor.

Measurable Performance Standards Amount of fuel piled Condition of remaining trees Compactness of piles and amount of dirt within piles Minimum ground penetration Mineral soil exposed

Monitoring/Acceptable Quality Level

The Forest Service will conduct visual inspections, with random plots, on each unit to determine compliance with work specifications. Initial inspection will consist of a review of the piles, the condition of the leave trees, the amount and distribution of vegetative material remaining, and the quality of scarification.

If the contractor disagrees with the random walk thru results of the Forest Service, a sampling method using plots will be employed to resolve differences in judging results.