Roadside_vegquestions.docx

1. What is the preferred treatment application method in wetland areas where equipment use is prohibited?

1. Given the timing of the solicitation and snow conditions, are the treatment areas accessible with equipment?

1. What is the preferred seeding method? Can the areas be drill seeded, or are they too rocky and require hand or broadcast seeding?

1. In areas not suitable for seeding, what plug density should be assumed for bidding purposes?

1. There are no extensive wetland areas that require planting. In section C of the solicitation there is a series of 4 photographs (pages have numbers 3 and 4 in the corner). The 1st and the 4th photos show a typical wetland scenario. The road is built on fill through a wetland, and the roadside slopes down to a ditch bottom. The fill slope is mowed one mower deck width. At the bottom of the ditch is a narrow band (1-3 feet wide) of unmowed wetland vegetation that quickly transitions to alder swamp or open marsh. In some areas this narrow band of wetland vegetation has Canada thistle patches. These would be the target areas for invasives treatment and subsequent planting. Planting would be broadcast seeding or planting plugs by hand. These narrow wetland areas don’t lend themselves to any equipment.

1. The treatment areas are all adjacent to and visible from the Gunflint Trail, a plowed road. No equipment is necessary to view the project area. However, right now the project area is covered by snow. During the growing season, treatment areas would be accessible with equipment.

1. I’m not that familiar with the process of seed drilling and don’t want to mislead anyone. I don’t know what kind of slopes or right of way widths they can operate on. I will offer that one 0.8 ac gravelly clearing is flat and could potentially be drill seeded. However, the soil is very gravelly and somewhat compacted. It definitely doesn’t look like an agricultural field where a seed drill might more typically be used. The other contiguous large area is a 0.5 acre gravelly hillside (photo 3 of the above referenced photo series), but there is a slope involved that could limit equipment.

1. In areas where plugs are used, you could assume a density of 4 plugs per 1 square foot.