Appendix_A_DCS_Amend_3.doc

Down Canyon South IRSC – Appendix A, Amendment 3

Appendix A

· Contract Area Map

· Definitions

· Service Work Technical Specifications for Activity Items

· Quality Assurance Plan

Definitions – Conifer (Softwood) - A tree belonging to the order Coniferales. Softwood trees are usually evergreen, bear cones, and have needles or scalelike leaves. They include pine, spruces, firs, and cedars.

Control Area (Cultural and/or Threatened and Endangered (T&E) Sites) - Areas delineated by orange/white candy stripe flagging for the purpose of protecting resources of concern. Locations where special protection is required to preserve and protect cultural values and species of plants or animals listed on the T&E list. Unless otherwise agreed to in writing, Areas should be avoided by Contractors operations.

Crown-class - a tree classification system based on the tree’s relative height, foliage density, and ability to intercept light. Crown-class measures past growth performance and calls attention to crop trees that could benefit from future thinning and harvest operations.

There are four classifications:

Dominant Trees - Larger-than-average trees with broad, well-developed crowns. These trees receive direct sunlight from all sides and above.

Codominant Trees - Average-to-fairly large trees with medium-sized crowns that form the forest canopy. These trees receive full light from above but are crowded on the sides.

Intermediate Trees - Medium-sized trees with small crowns below the general level of the canopy. Intermediate trees receive little direct light, are poor crop trees, and should be removed during thinning operations.

Suppressed or Overtopped Trees - Small trees that grow below the tree canopy and receive no direct sunlight from any direction.

Crown Ratio - The portion of the total vertical tree height that is occupied by the vertical length of the live tree crown.

Damaged/Diseased Tree - Any tree with one or more of the following:

1. Broken or dead top, regardless of cause.

2. Vertical orientation of bole is lost.

3. Visible disruption of roots.

4. Dead or dying limbs/foliage within the upper three-fourths of the live crown

5. Poor crown or bole form

DBH (Diameter at Breast Height) - The diameter of a tree measured in inches at breast height— a standard 4.5 feet above the ground taken on the uphill side.

DRC (Diameter at Root Collar) - Other vegetation, and some prostrate trees, i.e. Pinyon Pine; is measured 1 foot above ground at root collar.

Excess Tree - A tree that is left, but should have been cut to meet spacing or trees-per-acre requirements.

Existing Down Woody Material - All logs, stems, limbs and tops of trees and brush, which are dead and lying on the ground, regardless of decay status; prior to Contractor beginning operations.

Hardwood (Deciduous Trees) - Trees with broad, flat leaves as opposed to coniferous or needled trees. Wood hardness varies among the hardwood species, and some are actually softer than some softwood. Can be single stemmed or multi-stemmed with erect or prostrate growth patterns.

Jackpot - Concentration of slash or natural fuels, heavier than the surrounding areas.

Ladder Fuels - Fuels that provide vertical continuity between the ground and the tree crowns thus are creating a pathway for surface fire to move into the overstory tree crowns.

Landing - Area used to stage and load forest products prior to removal from the project area. Landings must be approved by the Contracting Officer’s Representative

Leave Tree - Any tree, which is free from Damage/Disease, and not designated for removal either by Timber Marking Paint or spacing/description requirements, and is left uncut (or should have been left uncut) by the Contractor to meet desired spacing or trees per acre requirements. Any live tree greater than 30 inches dbh and any live quaking aspen trees are automatically considered to be Leave Trees.

Leave Tree Clump - A group of 3 to 12 Dominant and Co-dominant trees in close proximity to one another, which is left (or should have been left) by the contractor to increase stand diversity.

Limited Operating Period (LOP) - A specified period of time during which identified activities are restricted or prohibited.

Low Ground Pressure Equipment - Equipment that exhibits 13 PSI or less on the ground when in operation. Equipment may be tracked or rubber-tired.

Mobilization/Demobilization - The act of transporting all ordered personnel and equipment to the project area upon Notice to Proceed and then removing said personnel and equipment at contract closure. The price for mobilization and demobilization shall be included in the proposed unit prices.

Percent Cover - Portion of the project area beneath the drip line of vegetation to be cut or left untreated.

Reserved Trees or Reserved Areas - Individual species of trees or certain areas within a treatment unit that the contract or COR designates are reserved from treatment.

Water Body Buffer Zone (WBZ) - A 25 to 300 foot area extending upslope on each side of a stream channel or as shown on the Contract Map where limitations on operations exist. May be referred to as Riparian Conservation Area (RCA) or Streamside Management Zone (SMZ).

Shrub (or brush) - Vegetation consisting of woody perennial plant smaller than a tree, usually having permanent single or multiple stems originating at or near the ground level not normally reaching 20 feet in height (i.e. bitter brush, manzanita, ceanothus, mountain mahogany, rhododendron, serviceberry, sagebrush, etc.).

Yarding (Skidding) - Initial transportation of wood products from the stump to the landing area. Materials shall be fully suspended or suspended by the lead end during transport.

Slash - Any cut vegetation or existing naturally (dead and down) woody debris. This includes stems, limbs, down logs, and brush that existed from previous activities or was generated by the contractor during current activities. Limbs less than 1 inch in diameter and 2 feet in length are not defined as slash and may be left scattered on the forest floor.

Snag - A dead or living tree, conifer or hardwood, which has 10 percent or less live crown.

Superior Vigor Trees - Trees which exhibit healthy, dark green needle color. Needle length is longer, and reaches further back on branches. Needle length on inferior vigor trees is shorter and often tufted nearer branch tips. Recent height growth is also greater on Superior Vigor Trees. May not always be the largest/tallest tree.

Supervisor (foreman) - A working (English speaking) supervisor, who is knowledgeable and experienced in the required work and supervision, shall be provided for each crew and is required to stay with the crew while work is in progress. If crew is non-English speaking, the supervisor must be bilingual in English and the language of the crew members.

Undesirable Vegetation - Conifer or hard wood trees less than 24.0 inches dbh with one or more of the following attributes:

1. Damaged/Diseased Trees (see above).

2. Trees not meeting spacing requirements.

3. Excess trees not selected as Leave Trees.

Water bar - A diagonal ditch or hump in a trail that diverts surface water runoff to minimize soil erosion.

Windthrow - Trees uprooted by excessive wind. Shallow-rooted trees are almost always affected.

Service Work Technical Specifications for Activity Items – Item 1 and Optional 4. Mechanical Thinning using Low-ground Pressure Systems:

Within all awarded contract units, the Contractor shall cut and remove from National Forest lands all trees 8 inches DBH to 30 inches DBH designated for cutting as specified in KT-CT.3.5# using harvesting methods shown on the Sale Area Map and specified in KT-GT.4.2#. Contractor may propose alternative methods that provide for equal or better resources protection measures. Removal shall include designated boles up to utilization standards listed in division AT. Prior to any felling and skidding/forwarding, trail pattern and landing locations shall be approved by Forest Service in writing. All other provisions listed in Appendix B shall be adhered to.

All residual conifers less than 8 inches in DBH, regardless of height; shall be cut for disposal through Item 2, Disposal of Activity Slash; when the following criteria are met:

1. Tree meets definition of Undesirable Vegetation

2. Spacing is such that tree acts as fuel ladder to residual overstory.

3. Tree is within 1.5 times the height the nearest live aspen tree.

4. Tree or group of trees do not provide a minimum of 15 foot spacing off live crowns of residual trees or contractor selected small diameter leave trees.

All dead Quaking Aspen will be designated for cutting and removal during mechanical thinning operations with green timber marking paint. Dead aspen shall be brought to landing, sorted, and removed offsite to COR designated location within 5 mile round trip of contract unit or may be chipped at landing as specified under item 2.

Resultant stump heights for all species and size classes are less than 6 inches when measured from the uphill side. A minimum of 4 inches in height shall be required in all units for accountability on designated trees and as a fire precautionary measure; this may be waived dependent on seasonality of operations. Stump treatment is required on cut Jeffrey Pine stumps meeting the specifications listed in KT-GT.4.1# of Appendix B. Sporax will be furnished by the government upon commencement of cutting operations.

To limit pile size and reduce smoke impacts at time of burning, existing down woody material greater than 4” in diameter, 8 feet in length, and still intact, i.e. can be moved without falling apart; will be brought into landing during skidding/forwarding operations for disposal off site, chipped as described in item 2, or, to a certain extent, may be used as barricades along skid trails and in restoration efforts at landing as described in Item 3 and Optional 6. Disposal site is within 5 miles round trip.

Within Water Body Buffer Zones, Meadow Protection Areas, and Wetland Protection Areas as shown on the Sale Area Map, sensitive soils and perennial moist soils require Contractor to employ low ground pressure equipment that can construct a slash mat to travel on. Slash mat shall be constructed to a minimum of 6 inches to reduce impacts to soils. Alternatively or in combination with; decking and log corduroying shall be employed on skid trails, tractor trails, and stream crossings to reduce impacts to soils (Examples in Appendix D).

Stream channels and water body buffer zones (WBZ) exist though out all contract units. Contractors shall, prior to commencing operation, layout stream crossing locations and receive written approval prior to their construction and use. Crossing type is dependent on stream channel classification, it is foreseen that contractor will have to construct temporary bridges on perennial streams with less complex crossings on intermittent and ephemeral drainages and ditches (examples in Appendix D). All channels capable of carrying water downstream will have appropriate protection in place prior to Contractor performing operations. Skid trails and crossings shall be oriented 90 degrees to stream channels and water bodies. WBZ distances are shown on contract maps.

Item 2 and Optional 5. Disposal of Activity Slash:

In all awarded units, Slash disposal of contactor generated slash and existing down woody debris remaining post mechanical thinning and removal will be piled mechanically, by hand, brought into landing for chipping with removal offsite, or in combination thereof to the following specifications.

Pile Location - Piles shall not be closer than 15 feet to boles of Leave Trees, snags, and any down log exceeding 20 inches diameter at the large end, unless approved by the COR. Slash shall not be piled or placed on logs, rocks, or stumps, in roadways, swales, or drainage ditches, or within 10 feet of unclassified channel bottoms or within 25 feet of designated classified streams as shown on the contract area map and/or designated on the ground. No mechanical piling equipment will be allowed to operate within Controlled Areas. These areas will be identified on the ground before operations commence.

Pile Size - Unless approved otherwise by the COR in writing, maximum pile size shall be 10 feet in diameter by 9 feet in height, and minimum pile size shall be 8 feet in diameter by 7 feet in height at the time of final inspection.

Pile Construction - All piles shall be constructed by laying limbs, stems, cut tops, and all other slash, including existing down woody material up to 4” diameter in the pile so as to be triangular in shape. Slash shall be bucked to 4 foot lengths to facilitate tight piles. Pile shall have good vertical continuity to allow for efficient consumption.

Chipping at Landing – Purchaser may propose to chip all or a portion of material meeting slash requirements in combination with creating burn piles. If chipping is proposed the following specifications shall be adhered to:

1. Chips shall not be broadcast back into the project area.

2. Chips may be used on contractor disturbed areas, i.e. trails, landings, crossings; as part of the restoration efforts and Special Erosion Measures stated in Appendix B.

3. Chips shall not be blown into waterways or placed within close proximity.

4. Chip depth shall not exceed 2 inch depth when used on project site.

5. After meeting 2 inch depth, all remaining chips must be disposed of by contractor off site of the Project Area.

Item 3 and Optional 6. Logging Rehabilitation and Restoration:

Contractors operations shall be designed to minimize the need for site restoration. Site restoration shall include all reasonable and practicable efforts to repair and restore the project area following the completion of Contractors operations.

The following activities shall be assumed by contractor:

· Removing all temporary crossings at stream channels.

· Raking out and re-contouring, by hand or equipment, skid trails/tractor trails.

· Applying slash, chips, forest litter and duff to exposed soil on skid trails/tractor trails.

· Discouraging future use of skid and tractor trails by unauthorized vehicles/users thru barricading and/or otherwise disguising entrances and trails.

· Reconstructing system hiking trails, as shown on the contract map, impacted by Contractors Operations.

· Back-blading or otherwise smoothing out landing to allow for proper drainage and creating parking barricades using existing onsite material to limit encroachment into treatment area.

· Purchasing and staking straw waddle at lower limit of landing servicing Units 1 and optional unit 3 to limit sedimentation from spring runoff into Fern Creek.

Optional Item 7. Cover Slash Piles (Kraft Paper): Forest Service may award all units or any portion of a single unit as funding allows. Item shall be awarded prior to pile construction commencing in that unit to as not delay Contractors operations.

All constructed piles shall receive one – (1) 6 foot wide by 6 foot long sheet of Kraft paper in the top third of the pile. Contractor shall pile sufficient material (top third) on top of the Kraft paper to prevent paper from moving off the pile by environmental conditions. On hillsides, paper shall be shifted to downhill side of pile to allow for ease of ignition.

GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN

Inspection - Government inspections are for the purpose of satisfying the Government that the services are acceptable and do not relieve the Contractor of the responsibility for maintaining quality control. The Contractor shall conduct inspections on all units in accordance with the Contractor’s Quality Control Plan included in the Contractor’s technical proposal which is made part of this contract.

The contractor is responsible for performing or having performed all inspections and tests necessary to substantiate that the supplies or services furnished under this contract conform to contract requirements, including any applicable technical requirements for specified manufacturers’ parts.

Acceptable Quality Level for Thinning and Related Subtasks:

Government Inspection – The Government shall conduct inspections of the Contractor’s work to determine compliance with the contract specifications and determine a basis for making payment. Inspections will consist of a visual walk-through inspection of the work performed and will be based on adherence to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) for the tasks and critical sub-tasks. The Government may also install a series of inspection plots to check for compliance to AQL.

Acceptable Quality Level for Thinning and Related Subtasks – Within units designated for mechanized tree thinning, 100% of all marked trees and 95% of all stems 3 inches to 8 inches DBH which are designated for cutting are cut and removed. No un-designated trees are cut or removed. No more than 5% (cumulative) of the residual leave trees are damaged by the contractors operations. Except as otherwise stated, 95% of activity slash and existing dead & down material is piled to specifications listed in Appendix A. All skid trails are laid out and approved prior to skidding. All cut material is removed within the required time period. 95% of cut stumps are within the specified stump height. 95% of all stumps specified for treatment with a borate compound are treated to contract specifications. All slash generated at the landing is piled and 95% of the piles meet the specifications for constructing activity slash piles. 95% of the required erosion control measures and restoration efforts conform to the contract. All work is completed within the specified contract time.

Acceptance – Work will be accepted when it is determined by the visual inspection or plot data that the Contractor’s work conforms to the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) for the task and critical sub-tasks. Missed areas within the work unit will not be considered a part of the work being inspected and must be re-worked regardless of the results of the inspection of the work completed in the unit. Work units that do not comply with the Acceptable Quality Level for the task and critical subtask are un-acceptable and shall be reworked.

Measurements for Stewardship Credit – Acreage were measured on a horizontal plane using a Global Positioning System. Unless otherwise indicated by this contract, the contactor may request re-measurement of any quantities. The request must be made in writing and must be within 10 calendar days of completing work on the unit in question. If re-measurement indicates a variance of five percent or less from the stated quantity, the Forest Service may deduct Stewardship Credits to the Contractor equal to cost of this re-measurement. If re-measurement indicates a variance of more than five percent from the stated quantity, Stewardship Credits will be based on the re-measured quantity, and the Contractor will not be liable for the costs of re-measurement. All re-measurement will be done by the Forest Service. The Forest Service may re-measure quantities of completed stewardship work activities at its discretion. The Forest Service will bear all costs for discretionary re-measurement. Re-measured quantities will be the basis for awarding Stewardship Credits. Re-measurement of acreage will be done using a Global Positioning System.