SOW_Forest_Health_Dev.pdf

AG-F430-S-17-0004

STATEMENT OF WORK

Forest Health Development in Puerto Rico

Duration: 2 years from Contract Award Date (Basic + Option Year 1).

Estimated Start Date: 1 Sep 2017 through June 30 2019

Justification

Forest health is important to describe because of the role of forests in the economy, ecology, and social welfare of an area. Many factors can affect forest health including Anthropocene impacts, invasive and native species, and large-scale disturbances such as fire, hurricanes, floods, drought and climate change. Baseline information of forest health conditions is essential for resource managers to help determine the extent and potential impacts of threats and to define priorities for forest ecosystem and watershed management. Forest Health is a dynamic issue that requires understanding of current forest ecosystem conditions and the ability to apply that information to future.

The USDA-FS, Forest Health program in Puerto Rico has worked with public agencies to develop partnerships to develop a viable forest health program. In the last two years, sustained monitoring of forest health conditions on State managed forest lands has been established. This effort has yielded valuable information that is shared with other land managers and cooperators.

In addition, genetic conservation of tree species of concern, invasives monitoring and educational workshops have been successfully developed. This program is expanding to identify and build partnerships to obtain more baseline information on forest health conditions in Puerto

Rico and develop new partners for urban watershed landscapes, reverting agricultural lands and targeted public educational activities.

Goals

Assess opportunities to identify cooperators and build project partnerships that integrate forest health concepts across forest, urban and agro-forestry settings in Puerto Rico. A primary objective of this goal is to evaluate the role of USDA-FS to integrate forest health concepts and practices with current and developing land use practices. In addition to explore opportunities to identify those areas where USDA-FS, Forest Health Program services can be improved through development of cooperative demonstrational projects, educational workshops and community-based activities that support the integration of forest health principals to improved ecosystem management. Finally, identify sources for collaborative funding with public and private partners to support the logistic requirements needed to sustain effective integration of forest health practices into select forest ecosystems management, and forest health concepts through multi-level environmental educational opportunities in Puerto Rico.

Scope of Work

1) Urban ecosystem health monitoring, forest inventory, restoration assessment, and student training.

Collaborate with University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez (UPRM) at Rio Piedras, Department of Environmental Resources and identify other potential collaborators to evaluate potential partnerships and methodology to monitor health of the watershed in terms of ecosystem services, biodiversity, and pests/pathogens.

Collaborate with UPRM-Rio Piedras, Department of Environmental Sciences to perform field evaluation of ITree and existing Arc Collector applications to perform urban tree inventory collect baseline ecosystem health data for the Rio Piedras Watershed.

Assess current, urban watershed restoration and ecosystem management practices in

Puerto Rico.

Develop recommendations to develop a model for urban watershed management for use in other municipalities and make contact with urban managers of selected municipalities to present these recommendations.

Identify opportunities to work with, urban managers, private organizations, Urban and

Community Forestry Council, educators and students for project development, activities and training.

Utilize existing and new SPF programs as appropriate.

2) Agroforestry and Restoration Monitoring Network and Capacity Building for Integrated

Forest Health Improvement

Survey current extent of restoration projects and reforestation/outplantings projects throughout PR. Collaborate with State tree nursery, and other tree nurseries

Assess growth rates and potential pests and pathogens for important timber and restoration trees.

Assess infrastructural limitations, other potential problems and opportunities to provide forest restoration and or green cover plantings on reverting and cultivated agricultural lands.

Identify opportunities to work with, UPRM Extension Agronomists, agriculturalist, urban managers, Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee, private organizations, educators and students for project development, activities and training.

Collaborate with Caribbean Climate Hub and IITF research programs as appropriate.

3) Pollinator Monitoring Program – potential collaboration with NRCS

Evaluate the potential to establish long-term pollinator monitoring network across range of land-use types (urban, rural, agriculture, ranching, native forest, riparian, coastal, etc.)

Identify opportunities to collaborate and build partnerships develop activities with students and public for citizen science monitoring

Develop strategy to build pollinator corridors to enhance pollinator mobility throughout

Puerto Rico

Identify potential for development of funding opportunities outside agencies and private organizations.

Accomplishments Reporting Year 1

1. Interim report will contain a listing of relevant contacts for each of the three (3) “Areas for Development”, as specified in the SOW, made during the first 12 months of the contact period.

2. Additional areas for development not specified in the SOW may be included in the report at discretion of contractor in order to permit flexibility to accomplish overarching goal of the Forest Health Development contract (see “Goal” in project description).

3. Dates, attendees, location, contact information and outcome of all relevant meetings and field trips to be detailed in report.

4. Discussion of preliminary findings that include potential collaborators, projects and activities for development.

5. Summary of interim findings and supporting materials, including but not limited to geo-referenced data such as proposed project/activity locations and relevant images of same.

Final Accomplishments Reporting Year 2

1. Final report will contain same information and detail in the preliminary report and address any mutually agreed modification to the scope of work that include areas for

Forest Health Program development not previously identified.

2. Final report will contain a summary of information as defined in (3, 4 and 5) year 1 accomplishment reporting as previously described.

3. Dates, attendees, location, contact information and outcome of all relevant meetings and field trips to be detailed in report.

4. Summary and discussion of contract activities.

5. Recommendations of additional areas for development for expansion of the Forest Health

Program in Puerto Rico that include potential collaborators, projects and activities for development.

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