Attachment 1 - SOW_Briar Patch.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

A. Project Title

BRIAR PATCH CRUING AND MARKING: Hurricane Michael Restoration Project

B. Background

This contract is for furnishing all labor, supplies, equipment, transportation, and supervision necessary to

Layout, Mark and Cruise perspective timber sales.

C. Objective

The objective of this contract/order is to prepare timber sales for upcoming ecosystem restoration treatments resulting from damage to the Forest from Hurricane Michael. This project focuses on the restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem by harvesting slash pine and restoring longleaf pine to its historic locations.

D. Scope of Work

I. SILVICULTURAL MARKING GUIDE

The Briar Patch – HMR Silvicultural Prescription will be used in conjunction with the scope of work.

A. Procedures of Layout

i. Sale Unit Boundary Designation

a. Sale Unit Boundary Trees – Unit boundary trees are marked with three (3) horizontal slash marks, the bottom slash being at eye-level, and a stump mark at ground level with the bole marks facing into the interior of the cutting unit. Distance between boundary trees can vary depending on brush level, but adjacent trees must be visible from the interior of the unit. Natural boundaries such as level three roads and powerlines are not marked.

b. Streamside Management Zones, Ponds, and Wetland Areas – Unit boundary will be designated at least 35ft from the edge of banks of a stream or large body of water, ponds, and wetland areas to exclude them from the unit. These areas are delineated on the contract map.

c. Where two units are common, both sides of designated boundary tree will be painted.

ii. GPS Sale Unit Boundary

a. Sub-meter GPS – A sub-meter GPS device will be used to record boundary location as a polygon in Pathfinder Office. The device user is to take GPS points within 2 feet of designated boundary tree on the interior side of the unit. If an unpainted, natural boundary is met, such as a road, the device user will GPS within 5ft of the exterior of woods line.

iii. Placement of Unit Signs

a. Payment unit signs will be provided for placement on boundary trees nearest to the road, as designated on the contract map. Signs shall face the unit interior and be visible from the road.

B. Procedures for Marking/Cruising

i. Timber Designation

a. Cut Tree Marking – Units to be cut by this method will be marked with tracer paint. Blue or Green tracer paint will be used to designate Cut Trees for removal. Two horizontal face marks will be placed on opposite sides of the tree at least six feet in height above ground. Face mark dimensions must be a minimum of 5-6 inches in length by two inches width. Proper placement of the paint mark on the stump is essential.

Place stump marks so that sufficient paint gets into bark crevices and extends into the ground-line ensuring that paint will remain on the stump over time. Place stump marks on the downhill side of sloping ground. Place two (2) stump marks on Sawtimber size trees and one

(1) on pulpwood size trees is required. Stump marks and eye level marks do not have to be on the same side of the tree.

b. Leave Tree Marking – Units to be clearcut with longleaf reserves

(LTM) shall have ALL merchantable longleaf pine retained using the standards stated below. Orange tracer paint will be used to designate

Leave Trees. Face mark dimensions must be a minimum of 5-6 inches in length by two inches width and must be wrapped around the tree so that the marks can be seen 360 degrees around the tree. Proper placement of the paint mark on the stump is essential. Place stump marks so that sufficient paint gets into bark crevices and extends into the ground-line ensuring that paint will remain on the stump over time.

Place stump marks on the downhill side of sloping ground. Place two

(2) stump marks on Sawtimber size trees and one (1) on pulpwood size trees is required.

ii. Special Instructions

a. Reserve Trees – These trees are marked with a white band of paint. DO

NOT designate these trees for cutting. DO NOT mark trees within 3 feet of reserve trees for protection purposes.

iii. Paint Scheme

Designation Primary Color Secondary Color

Boundary Orange N/A

Leave Tree Marking Orange N/A

Cut Tree Marking Blue Green

Tracer Paint provided by the Forest Service is an accountable item and must be treated as such. Only Forest Service delegated paint custodians can distribute paint to users. All paint containers (empty, partial, and full) must be turned in to the Paint Custodian when requested.

II. Product Merchantability/Utilization Standards (Minimum Standards)

Product Minimum DBH

(inches)

Minimum Tree

Length (feet)

Percent

Sound

Top

DOB

(inches)

Pine Sawtimber 9.6 12.0 30% 7.0

Pine Pulpwood 4.6 10.0 30% Total

Height

A. DBH Class – All measure trees will be measured to 1/10th of an inch.

B. Height cutoff –

a. Pine Sawtimber: The last point on the stem that measures 7.0” DOB OR a point on the stem greater than 7.0” DOB where the tree is no longer usable as

Sawtimber. This is often where the stem breaks up into a multiple-branched top, or where a whorl of 3 or more live branches arranged radially occurs in two or more faces within a 1-foot vertical section, the sum of whose diameters equals or exceeds the diameter of the tree at that point, UNLESS a useable 8’ piece occurs above that point.

b. Pine Pulpwood: measure total height.

C. Field Data Recorder Height Recording –

a. Height 1 = Merchantable height. Actual Sawtimber cutoff point (where a stem is no longer merchantable as SAWTIMBER)

b. Height 2 = Reference height- total height.

D. Products – Both primary and secondary products will be used.

III. Sample Method Analysis

A. Cruise Methods

i. PCM – Leave Tree Marking

ii. STR – Cut Tree Marking

B. Strata Codes

Rattler Timber Sale

Strata Method Unit

01 PCM 1, 2, 3, 4

02 STR 5

Indigo Timber Sale

Strata Method Unit

01 PCM 3, 7

02 STR 1, 2, 4, 5, 6

C. Sample Groups

Product Code Strata

Pine Sawtimber PS ALL

Pine Pulpwood ZP ALL

D. Species

Code Species Sample Groups

111 Slash Pine ALL

121 Longleaf Pine ALL

131 Loblolly Pine ALL

IV. Sampling Method and Intensity

A. STRATA 01: Point Count Measure (PCM)

All longleaf pine will be leave tree marked and then a point count cruise will be performed with a 20 Basal Area Factor (BAF).

The first and second unmarked “CUT” sawtimber pine trees that are “IN” will be measured and recorded. The following sawtimber trees within the plot with be counted and recorded.

The first and second unmarked “CUT” pulpwood pines tree that are “IN” will be measured and recorded. The following pulpwood trees within the plot with be counted and recorded.

The walkthrough method will be used where portions of the plot extend outside the unit boundary.

Sample Group Species/Product (Unit) DBH Range Sample Interval

PS Sawtimber (01) 9.6”+ First and Second on Plot

ZP Pulpwood (02) 4.6” – 9.5” First and Second on Plot

Up to 130 plots will be collected.

B. STRATA 02: Sample Tree (STR)

Live Longleaf and Slash pine in good condition and have a DBH of 9.6” or higher are to be favored when selecting trees to remove.

*Desired conditions: 40-60 BA

Sample Group Species/Product (Unit) DBH Range Sample Interval

PS Sawtimber (01) 9.6”+ 1: 100

ZP Pulpwood (02) 4.6” – 9.5” 1: 150

A random start should be used for each sample group at the start of marking in each payment unit. Select a random interval that is less than the required sample interval for the first tally in each sample group, thereafter, sample at the specified sample interval.

Maintain an accurate tree count by payment unit for each sample group. Original field records used for tracking tree counts must be with the tally cards or data recorder sheets when each unit is completed.

*Do NOT mark any hardwoods on the forest.

Overview:

Rattler Timber Sale

Payment Unit Boundary (mi) Approx. Acres Strata Treatment

1 2.7 121.6 01 – PCM CC w R (LTM+PCM)

2 0.8 25.3 01 - PCM CC w R (LTM+PCM)

3 2.0 72.2 01 – PCM CC w R (LTM+PCM)

4 2.3 103.9 01 – PCM CC w R (LTM+PCM)

5 2.3 114.8 02 – CTM Thinning (CTM)

Indigo TS

Payment Unit Boundary (mi) Approx. Acres Strata Treatment

1 2.0 69.5 02 – CTM Thinning (CTM)

2 2.3 61.8 02 – CTM Thinning (CTM)

3 0.9 25.2 01 – PCM CC w R (LTM+PCM)

4 1.1 32.8 02 – CTM Thinning (CTM)

5 1.2 18.9 02 – CTM Thinning (CTM)

6 1.9 37.9 02 – CTM Thinning (CTM)

7 1.7 61.2 01 – PCM CC w R (LTM+PCM)

Protection of Residual Trees - The contractor shall not mark any tree marked with white stripes or banded.

Equipment Requirements -All equipment which is to be used on this work shall be of the proper type, sufficient size, operated at sufficient speed, and in such mechanical condition as to meet the requirements of the work to produce a satisfactory quality of work. The Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) may order the removal and require replacement of any unsatisfactory equipment.

Erosion Control - The contractor's operation will be conducted to avoid unnecessary soil erosion. He will install and/or maintain drainage dips and water bars on skid trails and/or roads where designated by the COR.

He will perform the necessary erosion prevention work and remove any temporary structures (if installed by contractor) that are no longer necessary to his operation.

Protection of Lands, Streams, Sinkholes, Lakes and Reservoirs - The contractor shall prevent pollution of streams, lakes, and reservoirs by fuels, oils, and other chemicals, silt, or other harmful materials. He shall schedule and conduct operations so as to avoid siltation of streams, lakes, and reservoirs, loss of embankment material during high flow periods

Protection of Improvements - All survey monuments, road signs, traffic counters, and other improvements must be protected whenever encountered. If any of these improvements are damaged or destroyed, the contractor will be responsible for all replacement costs.

Access - The contractor shall protect all trails, roads, ditches, fences, and other improvements in the project area. Roads and all adjacent private land shall be kept free from logs, slash, and debris. The contractor shall promptly repair any road or trail used by the contractor that is damaged by contract operations. There are numerous unauthorized roads and trails in the area. Travel ways not shown on the map are not authorized by the Forest Service and do not require any protection.

Protection of Archeological/Historical Resources - The Contractor upon discovery of suspected archeological or historical materials, shall cease work in the vicinity of such material and immediately notify the COR. Known significant archeological sites will be marked on the ground and discussed at the pre-work meeting. Sale preparation operations will not be al1owed in these areas.

Protection of Land Control Monuments -All land control monuments likely to be disturbed may be identified by 4 X 4 posts or signs. Contractor may not damage these monuments during contract operations.

Protection of Gopher Tortoise Burrows - Areas may have gopher tortoise burrows which should be excluded from sale preparation. Trees should not be marked within a 15-foot radius around the burrow entrance to prevent the collapse of the burrows by future operations. Gopher tortoise burrows have been delineated with flagging (in a different color than area boundary marking) to demarcate the 15-foot protection zone around the burrow entrance.

Protection of Red Cockaded Woodpecker Colonies - Areas containing Red Cockaded Woodpecker colonies are identifies on the maps and flagged on the ground. A damaged Red Cockaded Woodpecker tree can result in a $1000.00 fine.

Other Wildlife Protection - Contractor will not destroy or knock down any larger (greater than 6 inches in diameter) dead trees or snags. These serve as perch trees and/or den trees for cavity nesting birds and raptors such as hawks and owls. Contractor will keep lookout for eastern indigo snakes, Florida pine snakes, and gopher tortoises to reduce mortality or physical injury.

E. Reporting Requirements

No reporting by the contractor will be required for this project

F. Deliverables and Delivery Schedule

The period of performance is 09/26/2022 – 02/09/2023

G. Applicable Documents and Standards

N/A

H. Government-Furnished Property

Forest Service tracer paint and sub-meter GPS (Trimble) shall be government-furnished property.

These items shall be accountable property and treated as such.

I. Place of Performance

Operation areas are within the boundaries of the Apalachicola National Forest, Liberty County, Florida

(See Attached Maps.)

J. Contractor Travel

Contractor will need to travel to the worksite daily, using contractor provided transportation.

K. Applicable Publications (Current Editions)

N/A