Attachment A -SOW Revision of Rhodes WRPO.pdf

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STATEMENT OF WORK

Project: Management actions for implementation of the Wetland Restoration Plan of

Operations Wetland Reserve Program easements 668C301000Z4S and 668C3012014ZM, Socorro County, New Mexico

The mission of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is to provide leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our nation’s natural resources and environment. NRCS accomplishes this mission by providing technical and financial support through several federal programs. The Wetland Reserve Easements component of the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP-WRE) provides habitat for migratory waterfowl and other wetland dependent wildlife, including threatened and endangered species; improves water quality by filtering sediments and chemicals;

reduces flooding; recharges groundwater; protects biological diversity; and provides opportunities for educational, scientific and limited recreational activities.

A. Background

The property is owned by Doris Rhodes and is enrolled in the Wetland Reserve Easement program as two (2) permanent conservation easement owned by the US government. The property is along the Rio Grande in Bosquecito, New Mexico and is managed for wetland and wildlife values. Numerous restoration activities have occurred and over time a diverse composition of plants and habitat types are now present. The suitability of the current plant communities needs to be evaluated, deficiencies identified, and additional work planned to achieve the maximum wetland values and functions which is the purpose of the conservation easement deed.

The two easements are the “North” which is identified as NRCS easement #668C301000Z4S and contains 364.79 acres and the “South” which is NRCS easement #668C3012014ZM and contains 150.69 acres. A total of 515.48 acres are enrolled in the easement and is referred to as the “easement area.” Land owned by the State of New Mexico, BLM and by Doris Rhodes that are adjacent are managed with the easement area.

B. Applicable Policies

Technical assistance is needed to monitor wetland habitat quality and determine cost-effective actions to prevent loss of easement values from increased risk of fire and invasive plants. This procurement contract is needed for NRCS to comply with the following ACEP-WRE policies:

Title 440 -Conservation Programs Manual, Part 528- ACEP found online at https://directives.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files2/1712933336/30125.pdf

Specifically:

Subpart N – Restoration

528.134 D. Final WRPO Contents

(1) The exact content of the final WRPO will be established by the State conservationist to address specific needs in the State and to meet the restoration, enhancement, and protection goals and management and maintenance needs of the enrolled area. (2) The State conservationist will review, revise, and supplement the WRPO as needed throughout the duration of the enrollment to ensure that program goals are fully and effectively achieved.

(2) The State conservationist will review, revise, and supplement the WRPO as needed throughout the duration of the enrollment to ensure that program goals are fully and effectively achieved.

528.134 E. WRPO Revisions

(1) The State conservationist may approve changes to the WRPO that do not affect provisions of the easement or 30-year contract. The State conservationist must seek input from the landowner and consider site-specific technical input from FWS and the conservation district. Any changes to the WRPO must meet ACEP-WRE program objectives be consistent with the State-specific WRCG, and must result in equal or greater wildlife benefits, wetland functions and values, and ecological and economic values.

(2) A revision to the final WRPO may result in the addition of new conservation practices, measures, or activities required for enhancement, maintenance, management, or repairs to protect the functions and values of the easement or 30-year contract area and were not included in the original final WRPO.

Subpart P - ACEP-WRE Maintenance, Management, Monitoring, and Enforcement

528.150 F. For all enrollment types, NRCS will identify all required management and maintenance of conservation practices, components, activities, and measures in the wetland reserve plan of operations (WRPO). These activities must be captured in the WRPO through the narrative portion of the WRPO itself or in associated site-specific management plans, operations and maintenance (O&M) plans, practice specification sheets, or compatible use authorizations (CUAs).

528.151 A. The State conservationist, in consultation with the State technical committee (STC), will ensure that easements and 30-year contracts are being properly monitored and managed, deficiencies are identified and corrected, and additional work is completed in a timely manner. This includes documenting, certifying, and spot checking to ensure that all phases of enrolled ACEP-WRE projects are being managed to maximize wetland functions and values and accomplish the goals and objectives of the warranty easement deed or 30-year contract and the final WRPO. Easements and 30-year contracts will be monitored at least annually as specified in 440-CPM-527-P, for ecological and compliance purposes.

C. Contract Tasks

1. Use the current WRPO which covers both easements and create two WRPO documents, one for each easement. The separate documents may contain information on both easements.

For example, if there is one soil map in the WRPO for both easement, this can remain and a new soil map for the specific easement is added to the easement specific WRPO.

2. Conduct field evaluations to determine the value of different habitat types on the easement area.

a. Collect aerial imagery using a drone in the spring, summer and fall. Utilize multispectral imagery to evaluate cover.

b. Collect data on the presence of birds using autonomous recording units (ARU). The audio recordings could also identify threats and opportunities for birds and other wildlife.

c. Separates the easement area into different habitat types that considers the underlying soil, moisture regime and plant composition.

e. Provide a list of a few birds that are desired and that would serve as indicators that the easement wetland and wildlife habitat values are being maximized.

3. Solicit technical input from U.S. FWS and the local soil and water conservation district. The FWS representative would be the regional contact at the FWS Partners Program. FWS staff responsible for recovery plans and biological assessments for Southwestern Willow Flycatcher, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Monarch butterfly and other listed species may be contacted at the request of NRCS.

4. Establish photopoints in the different habitat areas.

5. Provide recommendations on management actions to include in the WRPO consistent with ACEP-WRE policy found in Title 440-CPM, Part 528.

a. Include map(s) that show the different habitat types and a subjective rating of the value of the habitat on the desired birds for that habitat type.

b. Identify deficiencies in the quality of the wetland and wildlife values and provide recommendations on actions that can be completed in 3-5 years that would address these deficiencies.

c. Collect baseline photopoint data and establish a format for future collection of photos and at these points.

d. The NRCS technical contact can provide information needed to revise the WRPO that cannot be acquired by Contractor.

e. Provide references and a list of relevant documents that will assist with implementing recommended actions in the easement area.

D. Reporting and Deliverables Requirements

Deliverables will adequately show that the above tasks were completed. NRCS may request electronic files on a media storage device, not just cloud storage.

E. Period of Performance and Payment

The period of performance will begin with approval that the contract has been approved and funds obligated. The end date is December 31, 2027.

The Contractor shall submit payment requests via the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP).

F. Other Considerations

Information related to this contract is classified as CONFIDENTIAL. Its distribution and use are restricted to the landowner and NRCS. Publication or disclosure of any part of this information is prohibited without the written permission of the NRCS and the landowners.

NRCS will work with the Contractor and the landowner to resolve any access issues.

Technical questions should be directed to the POC, Athena Cholas, at 505-761-4419.

Contracting questions should be directed to the assigned Contracting Officer.