Attachment B - Specifications SOW BWC_FY24.docx

ATTACHMENT B

DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/STATEMENT OF WORK

SCOPE

It is the intent of this contract to secure labor, equipment, and supplies necessary to accomplish timber marking in Red Pine stands scheduled for timber harvest on the Huron-Manistee National Forest. The sale areas (Fox Trail, Sweetwater Creek, and Upper Branch) are divided into THREE bid items and involve timber marking only on approximately 651 total acres. Marking paint is required to be applied using a Panama sprayer or similar product; use of handguns will not be allowed. Only Type C marking paint will be available for use.

Work will consist of painting trees in accordance with the technical specification outlined below.

DESCRIPTION AND LOCATIONS

The proposed Timber Sale Areas are located on the Manistee National Forest:

Fox Trail (209 acres) is located in Sauble Township and Sweetwater Township, Lake County – T19N, R14W section 34, and T18N R14W sections 2 and 3.

Sweetwater Creek (214 acres) is located in Sweetwater Township, Lake County – T18N, R14W sections 21, 22, 28, and 27.

Upper Branch (228 acres) is located in Sweetwater Township, Lake County – T18N, R14W sections 29 and 30.

Working Area Boundaries – The Forest Service has designated Payment Unit boundaries using orange paint or in combination with roads or skids. Payment Unit acreage has been determined with a combination of satellite imagery and traversing using GPS to establish actual acreages for payment. The acreage listed in the Schedule of Items will be the basis of payment, no changes will be made to the acreages due to calculation errors. Bidders are encouraged to check acreage estimates for accuracy prior to bidding.

Marking Guides

General Marking Instructions

These timber sales will be cut tree marked with blue paint and where required will have primary skids and landings marked with green paint. All paint provided will be accounted for throughout the life of this contract. The designated COR and district paint custodian will oversee the accountability procedures and go over in detail the exact procedures to be used prior to issuing any tree marking paint during the pre-work meeting. If a problem is discovered by either party that party will notify the other immediately so corrective action can be taken.

The primary species to harvest is red pine however any tree ≥ 5” DBH which requires removal for harvesting access will need to be painted.

Criteria for selecting which trees to harvest depends on first verifying or establishing a 15’ wide skid trail for harvesting equipment access exists. Second is focus on stem quality removing culls, and finally retaining canopy structure diversity. Overall, it is the quality of the residual stand that is most important. All painted trees must be accessible by timber harvesting equipment.

Only timber marking with complete tally for cut trees will be done on these sale units. Volume determination is not required. The contractor will be required to keep a count of trees marked per Unit by species and product.

Tally counts will be split by species and product type:

· Red Pine Pulpwood ≥ 5 inches DBH and ≤ 8.9 inches DBH

· Red Pine Sawtimber ≥ 9+ inches DBH

· Mixed Conifer Pulpwood ≥ 5 inches DBH and ≤ 8.9 inches DBH

· Mixed Conifer Sawtimber ≥ 9+ inches DBH

· Hardwood Pulpwood ≥ 5 inches DBH and ≤ 10.9 inches DBH

· Hardwood Sawtimber ≥ 11+ inches DBH

· Aspen Pulpwood ≥ 5 inches DBH and ≤ 10.9 inches DBH

· Aspen Sawtimber ≥ 11+ inches DBH

The specific merchantability specification and minimum piece specification requirements for each sale will be gone over in detail by the COR prior to starting the first area.

DBH Marks:

All DBH, diameter breast height, marks will be slashes at least 2” (inches) wide and will cover approximately 75% of the trees circumference. DBH marks will be made at not less than 4 feet and not higher than 6 feet from the ground. This technique will be used on both pulpwood and sawtimber. Marking timber should be avoided during extreme wet weather, or when the boles of standing timber are saturated and wet to the touch. The contractor should contact the COR for site specific details and direction when this saturation occurs. Paint will be expected to last a minimum of 4 years. If the paint appears unacceptable, the contractor will remark the problem area with no adjustment in total acres. The Forest Service will supply additional paint, as needed.

The COR will review marking language and technique with contractor prior to starting the first unit.

Stump Marks:

All marked trees require stump marks. All saw trees must have two stump marks. Stump marks must be a minimum of 4 inches in height and two inches wide. Stump marks must intersect the ground and be located in a moss free area, on the downhill side of the stump. This may require scraping off moss/debris prior to painting the stump. Remarking will be required if contractor fails to place stump marks in a moss/debris-free location.

Tree Marking Tracer Paint Accountability/Government Furnished Property:

The Government will furnish the necessary Tree Marking Tracer Paint required to complete the work. Tree Marking Tracer Paint remains property of the United States. Paint accountability is considered a very serious aspect of successful completion of contract requirements and will be covered in detail at the Pre-Work meeting. All government Tree Marking Tracer Paint cans, full or empty, not in immediate use by the contractor, are required to be in locked storage. Any unused quantities will be returned to the Government upon completion of the work. All used paint cans shall be returned to the Government. Final payment invoices will not be processed until all paint is accounted for from the contract.

Attachment B - Statement of Work SOLICITATION #12444524Q0063

HURON-MANISTEE NF / BALDWIN RD TIMBER MARKING

HMNF – Grouse Mgmt. Hwy 10 FY24 Timber Marking Contract Baldwin

Individual Sale Unit Marking Guides

Project: Fox Trail Timber Sale (FT) Item 1

209 Acres

5.

75 acres

Previous row thinning. Distinct N/S rows throughout the unit.

Ensure equipment access in rows is at least 15’. Target removal of 1/3 of red pine stems overall. This will be accomplished by removing three to four of every ten merchantable red pine stems. Release all isolated individual oaks and approximately 1/3 of oaks where oak is heavier on two sides. See FIGURE 3 (dominant red pine can be removed for the release). Focus release efforts on existing den trees to perpetuate for American marten. Verify all painted trees are accessible by harvest equipment.

Do not remove merchantable red pine under oak crowns. Retain red pine stems that exist in the lowest canopy layer throughout the stand.

FOUR pocket declines areas exist as approximated on the layout may, reference FIGURE 2 as a guide for all decline areas.

**Use main skids from previous thinning treatment.

6.

37 acres

No previous treatment. Mostly N/S rows.

Establish 15’ wide corridors at a 45’ spacing (See FIGURE 1). Then reduce BA as needed to meet the 1/3 conifer reduction. Work skids around hardwoods. This will be accomplished with a cut TWO rows and leave FIVE rows ratio (reference FIGURE 1 for any areas with variable rows). Within the remaining five rows remove approximately one in six red pine trees. Focus release efforts on existing den trees to perpetuate for American marten. Verify all painted trees are accessible by harvest equipment.

Do not thin hardwood dominated finger in center of the stand and other hardwood dominated areas.

**Main skids are approximated on the map and are subject to change based on field conditions.

7.

97 acres

No previous treatment. Mostly N/S rows.

Establish 15’ wide corridors at a 45’ spacing (See FIGURE 1). Then reduce BA as needed to meet the 1/3 conifer reduction. Work skids around hardwoods. This will be accomplished with a cut TWO rows and leave FIVE rows ratio (reference FIGURE 1 for any areas with variable rows). Within the remaining five rows remove approximately one in six red pine trees. Focus release efforts on existing den trees to perpetuate for American marten. Verify all painted trees are accessible by harvest equipment.

Release all overstory oaks where oak is sparse on three sides (see FIGURE 3); do not remove merchantable red pine under oak crowns.

Where overstory oak is heavy, release approximately 1/3 of existing oak on 3 sides, with a preference towards white oak (see FIGURE 3).

FOUR pocket decline areas exist as approximated on the layout may, reference FIGURE 2 as a guide for all decline areas.

Project: Sweetwater Creek Timber Sale (SWC) Item 2

86 acres No previous thinning treatment. Rows are not discernible.

Establish 15’ wide corridors for access at a 45’ spacing (See FIGURE 1). Work skids around hardwoods. In between skids, remove approximately 1/3 of the existing conifer BA. This will be accomplished by removing two in six red pine stems. Verify all painted trees are accessible by harvest equipment. Focus removal primarily in suppressed crown class, and releasing smaller, quality oaks. Do not remove more than 40% of BA unless trees are in high-risk condition.

Release white oak on two sides, see Figure 3. Retain red maple above 12” DBH and decadent stems.

TWO pocket decline areas exist as approximated on the layout map; see FIGURE 2 as a guide for all decline areas.

**Main skids are approximated on the map and are subject to change based on field conditions.

5.

127 acres No previous thinning treatment. Rows mostly E/W, but highly variable.

Establish 15’ wide corridors at a 45’ spacing (See FIGURE 1). Then reduce BA as needed to meet the 1/3 conifer reduction. This will be accomplished with a cut TWO rows and leave SIX rows ratio. Within the remaining six rows remove approximately one in six red pine trees focusing on culls and suppressed crowns. There may be locations that only one row needs to be removed to meet equipment access specifications; if so, marking in the remaining rows will need to be adjusted to meet the 1/3 BA removal. Do not remove more than 40% of BA unless trees are in high-risk condition.

Verify all painted trees are accessible by harvest equipment.

**Main are approximated on the map and are subject to change based on field conditions.

6.

acres No previous thinning treatment. Rows mostly E/W, but highly variable.

First ensure equipment access in rows is 15’ wide, and then reduce BA as needed to meet the 1/3 conifer reduction. This will be accomplished with a cut ONE row and leave TWO rows ratio. Oaks can be cut where needed for access; Ensure skid width is minimum 12’ where rows converge around oak stems.

Verify all painted trees are accessible by harvest equipment.

**Main are approximated on the map and are subject to change based on field conditions.

Project: Upper Branch Timber Sale (UB) Item 3

228 Acres

10.

26 acres

No previous treatment. Primarily N/S rows.

Establish 15’ wide corridors at a 45’ spacing (See FIGURE 1). Then reduce BA as needed to meet 1/3 reduction. This will be accomplished with a cut TWO rows and leave FOUR rows ratio. There may be locations that only one row needs to be removed to meet equipment access specifications; if so, marking in the remaining rows will need to be adjusted to meet the 1/3 BA removal.

Verify all painted trees are accessible by harvest equipment. Focus removal primarily in suppressed crown class, and dominant crown class red pine that releases smaller, quality oaks.

Retain aspen and hardwoods unless operations require removal. Do not remove more than 40% of BA unless trees are in high-risk condition.

14.

126 acres

Previous row thinning. Primarily E/W rows with some variability.

Ensure equipment access in existing rows is at least 15’. In between the skids, remove approximately 1/3 of existing conifer BA. This will be accomplished by removing three to four of every ten merchantable pine throughout the unit. Focus removal primary on suppressed and dominates, releasing the intermediate class.

In the northern section denoted on the map, thin from below to a BA of 160

Retain all aspen and oak unless removal is required for access. Retain red maple 12” DBH and decadent stems unless removal is required for access.

ONE pocket decline area exists as approximated on the layout map; see FIGURE 2 as a guide for all decline areas.

**Use main skids from previous thinning treatment.

15.

37 acres

Previous row thinning. Rows are primarily NW/SE.

Ensure equipment access in existing rows is at least 15’. In between the skids, remove approximately 1/3 of existing conifer BA. This will be accomplished by removing three to four of every ten merchantable pine throughout the unit. Focus removal primary on suppressed and dominates, releasing the intermediate class.

Where oak is over 50% of the BA, reduce by half, focusing on retaining smaller, quality stems or stems over 18in DBH. White oak is the preferred retention tree where possible. Retain red maple above 12” DBH and decadent stems.

**Main skids are approximated on the map and are subject to change based on field conditions.

16.

15 acres

Previous row thinning. Rows are primarily NW/SE.

Ensure equipment access in existing rows is at least 15’. In between the skids, remove approximately 1/3 of existing conifer BA. This will be accomplished by removing three to four of every ten merchantable pine throughout the unit. Focus removal primary on suppressed and dominates, releasing the intermediate class.

Where oak is over 50% of the BA, reduce by half, focusing on retaining smaller, quality stems or stems over 18in DBH. White oak is the preferred retention tree where possible. Retain red maple above 12” DBH and decadent stems.

**Main skids are approximated on the map and are subject to change based on field conditions.

17.

24 acres

Previous row thinning. Rows are primarily NW/SE.

Ensure equipment access in existing rows is at least 15’. In between the skids, remove approximately 1/3 of existing conifer BA. This will be accomplished by removing three to four of every ten merchantable pine throughout the unit. Focus removal primary on suppressed and dominates, releasing the intermediate class.

Where oak is over 50% of the BA, reduce by half, focusing on retaining smaller, quality stems or stems over 18in DBH. White oak is the preferred retention tree where possible. Retain red maple above 12” DBH and decadent stems.

Figure 1

│ ← 15’ → │ │ ← 15’ → │ ___ Skid Width__ ___Skid Width__

Distance Between Edge of Adjacent Skids

____Distance Between Centers of Adjacent Skids____

Figure 2

If no pines are dead in a pocket decline area, mark all red pine within a 100’ radius around the decline area center.

Figure 3:

On two sides, remove all suppressed red pine under canopy of oaks and white pine.

Think of canopy in 4-quadrants image1.png image2.png