B08_Solicitation-SOW.pdf

1 | Page Pinhook Bog Enhancement – Statement of Work

INDIANA DUNES NATIONAL PARK

Statement of Work:

PINHOOK BOG ENHANCEMENT

1100 N Mineral Springs Rd Porter, IN 46304

March 24, 2025

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Scope

To progress toward the achievement of goals for the bog, highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), red maple (Acer rubrum), glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus), and perhaps other invasive woody species will be removed beginning in the late fall 2025 through winter. Work will occur when there is little snow cover (4 inches or less). Due to the sensitive nature of this project, only light power tools and hand tools will be used to cut the woody material. An aquatic-labeled herbicide with glyphosate as the active ingredient will be used to treat cut stumps to prevent resprouts.

Background

Pinhook Bog is a 580-acre unit of Indiana Dunes National Park, 110 acres of which are bog. The bog portion of Pinhook supports 167 native species, many of them rare. It is present in an ice block depression in the Valparaiso moraine. In 1965 the bog portion was designated a National

Natural Landmark. The Pinhook Bog unit was purchased by the federal government in 1976. In

2019, the bog was identified as a priority resource in the park’s Resource Stewardship Strategy

(RSS) and several long- and short-term goals were established to combat the many stressors on this rare wetland type. The RSS identifies invasive vegetation including highbush blueberry

(further referred to as just “blueberry” in this document) as one of the stressors that needs to be addressed. Long-term goals identified in the Strategy include “no loss of native species diversity and composition”, and a short term-goal includes achieving and maintaining blueberry cover of

<10% within 5 acres that are currently dominated by the aggressive shrub.

Place of Performance

Pinhook Bog Unit of Indiana Dunes National Park

Period of Performance

- Work shall be completed between the time period from November 1, 2025 through

February 28, 2026. This time frame takes into account the dormancy of many of the rare plants that need to be protected. It also aligns with tree cutting restrictions that are in place to protect federally listed bat species.

- Work shall be generally performed during normal business working hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Central Time Zone)

- Work will not be allowed before sunrise or after sunset because of hazards associated with the area and the need to protect sensitive species.

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- Work on Saturdays, Sundays or Federal holidays may not be performed without prior consent from the CO and COR. Submit requests for work outside of the stated normal business hours to the CO and COR for approval at least 48 hours in advance of the work.

- Contractor must provide two days’ notice before start of work, and this must be coordinated with the onsite COR

- Work must not be performed if there is 4 inches or more of snow accumulation.

Work to be Performed:

1. Perform six (6) acres of control in the mature blueberry thicket in accordance with the tasks listed below.

2. There is an option for an additional half (1/2) acre of work to be performed in the mature blueberry thicket.

Tasks (please reference photos contained in this document)

1. Areas selected for control have not been specifically determined at this point, but they will be adjacent to the areas managed during the previous 2 winter treatment periods (See Exhibit 9).

2. Target Species: The dominant species targeted for eradication is highbush blueberry. Other aggressive or invasive species that will be targeted include red maple, buckthorn, and other invasive woody species found within the defined treatment area.

3. Non-Target Species: Pinhook Bog is a rare and unique habitat where 39 state listed species have been documented in the bog portion of this unit. Because of this, damage to non-target species is not acceptable. Care must be taken to assure that cutting and herbicide application be confined to the target woody material.

Workers should be able to identify rare species present at the site so they can avoid trampling them. If compact brush piles are created to manage the extensive amount of brush, site selection is critical so that rare plants or sphagnum moss are not smothered. Prior to the initiation of treatment of target plants, the Contractor and their workers will meet with INDU’s COR and other INDU botanists to brief the treatment team on identifying the rare species found within area they will be working.

4. Herbicide requirement: The herbicide shall be glyphosate-based and labeled for wetland use. The preferred herbicide brands that are Park approved include

AquaNeat (EPA Reg. No. 228-365) and Roundup Custom (EPA Reg. No. 524-

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343). Use of a different brand of glyphosate herbicide must be approved by the

National Park Service prior to use. This approval process could interfere with timely work execution. The glyphosate product must be mixed at a 1:1 ratio with water. The use of an aquatic-labeled surfactant is required at the concentration described on the label for cut stump applications. Aquatic-labeled tracer dye must be added to the tank mix so that application coverage can be readily observed.

Product Specifications (Label and Material Safety Data Sheet) must be supplied for the glyphosate product you intend to use.

5. Cutting Woody Material: Materials may be cut using gas or battery powered chainsaws or brush cutters, hand saws, loppers, or other hand tools. Cutting must occur when there is no more than 4 inches of snow cover. Cutting should occur as close to the ground surface as possible. Trees/shrubs being cut near the boardwalk must be felled in a proper direction so that they do not contact the boardwalk or railing.

6. Herbicide Treatment: Herbicide must be applied to cut stumps by a wiper or sponge applicator, paint brush, or other routinely used cut stump methods that allow precision target of the herbicide to the cut surface (no spraying of herbicide). Herbicide application must take place within a half hour of cutting to prevent the cut surface from drying and not taking in the herbicide. Tracer dye must be added to the herbicide to identify treated areas. In formerly treated areas where regrowth is minimal, the woody material can be trimmed, and the above methods used to apply herbicide to cut surfaces. Broadcast spraying of cut over areas is not allowed as herbicide will fall to the ground and impact non-target plants. Where girdling of red maple is being performed, low pressure sprayer may be used to inject herbicide into the girdled area.

7. Management of Cut Woody Material: Work will occur in dense thickets of mature blueberry plants. Because of the large volume of brush that will be felled, the cut woody material must be managed in a way that it does not inhibit the recovery of native plant species. There are options available for the contractor to employ to manage the brush. Cut material may be further cut in small pieces and stacked in compact piles in areas determined suitable by INDU staff. Chosen areas will be free of rare plant species and will not be situated over growing sphagnum moss. Piles will be a minimum of 20 yards away from the boardwalk.

Nearby formerly established piles should be used to the greatest extent possible.

Another option is that the brush can be removed from the floating bog and chipped for off-site disposal. There is no ability for a chipper to be placed on the floating bog. If there are other ideas the contractor has for disposal that will not damage the bog habitat and rare species, those ideas may be proposed by the contractor to the INDU COR and must be approved by INDU staff before

5 | Page implementation. This approval process could interfere with timely work execution.

8. Species targeted for eradication have been identified to include highbush blueberry, red maple, and buckthorn. However, if other invasive woody species are discovered in the treatment area by the contractor, the COR may approve additional species to be targeted.

9. In the mature blueberry thicket area selected for control, the Contractor must trim a minimum of 95 percent of blueberry stems near ground level and a minimum of

95% of the cut stems must be treated with herbicide which includes a colored dye to visually confirm treatment.

10. Buckthorn does not appear to be common on the bog so early eradication is important. If buckthorn is encountered, a minimum of 99% of the stems must be cut near ground level and a minimum of 99% must be chemically treated.

11. Where red maple occurs within the selected treatment zone, a minimum of 99% of the trees must be managed through cutting and treatment of stumps or girdling and herbicide applied to the cut rings. Red maples 5-inch DBH and smaller must be felled. Red maples larger than 5-inch DBH may either be felled or girdled.

For red maples that are felled, the crowns and branches must be managed in a similar manner as the other brush. Trunks of the red maple can be left intact on the ground if they do not occur across water features. For larger red maple, girdling and herbicide application to the cut rings of larger red maples is desirable because it adds to habitat diversity in the area, mainly for birds. All red maples occurring near the boardwalk must be felled rather than girdled so that they do not pose a future hazard to public and staff using the boardwalk.

12. Control efforts must be mapped by the contractor using GIS technology and polygons will be created to denote the treatment area(s) by species controlled.

Percent cover treated per species should be estimated and reported.

13. Photo Documentation

A. Contractor must provide existing condition, progress, and completion color photos. All photos shall contain a date stamp, be in focus, show maximum range of depth of field general photo, and then close-up detail photo as needed. Shall be in

JPEG digital form and submitted on a flash drive to the COR at the end of the project.

Photographs will be the property of INDU and the contractor must enter into a data sharing agreement to protect the rights of INDU property.

B. Existing Condition Images:

1. Before starting contracted work, take dated images of project site that may be impacted by work activity.

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2. Establish photo location waypoints and direction of shots so that they can be replicated throughout the project.

3. Include photos of existing items to remain undisturbed within the treatment area.

C. Work Progress Images:

1. Maintain organized index for photos with date, description, etc.

2. If rare or unique species, habitats, or other items of significance are discovered during the work they should be photographed and georeferenced.

3. Additional images should be taken as needed when questions or emergency situations occur. Submit within 24 hours to the COR.

D. Completion Images:

1. Document all completed work within the scope of work.

2. Revisit the waypoint locations described in 3.8 B2 and repeat photograph sequence.

3. Maintain organized index for photos with date, description, etc..

14. Herbicide use (ounces of undiluted herbicide) will be recorded and reported to the

COR for the period from November 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025 by January 10, 2026. Herbicide use from January 1, 2026 to February 28, 2026 must be reported to the COR by March 10, 2026.

Resource Protection

- Due to the sensitive nature of the Pinhook Bog environment, filling of gas operated tools and herbicide mixing and loading must occur on an absorbent pad or other spill containment device.

- Any spills such as fuels, lubricants, and pesticides must be immediately cleaned up and containment materials disposed of properly.

- Spills greater than 2oz on soil or any spills that create a sheen on water must be reported immediately to the COR and Park Dispatch for appropriate management.

- Only a daily appropriate amount of fuel, lubricant, or herbicide should be taken onto the bog work site each day. The remainder must be locked in the contractor’s vehicle or trailer. All fuel, lubricant, herbicide, and tools containing fuel, lubricant, or herbicide must be removed from the bog each day rather than leaving it staged in the work area. At no time shall absence of supervision of chemicals, fuels, or lubricants resulting in exposure of these items to the public or the habitat of the bog be acceptable.

- The bar oil used in chainsaws must be environmentally friendly such as those made from seed oils (petroleum-based oil not permitted).

- Mufflers should be in good working order to reduce noise disturbance to wildlife.

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- The Contractor shall ensure that prior to moving onto the Project Area, all equipment, boots, and clothing, are free of soil, seeds, vegetative matter, or other debris that could contain or hold seeds. Equipment shall be considered free of soil, seeds, and other debris when a visual inspection does not disclose such material. A chainsaw’s bar, chain, and sprocket cover and power brush cutter’s head must be disassembled and cleaned. If the cutting equipment goes to other work sites, they must be cleaned again before they resume work at Pinhook.

- Due to the unique qualities of Pinhook Bog, activities must be confined to the defined treatment area and follow all specifications listed in this document. Plant or seed removal or introduction of new species is not allowed. Digging in or otherwise disturbing the floating bog mat is not permitted.

- The digging and/or removal of any historic object is prohibited. If any historic object is discovered during the implementation of this contract, all work must cease, the object must be protected, and COR must be contacted immediately to inspect the site. After inspection a course of action will be determined before work can recommence. See

Exhibit 10 – “Indiana Dunes National Park Plan for Discoveries” for additional requirements and instructions.

Other Requirements

- At all times the contractor shall conduct his operations in conformance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior for the National Park Service, and applicable park rules and regulations prescribed by the Park Superintendent.

Superintendent's Compendium - Indiana Dunes National Park (U.S. National Park

Service) (nps.gov)

- Contractor shall at all times conduct operations to ensure the least inconvenience to the public. The parking lot at Pinhook Bog is to allow public utilization of the property, so the contractor must not block the entrance to the parking lot and should park in designated spaces.

- The contractor will stage at the Pinhook Bog parking lot and utilize parking spaces provided. All vehicles and equipment must be removed from the parking lot daily since the area is rural and lacks formal on-site security.

- The gate to the boardwalk leading onto the bog is always locked as the public is not allowed on the site unless accompanied by INDU staff for tours which are confined to the boardwalk. A key will be provided to the contractor. The gate must always remain locked other than when the contractor is actively passing through the gate so that the public cannot access the boardwalk. When the project is complete in the spring, the contractor will return the key.

- The Contractor must confine activities when on the bog only to the boardwalk and the defined treatment area. Exploring other areas of the bog is prohibited due to the sensitive nature of the habitat.

https://www.nps.gov/indu/learn/management/compendium.htm https://www.nps.gov/indu/learn/management/compendium.htm

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- Water from an existing water system is not available at this remote site. The contractor must bring potable water and water needed for mixing of herbicides with them.

- Electric power is not available at this remote site. If electric is needed, the contractor should provide a generator to meet their needs.

- Toilets are not available at this remote site. If the Contractor elects to provide a portable toilet facility, they must coordinate with COR for an approved location.

Service and Support

- Contractor is responsible to provide all labor, materials, and transportation and handling of materials to complete this work.

- It is understood that to conduct cost effective control, damage to other species may occur through accidental cutting, misplaced herbicide use, or trampling. However, inadvertent damage must be minimized while working in this sensitive habitat that contains numerous rare species. Prior to initiation of control efforts, training will be provided to the contractor and workers regarding identification of woody species to target (dormant with no leaves), similar woody species to protect, and rare woody species and forbs to carefully avoid.

Contractor Worksite Maintenance and Cleanup

- The Contractor shall keep the work areas free from accumulation of waste material and rubbish during the progress of work.

- The contract shall dispose of all waste materials according to state/local regulations.

- Upon completion of the job, the Contractor shall leave the work area and premises in a clean and neat condition. If visual flagging was attached to trees or stakes in the ground, all material must be removed.

Government Provided Equipment

- No government provided equipment will be available.

- Site does not have public drinking water, power, or restroom facilities.

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EXHIBITS

Exhibit 1: Aerial Overview of the Work Site. Blue is the estimated extent of the blueberry invasion.

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Exhibit 2: Access to the work site via the restricted trail from parking lot and onto the floating boardwalk. Parking required at the parking lot.

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Exhibit 3: Gated and locked access onto the boardwalk leading onto the floating bog.

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Exhibit 4: Typical blueberry growth along boardwalk, 5 to 8 foot tall bushes.

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Exhibit 5: Small ponds are hidden in dense blueberry thickets.

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Exhibit 6: Formerly managed (foreground and unmanaged (5 to 8 foot tall) blueberry thicket.

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Exhibit 7: Cut and condensed cuttings of blueberry plants from former management.

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Exhibit 8: Formerly managed area (foreground), condensed pile of formerly cut material (middle), and unmanaged blueberry thicket (background).

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Exhibit 9: Recent and historical blueberry control areas at Pinhook Bog.

Indiana Dunes National Park Plan for Discoveries

The following plan outlines procedures to follow if there is an Inadvertent Discovery of human remains, funerary objects, and/or objects of Cultural Patrimony, or a discovery of Cultural Resources during the Permitted activity on National Park Service (NPS) lands.

Although an attempt will be made to locate and evaluate Archaeological sites prior to Permitted activities there is a potential that previously unidentified human remains (Inadvertent Discovery) or archeological sites will be identified during the Permitted activities. In the event that Permitted activities discover previously unidentified human remains (Inadvertent Discovery) or archeological sites all work shall cease. Any willful destruction of human remains or archeological sites can result in the prosecution of individuals under the Archeological Resource Protection Act of 1979 (16

U.S.C. 470), the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (Public Law 101-601; 25

U.S.C. 3001-3013) (NAGPRA), and other statutes that protect the Park’s Cultural Resources.

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It is important that the Permittee, contractors, and subcontractors understand their responsibilities and the requirements for Inadvertent Discoveries or discoveries of archaeological sites containing

Cultural Resources.

The Inadvertent Discovery of human remains, funerary objects and/or objects of Cultural Patrimony shall be treated in accordance with the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA); 25

U.S.C. 3001, and the Archeological Resource Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470). The Permit

Manager shall immediately notify the Park Superintendent of the discovery according to NAGPRA requirements.

Inadvertent Discovery

Stop Work. In the event that there is an Inadvertent Discovery of human remains, funerary objects, and/or objects of Cultural Patrimony during the Permitted activity, all work on site shall cease immediately, the area shall be secured, and the Permittee (the responsible official on site) shall notify the Permit Manager and Park Law Enforcement immediately. The Permit Manager shall notify the

Park’s Cultural Resource Specialist who shall notify the Midwest Archeological Center (MWAC).

Park Law Enforcement, working in conjunction with MWAC and the County Coroner, will assist in determining if the human remains are archeological in nature or if there is evidence of a crime.

Consultation with the appropriate SHPO and THPOs, and other interested Native American groups, shall be initiated by the Park, and a determination as to the disposition of these human remains, funerary objects, and/or objects of Cultural Patrimony shall be determined in consultation with the

SHPO and THPOs.

Discovery of an Archeological Site containing Cultural Resources

Cultural Resources can be precontact or historic. Examples include:

• an accumulation of shell, burned rocks, or other food related materials;

• bones or small pieces of bone;

• an area of charcoal or very dark stained soil with artifacts;

• stone tools or waste flakes (i.e. an arrowhead or stone chips);

• clusters of glass, pottery, tin cans or bottles, logging or agricultural equipment;

• buried railroad tracks, decking, or other industrial materials; and/or

• building foundations.

When in doubt assume the material is a Cultural Resource.

In the event an employee, contractor, or subcontractor believes that they have uncovered an archeological site containing Cultural Resources within the Permitted work area all work within 50 feet of the discovery shall cease. Work may continue in areas outside of the 50-foot area as long as a subsequent discovery does not take place. The discovery location shall be secured at all times.

The area of work stoppage shall be adequate to provide for the security, protection, and integrity of the Cultural Resource. The Permittee (the responsible official on site) shall be responsible for taking

19 | Page appropriate steps to protect the discovery. Vehicles, equipment, and unauthorized personnel shall not be permitted to traverse the discovery site.

All artifacts are property of the United States Federal Government and shall not be collected. Leave all Cultural Resources in place unless directed otherwise.

The Permittee (the responsible official on site) shall immediately notify the Park’s Cultural Resource

Specialist at (219) 395-1986 (office). If he/she cannot be reached contact the Chief of Resource

Management at (219) 928-6235 (cell), and then contact Park Law Enforcement at (219) 395-1077.

Work shall cease in this area until the archeological site, component, and/or human remains are evaluated by the NPS to determine if it meets eligibility criteria for the National Register of Historic

Places (NRHP) and/or NAGPRA. If the archeological site and/or component(s) are considered eligible for the NRHP the NPS will develop a plan, in consultation with the State Historic

Preservation Officer (SHPO) and the Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs), to protect it or undertake a program of data recovery to mitigate the loss of important archeological data.

If the discovery is made during projects without an Archeological Monitor on site notify the Park

Staff listed above. They will then notify MWAC for guidance.

If the discovery is made during a project with an Archeological Monitor on site the Monitor shall notify Park Staff. The monitor shall then begin the documentation process so that consultation can begin.

Follow Park Guidance. Appropriate Park Staff shall visit the site as soon as possible and consult with MWAC to determine if work can resume or if the project must be halted until further notice. If an NPS approved Archeological Monitor is on site they must be notified of any discoveries and can determine if a work stoppage is required and any other appropriate actions to take.