A04_SOW.docx

Virginia Mountains Lop and Scatter Fort Sage and Carl Spring Units

STATEMENT OF WORK

6/08/23

PURPOSE

The purpose of this contract is to secure the service of cutting, lopping and scattering services of live and dead trees on 1,416 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management Carson City District (BLM). The objective of this project is to modify wildfire behavior and intensity caused by expanding juniper trees in the project area, while also improving sage grouse habitat and water flow from springs.

LOCATION

The treatment units are located north of Reno, NV and south of Doyle CA, and are located in Washoe County, Nevada. The treatment units are in the Dry Valley Creek area in the northern part of the Dogskin Mountain range. See vicinity and project maps.

PROJECT AREA DESCRIPTION

Vegetation in the project area is typical of the western Great Basin and consists of a diverse mix of grasses, sagebrush, bitterbrush, rabbitbrush, Mormon tea and juniper trees. Junipers trees are encroaching into brush and grasslands. Jeffery Pine and Pinyon Pines are rare but a few individual trees may be encountered in the project area.

The project area size is 1,416 acres, in northern portion of the Dogskin mountain range. Elevation ranges between 4600 and 6800 feet, and slope ranges between 0 and 60 percent. The number of trees per acre and tree density varies throughout the units from widely scattered to moderately dense. Trees are generally small to medium size for the species. The project area topography is typical for the western Great Basin.

The Carl Spring unit consists of 450 acres of moderately steep slopes surrounding Carl and Nava Springs, and extends from 5200’ near valley floor up to the ridgetop at 6800’.

The Fort Sage unit consists of two treatment areas totaling 966 acres of gently rolling terrain, ranging from 4600’ to 4800’ elevation. Roughly half of the unit was burned in a past large fire, with standing juniper snags remaining.

ACCESSIBILITY

The nearest full support community to the project is Reno, NV. Average travel time from Reno to the project site is 30 minutes to1 hour. Access to the project is on dirt roads. Access is limited during the winter months due to weather and road conditions. Although the project units can generally be reached by two-wheel drive vehicles, four-wheel drive high clearance vehicles will improve access options. UTV type vehicles will allow further improved access to more locations around and within the units, and reduce hiking time, especially on the Carl Spring unit (see attached map). The Government does not assume obligation to plow snow or conduct special maintenance to keep roads open and maintained.

BOUNDARIES

The Government will load the treatment unit boundary into devices with GPS capability (e.g. Garmin GPS, Trimble GPS, iPad and/or iPhone with the Avenza PDF Maps app) provided by the Contractor. Areas within the treatment units to be excluded from treatment will be either noted on GPS device, or marked with flagging. Any flagging hung by the Contractor will be pulled and properly disposed of before the project will be considered complete.

SCHEDULE/PROGRESS OF WORK

The project period of performance is September 15, 2023 to Feb 29, 2024. Prior to start and during the performance period of the contract, the Government may specify priority areas to be treated. The Contractor will maintain progress at a rate that will assure completion within the contract time. At the pre-work conference, the Contractor will provide a work schedule which must be acceptable to the Government.

TREATMENT SPECIFICATIONS

Carl Spring Unit (450 acres): The contractor will manually cut, lop, and scatter all live and dead juniper trees, saplings, and seedlings, except for exclusions noted below.

Fort Sage Unit (966 acres): Two treatment areas with different treatment specifications exist within this unit:

· Area A (154 acres): This area is a moderate density stand of live juniper trees, where the contractor will perform a manual selective cut, lop, and scatter in order to achieve a minimum desired canopy spacing of 15-20’. The largest and healthiest trees will be left standing, while smaller intermediate individuals will be cut to achieve desired crown spacing. It is estimated that between 10 and 60% of current standing live juniper trees will be cut (depending on initial tree density) to achieve this crown spacing. All juniper trees less than 6 feet tall will be cut, regardless of crown spacing.

· Area B (812 acres): This area consists of a mix of lower density live junipers, intermixed with a burned area of standing juniper snags. The contractor will manually cut, lop, and scatter 100% of all standing live and dead juniper trees, saplings, and seedlings, except for exclusions noted below.

Treatment Specifications common to all units:

· Stump height will not exceed 4 inches above level of ground or protruding rocks.

· All live limbs and stems must be severed from the stump of cut trees.

· Material from cut trees, both live and dead, will be cut and scattered so that no portion protrudes higher than 24 inches above the ground.

· Material from cut trees will be scattered a minimum of 5’ outside the drip line of any live trees that remain.

· Hand loppers will be used to cut smallest trees and lowest limbs on larger trees where chainsaw use is deemed unsafe.

· Standing dead trees need to be severed from stumps and branches sticking upright need to be removed to prevent use as raptor perches.

· Do not cut: Trees with obvious signs of wildlife use such as nest cavities or large stick nests.

· Do not cut: Jeffery and Pinyon Pine trees (unlikely to be found in area, but possible).

· Do not cut: Riparian vegetation, including willow and wild rose, and mountain mahogany.

· Do not cut: Live trees greater than 24 inches in diameter at ground level.

· Do not cut: Trees with old growth characteristics will not be cut. Old growth characteristics include gnarled limbs, thick fibrous bark, rounded or flattened (as opposed to pointed) canopy shape. Contractor will work with the Contract Officers Representative to identify old growth characteristics and avoid trees displaying these characteristics.

· Contractor will stop work and notify COR/PI if any sage grouse are seen in project area.

CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS

The Contractor will provide all tools, materials, equipment, and labor necessary to complete the work as specified in the contract.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

Soil Stability/Water Quality Protection - Contractor will cease operation when soil moisture levels result in significant soil compaction and/or rutting. Contractor's activities will be executed in a manner which avoids large drainages. Any significant rutting of the soil will be returned to the natural contour by the Contractor as part of the work process.

Weed Control - Contractor will ensure all equipment moved onto public land is free of soil, seeds, and vegetative matter or other debris that could contain or hold seeds. Contractor will employ whatever cleaning methods are necessary to ensure compliance and will notify the Government prior to moving each piece of equipment onto public land. Notification will include identifying the location of the equipment’s most recent operations.

Cultural Resource Protection - Locations of known historic or prehistoric sites, buildings, objects, and properties related to American history, architecture, archaeology, and culture, such as settler or Indian artifacts that need to be avoided by the Contractor will be identified on the ground by the Government. Discovery of such areas by either party during Contractor’s operations will be promptly reported to the other party and operations will be suspended at that location until the significance or potential significance of the resource is determined.

Fire Prevention/Suppression - Vegetation occurring in the Great Basin can be highly flammable. Under dry and windy weather conditions the potential for a fire start is high. The risk of wildfire is year-round. Be extra careful when working on or around the dry grasses. Check under vehicles when parking off road. Plan to perform any activity that could cause a spark (grinding or welding) in the morning, when the relative humidity is higher, and the temperatures are cooler. Also, be especially vigilant when operating heavy equipment with pivoting metal tracks on rocky ground. When treating, work from the outside edge to the center of the day’s treatment area.

The Contractor will (1) equip all diesel and/or gasoline operated engines with spark arresters that meet Forest Service standards set forth in the National Coordinating Group publication for Multiposition Small Engines, #430-4 (spark arresters are not required on equipment powered by exhaust driven turbo charged engines), (2) equip all machines powered by an internal combustion engine with at least one 10 lb. ABC rated fire extinguisher (minimum) or equivalent, (3) remove all concentrations of wood dust and debris from the equipment daily, (4) have one 10 lb. ABC rated fire extinguisher, one shovel, and five gallons water readily available adjacent to grinding/welding operations.

The Contractor will, independently and in cooperation with the Government, take all reasonable action to prevent and suppress fires on the project. Independent initial action will be prompt and will include the use of all personnel and equipment available in the project area.

Emergency Reporting Requirements:

1. 911 (initial call for all emergencies)

2. Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch: 775-883-5995 (wildland fire emergency line)

Information needed in reporting a wildland fire would include: Location (Geographical reference and/or Latitude/longitude coordinates), description on what the fire is doing, size, spread, color of smoke, etc.

The Government may require emergency measures, including the necessary shutting down of equipment or portions of operations during periods of high fire danger.

Under Title 43 CFR 9212 the holder of this permit may be held liable for any and all costs should a wildland fire occur caused by the activities associated with the construction, maintenance, or operation of this project. Fire trespass action might be initiated, and wildfire suppression costs may be collected from the holder of this permit.