Candy_Kitchen_Veg_Treatments_2022_IDIQ_Task_Order_v2.docx

Candy Kitchen Vegetation Treatments Cibola County, New Mexico Task Order

Location of Project

The project is in Township 8N, Range 16W, Section 30,31 and Township 8N, Range 17W, Sections 25 approximately 2 miles west of the rural community of Candy Kitchen, New Mexico.

Boundaries of Project Area

Boundaries will be explained on the ground and flagged or identified on a map. The number of acres thinned will be dependent upon funding availability and cost per acre, not to exceed available funds. Portions of the project area boundary will follow a fence line or road, but some of the project boundaries do not follow the fences and roads in the area. The project is an estimated 250 acres in size.

Access

Access will be facilitated by the Pinitos Road and miscellaneous two track roads within and adjacent to the cutting unit. Work may have to be stopped by the Project Inspector at any time when the roads are wet and excessive rutting or resource damage could occur on the private land and within the project area. Roads created within the project area will not be created within 400 feet of the western boundary.

Project Purpose The purpose of this project is a coordinated effort with RPFO fuels and BLM Salinity Program to develop and maintain comprehensive and dynamic modeling tools to quantify the effectiveness of BLM management activities in retaining salt and sediment on public lands. The priority for salinity control efforts will focus on reducing erosion and sediment transport to streams, which is consistent with the BLM mission to manage public lands under principles of multiple use and sustained yield. The project area has a 40-60% canopy cover with an estimated 20-30% removal prescription. The project will be cut, lop and scatter trees (see attached map). Piñon and Juniper trees within and adjacent to the project area have encroached on grasslands and meadows decreasing overall watershed capabilities, wildlife habitat and forage production. The work to be completed will improve overall ecosystem health.

Requesting Office:

Rio Puerco Field Office

0010 Candy Kitchen Vegetation Treatments 250 Acres $ /Ac $ T 8 N, R 16 W, Sections 30, and 31, T 8 N, R 17 W, Sec 25, 26, 35

· Treatment will be done by hand-cutting (chainsaws and other hand equipment).

· No Girdling or Pruning.

· No cutting in designated areas to protect cultural sites and/or improvements.

· No travel on two track roads when soils are saturated by rain or snow; stay on gravel or pavement.

Prescription:

· Retain all ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) except where densities require light thinning.

· Ponderosa pine will be included when determining average tree spacing in the woodland stand.

· Desired spacing will consist of:

· Average tree spacing will be 40 feet.

· Retention of 1 small group of healthy trees every 2 acres (approximately 6-10 trees per group) is acceptable, with an average spacing around groups of 50 feet.

· The open swales and canyon bottoms with mostly smaller trees will have all trees less than 8 feet tall removed with up to 5 larger (i.e. mature) healthy trees per acre left uncut.

· Target species are One-seed Juniper (Juniperus monosperma), and Piñon (Pinus edulis).

· When cutting, all unhealthy trees (regardless of size) should be cut first before looking at spacing and leave tree requirements.

· Leave tree preference - 1st Healthy tree, 2nd Larger tree, 3rd Piñon Pine (Pinus edulis).

· Due to stem characteristics of Juniper and Piñon, stem diameter will be measured 6 inches above ground surface on the high side for cutting (DSH-diameter at stump height), not DBH.

· Leave any healthy (free of mistletoe, etc.) live Juniper 10-inch diameter or greater DSH.

· Leave any healthy (free of mistletoe, etc.) live piñon 8-inch diameter or greater DSH.

· Leave boles intact. No bucking of boles. Cut and felled material shall be completely limbed; trunks shall be left parallel to contour of slope to aid with erosion control.

· Cut any live Piñon and Juniper tree 1 foot tall or above that do not meet the above criteria for leave trees.

· Cut smaller seedlings and saplings growing under larger leave trees.

· Cut all piñon and juniper trees within 30 feet of power lines and ponderosa pine trees.

· Sever all live limbs and green needles from cut stumps.

· Cut stumps should be 6 inches or less in height.

· If oak motts or mountain mahogany shrubs are greater than 2 feet tall, cut to roughly 50% of their initial height.

· Do not cut shrubs that are 4 inches DRC or greater.

· Cut all pinyon pine, rocky mountain juniper, and one-seed junipers that are less than 6 inches DRC within the oak motts.

Slash Management:

· Slash within the cutting area will be lopped and scattered through-out the area and will not exceed 18 inches in height.

· All slash will be at least 10 feet from leave trees to minimize crown scorch when slash is burned later.

· Remove cut material 30 feet from structures (example: fences, waters, powerlines), fiber optic ROW, and ponderosa pine trees.

· Cut material that is less than 16 inches in diameter will be placed in arroyos and erosion “cuts” located within 1 chain (66 feet) of cut trees to help slow head cutting and soil erosion.

· Any tree that is cut within 50 feet of an active erosion cut, arroyo or area of bare ground shall have the slash placed in areas, in a manner that will allow the slash to catch sediment and help reduce soil erosion.

Leave Trees:

· All Ponderosa Pine except where densities require light thinning.

· Any tree having signs or survey markers.

· Any tree having wildlife nests or cavities.

· All trees along fence lines that have fence wire attached to them.

· Any standing dead tree regardless of species over 10” in diameter...

· Leave all oak over 4” in diameter

· All Alligator Juniper

Period of Performance: September 26, 2022 to April 25, 2023.

There is 2 units adjacent to each other