CN-370000-PL263-T908.pdf

Deborah Burr Digitally signed by Deborah Burr Date: 2020.10.23 13:10:16 -04'00'

Gregg Walker Digitally signed by Gregg Walker Date: 2020.10.26 08:29:47 -04'00'

Suzanne Lane Digitally signed by Suzanne Lane Date: 2020.10.26 09:19:02 -04'00'

Julie Wammack Digitally signed by Julie Wammack Date: 2020.11.09 16:39:25 -05'00'

Daniel Hipes Digitally signed by Daniel Hipes Date: 2020.11.09 16:44:45 -05'00'

PL263- Task Assignment 908 Terrestrial Invasive Plant Monitoring in Florida State Parks

This Scope of Work describes two separate tasks to be completed by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) during FY 2020-2021 to support land management and storm recovery on Florida State Parks.

Task 1. Long-term hurricane damage assessment and restoration monitoring plan:

To build off the work completed in 2018-2020, FNAI will conduct a third year of monitoring to assess natural community recovery and restoration at the seven parks most affected by the Hurricane Michael, the Category 5 hurricane that impacted the panhandle in October 2018. Monitoring results will provide information necessary to guide evidence-based restoration. As in previous years, a primary focus of this work will be examination of the differences in ground cover vegetation relative to the intensity of post-storm fuel removal efforts. This work will help guide best management practices after future storm events.

The primary State Parks included under this Task Assignment are Florida Caverns State Park, Three River State Park, Torreya State Park, Falling Waters State Park, St. Andrews State Park, T. H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, and Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park. This list does not preclude the ability to work at any state park affected by Hurricane Michael. This project only includes the preservation and restoration of natural resources and is not related to the restoration of cultural resources, facilities, or infrastructure although these features may be taken into consideration when evaluating natural resource management options.

At each park, FNAI will continue monitoring efforts as described in our 2020 Monitoring Plan developed for DRP/BNCR. FNAI will monitor all plots established during Phase I and II, approximately two growing seasons post-storm, to evaluate the changes in the plant community and the effects of any restoration actions (including any burning, salvage, debris removal, clearing, etc.). We will analyze all years of monitoring data and report results in year-end report.

Additionally, FNAI will review the monitoring plan created in 2020, incorporate any changes warranted by the 2021 results, and formalize the plan as a standalone document separate from the final report.

This document will describe a strategy for 23 years of post-storm monitoring starting with the initial rapid assessment, that occurred in 2018, followed by the three years of annual monitoring (of which this is the second), and then switching to a 5-year cycle extending through 2042. FNAI will describe methods in detail, and document exact plot and photo point locations so park staff can complete the follow-up monitoring in subsequent years if desired. FNAI will also attempt to identify and describe indicator species, which can be monitored as secondary indicators of ecosystem change.

Deliverables:

• Ecological monitoring data (submitted as data tables, shapefiles, and/or images) for all plots established during Phase I and II

• A year-end report describing natural community condition and restoration as quantitatively documented in plot data

• A final standalone, long-term monitoring plan

• Copies of any literature cited in the report.

Details for PL263 - Task Assignment #908 (continued)

Task 2. Invasive plant surveys at select state parks and sampling methodology development

FNAI will conduct targeted terrestrial invasive plant surveys of management units at selected state parks. The primary goals of this work will be: 1) the comparison of quantitative estimates of invasive plant cover from three sampling methods developed by FNAI staff to the invasive plant cover existing in the NRTS database; 2) creation of a recorded training presentation for DEP-DRP field staff to conduct sampling of invasive plant cover by sampling methodologies developed by FNAI.

Sampling will occur in representative area within six state parks, spread across the state to allow for an assessment of a range of invasive plant species and climate zones. FNAI will use multiple methods to estimate cover per species, and total invasive plant cover, at each site in order to identify the most efficient means of reliably estimating cover in a management unit. Sampling methods will be those proposed in “Examination of Current DRP Invasive Plant Assessment Methods and Recommendations for Potential Alternatives Final Report to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Division of Recreation and Parks, June 2020”. DRP/BNCR staff will approve any alterations to the methods.

Deliverables:

• Year-end report with:

a) analysis of data collected at state parks surveyed

b) detailed protocol describing the survey methods used during these surveys

c) analysis and comparison of the three sampling methods

d) recommendations for future invasive plant sampling techniques

• Recorded training presentation for DEP-DRP staff describing use of the preferred sampling methodology developed by FNAI staff.

Budget/Schedule:

The Contractor shall submit invoices by June 15, 2021 to DEP Contract Manager, Deborah Burr.

Deliverable Work Dates Date of Submission Total Payment

Task 1

• Ecological monitoring field data Nov 1, 2020 Mar 15, 2021 $8,000

• Year-end report

• Standalone, long-term monitoring plan

• Copies of any literature cited in the report.

Mar 16,2021 Jun 15, 2021 $10,306

Task 2

• Invasive plant sampling field data Jan 1, 2021 Mar 15, 2021 $17,000

• Year-end report

• Recorded training presentation

Mar 16,2021 Jun 15, 2021 $18,261

All invoices shall include the reporting period covered for the invoice amount billed.