Detailed Task Order Specifications DTOS.pdf

Detailed Task Order Specifications: ITEMs 0001 & 0002: CHAINSAW TOPPING; and 0003 TREE FELLING: Siuslaw NF; Hebo RD

SPECIFICATIONS FOR ALL ITEMS

1) The following specifications supplement or replace specifications in the contract for 5.2 (chainsaw topping for items 0001 and 0002), 5.3 (tree felling for item 0003), 5.4 (distribution), 5.5 (marking), 5.6 (measuring), 5.7 (documenting), 5.8 (mapping), and 5.9 (acceptance and payment).

2) Treatment is only allowed through saw work to the specified standards.

3) Plot Size & Distribution

a) Treated trees shall be implemented in Plots that are well distributed throughout the Treatment Area.

b) Plots shall have a 50-feet radius.

c) No greater than a maximum of the five smallest trees shall be treated within the plot area that meet treatment specifications.

d) Treatment types can be mixed per plot, but a minimum of two trees must be treated per treatment type, i.e., you cannot implement just one downed-wood or snag-topped tree in a plot where treatments are mixed.

e) Contractor shall determine and mark the plot center tree with an orange band of paint and Plot Identifier Number (see Marking Section). Plot center tree can be a treated or untreated tree.

f) Plot centers shall be a minimum distance of 150 feet from the next closest plot center.

4) Location of plots & trees selected for treatment:

a) Treated trees will be placed a minimum of 200 feet from any road open to vehicle traffic.

b) Treatments will be placed so that existing openings will not be expanded beyond ¾-acre in total (for example: no larger than about a 100-feet radius) in upland areas and ¼-acre (about a 58-feet radius) within 100 feet of streams.

c) Where possible, locate plots/treatment trees:

i) First, near any big leaf maple trees - if present

ii) Second, near a large alder (> 8” dbh) – if present

5) Tree Selection; Species and Size:

a) All trees selected for treatment shall be live conifer trees of the dominant species.

i) Trees shall not be treated where the species is less than 50% of the trees within the treatment plot

ii) Cedar, hardwoods, or rare species shall not be treated

b) Treated trees shall be the smallest trees available within the treatment plot that are larger than 10” dbh (diameter breast height) and meet the treatment specification standards described throughout.

i) No greater than a maximum of the five smallest trees shall be treated within the plot area that meet treatment specifications.

c) Trees selected shall be sound, shall not have forked or broken tops, large scars, existing cavities, or other unique structural characteristics.

d) Trees selected for treatment will consist only of plantation trees that are not marked with orange or pink bands.

e) If contractor discovers significant blowdown within a unit and determines that the specific treatment amounts can not be placed in unit, then existing snags resulting from than blowdown can be utilized as a supplement to treatment trees within plots as long as those existing snags follow the same specifications as described above (see sections 3-5). Contractor is required to inform the project COR before proceeding if these conditions exist.

i) If 3 or more existing snags that follow the same specifications as described above are found within a 50 foot radius, then contractor will not be able to utilize those snags for the treatment plot and shall move plot to another location.

f) Potential Murrelet Tree Shall Not be Treated: Only treat trees that DO NOT contain potential structure for nesting marbled murrelets. If there is any question whether the tree has nesting structure DO NOT treat the tree.

A tree with nesting structure has all the following characteristics:

i) It occurs within 50 miles of the coast

ii) It is a conifer tree

iii) It is greater than or equal to 19.1 inches in diameter and is greater than 107 feet in height

iv) It has at least one platform with the following characteristics:

(1) ≥ 4 in. (10 cm) in diameter

(2) ≥ 32.5 ft. (9.9 m) above the ground

(3) it has a tree branch or foliage, either on the tree or on an adjacent tree, that provides protective cover over the platform

(4) it has nesting substrate (e.g., moss, epiphytes, duff) on that platform

(5) And it has an access route through the canopy that a murrelet could use to approach and land on the platform

Not all characteristics are visible from the ground in all situations. If in doubt, consider the tree a murrelet tree if any of the last three criteria d) iv) (3),(4), & (5) cannot be assessed from the ground, but all other criteria are met.

6) See Detailed Unit Information sheet for unit-specific treatment amounts and other pertinent details. Treatment amounts are specific to treatment units and may not be “traded” between units.

CHAINSAW TOPPING (Items 1.1a and 1.1b)

General intent is to create snags and live topped trees in equal proportion (a ten percent tolerance is acceptable – e.g., 40% snags and 60% live topped or vice versa).

1) 1.1a: Chainsaw topping: Snag trees. Intent is to create a dead tree/snag.

a) Snag trees will have two to four live limbs over five feet in length and the snag will be at least 35’ tall.

b) The sawed surface will have 4 grooves, each at least 4 inches deep. Grooves will be created in a tic-tac-toe grid formation.

2) 1.1b: Chainsaw topping: Live trees. The intent is to promote development of a cavity and/or platform in a live tree. Topping to the specified standards will provide good conditions for fungi that cause heart-rot while retaining an adequate number of live limbs below the topping site to keep the tree alive and allow upper most limbs to grow vertically and eventually provide a platform structure and cover over any developing cavity.

a) Of the five smallest trees treated within a plot, choose the larger ones for Live wildlife tree creation

b) Live trees shall retain at least 15 live limbs that are at least five feet in length (intent is to keep these trees alive).

c) Live tree diameter (outside bark) at topping height shall be equal or greater than 6 inches.

d) The sawed surface will have 4 grooves, each at least 4 inches deep. Grooves will be created in a tic-tac-toe grid formation.

TREE FELLING (Item 1.2)

1) Specifications for Tree Felling – Down Wood Creation

a) At least 70% of felled trees shall be felled side-hill (within fifty degrees of horizontal).

b) Fell down wood away from all stream and stream channels.

ADDITIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR ALL ITEMS

1) Contractor Marking of treated trees:

a) Plot centers must be marked. Contractor shall determine and mark a plot center tree with an orange band of paint and Plot Number (P1). Plot center tree can be a treated or untreated tree.

b) Chainsaw-topping (Snags and Live Trees): Contractor will mark treated trees with numbered aluminum tree tags placed at diameter at breast-height (dbh). The numbered tag will be attached with one aluminum nail and shall not be completely nailed into the tree.

c) Tree Felling (Down-wood): Paint individual felled trees with the tree number after felling on both the cut stump and the felled tree preferably on the cut face or on a visible place on the bole. For example, if you fell 4 trees in a plot, the felled trees and the stumps should be painted with numbers 1 through 4 on the cut end of the bole.

d) The Contractor shall furnish all tree-marking supplies: paint, flagging, aluminum tree tags, and aluminum nails.

2) Contractor Recording of Treatment Locations:

a) The Contractor shall record the location of each plot center tree with a GPS.

i) coordinate accuracy shall be within 100 feet

ii) coordinates shall be recorded in NAD 83, UTMs

b) The Contractor shall provide an electronic file of coordinates.

i) the electronic file shall include coordinates, worker’s name, timber sale name, unit number, plot number, and number & type of treated trees for that plot.

ii) the file format shall be an ESRI shapefile or a KML file.

3) Contractor Tree Registry Recording:

a) The Contractor must provide a completed Tree Register Form

4) Plan of Work & Work Completion:

a) The Contractor is REQUIRED to submit a plan of work at least seven days before intent to implement each plan.

b) This plan shall be submitted to the project Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for approval.

c) Work will not begin until this plan is approved. Be aware that the COR may need to coordinate contractor’s intended work schedule with other work/contractors in the area.

d) The Contractor is REQUIRED to inform the project COR when a unit has been accomplished and provide all required items within 7 days of completion.

Tree registry Form: Siuslaw NF, Hebo RD.

Prepared by and date prepared: ______________________________________

Sale Name & Unit No. ____________________________________________

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,

including UTM of each Tree (in NAD

1983)