DRAFT _ SOW_ Annual Natural Area Management P.pdf

DRAFT

City of Atlanta

Department of Watershed Management (DWM)

Office of Watershed Protection (OWP)

SCOPE OF WORK

Annual Natural Area Management Program

Three Areas of Emphasis:

1. Invasive Plant Control

2. Forestry Services

3. Land Management

Scope of Work

Invasive Plant Control

a) Initiation of Work:

i) Upon identification of a need for services by the City, the Contractor and a member from the City team must meet on site to discuss work to be completed and set expectations for work to be performed.

ii) After the site visit, Contractor will submit a written proposal outlining work to be done and associated costs.

iii) Proposal will contain:

1) A map (either contractor or City created) with the boundaries of the work area delineated and before photos.

2) A sequence, timing and schedule of treatment and the methods of how it will be completed, and how non-target species will be protected.

3) Copy of the current GA Commercial Pesticide Applicators License for all staff supervising the application of pesticides.

4) List of identified plants to be removed

iv) Work onsite will not commence until the proposal has been signed by a member of the City team and returned to the contractor.

v) Contractor will inform City of Atlanta team members of when work is going to commence and install all necessary signage to inform public and site users of chemical treatments.

b) Invasive Plant Control

i) Field supervisor and crew must be able to demonstrate knowledge of effective control techniques and accurate species identification for target and protection methods for non-target species.

ii) Contractor will follow EPD, EPA and manufacturers guidance for the use of all herbicides.

iii) Methods of control and treatment will vary with the specific site and the target species to be controlled. The approved methods of control may be a combination of herbicide treatment, manual control, and mechanical control. These items will be discussed at the initial onsite meeting where expectations are set.

iv) Areas for invasive control shall be distinguished by the level of infestation (high:

above 50%, moderate: 10 – 50%, low: below 10%), with separate unit price items for the different levels of infestation and for treatment type (manual control, cut and treat/stem injection/basal bark application, foliar application, and mechanical control). Area shall be based on total site area under treatment and given in acres.

Before beginning treatment, Contractor and the City shall agree upon the level of infestation to determine the unit item to be used for treatment.

v) Acceptable levels of non-target species mortality because of invasive plant control activities will be agreed upon by the Contractor and the City.

vi) The use of a dye solution manufactured for herbicide use shall be used on ALL herbicide applications including cut and treat applications and foliar applications.

vii) It is the responsibility of the Contractor to adequately protect personnel, water bodies, utilities, and structures during the spraying, treatment, control and removal of invasive species.

viii) Each application shall result in 90% or higher reduction in the density of the target species within 0-3 months of treatment depending on target species and control methodology unless another control target level has been agreed upon. For foliar applications each application shall result in 90% or higher reduction in live foliage. If a 90% reduction is not met, contractor shall retreat areas of concern at no cost to the City until control target level is achieved.

ix) Unless otherwise specified, vegetative debris will be left on site to decompose.

c) After work has been completed.

i) Contractor should notify City Team member that work has been completed via email, as well as provide after photos.

ii) A post-work site visit between contractor and the City team member must take place for the City to approve work that has been completed before invoices will be approved for payment.

iii) Invoices submitted should reflect the line items as presented in the cost proposal that was signed by the City Team Member and reference the proposal number.

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Forestry Services

a) Initiation of Work: (Non-Emergency Work) i)Upon identification of a need for services by the City, the Contractor and a member from the City team must meet on site to discuss work to be completed and set expectations for work to be performed.

ii)After the site visit, Contractor will submit a written proposal outlining work to be done and associated costs.

iii)Proposal will contain:

1) A map (either contractor or City created), with the tree that is to be removed and/or pruned identified

2) A sequence, timing and methods of how it will be completed.

3) Work onsite will not commence until the proposal has been signed by a member of the City team and returned to the contractor.

iv)Contractor will inform City of Atlanta team members of when work is going to commence and install all necessary signage to inform public and site users of chemical treatments as well as post applicators license and boundaries of site work.

b) Initiation of Work: (Emergency Work) i)City team members will contact Contractor and inform them of the nature of the emergency. A mutual agreement will be made as to when the contractor can evaluate the situation and communicate to the members of the City team on what is needed. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME A WRITTEN PROPOSAL IS NOT

NEEDED IN ADVANCE. A text message or email confirming the work to be done can be used as a notice to proceed.

ii)After the site visit, Contractor will submit a written proposal outlining work to be done and associated costs.

iii)Proposal will contain:

1) A map (either contractor or City created), with the tree that is to be removed and/or pruned identified

2) A sequence, timing and methods of how it will be completed iv)Work onsite will not commence until the proposal has been signed by a member of the City team and returned to the contractor.

v)Contractor will inform City of Atlanta team members of when work is going to commence

c) After work has been completed:

i)Contractor should notify City Team members that work has been completed via email as well as provide after photos ii)A post-work site visit between contractor and the City team member must take place for the City to approve work that has been completed before invoice will be approved for payment iii)Invoices submitted should reflect the line items as presented in the cost proposal that was signed by the City Team Member and reference the proposal number.

Land Management

This scope of work is for land management services in support of natural areas and greenspace management. The Contractor shall provide natural resource and conservation land management services for properties and natural areas managed by the City of Atlanta.

Services may include, but are not limited to:

• Meadow management, design, establishment and maintenance of new or existing meadows;

• Habitat assessments and species monitoring, camera trap or acoustic monitoring support, data analysis, and development/implementation of site-specific ecological management plans

• Vegetation surveys and rare/sensitive plant species protection

• Development of site-specific ecological management plans

• Restoration planting, establishment, and maintenance, overseeding, and seed collection

• Volunteer/community stewardship event coordination and support

• Non-vegetative debris removal

a) Initiation of Work:

i) Upon identification of a need for services by the City, the Contractor and a member from the City team must meet on site to discuss work to be completed and set expectations for work to be performed.

ii) After the site visit, Contractor will submit a written proposal outlining work to be done and associated costs.

iii) Proposal will contain:

1) A map (either contractor or City created) with the boundaries of the work area delineated and before photos.

2) A sequence, timing and schedule of treatment and the methods of how it will be completed.

3) Copy of the current GA Commercial Pesticide Applicators License for all staff supervising the application of pesticides.

4) Target species to be controlled and species to be seeded and planted if applicable.

iv) Work onsite will not commence until the proposal has been signed by a member of the City team and returned to the contractor.

v) Contractor will inform City of Atlanta team members of when work is going to commence and install all necessary signage to inform public and site users of chemical treatments.

d) Meadow Management and Establishment

i) Contractor and City team shall meet and discuss goals before work is completed.

ii) Contractor shall provide support for planning, design, and establishment of new meadow areas, as well as assessment and maintenance of existing meadow areas.

iii)

iv) Contractor shall control unwanted vegetation in the meadow based on established goals. Unwanted vegetation can include invasive plants, trees and shrubs, blackberry, vines, excessive thatch, and other weedy species that threaten the establishment or diversity of the meadow.

v) Contractors shall control unwanted vegetation through seasonal mowing, manual removal, chemical control, or a combination.

e) Restoration Planting

i) Planting palette shall be 100% native to the Georgia Piedmont and representative of the natural plant community and existing species present on site. Plant material shall be straight species and shall not include cultivars.

ii) Planting palette shall reflect the goals agreed upon by the contractor and City team.

iii) Plant material shall be sourced locally and be of local ecotype whenever possible.

iv) Potential plant substitutions need be approved by the City team.

v) Plantings shall be watered during time of planting.

vi) A 90% survivability rate is expected of all restoration plantings after 1 year. If 90% survivability is not met, the contractor shall replant material at no cost to the City.

Overseeding is an exception to this rule.

f) Non-Vegetation Debris Removal

i) Contractors may be requested to remove and dispose of trash, silt fencing, tires, and large objects abandoned within natural areas such as cars, furniture, and mattresses.

ii) Contractor shall use the method least impactful to the natural area when removing debris.

iii) There shall be no tread marks or evidence of vehicles on the landscape after debris has been removed.

g) After work has been completed:

i) Contractor should notify City Team members that work has been completed via email as well as provide after photos

ii) A post-work site visit between contractor and the City team member must take place for the City to approve work that has been completed before invoice will be approved for payment

iii) Invoices submitted should reflect the line items as presented in the cost proposal that was signed by the City Team Member and reference the proposal number.