FL_PANTHER_SOW.pdf

FLORIDA PANTHER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Treatment of Cogongrass, Brazilian pepepr & Cabbage Palms

Scope of Work

Prepared by:

Mark Danaher

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge

12085 SR 29 South

Immokalee, FL 34142

Project Location

Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge (FPNWR) is located approximately 20 miles east of Naples.

The Refuge is bounded by Interstate 75 to the south and State Road 29 to the east. The FPNWR is approximately 26,600 acres in size, and is comprised of pineland, seasonal wet prairies, hardwood hammocks, and hardwood swamp. The treatment area consists of a mixture of pine flatwoods, hardwood hammocks, prairies, and cypress domes within FPNWR Units 6, 26 and 33 (Figures 1-3). Total acreage of all treatment areas combined is approximately 225.1 acres (Figure 1). Most habitats on the FPNWR are easiest to access during the dry season (November to May). The Unit 26 and 33 treatment areas can be accessed from State Road 29 via the Work Center gate, FPNWR Office gate or Club Road identified in Figure 1. The Unit 6 treatment area can be accessed via the I-75 refuge gate, which is immediately west of mile marker 88 (Figure 1). The treatment areas are easiest to access using 4WD pickups, ATVs, UTV’s, and swamp buggies during the dry season.

Project Description

The Contractor will apply the appropriate herbicide and adjuvant necessary to treat all cabbage palms

(Sabal palmetto) < 8 ft in height (measured at the apical meristem/palm spear), Brazilian pepper

(Schinus terebinthifolia) and cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) within the designated treatment areas highlighted in Figures 1-3. Contractor must achieve 100% coverage of targeted vegetation with at least a 95% control rate. Most recent treatments of FLEPPC Category 1 invasive plants in Units 6, 26 and 33 occurred as follows: Unit 6 (2015, 2016 and 2017); Unit 26 (2016, 2019 and 2020); Unit 33 (2018, 2019

(partial) and 2020). Units 6, 26 and 33 are prescribed burned every 2-4 years, and most recent burns were: Unit 6 (2020); Unit 26 (2021); and Unit 33 (2020/2021).

Work Specifications

Period of Performance: The period of performance shall not exceed 120 days from the commencement of work, unless mutually agreed upon otherwise by the Government and contractor. This time-frame would account for holidays and weather-days within the contract period. The project shall be fully completed [initial, re-treat, inspection, final invoice] within 120 days following issuance of the task order and notification to begin work unless mutually extended for a longer period. The Contractor shall wait a minimum of 45 days before performing any re-treatments so that results of the initial treatment are visible, and crews shall then target plants or infestations missed during initial treatments. Final inspection and final billing shall be completed prior to the end of the Period of Performance when practical. Timing of treatment will be dependent upon the weather, ongoing Government activities and habitat conditions within the treatment area. No treatment will occur when the treatment area has standing water in it. Due to the length of time that it takes to kill cabbage palms and confirm mortality, contractor may submit final invoice upon completion of initial treatments by Contractor and initial inspection by the Government. However, Contractor agrees to complete re-treatments within 120 days following issuance of the task order if a final inspection by the Government determines that desired control rates were not achieved.

The Government will supply one or more of the following herbicides and carriers/surfactants for Units

6, 26 and 33 treatment areas:

1) Treatment of cabbage palms and Brazilian pepper: Garlon 4 Ultra, Trycera, Triclopyr 4ec, or Element

4, along with basal oil or non-ionic surfactant;

2) Treatment of cogongrass and climbing fern: Roundup Custom, Cinco, Imazapyr (Polaris, Arsenal or

Ecomazapyr), and non-ionic surfactant

All other specifications/requirements described within the Performance Work Statement and

Contractor’s proposal for XXXXXXXXX shall be adhered to.

F ig u re

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