Amend_01_ID04140153_Invasive_Species_Control_At_Robins_AFB.docx

RFP# ID04140153

INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL AT ROBINS AFB

January 2015

Background:

The purpose of this task is to eradicate and/or control the proliferation of invasive plant species populations present on Robins AFB. Invasive plant species control is needed to comply with the requirements of various statutes, policies and guidelines for the control of nonnative, invasive plant species on federal facilities. Invasive plant species on the base are managed under the Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP), with a focus on protecting native plant species and increasing the biodiversity of native plants. Treatment is guided by the INRMP and the current base Integrated Pest Management Plan. Invasive species control addresses Goal 1, Objective 1.1 of the current INRMP. Twenty-three invasive plant species have been recorded on base (Table 1). The locations of these plants have been subdivided into seven survey zones (Table 2 and Fig 1) to facilitate continued monitoring and treatment. Survey zone #4 is located north of the airfield, is not on the base proper, is largely flooded during much of the year and is difficult to access, and so treatments have not been conducted in that area to date (Jan 2015).

Procedure:

Using the principles outlined in the 2008 Invasive Species Management Plan and recent summary reports, the Contractor shall implement control measures within the designated treatment zones (per the 2008 plan). Invasive species targeted for treatment vary by treatment area, but primarily include Autumn olive, Chinaberry, Chinese tallow tree, Chinese wisteria, English ivy, alligator weed, Japanese honeysuckle, kudzu, Nandina, and silk tree. Emphasis will be placed on treating mature seed-bearing plants where present. In particular, the contractor shall focus on treating invasive species found in the forest where the largest population of Ocmulgee skullcap was formerly found, adjacent to fairway 5 of the golf course.

Before work begins, the Contractor shall provide a brief e-mail message to the Environmental Compliance Section (78 CEG/CEIEC) containing the following information: control method, date the control method shall be used, and the plan for measuring the success of this effort. The control schedule must be approved by the point of contact (POC) before implementation to ensure that all herbicides, and other control methods, are approved for use on Robins AFB. Personnel applying the herbicide must have the appropriate state pesticide use certification and must provide proof of certification to the POC. A description of the pounds of active ingredient used per pesticide shall be included in a project summary letter.

Table 1. Invasive species occurring on Robins AFB. (Note: Nepalese Browntop and Japanese Climbing Fern, not listed in the table, were found in 2013 and 2014.)

Table 2 (two pages). Survey zones and treatment areas, Robins AFB.

Figure 1: Survey zones (except #4) and treatment areas for invasive species management on Robins AFB.

Example Year: 2014 Invasive Species Treatment Summary

Z2T5, T14

Z3T1

Nandina (Nandina domestica) Japanese climbing fern (Lygodium japonicum) 42,000

Z3T2

Nandina (Nandina domestica) 200,000

Z3T3

Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) Silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) 100,000

Z5T1, T2, T13

Nandina (Nandina domestica) Silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) 200,000

Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) 20,000

Note: The table above is complete.

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