APPENDIX_A_04162015.docx

APPENDIX A

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR SERVICE WORK ACTIVITIES

In addition to requirements in the main body of this Contract, Stewardship activities in Schedule B and B.1 Schedule of Items shall be accomplished and Quality Assurance measured by ocular survey for compliance with contract provisions as listed in Appendix B by Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

Project Number 001 – Thinning of Non-sawtimber Material. Following the removal of merchantable trees (trees listed in Table B.2 in Schedule of Items meeting minimum specifications in Divison AT tables) in all PFFPP South Stewardship harvest cutting units, additional trees will be cut and removed according to the following specifications:

The intent of this thinning project is to reduce spruce budworm infestations, remove competition from residual trees, reduce ladder fuels, and promote faster growth of desirable timber.

A. Non-sawtimber Deisgnated with Cut Tree Mark and Mandatory Removal

1. Do not cut any boundary trees flagged in blue and/or marked with orange paint on stumps, regardless of whether they meet any of the following descriptions of trees to be cut.

2. Trees 5.0 to 8.9 inches DBH with a reasonably straight, 10 foot piece that is 33.3% sound (See Division AT merchantability specifications) are designated with YELLOW cut-tree paint. These trees will be felled to a 6 inch or lower stump height above ground on the uphill side and whole tree skidded to landings using approved skid trails and landing locations.

3. Bole wood meeting the above merchantability specifications will be processed at landings and removed.

4. Activity fuels generated from felling, skidding, and processing designated non-sawtimber material will be machine piled at log landings using a Forest Service approved brush rake. This material may also be chipped at the landings and/or removed for biomass. If Contractor chooses to chip activity slash generated in this project, chips must be scattered at the landing to a depth of 1 foot or less, away from residual trees.

** Note Well: The removal of designated Non-sawtimber as described above shall be completed prior to the remainder of Projects/Service Work Activities listed below. Contractor may choose to do the harvesting of the sawtimber in concurrence with this item.

B. Undesignated Non-sawtimber

1. Do not cut any boundary trees flagged in blue and/or marked with orange paint on stumps, regardless of whether they meet any of the following descriptions of trees to be cut.

2. Cut subalpine fir, white fir, Douglas-fir, blue spruce, and Englemann spruce from 5.0 to 8.9 inches DBH to a 6 inch or lower stump height above ground on the uphill side.

3. Cut severly deformed ponderosa pine from 5.0 to 8.9 inches DBH to a 6 inch or lower stump height above ground on the uphill side.

4. Leave aspen regardless of form or location. Leave healthy and well-formed ponderosa pine.

5. Promote aspen by cutting conifers 5-8.9 inches DBH to a 6 inch or lower stump height above ground on the uphill side, excluding ponderosa pine, out of aspen clones.

6. All oak, New Mexican locust, and any dead standing tree, regardless of species, shall not be cut, and shall be ignored with respect to openings.

7. The slash generated from this portion of Project 001 will be treated in accordance with “Project 003 – Piling of Thinned Material with Optional Removal.”

Project Number 002 – Non-Commercial Thinning Following the removal of merchantable trees (trees listed in Table B.2 in Schedule of Items meeting minimum specifications in Divison AT tables) AND removal of Part A in Project 001 above in all PFFPP South Stewardship harvest cutting units, additional trees will be cut according to the following specifications and piled according to “Project Number 003: Piling of Thinned Material with Optional Removal” :

The intent of this thinning project is to reduce spruce budworm infestations, remove competition from residual trees, and promote faster growth of desirable timber.

1. Do not cut any boundary trees flagged in blue and/or marked with orange paint on stumps, regardless of whether they meet any of the following descriptions of trees to be cut.

2. Cut subalpine fir, white fir, Douglas-fir, blue spruce, and Englemann spruce from 1 foot tall and taller up to 4.9 inches DBH to a 6 inch or lower stump height above ground on the uphill side.

3. Cut severly deformed ponderosa pine from 1 foot tall and taller up to 4.9 inches DBH to a 6 inch or lower stump height above ground on the uphill side.

4. Leave aspen regardless of form or location. Leave healthy and well-formed ponderosa pine.

5. Promote aspen by cutting conifers 1 foot tall and taller up to 4.9 inches DBH to a 6 inch or lower stump height above ground on the uphill side, excluding ponderosa pine, out of aspen clones.

6. All oak, New Mexican locust, and any dead standing tree, regardless of species, shall not be cut, and shall be ignored with respect to openings.

Project Number 003 – Piling of Thinned Material with Optional Removal Hand piling is required for all slash generated from non-commercial thinning activities, including thinning of Undesignated Non-sawtimber Material (Project 001, Part B) and Non-commerical Thinning (Project 002). The thinning generated slash may be chipped and/or removed for biomass purposes at the Contractor’s discretion. Piling will be conducting according to the following specifcations:

1. Only slash generated from the above mentioned non-commercial thinning (Project 002) and thinning of Undesignated Non-sawtimber (Part B. of Project 001) need be piled.

2. Build piles to maximize potential for subsequent burning by organizing piles with finer fuels in the middle of the pile, surrounded by larger bolts. All pieces should be bucked to 6 feet or shorter.

3. Create piles in locations that minimize mortality to larger leave trees, especially ponderosa pine trees. When possible, piles must not be within the dripline of live leave trees 12 inches or more in DBH. As a general rule-of-thumb, piles should be twice the pile height in distance away from leave trees.

4. Build piles to form a TeePee shape with the larger activity fuels on the outside to shed snow and improve burning consumption. DO NOT use live trees as TeePee poles and avoid having pieces jutting from the pile.

5. Make piles about 6 feet high and 10 feet in diameter, except in openings where the piles can be bigger. Avoid making small piles.

Rework and Re-inspect After Rework The contractor shall be required to make their own inspections to ensure the above mentioned non-commercial thinning and hand piling specifications are met with a 90% accuracy or more. Forest Service Representative, Sale Administrator or designated Contract Inspector will also make periodic inspections to ensure the Contractor is performing inspections to ensure the specifications are met at 90% or more accuracy. The Forest Service is not responsible for making all quality control inspections.

When the Forest Service determines that above specifications are not being met for any one service item to at least a 90% accuracy level, the Contractor’s work will not be accepted until specifications are met.