Attachment_C_Noxious_Weed_Guidelines.pdf

WFM-0309-02HF

Bundled Mechanical WUI Treatment Project

Noxious Weed Guidelines

The purpose of this document is to prevent the spread of noxious weed species from non-Forest Service lands to Forest Service lands and to prevent the spread and establishment of new populations on Forest Service lands. The following provides direction for how this objective will be addressed in implementation of this contract.

(a) Prior to entry into each treatment unit, the Contractor will be provided a map showing the location of any known noxious week populations. These sites will be flagged and treated as “no treatment” areas and avoided by the Contractor and all equipment. A current list of invasive species of concern and a map showing the extent of known infestations is available at the Forest Supervisor’s Office.

For purposes of this provision, “Off-Highway Equipment” includes all machinery and motorized equipment (pickups, ATV’s, etc.).

(b) Contractor shall adhere to the following requirements with regard to cleaning “Off-Highway Equipment”:

(i) Prior to moving Off-Highway Equipment onto the contract area, Contractor shall clean all equipment of seeds, soil, vegetative matter, and other debris that could contain or hold seeds. All Off-Highway Equipment will be inspected by Prescott NF personnel before being allowed into the contract area or allowed to begin implementation on the contract.

(ii) Prior to moving Off-Highway Equipment from a treatment unit that is infested with invasive species of concern to, or through any other area that is shown as being free of invasive species of concern, or infested with a different invasive species, Contractor shall clean such equipment of seeds, soil, vegetative matter, and other debris that could contain or hold seeds, and shall notify the Forest Service, as provided in (iii).

(iii) Prior to moving any Off-Highway Equipment subject to the cleaning requirements set forth above, Purchaser shall advise Forest Service of its cleaning measures and make the equipment available for inspection.

Forest Service shall have 2 days, excluding weekends and Federal holidays, to inspect equipment after it has been made available. After satisfactory inspection or after such 2 day period, Contractor may move the equipment as planned. Equipment shall be considered clean when a visual inspection does not disclose seeds, soil, vegetative matter, and other debris that could contain or hold seeds. Contractor shall not be required to disassemble equipment unless so directed by the Forest Service after inspection.

(iv) If Contractor desires to clean Off-Highway Equipment on National Forest land, such as at the end of a project or prior to moving to, or through an area that is free of invasive species of concern, Contractor shall obtain prior approval from Contracting Officer as to the location for such cleaning and measures, if any, for controlling impacts.

(c) The parties shall promptly communicate with one another with respect to description or designation of additional locations; discovery of locations of new species or new infestation; and, addition of species to the list of invasive species of concern.