STATEMENT_OF_WORK_Compost.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

COMPOST MARSH PROJECT

Station: Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service

Location: Bayview Avenue, Good Luck Point, Berkeley Township, Ocean County, New Jersey (Figure 1)

Background: Good Luck Point is the site of an ongoing marsh restoration project on Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. The area was waterlogged and hydrology was altered when the refuge first conducted work there about 5 years ago. Since then, we have been studying the result of a project where dredged sediment was placed to increase the elevation of the marsh platform. Our studies indicate that the addition of organic material is expected to increase resilience of the marsh, improve vegetative growth, and better mimic the historical development and evolution of marshes than just sediment placement alone. We have a partner in Ocean County Utilities Authority, who can deliver compost (the organic material) that they create using yard clippings from the community to the site.

Figure 1. Green area indicates refuge property at Good Luck Point. Orange outline is the project location.

Project Goal: The goal of the project is to restore high marsh habitat by using organic compost as a peat substitute to create mounded well-drained features and to fill ditches.

Project Components:

• The USFWS is seeking a contractor to move compost material from a staging area onto the marsh platform using airboats to ensure minimal damage to the marsh.

• Project design will be conducted by Forsythe NWR staff using RTK GPS surveys to determine material placement extent and depth.

• Refuge staff will delineate and stake placement areas to guide field operations and will be onsite to provide oversight to the contractor and conduct final grading (by hand) after compost placement.

• Refuge staff will install erosion control fabric where needed and carry out planting of salt marsh grass plugs after placement.

• The Ocean County Utilities Authority (OCUA) will provide and deliver compost to a staging site approximately 500 feet from where airboats can access the marsh. See Figure 2.

• The contractor will be responsible for loading compost onto equipment that will transport it to the airboats, and then to unload the material from airboats onto the marsh at designated locations to be marked by refuge staff.

• The contractor will coordinate with refuge staff and OCUA on appropriate staging sites and delivery logistics.

• The contractor will work with staff during all operations to ensure damage to the marsh is limited.

• General placement areas are indicated in Figure 3.

Figure 2. Marsh restoration project location (in orange) and location of Staging Site for compost.

Figure 3. Map of general areas where compost is to be placed (tan areas).