Wenatchee Field Office_Youth Infrastructure.doc

Office:

Notice of Funding Opportunity Number:

Project Submission Dates and Times:

Project Title: Wenatchee Field Office Youth Infrastructure Maintenance and Restoration Maximum Available Funding in FY22: $750,000 BLM has determined $600 weekly stipend equal to $15.00 per hour is a reasonable. Stipends above this amount must be justified in budget narrative.

Project Background Information:

BLM manages its lands following The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA). FLPMA defines the BLM mission as one of multiple use and sustained yield. BLM’s Spokane District (SPO) has a Resource Management Plan (RMP) directing its management in support of FLPMA, the endangered Species Act, and other regulations. SPO’s RMP directs the BLM to support multiple priorities including: post-wildfire recovery, wildlife including the greate sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), resources including sensitive plants, management of grazing, recreation, and restoration of lands damaged by different disturbances. The SPO manages these priorities in eastern Washington, in habitats including primarily shrub-steppe and riparian areas.

Project Objective: BLM, Spokane District (SPO) in Washington has an opportunity to introduce youth to careers in the BLM under Natural Resources management areas, including range management, post fire management, and sensitive resources management. SPO would like to a provide work experience to youth for their career and educational benefit. This will be accomplished by providing them opportunities to gain experience, learn about public lands, further their understanding and appreciation of natural resources and management, provide skills in maintenance of range infrastructure (fencing), and provide introduction to restoration management. From this work they will gain an increased appreciation and understanding of our public lands and of the value of public service, and are likely to become life-long advocates for those values. This opportunity will be focused on fence maintenance and construction, vegetation management, and small-scale shrub-steppe and riparian restoration. Projects will be conducted primarily (in order of decreasing work weeks) in Douglas, Kittitas, Yakima, Okanogan, and Grant counties. Occasional work may also be required in Lincoln, Whitman, and Frankline counties of WA. This project would be appropriate for students or young professionals studying land management, range science, or natural sciences, and will provide opportunities to enhance basic career skills such as communication, teamwork and organization, and field skills including construction, use of GPS equipment, and documentation of conditions. Previous experience with any or all of these skills would significantly enhance the applicant’s experience.

Work Schedule: Flexible based on crew priorities, field conditions, and travel. Often Monday-Thursday, 7 AM to 5:30PM, with start/end dates in May-June/August-September.

Qualification Requirements: This opportunity is suitable for youth working towards an undergraduate degree in natural resource management or natural sciences or related discipline, recent graduates looking to get field experience, or young adults looking for field experience prior ot entering a degree program. As stated in the duties this opportunity will require time outdoors and field work that is often under rigorous physical conditions. Applicants must also meet the following criteria: 1) pass a DOI security background check.

Housing: Agency cannot provide housing. Stipend funds may be applied to housing.

Vehicle Needs: The BLM will not be providing vehicles for this opportunity. BLM anticipates applicants will provide transportation sufficient to naviagate primitive roads. 4-wheel drive vehicles will be needed to complete most job duties.

Other Project Considerations: Applicants should plan for the following:

· Travel: travel from applicants’ home base to BLM field sites will be a daily requirement/expense. Applicant will be responsible for transportation to and from jobsites. Reimbursement for travel time (through stipend or other) is an allowable and anticipated cost.

· Food: BLM will not be providing food. In the past, BLM has worked with Youth Corps or similar groups that have provided their own meals.

· Supplies: BLM will provide fencing materials including sage grouse strike markers. BLM will provide some specialized tools for restoration (weed pullers, planting tools, etc.) when appropriate (on a per job basis). BLM will not be providing computers, laptops, GPS units, cell phones, chainsaws, tents/camping suppies, or most hand tools; applicants shall be responsible to purchase or provide.

· Training Requirements: BLM will not be providing training to applicants except for specialized in-the-field requirements on a per job basis. In the past, Youth Corps or similar groups has provided any required training. Training that BLM would consider helpful for applicants in lead positions would be: first aid, 4 wheel drive/off road training, UTV training, computer training, training in fence construction, leadership, chainsaw training (optional). Training that BLM would consider helpful for individual applicants woulds include: first aid, 4 wheel drive/off road training.

Duties: The successful youth applicant will assist the BLM’s Spokane District (SPO), Washington in shrub-steppe and riparian management through fence maintenance and construction, vegetation management, and small-scale shrub-steppe and riparian restoration. Work for this agreement will be almost entirely field work (and support of field work). Projects will occur in multiple counties in eastern Washington. Field work to include: fence maintenance and construction, vegetation management, and small-scale shrub-steppe and riparian restoration.

BLM SPO anticipates a need in the next two-three years of the following four-person crew weeks:

· 5 weeks for post-fire infrastructure repair (fence work, etc.)

· 3 weeks for wildfire related infrastructure repair (fence work, etc.)

· 1.5 weeks for riparian and shrub-steppe restoration projects (moving rocks, planting, fencing)

· 1.5 weeks for botany/sensitive species projects (planting, fencing)

Field work will be conducted largely in shrub-steppe habitats in central Washington. Work will often be remote from nearby towns and often be away from paved or gravel roads. Applicants and crews will need to be self-reliant. Applicants (crew leads) will need to find work locations based on GPS coordinates and verbal direction from BLM. Crews will need to transport construction materials and tools to job sites. Crews will need to work in difficult conditions (heat, dust, steep ground) to complete projects. Fieldwork will be done in a remote backcountry setting and requires strenuous exertion. Weather and terrain conditions may be extreme (e.g. heat, cold, thunderstorms, steep badlands).

Crews will not need access to BLM Field Office facilities, but often meet at these facilities (in Wenatchee, WA or (less frequently) Spokane, WA) to transfer materials (fencing, plants). BLM staff will often meet with crews in the field on the first day of a new project assignment to ensure a good start to individual projects. Individual projects will be coordinated by BLM SPO Program Officer (stationed in Wenathcee, WA), assisted by SPO resource leads: ESR lead, Riparian lead, Botany lead, Wildife Lead.

Project outcomes will include improved maintenance of BLM WFO shrub-steppe and riparian habitats and advancement of land management skill sets by applicants. Project outcomes may be measured through the following metrics:

· Acres protected through fencing and other infrastructure projects

· Miles of fence maintained/installed

· Acres of habitat restored/treated to improve conditions

BLM’s Involvement: There will be substantive BLM programmatic involvement by BLM resource professionals that will: identify projects, meet with applicants (crews) onsite to introduce projects and coordinate work, provide project orientation and context, provide hands-on training for new or different protocols, transfer materials, and (for some restoration projcts) work daily side by side with recipients. BLM SPO (led by Program Officer) will coordinate to ensure projects are staying on schedule, to address technical issues. BLM will have the right to intervene by modifying the project management plan, if project is not meeting objectives. In addition, BLM and recipient (crew leads or group management) will meet weekly (or as necessary) to: discuss progress, track project outcomes, identify materials or training needs, and plan for subsequent project steps or new projects.

BLM Program Contact:

Chris Sheridan (Program Officer), Restoration Program Coordinator, Spokane District BLM

509-665-2118 csherida@blm.gov Applicants are encouraged to refer to the full program announcement number L22AS***** posted on Grants.gov for all program requirements and applicable terms and conditions. Recipients selected for awards will be required to adhere to those requirements should an award be made.

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