Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Aerial Weed Spraying

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest has a requirement for Aerial Weed Spraying which consists of polygons (such as rangelands, big game winter ranges, burned areas and general forest areas) on Pintler Ranger District. The topography varies from open rolling hills to steep, high elevation mountain sides. Overstory canopy varies and there may be areas with too dense of forest canopy to aerially spray within the polygons to be treated. All identified polygons may have live streams running in or adjacent to them. Closed timber overstory areas and live water are not to be sprayed. Sensitive areas, such as, plants and/or water will have 300 foot buffers around these sensitive sites. Buffer strips may be designated by the Government during operations to protect rare plants, water, riparian zones or other sensitive resources.

Mix and loading sites will be identified and discussed with the Contractor prior to treatment date and will be accessible by road. The Contractor will receive authorization to drive mix and support vehicles behind gated forest roads as needed. The Contractor may be asked to time treatment to avoid conflicts with other users in particular treatment areas (e.g. periods of high public recreation), or to stop treatment if people are found to have somehow entered the treatment area during treatment. Based on experience, such treatment stoppage is anticipated to be the exception and not the rule, but can happen.

The Contractor shall apply the herbicides at as low an elevation as possible subject to vegetation, terrain and safety considerations. Herbicide amounts per acre shall be applied in a water/herbicide mixture at a minimum rate of 2 gallons per acre unless otherwise specified.

Weed infestation levels vary from light to heavy in the treatment areas and occur on a variety of habitat types, aspects, elevations and canopy covers. Spotted knapweed is the most common weed on the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest, but other weed species will be found in treatment areas.

Please return all required documents to trevorbmattson@fs.fed.us.