Forest Resource and Endangered Species Habitat Assessment at Eglin AFB, FL.

Solicitation: The purpose of the assessment is to provide JG with vegetation land cover information necessary to meet site specific analysis needs; and to provide information on forest composition, forest health, and stocking condition for the assessment of threatened and endangered species habitat. The requirements are Field Data Collection Preparation which include establish cruising Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).  Determine specific cruise metrics to be collected, reporting requirements and sampling intervals.  Prepare sampling strategy and documentation.  Also document details how data are to be processed and stored.  Create/review field inventory template file for data recorder.  Allocate sample locations.  Determine the number of sample plots and sample plot locations for each forest stand.  Deliverables will include geodatabase of plots. Field Inventory Logistics Preparation.  Coordinate with the JG point of contact to schedule access to Eglin for field inventory.  Identify safety and security concerns, and daily coordination procedures for range access.  Develop an approximate schedule of when and where plots should be visited and measured.  Also prepare and test all field equipment for the project.  Field Data Collection- Field data will be checked by a quality assurance evaluator to ensure that data is consistent and will produce accurate results.  Approximately 3% of the plots will be checked as part of this process.  Specific metrics for auditing will be reviewed and approved by the Jackson Guard project manager during the kickoff meeting.  Deliverables will include a report indicating plots checked and the results of the checked plots.  The contractor shall install approximately 5,800 plots on the base at an average density of one plot per nine acres (see “Figure 1 - Summary of Acres and Plots by Broad Type and Zone,” for more details).  The contractor shall work closely with Jackson Guard in ensuring the plots are located correctly. Data Management, Deliverables and Wrap Up- transferring data, combining data sets, backup, reviewing and editing data, and final export of data into the Jackson Guard geodatabase.  Deliverables will include data files within a related database including stand, plot and tree-level inventory data. Forest Inventory Report this will include detailed data on forest types and acreage, numbers of trees by DBH classes, basal areas, merchantable volumes, regeneration and ground cover conditions similar as to what has been accomplished in the past on this project   and a final on-site wrap up meeting. 

This project will not have a site visit.