USFS/NFWF WILDFIRE RESTORATION GRANT PROGRAM COPPER FIRE WOODLAND RESTORATION PROJECT - PLANNING 2019 ANF PRIORITY PROJECT REQUEST
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USFS/NFWF WILDFIRE RESTORATION GRANT PROGRAM
COPPER FIRE WOODLAND RESTORATION PROJECT - PLANNING
2019 ANF PRIORITY PROJECT REQUEST
I. Project Description
a. Copper Fire Woodland Restoration– Steven Bear
b. The 2002 Copper Fire burned over 20,000 acres of coastal sage scrub, montane
chaparral, oak woodlands, riparian woodland areas, big-cone Douglas fir stands and
plantations. We estimate that approximately 240 or so acres of oak woodlands, riparian
woodland, big cone Douglas fir stands and plantations were deforested through the
actions of this wildfire. Deforestation as described by the USFS is when a tree stand
loses over 50% of its basal area or trees per acre. This requires intervention by the
Forest Service to re-establish the stand to the pre-existing density and species
composition. Without this intervention the tree stands will revert to shrub lands or
grasslands and not forest over time. Oak stands within the area are facing several
threats besides fire or as a result of fire that include insect and diseases mortality
especially by the Golden Spotted Oak Borer (GSOB) which is found in the Green valley
area that is within the project boundary. Frequent fire has negatively impacted the
spatial extent and number of this important landscape element. A recent survey and
mapping project has shown that big cone mortality is increasing and its extent
decreasing through drought, insects and fire.
The Angeles National Forest proposes to restore and improve vegetation types altered
by the Copper Fire and other factors (drought, insects and disease) in the oak woodland,
riparian woodland, big cone Douglas fir and plantations within the burned area and
specifically defined adjacent area. An inventory of most of the key vegetation types to
be treated has been completed except for the plantations and extended areas added
after the inventory. The forest proposes to develop the silvicultural prescription and a
proposal for ecological restoration and wildlife habitat/timber stand improvement;
analyze the environmental effects of the proposal as required by NEPA for a Categorical
Exclusion; restore vegetation through see/source collection and seeding and planting
native oaks, riparian trees, big cone Douglas fir, Grey pine and other native conifers;
manage vegetation treatments to support forest health and provide fire protection of
newly established and existing stands; and conduct project level monitoring focusing on
survival and recruitment.
c. This is an assessment with mapping and data collection, development of a silvicultural
prescription for treatment and preparation of NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act)
compliant document.
d. Study Area is within the 2002 Copper Fire Boundary and an extended area surrounding
the core fire boundary. Total area including the Coper Fire is 38,260 acres. A
preliminary mapping shows roughly 240 acres within this 38,260 acres needs treatment.
Page 1 of 5
Part of the objective of this project will be to determine exactly how much area of
woodland and plantations have been deforested. See attached map.
e. The ANF requests assistance to perform all Interdisciplinary Team member functions
needed to support and prepare a Decision Memo approving forest woodland
restoration actions. The directions and standards for completing the Decision Memo
(DM) are found in Forest Service Handbook FSH. The grantee will be responsible for
providing all the data and personnel necessary to complete the DM document for
signature by the deciding official. The USFS will provide base maps of the project area,
vegetation maps, preliminary treatment polygon maps, and Forest Stand Vegetation
Common Stand Exam data.
f. All work related to producing a Decision Memo is targeted to be accomplished by
November 1st 2019.
g. In addition to the items mentioned in (e) above, the ANF will provide contacts to work
with the grantee throughout the NEPA process. An ANF POC will be assigned to assist
facilitation of ANF review and approval of documents and deliverables.
II. Project Requirements
a. NEPA – NEPA will be done as part of this proposal. A silvicultural prescription and draft
DM for this project will be provided by the grantee.
b. Permits – The grantee will need to obtain an archaeological survey permit from ANF to
conduct archaeological surveys on the forest.
c. Surveys – Archaeological, biological, sensitive plants, invasive weeds, soils and hydrology
surveys are needed. Additional common stand exams may be needed to supplement
existing stand exam data. Invasive weed sites will be flagged for treatment by ANF prior
to work starting on project.
d. Skills –
1. Inter-disciplinary team leader with substantial experience in conducting
environmental analysis and preparing NEPA documents
2. Writer-editor (duties may be performed by the IDT Leader or other team
member)
3. Certified Silviculturist or someone with a Professional Foresters license from the
State of California
4. Wildlife Biologist
5. Botanist
6. Soils/Hydrologist/Air Quality specialist
7. Visual Analyst/Landscape Architect
8. Archaeologist
9. Fuels specialist
10. GIS support as required to support the analysis
e. Data Sets – ANF to provide current vegetation type maps, preliminary treatment unit
map, spotted owl PACS map, common stand exam data from survey and inventory
previously completed.
f. Grantee tasks will include the following:
Page 2 of 5 ID Team Leadership. Grantee will provide an Interdisciplinary Team Leader to
serve as a project manager. The ID Team Leader will work with the ANF to
assure quality and timeliness of the tasks/deliverables are achieved. The IDT
Leader will coordinate with the ANF (minimum of once monthly preferred)
during the duration of the project.
Action Proposal Development. Develop silvicultural prescriptions/report and a
proposed action within the project area for ecological restoration, wildlife
habitat, forest vegetation establishment and forest vegetation improvement.
The proposal would utilize field inventory and stand exam data previously
compiled by the Forest and other field inventory and stand exam data needed to
develop a silvicultural prescription. Additional inventory and stand exam data
will be provided by the grantee. A field site visit with ANF staff will be necessary
to review the proposed actions and alternatives.
Scoping Activities. Develop a public scoping letter, analyze scoping comments,
identify issues, and complete a scoping comment summary to be included as an
appendix to the decision memo.
Extraordinary Circumstances Analysis. Provide necessary analysis supporting a
NEPA decision document and review categorical exclusion. Documentation will
include the following:
- Air quality, hydrology, soils, and visual reports commensurate with the scope
and scale of this project.
- Erosion control plan, if determined necessary by the Regional Water Quality
Control Board during scoping.
- Biological Assessment/Biological Evaluation. Complete a BE/BA to standards
identified by the ANF District Biologist and Forest Botanist. One BE/BA for
both wildlife and botany. Use of existing information should be maximized
where it is current and valid, and new surveys minimized. Provide a draft
BE/BA to the forest for review and incorporate one round of edits from
Forest resource specialists into a final BE/BA.
Decision Document. Provide the Forest with a decision memo based on
analysis from IDT resource specialists/analysis, identify all required mitigation
items, including Limited Operating Periods and avoidance areas. Include the
scoping comment summary as an appendix to the decision document. Two
rounds of edits from the ANF may occur to develop the final signature-ready
document.
Database Management Activities. FVS Simulation of FSVeg data for vegetation
growth and management and forest yield.
Maintain the Administrative/Project Record. Including index and document
copies.
III. Dependencies. Grantee will provide the following:
a. Project point of contact (POC).
b. Virtual or on site attendance at a pre-work and post-work meeting.
c. Onsite attendance and logistical support of field site visits.
Page 3 of 5d. Input to and review of the silvicultural prescriptions and proposed action.
e. Plant data: The grantee will provide plant data to support the Biological
Assessment/Biological of the Proposed Action (prepared by the grantee), as
well as data needed to develop mitigation measures included in the Decision
Memo. The Forest will provide plant data it has on file in its data bases to
assist the grantee in performing its surveys.
f. Heritage/Archaeology support, including Section 106 clearance.
g. Extraordinary Circumstances analysis:
Congressionally designated areas, such as wilderness, wilderness
study areas, or natural recreation areas.
Inventoried Roadless areas or potential wilderness areas.
Research natural areas.
American Indians and Alaska Native religious or cultural sites.
Archaeological sites or historic properties or areas.
h. Public involvement support: identification of interested and affected parties;
scoping letter mailout; SOPA publications; public meetings as needed;
document distribution; publication of news releases or legal notices as
required.
i. Informal consultation with US Fish and Wildlife Service as required.
j. Review, publication, and distribution of documents as required (e.g.
specialist reports, silvicultural prescriptions, Decision Memo, etc.).
k. Administrative/Project Record protocol.
IV. Deliverables
Proposed Action/Purpose & Need
Scoping Letter
Scoping Comment Summary and Identification of Issues, to be placed as an
appendix to the decision document.
Extraordinary Circumstances analysis:
o Federally listed threatened or endangered species or designated
critical habitat, species proposed for Federal listing or proposed
critical habitat, or Forest Service sensitive species.
o Floodplains, wetlands or municipal watersheds
Biological Assessment/Biological Evaluation
Silvicultural Report/silvicultural prescriptions
The following specialist reports, commensurate with the scope and scale of
this project:
o Air Quality Report
o Hydrology Report
o Soils Report
o Visuals Report
o Erosion control plan, if determined necessary.
Decision Memo
Page 4 of 5 Administrative/Project Record (index and electronic copy of documents).
V. Safety
Safety is a #1 priority for ALL employees, government, grantees, contractors or
volunteers. All grantee employees, contractors etc. working on this project will
follow a Safety Program as adopted by the grantee and will jointly develop a Job
Hazard Analysis (JHA) for this project with ANF Forest staff.
VI. Timeline Requirements
Upon project initiation, the grantee, in conjunction with ANF points of contact, will
schedule a kick-off meeting, field site visit and develop a project schedule.
Primary ANF Contact:
Steven Bear
Los Angeles Gateway District
Natural Resource Specialist (Resource Officer)
626-574-5379
Page 5 of 5Angeles National Forest
2018
Copper Fire
Reforestation
Coastal Oak Woodland
Montane Hardwood
Valley Foothill Riparian
Non-Forest Service
Angeles National Forest
0
² 1 2
Miles
Scale 1:24,000 NAD 83 UTM Zone 11
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