ID Number 2007-35
Fuels Treatment Projects Application
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
Applegate River Watershed Council
Type of Applicant:
L (Nonprofit Organization)
Email:
cvogel@arwc.org
Phone:
541-899-9982 Ext. 2
FAX:
541-899-1256
Please Call Ahead for FAX:
Yes
Please Call Ahead for FAX:
Yes
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
6941 Upper Applegate Rd Jacksonville, OR 97530
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Mr. Chris Vogel, Project Manager
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Applegate River Watershed Council
Email:
cvogel@arwc.org
Phone:
541-899-9982 Ext. 2
FAX:
541-899-1256
Project Information
Project Title:
Stringer Gap Fuels Reduction
Project Location:
Southwest Oregon, Josephine County, Grants Pass
County:
Josephine
Congressional District:
2
Latitude:
42.398914
Longitude:
-123.3537
State the desired outcome in relation to NFP Goals and the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). Project Objectives:
The project is located in the Applegate River Watershed, which is designated as an Adaptive Management Area under the Northwest Forest Plan. The
Applegate Fire Plan (AFP) (2002) and the Josephine County Integrated Fire Plan (JCIFP) (2004) serve the community as comprehensive watershed plans
addressing fire protection, fuels reduction, emergency communications and collaborative and strategic planning. This project provides on the ground fuels
reduction in CAR/WUI areas recommended for treatment by the JCIFP and AFP. The project enhances existing fuels reduction efforts, currently planned, on
adjacent federal lands (BLM) to those on private and County lands. This collaborative project between the ARWC, BLM, local fire districts, Josephine
County Forestry, Grants Pass School District 7, ODF and private lands seeks to mitigate the potential for severe wildfire. Utilization of material derived from
fuels reduction treatments. Treatments will be tracked and monitored for effectiveness.
Name of CWPP:
Josephine County Integrated Fire Plan (2004); Applegate Fire Plan (2002)
Name of Communit(y/ies) at Risk:
Stringer Gap
Proposed Project Start Date:
01/01/2007
Proposed Project End Date:
12/31/2007
Federal Funding Request:
$122,650.00
Total Project Cost:
$158,838.00
Are you submitting multiple projects?
Yes
If YES indicate the relationship of the projects to one
another:
A (Stand Alone)
If YES, please list the titles of projects by priority and briefly explain their relationship.
There is no relationship between the Applegate Watershed Forest Restoration and Community Forestry (AWFRCF) Project and the Stringer Gap Fuels
Reduction.
Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal: Organization/Jurisdiction:
1) Tim Gonzales
Phone
BLM - Grants Pass Resource Area
541-471-6643
2) Virgil Witcher
Phone
Email Tim_Gonzales@or.blm.gov
Josephine County Dept. of Forestry
541-474-5291
Email
3)
Phone
Email
Project Planning Information
Name of Local Coordinating Group:
Josephine County Integrated Fire Plan and Applegate Fire Plan
For this project, explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning, through a "Local Coordination Group." If you have not worked with a
local coordination group, why not?
The project area was identified by the JCIFP Fuels Reduction and Risk Assessment Committee.
List federal lands that are adjacent to the project and proximity.
BLM lands are adjacent and within 1 mile to project area.
A) Is there a current hazardous fuels treatment or one that is planned in the next three years on federal land that is adjacent to this project?
Yes
B) Specifically is this project adjacent to a current prescribed burn project or one that is planned in the next three years on Forest Service lands?
No
Please indicate planned treatments and associated acres:
Treatment
Hand Pile
Acres
25
Treatment
Biomass Removal
Acres
5
Treatment
Lop and Scatter
Acres
25
Treatment
Thinning
Acres
80
Treatment
Acres
0
If you have a treatment type other than standard types above:
Treatment
Acres
0
Project Evaluation Criteria
Applications for funding must include narrative responses that address the following criteria. Be sure you address every one briefly, yet thoroughly.
1. Reducing Hazardous Fuels (40 points)
A. Describe the community infrastructure that will be protected. This should include how this project implements all or part of the CWPP strategy. (15
points)
Response:
The Stringer Gap SPU,identified in the JCIFP,is a compilation of rural residential private lands, federal(BLM)and
county lands (Josephine County Dept. of Forestry and Josephine County School District 7). Encompassing 3289
acres and 590 homes, most private lands in this SPU are within a high hazard rating. This project will focus on those
properties where fuels reduction efforts on adjacent public lands are active, thus creating a collaborative landscape
approach to fuels reduction. The project area is within the Murphy Creek Strategic Planning Area (SPA), identified in
the AFP.
B. Explain how the proposal reduces fire behavior in high hazard areas by describing the fuels to be disposed or removed, the techniques and timing of the
treatments, and the treatment location relative to the values to be protected. (15 points)
Response:
Small material (e.g. ladder fuels and brush) will be removed/disposed with an industrial chipper and burned. Where
fuels are thin, materials may be lopped and scattered, promoting decomposition and terrestrial habitat improvement.
Larger material will be removed with the goal of byproduct utilization. Small diameter poles, firewood, and furniture
are potential markets for such material. Treatments will occur either winter-spring and/or fall-winter. Hand crews will
be used to thin and dispose of material.
C. Explain how the project is designed to reduce smoke production impacts that affect public health. (10 points)
Response:
Treatment activities will reduce smoke production through multiple activities. First, by reducing the high fuel loading
the potential for a catastrophic wildfire will be reduced, thus lowering the risk to human life and health. Secondly,
fuels reduction treatment will include the use of industrial chipping when feasable, reducing need for exclusively
burning slash piles. Burning will be performed only during optimal and legal weather conditions. Burning will not be
done when fire hazard is high or an inversion layer present, thus increasing the chance of smoke accumulation.
2. Increasing Local Capacity (20 points)
A. How would the implementation of the proposed project improve or lead to the improvement of the local economy in terms of jobs and sustainable
economic activity assuming that these grant funds would be used as "seed monies" for future projects. i.e. How many community supported jobs would be
created and for how long would they expect to last? (10 points)
Response:
The project will utilize local contractors to complete fuels treatments. Although treatments provide short-term work
for local contractors, our experience shows that landowners and contractors often continue with maintenance and other
associated work. The project would serve as an outreach tool near to neighboring communities and foster the need for
fuels reduction and wildfire protection. We intend to monitor all material removed from the project,and use it for input
into a Biomass Feasibility
B. Will biomass that is produced by the project be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much? (10 points)
Response:
Materials taken off site in the form of utilization will not be used for bio-energy. However market utilization will be
emphasized throughout the project. With a 2004 National Fire Plan grant (Slate/Applegate Fuel Reduction and
Utilization Project), ARWC has found some marketable use for small diameter material in the form of fence poles,
barn rafters, and furniture material. Additionally, firewood resulting from fuels treatments obtains economic benefit.
3. Demonstrating Community and Intergovernmental Collaboration (20 Points)
A. Describe how this project has been collaborated and coordinated with adjacent landowners, local/state/Tribal/federal agencies, and community groups
such as neighborhood associations. (10 points)
Response:
In 2005, the JCIFP Fuels Reduction and Risk Assessment Committee identified the Stringer Gap area as one of three
high-priority areas requiring fuels reduction. ARWC and the Applegate Partnership have been active participants in
the JCFIP. ARWC obtains an effective working relationship with the BLM, USFS, Rural Metro Fire Dept.,Oregon
Dept.of Forestry,and the Applegate Fire District#9. The Grants Pass School Disctrict7 and the Josephine Co. Forestry
both own property and support this project.
B. Describe the communities/partners contributions to this project such as: cash or in-kind contributions, cost share agreements, equipment, or labor
(including volunteer work). (10 points)
Response:
Match contribution from participating landowners is expected. Landowners will be asked to contribute a 25% match
to the cost of treatment to their property. Cash or in-kind labor will be accepted; however the % of cash must be
higher than in-kind. In-kind can be in the form of labor (i.e. burning). Josephine County Forestry will supply in-kind
labor to support fuel reduction prescriptions and contractor coordination.
4. Managing Cost Efficiency (20 points)
Discuss the process you used to arrive at your cost structure for the main Project Budget areas such as personnel, equipment, supplies and other (i.e.
overhead). In your response please justify: cost per acre, purchase of equipment, percent of overhead, percent of partner or matching funds, and portion of
administration cost. (20 points)
Response:
A rate of $20/hr is allocated for project planning/implementation for ARWC personnel. Duties include outreach, site
evaluation, NEPA coordination, prescriptions assistance, contractor management, utilization research, monitoring and
project reporting. Estimated time for these duties is 450 hours. Fringe benefits are 25% of personnel costs. The project
site is approximately 75 miles from the ARWC office. Travel to and from ARWC’s office for landowner outreach, site
evaluation, contractor management, and monitoring is projected throughout the project. Supplies needed for the
project include flagging, field notebooks, maps, batteries for digital camera, and paper associated with reporting.
Outreach monies will be used for direct mailings, correspondence with landowners, and media related costs. Currently
in the Applegate Valley, contractors are charging $1500-2000/acre on small rural residential properties for hand work.
ARWC is requesting 10% for Administration of the project. This is for general over head and administration time
associated with managing the grant.
Project Work Form
Tasks
Outreach to private landowners regarding
coordinated fuels reduction work, including
meetings, field trips, and media.
Time Frame
March 2007
Responsible Party
ARWC, community members
Identification, evaulation, and selection of treatment
sites on private lands
Spring - Smmer 2007
ODF, Local Fire District, ARWC, BLM
Perform NEPA required surveys
Spring - Summer 2007
BLM, ARWC, contractors
Install monitoring plots; Design prescriptions.
Implementation of prescriptions; coordinate
resource utilization
Post treatment monitoring; evaluation reporting
Summer 2007
Fall 2007 -Winter 2008
Spring 2008
ARWC, Local Fire District, Local contractor,
landowners
Local contractor; ARWC
ARWC
Project Budget
ODF/JoCoForestry
BLM
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Applicant
Landowners
Partner 1
Partner 2
Partner 3
Total
Personnel
$9,000.00
$1,800.00
$0.00
$1,500.00
$0.00
$12,300.00
$0.00
$0.00
$5,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$5,000.00
$9,000.00
$1,800.00
$5,000.00
$1,500.00
$0.00
$17,300.00
$2,250.00
$450.00
$0.00
$375.00
$0.00
$3,075.00
$0.00
$0.00
$1,250.00
$0.00
$0.00
$1,250.00
$2,250.00
$450.00
$1,250.00
$375.00
$0.00
$4,325.00
$1,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$1,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$1,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$1,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Monitoring
$150.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$150.00
Outreach
$250.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$250.00
$400.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$400.00
$100,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$25,000.00
$125,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$100,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$25,000.00
$125,000.00
$10,000.00
$0.00
$0.00
$188.00
$0.00
$10,188.00
$0.00
$0.00
$625.00
$0.00
$0.00
$625.00
$10,000.00
$0.00
$625.00
$188.00
$0.00
$10,813.00
$122,650.00
$2,250.00
$6,875.00
$2,063.00
$25,000.00
$158,838.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Planning/Implementation
NEPA
Subtotal
Fringe Benefits
Planning/Implementation
NEPA
Subtotal
Travel
.445/mile
Subtotal
Equipment
Subtotal
Supplies
Subtotal
Contractual
Treatment
Subtotal
Other
Administration (10%)
Subtotal
Total Costs
Project (Program) Income 1
(using deductive alternative)
1 Program income is the gross revenue generated by a grant or cooperative agreement supported activity during the life of the grant. Program income can be
made by recipients from fees charged for conference or workshop attendance, from rental fees earned from renting out real property or equipment acquired
with grant or cooperative agreement funds, or from the sale of commodities or items developed under the grant or cooperative agreement. The use of Program
Income during the project period may require prior approval by the granting agency.