Project Summary Form
Id Number 2006-148
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN-INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Fuels Treatment Projects
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
Deschutes County
Phone: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
Type of Applicant: (enter appropriate letter in box)
B
541-330-4627
FAX: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
A. State
B. County
C. Municipal
D. Township
E. Interstate
541-385-3202
Please Call Ahead For FAX
H. Independent School District
I. State-Controlled Institution of Higher Learning
J. Private University
K. Indian Tribe
L. Nonprofit Organization
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
1300 NW Wall Street, Suite 200 Bend, OR 97701
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Mr. Joe Stutler Forestry Specialist
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Deschutes County
Phone: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
541-322-7117
FAX: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
541-388-2719
Call Ahead For FAX
Email:
joe_stutler@co.deschutes.or.us
Project Information
Project Title:
Public Lands Fuels Reduction Project
Proposed Project Start Date:
07/01/2006
Federal Funding Request:
$ 250,000
Proposed Project End Date:
06/30/2008
Total Project Funding:
$
372,548
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize:
Deschutes County is submitting five stand alone applications to the Community Assistance Grant Program, one under the Education and
Prevention category, one under the Community Planning category, and three under the Fuels Treatment category. This project is the fourth
priority among all five of the applications and the second priority among just the three fuels treatment projects.
Brief Project Summary: Who, What, Where, Desired Outcomes in relation to NFP Goals and Community Risk Assessment and
Mitigation Plans (This should summarize page 2).
The Public Lands Fuels Reduction Project seeks to remove excessive timber, vegetation, and debris from publicly-owned property that is located
within the Wildland-Urban Interface [WUI] in Deschutes County, Oregon. Examples of types of vegetation that will be removed include small
ponderosa pine, douglas fir, lodgepole pine, sagebrush, bitterbrush, mountain shrub, and various bunch-type grasses.
Deschutes County owns approximately 650 vacant lots of various sizes that total an estimated 7,000 acres. The proposed project will address
approximately 600 acres, those that are located within the WUI and present the highest degree of threat. Many of these properties are 1 acre or
less and are interspersed with both vacant lots that remain in private ownership and other developed properties that include residences, businesses,
parks, and community facilities.
Project Location:
Latitude: 44.09278
Longitude: 121.293
County:
Deschutes
Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal:
Lisa Clarke
Federal Congressional District:
2
Telephone number of Contact:
541-416-6864 Ext.
Ext.
Ext.
Project Narrative Description
Applications for funding must include a narrative response that describes the proposal. Please do not submit responses
longer than one page, single space, 12-pitch font.
Describe project including, but not limited to:
x project relationship to the community risk assessment and
x project location (e.g., Watershed,
Address
mitigation plan
neighboring community)
these items
as applicable: x anticipated outcomes
x amount or extent of actions (acres, number of homes, etc.)
x project timeline and matching or contributed funds
x community partners and their
role(s)
x proponent’s ability to complete project
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 was coordinated with both the Central Ore Fire Leaderrship Council and Project Wildfire.
Is this project adjacent to a current prescribed burn project on federal lands or to one that is planned within the next
three years? (Yes/No) Yes
Please indicate planned treatments and associated acres:
* Treatment Thinning
Acres 300
Treatment Hand Piling
Acres 600
Treatment Hand Pile Burning
Acres 600
Treatment Mastication/Mowing
Acres 300
If you have a treatment type other than standard types above:
Other 1
Acres 0
Other 2
Acres 0
The Deschutes County Public Lands Fuels Reduction project has three primary goals: 1] Eliminate excessive fuels on publicly-owned vacant lots,
thereby decreasing the risk of wildland fire in the WUI, protecting public safety, improving forest health, and reducing structural loss. 2] Act as a role
model to private property owners by demonstrating responsible ownership, sound stewardship, and compliance with state and local laws,
ordinances, and standards concerning wildland fire. 3] Enhance the local economy by providing jobs to private contractors. These goals are
consistent with objectives of both the Healthy Forests Restoration Act and with local Community Wildfire Protection Plans [CWPP] and a preliminary
county-wide CWPP. The project will achieve its goals by compiling an inventory of high-risk vacant lots that require treatment; surveying property
boundaries; selecting and hiring private contractors through a public process; removing excess fuels and vegetation from vacant lots; inspecting and
monitoring work performed; and communicating results.
The project will be implemented in Deschutes County, a 3,055 square mile region of Central Oregon notable for its arid high desert climate,
abundant sunshine, strong winds, dry stands of timber and other vegetation, and frequent summer lightening strikes that often result in large, fastmoving, and devastating wildfires. Compounding these problems, Deschutes County's population is growing at a much faster pace than elsewhere in
the state and in most of the nation. Currently estimated at 130,500, the population has grown by 13% since 2000, a rate nearly 4 times Oregon's
average of 3.5%. Many of these new residents moved to the region specifically to experience the blend of city and country life that can be found in
the marginal forest and farmland of the WUI. The Oregon Department of Forestry has identified Deschutes County as one of two pilot counties for
implementation of the Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act of 1997 ensuring that replicability to other "wildland-urban interface
areas" as defined by statute will be built into the Public Lands Fuel Reduction Project.
Under the direction of the Deschutes County Forestry Program, the fuels reduction project will take place in two separate phases during a two-year
period. Much of the work will be performed by qualified local contractors who will be selected through a public process; however, Deschutes County
survey crews and Geographic Information System [GIS] staff will also provide assistance. Specific project activities and timelines are outlined
below:
Phase 1, Months 1-6, Preparation: Compile an inventory of high-risk County-owned vacant lots that require treatment using GIS records and
mapping and by making site visits. Survey and stake affected properties to ensure accuracy and reduce liability. Select and hire one or more private
contractors through a public process to remove excessive fuels on identified land.
Phase 2, Months 7-24, Implementation: Remove excess fuels and vegetation from identified land. Inspect and monitor work performed. Report
project results to community, funders, and other interested stakeholders. Make program available for replication to other agencies through site visits,
speaking engagements, and published reports.
The project requests $250,000 from the Community Assistance Grant Program for these activities. The project will also be supported with $122,548
of in-kind contributions from Deschutes County for staff time, facilities, travel, and operational supplies necessary to plan, coordinate, manage,
monitor, and evaluate the project.
Project Evaluation Criteria
Applications for funding must include narrative responses that address the following three criteria. Be sure you address every one
briefly, yet thoroughly. Limit your responses to the area provided.
1. Reducing Hazardous Fuels (50 points)
A. Describe the community infrastructure that will be protected.
B. Explain how the proposal reduces fire behavior in high hazard areas by describing the fuels to be disposed or
removed, and the techniques and timing of the treatments.
C. How will the proposed treatments be maintained in future years?
D. How will you use multi-party monitoring to improve this and future projects?
Response:
Deschutes County owns approximately 650 vacant lots of various sizes that total an estimated 7,000 acres and are spread
throughout the region. The proposed project will address approximately 600 acres, those that are located within the WUI and
present the highest degree of threat. Many of the properties are 1 acre or less and were acquired by the County through an
innovative development credit program in which privately-owned lots located in environmentally sensitive areas were traded for
land in a planned community to protect ground water from contamination, riparian areas from destruction, and wildlife corridors
from disturbance due to human activity. The properties are interspersed with both vacant lots that remain in private ownership and
other developed properties that include residences, businesses, parks, and community facilities. Reducing hazardous fuels on the
affected land will decrease the risk that a fire will ignite and will help protect neighboring land, structures, and amenities from
spreading flames and sparks by acting as a containment barrier if a fire does start nearby.
The properties to be treated in the Public Lands Fuels Reduction project primarily feature small ponderosa pine, douglas fir,
lodgepole pine, sagebrush, bitterbrush, mountain shrub, and various bunch-type grasses. While many of these vegetation types
are naturally volatile due to inherent pitch, oils, and resins, recent drought conditions have significantly increased their susceptibility
to fire through desiccation and disease. In many cases, the ground is littered with fallen debris and dead limbs and logs. This
material will be removed through a combination of thinning, mowing, burning, and reclamation which will take place throughout the
year.
The Public Lands Fuels Reduction project was designed to be completed within the two-year grant period. During that time, the
Deschutes County Forestry Program and its partners will identify affected properties and remove all potential wildland fire fuels in
compliance with established standards. Once this has been accomplished, only minimal maintenance will be required to ensure
that the lots do not revert to an overgrown and hazardous state. Those efforts will be the responsibility of Deschutes County and
will be sustained through the existing Deschutes County Forestry Program and its future budget appropriations.
Throughout the fuels reduction project implementation period, Deschutes County will monitor and evaluate progress by conducting
regular site visits, tracking the number of acres treated, and maintaining information in the County's existing GIS database. This
monitoring process will be coordinated with the Oregon Department of Forestry as the agency charged with enforcing the Oregon
Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act [SB 360] within Deschutes County. This collaborative approach will ensure that the
evaluation is conducted in a balanced and impartial manner and will facilitate future efforts to replicate the project's success on a
wider scale and within other communities throughout the State.
Project Evaluation Criteria
2.
Increasing Local Capacity (25 points)
A. How would the proposal improve or lead to the improvement of the local economy in terms of jobs and
sustainable economic activity?
B. How many jobs are expected to be created or retained and for how long? (Please distinguish between
essentially year-round and seasonal jobs).
C. What tools and skills will be gained or utilized as a result of this project?
D. Will biomass be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much?
Response:
One of the primary goals of the Public Lands Fuels Reduction project is to enhance the local economy by providing jobs to private
contractors. Contractual work will include thinning, pruning, piling, burning, removing shrubs, and mowing. The two-year project
period is expected to help support an estimated 20 jobs many of which will be entry-level, allowing unskilled laborers an opportunity
to develop an employment history and valuable work skills. In the longer term, this project and other wildland fuels treatment activities
could help lead to new jobs in additional,more diverse, professions as well, including arborists, landscapers, landscape material
suppliers, builders, developers, and renovators as neighboring landowners and communities recognize the importance of treating
fuels and maintaining properties to reduce fire risk.
The project will also make use of the biomass that results from removing trees, shrubs, and debris from publicly-owned lands in a
manner that benefits both the County and the local contractors hired to perform the work. The County Forestry Program will
negotiate contractual fees at a reduced rate in exchange for the wood products that will be removed from the sites. In particular, the
ponderosa pine, douglas fir, and lodgepole pine are desirable for lumber, poles, firewood, wood chips, mulch, and compost material.
These products can be sold at retail or wholesale market bringing additional dollars into the community.
3.
Demonstrating Community and Intergovernmental Collaboration (25 Points)
A. How will this project implement a community risk assessment and mitigation plan? Include name of plan, date
it was prepared, and local contact to get a copy of the plan if requested.
B. How has this treatment been coordinated with adjacent landowners and local/State/Tribal/Federal agencies?
C. Identify the cooperators/partners involved in implementation of this project.
D. Describe the extent of current local support for the project, including any cost-sharing agreements.
Response:
The Public Lands Fuels Reduction project will be implemented alongside development of a County-wide Community Wildfire
Protection Plan [CWPP] which will be prepared pursuant to Public Law 108-148 and consistent with Deschutes County Resolution
2004-093 establishing minimum standards for CWPPs. The document will incorporate all communities within the County, and will
be coordinated with neighboring counties due to overlap in the WUI. Concurrently, one neighborhood [Upper Deschutes Coalition]
has already completed a CWPP, and three other localities have initiated CWPP efforts. The project addresses priorities established
in each of these situations.
In addition, the Public Lands Fuels Reduction project was described in its conceptual stage to members of the U.S. Forest Service,
Bureau of Land Management [BLM], Oregon Department of Forestry [ODF], local fire suppression and prevention agencies, area
governmental entities, and various community organizations through a variety of meetings and committee gatherings. However, for
the purposes of completing the Public Lands Fuels Reduction Project, the Deschutes County Forestry Program will work most
directly with the adjacent landowners.
Lots to be treated through the Public Lands Fuels Reduction project are not contiguous and are widely dispersed. As a result,
numerous adjacent landowners will need to be individually contacted throughout the duration of the project to address any issues
they may have. Additionally, the County will periodically issue press releases to ensure that all communities are informed of fuels
treatment activities that will be taking place. This process will also serve to raise awareness about the importance and value of
reducing hazardous fire fuels and maintaining properties in a safe condition.
Project Work Form
Tasks
Preparation: Compile inventory, survey, and
stake affected lots. Select contractor(s)
through public process.
Implementation: Remove fuels and
vegetation. Inspect and monitor work. Report
and communicate results.
Time Frame
Responsible Party
Deschutes County Forestry Program
Months 1-6
Deschutes County Forestry Program
and Oregon Department of Forestry
Months 7-24
Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Applicant
Partner 1
Partner 2
Total
Partner 3
Personnel
Forestry Specialist
GIS Analyst
Subtotal
$20,140
$0
$0
$0
$0
$7,664
$0
$0
$0
$7,664
$0
$27,804
$0
$0
$0
$27,804
$0
$0
$10,072
$0
$20,140
Fringe Benefits
Forestry Specialist
$0
$10,072
$0
GIS Analyst
$0
$3,832
$13,904
$0
$0
$0
$3,832
$0
$0
$0
$0
$13,904
$0
$8,840
$0
$0
$0
$8,840
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$8,840
$0
$0
$0
$0
$8,840
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$3,000
$0
$0
$0
$3,000
Operation/Office/General
$0
$4,000
$0
$0
$0
$4,000
Subtotal
$0
$7,000
$0
$0
$0
$7,000
$250,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$250,000
$0
$60,000
$60,000
$0
$0
$0
$60,000
$250,000
$0
$0
$0
$310,000
$0
$5,000
$0
$0
$0
$5,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$5,000
$0
$0
$0
$5,000
$250,000
$122,548
$0
$0
$0
$372,548
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
Subtotal
Travel
Auto Use/Mileage
$0
Subtotal
Equipment
Subtotal
Supplies
Map Printing/Paper
Contractual
Fuels Reduction
Surveying (internal)
Subtotal
Other
Facilities
Subtotal
Total Costs
Project (Program)
Income1
___________________________________
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.