Project Summary Form
Id Number 2006-183
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN-INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Fuels Treatment Projects
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
Skagit Conservation District
Phone: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
Type of Applicant: (enter appropriate letter in box)
G
360-428-4313
FAX: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
A. State
B. County
C. Municipal
D. Township
E. Interstate
360-424-6172
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):
2021 E. College Way, Suite 203 Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Ms. Carolyn Kelly Manager
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Skagit Conservation District
Phone: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
360-428-4313
FAX: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
360-424-6172
Call Ahead For FAX
Email:
carolyn@skagitcd.org
Project Information
Project Title:
Upper Skagit Fuels Reduction
Proposed Project Start Date:
01/01/2006
Federal Funding Request:
$ 75,190
Proposed Project End Date:
12/31/2007
Total Project Funding:
$
107,690
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize:
We are submitting only this application.
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 Skagit Conservation District [SCD], working in partnership with community stakeholders and members of the Local Coordinating Group, will
work with landowners in the Upper Skagit Watershed to implement prioritized fuels reduction projects with forty landowners on 200 acres. Project
implementation will be targeted to areas identified as high risk for wild fire in a Community Wildfire Protection Plan [CWPP] currently being
developed for the area, with the highest priority areas being those parcels adjacent to the Mount Baker /Snoqualmie National Forest and the North
Cascades National Park. The CWPP is being developed utilizing NASF Field Guidance, WADNR Risk Assessment and Mitigation Strategies
mapping, and criteria identified in the Healthy Forests Restoration Act [HFRA] of 2003, and will meet the core principles of the NFP: "healthier
watersheds, enhanced community protection, and diminished risk and consequences of severe wildland fires."
Project Location:
Latitude: 48.53096
Longitude: 121.664
County:
Skagit
Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal:
Marc Titus - WADNR
Federal Congressional District:
2
Telephone number of Contact:
360-856-3500 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?
Please see coordination w/ LCG below.
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) No
Please indicate planned treatments and associated acres:
* Treatment Thinning
Acres 200
Treatment Mastication/Mowing
Acres 150
Treatment Lop and Scatter
Acres 50
Treatment Hand Piling
Acres 50
If you have a treatment type other than standard types above:
Other 1 herbicide
Acres 50
Other 2
Acres 0
This project will provide technical and financial assistance to landowners in the Upper Skagit Watershed to develop and implement fuels reduction
projects on 200 acres of land assessed as high risk for wildfire. A Community Wildfire Protection Plan is being developed for the area, and is slated
to be completed in December, 2005; with the highest priority areas being those parcels adjacent to the Mount Baker /Snoqualmie National Forest
and the North Cascades National Park. The CWPP is being developed utilizing NASF Field Guidance, WADNR Risk Assessment and Mitigation
Strategies mapping, and criteria identified in the Healthy Forests Restoration Act [HFRA] of 2003, and will meet core principles of the NFP:
"healthier watersheds, enhanced community protection, and diminished risk and consequences of severe wildland fires." The project will provide
implementation of the CWPP and will specifically meet Goal #2 of the NFP: Prioritize hazardous fuels reduction where the negative impacts of
wildland fire are greatest by reducing the number of acres at risk to severe wildland fire; 2] ensure that communities at risk in the wildland urban
interface receive priority for hazardous fuel treatment, and 3] expand and improve integration of the hazardous fuels management program to reduce
severe wildland fires to protect communities and the environment.
The project area is located in the Upper Skagit Watershed, and focuses on the communities of Concrete, Rockport, and Marblemount. The land use
is predominantly secondary and industrial forest. Residential use is either clustered or isolated single family residences, plus three rural villages.
The population is under 1500. Because of the outstanding scenic, wildlife, and recreational values of the area, there is a considerable influx of
tourists spring though fall. Most people reside in the river valley zone, the surrounding uplands are forested, and the area is directly adjacent to the
Mount Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest, and North Cascades National Park. These communities were grouped for planning as they are a like-risk
area, and the planning unit provides for program efficiency.
Although a total of approximately 20,000 acres in the Upper Skagit Watershed has been assessed as high risk for catastrophic wildfire, the CWPP
planning team will develop a strategic approach to target areas for implementation as part of the current planning process. Highest priority will be
those parcels adjacent to the Mount Baker/Snoqualmie Forest and the North Cascades National Park.
Building on current public education and outreach efforts, we will partner with our existing CWPP stakeholder group, [local, state, and federal agency
personnel, rural fire department members, and local community leaders] to take the recommendations developed through the CWPP process to the
next step: inspiring participation and providing incentives to landowners to develop home-site specific defensible space plans that create 200 - 300
foot buffers, treating a minimum of 200 acres. We will begin with community outreach and public meetings to provide information on project
activities. This will be followed by a series of coached planning workshops where landowners will develop site-specific fuels reduction plans. We
will continue to provide mentoring to landowners as they complete their own plans. We anticipate participation from at least 40 community members
through the next phase, fuels reduction treatments. A majority of the funding requested will be used to provide cost-share to landowners for fuels
reduction practices such as thinning, pruning, and chipping. They in turn will provide match, either cash or in the form of "sweat equity." Project
partners will be assisting with providing the educational base for site plan development, and will also act as coaches to landowners as they develop
and implement their plans.
Because the CWPP and an associated fuels reduction demonstration project will be finalized by December, 2005, we anticipate being able to begin
work on this program as early as January 2006. We envision the schedule for landowner site plan creation and implementation to take two "work
seasons", therefore work would be completed within two years of the contract signature.
Members of the LCG not only work with SCD on the CWPP planning project, but also provide assistance as Firewise Community Plans are being
developed in other parts of the County. The partnership will continue through this project, as members assist with providing technical and
educational assistance to program participants. The SCD has a successful record of planning and implementing natural resource protection and
restoration projects, and the administration of cost-share programs. Accomplishments in the project area have included planning & implementation
of forest stewardship plans for private forestland owners, natural resource training and water quality monitoring for volunteers, implementation of
several hundred acres of forested riparian buffer, and partnership with the USFS on major log road maintenance and abandonment projects in two
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:
The community infrastructure that will be protected includes single family residences and associated out-buildings as well as
community structures: post offices, gas marts, small shops and cafes, churches and community buildings. A cross-state highway
intersects this area, damage or closure of this major intra-state thoroughfare due to fire would severely hinder access to not only
the other half of the state, but to upriver communities where several major power supply dams are located. There is also a fish
hatchery in the area that raises stock of ESA listed Chinook salmon, this facility would also be threatened. Because the area is not
served by underground utilities, all above ground utilities, such as power and telephones would be at risk. Community recreational
facilities, such as parks and associated out-buildings are also at risk.
Implementation of this project will greatly reduce the risk to the infrastructure detailed above through the creation of 200-300 foot
defensible space buffers around home sites and key community buildings. Currently, the landscape around most home sites
consists of small to medium diameter second growth trees and brush. Practices such as thinning, pruning, brush removal through
either mechanical [mowing, chipping] or chemical means, and mulching, piling, and in some cases removal of the fuels from the
area all together, will greatly reduce the risk of wildfire loss not only to individual sites, it will help prevent spread to adjacent sites in
the event a fire in the area does occur. Larger diameter thinnings can be used by the residents as fuel [still a lot of wood stoves in
the area] or sold as a way to generate a small amount of income to off-set implementation costs.
Implementation with the goal of prevention is key in this area, as fire suppression services are limited to local volunteer fire
departments with finite people power. State and federal fire suppression efforts would not be available in instances where there
were structural or brush fires adjacent to home sites that could most easily spread to adjacent landscapes under the current
situation. This program will provide a mechanism for residents to work on ways to be more self-sufficient in fire protection.
Home site planning activities can begin as early as funding becomes available, as the CWPP and associated community
demonstration project for the area is scheduled for completion in December 2005. Community meetings, coached planning
sessions, and site specific planning activities will occur during times of higher fire risk, the actual implementation projects will occur
when fire danger is low. The will greatly reduce the possibility that the activities themselves, especially the use of power
equipment, are a potential fire hazard. Therefore, we anticipate the project to run the length of two "work seasons."
Landowners will agree to maintain their defensible space buffers as a condition of cost-share participation. However, we anticipate
that because the landowners themselves will be developing their plans, and protecting not only their homes but their communities,
that they will develop ownership of the program, and would be considerably more dedicated to continuing the practices in the
future.
The Skagit Conservation District will perform post-project implementation monitoring to ensure that all cost-shared practices were
performed as planned. LGC partners such as the USFS, National Parks, Fire Marshall's office, and local fire department
leadership all have key roles identified in the creation of the CWPP that is currently underway. They will also be providing critical
feedback at this project's completion as the LCG works together to review and apply adaptive management strategies to future
plan development.
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:
In the short term, implementation of this project will result in the equivalent of a seasonal half time job over the period of two years,
due to the need for contracting services for thinning, pruning, chipping, etc. In the long term, however, we envision that stakeholder
and local leader involvement in this process will activate interest toward new opportunities - developing biomass utilization programs
that will provide venues for economic development in areas of our county that have suffered economic hardship due to severe
reductions in logging and associated industries.
Additionally, this project will help build local capacity by serving as a template as we work to complete CWPP planning and
implementation throughout the County. We have funding pending to complete additional CWPP efforts, having a plan completed
with actual on the ground projects will inspire others to take an active role in development of plans for their communities. Visible
demonstration of effective community participation will spur others into action. In addition, experiences gained throughout the project
and assessed during post-project review will allow our partnership, as well as others developing programs on a landscape scale, to
move forward in a more effective and efficient manner.
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:
This project will implement the Concrete-Rockport-Marblemount CWPP that the Skagit Conservation District [SCD]is preparing.
Due for completion, including a demonstration project, by 12/05, a copy of the plan can be requested from the contact listed on the
face of this application. Fuels reduction practices have been discussed with our core planning team, consisting of local/state/
federal agencies, as well as local stakeholders, the final plan will identified target areas of highest risk to as priorities for treatment.
[The local tribe has been contacted, and is updated regularly on plan progress.] Primary partners for implementation will be the
SCD, the WADNR, Skagit County Fire Marshal, as well as local fire department personnel. In addition, the SCD has been in
discussion with key community leaders to identify neighborhoods with higher levels of interest.
Skagit County provided the funding for the CWPP development and demonstration project. The Skagit County Fire Marshall,
WADNR, and the SCD will be providing match in the form of staff and administrative support for this application. The major
cooperators on this project will be the landowners themselves, who will provide match in the form of 25% cash or "sweat equity"
toward the cost of fuels reduction treatments on their properties. Total match for this project is 30%.
The CWPP process is providing amazing opportunities to promote NFP implementation throughout many sectors of the community,
dramatically raising the visibility of the wildfire risk issue. We are in the process of working with Skagit County Government to
incorporate CWPP and fuels reduction goals into the Skagit County Comprehensive Plan update and provide information packets to
permit applicants.
Project Work Form
Tasks
Complete CWPP and demonstration project
under separate funding. Prioritize target
areas for implementation.
Time Frame
Responsible Party
Skagit Conservation District (SCD)
12/31/2005
Outreach and community meetings on
program and avialiblity of funding
SCD
Jan - June 2006
Coached p,lanning sessions and follow-up
with landowners.
SCD with partners
Summer-Fall 2006-07
SCD with landowners
Implement fuels reduction projects.
Late fall/winter 2006-07
Post-project monitoring
SCD
2006-2007
SCD
Project progress reviews and final
assessment with LCG.
Feb. 2006-07
Project Budget
WADNR
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Applicant
Sk. Co. Fire Marshal
Partner 1
Landowners
Partner 2
Total
Partner 3
Personnel
Project Coordinator
Technical Assistance
Subtotal
$5,000
$0
$0
$0
$10,125
$0
$5,000
$5,000
$0
$20,125
$13,500
$5,000
$5,000
$5,000
$0
$28,500
$0
$0
$1,125
$3,375
$8,375
Fringe Benefits
Project Coordianator
$1,125
$0
$0
Technical Assistance
$3,375
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$3,375
$4,500
$0
$0
$0
$4,500
$500
$0
$0
$0
$0
$500
$0
$0
$0
$500
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$500
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$2,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$2,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$2,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$2,000
$52,500
$0
$0
$0
$17,500
$70,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$52,500
$0
$0
$17,500
$70,000
$2,190
$0
$0
$0
$0
$2,190
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$2,190
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$2,190
$75,190
$5,000
$5,000
$5,000
$17,500
$107,690
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
Subtotal
Travel
Mileage
$0
Subtotal
Equipment
Subtotal
Supplies
Workshops
Subtotal
Contractual
200 A treatment @ $35/A
Subtotal
Other
Indirect
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.