Enclosure 3A - Project Summary Form
119
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Fuels Treatment Projects
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
Don Matlick
Oregon Department of Forestry
Phone:
Type of Applicant: (enter appropriate letter in box)
A
503-945-7444
FAX:
A. State
B. County
C. Municipal
D. Township
E. Interstate
F. Intermunicipal
G. Special District
503-945-7454
Email:
Dmatlick@odf.state.or.us
H. Independent School District
I. State-Controlled Institution of Higher Learning
J. Private University
K. Indian Tribe
L. Nonprofit Organization
M. Other (Specify) _______________________
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
2600 State St, Salem OR 97410
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
David J. Jacobs Unit Supervisor I
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Oregon Department of Forestry
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
541-296-4626
541-298-4993
djacobs@odf.state.or.us
Project Information
Project Title:
North Wasco Communities Block Grant
Proposed Project Start Date:
May 1, 2005
Proposed Project End Date:
December 31, 2007
Federal Funding Request:
$245,000
Total Project Cost:
$400,700
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please prioritize, and explain if the projects are stand alone, sequential or other:
Yes, this is State priority # 30
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).
Provide block grant assistance to private landowners in the rural area south of Mill Creek to Dufur for
vegetation management to create defensible space, reduce fire hazard, and improve forest health. The funds
would be used as a cost share incentive to allow landowners to make a single entry into forest stands to meet
the overall objectives of fuels mitigation. This area is at extreme risk from wildfire due to the increase in
rural residences, and the significant role that the Gorge winds play in creating extreme fire behavior. This is
an expansion of an existing project funded immediately adjacent to the north, and will provide fuels treatment
for all lands in northern Wasco County.
Project Location:
County:
Federal Congressional District:
North Wasco Dufur to Mill Creek
Wasco
Walden 2nd
Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal:
Telephone number of Contact:
Mike Ferris, USFS and Rico George, USF&WS
541-386-2333, and 503-231-6234
Enclosure 3A (Page 1 of 3) - 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:
 project location (e.g., Watershed,
Address
neighboring community)
these items
as applicable:  anticipated outcomes

project relationship to the community risk assessment and
mitigation plan
 amount or extent of actions (acres, number of homes, etc.)
 community partners and their
 project timeline and matching or contributed funds
role(s)
 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 haven’t worked with a local coordination group, why not?
Project Location: The area is located south of Mill Creek and west of Dufur, a timbered and grassy zone
adjoining the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and the Mt Hood National Forest. This area is at
significant risk from wildfire due to the population density and influence that the Gorge winds have on
creating extreme fire behavior and potentially disastrous wildfires. Fuel treatments in this area will assist in
the protection of The Dalles Watershed, which is at significant risk from widfires and serves the entire city of
The Dalles, which is a community at risk.
Anticipated Outcomes: The outcome of this project will be to reduce the fire hazard and improve forest
health across over 10,000 acres, and directly and indirectly protect about 650 rural lots and approximately 250
fulltime residences. This will also serve as a model for landowners and encourage them to take action to
protect their personal investments.
Community Partners/Roles: Partners for this project include the Mt Hood National Forest who have
adjacent ownership’s, Mid Columbia Fire and Rescue who have dual fire protection responsibilities in this
area, and the local landowners who have the most to gain from this project. The MHNF and Mid Columbia
F&R’s roles will be to assist in the development of the grant and its implementation. The landowner role will
be to get the work done on the ground.
Project Relationship to Risk Assessment Plan: There is currently an effort underway by the “Gorge
Wildfire Local Coordinating Group” to develop a four countywide community risks assessment and
mitigation plans. These plans once developed will aid in the determination of the best and highest use of
future resources. Additionally there is a high level of coordination and cooperation with the Local
Coordinating Group in the strategic planning and implementation of all projects in the four County and two
state area in the Mid Columbia Region. Those partners involved in the Local Coordinating Group include
ODF, WDNR, CRGNSA, USFS (MHNF & GPNF), USF&WS, WSU Extension, Local Rural Chiefs
Associations, and Local County Governments.
Extent of Actions: The actions of this grant will effect upwards of 10,000 acres directly and indirectly
protect 650 rural lots and 250 full time residences in the grant area, and the city of Dufur, and The Dalles both
communities at risk. The population in the treatment area is estimated to be around 750 people.
Timeline/Funds: This project if funded will begin landowner signups in early 2005 and continue into early
2006. Once landowners are signed up they are expected to hire a contractor to do the on ground fuels
mitigation, or do the work themselves. Continual monitoring will take place throughout the project and all
landowner completions and payments should occur prior to the end of 2007. Matching funds will be a
combination of ODF’s in kind work on the project planning and implementation, and the landowners that will
be required to commit up to 20% of the project costs themselves.
Ability to Complete Project: If successful in this grant the proponent has a significant track record of
securing and completing grant projects identical to this one. There are currently four adjacent funded grants
immediately to the east of this project that have had excellent results and accomplishments over the past few
years. This project may take multiple funding years due to the size of the project area.
Enclosure 3A (Page 2 of 3) - 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:
A. In addition to the 250 homes that could be directly protected by this fuels mitigation project, the
northwestern boundary of this project lies immediately adjacent to The Dalles city watershed, and the eastern
boundary is immediately adjacent to the city of Dufur which is a community at risk. The potential
infrastructure that will be protected includes homes, businesses, personal property, and The Dalles watershed
itself. In addition this project ties in directly to three currently funded projects immediately to the north.
These projects combined will in effect create a fuel reduction zone that will directly protect upwards of 1,000
homes in the interface as well as create a community break for The Dalles, and Dufur, both communities at
risk.
B. Commercial harvest in this area provides little in the way of economic benefit to the landowner. The
landowner can sometimes make a small profit by doing a commercial thinning, however this leaves activities
such as precommecial thinning and fuel reduction of any remaining fuel hazard undone. The result is a
continued fuel buildup and a decrease in forest health. This grant will stimulate the landowners to explore
alternatives for the treatment of their land. These funds would be used to cost share with the landowner for
the total treatment of the site with the objective of reducing the fuel hazard and improving forest health. This
project will reduce the fire risk directly by reducing the amount of fuel in the affected area. First priority will
be to create defensible space. Next will be to work in the area directly beyond defensible space, which will
reduce the stand density to an appropriate level for the given site class. The fuel types in this area generally
consist of Ponderosa Pine and Douglas fir mix with considerable brush and dead and down material from
years of bark beetle infestations. Reducing the fuel loading and improving forest health will allow the stand
to withstand a moderate to high intensity fire. Most work will be done in the spring, fall and winter months.
C. It is estimated that in this dry site Pine and Mixed conifer ecosystem this fuel hazard mitigation will be
good for 10 plus years, during which landowners will be encouraged to use a low intensity fire and fuel
removal around structures to maintain the mitigation work. This will be easily achieved by the landowners.
D. This community has been involved in the Firewise and defensible space triage programs. Public meetings,
demonstrations, newspaper articles, and fair displays have all recently publicized the issues. Annual triage
programs have been held in the area. By using the Local Coordinating group and their multiple partners this
and other projects will be monitored for ways to assist in improving any future projects in the Mid Columbia
Region. This bi-state, four county, Local Coordination Group conststs of members from WSU Extension,
WDNR, ODF, USFS, USF&WS, CRGNSA, Mid Columbia Fire Chiefs Assoc., Klickitat Interagengy Fire
Assoc., and representitives from each of the four County government agencies of Skamania, Klickitat, Hood
River, and Wasco Counties. Possible improvements are already being developed for this and future grants
through monitoring of existing projects in the area over the past three years.
Enclosure 3A (Page 3 of 3) - 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:
A. This project will help a sagging economy in Wasco County, especially the timber industry, which has the
potential to support other forest related jobs within the area. The diversification would come from the ability
to utilize smaller material and assistance to make it economical to treat these private non-industrial lands.
This will in effect create jobs where none existed before.
B. This project could potentially be the seed money to keep 25 to 50 people seasonally employed for
approximately 3 years. Currently other grants in the area are supporting two year-round part time jobs, which
this grant would continue to support as well.
C. The tools and skills gained will be local economic stimulation, bio-mass utilization, and local government
coordination. These projects have proved a stimulus to getting local agencies to work together. Hood River
and Wasco Counties are economically depressed, and will directly benefit from this project.
D. The potential for removal of bio-mass will depend on the specific site. Estimates range from 25 to 75 tons
per acre. Possible methods of treatment will be to haul chip logs to the chip mill. Additionally, there is a
commercial firewood yard located in Dallesport that can utilize a significant amount of the product, and the
use of poles will be encouraged as well. Utilization will be the preferred and recommended method of
treatment for all the wood products produced, however in some cases burning will be the accepted practice.
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:
A. This project will tie in well with the community risk assessment plan that will be written through other
grant funding requested by the WSU Extension office for 2005. This plan when done will help to legitimize
the extensive mitigation work already being done on the ground. Local contact for this plan will be Ole
Helgerson of the WSU Extension office.
B. Coordination exists between landowners, Wasco County, CRGNSA, USF&WS, Mid Columbia Fire
Prevention Coop, as well as the Mid Columbia Fire & Rescue in the implementation and treatment of this
grant through community meetings and personal contacts with the various agencies.
C. There are current and ongoing grants with Wasco County covering spatial data informational systems that
will be made available to all interested parties for aid in prevention and response to all risk disasters in
addition to wildfires. This data will be invaluable for use in this and future grant proposals. In addition this
project fits well with a WSU Extension funded NFP (USF&WS) grant designed to assist in the overall
coordination and cooperation of NFP grants, and identify high risk sites in four counties, in Oregon and
Washington. Title II grants are also in place in Wasco, Hood River and Skamania Counties.
D. This project has received local support from the various funding agencies including the USF&WS, USFS,
BLM, in addition to the support from the Gorge Wildfire Local Coordinating Group. Cost sharing
agreements exist between WSU Extension and Wasco County for other NFP grants.
Enclosure 3A - Project Work Form
Tasks
Time Frame
Responsible Party
Identify specific landowners and
direct mail the grant information and
set up a meeting for landowners in the
grant area.
September/December 2005
The Dalles Assistant Unit
Forester/Office Specialist
Sign up landowners in the program,
arrange for a site visit. Do a hazard
assessment, determine what activities
need to take place, sign an agreement
for the work, and authorize the work.
October 2005, and ongoing
through 2007
Service Forester/Forest Officer
Monitor projects, document activities
for future educational opportunities,
check for compliance, verify work
accomplished, process final payment
record and submit for payment.
October 2005, and ongoing
through 2007
Service Forester/Forest
Officer/Office Specialist
Use projects as an example of fire
hazard reduction and improved forest
health. Develop public prevention
displays for continuous use in fairs
and public events.
October 2005, and ongoing
through 2007
Service Forester/Assistant Unit
Forester
Enclosure 3D Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Applicant
Partner 1
Partner 2
Total
Personnel
Subtotal
22,000
62,432
3,400
22,000
2,432
3,400
8,500
23,957
1,300
8,500
23,957
1,300
2,200
5,109
2,200
5,109
1,000
871
1,000
871
1,000
1,022
1,000
1,022
$87,832
Fringe Benefits
Subtotal
$33,757
Travel
Subtotal
$7,309
Equipment
C
Subtotal
$1,871
Supplies
Subtotal
$2,,022
Contractual
Landowner CS Agreements
Subtotal
210,300
42,000
210,300
42,000
$252,300
Other
15,609
Subtotal
Total Costs
15,609
$245,000
$109,000
$15,609
$42,000
$4,700.
Project (Program) Income1
(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.
$400,700