Enclosure 3A - Project Summary Form
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN
INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Wildland Urban Interface Fuels / Education and Prevention / Community
Planning for Fire Protection Projects
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
Okanogan Conservation District
Phone: 509-422-0855
FAX 509-422-0532:
Email:
Bobanderson@wa.nacdnet.org
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
1251 S 2nd AVE, Okanogan WA, 98840
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Bob Anderson, Field Coordinator
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Conservation District, serves entire county
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
509-422-0855
509-422-0532
bobanderson@wa.nacdnet.org
Project Information
Project Title: Lower Loup Fuels Reduction
Proposed Project Start Date: 3/04
Proposed Project End Date 1/06
Federal Funding Request:
Total Project Funding:
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize:
Brief Project Description: The Lower Loup Fuels Reduction is a pilot project that involves planning for
and implementation of a pre-commercial thinning of private forest land within three watersheds in
central Okanogan County. Through the use of watershed- level wildfire risk assessment and
prioritization, landowner outreach and education,site-specific prescriptions, and implementation of
thinning and slash disposal, up to 500 acres will be identified and treated within a two year time
frame. After the sucessful implementation of this project, the knowledge gained will be used to refine
the program and use it as a model for watershed-level implementation of fuels reduction in other
areas of the county that are found to be at risk or have high fuel loads.
Project Location (latitude/longitude if applicable):
Congressi
onal
District:
Project Type: Check appropriate project type. More than one type may be checked. If only Box (4) is
checked, use Enclosure 4.
(1) (x) Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Project (2) Wildland Urban
(3) Community Planning for Fire
Interface Education and Prevention Project
Protection Project (4) Fuels
Utilization and Marketing Project
If the applicant is an unincorporated area, define the geographic area being represented:
County: Okanogan
Enclosure 3B (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:
Address these items
as applicable:
project location project
implementation anticipated
outcomes measures and
reporting interagency
partners
project relationship to community or natural
landscape fire plans project time frames and
income specify types of activities and
equipment used amount or extent of actions
(acres, number of homes, etc) environmental,
cultural and historical resource requirements
The project is located in north central Washington, in Okanogan County.
French, Texas and Cow Creeks are tributaries of the Methow River, located
between the communities of Carlton and Pateros. The area is characterized by
Ponderosa Pine/ Sage-Steppe plant communities. Stocking levels in the three
watersheds vary from low density to as high as 700 stems per acre in many areas.
This project will treat approximately 500 acres of dry site forested land that is
overstocked and at high risk for a major stand replacing fire. A group of 15
landowners representing approximately 640 acres within the three drainages, have
been organized by the Methow Forest Owners Cooperative and have written letters
of interest in a fuels reduction program to help them with at-risk portions of their
land. Through the use of watershed- level risk assessment and prioritization, it will
be possible to identify up to 500 acres suitable for treatment within a two year time
frame. Outreach will be made to additional landowners prioritized as high risk, and
on strategic parcels within the watersheds where fire breaks are deemed important
by the risk assessment process. Two, one-day Workshops will be offered, with one
workshop as a required commitment for any contractors or individual landowners
wishing to be compensated under this program. Hands-on demonstration of proper
techniques for reading and implementing individual Stewardship Plans /
silvicultural prescriptions will ensure consistency and quality of work done by
different individuals and contractors within a given watershed. Implementation of
on the ground thinnings and fire breaks will follow immediately, using the
stewardship plans as a guide. Thinnings will be done by individual landowners
and/or the contractors of the landowners' choice who have met the workshop
requirement. Work will be completed by hand crews with chainsaws, using hand
piling and burning as the primary disposal method. Monitoring protocols and
photo plots will be established during the planning phase, and will be revisited upon
completion of thinning and slash disposal to measure the success of the project at
achieving wildfire risk reduction and resource protection at the parcel level and also
at the watershed level.
The small size of the materials planned for removal and lack of need
for utilization of skidding equipment indicate that any environmental damage
resulting from this action would be minimal. Performance of the NEPA documents
in conjunction with Stewardship planning will ensure that the project is in
compliance with cultural and historical requirements.
Response
Enclosure 3B (Page 2 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
Applications for funding must include narrative responses that address the following four criteria. Within
each criterion, sub-criteria are listed in descending order of importance. Limit your responses to the
areas provided.
1. Reducing Fire Risk. (40 points))
A. Describe how the proposal promotes reduction of risk in high hazard areas or communities, or natural
landscapes. B. Describe how the proposed project benefits resources on federal land or adjacent nonfederal land, or how it protects the safety of communities. C. To what extent does the project implement
or create a cooperative (1) fuels treatment plan or (2) community fire strategy (include evidence of the
plan if it already exists)? D. Explain to what extent the affected community or proponent has been
involved or plans to involve the affected community in a qualified fuels education program (e.g.,
FIREWISE). E. Explain how the proposal (1) leads to, enhances or restores a local fire-adapted
ecosystem, and/or (2) mitigates or leads to the mitigation of hazardous fuel conditions. F. How will the
proposed treatments or programs be maintained in future years?
Response: A) This proposal directly reduces the amount of fuel available on 500 acres across the
landscape of the French, Cow and Texas creek drainages, and will educate landowners about fire
prevention, defensible space and risk reduction. The strategic reduction of fuel loading will reduce
the hazard level for landowners in the immediate area and benefit the natural landscape by
bringing existing stocking levels back in line with historic stockings.
B) This proposal would benefit adjacent resources and the local community, first by reducing the
intensity of future fires that come through the area, lowering the likelihood of structure loss at the
wildland interface, and limiting the possibility of a stand replacing fire on adjacent DNR and
nearby USFS lands. The reduced intensity would allow firefighters from the DNR, Forest Service
and local volunteer departments to complete their work more safely and effectively.
C) The project creates a cooperative fuels treatment plan involving the input of OCD, Methow
Forest Owners Co-op, OCDC, DNR and volunteer fire departments, and lays the groundwork for
development of a community fire strategy for individual watersheds.
D) The Firewise program will be incorporated into the project to facilitate fire risk education and
the completion of Defensible Space work around structures in each watershed. Landowner
representative Lorah Waters (Methow Forest Owners Co-op) has met with DNR Firewise
Coordinator Chuck Johnson and they plans to work together as the project develops.
E) This proposal will both enhance a fire adaptive ecosystem and mitigate hazardous fuel
conditions by thinning out thicketed stands of Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir. Trees will be
thinned to create a condition in which the chance of crown fires would be limited, and trees left on
site would be able to survive low intensity fires as have occurred historically.
F) This project will be effective for approximately 20 years of growth, at which time the trees
should be of merchantable size and future thinnings could be paid for by commercial removals.
2. Increasing local capacity. (30 points)
A. How would the proposal improve or lead to the improvement of the local economy in terms of jobs
and sustainable economic activity? How many jobs are expected to be created or retained and for how
long (please distinguish between essentially year-round and seasonal jobs)? How will this proposal link
to other projects (or proposed projects) to create year-round jobs? B. To what extent will this project be
offered to serve as a model for other communities or natural landscapes? C. Will biomass or forest fuels
be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much?
Response: A) This Project will provide employment for approximately 500+ man-days for chainsaw
operators and 1000 man-days for slash pilers. These are full time seasonal positions. Landowners
will have the opportunity to be employed through this project, or to hire local contractors. Youth
Conservation Corps may be employed to pile slash. A part-time administrator and a landowner
outreach position will also be created. Once this pilot project has been successfully implemented,
crews and individuals will be trained and ready to move on to the next opportunity to perform
similar work.
B) This is a pilot project that is designed to be used as a template for use throughout the county and
will be presented to various landowner and economic development groups as such. The Okanogan
Communities Development Council will use the data obtained from this project in their future
planning and requests for Utilization funding.
C) Okanogan Communities Development Council (OCDC), a non-profit organization engaged in
small diameter wood utilization strategies, will be consulted during the planning and
implementation of the project, and informed of the type and volume of materials being removed.
Where possible and practical, material that could be used in OCDC's program will be made
available.
Enclosure 3B (Page 3 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
3. Increasing interagency and intergovernmental coordination. (15 Points)
A. Describe how this project implements a local intergovernmental strategy or plan, or creates such a
plan. Describe the plan if it already exists. B. Explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic
planning through a “Local Coordination Group” for wildland fire activities, or among federal, state,
tribal, local government and community organizations. List the cooperators (a detailed list of
cooperators will be required for projects that are funded).
Response: A) No formal intergovernmental strategy or plan is in place at this time in Okanogan
County.
B) Although no formal "Local Coordinating Group" exists in the county, Much communication
has taken place with representatives of Okanogan Conservation District, State of Washington
DNR, USFS Community Action, Okanogan Communities Development Council, Partnership for a
Sustainable Methow and the Methow Forest Owners Cooperative. Fire risk assessment and
prioritization will be a joint effort of OCD, consulting foresters, and fire management officials
from DNR and local volunteer fire departments. No duplication of effort was found and all
involved thought that this proposal reflects something that needs to happen not only in the
proposed drainages but on literally thousand of acres within Okanogan county.
4. Expanding Community Participation. (15 Points)
A. To what extent have interested individuals, groups, and communities been provided an opportunity to
become informed and involved in this proposal? B. Describe the extent of local support or opposition for
the project, including any cost-sharing arrangements. C. What are the environmental, social and
educational benefits or concerns of the project?
Response: A) All of the groups listed in question 3b above have been involved in the crafting of this
proposal.
Many landowners within the three proposed drainages have been contacted by Lorah Waters and
questioned regarding their interest in participating in the project; some declined but were not
opposed to the planned project. The Okanogan Conservation District works with willing
landowners who would like to implement Best Management Practices on their land. To this end
OCD respects the right of privacy of individual landowners, and because this project is on private
land it has not been widely publicized.
B) All groups and individuals that have been contacted have expressed support for the concept
and project; no opposition has occurred. The public would also see that the government is trying
to respond to a problem that has been identified for years, Which is the unhealthy nature of our
over stocked forests. Recent major conflagrations and fire fighter fatalities in the region indicate
that this type of activity should be a very high priority.
C) Environmental benefits of the project involve the restoration of dense, unhealthy forests in
these three drainages to a historic range of variability in which stand replacing fires are rare and
fire can resume its role as a natural part of the ecosytem. The social and educational benefits of
focusing this effort at the watershed level include the development of an educated and empowered
base of landowners at the wildland-urban interface, and the creation of communication networks
that will be useful in the future.
Enclosure 3C - Project Work Form
Tasks
Create Data base and maps - GIS
Wild fire Risk Assessment
Receive grant
Watershed Characterization
Time Frame
11/03
12/03
Responsible Party
OCD
OCD
1/04 (?)
3/04
NFP
Methow Forest Owners
Coop
MFOC
MFOC
Okanogan Conservation
District
OCD
OCD
MFOC
OCD
Outreach to prioritized landowners
Individual Stewardship Plans/Prescriptions
Start on Fuel Reduction Implementation
3-5/04
3-8/04
4/04 - 11/05
Start Disposal Activities
Start Winter burning program
Monitoring
Reporting
4/04 -11/05
11/04 -12/05
4/05 - 12/05
1/06
Enclosure 3D Project Budget
Cost Category Description
Personnel crew
Federal Agency Applicant
$162,500
Partner 1
Partner 2
Total
Subtotal
Fringe Benefits
$162,500
$87,500
$162,500.00
Subtotal
Travel to and from job site
$87,500
$5,000.00
$87,500.00
Subtotal
Equipment six chainsaws, bars
Chain, chaps & maintenance
$5,000.00
$7,000.00
Subtotal
Supplies saw gas, bar oil, mix
$7,000.00
$2,000.00
Subtotal
Contractual Stewardship plans
NEPA
Individual silvicultural
prescription
$2,000.00
$8,000.00
$5,000.00
$5,000.00
Subtotal
Other Risk Assessment
Sponsor overhead @12%
Landowner liaison/ outreach
Landowner workshops
Subtotal
Total Costs
Project (Program) Income (using
deductive alternative)
$$18,000.00
$5,000.00
1,000.00
$7,000.00
$2,000,00
$18,000.00
$5000.00
$30,000.00
$20,000.00
$2,000,00
$52,000.00
$334,000.00
$6,000.00