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:
Dale Swedberg, Sinlahekin Wildlife Area, Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
(509)223-3358
(509)223-3358
swedbdas@dfw.wa.gov
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
P.O. Box C, Loomis, WA 98827
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Dale Swedberg, Wildlife Area Manager
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, Owns and manages Sinlahekin Wildlife Area
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
500.223.3358
509.223.3358
swedbdas@dfw.wa.gov
Project Information
Project Title:
Sinlahekin Fuels Management & Demonstration Project - Phase 1
Project Start:
Project End:
June 1, 2002
May 31, 2004
Federal Funding Request:
Total Project Funding:
$91,046.00
$120,464.00
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize:
No
Brief Project Description:
Project Goal: Perform assessment, analysis, planning, education, demonstration, coordination, and
mapping activities that will prepare the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area for FUTURE fuels treatments.
These future fuels treatments will set the stage for reintroducing and maintaining fire in the fireadapted ecosystem to reduce catastrophic impacts of potential wildfires and benefit wildlife and
vegetation dependent on a high-frequency low-intensity fire regime.
Process: Develop a model Adaptive Fuels Treatment Plan that, when implemented, will provide
prescriptions and strategies for fuels treatments integrated with prescribed burning that will result in
reduced potential of damaging wildfires and improved wildlife habitat in the fire adapted ecosystem
of the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area. Development of an adaptive management plan, by necessity
requires pretreatment assessment as well as commited and regular monitoring to determine cause
and effect relationships in order to make adaptive changes needed to effect desired outcomes.
Project Location:
County:
Congressional District:
Sinlahekin Wildlife Area
Okanogan County
Project Type: Check appropriate project type. More than one type may be checked. If only Box (4) is checked, use Enclosure 4.
(1)
(2)
Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Project
Wildland Urban Interface Education and Prevention Project
(3)
(4)
Community Planning for Fire Protection Project
Fuels Utilization and Marketing Project
If the applicant is an unincorporated area, define the geographic area being represented:
Loomis - Sinlahekin Valley - Aeneas Mountain
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:
 project location
Address these
 project implementation
items as
 anticipated outcomes
applicable:
 measures and reporting
 partners





project income
project time frames
specify types of activities and equipment used
amount or extent of actions (acres, number of homes, etc)
environmental, cultural and historical resource requirements
This project is located on lands managed as the 14,000 acre Sinlahekin Wildlife Area (SWA) and
includes ~2,833 acres of land owned by BLM and under auspices of USF&WS. SWA is bordered by
Washington DNR lands to the west and northeast, USFS land to the south, private lands on the southeast, and
private lands to the north. Specifically SWA is contained within portions of TWPs 35N, 36N, 37N, 38N
RNG 25E. This is a 2-phase project we are asking for funding of only Phase 1:
Response:
Phase 1 - Assessment, Analysis, Planning, Information, Education and Coordination
a. 1) Assess and inventory what is present to determine pretreatment conditions, cultural resources,
geographic features, presence and abundance of plant species, plant communities, wildlife species and habitat
types; 2) Map and develop a GIS layer of cultural resources, geographic features, floral and faunal
communities. This sub-phase will involve the need for 2 biologists for wildlife surveys, inventorying and
mapping, 2 botanists for identification of plants, plant communities and mapping plant associations, 2
silviculturists for forest inventory, assessment and mapping and an archeologist to locate, inventory and map
cultural resources. Vegetation analysis will need to be conducted throughout the growing season, March
through October. Wildlife surveys will need to be conducted over a period of a full year due to seasonality of
various wildlife species use of the SWA. Forest or silvicultural resources assessment can be conducted at
anytime during the year to determine stand species composition, age composition and density. Mapping and
GIS layer development can be done in conjunction or simultaneously with data collection. Completed plans
for fuels treatment and treatment strategies; monitoring wildlife and plant commuinties; and completed
framework for development of a model Adaptive Fuels Management Plan to reduce wildfire potential and
restore fire to fire-adapted plant communities
b. 1) Develop broadscale prescriptions for fuels treatment and treatment strategies; 2) develop and
demonstrate information, education and coordination program with and for general public and adjacent
landowners; 3) develop monitoring protocol; 4) identify additional information needs and 5) develop a model
Adaptive Fuels Management Plan for fuels treatment to reduce wildfire potential and restore fire to fireadapted plant communities. Plan development will need to occur during the forest assessment process. From
the onset of Phase 1, information, education and coordination plans will need to be developed quickly and
implemented to meet the necessity of keeping local citizenry and adjacent landowners informed of activities
and plans. The model Adaptive Fuels Management Plan will necessarily be an evolving process. Anticipated
outcomes or deliverables would include GIS layers representing 1) geographic features, 2) wildlife
distribution by species, 3) vegetational features including species distribution and plant communities, 4)
silvicultural features including stand by species composition, age composition and density;
c. 1) develop Citizen's Advisory Group, 2) Developed information, education and demonstration plan, 3)
cultural resource inventory features. State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) rules will be followed as well as
National Environmetnal Policy Act (NEPA) rules where applicable.
Partners include the Tonasket School District, Wenatchee Valley College North, Methow Conservancy,
Healthy Ponderosa Pine Working Group (Yakama & Colville Tribes, DNR, WDFW, Nature Conservancy,
Northwest Ecosystem Alliance and Central Washington Univ.) , Mule Deer Foundation, Bessie Hewitt Estate,
USFWS, RIT (each role is explained in Sections 3 and 4).
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, subcriteria 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.
B. Describe how the proposed project benefits resources on federal land or adjacent non-federal land, or how it protects the safety
of communities.
C. To what extent does the project implement or create a cooperative fuels treatment plan or 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 (a) leads to, enhances or restores a local fire-adapted ecosystem, and/or (b) mitigates or leads to the
mitigation of hazardous fuel conditions.
F. How will the proposed treatments be maintained over time?
Response: Historically fire
occurred in the SWA and surrounding Ponderosa Pine habitat as a high-frequency
low-intensity fire regime with a fire return interval of about 7 yrs. Virtually no fires have occurred in the
SWA for 100 years resulting in heavy fuel buildup and degraded wildlife habitat. Fuels treatment and
restoration of fire to the SWA landscape would reduce dangerous wildfires and restore wildlife habitat which
has deteriorated due to 100 yrs of fire exclusion. Additionally WDFW and USFS are working cooperatively
in coordinating efforts to do fuels treatment and restore fire on adjacent lands. SWA has a Citizen's Advisory
Group (CAG) consisting of individuals representing a broad range of interests who provide input on
management of the SWA. The CAG will be engaged in as part of the planning, information, education and
coordination component of this proposal and the entire project. Maintenance of the treatments over time will
be accomplished by maintaining the fire regime indigenous to the vegetation types of the SWA through the
use of prescribed fires and other tools identified or developed under the model Adaptive Fuels Management
Plan developed by this project. By definition Adaptive Management requires continual monitoring of results
from treatments to determine cause and effect relationships. SWA receives an estimated 50,000 visitors,
annually; they will be able to view the project in action and see the benefits. RIT has resources that this
proposal can link to.
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 yearround and seasonal jobs)?
B. To what extent will this project be offered to serve as a model for other communities?
C. Will biomass or forest fuels be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much?
Response: Phase 1
of the project would improve the local economy temporarily by bringing in individuals who
would be doing the assessment work during the first year. Their living and working in the local area would
add economic benefits to the local economy.
A major element of the project is to not only develop a model Adaptive Fuels Management Plan, but provide
a demonstration to other land owners and managers and small rural communities throughout the Northwest on
what can be done to reduce wildfire potential and improve wildlife habitat simultaneously. There is a yearround, 12 mile long county road through the SWA, over which 50,000 visitors drive, annually; they will be
able to view the project in action with a self guide tour, see the benefits to the fire adapted plant communities
and wildlife as well as see the benefits in reducing wildfire potential in addition to providing jobs.
Additionally it is hoped that the Washington DNR and private landowners would view these efforts as
something to be done on their lands, as well, to reduce danger of wildfires and improve wildlife habitat. The
model developed in this proposal will be available to other land managers for incorporation into management
of fuels on their lands for the benefit of wildlife habitat and the economy. No fuels would be used in Phase 1
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 plan, or creates such a plan. Describe the plan if it
already exists.
B. Explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning among federal, state, tribal, local government and
community organizations. List the cooperators.
Response: SWA
has been:
1) involved with the USFS Tonasket Ranger District (USFS-TRD) in development of a comprehensive fire
management plan,
2) working and coordinating with USFS-TRD in planning fuels treatment and prescribed burning on adjacent
lands,
3) in consultation and working with BLM regarding fuels and use of prescribed fire to improve wildlife
habitat on lands owned by BLM and managed as part of the SWA,
4) in consultation with WDNR regarding implementation of prescribed burning on SWA lands adjacent to
WDNR lands. SWA has had numerous discussions with the Partnership for a Sustainable Methow - Forest
Stewardship Project (PSM-FSP) regarding efforts to assess, plan and implement fuels treatment work in an
environmentally, economically and socially acceptable manner.
5) The Healthy Ponderosa Pine Working Group will provide input and assistance throughout Phase 1.
SWA has engaged the environmental organization, Friends of the Loomis Forest (FLF) in discussions of
needed fuels treatment and prescribed fire to reduce potential of dangerous wildfires and restore the fireadapted ecosystem of the SWA to benefit fire- adapted plant communities and wildlife dependent, thereon.
This proposal would take all efforts, thus far, and initiate the necessary assessments, information, education,
and coordination to set the stage for implementation and post-treatment monitoring.
4. Expanding Community Participation. (15 Points)
A. To what extent have interested people and communities been provided an opportunity to become informed and involved in this
proposal?
B. Describe the extent of local support for the project, including any cost-sharing arrangements.
C. What are the environmental, social and educational benefits of the project?
Response: The SWA
has been working with local, state, federal and private organizations in an effort to
generate funding and support for this project. The Tonasket High School Biology teacher has agreed to
involve her class in mapping and development of GIS layers for roads, waterways and wetlands as well as
mapping general plant communities. The Methow Conservancy has been contacted about creating maps
needed for use in field assessments. Mule Deer Foundation and Bessie Hewitt estate have been contacted
about providing cost share funds for Mule Deer habitat assessment and mapping. Healthy Ponderosa Pine
working group will provide assistance in developing prescriptions and monitoring protocols. Additionally
they will provide avenues of communication and information dissemination on a statewide basis. The Forest
Stewardship Project is supportive of this effort and has resources and networks that would enhance
cooperation and coordination of a diverse audience. WDFW will provide housing to individuals working on
the project and in need of such. Forest, vegetation, and wildlife assessments will be contracted out to qualified
contractors. Environmental benefits would be revealed through low impact fuels treatment and reintroduction
of fire into fire adapted ecosystem by reducing potential damage of wildfires. Social benefits would come in
the form of jobs in fuels treatment and increased economic activity local economy. Educational benefits
would be reflected in the I&E and Demonstration components as well as interaction with the CAG and
involvement of the THS biology.
Enclosure 3C - Project Work Form
Tasks
Time Frame
Responsible Party
Inventory and Assessment at coarse filter
inventory level
Non forest
Forest
Wildlife
8 months concurrent and continuous
Archaeological features
Develop GIS Layers
2 weeks
4-6 months
Develop Information, Education and
Demonstration Plan
6 months (2-3 days/month)
Tonasket High School
WDFW
Contract foresters
Healthy Ponderosa Pine Working
Group
Develop Adaptive Fuels Management Plan
using Coarse Filter Inventory
6 months concurrent with development of
Information, Education and
Demonstartion Plan
Contract foresters
SWA Manager
Healthy Ponderosa Pine Working
Group
Develop Basic Monitoring Protocols
6 months concurrent with development of
Information, Education and
Demonstration Plan
Contract foresters
SWA Manager
Healthy Ponderosa Pine Working
Group
USFWS
Write broadscale prescriptions
6 months concurrent with development of
Information, Education and
Demonstration Plan
Contract foresters
SWA Manager
Healthy Ponderosa Pine Working
Group
Implementation of Demonstration,
Information and Education Program
6 months concurrent with development of
Information, Education and
Demonstartion Plan
Contract foresters
SWA Manager
Healthy Ponderosa Pine Working
Group
8 months (5 days/month)
2 months (20 days/month)
12 months (3-4 days/month)
Tonasket High School
Wenatchee Valley College North
Contract vegetation technicians
Contract foresters
SWA Manager
Colville Confederated Tribes
Enclosure 3D Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Personnel
See attached budget
Subtotal
Applicant
Partner 1
Partner 2
Total
$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
$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
Fringe Benefits
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Travel
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Equipment
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Supplies
$0.00
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Contractual
$0.00
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Other
Housing
Subtotal
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Total Costs
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
Project (Program) Income1
(using deductive alternative)
1
$0.00
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.