NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Fuels Utilization and Marketing Projects
Applicant
Applicant/Organization
Illinois Valley Community Resource Team
Phone:
541 592-4440
FAX:
Email:
ronphillips@ivcrt.org
592-4106
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
PO Box 1824 Cave Junction OR 97523
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Ronald Phillips, Executive Director
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Illinois Valley Community Resource Team
Phone:
541 592-4440
FAX:
Email:
ronphillips@ivcrt.org
592-4106
Project Information
Project Title:
Demand Creation for Fire Hazard Reduction By-Products
Project Start:
Project End:
June, 2002
June, 2004
Federal Funding Request:
Total Project Funding:
$46,482
$57,982
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize: No
Brief Project Description:
The intent of this project is to increase the number of fire plans and thinnings conducted by the
Forestry Action Committee, Lomakatsi, and others by providing an economic incentive to property
owners through creating links to reliable, growing markets for small diameter and other materials
removed in fire hazard reduction thinning. Demand for thinning by-products will be enhanced by
helping targeted wood product businesses increase sales through assistance in marketing studies,
marketing activities, business plan development, feasibility studies for new product development,
and leasing of select, critical equipment that will increase value-added opportunities and/or reduce
production/cost bottlenecks that are negatively impacting on sales. The equipment will
simultaneously be used to demonstrate to other wood working businesses the potential for utilizing
small diameter material. The goal of marketing collectively is to establish the Illinois Valley as a
destination center for high quality, hand crafted wood products. This project will result in at least 8
jobs being created and/or retained.
Project Location:
Illinois Valley
County:
Josephine
If the applicant is an unincorporated area, define the geographic area being represented:
Illinois Valley, Josephine County
Congressional District:
Two
Enclosure 4B (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
 Response: The proposed project will provide an economic incentive to home owners in the Illinois Valley
of Josephine County to undertake hazardous fuel reduction by creating reliable markets for thinning off-take.
Four strategies will be employed: 1> assistance to at least six wood working businesses to increase sales
through improved marketing; 2> new product development with market feasibility studies of small diameter
products (wainscoting, window/door trim, fencing, & ElWd environmental restoration structures) and
firewood exported to major urban areas; 3> lease of common-use equipment (pole peelers and portable sawmill) for for-fee use by home owners and thinning crews and of single use (planer) for a furniture maker using
small diameter poles; and 4> development of a business plan for Firelogs, Inc. (a company that uses a
hydraulic splitter capable of producing squared firewood able to be palletized). Lease awards will be made on
a competitive basis considering factors such as capacity, demonstration potential, and lease fees. The Project
will be implemented by the CRT, which will employ and supervise consultants, purchase and lease
equipment, and organize training. Marketing will be cooperative (e.g. multi-business brochures and
representation at select trade shows) and will emphasize branding, using the Illinois River Valley logo and the
environmental friendliness of the products. Marketing would be coordinated with the CRT’s tourism
activities with the goal of promoting the IV as a tourist destination based in part on local hand crafted
furniture/wood products. Lomakatsi-trained and other authorized thinning crews will be supplied a regularly
updated list of raw materials needed by participating businesses, which will give priority to this source in
exchange for marketing and new product development support. Given that there will be a lag time between
providing business support and significant increases in sales/demand for raw material, it is important that the
demand creation efforts start concomitantly with the fire planning and crew training to avoid the possibility of
a future bottleneck which could occur if property owners are educated and convinced of the importance of
having the work done but cannot afford it.
This project will increase demand for small diameter and other woody materials, while creating a dependable
market with predictable prices to encourage land owners to undertake thinning operations. Specific outcomes
include:
 Increased sales of thinning off-take based products of partner businesses by 5-10%
 10-15 % increased use of thinning off-take as raw materials by partner woodworking industries
 development of and feasibility studies for at least 3 new products using thinning off-take based materials
Base line measures will be established for each participating business; quarterly progress reports and annual
impact assessments will be prepared.
The project will be working in close collaboration with the Forestry Action Committee, which will be expanding its public
meetings/education campaign and fire plan assessor training, and Lomakatsi, which will continue to train thinning crews. Both will
also be quantifying and recording data on thinning by-products from several areas, which would be useful in building the
information base needed to more closely inter-link supply and demand to ensure a coordinated flow of raw material. In the
meanwhile, small diameter material from other sources will be used though priority will be given to materials removed from land
assessed and thinned by these organizations.
Projected project income is $5,500 based on anticipated lease fees for two Portable Post Peelers, one
portable sawmill and one planer.
The project time frame is 24 months.
Enclosure 4B (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. Increasing Local Capacity (35 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)?
B. Will biomass or forest fuels be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much?
C. Which, if any, private businesses will participate?
D. To what extent will this project be offered to serve as a model for other communities or businesses?
The Illinois Valley has a number of value-added wood processing businesses, ranging from
cottage industry (1-3 employees) to medium size (5-10). Although local craftsmanship produces high quality,
upscale furniture and other wood products, the small population and limited incomes of the Valley severely
restrict local sales. Growth of the more successful businesses and survival of the smaller ones depend in large
measure on increasing external sales. By marketing collectively and by linking into the CRT’s tourism
promotion, the goal is to gradually establish the IV as a recognized center (and tourism destination) for high
quality, hand crafted, ecologically friendly wood products. As sales increase so will demand for raw materials
– i.e. forest fuels. An additional three year round jobs are expected to be created within these businesses.
Seasonal, part-time employment will be increased to supply the greater material requirement as more thinning
contracts are executed due in part to the land owners enhanced capacity to pay for the work. Operation of the
pole peelers and portable sawmill will create 2-3 part-time jobs and will increase incomes of the forest
workers, FAC assessors, and Lomakatsi crews by increasing demand for their services and by creating valueadded opportunities. New product development should result in 3 new year-round jobs. By-products will be
supplied to participating businesses including: Kauffman Wood, Burl Place, Harris Woodworks, Bob Burt:
Furniture Maker, Firelogs, Siskiyou Mt Wood Products, Evergreen Lawn&Garden, & Wildwood Furniture.
This model will be shared in detail with Sunny Wolf CRT and other communities through Lomakatsi.
Response:
2. Reducing fire risk. (30 points)
Describe how the proposal promotes reduction of risk in high hazard areas and communities.
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 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 fuels conditions.s
A.
B.
This proposal will have an indirect, but critical impact on reducing fire hazard risk, protecting
communities, and benefiting resources on federal and adjacent land. Once land owners’ awareness of the
importance of reducing fire hazard has been raised and crews trained to conduct assessments, prepare
individual/neighborhood fire plans, and implement the thinning, the primary bottleneck will be cost. Public
subsidies are unlikely to be sufficient to allow significant numbers of landowners to thin large acreage. By
establishing a reliable, multi-dimensional, predictable, direct, local market for small diameter poles, woody
material, and select larger diameter hardwood culled within the fire planning process, additional financial
incentives can be created to encourage removal of fire material. When fire plan assessments are conducted,
assessors will present reports that – in addition to recommendations for improving bird/wildlife habitats,
preserving certain species or scenic areas – include potential income and/or value of material to be removed.
Income/value projections can be based on demand requirements and purchase prices forwarded by local wood
working businesses. Land owners will then have a solid basis for deciding – based on net cost (thinning cost
less potential sales income and/or home use) – whether to implement the plan (in whole or part) through
contract with a Lomakatsi team, independent crew or directly themselves. The revenue and/or in-kind use
benefit available to the property owner will serve as an incentive to have the fire plan implemented.
Response:
Enclosure 4B (Page 3 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
3. Increasing interagency and intergovernmental coordination. (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?
The IVCRT is a member organization with almost 500 current members. This proposal has
been discussed at the CRT Economic Development Committee, at both a Board Workshop and Business
Meeting, and was subject of both an email to the General Members and appeared in the CRT weekly column
in the Illinois Valley News. Input was solicited at each of these occasions. In addition, meetings were held
with all of the wood working businesses listed above.
Response:
The project has been approved by the IVCRT Board and has the support of the listed businesses, which will
participate in a pro rata basis in the cost of preparing the brochure/catalogue and this season’s advertising. A
total of $3,250 will be provided in cost sharing by participating businesses; in addition, the CRT has
authorized $1,750 in cash match. An additional $9,750 of inkind match will be generated.
In a community where seeing is believing and word-of-mouth endorsements are a key factor in acceptance of
new things, the more private landowners who fire plan and thin their land, the faster the adoption rate will be.
By providing an economic incentive to have this work done, this project will in effect create more
“demonstration plots”, which should increase the number of people becoming aware of and subsequently
choosing to reduce fire hazard on their own property.
4. Increasing interagency and intergovernmental coordination. (20 Points)
A. Explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning among federal, state, tribal, local government and
community organizations in developing this proposal. List the cooperators.
B. Describe how this project implements a local intergovernmental strategy or plan, or creates such a plan. Describe the plan if
it already exists.
Given that this project will be closely linked to both the Forestry Action Committee and
Lomakatsi programs, both organizations were consulted in the preparation of this proposal. The CRT is
already acting as grant recipient to a Forest Community Fire Planning project being implemented by FAC and
will continue to coordinate closely with the expanded education/assessor training that they are proposing in
this round. Similarly, this project will continue to work with Lomakatsi as it continues to train thinning crews.
The CRT director attended the National Fire Plan coordination meeting hosted by USFS Rogue River and
Siskiyou National Forests, and Medford District BLM. Also a summary of this project was submitted to the
ODF to contribute to its efforts to coordinate proposals being developed that would affect the Illinois Valley.
The local strategy being implemented is essentially the division of labor between the three organizations
wherein:
 FAC will create the demand for services through its education campaign and neighborhood meetings and
train assessors to develop community/individual fire plans
 Lomakatsi will train and support thinning crews
 CRT will stimulate demand for thinning by-products.
The data gathered by FAC and Lomakatsi on the availability of off-take materials will be integrated with
demand information collected by CRT as a basis for building a smooth supply-demand flow prediction
model.
Response:
Enclosure 4C – Project Work Form
Tasks
Finalize contracts and lease
arrangements with partner businesses
Time Frame
June, 2002
Develop coordination procedures with FAC
and Lomakatsi
Order equipment; distribute to businesses
Prepare tender &select service providers
for brochure/catalogue design and for wood
product marketing consultancy
Begin Design process
Implement cross promotionals between
tourism & wood working businesses
Complete design of catalogue/brochure;
print materials and begin distribution to
businesses and via CRT Sunset magazine ad
and website
Prepare collective marketing strategic plan for
IV wood products
Operate leased equipment with periodic
demonstrations
Responsible Party
IVCRT
IVCRT, FAC, Lomakatsi
June, 2002
IVCRT
IVCRT
IVCRT & businesses
IVCRT & businesses
July, 2002
August-October, 2002
July,2002-May, 2004
IVCRT & businesses
IVCRT & businesses
Partner businesses
Exchange availability/demand data
Quarterly: July,2002-June,2003
IVCRT,FAC,Lomakatsi
New Product development & feasibility
studies
Develop Business Plan for Firelogs Inc
July,2002- June 2003
IVCRT & businesses
Repeat promotional activities:
brochures, catalogue distribution , cross
promotions and mini-tours to galleries and
shops
Final Evaluation
September-October, 2002
IVCRT
May-October, 2003
May-June, 2004
IVCRT & businesses
May, 2004
IVCRT,FAC,Lomakatsi
Enclosure 4D - Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Applicant
IVCRT
Cash
Personnel
Project Coordination
(1 day per month x 24 months)
Subtotal
Partner 1
Participating
Businesses
Cash
Partner 2
IVCRT &
Businesses
In-kind
Total
1,920
1,920
1,920
1,920
562
562
562
562
Fringe Benefits
Subtotal
Travel
Marketing trips (2)
2,000
1,500
3,500
Subtotal
2,000
1,500
3,500
Subtotal
6400
2300
600
9,300
Supplies
10,000 brochures & 2,500 catalogues
4,200
750
750
5,700
Subtotal
4,200
750
750
5,700
Contractual
Develop brochure & catalogue
Wood Products Marketing Plan
telogue
Subtotal
10,500
13,500
24,000
Equipment
Peelers (2)
Rip Saw-mill
15” planer
Other
Advertising
Administration*
1,500
2,500
4,000
12,000
16,00
28,000
1,000
2,500
1,000
4500
4,500
1,000
2,500
1,000
4,500
4,500
9,000
Total Costs
46,482
1,750
3,250
6,500
57,982
Project (Program) Income1
5,500
Subtotal
1
6,400
2,300
600
9,300
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.
5,500
* 64 hrs reporting @$25; 120 hrs bookkeeping $14; 24 hrs acccounting @$20; and $1000 audit