Addenda & Q&A

Low PSI, wide-track vehicles or one-pass operations (one round trip, in and out) are required for all mechanical harvest operations, including felling and bunching. For multiple passes, equipment must travel on at least 12 inches of slash if equipment exerts more than 6 pounds per square inch, or at least 8 inches if less than 6 psi.

In this case, the requirement is written broadly enough that slash mats are not strictly required, as the logging equipment in use qualifies as low PSI and wide-track. Contractors should instead plan for dust abatement: watering haul roads if significant dust is generated from project operations, and possibly leaving or crushing some initial slash to reduce dust on main skid roads.

Yes. The Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzed both hand/machine piling and mastication, so mastication is an approved option.

For purposes of this project, contractors should assume that material between 1 inch and 4 inches DBH must be treated. In areas dominated by brush, mastication may be used in lieu of cutting and piling. Masticated material must not exceed an average depth of 4 inches (averaged over the unit), must not be concentrated at the base of retained trees, and must be excluded from waterways and roads. Masticated material should also be kept at least 15 feet away from constructed burn piles.

Landings may be constructed to facilitate log decking. Previous landings or disturbed areas should be used when feasible, and new landings should be on stable sites such as ridge tops or benches. Each landing must be less than 2 acres, located outside of aquatic buffer zones, and decommissioned after use with proper erosion control devices installed, such as water bars, seeding, or mulch, and blocked from public vehicular access. Landings used across multiple seasons must be decomissioned before each wet season.

Expect some 2-acre disposal landings in the plantation areas. Pile height is limited only by the equipment in use. Piles should be placed at least 25 feet from residual tree driplines, if possible. Pile placement should avoid ingress and egress routes as well as critical infrastructure to reduce hazard if snags develop after burning.

Yes. There are no open, existing landings available for use, so all landings for this project will be newly constructed or re-opened from historic timber harvest use. The number and location of landings will depend on contractor layout and site conditions. All landing construction must comply with erosion control and resource protection requirements described in the RFP and will be reviewed and approved by YWI prior to implementation.

Yes, under limited conditions. The RFP states that new landings are not allowed to be constructed during the wet season when the potential for soil erosion, compaction, and water quality degradation exists. However, this restriction may be waived if conditions are dry and the contractor submits and follows a specific erosion control plan (such as rocking, waterbarring, seeding, mulching, or barricading).

Log decks must be constructed in a manner that ensures public and worker safety, and must not block roads, trails, or access points. Decks should be stable, neatly piled, located on existing disturbed areas or designated landings wherever possible, and be accessible by a self-loader log truck. Final deck specifications, including size, location, and stabilization measures, will be confirmed with YWI and BLM prior to operations.

Yes. The RFP states: “BLM Project Design Features (Exhibit D) require that equipment will have rubber tracks rather than metal tracks or tires, whenever feasible… Tractor-based equipment is preferable to excavator-based equipment for the same reasons.” This is not a strict requirement. Contractors should describe the equipment they propose to use, and YWI will consider this information as part of the proposal evaluation.

Logs should be processed at or near the stump, rather than at the landing, since tops and limbs will be piled in clearings in the woods, away from landings.

Contractors may choose the order of operations that best suits their equipment and crew. The RFP does not require that understory be cut before overstory. YWI is most concerned with the end result meeting the prescriptions in both the pre-marked and DxP areas.

Yes. All PAC units were marked by a BLM crew to meet U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) guidance. USFWS concurred that treatments may reduce habitat quality in up to one third of a PAC under strict conditions, while requiring canopy cover and large tree retention. The PAC marking was done specifically to meet these requirements.

We do not have funding allocated in the project budget for marking additional trees as part of project layout, and the grant conditions do not allow us to move money between budget categories. For that reason, only about 100 acres have been pre-marked. All additional marking, if done, will need to be completed by the contractor as part of project implementation. Contractors should indicate in their proposals whether they plan to mark trees ahead of cutting or implement the prescription without marking. The requirements of completing a 1-acre pre-mark, as described in the DxP description, applies.

“BA” stands for basal area, a forestry measure of tree density expressed in square feet per acre. It is used in the prescriptions to define thinning targets. Proposers should be familiar and confident with methods of measuring basal area so they can demonstrate their ability to implement the DxP guidelines.

Yes. All sawlogs must have a minimum 6-inch top diameter (inside bark). Preferred log lengths will be determined prior to harvest and communicated to the selected contractor.

Preferred log lengths will be determined prior to harvest in consultation with purchasers and mill specifications. These will be communicated directly to the selected contractor before operations begin. Contractors should be prepared to cut a range of lengths (for example, 16’, 20’, or 40’) depending on mill requirements.

The cut-off date aligns with wildlife protection requirements. Beginning March 1, a limited operating period (LOP) is in effect to avoid disturbance during the bird nesting season, including California spotted owl and other migratory birds. In areas more than ¼ mile from established spotted owl PACs, operations may continue into March–May (or until BLM establishes a seasonal fire restriction), if YWI is able to hire a biologist to perform nesting bird surveys and establish nest buffers as needed. At this time, contractors should assume this option will not be available, unless notified otherwise.

For the purposes of site visits to prepare proposals, contractors should rely on the PDF maps included with the RFP, since flagging may not be complete or up to date. By the time the project enters the implementation phase, the on-the-ground flagging will be the definitive guide to project boundaries. The maps should be used as a reference only. GPS on phones is not accurate enough under tree canopy to serve as a precise guide.

Noise restrictions apply only in units near the Ananda Meditation Retreat Center (the southerly units off of Kadaheska Way). In these units, noise-generating operations (chainsaws, heavy equipment) are limited to 8:00 am – 4:00 pm on weekdays and 9:00 am – 5:00 pm on weekends. These restrictions are intended to minimize disturbance to nearby residents and community uses.

Yes. LiDAR data is available to assist in identifying skid trails. It will be provided as hillshade baselayers on PDF maps, and contractors may request other formats if needed. Contractors should still confirm trail locations and usability in the field.

Old or existing skid trails may be reused without special permission, provided they comply with slope and soil protection requirements. Ground-based equipment is limited to slopes under 35%, except on designated skid trails where slopes under 50% may be used for short distances (≤100 feet).

Equipment may cross stream channels only when they are dry. Crossings must be planned, implemented, and closed out to avoid erosion and sediment delivery.

Yes. In the Bald Mountain parcel (the two southerly units off Kadaheska Way), the only practical landings are on the east side near the bottom along Kadaheska. This will require long downhill skids from the upper portions of the unit. Contractors may also use the old road along the southern edge of the larger unit, after clearing vegetation where necessary.

Extensions are limited. Work may be extended into the following year (up to one year only). Seasonal extensions into March–May are technically possible but depend on budget and biological survey capacity, and should not be assumed.

Proposals must include a flat per acre price that applies across all units.

Invoices may be submitted after completion and inspection of work in a given area. Payment is based on GPS-measured acres approved by the Forester, and will be made within 30 days of invoicing.

Only certain mills require cedar to be sorted by size. The mill where sawlogs will be delivered has not yet been determined, so any instructions about sorting by size will have to be given to the contractor after the contract is awarded.

No. The specification for sawlog lengths has not yet been determined and will be known once the purchaser has been identified. Log specifications will be communicated to the contractor prior to the start of implementation.