NORTHEAST WASHINGTON

FORESTRY COALITION

www.NEWCommunityForestry.org

Ferry County Fire Plan Implementation Stewardship Pilot Project

On the Colville National Forest

(March, 2006)

“Pilot Stewardship Status” is needed within the Colville National Forest to demonstrate the full potential for fuels reduction treatment projects within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) zones of Ferry, Stevens and Pend O’Reille Counties. This Fire Plan Implementation Pilot Project will demonstrate that:

1. The collaborative process that has been utilized by the Northeast Washington Forestry Coalition and the Colville National Forest can successfully design, plan and implement large scale fuels reduction projects, averaging between 25,000 acres and 45,000 acres within the WUI zones of these three Counties within the Colville National Forest through stewardship contracts. An initial “pilot project” will be done within the WUI zone of Ferry County.

2. The use of a limited percentage of “retained receipts” can be successfully used to fund a multi-party monitoring team and collaboration facilitation for these stewardship projects. This use of retained receipts would be restricted as follows:

(a) Only for projects that are identified and prioritized within the Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs) of Ferry, Stevens and Pend O’Reille Counties.

(b) Only for projects that have been successfully moved through the collaborative process.

(c) Targets for acres treated and timelines will be set for any project planning or NEPA process prepared with retained receipts. (If future legislation or policy allows for this.)

(d) A yearly report showing funds spent, types of treatments, acres treated, along with pre and post fire hazard class will be provided.

(e) All projects will have a multi-party monitoring team engaged and funded throughout the implementation of the project.

(f) All projects will partially fund the facilitation of the collaboration process from retained receipts.

3. A “Co-operative Agreement” between the Colville National Forest and an existing non-profit entity will be developed to provide the evaluation criteria and recommendations to the Colville National Forest for the utilization of retained receipts on adjacent private property, in compliance with the Wyden Amendment. The decision of where to apply funds on private property lies with the Colville National Forest Supervisor.

4. The stewardship authorities contained within the current Stewardship Contracting Handbook will be implemented through a mentoring program designed to raise the knowledge base and understanding of how these authorities can best be utilized on the National Forest system. Attention will be given to, but not limited to, the following areas:

(a) Stewardship contract terminology and preparation.

(b) Bundling of service contracts and sales contracts (Integrated Contracts) and its impact on local contractors.

(c) Bonding requirements.

(d) Stewardship contract requests for proposals, bid format, award process and the criteria for evaluation of bids.

(e) The use of Designation by Prescription with weight scale that assures accountability.

(f) Sales administration pre-contracting and post-contracting involvement with the collaborative process.

(g) Define “Community Benefit” from stewardship projects.

5. The refinement of stewardship contracting with collaboration upon the Colville National Forest can and will be used as a mentoring program for other National Forests within Region VI, and beyond.

NOTE: Most of the needs as described in this pilot authority request are stated within the “Report of the 2005 Stewardship Contracting Roundtable – Forest Service Region 6” released in January 2006 by the National Forest Foundation and Sustainable Northwest.