Specifications include, but are not limited to: • Work will occur under sufficiently frozen ground conditions, as determined by the Project Supervisor, at ground level. • Operations shall cease and/or be suspended if significant rutting and soil disturbance occurs as determined by the Project Supervisor. • Cut /mulch/mow all woody stems, brush, and trees with a Fecon or equivalent forestry head resulting in the mastication of all woody stems/brush and trees. • Stems and stumps must be cut at ground level to the extent possible < less than 3” from the ground. • Trees within the treatment area over 6” dbh can be dealt with in EITHER one of two ways: 1. Felled at ground level via chainsaw or taken down with machinery but need to be completely masticated via fecon or other equivalent forestry mulching head (preferred option) or 2. Felled at ground level, stacked, piled, and burned on site. o There are approximately 50-100 total mature trees (about 6 total acres) predominantly within 5 clusters that will need to be dealt with. • If burning is the chosen removal method, it must be stacked sufficiently in pile locations defined by the Project Supervisor and burned when conditions are favorable. o To burn piles: Continuous unbroken cover of snow 3 inches deep or more must surround the entire area of the pile. Snow cover is sufficient to keep the fire from spreading is required. Contractor is responsible for controlling all elements of the burn piles to prevent spreading or escape to vegetation on the site and adjacent private land. To the extent possible, all ash shall be leveled out and all unburnt material removed from this area. Pile size should not exceed 25 feet in length or width. To minimize the number and size of the burn piles, it is strongly preferred that burning take place as work progresses with the fire continuously fed new material. Full consumption of all material in the piles is expected. Once extinguished and cold, all ash from the burn piles shall be distributed in a thin layer throughout the burn footprint. Piles shall not contain substantial amounts of • Soil • Rock • Other non-flammable materials All piles shall be located and formed away from • Property lines • Standing reserve trees • Cattails/reeds, A minimum buffer of 100 feet must surround the pile in all directions. Active burn piles shall always be directly supervised and not abandoned until fully extinguished. Contractor shall monitor smoke over roads and place warning signs or control persons as warranted by wind and dispersion conditions. Extreme caution shall be exercised around burn piles near heavy fuels (i.e., cattails) Contractor is responsible for following all laws pertaining to open burning. A burn permit not required if there is a continuous unbroken cover of snow 3 inches deep or more surrounding the immediate area of the pile sufficient to keep the fire from spreading. Contractor must notify Project Supervisor and local fire department PRIOR to burning piles. Burn piles shall be no larger than 20ft high by 25ft wide.
