GENERAL OVERVIEW The Contractor shall conduct Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) monitoring on the TM-Econ Mitigation Bank Phase IV for the Orange County Environmental Protection Division. The intent of this project is to identify, band, and mark all RCWs and their cavity trees. This contract may also include the installation and/or drilling of new cavities within trees. These activities will assist the County in conducting endangered species monitoring on the site. HISTORY Ongoing inventory and management of RCW populations is needed on approximately one thousand three hundred (1300) acres of the TM-Econ Mitigation Bank Phase IV, located in the southeast corner of Orange County. All four phases of TM-Econ Mitigation bank were permitted in 2003. The permit reporting was handled by James L Clark, SCV, Environmental Management & Design, Inc., E Sciences, Inc., DeLotelle & Gutherie, Inc., SouthArc, Inc., Universal Engineering Sciences, Inc., and Swann & Hadley, P.A. Monitoring previously occurred from May 2012 through May 2013 and May 2017 through May 2018. During the 2012-2013 season, the number of cavity trees, RCW clusters, and breeding groups on the site were identified. Also, within the 2012 and 2013 season, ten (10) drill starts were completed by the Contractor. In May 2013, a total of ten (10) clusters were identified with eight (8) breeding groups and a total of sixty-two (62) live cavity/start trees were identified. Of these trees, eleven (11) new drilled cavities were installed. Twenty-six (26) cavities were active during the 2013 nesting season, including four (4) new drilled cavities. During the 2017-2018 season, ninety-seven (97) live trees were identified as being monitored on the property. Of these, eight (8) trees were identified as dead but standing. Excluding the thirteen (13) cavity trees found in recruitment clusters, there were eighty-four (84) total live cavity trees. Six (6) of these are located off property but are associated with the southwest cluster. These six (6) trees were included in the previous totals. Fifty-one (51) of the eighty-four (84) live trees were determined to contain inactive cavities, both natural and artificial. Additionally, twenty-four (24) artificial cavity boxes were installed in trees which included nineteen (19) drilled cavities and five inserts. At the end of the 2018 season, it was determined there were a total of seven (7) breeding clusters with a total of twenty (20) adult birds associated with these groups. Five (5) of the seven (7) identified breeding clusters had helpers present. Additionally, nine (9) nestlings were banded. Between August 2017 and August 2018, thirty (30) RCWs were captured. Of these, eight (8) were identified by sight as having been previously banded. Seven (7) of the eight (8) birds were recaptured and re-banded due to missing and/or faded leg bands. Fourteen (14) previously un-banded adult or sub-adult RCWs were captured and banded. Several RCW clusters are known to exist off site, on the other phases of the TM/Econ Mitigation Bank, with a high likelihood of the interchange of birds. GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS A. DIVISION RESPONSIBILITES 1. Provide map(s) of the property. Existing GIS shapefiles will be provided, upon request. 2. Provide historical information on the past monitoring aspects of the onsite RCWs. 3. Provide keys or combinations to gates. B. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITES 1. The Contractor shall have a United States Geological Survey (USGS) Master Banding Permit and a United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Recovery Permit that specifies all authorized activities for RCWs. If any additional permits are required, all permit activities and permit application fees shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. 2. It shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to keep gates closed and locked while conducting work and after leaving the project site. 3. The Division Project Manager shall be advised, at their request, as to the status and details of work being completed by the Contractor in the format they require. The Contractor shall always maintain coordination with the Division Project Manager. Either party may request and be granted a conference, upon request, in a timely manner. 4. When determined necessary by the Division Project Manager, the Division Project Manager or designee will conduct a mandatory pre-work meeting to ensure understanding and cooperation between all parties.
