GeomorphIS has assigned an experienced forester to the BLM Oregon Northwest District to provide beta-testing and development support for upgrading the EcoSurvey application for successful operaton of Ecosurvey application; provide training for BLM as needed for Ecosurvey and other BLM forestry programs; and provide consultation to BLM as needed for Ecosurvey and other BLM forestry programs. The GeomorphIS forester will work closely with BLM managers and may travel throughout the western US to train BLM staff at other offices.

GeomorphIS is providing an experienced Project Manager (PM) to support the US Forest Service (USFS) Angeles National Forest’s (ANF) Powerhouse Fire Restoration Project. The GeomorphIS PM will work with the ANF and San Gabriel Mountains National Monument managers to facilitate the planning phase of proposed projects with strategies for implementable action plans for the suite of proposed projects.

The BLM Bakersfield Field Office has tasked GeomorphIS and our teaming partner, West Kern Environmental Consulting (WKEC), to develop a process and strategy to ground-truth mapped surface disturbance within the BFO area within Kern and Kings Counties. The goal of the project is to confirm or update the surface status identified through aerial imagery analysis by BLM GIS specialists. The work is being done in accordance with the Bakersfield 2014 Resource Management Plan (RMP), which restricts surface disturbance from development on public lands in reserve areas and habitat corridors. The surface disturbance limit is also required to meet obligations outlined within the Oil and Gas Programmatic Biological Opinion issued by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Once the survey protocols are developed, GeomorphIS/WKEC field specialists will conduct surveys on about 8,000 acres of BLM-administered lands.

The US Forest Service (USFS) has tasked the GeomorphIS/MB&G team to provide forestry support to the Eshom Ecological Restoration Project in the Sequoia National Forest (SQF). The SQF has been very dry the past several years with extremely high levels of tree mortality due to a combination of drought and insect infestations. The majority of the roads accessible for public use, and the developed recreation sites are scheduled to be or are under contract to fall the trees deemed hazardous to these sites. The Eshom portion of the district is of key concern at this time because it is wildland urban interface and contains some private inholdings. The GeomorphIS team Forest Ecologist will serve as the project lead to review past treatments, determine initial project layout (narrative, map and on the ground), and conduct stand exams for the Eshom Ecological Restoration Project.

The BLM California Desert District (CDD) has awarded GeomorphIS and our teaming partner, PaleoServices – San Diego Natural History Museum (SDNHM), a task order to evaluate the potential for paleontological resources to be located within the District’s administrative area. The planning area for the CDD includes lands within the Barstow, El Centro, Needles, Palm Springs-South Coast, and Ridgecrest Field Offices. A Potential Fossil Yield Classification (PFYC) GIS map has been developed for the El Centro FO and will be incorporated in the larger CDD PFYC map and report. The GeomorphIS team will conduct an extensive review of existing paleontological and geological literature relevant to CDD, using library and map collection at the SDNHM, San Diego State University, and other sources. The team will use GIS to develop PFYC Class rankings for all geologic rock units known to occur on CDD lands. Rankings will be based on the most recent BLM criteria and guidelines.