BLM-ID Tasks GeomorphIS Team to Conduct ESR Vegetation Monitoring

The BLM Twin Falls District (TFD), Idaho, tasked the GeomorphIS/Pyramid Botanical Consultants (PBC) team to conduct vegetation monitoring related to Emergency Stabilization and Burned Area Rehabilitation (ESR) treatments . These treatments are monitored at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years post-fire. In 2018, 60,000 acres of first year monitoring will be completed, with 38 sites to evaluate if treatments are progressing towards pre-defined objectives. A total of 20 cover and density sites and 18 shrub presence sites will be completed. GeomorphIS/PBC botanists will collect field data using the standard for TFD vegetation treatments. Additional monitoring data collection methods may be necessary for unique or uncommon treatments. All monitoring points will have GPS data collected for point establishment and during each subsequent data collection visit. Data will be collected through Arc Collector application (or equivalent field GPS application), ContextCam application (or digital camera with equivalent documentation), and through FFI database.

GeomorphIS Team Conducting Cultural Resource Inventory on Sierra National Forest

The US Forest Service (USFS) has issued the GeomorphIS/PaleoWest team a task order under our USFS Region 5 BPA to conduct a cultural resources inventory on approximately 3,862 acres within the Sierra National Forest, California, Railroad Fire burn area. The area consists of multiple, noncontiguous survey areas within the spatial extent of the Railroad Fire wildfire event that occurred in August and September 2017. The Project Area was heavily impacted by wildfire, though burn severity varies across the landscape. The GeomorphIS/PaleoWest team will conduct cultural resources survey and site updates in specified areas within the Project Area. Sites within the Project Area can be expected to have become larger in size and complexity following this fire. The vegetation in the post fire area is known to contain potentially hazardous standing dead timber.

GeomorphIS/Tanner Team Conducting Owl Surveys on Angeles National Forest

The US Forest Service (USFS) has tasked the GeomorphIS/Tanner Environmental team to conduct R-5 California spotted owl (CASPOW) protocol surveys on the Angeles National Forest (ANF), California, during FY18 and FY19. The field biologists will conduct 3 nesting status surveys/year/site on 21 protected activity centers (PACs); each PAC about 300 acres in size. The surveys will determine presence/absence and reproductive status as outlined in the survey protocol. All nests, roosts and sightings (adults, nestlings, fledglings) will be mapped and GPS’ed for each territory. The GeomorphIS/Tanner team will prepare a final report at the conclusion of the survey work and will include the completed Natural Resources Management (NRM) Wildlife database spreadsheet. This task order was issued under GeomorphIS’ USFS Region 5 Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA), a 5-year contract to provide natural resources and environmental services support to National Forests in California.