Agreement Narrative: Timberdoodle Pre-commercial Thinning and Site Preparation for Wildlife Habitat Enhancement
Primary Funder: USDA Forest Service (BIL funds)
Location: Clinch Ranger District, George Washington & Jefferson National Forest (GW-Jeff)
Innovation: This agreement is being created as a mechanism through which to utilize funding
from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation (BIL), toward vital program activities in the Timberdoodle Ruffed Grouse Habitat Improvement Project area. The Timberdoodle Project is being implemented through a Stewardship Agreement with the RGS & AWS. This existing partnership is the vehicle through which these funds will be utilized in the project area. The purpose of this agreement is to document the cooperation between the parties to thin non-merchantable timber in overstocked stands to reduce hazardous fuel loading and to perform site preparation to establish early successional habitat, improving wildlife habitat and increase recreational opportunities
Impact: Under this agreement, RGS & AWS will utilize BIL funds to incentivize the removal of low-grade wood products from a commercial timber sale across 81 acres and implement noncommercial invasive plant control across 28.5 acres. RGS & AWS will pay logging contractors for the additional cut of cutting and hauling nonmerchantable tree stems from the harvest, making it financially feasible.
Partners and Chapter Contributions: We will collaborate closely with GW-Jeff staff on implementation. Local contractors will be utilized for implementing the treatments on the ground.
A specific logo is not needed to recognize funders or partners.
Deliverables:
- 72 roadside acres of nonnative invasive plants (NNIP) will be treated late summer of 2023
- 500 interior acres will be surveyed for NNIP to pave the way for future treatment.
