Tree Mortality Update May 2017 - AWS
Amador County Tree Mortality Update December 19, 2017
Tad Mason and Dr. Richard Harris TSS Consultants, Inc.
Tree Mortality Mitigation Efforts • Amador County California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) grant projects • Pacific Gas and Electric mitigation of trees affecting powerlines • Amador County Water Agency CDAA projects • Cal Trans mitigation of trees affecting state highways • State Parks Department • Amador County Resource Conservation District SRA grants • Amador Community Foundation senior assistance grants • U.S. Forest Service • Bureau of Land Management 2
County Completed Projects • Project 1 - Joyce Road: 70 trees on four parcels – completed May 2017.
• Project 2 - Belden Mine/Black Prince Road: 134 trees on 11 parcels – completed August 2017. • Project 3 - Defender Grade/Rams Horn Grade: 113 trees on 25 private parcels and 60 additional trees on BLM parcels – completed November 2017. • Over 1500 trees to be mitigated based on countywide survey. 3
County Projects Planned or In Progress •
Project 4: Volcano-Shake Ridge: 225 trees on 43 parcels. Contract awarded, work expected to begin in December.
•
Project 5: Pioneer-Buckhorn Ridge-Silver Drive: 331 trees on 84 parcels. Contract awarded, work should be completed before January 1.
•
Projects 6a and 6b: Pine Grove-Sutter CreekFiddletown-Shenandoah: more than 600 trees on over 100 parcels. Bid package to be released soon. Pre-bid meeting on January 4.
•
Project 7: BLM Parcels Countywide: 99 trees on six parcels. Contract awarded, work should begin in late December.
•
Project 8: Bear Valley Road (to be determined in collaboration with U.S. Forest Service, meetings underway).
•
Project 9: county-wide, currently un-returned right of entry forms. New mailing after first of year.
•
Project 10: low country west of HWY 49. Surveys will begin in January.
4
Some Facts and Observations • Total number of trees removed to date: 377 (excluding project 5). • Total cost for projects 1, 2 and 3: $347,709 including inventory, administration and contracting. Average cost per tree to fall and remove for projects 1, 2 and 3: $922. • County share of cost for three projects: $60,849. • County administrative costs are reimbursed at 10 percent of 75 percent total cost. • We have noted limited new mortality but dead trees are beginning to fail with more failures expected this winter. 5
Reimbursement of County Costs •
•
•
•
County has submitted requests for reimbursement for projects 1 and 2. The request for reimbursement for project 3 was pending as of December 11. Payment was received for projects 1 and 2 in 49 and 86 days, respectively. Senate Bill 108 established a program by which counties in the declared emergency area can obtain reimbursement for up to 25 percent of costs for mitigating tree mortality. Amador County is allocated up to $412,489 for work done after July 1, 2017. No reimbursement for work done before that date. 6
County Project Summary Project Number
Tree Contractor Count
Total Cost
Cost/Tree
Start Date
Finish Date
1-Joyce Road
70
$114,936
$1642
April 2017
May 2017
2-Belden Mine/Black Prince Road
134
Woodland Expansion Blue Mountain
$75,387
$563
June 2017
August 2017
3-Defender Grade/Rams Horn Grade 4-Volcano-Shake Ridge
173
ArborWorks
$157,385
$910
September 2017
November 2017
225
Affordable Tree Care
TBD
TBD
December 2017 (anticipated)
January 2018 (anticipated)
5-Pioneer-Buckhorn Ridge-Silver Drive
331
Woodland Expansion
TBD
TBD
November 2017
December 2017 (anticipated)
6a-6b-Pine GroveSutter CreekFiddletownShenandoah 7-Bureau of Land Management
566
TBD
TBD
January 2018 (anticipated)
February 2018 (anticipated)
99
TBD ITBs released December 2017 RM Stevens
TBD
TBD
December 2017 (anticipated)
January 2018 (anticipated)
Total
1,598
N/A
$347,709
$922
N/A
N/A
7
Pacific Gas and Electric Company • PG&E removals (as of November 2017) – 2015: 1,730 trees – 2016: 10,130 trees – 2017: 7,086 trees • Planned additional removals in 2017: 1,191 • Debris sites treated to date: 486/7,025 trees • Additional debris sites slated for treatment: 44/345 trees • Trees are going to Ampine in Martell or cogeneration plants in Standard or Chinese Camp 8
Other Agencies • Amador County Water Agency (as of November 2017): – 111 trees marked for removal – An additional 139 trees to be marked – All removals will be combined into one project
• California State Parks (Grinding Rock) – 31 trees removed, no further removals planned
• California Department of Transportation – 3,500 trees removed – An unspecified number of additional removals are planned
9
CAL FIRE SRA Grant to Amador County Resource Conservation District •
•
• •
Provides reimbursement of up to $3,000 per property owner for cutting and removal of up to five trees threatening structures. Applicants are qualified by location on timberland east of Highway 49. There are no income requirements. As of November 2017 a total of 254 trees have been removed. There are additional approved applicants and some are in the process of selecting contractors to remove trees.
10
Amador Community Foundation Senior Assistance • Provides grants of $5001,000 to fixed income seniors for tree removal. • As of November 2017 the program provided assistance to seven people for removing 10 trees. • There are several additional landowners approved for funding. • Applications available at amadortreemortality.com. 11
U.S. Forest Service • The Forest Service has implemented removal of dead and dying trees in campgrounds, along Salt Springs Road, near flume and transmission lines and around administrative sites. • Additional projects are planned, including a large salvage sale in the Power Fire area. This sale will be coordinated with the county’s efforts to remove hazard trees along Bear River Road. • The manner of disposal or utilization of trees has not been determined but could include sale to mills, chipping and/or burning. • There is no information available on the number of dead and dying trees removed to date. 12
Bureau of Land Management • Over 160 trees qualifying for mitigation were found on parcels managed by BLM. • At Belden Mine Road, BLM granted permission to mitigate trees with minimal delay. • Subsequently the county was required to retain an archeologist to provide information on cultural resources on the remaining parcels. • Mitigation of BLM trees on project 3 occurred in November. • All BLM trees in project areas 4, 5 and 6 were deferred to a separate project (7). • BLM is not removing dead trees on its own initiative. 13
Other Efforts • As of November 2017 Sierra Pacific Industries had removed over 87,000 dead and dying trees in its salvage operations on its 100,000 acre Martell District. • An unknown but substantial number of trees have been removed by private property owners at their own expense.
14
In Summary, Amador County, PG&E and Cal Trans are the “big three” in the county. County will collaborate with the Forest Service on a future project. Services to residents are providing some benefits to offset costs of mitigation.
Questions?
15
Tad Mason and Dr. Richard Harris TSS Consultants, Inc.
Tree Mortality Mitigation Efforts • Amador County California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) grant projects • Pacific Gas and Electric mitigation of trees affecting powerlines • Amador County Water Agency CDAA projects • Cal Trans mitigation of trees affecting state highways • State Parks Department • Amador County Resource Conservation District SRA grants • Amador Community Foundation senior assistance grants • U.S. Forest Service • Bureau of Land Management 2
County Completed Projects • Project 1 - Joyce Road: 70 trees on four parcels – completed May 2017.
• Project 2 - Belden Mine/Black Prince Road: 134 trees on 11 parcels – completed August 2017. • Project 3 - Defender Grade/Rams Horn Grade: 113 trees on 25 private parcels and 60 additional trees on BLM parcels – completed November 2017. • Over 1500 trees to be mitigated based on countywide survey. 3
County Projects Planned or In Progress •
Project 4: Volcano-Shake Ridge: 225 trees on 43 parcels. Contract awarded, work expected to begin in December.
•
Project 5: Pioneer-Buckhorn Ridge-Silver Drive: 331 trees on 84 parcels. Contract awarded, work should be completed before January 1.
•
Projects 6a and 6b: Pine Grove-Sutter CreekFiddletown-Shenandoah: more than 600 trees on over 100 parcels. Bid package to be released soon. Pre-bid meeting on January 4.
•
Project 7: BLM Parcels Countywide: 99 trees on six parcels. Contract awarded, work should begin in late December.
•
Project 8: Bear Valley Road (to be determined in collaboration with U.S. Forest Service, meetings underway).
•
Project 9: county-wide, currently un-returned right of entry forms. New mailing after first of year.
•
Project 10: low country west of HWY 49. Surveys will begin in January.
4
Some Facts and Observations • Total number of trees removed to date: 377 (excluding project 5). • Total cost for projects 1, 2 and 3: $347,709 including inventory, administration and contracting. Average cost per tree to fall and remove for projects 1, 2 and 3: $922. • County share of cost for three projects: $60,849. • County administrative costs are reimbursed at 10 percent of 75 percent total cost. • We have noted limited new mortality but dead trees are beginning to fail with more failures expected this winter. 5
Reimbursement of County Costs •
•
•
•
County has submitted requests for reimbursement for projects 1 and 2. The request for reimbursement for project 3 was pending as of December 11. Payment was received for projects 1 and 2 in 49 and 86 days, respectively. Senate Bill 108 established a program by which counties in the declared emergency area can obtain reimbursement for up to 25 percent of costs for mitigating tree mortality. Amador County is allocated up to $412,489 for work done after July 1, 2017. No reimbursement for work done before that date. 6
County Project Summary Project Number
Tree Contractor Count
Total Cost
Cost/Tree
Start Date
Finish Date
1-Joyce Road
70
$114,936
$1642
April 2017
May 2017
2-Belden Mine/Black Prince Road
134
Woodland Expansion Blue Mountain
$75,387
$563
June 2017
August 2017
3-Defender Grade/Rams Horn Grade 4-Volcano-Shake Ridge
173
ArborWorks
$157,385
$910
September 2017
November 2017
225
Affordable Tree Care
TBD
TBD
December 2017 (anticipated)
January 2018 (anticipated)
5-Pioneer-Buckhorn Ridge-Silver Drive
331
Woodland Expansion
TBD
TBD
November 2017
December 2017 (anticipated)
6a-6b-Pine GroveSutter CreekFiddletownShenandoah 7-Bureau of Land Management
566
TBD
TBD
January 2018 (anticipated)
February 2018 (anticipated)
99
TBD ITBs released December 2017 RM Stevens
TBD
TBD
December 2017 (anticipated)
January 2018 (anticipated)
Total
1,598
N/A
$347,709
$922
N/A
N/A
7
Pacific Gas and Electric Company • PG&E removals (as of November 2017) – 2015: 1,730 trees – 2016: 10,130 trees – 2017: 7,086 trees • Planned additional removals in 2017: 1,191 • Debris sites treated to date: 486/7,025 trees • Additional debris sites slated for treatment: 44/345 trees • Trees are going to Ampine in Martell or cogeneration plants in Standard or Chinese Camp 8
Other Agencies • Amador County Water Agency (as of November 2017): – 111 trees marked for removal – An additional 139 trees to be marked – All removals will be combined into one project
• California State Parks (Grinding Rock) – 31 trees removed, no further removals planned
• California Department of Transportation – 3,500 trees removed – An unspecified number of additional removals are planned
9
CAL FIRE SRA Grant to Amador County Resource Conservation District •
•
• •
Provides reimbursement of up to $3,000 per property owner for cutting and removal of up to five trees threatening structures. Applicants are qualified by location on timberland east of Highway 49. There are no income requirements. As of November 2017 a total of 254 trees have been removed. There are additional approved applicants and some are in the process of selecting contractors to remove trees.
10
Amador Community Foundation Senior Assistance • Provides grants of $5001,000 to fixed income seniors for tree removal. • As of November 2017 the program provided assistance to seven people for removing 10 trees. • There are several additional landowners approved for funding. • Applications available at amadortreemortality.com. 11
U.S. Forest Service • The Forest Service has implemented removal of dead and dying trees in campgrounds, along Salt Springs Road, near flume and transmission lines and around administrative sites. • Additional projects are planned, including a large salvage sale in the Power Fire area. This sale will be coordinated with the county’s efforts to remove hazard trees along Bear River Road. • The manner of disposal or utilization of trees has not been determined but could include sale to mills, chipping and/or burning. • There is no information available on the number of dead and dying trees removed to date. 12
Bureau of Land Management • Over 160 trees qualifying for mitigation were found on parcels managed by BLM. • At Belden Mine Road, BLM granted permission to mitigate trees with minimal delay. • Subsequently the county was required to retain an archeologist to provide information on cultural resources on the remaining parcels. • Mitigation of BLM trees on project 3 occurred in November. • All BLM trees in project areas 4, 5 and 6 were deferred to a separate project (7). • BLM is not removing dead trees on its own initiative. 13
Other Efforts • As of November 2017 Sierra Pacific Industries had removed over 87,000 dead and dying trees in its salvage operations on its 100,000 acre Martell District. • An unknown but substantial number of trees have been removed by private property owners at their own expense.
14
In Summary, Amador County, PG&E and Cal Trans are the “big three” in the county. County will collaborate with the Forest Service on a future project. Services to residents are providing some benefits to offset costs of mitigation.
Questions?
15
