Elk Exclosure Fence Installation

Added:Nov 19, 2018 6:30 pm Dworshak Elk Exclosure (temporary fencing).Part 1 - General Information1.1 General: This is a non-personal services contract to provide installation of temporary fencing on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) lands in the Grandad Elk Mitigation Area near Dworshak Dam and Reservoir. The Government will not exercise any supervision or control over Contractor employees. Contractor employees shall be accountable solely to the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government.1.2 Objective: The objective of this contract is to install temporary fencing (Elk Exclosure) designed to exclude elk from a select area of habitat in the Grandad Elk Mitigation Area to protect young forage plants from ungulate herbivory.1.3 Background (For Information Only):1.3.1 Dworshak Dam and Reservoir (Dworshak Project) has several congressionally authorized purposes, one of which is to develop and sustain fish and wildlife habitat. In addition, it has a federal mandate to

provide elk habitat (Design Memorandum 15 "The Plan for Development of Rocky Mountain Elk Habitat"). The implementation of this plan resulted in the acquisition and development of the Grandad Elk Mitigation Area, a 7,900 acre block of land designed to meet specific winter elk habitat objectives.1.3.2 Approximately 3,000 acres of the 6,900-acre Grandad Elk Mitigation Area was clear-cut and burned in the 1970s to promote the production of winter browse species for elk. Although the efforts in the '70s were generally successful, today some of the clear-cut and burn units have very little elk winter forage and are thought to have inadequate seed source of these plants in the ground. Both of these conditions are primarily the result of elk herbivory. Although the '70s burns provided ample winter forage early on, years of continued elk herbivory have prevented winter forage from maturing, and harsh winters have killed many of the existing plants. Without maturing, these plants are kept from producing seed.1.3.3 The Elk Exclosure will allow stunted plants to mature and produce seed. After several years, the fencing will be removed by the Government. The plants will have provided a new seed source to the landscape, and the mature, more vigorous plants will also be able to provide food for the elk without compromising plant survival.1.4 Scope: The Contractor shall be required to install approximately 3800 lineal feet (based on three dimensional resource grade GPS measurement) of fencing, designed to exclude ungulates in moderately steep, vegetated terrain. See Part 4 - Specific Tasks, for further details.More information in solicitation.