Babione_Stewardship_Bighorn_NF

The Bighorn National forest has a stewardship project in accordance with Section 323 of Public Law 108-7 as revised. This is a commercial item acquisition that has been tailored to fit the Government's method of trading goods for services. It will entail both a timbersale for the sale of approximately 8,172 CCF of conifer trees for exchange of service work for fuels treatment or site preparation and scarification on approximately 265 acres with optional work on approximately an additional 258 acres. This project area is located approximately 20 miles southwest of Sheridan, Wyoming on the Bighorn National Forest. The project proposes to improve the health and vigor of the project area by reducing the density of conifer trees (both commercial and non-commercial), reduction and rearrangement of hazardous fuels in the area, site preparation for young trees for future forests, and to manage travel access within the area. Stewardship authority would assist in the removal, masticating, or piling of non-merchantable sized materials within the designated areas and with the non/pre- commercial thinning of designated units to improve growth and vigor within these respective stands. Additional site preparation for reforestation through scarification efforts is also proposed for this project. All of these actions will reduce the risks of insect and pathogen infestations, reduce hazardous fuels arrangements and continuity, and provide a sustainable supply of commercial timber for the current entry and for the future. Interested companies are urged to register. A soliciation for the actual work is anticipated to be issued April 2014.