Forest Inventory and Harvest Plan at NSF Dahlgren, Virginia

The Naval Support Facility Dahlgren (NSFD) forest resources have been managed under written plan for over 40 years. The last forest management plan was prepared by the Virginia Tech Forestry Department in 1997. Estimates of timber volume and growth over the desired rotation periods were identified, and forest management recommendations were provided. This included a 100-year timber harvest schedule. A number of timber harvests have occurred over this time period with the last one being conducted in 2003. Recent forest inventories include those conducted by Virginia Tech Forestry Department and NSFD Natural Resources personnel in 1992 and 1993, and one conducted in 2000 by NSFD Natural Resources personnel. An updated forest inventory and long range management/harvest plan is warranted. This Cooperative Agreement, hereinafter, referred to as this Agreement, implements, in part, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington s responsibilities pursuant to the Sikes Act Improvement Act (16 USC 670 et seq). 2. Objective. The primary objective of this Agreement is to conduct a forest inventory of all accessible stands on NSFD and to produce a forest management/harvest plan driven by the management philosophy of sustainable, multiple-use of natural resources, natural resources stewardship, biodiversity protection, and ecosystem management. 3. Environmental Setting. NSFD is located on approximately 4,320 acres in the Northern Neck area of Virginia along the western shoreline of the Potomac River. NSFD is in King George County approximately 23 miles east of Fredericksburg, VA, 53 miles south of Washington, DC, and 65 miles northeast of Richmond, VA. NSFD is divided into two land masses by Upper Machodoc Creek. Mainside encompasses 2,678 acres on the northern side of the creek and is used for operational and support activities and military housing. Pumpkin Neck, located to the south of the creek, is 1,641 acres and supports two large testing areas and scattered testing facilities. Approximately half of NSFD is forested with pine-hardwood (31%), hardwood (15%), and pine (6%) comprising the forest resource. These forest types mixed with grasslands, shrublands, and various wetland habitats supports a diverse faunal community. Due to explosive operations at NSFD, specific areas may require clearance before work can begin. The NSFD Natural Resources Office (NRO) shall coordinate access to these areas as needed. The Cooperator will be responsible for checking in with the NSFD Natural Resources Office before beginning work each day.