Richland, Wash. – In May 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Forest Service awarded EAS an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to support the agency and other government entities with vegetation management activities in the Blue Mountain Acquisition Management Area.

EAS experts will work with the Forest Service to inventory and map native vegetation in a range of ecological settings, including the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests. As part of this project, staff will identify and collect phenologically appropriate native tree, shrub, fern, forb, grass-like, and grass seed over a wide range of elevations and habitats in Washington and Oregon. EAS will be responsible for cleaning and testing seeds.

The second part of the project involves collecting native vegetation—from small twigs and rhizomes to large poles—and recording collection sites, species, and phenology. EAS will also be responsible for handling, storage, and transport of vegetative materials. This may include long-term (2-4 month) cold storage before nursery planting. Both parts of the project may require significant driving and/or hiking to collection sites located in remote areas and working along heavily traveled highway corridors.

The contract assists the Forest Service fulfill its vegetation, land use, and resource management functions required by federal laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Forest Preservation Act (NFPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), National Forest Management Act (NFMA) and others.