Contract History:

This project began in 1996 as a part of the Clearwater Early Action projects.  This comprehensive restoration project focuses on mitigating and restoring limiting factors to fisheries production.  The two primary limiting factors are excessive sedimentation into the spawning and rearing areas of streams and the lack of habitat connectivity.  Both sedimentation and fragmented habitat result from forest management activities, most importantly road densities and encroachment of noxious weeds.  Completed contract work includes over 250 miles of road removal, 14 culvert replacements, 120 acres of noxious weed treatment, a road and culvert risk assessment, and the re-establishment of native plant communities.  Partners include the Clearwater National Forest, North Idaho Resource Advisory Committee (RAC), Wildlands CPR, and the National Forest Foundation.


Summary of FY 06 Contract Implementation:  

This project is a part of the Clearwater National Forest-Nez Perce Tribe Watershed Restoration Partnership.  Since 1996, we have shared project planning, costs, and implementation responsibilities with a 50-50 partnership.  The Clearwater National Forest will provide approximately $100,000 in cash and in-kind contributions toward this year's planned work during the field season of 2006, and approximately $20,000 toward completion of NEPA and project designs later in the year. The Northern Idaho Resource Advisory Council will provide $21,797 for our pilot treatment project using goat grazing to control spotted knapweed.  The Nez Perce Tribe will receive $10,000 for salaries for revegetation work in disturbed areas from the USFS Native Plant Materials Earmark Projects.  Wildlands CPR, a non-profit conservation organization, will provide $10,000 in-kind towards project monitoring with a focus on road decommissioning.

FY 06 contract implementation will include approximately 10 miles of road decommissioning, erosion control and revegetation along these 10 miles of newly decommissioned roads, the revegetation of approximately 400 acres of disturbed and burned areas adjacent to about 29 miles of previously decommissioned roads, approximately 125 acres of noxious weed treatment using biological, mechanical and chemical methods, a noxious weed inventory along 150 miles of previously decommissioned roads, 10 miles of roads proposed for removal, and 100 acres of burned and disturbed areas, the development of a noxious weed treatment plan for the Lochsa Watershed, the identification of at least 1 mile of road improvement projects, the designs for 3 culvert replacements, and the continued monitoring and evaluation of previously and newly completed projects.