Consideration and Approval of Contract:  Intergovernmental Agreement for Vegetation Monitoring Associated with the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project - Vegetation Monitoring between Northern Arizona University and City of Flagstaff to inform hazardous fuels reduction treatments in Mexican Spotted Owl Protected Activity Centers (Approve Intergovernmental Agreement with NAU for FWPP monitoring).

Approve the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) for Vegetation Monitoring associated with the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project (FWPP) with Northern Arizona University (University).

In November 2012, 74% of participating Flagstaff voters approved Forest Bond #405 - now known as the FWPP.  In spring 2013, we initiated  community meetings to develop a comprehensive Monitoring Plan (MP) to ensure that funds would achieve the goals of the bond and that results would be documented,  (The FWPP MP was completed in June 2014: A City Council Report was developed and distributed to Council on June 27th, 2014.)

A component of the MP, raised early in the community meetings by several participants, was the need to identify any potential FWPP-generated impacts to Mexican Spotted Owl (MSO) populations within the project area.  MSO is the primary wildlife species of interest, and their habitat is critical to their survival and health within the mixed conifer ecosystem.  As detailed in the Scope of Work (Exhibit A to the IGA), establishment of 169 vegetation plots within the known Protected Activity Centers (PACs) - covering 24% of the Dry Lake Hills project area - and monitoring changes from pre-treatment condition over time will permit us to evaluate treatment effects on habitat and populations, and validate decisions and/or adjust treatments moving forward.   The results of this effort will have great significance beyond the FWPP itself, and will extend into similar work within the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI) and other treatment work across AZ. 

Subsidiary Decisions Points: None

The IGA commits the City to provide $25,000 in funding, on a reimbursable basis, to the University for vegetation monitoring in the Dry Lake Hills area.  This amount is matched by an additional $25,000 provided by the University: the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service (USF&WS) has also contributed staff time to this activity.  

Not specific to this proposed IGA.  However, in July 2012, Council approved the bond measure for inclusion on the Nov 2012 general election ballot.  Since that time, Council has been presented with numerous agreements related to the FWPP for consideration, and has been periodically updated on FWPP through reports and informational briefings.  

Three options exist:
1.  Approve the IGA as written;
2.  Modify the IGA with specific edits, new requirements, etc; or
3.  Reject the IGA entirely, thereby electing to not fund MSO vegetation monitoring activities as identified in the Scope of Work (Exhibit A).

A request/desire to conduct MSO monitoring activities surfaced in the first community MP forum following passage of the bond.  Many citizens want to ensure that treatments do not adversely affect wildlife, and MSO is widely recognized as a key indicator species.  This issue remained in the discussion throughout the 18-month MP development period and is reflected in the final Plan issued June 2014.  MSO populations are a critical indicator, important to many, that will affect treatment options and activities in southwest forests.  This will be the first effort to monitor their populations in mixed-conifer forests, and as such, has wide implications for similar work elsewhere within the FWPP area (ex: Mormon Mtn), as well as in other non-FWPP areas within the southwest. 

The involvement of NAU's Ecological Restoration Initiative (ERI) provides a neutral, science-based, credible source to our monitoring effort.  MSO is a recognized species that is watched and monitored by many: taking direct action in this process demonstrates a solid commitment to partnering with others and our attention to wildlife in general.   

The City's $25,000 is matched by an additional $25,000 from NAU.  The inclusion of this funding provides a solid 1:1 match for the bond funds, allowing us to meet an expressed desire/need of the public at only 50% of the effort's total cost.  

Approval of this IGA honors the voters' desire and demonstrates the City's commitment to:
1)  Inclusion of science in our project actions;
2)  An active monitoring program, focused on key issues;
3)  Transparency on how and why bond funds were spent;
4)  Partnering with others;
5)  Development of Lessons Learned that will have use in other similar ventures (ex: 4FRI); and
6)  Accomplishment of the goals of FWPP.

Inform - ability to document project impact and answer voter questions;
Consult - demonstrate inclusion of an issue raised by the public in previous community meetings during the development of the FWPP MP; and
Collaborate - engage ERI and USF&WS staff.

Approval of this IGA puts us in good standing with many stakeholders and partners.  While not easy to quantify, this does facilitate future operational activities related to FWPP implementation.