Thin the pine hardwood midstory in the Davy Crockett National Forest, site 2, the public Davy Crockett National Forest, a fire suppressed pine hardwood midstory segment near Ratcliff, TX 75858, Houston County (2026-08-04)

The survey above found a pine hardwood midstory segment inside the Davy Crockett National Forest near Ratcliff choked with decades of unburned hardwood growth, and a credentialed chainsaw crew midstory thinning would otherwise leave this stand losing its open pine woodland structure and its resilience to a severe uncontrolled burn for another season. Standard: USDA Forest Service fire adapted pine woodland restoration practice plus USDA NRCS conservation practice standard 666 forest stand improvement, applied here to a fire suppressed pine hardwood midstory segment inside the public Davy Crockett National Forest near Ratcliff, TX, Houston County. SDG 15.1 and 15.5. Proof: before after photos plus stems removed and area treated record plus chainsaw safety gear confirm plus GPS Method (USDA Forest Service fire adapted pine woodland restoration practice plus USDA NRCS conservation practice standard 666 forest stand improvement, applied here to a fire suppressed pine hardwood midstory segment inside the public Davy Crockett National Forest near Ratcliff, TX, Houston County. SDG 15.1 and 15.5.): 1. 1. Confirm the segment with Forest Service staff and photograph the dense midstory before starting, establish the exclusion zone and escape route before the first cut. 2. 2. Selectively fell and remove encroaching midstory hardwood stems with a chainsaw, credentialed crew only, full chainsaw PPE (chaps, helmet, eye and ear protection), two person minimum with a designated observer. 3. 3. Buck and pile or chip the cut material away from the retained pine overstory, hand and small power equipment only for the piling and chipping step. 4. 4. Photograph the thinned stand from the matching before vantage and record the number of stems removed and area treated. Done when: Before photo of the dense midstory segment; Crew safety gear confirmation (chainsaw chaps, helmet, eye and ear protection) before the first cut; Stems removed and area treated recorded; After photo of the thinned stand from the matching vantage

Where

the public Davy Crockett National Forest, a fire suppressed pine hardwood midstory segment near Ratcliff, TX 75858, Houston County

Pay

$230 proposed

This packet is not funded yet, so this figure is a proposed price and not money waiting in escrow. If a buyer funds it, approved proof settles that price onchain. If nobody funds it, approved proof earns provable credit toward the work instead of cash. You see which before you claim, never after.

Proof

before after photos plus stems removed and area treated record plus chainsaw safety gear confirm plus GPS

This is exactly what gets it approved. Nothing settles without it.

Level

advanced

Open until

2026-09-03

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 45–120 minutes. Method of record: Point-count / transect species survey (Breeding Bird Survey + Xerces pollinator-count protocols)

Bring

• binoculars
• field ID guide or app
• GPS phone
• data sheet / recorder
• timer
• camera

Steps

1. 1. Navigate to the first survey point; record GPS; note start time, weather, and wind (surveys pause in rain/high wind).
2. 2. Wait a settling minute, then run a fixed-duration count (e.g., 5 min) within a fixed radius; record every species seen/heard and the count of each.
3. 3. Photograph the habitat and any species you can; note any threatened/target or invasive species.
4. 4. Move to the next point along the transect (keep points >=200 m apart) and repeat the count.
5. 5. Record total effort (points, duration) and observer.
6. 6. Enter the per-point species lists + counts, GPS, weather, effort, and photos into the proof record; sign.

If it does not match the plan

• Threatened/at-risk or target species observed -> flag for the land steward (with location) for protection planning.
• Invasive species dominant / native diversity very low -> flag for a management plan.
• Rain or high wind -> pause/reschedule; counts under poor conditions are not valid.

What counts as done

• Before photo of the dense midstory segment
• Crew safety gear confirmation (chainsaw chaps, helmet, eye and ear protection) before the first cut
• Stems removed and area treated recorded
• After photo of the thinned stand from the matching vantage

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.