STATE OF ARKANSAS OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT

1509 West 7th Street, Room 300 Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-4222

RESPONSE PACKET SP-17-0089

CAUTION TO VENDOR

Vendor's failure to submit required items and/or information as specified in the Bid Solicitation Document shall result in disqualification.

20160210

Response Packet Bid No. SP-17-0089

STATE OF ARKANSAS OFFICE OF ST A TE PROCUREMENT

1509 West 7th Street, Room 300 Little Rock, Arkansas 72201-4222

RESPONSE SIGNATURE PAGE

Type or Print the following information

RESPONDENT'S INFORMATION

Company: The Nature Conservancy

Address: 601 North Unviversity Ave.

City: Little Rock I State: I Arkansas

Business D Individual D Sole Proprietorship Designation: D Partnership D Corporation

I Zip Code: I 72205

D Public Service Corp ~ Nonprofit

Minority [Jg_ Not D African American D Hispanic American D Pacific Islander American Designation: Applicable D American Indian D Asian American D Service Disabled Veteran See Minority

AR Minority Certification #: Service Disabled Veteran Business Policy Certification #:

-VENDOR CONTACT INFORMATION

Provide contact information to be used for bid solicitation related matters.

Contact Person: Douglas Zollner Title: Director of Conservation Science

Phone: 501-258-8758 Alternate Phone: 501-663-6699

Email: dzollner@tnc.org

CONFIRMATION OF REDACTED COPY

D YES, a redacted copy of submission documents is enclosed. IZI NO, a redacted copy of submission documents is not enclosed. I understand a full copy of non-redacted submission

documents will be released if requested .

Note: If a redacted copy of the submission documents is not provided with vendor's response packet, and neither box is checked, a copy of the non-redacted documents, with the exception of financial data ( other than pricing), shall be released in response to any request made under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) . See Bid Solicitation for additional information.

An official authorized to bind the vendor to a resultant contract must sign below.

The signature below signifies agreement that either of the following shall cause the vendor's response to be disqualified:

• Additional terms or conditions submitted in their response, whether submitted intentionally or inadvertently. • Any exception that conflicts with a Requirement of this Bid Solicitation.

Authorized Signature: ~ ~ Use Ink O .

Douglas Zollner Printed/Typed Name:

Director of Conservation Science Title:--------------

Date: __ M_a_y_s_, _2_01_7 _______ _

20160210

Response Packet Bid No. SP-17-0089

SECTION 1 - VENDOR AGREEMENT AND COMPLIANCE

• Any requested exceptions to items in this section which are NON-mandatory must be declared below or as an attachment to this page. Vendor must clearly explain the requested exception, and should label the request to reference the specific solicitation item number to which the exception applies.

• Exceptions to Requirements shall cause the vendor's response to be disqualified.

By signature below, vendor agrees to and shall fully comply with all Requirements as shown in this section of the bid solicitation .

Authorized Signature: ~ ~ Use lnkO .

Printed/Typed Name: Douglas Zollner May 8, 2017

Date:--------------

20160210

Response Packet Bid No. SP-17-0089

SECTION 2 - VENDOR AGREEMENT AND COMPLIANCE

• Any requested exceptions to items in this section which are NON-mandatory must be declared below or as an attachment to this page. Vendor must clearly explain the requested exception, and should label the request to reference the specific solicitation item number to which the exception applies.

• Exceptions to Requirements shall cause the vendor's response to be disqualified.

By signature below, vendor agrees to and shall fully comply with all Requirements as shown in this section of the bid solicitation.

Authorized Signature, ~ (1 '~v---.._ Use Ink O .

Printed/Typed Name: Douglas Zollner Date: __ M_ay_s._2_0_1_7 ______ _

20160210

Response Packet Bid No. SP-17-0089

SECTIONS 3, 4, 5 - VENDOR AGREEMENT AND COMPLIANCE

• Exceptions to Requirements shall cause the vendor's response to be disqualified.

By signature below, vendor agrees to and shall fully comply with all Requirements as shown in this section of the bid solicitation.

Authorized Signature, "~V-­use tnk O~

Printed/Typed Name: Douglas Zollner Date: __ M_a_y_B_,_2_0_17 ______ _

20160210

Response Packet Bid No. SP-17-0089

PROPOSED SUBCONTRACTORS FORM

• Do not include additional information relating to subcontractors on this form or as an attachment to this form.

VENDOR PROPOSES TO USE THE FOLLOWING SUBCONTRACTOR(S) TO PROVIDE SERVICES. T p·tth fill. ·t, f voe or rm e o owmg m orma JOn

Subcontractor's Company Name Street Address City, State, ZIP

OREi 104 South Skilern Street Siloam Springs, AR 72761

Equilibrium P.O. Box 190274 Little Rock, AR 72219

0 VENDOR DOES NOT PROPOSE TO USE SUBCONTRACTORS TO PERFORM SERVICES.

By signature below, vendor agrees to and shall fully comply with all Requirements related to subcontractors as shown in the bid solicitation.

Authorized Signature, /).~ ~ Use Ink On .

Printed/Typed Name: Douglas Zollner Date: _M_a_y_s_,_2_0_17 _______ _

20160210

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Response Packet Bid No. SP-17-0089

VENDOR SERVICE CATEGORY FORM

• In the boxes below, please identify each service category being bid. Multiple categories may be selected. In addition, specify which natural divisions your company can provide services as shown on the map in ATTACHMENT A of the RFP document.

EJ CATEGORY 1: PRESCRIBED BURNING SERVICES All Natural Divsions

l2J CATEGORY 2: ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION SERVICES All Natural Divisions

l2J CATEGORY 3: ECOLOGICAL MONITORING SERVICES All Natural Divisions

EJ CATEGORY 4: GROUNDS MAINTENANCE SERVICES All Natural Divisions

20160210

Response Packet Bid No. SP-17-0089

INFORMATION FOR EVALUATION

• Provide a response to each item/question in this section. Vendor may expand the space under each item/question to provide a complete response.

• Do not include additional information if not perlinent to the itemized request.

• Proposal should clearly identify the service category being bid.

E.1 Vendor Profile and Qualifications of Key Personnel

A. Provide a brief overview of your company including total number of employees, office location(s), and number of years of operation . I

- -' B. Provide a description of individual roles and responsibilities within your organization for providing -j

services as outlined in this RFQ.

C. Provide a brief description of all personnel qualifications including experience, education and appropriate certifications, license(s), and/or other relevant accreditations.

E.2 Experience

A Provide examples of pro]ects of simiiar size and scope to this RFQ including the following information:

- . - - . 1. Explain how examples are relevant to this RFQ

2. Timeframe and milestones

3. Results of the projects

B. Describe your organ12ation's methodology and approach towards providing services as listed in this RFQ.

E. 3 Implementation Plan . -

A Describe how your organization's management will monitor the progress of projects assigned.

B. Provide a description of the quality control methods used by your organization to document and track the project requirements.

E.4 Schedule

A Describe your team's current workload and discuss how your company organizes team activities to meet deadlines.

B. Provide a list of major obstacles, relative to the bid specifications, that you foresee and detail what your organization can do to address these obstacles in order to keep the project on track.

E.5 Contract Administration

A Detail the manner in which your team will provide observation and oversight of personnel throughout the duration of the contract.

B. Include a description of the types and frequency of site visits and project observations.

C. Provide a sample final/annual report for prior provided services that are similar to those listed in this RFQ.

Information for Evaluation Section

Maximum RAW Score Available

5 points

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Page 1 of 2

Response Packet Bid No. SP-17-0089

E.6 Previously Awarded Contracts

. A. Provide a complete listing of ail con tracts that your organization has obtained wi thm thelast 24 - -months, including all current contracts. The list should be limited to Arkansas state agencies . Please

1

include the following information:

Agency Name Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission

Type of Contract Stewardship Services

Term of contract

Amount $184,647

One year

Name, phone number, and email address of the point of contact

Information for Evaluation Section

Brain Mitchell (501) 324-9612, brian. mitchell@arkansas.gov

5 points

Page 2 of 2

El.

Vendor Profile and Qualifications of Key Personnel

A. The Nature Conservancy is a private, non-profit (tax-exempt corporation under Section 501 ( c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code) membership conservation organization. The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. The Conservancy's Arkansas chapter was incorporated in 1979 and established in 1983. The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas currently owns/and or manages 50 nature preserves consisting of 34,000 acres and manages an additional 27,000 acres for partner organizations.

The Nature Conservancy has two offices in Arkansas. One is located at 601 North University in Little Rock. The office includes a large workshop building and secure lot for prescribed burn, river restoration and preserve stewardship equipment. The second office is located at 38 W. Trenton blvd. in Fayetteville with a secure lot for river restoration and karst conservation equipment. The Conservancy's karst and Ozark rivers conservation programs are managed out of the Fayetteville office.

B. The Conservancy's Arkansas Field Office (ARFO) has 32 full-time staff including 20 biologists/ecologists with experience in ecological inventory and assessment, karst conservation, river assessment, river conservation and restoration, terrestrial conservation restoration, site conservation planning, acquisition and real estate, stewardship, prescribed burning, and rare species, and plant community monitoring. ARFO also employs 5-7 part­time stewardship technicians, river conservation technicians, monitoring technicians, and fire management technicians (burn crew) on staff during portions of the year.

C. Key Personnel of the Team.

McRee Anderson is the Interior Highlands Fire Restoration Director for the Arkansas Chapter of The Nature Conservancy. McRee is a National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) certified RXB2 Burn Boss. McRee co-leads The Nature Conservancy's Prescribed Fire Program in Arkansas and has been involved in fire management for 13 years with over 225 successful prescribed burns implemented. McRee received a M.S. in Water Resource Management from Portland State University.

John Chapman is the Watershed Restoration Program Director for The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Monticello with a B.S. in Spatial Information Systems. John specializes in watershed and geomorphic assessments and design and implementation of stream restoration projects using natural channel design techniques. He has completed four intensive courses in "Applied Pluvial Geomorphology" and "Natural Channel Design" led by instructor Dave Rosgen, Ph.D., conducted numerous geomorphic surveys, and worked to implement stream restoration projects on the West Fork of the White River, Kings River, and Little Osage Creek. He also has 15 years of experience in the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) field.

Joy DeClerk is the Ouachita Rivers Project Manager for The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas. DeClerk has worked as project manager with The Nature Conservancy since April 2005 with a background in Environmental Science and Economics and Business. In her current position she has completed four courses in "Applied Pluvial Geomorphology" and "Natural Channel Design" led by instructor Dave Rosgen, Ph.D. Other trainings have included Assessment of Environmental Flows and Spatial Analysis in Geographic Information Systems. In addition to these courses, DeClerk has a wide array of experience within the Upper Saline Watershed. In 2004-06, she developed a watershed restoration plan and a species threats assessment for the upper Saline Watershed. In addition, she completed an EPA funded, two-year study (2006-08) to quantify and prioritize major sediment sources within the Middle Fork Saline River watershed. Of most recent in 2009-10, DeClerk led a major stream restoration effort along 2,600 linear feet of stream and approximately 29 acres of riparian restoration.

Gabe DeJong is a terrestrial ecologist for The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas. He oversees TNC's terrestrial monitoring efforts and ecological assessments in all ecoregions throughout the state. Gabe received his B.S. in Biology (plant biology and ecology focus) from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He received an M.A. in Plant Biology (plant community ecology focus) from the University of Texas at Austin. His work experience includes invasive species control (The Nature Conservancy, Michigan) and nature interpretation (Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center). Through his work and education, he has gained extensive experience in vegetation monitoring, plant identification, data collection, data management, statistical analysis, written reporting, and oral presentations.

Derek Franklin is the Land Conservation Specialist for the Arkansas Field Office of The Nature Conservancy. He joined the Arkansas Field Office staff in March 2013 to acquire land, conservation easements, and negotiate management agreements with owners of unique places in Arkansas. Franklin is a native Arkansan and has worked in real estate appraisal and consulting for a decade. He holds a B.A. from Ouachita Baptist University in business administration and an M. Div. in Chaplaincy. Derek is also a Certified Real Estate Appraiser.

Clint Harris has been the Southwest Arkansas Project Manager for The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas for three years and worked in various other positions for 12 years including Land Steward and Fire Management Specialist. Clint is responsible for planning and implementing stewardship, fire restoration, invasive species control and other and ecological restoration work on preserves throughout the state. Clint works closely with State organizations in South Arkansas to help build working cooperative partnerships. Clint is a graduate from Arkansas Tech University with a Bachelor's of Science in Fish and Wildlife

Biology.

Melissa Jenks, Ouachita Rivers Project Specialist, is a graduate of Arkansas Tech University with a B.A. in Geology and Environmental Science and has worked with The Nat~r~, . Conservancy since 2008. In her current position, she has completed four courses m Applied Fluvial Geomorphology" and "Natural Channel Design" led by instructor Dave Rosgen,

Ph.D., conducted numerous geomorphic surveys, and worked to implement stream restoration projects on the Middle Fork Saline and Archey Fork Little Red Rivers. She also has six years combined experience in the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) field with the U.S. Forest Service and The Nature Conservancy.

Kyle Lapham is the Fire Manager for The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas. His responsibilities include implementation of fire management activities (RxB2 Bum Boss qualified) in Arkansas as well as stewardship and restoration activities on the various preserves for TNC, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, and federal land such as National Forests. He coordinates with the Director of Fire Programs, the Fire Management Specialist and the South Arkansas Project Manager as to the day to day operations of the seasonal bum crew. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography/Environmental Studies from The University of Iowa. Since 2004 he has worked for The Nature Conservancy both in Iowa and Arkansas focusing primarily on fire management conservation both on private and public lands. Additionally, he has worked for federal agencies in fire management largely for suppression.

Erick Rietschier - is the Fire Management Specialist for The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas. His responsibilities include implementation of fire management activities (RxB2 Bum Boss NWCG qualified) in Arkansas as well as stewardship and restoration activities on the various preserves for TNC, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, and federal land such as National Forests. He coordinates with the Director of Fire Programs, the Fire Manager and the South Arkansas Project Manager as to the day to day operations of the seasonal bum crew. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resource and Ecology Management from Louisiana State University. Since 2010 he has worked for The Nature Conservancy in Georgia, Minnesota and Arkansas focusing primarily on fire management conservation both on private and public lands.

Michael Slay has been working in karst conservation for 15 years in the five states that contain the caves and springs of the Ozark Highlands Ecoregion. Before joining The Nature Conservancy as the Ozark Karst Program Director, Mike coordinated karst research during positions held at the University of Arkansas, Buffalo National River NPS, Illinois Natural History Survey, and Missouri Department of Conservation. Since joining The Nature Conservancy, Mike has worked with multiple partners such as US Fish & Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, Missouri Department of Conservation, Oklahoma Biological Survey, and Illinois Natural History Survey to conserve and protect karst species and habitats, including species found in spring habitats. Mike has coordinated the exploration, species monitoring, and habitat analysis in several hundred caves and springs, and he has assisted with the discovery of over 15 karst species new to science. Mike received his undergraduate degree and M.S. in Biology at the University of Arkansas. In addition to conducting karst research and implementing karst conservation actions, Mike has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed journal articles related to the discovery and conservation of karst species.

Rachel Worthen is the Geographical Information System Specialist for the Arkansas Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. Rachel has over 5 years of experience managing and

E2.

supporting GIS professionals to complete complex GIS natural resource projects. During Rachel's past 3 years of managing the Arkansas Chapter of the Nature Conservancy GIS Lab she has collaborated on many large and small scale projects with State, Federal and other NGOs. Her work over the past 5 years in managing complex natural resource GIS projects has attributed to the Arkansas GIS Lab becoming a Regional GIS support center for Conservation Partners and other Nature Conservancy Chapters and Programs. The Arkansas Chapter has supported regional projects that include: the Mississippi Alluvial Valley Conservation Delivery Network, Great Plains Division data assessment, and LANDFIRE. Rachel graduated from College of the Atlantic with a Bachelors of Arts in Human Ecology and received her Masters of Environmental Studies from the College of Charleston.

Douglas Zollner is an ecologist with The Nature Conservancy, currently serving as the Director of Conservation Science for the Arkansas Field Office. He has been working with the Conservancy for 25 years. Zollner has over 35 years of working experience in ecological restoration, fire ecology, ecological modeling, and developing and implementing measures of conservation success in an adaptive management context. He is very familiar with the plant communities of Arkansas and has described many of them for NatureServe. Zollner also familiar with the plants of Arkansas and their identification. He received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arizona in Watershed Management and a Master of Science from Texas Tech University in the Ecology of Arid Lands

Experience

A. Prescribed Fire Management

The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas has twenty-six years of experience in fire management planning, implementation (prescribed bums), and post fire assessment and monitoring. The Conservancy's fire management program follows the National Wildfire Coordinating Group training and certification guidelines.

The Conservancy has one fire manager and seven fire leaders (NWCG RxB2 Bum Boss certified). All of these staff have over 5 years of prescribed burning experience in Arkansas. Over the past 20 years they have completed over 250 bum plans following the format described in the description of services to be provided section. The Conservancy conducts prescribed bums with a trained nomadic bum crew annually. The crew travels throughout Arkansas and adjacent states for the eight-month season, installing fire lines and conducting prescribed bums during favorable weather conditions. Fire lines are installed by hand unless already existing roads or trails can be used. Emergency and public notification is standard operating procedure and detailed in the bum plans. The Conservancy has a complement of fire management and suppression equipment to complete prescribed bums including two type six engines and ATV's outfitted with fire suppression equipment (pumpers). The current team of fire leaders has conducted over 600 prescribed bums in Arkansas over the last 20 years. Prescribed bums are completed in a variety of fuel models including tallgrass prairie, savanna, oak woodland, pine forest, and logging slash throughout the state. The

Conservancy has conducted over 220 prescribed burns under contract for the ANHC the past twenty years with no injuries, escapes, property damage, or negative public relations. The Conservancy has also conducted burns for the military (at Pine Bluff Arsenal, Little Rock Air Force Base, Camp Robinson, and Fort Chaffee), US Fish and Wildlife Service, Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Central Arkansas Water, and private landowners all involving rare species or plant communities dependent on fire .

Conservancy fire management staff also serve as instructors at state, national, and international fire training workshops including the Conservancy's Workshop on Ecological Burning, Army National Guard Fire Training, Arkansas River Valley Fire Academy, National Wildfire Coordinating Group courses, and the Arkansas Prescribed Fire Course. Presentations include fire ecology, fire effects, fire planning, bum execution, ignition, public relations, and post fire monitoring. The Conservancy helped establish the Arkansas prescribed bum courses working with the Arkansas Forestry Commission, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, US Forest Service, UA­Monticello, and the National Weather Service.

Ecological Restoration Services - The Conservancy owns 50 nature preserves consisting of 34,000 acres. On many of these areas, the Conservancy is conducting stewardship activities as part of ecological restoration including woody vegetation removal, seed collecting, tree planting, erosion control, non-native species removals, fire management (described above), and monitoring (described below). Two staff have Arkansas Pesticide Applicator Licenses through the Arkansas State Plant Board. The Conservancy has completed or is implementing multiple ecological restoration projects in the Sandhills, Flatwoods, and Blacklands. At Nacatoch Ravines and in the Sandhills, restoration involves restoring shortleaf pine communities in place of planted loblolly pine plantations. Removing planted loblolly pine over time, under planting shortleaf pine, reintroducing fire, and controlling non-native species. At Felsenthal-west TNC is managing 2,900 acres for red-cockaded woodpecker under a Habitat Conservation Plan approved by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Restoration involves maintaining cluster sites, monitoring red-cockaded woodpecker population, prescribed fire, and conservation forestry activities. The Conservancy has implemented ecological restoration on over 1,000 acres ofblackland prairie in southwest Arkansas. Activities within the blacklands ecosystem include cedar removal, erosion control installation, non-native species removal, and fire restoration.

The Conservancy implements forestry projects on its preserves and partner lands. These activities typically include understory, midstory, and overstory thinning completed in an ecologically sustainable manner to achieve a desired ecological condition of woody vegetation and herbaceous understory structure, composition, and diversity. An example would be the restoration work under way at Poison Springs, Warren Prairie, Kingsland Prairie, Nacatoch Ravines, and Felsenthal-west preserves where pine woodlands and savanna are being restored with the use of conservation forestry techniques.

The Conservancy has also completed stream (ditch) restorations (at Benson Slash) and river (Cache) restorations in the Delta, bank stabilizations on upland rivers (Saline, Kings, and

Little Red), removal and replacement ofriver and stream crossings (multiple locations), and the development of road maintenance training protocols that reduce sedimentation.

In addition to ecological restoration activities, typical preserve maintenance activities include gate and fence installation, trash removal, and boundary maintenance. The conservancy is fully equipped with equipment such as seed collectors, trees shears, herbicide sprayers,

Ecological Monitoring Services - As part of land management activities, the Conservancy conducts monitoring on many preserves, natural areas, and other partner lands to track changes in rare species populations and plant communities over time and progress towards desired ecological conditions. Rare species monitoring and plant community monitoring protocols are developed to document past work and direct future stewardship activities. Permanent transects are installed and tree, shrub, and herbaceous species are recorded to species. Species are ranked by importance value. Species monitoring, whether rare, plant or animal, is tailored for species distribution and life history characteristics. The current set of Conservancy staff created the general rare species, plant community, and fire effects monitoring protocols used on Conservancy preserves and natural areas co-owned and managed with the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. Conservancy staff are currently monitoring 12-15 sites annually to track progress towards stewardship objectives and ecological goals. The Conservancy has also been conducting ecological monitoring for the US Forest Service since 2002. The Conservancy uses and maintains monitoring data on a centralized database.

Fire effects monitoring is conducted to document the effects of prescribed bums on vegetation as a way to track the achievement of objectives outlined in bum plans and progress towards ecological objectives.

The Conservancy also installs and monitors stage gages and groundwater monitoring wells at selected nature preserves in preparation for hydrologic restoration activities.

The Conservancy utilizes information gained from ecological assessments and inventories and designs conservation plans for future land acquisition, land management, and community conservation activities on its own lands and on cooperative projects with state and federal agencies. The Conservancy completes and participates in cooperative conservation planning at several scales including ecosystem/ecoregional plans (i.e. Ouachita National Forest, Cossatot National Wildlife Refuge with US Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and others), site conservation plans (with ANHC), and stewardship plans (with ANHC). The Conservancy has also delineated karst recharge and hazards to water quality in cave systems. The Conservancy employs a river assessment protocol that identifies erosion hazards and ranks them by priority for remediation.

Grounds Maintenance - As part of management of the Conservancy's system of nature preserves, and in addition to ongoing ecological restoration activities, the Conservancy assigns staff to monitor site visitation, vandalism, hunting activities, trespass by off road vehicles, cave entrances and gates, and trash removal. Where issues with these activities

impact the preserve a plan of action to halt or modify the activities is designed and implemented.

E.3

Implementation Plan

A. There will be a single point of contact at the Conservancy during the life of the contract. He/she will meet with ANHC staff to discuss the list of tasks and deliverables and develop a prioritization of tasks as to relative importance and seasonality.

All tasks are tracked in the stewardship database monthly as tasks are completed. TNC will provide quarterly updates on progress and reach out to ANHC when events out of our control ( drought, tornado damage, flooding) inhibit progress, and call for a re-prioritization of tasks. On December 31st, an interim report will be produced that includes Fire Summary Reports, Monitoring reports, or other reports of completed tasks. A Final report is completed by June 10th_

B. All tasks completed will be followed by a report.

E.4

For Example: A fire summary report and post bum evaluation will be completed after each bum. Report sections include bum unit, bum dates, forecasted weather conditions, on-site bum day weather conditions, crew assignments, bum schedule, fire narrative (bum logistics), immediate post bum effects, whether ecological objectives were met, and notes and recommendations.

Post fire monitoring will be conducted along transects within all fuel models after the bum. The amount of duff/litter removal, scorch height/intensity, and char degree are measured at each point along the transect to characterize fire intensity, coverage, corresponding vegetation effects to determine if fire management and ecological objectives were met.

Similarly, there is a Plant Community Monitoring Protocol that has been in use for more than 20 years. Other tasks are documented with a photo record. The control of fescue with an herbicide would contain before and after photographs.

Schedule

A. Due to logistical and weather constraints, the terrestrial restoration work revolves around prescribed burning.

The seasonal crew is hired in the summer and starts after Labor Day and works through the end of April. During this eight-month season, they will complete 50-65 prescribed bums. Permanent staff work with and manage the crew so that all time is utilized efficiently. Prescribed burning, the most difficult task, is prioritized over other tasks. Other tasks are

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implemented in the correct season. Most forestry activities in the summer and fall, fescue control in the early spring, ecological monitoring in the late spring or fall etc. Some of the work (fire lines) can be sub-contracted to increase efficiency. Annually TNC completes 2-3 timber harvests, controls non-natives species at 20 locations, implement woody stem and eastern red cedar reduction at 3-4 sites, and complete 6-8 management plans. The monitoring crew (3-8 staff and interns) will conduct monitoring for 15 days during the late spring and summer. The river restoration crew is organized similarly, although the busy season is at low water during late summer and early fall. There is a 2-year time line for a major river restoration.

B. When managing land, weather is always the greatest obstacle to completing tasks.

There is no getting around it, we manage through poor weather conditions by having tasks of differing types available in different regions of the state.

E.5

Contract administration

A. All crew are supervised and accompanied by a crew leader with experience.

B. Sub-contractors are accompanied on a site visit to explain the work in detail and visited twice a week to ensure quality.

C. Attached.

E.6

Previously Awarded Contracts

Agency Name: Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission

Type of Contract: Stewardship Services

Term of Contract: One Year

Amount: $184,647

Name, phone number, and email address of the point of contact: Brian Mitchell, (501) 324-9612, brian.mitchell@arkansas.gov

Natural Area Stewardship Tasks Completed

Fiscal Year 2016 - Final Report

,II

Prescribed Fire at WaiTen Prairie Natural Area on March 06, 2016

Final Repott of stewai·dship activities on 17 naturnl areas

Submitted to: The Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission

June 2016

The Nature Conservancy 601 North University Ave

Little Rock, AR 72205

1

Introduction

This FY 2016 stewardship contract between the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission (ANHC) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is for stewardship activities on 17 ANHC­owned or co-owned natural areas. The contract includes activities in: prescribed burn planning, fireline installation and maintenance, prescribed burn implementation, post bum evaluation, plant community monitoring, invasive herbicide treatment and database management.

The following natural areas are included in the contract:

Arkansas Oak Baker Prairie Chesney Prairie Devil's Eyebrow Kingsland Prairie Longview Saline Lorance Creek Middlefork Barrens Miller County Sandhills Nacatoch Blackland Ravines Nacatoch Ravines Palmetto Flats Pine City Poison Springs Searles Prairie Te1Te Noire WaiTen Prairie

This report addresses the 65 tasks Conservancy staff completed on 1 7 of the natural ai·eas. E-mail or phone updates ofTNC burn and stewardship crew activities and schedules at state natural ai·eas were submitted when work was conducted to ANHC staff throughout the contract period.

Tables of fireline installation and prescribed burns completed are included in this report. Prescribed burn plans, fire summai·y/post burn evaluation rep01ts, and plant community monitoring rep01ts completed before 15 June 2016 ai·e included as attachments at the end of the rep01t. TNC staff also updated plant and animal species lists.

Prescribed Burns

Prescribed burn plans, fireline installation, and prescribed burn implementation

Burn plans were written or updated, as needed, for units with expected fire management activities.

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Bum plan sections include:

Cover page and approvals. Location (site, location, acreage, ownership). Sources of emergency assistance (law, fire, medical, legal). Pe1mits, official notifications, and neighbor notifications. Unit description (vegetation type, fuel models, aspect and slope, exposure, narrative description). Maps (site location, topographic, route to hospital, aerial photo, smoke screening). Site fire management goals. Specific bum unit objectives. Acceptable fire behavior (maximum and minimum - head fire flame lengths, back fire flame lengths, head fire rate of spread, back fire rate of spread). Weather prescriptions (air temperature, relative humidity, wind direction and speed, atmospheric mixing categories). Smoke management plan ( desirable smoke behavior). Crew organization and equipment. Bum duration (baseline preparation, interior ignition, spreading fire). Managing the bum ( fireline preparation, firing techniques, crew communications, holding, fire sensitive areas and hazards, contingencies, mop-up, public relations, follow­up assignments). Complexity analysis.

Firelines were installed or maintained at a total of 19 bum units. Firelines are installed by a hand crew to minimize soil disturbance. Prairie firelines were bushogged 16-30 feet wide, mowed 4 feet wide along the unit fuel edge, and leaf raked or blown 4 feet wide. Woodland lines were cut 6-8 feet wide, raked ( or leaf blown) 4-6 feet wide, and mowed (in grassy areas if necessary 8-10 feet wide). Occasionally, other vendors were subcontracted to install firelines in areas where handlines were not feasible or for economic reasons. This was done only after consultation with the ANHC staff. Firelines installed are listed in Table 1.

Table 1. List of firelines installed during the FY16 season; 19 burn units.

Natural Area Unit Acreage Install time-hours Arkansas Oak MU06/West 113 8 Baker Prairie MUOlWest 40 0 (sub-contract) Devil's Eyebrow Trimble Mtn 120 8 Kingsland Prairie FMUl/West 84 8 Longview Saline FMU2&3/Barrens 50 5 Lorance Creek N 01th/Powerline 198 8 Middlefork Barrens MU05-06/East 80 10 Miller Co Sandhills MU06-07 /South 70 10 Nacatoch Ravines MU05-04/0riginal 105 8 Nacatoch Ravines MU22-26/Powerplant 80 12 Nacatoch Ravines MU03,05,07/Runde Bush 184 32

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Pine City MU06/Colony 157 16 Poison Springs MU04/Pipeline 105 32 Poison Springs MU05/Railroad 101 32 TeTI"e Noire MUOl-02/North 75 10 TeTI"e Noire MU06,07 ,08/Deltic 135 40 Warren Prairie MUl 0,06,07 /Firecracker-East 200 16 Warren Prairie MU25 ,26,27 /Southwest 257 16 Wa.J.Ten Prairie MU29/Easter Island 103 6 Total: 19 units 277 hours

Eighteen prescribed bums totaling 2,070 acres were conducted at thirteen natural areas for the stewardship contract. Total units burned and acres are listed in Table 2.

Table 2. List of prescribed bums conducted during the FY2016 bum season by The Nature Conservancy.

Natural Area Unit Acreage Season (date) Coverage Overall Intensity*

Arkansas Oak MU06/West 113 Spring(02/14) 94% Moderate Baker Prairie MUOI/West 40 Fall (09/28) 99% Moderate Kingsland Prairie FMUl/West 84 Spring(Ol/14) 73% Moderate Longview Saline FMU2&3/Barrens 50 Spring(02/l l) 86% Moderate Lorance Creek North/Powerline 198 Spring(O 1/15) 81% Light Miller Co Sandhills MU06-07 /South 70 Fall (09/04) 61% Moderate Middle fork Barrens MU06-07 /East 80 Fall (11/09) 68% Light Nacatoch Ravines MU05-04/0riginal 52 Spring(03/28) 96% Light N acatoch Ravines MU22-26/Powerplant 80 Spring(02/04) 55% Moderate Nacatoch Ravines MU03,05,07 /Runde 184 Spring(02/03) 83% Moderate

Bush

Pine City MU06/Colony 157 Fall (09/17) 82% Moderate Poison Springs MU04/Pipeline 80 Spring(03/26) 79% Moderate Poison Springs MU05/Railroad 101 Spring(03/05) 91% Moderate Te1re Noire MU06,07,08/Deltic 132 Fall (11/10) 51% Light Ten-e Noire MUOl,02/North 75 Fall (09/19) 88% Moderate Warren Prairie MUl0,06,07/ 275 Spring(O 1/05) 56% Light

Firecracker-East Warren Prairie MU25,26,27/ 196 Spring(03/06) 83% Moderate

Southwest Warren Prairie MU29/Easter Island 103 Spring(02/ l 9) 95% Moderate

Total-Fall season 18 burns 2070 ac

* High intensity burns alter soil structure, moderate intensity burns remove duff and leaf litter to bare soil, and light partially removes leaf litter.

All prescribed bums were conducted by the Conservancy's FY 2016 fire management crew and followed previously written bum plans. Pre-bum activities included official notifications, neighbor notifications, and fireline installation.

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Post fire monitoring was conducted along transects within all fuel models several days after the bum. The amount of duff/litter removal, scorch height/intensity, and char degree were measured at each point along the transect to characterize fire intensity, coverage, co1Tesponding vegetation effects and to determine if fire management and ecological objectives were met. Post fire summary and monitoring repo1ts for all bums conducted by the conservancy fire management crew are included in the attachments.

Invasive Control Invasive species control was conducted at Te1re Noire Natural Area. Fescue grass was treated with herbicide over 30 acres on January 12, 2016. A document and map of the treated area is included in the attachments.

Plant Community Monitoring

The TNC-ARFO Tenestrial Ecologist led the field work.

Field Work conducted on:

Pine City 08/13/2015 - 08/14/2015 Chesney Prairie 08/17/2015 Searles Prairie 08/18/2015 Middle Fork Barrens 05/31/2016-June 2016

Species lists

Additions to plant and animal species lists were added opportunistically as staff conducted stewardship activities. When trips were conducted with ANHC staff, updated species lists were sent following site visit.

Stewardship database

Updates were input into the stewardship database as time allowed, usually on a monthly basis. These updates include contract deliverables as well as site visits, planning trips, and other activities not covered by the contract.

Database Management

The GIS Lab ofTNC's Arkansas Chapter annually perfmms hosting, maintenance and updates for Stewardship Tracking Database web application. We completed the previous year's upgrade, introduced new ANHC staff members to the database, and setup a more streamlined renewal schedule for all users. TNC staff has worked collaboratively to maintain the most accurate spatial information for natural areas and preserves. TNC staff also perfonns routine maintenance of the tabular records and cu1Tent shapeflies to ensure the integrity of the data.

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Itemized List of Stewardship Contract Activities Completed by 15 June 2016

Arkansas Oak Completed fireline maintenance on West unit (MU 05) Conducted prescribed bum on West unit (MU 05) Completed post bum evaluation and fire summary report.

Baker Prairie Completed fireline maintenance on West unit (MU 01); (subcontract) Conducted prescribed bum on West unit (MU 01) Completed post bum evaluation and fire summary report.

Chesney Prairie Completed plant community monitoring field work

Devil's Eyebrow Completed fireline maintenance on Trimble Mtn unit.

Kingsland Prairie Completed fireline maintenance on West unit (FMUOl) Conducted prescribed bum on West unit (FMUOI) Completed post bum evaluation and fire summary report.

Longview Saline Completed fire line installation on banens unit (FMU2&3) Conducted prescribed bum on ban·ens unit (FMU2&3) Completed post bum evaluation and fire summary report.

Lorance Creek Completed fireline installation on n01th/powerline unit (MU 01-06) Conducted prescribed bum on n01th/powerline unit (MU O 1-06) Completed post bum evaluation and fire summary report.

Middle Fork Barrens Completed fireline installation on new unit (MU06-07) Conducted prescribed bum on East unit (MU06-07) Completed post bum evaluation and fire summary report. Completed plant community monitoring field work

Miller Co Sandhills Completed fireline installation on East unit (MU06-07) Conducted prescribed bum on East unit (MU06-07) Completed post bum evaluation and fire summary rep01t.

Nacatoch Ravines Completed fireline installation on original unit (MU19)

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Conducted prescribed burn on original unit (MUl 9) Completed post burn evaluation and fire summary report. Completed fireline installation on powerplant unit (MU25-26) Conducted prescribed burn on powerplant unit (MU25-26) Completed post burn evaluation and fire summary report. Completed fireline installation on Runde Bush - central unit (MU03, 05, 07) Conducted prescribed burn on Runde Bush - central unit (MU03, 05, 07) Completed post burn evaluation and fire summary repo1t.

Palmetto Flats Completed Burn Plan for Palmetto unit (MUOl-09)

Pine City Completed fireline installation on Colony unit (MU06) Conducted prescribed burn on Colony unit (MU06) Completed post burn evaluation and fire summary rep01t. Completed plant community monitoring field work.

Poison Springs Completed Burn Plan for Pipeline unit (MU04) Completed fireline installation on Pipeline unit (MU04) Conducted prescribed burn on Pipeline unit (MU04) Completed post burn evaluation and fire summary report. Completed Burn Plan for Railroad unit (MU05) Completed fireline installation on Railroad unit (MU05) Conducted prescribed burn on Railroad unit (MU05) Completed post burn evaluation and fire summary rep01t.

Searles Prairie Completed plant community monitoring field work.

Te1Te Noire Completed herbicide treatment (MU05/06) Completed fireline installation on No1th unit (MUOl-02) Conducted prescribed burn on North unit (MUOl-2) Completed post bum evaluation and fire summary rep01t for North unit Completed fireline installation on Deltic unit (MU 06,08) Conducted prescribed bum on Deltic unit (MU 06,08) Completed post burn evaluation and fire summary report for Deltic unit

Warren Prairie Completed fireline installation on Firecracker-east unit (MU04, 05, 07,10) Conducted prescribed bum on Firecracker-east unit (MU04, 05, 07,10) Completed post burn evaluation and fire summary report on Firecracker unit. Completed fireline installation on Southwest unit (MU25, 26,27) Conducted prescribed burn on Southwest unit (MU25, 26,27)

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Completed Burn Plan for Easter Island unit (MU29) Completed ti.reline installation on Easter Island unit (MU29) Conducted prescribed bum on Easter Island unit (MU29) Completed post bum evaluation and fire summary repmt on Easter Island unit.

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CONTRACT AND GRANT DISCLOSURE AND CERTIFICATION FORM Failure to complete all of the followin(l information may result in a delay in obtaining a contract, lease, purchase agreement, or grant award with any Arkansas State Agency. SUBCONTRACTOR: SUBCONTRACTOR NAME:

D Yes [8JNo IS THIS FOR:

TAXPAYER ID NAME:The Nature Conservancy D Goods? [8J Services?D Both?

YOUR LAST NAME: FIRST NAME: M.I.:

ADDRESS: 601 North Universil_l Avenue

CITY: Little Rock STATE: AR ZIP CODE: 72205 COUNTRY:USA

AS A CONDITION OF OBTAINING, EXTENDING, AMENDING, OR RENEWING A CONTRACT, LEASE, PURCHASE AGREEMENT, OR GRANT AWARD WITH ANY ARKANSAS STATE AGENCY_ THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION MUST BE DISCLOSED:

Ii F O R I N D I V I D U A L S * Indicate below if: you, your spouse or the brother, sister, parent, or child of you or your spouse is a current or former: member of the General Assembly, Constitutional Officer, State Board or Commission

. , - - ........

Position Held Mark (.,j) Name of Position of Job Held For How Long?

Vl'.hat is the person(s) name and how are they related to you?

[senator, representative, name of [1.e., Jane Q . Public, spouse, John Q. Public, Jr., child, etc.]

Current Former board/ commission, data entry, etc.] From I To Person's Name(s) MM/YY MM/YY Relation

General Assembly D D I Constitutional Officer D D I State Board or Commission D D I Member

State Employee D D I D None of the above ap.eHes

FOR AN ENTITY (BUSINESS)* Indicate below if any of the following persons, current or former, hold any position of control or hold any ownership interest of 10% or greater in the entity: member of the General Assembly, Constitutional Officer, State Board or Commission Member, State Employee, or the spouse, brother, sister, parent, or child of a member of the General Assembly, Constitutional Officer, State Board or Commission Member, or State Employee. Position of control means the power to direct the purchasinQ policies or infl

Mark (.,j) Name of Position of Job Held For How Long? What is the person(s) name and what is his/her% of ownership interest and/or

what is his/her oosition of control? Position Held [senator, representative, name of

From l To Person's Name(s) Ownership Position of

Current Former board/commission, data entry, etc.] MM/YY MM/VY Interest(%) Control

General Assembly D D I Constitutional Officer D D i

I

State Board or Commission 181 D AR State Highway Commissioner 01/11 I 01/21 Tom Schueck 0% Trustee Member i State Employee 181 D Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, 1''

1998 ! current Baxter Sharp 0% Trustee Judicial Dist.

D None of the above applies

ii

Contract and Grant Disclosure and Certification Form

Failure to make any disclosure required by Governor's Executive Order 98-04, or any violation of any rule. regulation, or policy adopted pursuant to that Order. shall be a material breach of the terms o(this contract. Any contractor, whether an individual or entity. who fails to make the required disclosure or who violates any rule, regulation, or policy shall be subiect to all legal remedies available to the agency.

As an additional condition of obtaining, extending, amending, or renewing a contract with a state agency I agree as follows:

1. Prior to entering into any agreement with any subcontractor, prior or subsequent to the contract date, I will require the subcontractor to complete a CONTRACT AND GRANT DISCLOSURE AND CERTIFICATION FORM. Subcontractor shall mean any person or entity with whom I enter an agreement whereby I assign or otherwise delegate to the person or entity, for consideration, all, or any part, of the performance required of me under the terms of my contract with the state agency.

2. I will include the following language as a part of any agreement with a subcontractor:

Failure to make any disclosure required by Governor's Executive Order 98-04, or any violation of any rule, regulation, or policy adopted pursuant to that Order, shall be a material breach of the terms of this subcontract. The party who fails to make the required disclosure or who violates any rule, regulation, or policy shall be subject to all legal remedies available to the contractor.

3. No later than ten (10) days after entering into any agreement with a subcontractor, whether prior or subsequent to the contract date, I will mail a copy of the CONTRACT AND GRANT DISCLOSURE AND CERTIFICATION FORM completed by the subcontractor and a statement containing the dollar amount of the subcontract to the state agency.

Signature Title DirectorofOperations Date 5 /08 {;J .. 017 I I .....

V d C t t P Amy Short T'tl Sr Grants Specialist Ph N 612-331-0774 en or on ac erson I e one o. -----

Agency use only Agency Agency Agency Contact Contract Number Name Contact Person Phone No. or Grant No. --------- --

CONTRACT AND GRANT DISCLOSURE CERTIFCATION FORM

The Nature Conservancy (continued)

Mark(-../) Name of Position of Job

For How Long? What is the person(s) name and what is his/her% of ownership

Held interest and/or what is his/her position of control?

Position Held [senator,

Ownership representative, name of From To Position of Current Former board/commission, data MM/YY MM/YY

Person's Name(s) Interest Control

entry, etc.] (%)

State Board or Commission Arkansas Forestry '

Member X Commission 01/13 01/22 Mary Elizabeth Eldridge 0% Trustee

State Board or Commission X Boll Weevil Member Eradication Ritter Arnold 0% Trustee

Commission

State Board or Commission Member X AGFC Commissioner Witt Stephens 0% Trustee

State Board or Commission Arkansas Parks & Member X Tourism Commission Tom Schueck 0% Trustee

State Board or Commission Pollution Control & Member X Ecology Commission Tom Schueck 0% Trustee

State Board or Commission Pollution Control & Member X Ecology Commission John Chamberlin 0% Trustee

Exec Asst to Gov. State Employee X Mike Huckabee Gay White 0% Trustee

HUMAN RESOURCES Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action and Diversity

PURPOSE:

To prohibit discrimination based on an individual's protected status, to promote affirmative action, and to advance diversity in the workforce in the interests of the success of the mission.

POLICY:

The Conservancy will not condone or permit discrimination, including actions that create a hostile work environment, against any employee or applicant for employment based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or other status protected by law in all locations where the Conservancy works. It is the Conservancy's policy to encourage and support work environments that respect differences and provide all employees with dignity, fairness, and opportunities for professional development in all locations where the Conservancy works.

The Conservancy will actively promote diversity in its workforce in all of the places where the Conservancy works by utilizing open recruitment processes and seeking broad applicant pools. Diversity refers to human differences, including those based on culture, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status or other status protected by law.

ORIGIN:

Approved by the Board of Directors on March 15, 1996. Revised June 11, 1999, October 4, 2002, January 19, 2007, January 30, 2009, October 16, 2009, technical corrections February 2011 .

REFERENCES, RESOURCES, and EXPLANATORY NOTES:

The attached Statement of Policy is part of and incorporated in this Policy.

See the Policies: "Human Resources-Reporting Suspected Violations of Law and Policy" and "Human Resources-Workplace Harassment Prevention and Reporting ."

See also the Conservancy's Values .

Click here for more information about TNC's Commitment to Diversity Initiative.

Refer to the Worldwide Office Human Resources Function and the Worldwide Office Legal Function for additional information.

To view an electronic version of the federal and state mandated posters regarding employment laws, click here. These posters are displayed in all US - based Conservancy offices.

RESPONSIBLE PARTY:

Chief People Officer

Attachment

STATEMENT OF POLICY Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action

The Conservancy, through its responsible managers, recruits, hires, upgrades, trains, transfers, and promotes in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national orig in, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status or other status protected by law in all locations where the Conservancy works.

1. Managers ensure that all personnel actions such as compensation, benefits, layoffs, returns from layoffs, Conservancy-sponsored training, educational tuition assistance, and social and recreational programs, are administered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, military or veteran status or other status protected by law.

2. Managers base employment decisions on the principles of equal employment opportunity and with the intent to further the Conservancy's commitment to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action . At no time will any covered employee, or covered applicant for employment, who exercises his/her rights pursuant to the Conservancy's Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Policy be subject to discipline, or have his/her opportunities for employment adversely affected in retaliation for having exercised such rights.

3. Managers take affirmative action to ensure that qualified minority group individuals, females, disabled veterans, other protected veterans, recently separated veterans and persons with disabilities are introduced into the workforce, encouraged to aspire for promotion, and considered as promotional opportunities arise.

4. The Conservancy invites any employee or any applicant for employment in the U.S. to review the Conservancy's written Affirmative Action Plans for Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. This plan is available for inspection upon request from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Monday through Friday at the appropriate location, as coordinated by the Worldwide Office Human Resources Function. Any questions should be directed to a Director of the Worldwide Office Human Resources Function.

5. Applicants are encouraged to identify their race and sex if they desire to do so. This self-identification is strictly voluntary, confidential and will not result in retal iation of any sort. Employees are invited to self-identify as individuals with disabilities or as veterans. This self-identification is strictly voluntary, confidential and will not result in retaliation of any sort.

6. Employees and applicants are not subjected to harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion or discrimination because they have engaged in or may engage in any of the following activities: (1) filing a complaint of discrimination alleging violation of this policy or any federal, state, or host country anti­discrimination statute; (2) assisting or participating in an investigation, compliance review, hearing, or any other activity related to the administration of U.S. statutes, including section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (section 503), the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 197 4 (VEVRAA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, or any other federal, state, or host country law requiring equal opportunity for disabled persons, disabled veterans, other covered veterans, and recently separated veterans; or (3) opposing any act or practice made unlawful by Section 503 or its implementing regulations in this part or VEVRAA or its implementing regulations in this part or any other federal, state, or host country law requiring equal opportunity for disabled persons, disabled veterans, other covered veterans, recently separated veterans; or (4) exercising any other right protected by Section 503 or its

implementing regulations in this part or any other right protected by VEVRAA or its implementing regulations in this part.

7. The Conservancy makes reasonable accommodations to promote the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities and qualified disabled veterans, unless such accommodations would pose an undue hardship on the conduct of the Conservancy's business.

Complaint Procedure

Any employee or applicant for employment who believes that he or she has been the subject of discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or other protected status, or who believes that he or she has knowledge of such discrimination against another employee or applicant, should report it immediately to his or her supervisor, any other Conservancy employee in a supervisory or managerial position, the Chief People Officer, a Worldwide Office HR Director or Business Partner, a TNC attorney, or the Ethics and Compliance Office. Employees may report anonymously using the Conservancy's Ethics and Compliance Hotline (866-213-5323 toll free in the U.S.; outside the U.S. use an AT&T access number). Employees also may report anonymously via the TNC reporting website.

Any staff member receiving a complaint of discrimination shall immediately notify the Chief People Officer, a Worldwide Office HR Director or Business Partner, a TNC attorney, or the Ethics and Compliance Office. All investigations into charges of such discrimination or harassment will be conducted promptly and in a manner intended to protect confidentiality by the Ethics and Compliance Office in consultation with representatives of the Worldwide Office Human Resources Function and the Worldwide Office Legal Function. In most circumstances the ordinary course of an investigation will include informing the complainant and the person alleged to be discriminating of the outcome. The Conservancy will take corrective action, if appropriate, up to and including dismissal, based on the outcome of the investigation.

No individual who initiates a complaint of discrimination or harassment in good faith or who cooperates in the investigation of such a complaint will be subjected to any form of retaliation or otherwise disadvantaged as a result. Any acts of retaliation will result in appropriate disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.