Timber harvesting services

Tender description

As part of an ongoing programme of restoration works within the Muirkirk and North Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area, the RSPB has secured funding to undertake restoration works in the vicinity of Airds Moss near Muirkirk. The work will relate to restoring an area of Blanket Bog to good condition where a small commercial forestry plantation has recently been removed. This work is in line with a wider project to restore areas of degraded Blanket Bog within the Muirkirk and Lowther Uplands Special Protection Area. The overall area to be restored extends to approximately 27 hectares and consists of an area of mixed plantation felled approximately 3 years ago. The majority of felled material was removed under exception of the brash, and the tree stumps were, in most cases, not taken down to a level which would aid otherwise simpler restoration. The work to be undertaken is on peat soils and the overarching aim is ultimately to restore the peat bog to original condition i.e. prior to any man-made drainage being introduced, tree planting being undertaken or any other interventions due to industrial processes such as historic mining. The restoration aims to restore the hydrology of the site by stopping run-off through furrows and ditches and involves a number of techniques which will be outlined below and will endeavour to restore the land by raising the water table in that location. As part of the funding being provided for this project it is our intention to try varying techniques with a view to assessing which is the most effective over a period of time. Map B indicates the areas where the different techniques require to be employed. It is expected that the contractors tendering for this work will exhibit their experience of undertaking similar projects and as such will provide confirmation of their methodology for each of the techniques to be employed. Where they consider that their methods might differ from what might be considered “industry standard” this should be clearly stated in the tender and a full explanation provided. The intention here is that whilst we require a fixed price for the work to be undertaken, there may be some flexibility in how that price is made up and can be implemented within the programme of works.