MAINEMARK INC.

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HERBICIDES –

Prior to initiating a herbicide project, the following considerations need to addressed.

PURPOSE OF PROPOSED PROJECT

  1. Line of sight  
  2. Overgrown vegetation around target areas
  3. Invasive species control
  4. Cleaning up areas for endangered species restoration
  5. Other areas that require herbicide treatments for maximum efficiency

RATIONALE FOR DECISION

  1. Effect upon efficiency of personnel.   

  2. Importance of vegetation management. 

  3. Direct importance in maintaining the installation’s operational capabilities and how does it incorporate the requirements of the Sikes Act.

  4. Pests and life stages to be controlled.   

  5. Location, size and description of area to be treated.   

  6. Estimated time and frequency of treatments. 

  7. Pesticide and dosage to be used  

  8. Possibility of damage to beneficial plants and animals. 

  9. Consideration of alternate control methods. 

SENSITIVE AREAS

  1.  Sensitive Areas identification 

  2.  Sensitive Areas Avoidance 

  3.  Effects to Natural Resources 

AGENCY COORDINATION

  1. Agency Requirements: 

  2. Environmental Documentation: 

  3. Army regulations require that all herbicides must be approved for use at the federal, state and local installation levels before they can be utilized on an Army installation.

Training Area Management through Herbicide Applications

Herbicide applications are often used in conjunction with other methods of vegetation control.  Methods such as biological, burning and mowing can be used to complement either aerial or ground applications of herbicides.  Herbicides can be used to treat vegetation in a variety of areas such as:

  1. Line of Sight Corridors      
  2. Direct Fire Corridors
  3. Indirect Fire Corridors
  4. Maneuver Corridors
  5. Observation Points
  6. Training Areas
  7. Training Ranges
  8. Impact Areas
  9. Jump Zones
  10. Wetlands

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Accurate Records and History of all herbicide applications. 

Herbicide applications require careful analysis, planning, coordination and record keeping.  As part of the pre-spraying procedure, many installations utilize the TimberMark™ system as a means to accurately delineate and record potential treatment areas.  Prior to the herbicide applications, an environmentally approved latex paint applied through the TimberMark™ is used to mark the top of the boundary around the designated area.  By literally highlighting the application area, an airborne VISUAL inspection of the area can be performed by environmental, range control, and other interested personnel or agencies.  Once the appropriate personnel and agencies are satisfied that the correct areas are defined, herbicide operations can then be started with a degree of confidence not possible without the airborne inspection. 

The next section deals more specifically with Herbicides and their uses.  CPS Timberland Division is highly regarded within the herbicide industry and provides guidance and expert assistance to MaineMark in all areas regarding herbicide applications and sales

MEASURES OF MERIT

The members of the Armed Forces Pest Management Board are responsible for mandating congressional directives regarding herbicide uses within the DOD community.  The Measures of Merit (MoMs) provide directives towards Pesticide usage throughout all branches of the military. 

MoM #1. Goal: 100 percent of DoD installations will have current pest management plans.

MoM #2. Goal: Maintain the 55% pesticide use reduction achieved from 1993-2003 (in thousands of pounds of active ingredient)

MoM  #3. Goal: 100 percent of all DoD pesticide applicators will be appropriately certified.

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TimberMark™ Paint

Our paint is a custom latex formulation of tree-marking paint (lead-free) that has been specifically developed for our spray marking system.  The closed system for loading paint into TimberMark™system ensures that no batching or mixing of paint is required on site. 

The paint has a narrow rain fastness window, and depending on the type of paint purchased, can last anywhere from 1 to 7 years.

The paint has been tested for LC 50 ratings on several fish and insect species, and has been approved for use by the Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection and the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation.

The paint is currently being offered in the following colors; blue, orange, pink, red, purple, chartreuse and yellow.  The paperwork process to incorporate TimberMark™ and Nelson paint into the GSA system has begun and should be completed in the near future.

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Range Design and Layout

Typically,new ranges are digitally laid out and developed through the aid of satellite imagery and other local area photos.  While this method works well from an engineering standpoint, the range is still invisible until construction begins and it is hard to get good design inputs from the actual end users.  TimberMark™ can take the digital range layout and can make it visible on the ground.  After the range is laid out, the engineers, end users, environmental and safety personnel involved in the range design can take an airborne view of the actual range.  After the aerial tour of the proposed range complex, any changes that might be required due to environmental or training issues can be reviewed and acted upon.  If a design change has to made after range construction has begun, it can potentially cost millions of dollars and delay the finish of the range by weeks or months.  A change made due to a design problem that showed up in the aerial flight could possibly and quite probably save time and large amounts of construction dollars.  The paperwork process to incorporate TimberMark™ into the GSA system has begun and should be completed in the near future.

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Impact Areas Delineation

Safety and dod regulations dictate the operational requirement to identify the borders of impact areas.  Typically, impact areas are identified by signs placed around the perimeter of the impact area.  This normally works well in areas that are characterized by shrub brushes and other low growing vegetation.  In regions of the country that are characterized by large tall trees, thick swampy areas and moderate to poor visibility in the woods, a better and more controlled method of identifying the impact area is required.

TimberMark™ can provide an accurate and maintainable method of highlighting and defining the impact area boundary.  The initial marking is done in a three step process.  Step one utilizes Nelson Latex paint to highlight the impact area boundary.  Step two requires that a team of environmental, range control, legal and other interested post representatives take an airborne inspection of the proposed boundary line.  If any changes are required to the proposed boundary line, they can be done at this time.  Once all environmental and concerns are met, the herbicides can be applied to defoliate the line.

At the end of this three step process, a clearly defined, brightly painted blue line is in place around the impact area.  Purple paint can be substituted for blue paint if required.  After the herbicide application, the line also provides a fire break around the entire impact area.  

Long term and short term cost analysis figures comparing various forms of fencing and aerial applications utilizing TimberMark™ technology are available upon request.

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