The Port is soliciting Proposals for Mitigation and Monitoring for Tree Removal at the Bellingham International Airport. Contract documents are available to view and download at https://www.portofbellingham.com/bids.aspx.

Bellingham International Airport (BLI) is a full-service commercial air-carrier airport located in Whatcom County, approximately 3 miles northwest of the City of Bellingham, WA, 20 miles from the Peace Arch USA and Canada border crossing, and adjacent to Interstate 5.  The Airport is owned, operated, and maintained by the Port of Bellingham and includes facilities to accommodate scheduled and unscheduled commercial air service, air taxi, general aviation, military, and air cargo operations. The ARFF station is located at 2005 West Bakerview Rd., Bellingham WA, 98226.  

BLI has federal mandates to keep protected surfaces free and clear of obstructions in and around the airport. The airports tree management plan requires the Port to remove hazardous trees that are encroaching into the protective surfaces to ensure the safety of aircraft operations. 

Each successful Proposer shall provide the following minimum requirements:

• Scope of Work – 
  
  1. Conduct monitoring and reporting services 
     
     • Technical support for adaptive management of planted trees at Ports tree mitigation site (Slater Tree Planting Area) 
     • Ongoing monitoring of planted trees at the Slater Tree Planting Area and stump regrowth monitoring at BLI in summer 2025 (Year 5) as detailed in the 2019 Mitigation and Monitoring Plan under the LDP approved by Whatcom County
     • Develop Year 5 monitoring reports for regrowth monitoring and Slater plantings and Year 1 for any new regrowth monitoring associated with cutting as well as any other anticipated mitigation. 
     • Project management and review of existing monitoring and mitigation permits and activities
  2. Support Development of Programmatic County  Permit  for Tree Felling at BLI
     
     • Develop an amendment to the 2019 Mitigation and Monitoring Plan to the Port’s existing programmatic LDP
     • Prepare an updated Mitigation and Monitoring Plan for the Port to submit to Whatcom County along with the Port’s new 5-year programmatic LFG Permit application for the airport to perform ongoing tree felling as tree hazards are identified by FAA and/or airport management in the future (2025 to 2030)
  3. Provide ability to provide additional support with activities included but not limited to permit applications, additional tree inventory, potential expansion of current tree planting area, community outreach, etc..
  4. Support the Port with tree removal under the existing Whatcom County Land Disturbance Permit and Mitigation/Monitoring Plan (LDP 2018-00067 and MIT 2018-00075)
     
     • Conduct and participate in project meetings as needed
     • Discuss programmatic notification and potential refinements to the existing LDP and/or Mitigation Monitoring Plan, including but not limited to:
       
       • Removal of significant trees
       • Removal of non-significant trees
       • Removal of trees within stream buffer critical areas.
       • Methods to minimize impacts to critical areas from hazard tree felling in airport Runway Safety Area (RSA) and Runway Object Free Area (ROFA)s and wood removal/disposal
       • Support the Port’s preparation of a notification for tree removal in RSA/ROFAs for submittal to Whatcom County under the existing LDP and mitigation/monitoring plan.
       • Prepare for and conduct tree inventory in RSA and ROFAs
       • Estimate number of replacement trees required for mitigation and number of mitigation trees remaining at the Slater Tree Planting Area.