The project involves manual and mechanical mastication of mountain laurel and other undesirable species under 6 inches DBH in designated areas of the Allegheny National Forest. Contractors must assess on-the-ground vegetation density to decide where mechanized equipment can be used versus manual treatment, such as in intermittent stream buffers, dry drainages, and locations inaccessible to machinery. All treatment areas are reachable from forest roads unless an alternate route is approved in writing by the COR. Units are provided as virtual boundaries on georeferenced PDF maps (shapefiles available upon request) and marked with orange "2026 Mastication" tags that contractors must locate, initial, and date prior to beginning work.