Sample Forest Management Plan

Prepared by Woodland Restoration Inc.

Introduction

The area discussed in this proposal covers approximately 180 acres of forest along the north and west boundaries of the ranch.

The forests on the Woodland Creek Ranch still look good, but the suppression of natural fire has resulted in an overstocked forest. This overstocking has led to increased fire hazard and insect activity. Bark beetles are killing both lodgepole and ponderosa pines. As these beetle kill patches get larger they will become very visible and many large healthy ponderosa pine will be lost. If this forest were to burn in a wildfire most of the trees would likely be killed.

The major objectives of this forest management proposal are to improve overall forest health, reduce lethal fire hazard and maintain aesthetic values. Secondary objectives are to improve wildlife habitat and improve water quality in Woodland Creek. These objectives would be achieved through ecology-based, low-impact thinning methods followed by a fuels treatment.

Site Description

The Ranch has a very diverse forest. Stand structure and species composition vary with the changing aspects and topographic sites. The north aspects and riparian area along Woodland Creek support the moist habitats which contain western red cedar, grand fir, and white spruce.

Any treatment activities in the riparian area must protect this sensitive, valuable community and comply with Montana's Streamside Management Zone Law.

Douglas-fir, western larch, and lodgepole pine share dominance in the overstory on the upland easterly aspects of the ranch. On the slopes facing more toward the south, ponderosa pine becomes increasingly common.

Stumps and growth rings of older trees indicate that the forest was logged around 1900. The oldest trees sampled were ponderosa pines approximately 175 years old, but most of the overstory trees are 90-100 years old. Where the overstory canopy is more open dense clumps of grand fir and Douglas-fir seedlings occur in the understory.

The basal area for the ranch currently ranges from 130 square feet per acre to 210 square feet per acre.

Silvicultural Design

The objectives of our proposed treatments are to promote forest health, reduce

lethal fire hazard, and enhance esthetic values.

To implement these objectives we propose a light thinning where all the largest, healthiest trees will be selected as leave trees. The more fire-resistant species—ponderosa pine and western larch--will be preferred for leave trees, especially on drier sites. In moister areas other species will also be left. The majority of the trees that would be cut would be smaller Douglas-fir and beetle infested lodgepole.

Visual and aesthetic qualities of the property will be maintained by leaving most of the largest trees. The following criteria will direct the treatment.

1. The largest most vigorous trees will be favored for leave trees.

2. Trees with beetle infestations will be removed

3. Most poor quality trees and subdominant trees will be removed

4. All snags that do not present a safety hazard will be left standing for wildlife.

Trees with bark beetle infestations and trees that create competition or fire hazard for more desirable trees will be removed. Groups of small trees that do not create dangerous fuel ladders will be retained to provide canopy level diversity and hiding cover for wildlife.

The more vigorous trees tend to grow in groups and therefore leave tree spacing will be irregular as a reflection of these natural conditions. This approach is in direct contrast with most forestry and logging where an unnatural, even tree spacing is desired.

The basal area of the stand after treatment is estimated to range from 40-120 square feet per acre and will average 75-80 square feet per acre. The harvest is estimated to remove about 160 mbf and this will leave approximately 250 mbf of the best timber standing after treatment.

Harvest Plan

The northeast corner of the ranch north of Fire Creek (Stand A--see map) is where treatment should begin. In this area bark beetles have killed and continue to infest most of the lodgepole pine. Healthy white spruce, Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine are mixed throughout this site. Harvest here would remove all but the most vigorous, live lodgepole pine while being careful to protect the remaining trees from damage. These operations would be performed while the ground is frozen. These operations should pay for themselves.

The adjacent area to the west (Stand B--see map) should be treated next following the criteria outlined above. The volume harvested from these stands is estimated to yield approximately $15,000 above treatment costs.

In the remainder of the forest, income from the volume harvested would not be sufficient to cover the treatment costs. We estimate the income from stands A and B would be adequate to allow treatment of approximately sixty additional acres. Treatment of the rest of the forest (approximately 90 acres) would require investing additional money to cover the difference between harvest income and costs.

Harvest Design

Thinning will be done primarily with cut-to-length technology. This system uses a harvester and forwarder to minimize stand and soil damage. The harvester processes trees at the stump, so there is no need to drag whole trees out of the forest and slash is treated in the woods which benefits nutrient cycling. This system also greatly reduces the need to create large landings (openings in the forest for log decks and slash piles). Scarring of leave trees will be further minimized by careful operation. Soil disturbance is minimized because the forwarder carries logs instead of skidding them. Soil disturbance will be further minimized by operation on frozen or dry ground.

Some of the large dead lodgepole pine will need to be skidded log length with a skidder to maximize their value as house logs. These trees will amount to a small portion of the total volume and if it is done carefully there will be no significant impact.

For unit C (approximately 35 acres just north of the north field) we may want to consider using a whole tree system. The reasons for this are: 1. there will be no need to cut a big landing in the forest because we can use the field. 2. the trees and skid distances are short so damage to leave trees will be avoidable. 3. because the trees are small and so dense a feller buncher with a hot saw can be more efficient than a harvester. 4. the terrain in this stand is gentle, so damage to the soil will be minimal if the work is done in dry or frozen conditions.

The steep slopes in unit D will require using a special kind of cable yarder called an excaliner or a helicopter. We have implemented treatments with both systems that are eastheticely pleasing, and do not look like a logging job. The system we choose will depend on the economics at the time of implementation.

Fuels treatment

Following the thinning the slash will be carefully piled with a grapple. This method is much more low-impact than the standard practice of pushing slash together with a bulldozer or dragging whole trees to large landings. This kind of fuels treatment reduces fire hazard while helping to keep nutrients in the forest and protect soil and aesthetic values. These relatively small piles will be built primarily in the woods and burned by hand to exceed the State of Montana slash law requirements.

This treatment plan is designed to optimize the health and aesthetic value of the forest.

The proposed thinning will also increase vigor and growth of the remaining commercially and valuable timber.

In contrast, a plan to maximize current harvest income would cut most of the larger older trees. This kind of harvest would remove the trees best adapted to the site, as well as diminishing the aesthetic qualities of the property.

Woodland Restoration Inc. will provide the consulting foresters and contractors for this project. Our employees are trained and experienced in the art and science of restoration forestry. We understand the importance of aesthetic considerations as well. If contractors are used, they are chosen very carefully and Woodland Restoration employees work closely with them.

Wildlife

The ranch provides habitat for deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion, wolves, and a large variety of smaller mammals. This habitat will be enhanced by opening the tree canopy in places. This will promote the growth of grasses including rough fescue, Idaho fescue and bluebunch wheatgrass. Opening the canopy will also stimulate the growth of under story shrubs including chokecherry, serviceberry, Scouler’s willow and snowberry. All of these plants provide important food sources for wildlife, but they are all in decline due to shading from the dense tree canopy.

The tree thinning will be done in a conservative fashion, so wildlife cover should not be adversely affected. To maintain more structural diversity and provide more hiding cover several areas of 5 to 15 acres will be left untreated.

The landowner will continue monitoring for weeds to be sure opening the tree canopy does not reveal any new infestations.

Roads

This project will not require any new roads. The current road drainage will be reconfigured in the area near Woodland Creek to reduce the amount of sediment the road currently adds to the creek. This will improve water quality in Woodland Creek significantly during runoff.

Adaptive Management

This plan will be implemented using adaptive management. This strategy will be used while implementing the treatments to be sure goals are being met. If a goal is not being met, or a problem with a treatment arises, the treatment will be changed to correct the problem and meet the goal.