6. UnitLayoutSpecificationGuide.pdf

LAYOUT GUIDE

Contractor will designate the boundaries with provided blue flagging, following proposed NEPA harvest units and incorporating resource protection requirements. Units will not extend beyond proposed harvest unit lines, and in some cases will be smaller due to resource protection requirements. Adjustments in unit boundaries are common and reconnaissance for logging feasibility will be required. Typical adjustments can account for up to approximately 25% of unit acres being eliminated for various reasons.

Resource Protection Requirements

During the course of layout, the contractor shall avoid forest resources that may require protection by following the measures below. All resources found and protected should be listed on Logging Systems Layout Card.

Resource to be Protected Method for Protection Quality Standard for Layout Means of Designation

Soil

Protect by avoidance following slope limitations.

35% maximum slope favorable skidding for ground based logging, with the exception of short pitches over maximum slope no more than 200’.

Sustained 20% maximum slope adverse skidding for ground based logging.

Delineate out areas following guidelines in Quality Standard for Layout.

Landline blaze trees, section corners, survey monuments and bearing trees

Protect by avoidance. Nearest available location within 5 feet of landline and on forest service lands.

Flag unit boundary to protect trees along blaze/survey line;

Indicate approximate location of section corners found on unit layout card.

Riparian Habitat Conservation Areas (RHCA)

Protect by avoidance by installation of buffer following PACFISH guidelines (See fig 1).

COR will notify contractor of which guideline to use a project-by-project basis.

Nearest available location with flag line outside of protected habitat area.

Flag unit boundary designating RHCA using PacFish Guidelines.

Wildlife habitat protection areas

Protect by avoidance, unit boundary shall exclude areas indicated on layout map.

Nearest available location within 5 feet.

Special wildlife areas are mapped allocations that have not been designated on the ground by the Forest Service, Layout unit boundaries to avoid overlap with wildlife habitat protection areas.

Special Measurement Areas

(SMA)

Protect by avoidance. Nearest available location within 5 feet.

SMA areas may be flagged inside unit. They are identified on the map as SMA and may be flagged on the ground. Flag unit boundary following existing SMA polygon or flagging.

Standard Widths Defining Interim RHCAs (PACFISH)

The four categories of stream or water body and the standard widths for each are:

Category 1 -Fish-bearing streams: Interim RHCAs consist of the stream and the area on either side of the stream extending from the edges of the active stream channel to the top of the inner gorge, or to the outer edges of the 100-yearfloodplain, or to the outer edges of riparian vegetation, or to a distance equal to the height of two site-potential trees, or 300 feet slope distance (600 feet, including both sides of the stream channel), whichever is greatest.

Category 2 -Permanently flowing non-fish-bearing streams: Interim RHCAs consist of the stream and the area on either side of the stream extending from the edges of the active stream channel to the top of the inner gorge, or to the outer edges of the 100 year flood plain, or to the outer edges of riparian vegetation, or to a distance equal to the height of one Site-potential tree, or 150 feet slope distance (300 feet, including both sides of the stream channel), whichever is greatest.

Category 3 -Ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and wetlands greater than 1 acre: Interim RHCAs consist of the body of water or wetland and the area to the outer edges of the riparian vegetation, or to the extent of the seasonally saturated soil, or to the extent of moderately and highly unstable areas, or to a distance equal to the height of one site-potential tree, or 150 feet slope distance from the edge of the maximum pool elevation of constructed ponds and reservoirs or from the edge of the wetland, pond or lake, whichever is greatest.

Category 4 -Seasonally flowing or intermittent streams, wetlands less than 1 acre, landslides, and landslide-prone areas: This category includes features with high variability in size and site-specific characteristics. At a minimum the interim RHCAs must include:

a. the extent of landslides and landslide-prone areas

b. the intermittent stream channel and the area to the top of the inner gorge

c. the intermittent stream channel or wetland and the area to the outer edges of the riparian vegetation

d. for Key Watersheds, the area from the edges of the stream channel, wetland, landslide, or landslide-prone area to a distance equal to the height of one site-potential tree, or 100 feet slope distance, whichever is greatest.

e. for watersheds not identified as Key Watersheds, the area from the edges of the stream channel, wetland, landslide, or landslide-prone area to a distance equal to the height of one-half site potential tree, or 50 feet slope distance, whichever is greatest.

Figure 1- PACFISH Requirements

Ephemeral and Intermittent Stream Description

Perennial, intermittent, and ephemeral streams were defined in FSM 2526.05 09/90 R-6 Supp

42. This section of the manual has been deleted but is used here to define and provide consistency for determining stream types.

The distinction between intermittent and ephemeral stream types is stated as follows:

Intermittent Streams--Carry water most of the year, but cease to flow during the dry season because evaporation and percolation into their bed and banks exceeds the available streamflow.

Have well-defined channels. Include channels showing active scouring or washing in this category even though they may flow only during or immediately after periods of precipitation or the melting of snow. Normally lack litter, except during the fall of the year, indication streamflow sufficient to move material during runoff. Intermittent streams do not include ephemeral streams.

Ephemeral Steams—Carry only surface runoff and flow only during and immediately after periods of precipitation or the melting of snow. Form in slight depressions in the natural contour of the ground surface but do not normally develop sufficient flow to wash or scour their channels. Can usually be identified by the presence of needles or other litter in the depressions.

PACFISH interim RHCA widths are based on these stream categories. Ephemeral streams have no delineated RHCA, though various Best Management Practices (BMPs) protect them eg.

prohibition of yarding or establishing equipment trails along their bottoms, managing the number and location of crossings. These BMPs generally rely on unit layout, timber marking, and the timber sale contract authority to designate skid trails.

Highly dissected ephemeral draws occur frequently in the plateau/canyon terrain in the northern Blue Mountains. Harvest activities near them have no risk of affecting water temperature because of their very short flow regime. However, due to their shape there is a risk of soil disturbance and related erosion and sedimentation. The following BMPs are suggested to prevent this disturbance.

Do not operate equipment or remove stabilizing vegetation on or near the edge of the dissection or within the inner gorge of dissected ephemeral draws.

Prevent soil disturbance from management activities such as felling and yarding trees by unit layout, directional felling, timber marking, and designation of trails.

Do not cross these channels with equipment in areas where it will cause bank breakdown.

Flagging Boundaries of units must be flagged with blue flagging and must be inter-visible. The length of flagging will be between 12” and 30” from the knot made after tying the flagging. Knot will face into the unit. Unit corners are designated with 3 flags tied around the bole with knots facing into the unit.

The minimum distance between flagging is determined by site conditions. When available select live trees that do not have other merchantable trees between them.

When possible choose boundary trees that are in good health, have good form, and are expected to remain standing for several years. Choose trees of merchantable size over young regeneration.

Choose trees of desirable species (DF, WL, PP, WP) over trees of less desirable species (ES, GF, LP) when possible.

Additional Unit Requirements

Do not put unit boundary along mid-slope with adverse skidding unless located on existing road.

Each unit will be laid out as only one loggings system, either ground based or skyline.

Skyline units will require a minimum of two profiles to determine if feasible. Contactor will run profiles on the ground and Forest Service will analyze and verify feasibility. Submitted profile data will be reviewed within 5 business days of submittal.

Units shall be a minimum of five acres.

Units shall have an estimated minimum volume of 2000 bf per acre on average throughout the unit for ground based harvest systems and a minimum of 5000 bf for skyline units. Notify the COR or Inspector if you believe the unit does not meet these requirements.

Landing locations for ground based harvest systems will need to be identified using the following as a general guide:

Approximately one landing is needed for every 30 acres.

In some cases additional landings may be needed if unit is not contiguous or if ground conditions require multiple landings due to resource protection requirements.

Landings must be located within the units and accessible by road, if no appropriate landing location is available within the unit, identify an alternative location as close to unit as possible.

Ideal landing locations consist of slopes 0-10% and a half acre or more in size.