C-2 Sample Cruise Plan.pdf

North Peak Timber Sale Cruise Plan White Mountain National Forest

Pemigewasset Ranger District

1. Introduction: The North Peak Timber Sale, formally called Mill Brook, is part of the implementation of South Pond Vegetative Management Project Environmental Analysis and Mill Brook Vegetative Management Project Environmental Analysis. The analysis area was 626 acres, of which 409 will be treated with commercial harvest as part of the timber sale, located in the towns of Milan and Stark, New Hampshire.

2. Sample Population: The approximate volume for this sale is 6580 ccf or 3980 mbf. The stands are comprised of northern hardwoods, mixed woods, and softwood stands. There are four prescriptions that will be applied to the stands: individual tree selection, shelterwood with reserves, clear-cut, and thinning.

3. Harvest Methods: The timber sale will have one harvesting system: tractor. Fall / winter logging has been specified.

4. Sample Method: Sample Tree will be the primary cruising method. Plot cruising may be added at a later date. The timber sale will be sold as a tree measurement sale and designed to meet a maximum allowable error no less than 10%, and an individual strata error of less than 40% as outlined in FSH 2409.12 ch 40. The sampling frequencies were determined by reviewing past sales of this size, variation, location and species composition.

R9 National Cruise Software, PDR’s or paper tally & sample sheets will be used to conduct the cruise. Cruisers will independently choose a sample tree within the sample ratio for each sample group without bias. It is important that all samples be collected throughout the proposed harvest unit and not solely in one area or portion of such harvest unit.

5. Cruise Program: The National Cruise Program will be used for data processing.

6. Product Merchantability Specification:

Sawtimber:

Aspen 1/ 11.0 8.5 9.6 70% Other Hardwoods 1/ 11.0 8.5 9.6 50%

Spruce & Fir 2/, 3/ 8.0 8.5 6.0 50% White Pine 2/, 3/, 4/ 9.0 8.5 7.6 50% Other Softwoods 2/, 3/ 9.0 8.5 7.6 50%

Non-Sawtimber

Hardwoods 5.0 8.0 4.0 50% Sound 5/ Reasonable Straight 6/

Softwoods 5.0 8.0 4.0 50% Sound 5/

Reasonable Straight 6/

1/ Minimum product will include - One clear face, meet minimum length, diameter, and minimum net scale in % of gross specifications. One clear face will apply to the entire product length.

2/ Minimum product will – meet minimum length, diameter, & minimum net scale in % of gross specifications.

3/ Open grown softwoods (Pine, Spruce, Hemlock or Balsam Fir) should be considered non sawtimber unless otherwise defined within the cruise plan. Open grown is defined as a softwood tree exhibiting excessive limbs, emerging at the base of the tree continuing upwards.

4/ Limb Rule – 1) When the sum of limbs 4” (four inch) or larger in DOB, within a one foot span, exceeds DOB of the main stem at that point; this will be considered a sawtimber stopper; 2) minimum industry standards are (1”x 4” x 6’), so if you have 6' of contiguous wood you have a minimum product length, and a product will be cut from it. If not, then no sawtimber product will be cut and it should be considered non-sawtimber.

5/ Sound applies to rot, voids, and char. Mechanical type defects such as sweep, crook, spider heart, and ring shake shall not be considered.

6/ Reasonably Straight: 1) product between 4.0” – 16.0” will need to fit through a

26-inch diameter cylinder; 2) product from 16.1” – 99.9” will not exceed 16.0”-inches of sweep/crook per minimum length.

7. Method of Sale: This is a tree measurement sale.

8. Marking: Sawlog cut trees will be identified with the cruiser’s initial on 1 side and diagonal slash on the opposite side of the bole; with both marks at or above DBH. Two, (2), stump marks will be placed below stump height in a well protected area. Pulpwood cut trees will have a single dot at or above DBH on 2 sides with one (1) stump mark below stump height in a well protected area. Cruisers / markers should consider placing paint on tree consistently in height and facing direction in relation to topology & harvest system. Steps will be taken to remove moss, snow, lose bark, ice, dirt or other factors that will hinder the paint from adhering to the stump or bole. Each cruise / sample tree will have the markers symbol, diameter, total sawlogs, sawlog defect, total number of bolts and pulp defect written on each tree. Red flagging should be placed near each cruise / sample tree as a way to identify the location. Each cruiser(s) is encouraged to GPS each cruise / sample tree to improve locating each tree. Cruisers should review the WMNF & Regional Timber Theft Plan. Boundaries will be marked in either pink or orange paint with two or three horizontal strips facing into the unit. In additional to this, a stump mark will be placed in a well protected area below stump height. When units share a common boundary a two stripe will be painted on both sides. With either method, steps will be taken to remove moss, snow, lose bark, ice, dirt or other factors that will hinder the paint from adhering to the stump or bole. Unit number should be placed below the stripes on boundary trees and spaced every 100’ – 125’ feet. If leave trees are required; they will be identified with one orange painted band at DBH or higher & one (1) stump mark below stump height in a well protected area. Note: Be sure to apply enough paint to any tree so to be visible for 5-7 years. Please avoid the following; 1) Marking boundaries on dead stubs, pin cherry, striped maple, birch or other small saplings. All of these are at risk of failing or being damaged during harvest operations. Place paint on trees that have a reasonable likelihood of survival. 2) Boundaries marked on paper birch with flaky bark will flaked off. Consider trees 8” – 12” in DBH as these trees offer good visibility with minimum paint. Re-marking boundaries lines or the sale as a whole creates higher costs with labor and material.

9. Measurement Techniques: All measurement techniques are described in FSH 2409.12 chapter 10, Forest Service Timber Cruising Handbook & R9 Qualified Cruiser Reference Guild dated October 2006.

a. DBH: DBH will be measured using methods found in FSH 2409.12, chapter 10 & R9 Revised Qualified Cruiser Reference Guild dated October 2006.

*DBH will be measured to the nearest tenth.

b. Height: Height will be measured using methods found in FSH 2409.12, chapter 10 & R9 Revised Qualified Cruiser Reference Guild / Power Point.

All trees will be measured to a 4” (four inch) top DIB & to the nearest foot, not bolts as under the old cruising method. Cruiser will need to provide 2 (two) heights on all sawtimber trees sampled. For all hardwood sawtimber trees a total primary product height (sawlog height) & total secondary product (4” height). For all softwood sawtimber trees a total primary product height (sawlog height) & or total secondary product (4” height) or total tip height. On all secondary (non-sawtimber) trees, cruisers will provide a secondary height on hardwood species or secondary / total tip height on all softwood species. Note: cruisers will only be allowed to collect a “total tip height” in lieu of a secondary product height on all softwood species due as they provide a uniform tapered shape.

c. Defect: All cruise trees will be examined for visual defect using R9 defecting methods & R9 Revised Qualified Cruiser Reference Guild / Power Point. If defect is present, cruisers will not round the defect until the total defect is calculated for the sawlog or non-sawtimber portion of any tree. Once the all defect determination is finished (i.e. sawlog or non-sawtimber area) the cruiser will round to the closest ten factor (i.e. 10, 20, 30, ect). All defect areas will be treated in 2’ (two feet) sections. An example of this would be a cruiser finds a 1’ (one foot) section of defect. The cruiser would then round this to a 2’ (two feet) area and apply the approximate defect based from the defect chart.

d. Log Grading: Log grading will not be conducted during this cruise. Cruisers are instructed to follow the W.M.N.F. Timber Specification, listed within this document, for this timber sale. At no time will new timber speciations be applied to an existing timber sale with existing standards already in place.

Once a sale is started the standards used remain in place until the sale is finished. Industry timber specifications are not to be confused with W.M.N.F.

Timber Specification Standards; as W.M.N.F. standards supersede industry standards.

10. Area Determination: All or if areas are cruised using a plot based cruised system they will require an accurate acreage. In all cases, reserve areas, buffers or other special non-harvest areas will need to be subtracted from the overall unit acreage. In areas where a sample-tree based cruise method will be applied, an accurate acreage is still desired for determining volumes per acre. For this reason, acreage will be accepted using hand held GPS units.

11. Check Cruise: A check cruise will only be conducted, by a certified check cruiser, if the overall sale volume exceeds 2000ccf. This check cruise would determine the accuracy of the cruise, which must be within +/-10% as outlined in FSH 2409.12.CH 60 and meet CH 40 requirements. Regardless of a check cruise all sales must meet the standards outlined with FSH 2409.12Ch 40 & 60.

12. Equipment Used: Relaskops, logger’s tapes, maps, pencils, calculators, defect charts, data recorders, aerial photos, ARCMAP, GPS units, ect.

13. Special Instructions: Follow all specified mitigation measures, stand prescription & forest plan guidelines and standards. If new or unknown special features such as raptor nests, mineral licks, or archeological sites are discovered during marking, these features should be avoided and brought to the appropriate specialist’s attention.

14. File Management: All pertinent documents related to the North Peak Timber Sale should be stored and located in: North Peak Sale Prep folder & North Peak Sale Folder.

15. Safety: Hazards in cruising require all members of the crew to be safety minded at all times. Each crew leader shall have access to a copy of FSH 6709.11, Health and Safety Code Handbook, and shall provide training and information on safety practices for the cruising crew before and during cruising assignments. JHA’s, “Tail-Gate Safety Talks”, personal experience or MSDS sheets provide additional safety information.

Following are cross-references to subjects in the Health and Safety Code Handbook, FSH 6709.11 that pertain to individuals engaged in cruising projects:

Chapters Subjects

Chapter 10 – Travel Travel safety for the cruising assignment Chapter 20 - Work Projects and Activities Work in remote areas Scaling while on training assignment Scaling on mill decks

Scaling in mill yards Timber sale administration, while training or working near logging operations Tree felling and bucking Chapter 40 - Equipment and Machinery

16. Silviculture RX’s: Stand prescription can be found in the project file

17. Maps: Maps can be found in the project file

Prepared by: /s/Randy Harrington Approved by:

Forest Technician District Ranger

Cruise Design

Strata Description

1 Sawtimber (hardwoods 11”-99.9” softwood 8”-99.9”) 2 Pulpwood (Mixed Hardwoods 5.0 – 99.9 Mixed Conifers 5.0 –99.9) 3 Plots (If utilized)

Sample Groups Description RO Red Oak SM Sugar Maple YB Yellow Birch RM Red Maple Beech Beech PB Paper Birch WA White Ash Aspen Aspen (Quaking and Big Tooth Species only) MH Other All other hardwoods (Basswood, B. Cherry, Ironwood, Other Oaks, Other Ash, ect) Spr / Fir Red Spruce & Balsam Fir Hemlock Eastern Hemlock WPine Eastern White Pine MC Other All other conifers (Other Pines, Other Spruces, Larch, Cedar, ect)

MH Hardwood Pulp / All Non-sawtimber species (5” – 99.9”) MC Softwood Pulp / All Non-sawtimber species (5” – 99.9”)

Sample Groups Strata Frequency

Strata 1

RO 1 50

SM 1 40

YB 1 50

RM 1 50

Beech 1 120

PB 1 50

Aspen 1 50

WA 1 40

MH Other 1 40

Spr / Fir 1 60 Hemlock 1 50 W.Pine 1 50 MC Other 1 40

Strata 2

MH 2 400

MC 2 200

Strata 3

Sample Group 1 & 2 will support a (one) BA prism (5, 10, 20, 40, ect) (Select only one BA for this Sample Group 1 & 2)

Sample Group 1 Strata

RO 3

SM 3

YB 3

RM 3

Beech 3

PB 3

Aspen 3

WA 3

MH Other 3 Spr / Fir 3 Hemlock 3 W.Pine 3 MC Other 3

Sample Group 2

MH 3

MC 3

Sample Group 3 & 4 will support (one) BA prism (5, 10, 20, 40, ect) (Sample Groups 3& 4 would be used if a different BA prism was needed outside of the one selected for sample group 1 & 2 within strata 3. An example would be selecting a larger BA prism for a different harvest unit. Be sure to select only one BA for Sample Groups 3 & 4)

Sample Group - 3

RO 3

SM 3

YB 3

RM 3

Beech 3

PB 3

Aspen 3

WA 3

MH Other 3

Spr / Fir 3 Hemlock 3 W.Pine 3 MC Other 3

Sample Groups - 4

MH 3

MC 3

SAMPLING ERROR STANDARDS:

(FSH 2409.12 - 41.1 – Exhibit 01) Maximum Sampling Errors for the Sale-as-a-Whole Volume Error Standard (95% Confidence Level)

Estimated Sale Value

Scaled Sales (plus/minus)

Tree Measurement Sales (plus/minus)

> 5,000 <= 15,000 30% 20% > 15,000 <= 35,000 30% 19% > 35,000 <= 55,000 30% 16% > 55,000 <= 75,000 30% 14% > 75,000 <= 95,000 30% 12%

> 95,000 20% 10%

Paint Colors & Type of Timber Designation (LTM - Leave Tree Mark & CTM – Cut Tree Mark)

Unit 1 Blue CTM Unit 24 East Blue Groups Unit 2 Blue CTM Unit 24 West Blue Groups Unit 3 Orange LTM Unit 25 Yellow Clear Cut Unit 4 Yellow Clear Cut Unit 26 Blue Groups Unit 5 Orange LTM Unit 27 Blue Groups Unit 6 Yellow Clear Cut Unit 7 Blue CTM Unit 8 Blue Groups Unit 9 Yellow Clear Cut Unit 10 Blue Groups Unit 11 Blue Groups Unit 21 Blue Groups Unit 22 Yellow Clear Cut Unit 23 Blue Groups

Slope or lean correction factors

For slope distances, multiply the horizontal distance by the correction factor for the appropriate slope angle. (Slope angles are measured from horizontal).

For leaning heights, multiply the vertical height by the correction factor for the appropriate lean angle. (Lean angles are measured from vertical).

Degrees Slope or Lean

Percent Slope or Lean Correction

Factor*

Degrees Slope or Lean

Percent Slope or Lean Correction

Factor* 0 - 4° 0 - 9% 1.00 34° 68 - 69% 1.21 5 - 9° 10 - 17% 1.01 35° 70% 1.22

10 - 12° 18 - 22% 1.02 71 - 72% 1.23 13 - 14° 23 - 26% 1.03 36° 73 - 74% 1.24 15 - 16° 27 - 30% 1.04 37° 75% 1.25 17 - 18° 31 - 33% 1.05 76 - 77% 1.26 19 - 20° 34 - 36% 1.06 38° 78 - 79% 1.27

21° 37 - 39% 1.07 80% 1.28 22° 40 - 42% 1.08 39° 81 - 82% 1.29

23 - 24° 43 - 44% 1.09 83% 1.30 25° 45 - 47% 1.10 40° 84 - 85% 1.31 26° 48 - 49% 1.11 86% 1.32 27° 50 - 51% 1.12 41° 87 - 88% 1.33 28° 52 - 53% 1.13 89% 1.34 29° 54 - 55% 1.14 42° 90 - 91% 1.35 30° 56 - 57% 1.15 92% 1.36

58 - 59% 1.16 43° 93 - 94% 1.37 31° 60 - 61% 1.17 95% 1.38 32° 62 - 63% 1.18 44° 96 - 97% 1.39 33° 64 - 65% 1.19 98% 1.40

66 - 67% 1.20 45° 99 - 100% 1.41

*Correction factor for any slope or lean measured in degrees is 1 / Cosine(SlopeDegrees)

*Correction factor for any slope or lean measured in percent is 2100/1 ntSlopePerce

Volume Distribution Within a Tree

Bolt

84 - 88 80 - 84

Percent 1 - 2 -

68 - 72 64 - 68

2 - 2 -

2 - 2 -

60 - 64 56 - 60

Cumulative % Volume (Rounded) Actual % Volume by 4’ Bolts

2 - 3 -

3 - 3 -

3 - 3 -

52 - 56 48 - 52

3 - 3 -

4 - 4 -

4 - 4 -

4 - 4 -

44 - 48 40 - 44

5 - 5 -

4 - 5 -

4 - 5 -

4 - 5 -

4 - 5 -

36 - 40 32 - 36

7 - 7 -

6 - 7 -

6 - 7 -

6 - 6 -

5 - 6 -

5 - 6 -

28 - 32 24 - 28

9 - 10 -

8 - 9 -

7 - 8 -

7 - 7 -

6 - 7 -

6 - 7 -

6 - 6 -

20 - 24 16 - 20

13 - 14 -

11 - 11 -

9 - 10 -

9 - 9 -

8 - 9 -

8 - 8 -

7 - 8 -

7 - 7 -

12 - 16 8 - 12

21 - 23 -

15 - 17 -

12 - 14 -

11 - 12 -

9 - 11 -

9 - 10 -

8 - 9 -

8 - 8 -

8 - 8 -

4 - 8 0 - 4

39 - 61 -

26 - 30 -

19 - 22 -

16 - 17 -

13 - 14 -

12 - 12 -

11 - 11 -

10 - 10 -

9 - 9 -

8 - 9 -

# Bolts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Min. Ht. 8’ 6” 12’ 6” 21’ 0” 29’ 0” 37’ 6” 45’ 6” 54’ 0” 62’ 0” 70’ 6” 78’ 6”

SPECIES IDENTIFICATION

A timber cruiser must be able to correctly identify all of the species that will be encountered, in all of the seasons of the year. This is a learned skill, and may take time and practice to master. Cruisers learn to identify species by foliage, bark, buds, branching patterns, overall shape, cones or seeds, and other characteristics.

Merchantability specifications and product value depend on correct identification of species. The volume equations used to calculate the product volumes produce different volumes for different species due to variations in the tree forms between the species.

Region 9 is a very diverse region in terms of the number of commercial tree species.

Table 2 contains a list of all of the commercial species currently recognized in the region for the purposes of cruising. There are over 100 species listed. Notice that in addition to the scientific name and “official” common name there is a unique numeric code used to identify each species. Cruisers must know the numeric codes for species common to their area since all of the software used to process the cruise data requires these numeric codes.

Table 2 – List of commercial tree species for the Eastern Region of the USDA Forest Service.

Numeric Scientific Name Common Name 012 Abies balsamea Balsam Fir 068 Juniperus virginiana Eastern Redcedar 071 Larix laricina Tamarack 091 Picea abies Norway Spruce 094 Picea glauca White Spruce 095 Picea mariana Black Spruce 097 Picea rubens Red Spruce 105 Pinus banksiana Jack Pine 110 Pinus echinata Shortleaf Pine 123 Pinus pungens Table Mountain Pine 125 Pinus resinosa Red Pine 126 Pinus rigida Pitch Pine 129 Pinus strobus Eastern White Pine 130 Pinus sylvestris Scotch Pine 131 Pinus taeda Loblolly Pine 132 Pinus virginiana Virginia Pine 221 Taxodium distichum Baldcypress 241 Thuja occidentalis Northern White-Cedar 261 Tsuga canadensis Eastern Hemlock 313 Acer negundo Boxelder 314 Acer nigrum Black Maple 315 Acer pensylvanicum Striped Maple 316 Acer rubrum Red Maple

317 Acer saccharinum Silver Maple 318 Acer saccharum Sugar Maple 319 Acer spicatum Mountain Maple 330 Aesculus Buckeye Spp.

331 Aesculus glabra Ohio Buckeye 332 Aesculus flava Yellow Buckeye 356 Amelanchier Serviceberry 371 Betula alleghaniensis Yellow Birch 372 Betula lenta Sweet Birch 373 Betula nigra River Birch 375 Betula papyrifera Paper Birch 379 Betula populifolia Gray Birch 391 Carpinus caroliniana Blue-Beech/Hornbeam 400 Carya Hickory Spp.

402 Carya cordiformis Bitternut Hickory 403 Carya glabra Pignut Hickory 404 Carya illinoinensis Pecan 405 Carya laciniosa Shellbark Hickory 407 Carya ovata Shagbark Hickory 408 Carya texana Black Hickory 409 Carya alba Mockernut Hickory 421 Castanea dentata American Chestnut 452 Catalpa speciosa Northern Catalpa 460 Celtis Hackberry Spp.

462 Celtis occidentalis Common Hackberry 471 Cercis canadensis Eastern Redbud 481 Cladrastis kentukea Kentucky Yellowwood 490 Cornus Dowood Spp.

491 Cornus florida Flowering Dogwood 521 Diospyros virginiana Common Persimmon 531 Fagus grandifolia American Beech 541 Fraxinus americana White Ash 543 Fraxinus nigra Black Ash 544 Fraxinus pennsylvanica Green Ash 552 Gleditsia triacanthos Honeylocust 571 Gymnocladus dioicus Kentucky Coffeetree 601 Juglans cinerea Butternut 602 Juglans nigra Black Walnut 611 Liquidambar styraciflua Sweetgum 621 Liriodendron tulipifera Yellow-Poplar/Tuliptree 641 Maclura pomifera Osage Orange 651 Magnolia acuminata Cucumbertree 654 Magnolia macrophylla Bigleaf Magnolia 655 Magnolia fraseri Mountain Magnolia 691 Nyssa aquatica Water Tupelo 694 Nyssa sylvatica Blackgum

701 Ostrya virginiana Ironwood/Hophornbeam 731 Platanus occidentalis American Sycamore 741 Populus balsamifera Balsam Poplar 742 Populus deltoides Eastern Cottonwood 743 Populus grandidentata Bigtooth Aspen 744 Populus heterophylla Swamp Cottonwood 746 Populus tremuloides Quaking Aspen 761 Prunus pensylvanica Pin Cherry 762 Prunus serotina Black Cherry 800 Quercus Oak Spp.

802 Quercus alba White Oak 804 Quercus bicolor Swamp White Oak 806 Quercus coccinea Scarlet Oak 809 Quercus ellipsoidalis Northern Pin Oak 812 Quercus falcata Southern Red Oak 813 Quercus pagoda Cherrybark Oak 816 Quercus ilicifolia Bear Oak 817 Quercus imbricaria Shingle Oak 822 Quercus lyrata Overcup Oak 823 Quercus macrocarpa Bur Oak 824 Quercus marilandica Blackjack Oak 825 Quercus michauxii Swamp Chestnut Oak 826 Quercus muehlenbergii Chinkapin Oak 830 Quercus palustris Pin Oak 831 Quercus phellos Willow Oak 832 Quercus prinus Chestnut Oak 833 Quercus rubra Northern Red Oak 834 Quercus shumardii Shumard Oak 835 Quercus stellata Post Oak 837 Quercus velutina Black Oak 901 Robinia pseudoacacia Black Locust 920 Salix Willow Spp.

922 Salix nigra Black Willow 931 Sassafras albidum Sassafras 935 Sorbus americana American Mountain

Ash 951 Tilia americana American Basswood 952 Tilia americana v.

heterophylla White Basswood

970 Ulmus Elm Spp.

971 Ulmus alata Winged Elm 972 Ulmus americana American Elm 975 Ulmus rubra Slippery Elm 977 Ulmus thomasii Rock Elm

Some of the listings in table 01 are for an entire genus. These have only the genus name in the column for scientific name, and have the designation “Spp.” in the common name.

These codes are for use with species of that genus that are not any of the particular species listed. These codes may also be used when cruisers are instructed not to differentiate between species of a particular genus.

Forest: 22 Date(s):

District: 4 Comp / Stand #: Unit # Sale Name: Hogsback Timber Sale Batch #:

Paint Color: Symbol(s):

Marker's Name(s):

Strata # 1 All Sawtimber Sizes

RO 1: 50

SM1:40

YB 1: 50

RM 1: 50

Beech 1: 120

PB 1: 50

Aspen 1:50

WA 1: 40

MH Other 1: 40 Softwood Spr /Fir1:60

Hemlock1:50

W Pine 1: 50

MC Other 1: 40

Strata # 2 All Non Sawtimber Species MH- Mixed Hrd 1:400

MC-Mixed Cnfer 1:200

Strata # 3 Plot Cruise

Notes: