priest_lake_prescriptions.pdf

SILVICULTURAL SUMMARY PRESCRIPTION

Stand Description

Sub-item No: 3.1 & 3.2 Acres: 23 Unit Name: Bismark #5 and #6/#27 Stand No: #5-841-03-070=10acres/#6/#27-841-03-071=13acres

NOTE: Deleting portions of stands #5/#6 due to LAU requiremnts

Location: Priest Lake RD, IPNF Legal: T60N, R5W, Sec 4/5 Bonner County Elevation Range: 3000’ Avg. Slope: 25% Mgmt. Area: TIMBR Avg. Stand Age: 20 yrs Avg. Aspect: E Habitat Type: 571 Avg. Tree Height: 15 ft. FY Planned: 2010 FUNDING: WRFH05 Project# WFM-0104-01FHF Access: Un-gated 313B Forest Service Road. The road may require some minor brush clearing for vehicle access.

Existing Stocking: 8,000-11,000 T/A

Average 8,100 T/A Category: Heavy Density-12x12

Approximate Species Composition: Extremely dense

WL 220 TPA LP 110 TPA C 1650 TPA WP 550 TPA WH 1320 TPA GF 5500 TPA DF 1650 TPA

PP-75 TPA ES – 50 TPA AF-50 TPA

Narrative: This unit was a Liberation cut and natural regeneration initiated in 1994. The site was planted with the Force Account crew in 1997. Western White Pine and Western Larch were the species planted on a 9x9 spacing focusing on the skid roads and largest openings. Individual tree weed and release activities were accomplished in 2001, with target species being Western Larch and Ponderosa Pine. The specifications for spacing used were the height of the WL/PP tree or the adjacent tree. Using a two foot minimum and a twenty foot maximum.

Silvicultural Goal and Desired Condition: The original Bismark silvicultural Rx target stand objectives are for a fully stocked even-aged management with a diverse species composition. Species preferences were listed, in order, as follows WP, C, ES, WL, WH, GF and DF for timber production, value and visual quality. There is severe root disease present in the DF; therefore, a conversion to more resilient species on the site is desired. There is a small component of Ponderosa Pine in the over-story, which is reproducing successfully. The overall goals are to remove the suppressed and damaged trees, reduce stand density, and promote stand diversity while selecting for the seral species. A primary goal is to maintain as many WL and PP crop trees as possible, but the clumps of these species will need to be thinned out. Natural and planted WP is present and should all be ignored in the thinning activity (ghost…do not space off of). However, WP should be pruned to ensure that a good component of WP remains to help achieve target stand objectives There is only a small component of ES, to ensure they remain on the site for species diversity recommend ghost and do not space off of. The remainder of the species mix will be comprised of C, LP, AF, GF, WH and DF.

Desired Species Composition:

WL 100 PP 75 C 75 PRUNABLE WP

100-200

WH-GF 65 DF 55 AF-LP-ES 75

Crop Tree Selection Criteria: The preferred crop tree shall generally be the tallest, most vigorous tree, have healthiest foliage, and be free of defect or damage due to insects, disease, physical or mechanical damage. Crop trees will be divided into three groups, and the tallest and healthiest tree will be selected within each group. Crop trees will be selected from Group 1 first, but if no crop trees exist from Group 1, a tree will be selected from Group 2. If no crop trees are found from Group 2, select a tree from Group 3 using the best, tallest tree principle.

Group 1 – PP, WL. These species will always take precedence over species in Groups 2 and 3. If WL and PP meet crop tree criteria, they shall always be left as first preference, regardless of tree height. Clumps of WL and PP shall also be thinned, using the best, tallest tree principle. (NOTE: WL and PP crop trees must have stem diameter/tree height ratios sturdy enough to support the tree crowns when opened up, and must be capable of supporting snow loads without causing the trees to droop.)

Group 2 – C If no crop trees exist from Group 1, select a leave tree from Group 2, using the tallest, best tree principle.

Group 3- LP, WH, DF, AF, and GF. If no crop trees exist from Group 2, select a leave tree from Group 3, using the tallest, best tree principle.

Ignore all trees over 6” dbh and do not space off of them when selecting additional leave trees.

Acceptable Stocking Range: The Minimum/Maximum DO NOT include ghosted trees.

Min: 300 T/A Max: 440 T/A

Average Spacing: 12’ x 12’ Spacing Variance: 50%

Species Preference: (1) WL, PP (2) C (3) LP, WH, DF, AF, and GF Ghost: WP & ES (Do not space off of)

Hardwood Trees to be cut: Cut all brush and hardwoods that overtop or compete with crop WL and PP. Clear all brush and hardwoods for a distance of eight (8) feet from around the tree. For example, a 6-foot tall WL would have an 8-foot diameter circle cleared from around the tree, using the tree as the center point.

Trees to Ignore (not to be cut): WP & ES

Maximum Tree Diameter at DBH to Cut: 6”

Maximum Stump Height: 8”

Minimum Tree Height to Cut: 3 ft.

Insect, Disease and Animal Damage: WL Dwarf Mistletoe in WL overstory trees. Minimal big game browsing on C.

Armillaria root disease observed in overstory DF (severe). WP blister rust was only noted on a few trees.

Girdling: WL with Dwarf mistletoe, as stated in Section C.4.2 and Exhibit 02, Dwarf Mistletoe Rating. WL overstory trees within the unit or along the boundary edge heavily infected with mistletoe on over half or more of the branches, (a Hawksworth rating of 3 to 6), shall be girdled to reduce the spread to the young WL. Girdling shall be accomplished by removing a band deep and wide enough to ensure the death of the tree. Generally this is determined to be a minimum of 4” wide removing the cambium layer completely around the circumference of the tree.

White Pine Pruning: WP selected for pruning, shall be free of blister rust on the bole and have no branch infections closer than 6 inches to the bole. Trees shall be pruned of all branches up to 50% of the height of the tree to a maximum height of 8’.

All branches shall be cut to within ½” of the limb collar. Pruning shall be done with hand pruning shears, loppers or handsaws.

There is no spacing requirement for pruning. ALL WP meeting the above requirements shall be pruned to try to improve the odds of keeping a WP component in the units.

Slash Treatment: See Section C.4.5. If possible slash shall be less than two (2) feet high, placing it on or near the ground.

Anticipate slash depths much greater due to stand densities. Limbing and bucking may be required to keep slash depths at an acceptable depth to help mitigate fuel loading concerns. Slash pullback of five (5) feet is required along the Forest Service 313B road at the bottom of the unit #5 and were the road bisects unit#6/#27.

Special Treatment Areas: Slash pull back of ten (10) feet in riparian areas (i.e. seeps, springs and bogs.)

Salvage: None.

Other Desired Contract Results or Requirements: The allowable number of Category “C” trees are: C1, C2 and C3 combined – 10 trees/acre. Category C5 – None.

Prepared By: Date:

Approved By: Date:

Contractors signature below certifies that they understand this Rx and accept the existing conditions as accurate and that the thinning is placed in the proper category.

Contractor or Representitive:

Date: