Attach E Thinning Prescription.docx

ATTACHMENT E

Boiling Skookum McKillop PCT Specifications and Prescription

A. Specifications: Pre-commercial thinning will be conducted according to the General Specifications shown in Attachment E and the project specific specifications shown below.

CUT TREES PER ACRE

TARGET STOCKING

TREES PER ACRE

AVERAGE

SPACING

Boiling (37 ac.)

1 to 5-inch (avg = 2-inch)

Skookum (12 ac.)

1 to 5-inch (avg = 2-inch)

1,900 TPA

McKillop (180 ac.)

1 to 5-inch (avg = 1-inch)

3,450 TPA

B. Species Preference

1. When selecting between individual trees with similar indicators of quality, the following order of preference will be used:

1. Trees that are 2-feet or less in height shall not be cut.

C. Tree Quality Selection Criteria:

1. The best trees of each species will be retained as leave trees in all units.

Indicators of desirable trees are: straight stems, small branch diameter, good crown coloration, good crown form, good crown ratios (> 45%), freedom from insects, diseases, and physical and mechanical damages, vigorous annual growth as indicated by long terminal leader.

2. These indicators of undesirable trees shall determine the trees to be cut; slight defects may be acceptable for leave tree if it is the best selection within a competitive group.

Indicators of undesirable trees are: multiple tops, poor crown ratios (< 45%), poor crown form and coloration, crook or sweep in boles, dead or broken tops, large branch diameter, presence of insects, diseases, or physical or mechanical damages, suppression, poor annual growth as indicated by short terminal leader

D. Felling Requirements

1. Cut trees shall be completely severed from the stump. No hang-up "straps" will be permitted.

2. All felled trees shall be severed below the lowest live limb. The maximum stump height shall be 6 inches above ground level, as measured on the uphill side of the tree.

3. Cut trees shall be felled parallel to each other and not criss-crossed or jack-strawed.

4. Cut trees shall be felled away from unit boundaries into the units, roads, maintained trails, wildlife trails, fence lines, established land corners, and streams. Any trees felled on such areas shall be removed. Old roads that are closed can have cut trees fell across them. This will be on a case by case basis.

5. Dead standing trees shall not be cut.

6. Bearing, section-line, or trail-blazed trees shall not be cut. Unit boundary trees with unit flagging can be cut if determined to be excess.

7. Snow damaged, bent over trees will be cut if they are not dead.

8. Cottonwood, birch and aspen trees and other hard woods shall not be considered as crop trees. All cottonwood, birch and aspen trees will be felled, regardless of DBH, if they are within 10 feet of a desired crop tree.

E. Slash Requirements

1. Thinning slash shall be confined within unit boundaries

2. Thinning slash shall be removed from all roads, adjacent cut-and-fill slopes, and ditches.

3. Thinning slash shall be bucked and limbed to within 18-inches of the ground.

4. Thinning slash shall be removed from all ephemeral and intermittent stream channels and wet areas that carry seasonal water.

5. Thinning slash shall be hand piled within 100 feet of and open road or 1000’ of a private residence as indicate on the contract map. This amounts to 8.5 acres of hand piling.

6. Thinning slash piles shall be created in open areas and will be between 4 feet and 6 feet in size and at least 1/3 of each pile will be covered with material provided by the State.

TERMS AND DEFINITIONS:

Average Spacing: The average distances between all leave trees necessary to provide the desired number of leave trees per acre.

Crown Spacing: The horizontal distance from the widest part of the crown of one leave tree to the widest part of the crown of the next leave tree.

DBH: Diameter breast height - The diameter of the stem measured at a point 41/2 feet above the ground level on the uphill side of a tree.

Damage (major): Includes defect or deformity of a tree resulting from wind, snow, animals, insects, diseases, equipment, etc., and shows evidence of dead or broken tops or trunks, crooks, deep scars, or damage to bark where it is removed from more than 25% of the tree circumference, etc.

Damage (minor): Crooks in the stem that are offset less than three (3) inches from the long axis and within 13 feet of the ground, forks, broken tops, or bark damage extending less than 25% of the circumference of the tree.

Day lighting: Removal of all trees within a specified radius from around designated leave trees.

Deficient trees (as used specific to pruning): Those white pine not pruned that should have been pruned, or white pine that are excessively damaged by the pruning operation.

DNRC: Acceptable and legal references to the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation for the purposes of the bid and this Contract Agreement.

Excess Trees: Uncut trees, which should have been cut, that do not meet specifications. Trees not severed from the stump, hang-up trees, stumps with live limbs, trees not girdled or not girdled properly (if required) are also considered excess trees.

Girdling: A cut penetrating through the bark and cambium tissue, completely encircling the tree stem, for the purpose of killing the tree.

Hang-up Tree: Any cut tree suspended more than 3 feet off the ground.

Leave Trees: Any tree that is selected or required to be left standing as provided in the specifications. A leave tree may also be referred to as a crop tree.

Live limb: A limb of any length that has green needles attached.

Lopping: Cutting limbs from stems of trees.

Minor Damage: Crooks in the stem that are offset less than three (3) inches from the long axis and within 13 feet of the ground, forks, broken tops, or bark damage extending less than 25% of the circumference of the tree.

Missing Leave Trees: Cut trees that should have been left.

Non-treatable acres: Acres that will not be treated that are within the main unit boundary and are part of the acreage that is considered payment acreage. These acres may consist of roads and road right-of-ways, landings, isolated wet-lands, clumps of residual timber retained during the harvest, or non-stocked areas.

Performance Period: The time allowed for completion of the work described in the Contract Agreement.

Restricted Road: A road in which motorized vehicle use is restricted seasonally or yearlong by a physical obstruction (generally a gate).

Slash: Limbs and stems of downed trees.

Slashing: Felling and/or bucking of undesirable trees or vegetation.

Stem Spacing: The horizontal distance from the stem of one leave tree to the stem of the next nearest leave tree.

Strap: That portion of a felled tree that is still attached to both the tree and the stump.

Whorl: The arrangement of limbs in a circle, at the same height, around the bole of a tree.