DCR969_Boundary_Maintenance Standards.pdf

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

MANAGEMENT FORESTRY PROGRAM

BOUNDARY MAINTENANCE STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES

SECTION INDEX: I. INTENT

II. DEFINITIONS

III. PROCEDURES

I. INTENT

The Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of State Parks and Recreation, Bureau of Fire Control and Forestry, Management Forestry Program maintains the boundary lines of all properties under its stewardship to facilitate management activities, familiarize employees with property boundaries and protect against trespass. The work will be carried out so that each section of boundary is visited at no less than a ten-year interval and maintained to the standards herein. Carrying out this work is the responsibility of the management forester. These procedures spell out the way this work will be accomplished.

II. DEFINITIONS

Blaze: a series of three horizontal cuts or singular cut with a minimum dimension of 3”x5” on the surface of a tree bole as depicted in figure three and four of this procedure.

Boundary Line: an imaginary line connecting two boundary monuments that separates DCR administered property from that of an abutter.

Boundary Paint: unthinned, blue, Nelson brand or equivalent "Brush Type" boundary paint.

Boundary Sign: a 3.7511 square aluminum sign, painted blue with the lettering "State Forest Boundary" as shown in figure three and four of this procedure.

DBH: Diameter at Breast Height; the diameter of a standing tree measured at 4.5' above the ground.

DCR: the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Eagle Oiler: a one-quart paint receptacle having a thumb-actuated pump.

Flagging: "Sunglo", I 3/16" wide, 3-mil thickness, or equivalent vinyl flagging.

Line trees: trees that occur within one foot of the exact location of a boundary line.

Monument: any object including, but not limited to a reinforcing rod, pipe, concrete posts, stone or drill hole in ledge placed along a boundary line to mark its location or placed at the point of intersection of two boundary lines to mark a property comer.

Nails: high tensile, aluminum alloy, 7d (2") sinker head siding nails or a type judged equivalent by the management forester.

Saplings: for the purpose of this procedure, trees less than three inches DBH.

III. PROCEDURE

A. Pre-Work Conference The management forester shall hold a pre-work conference before any fieldwork is begun. The purpose of this conference is to discuss the proposed work and to ensure that the locations of the boundary lines to be maintained are mutually agreed upon. When necessary, the management forester shall supply maps and other information that indicates the location of boundary monuments and the distances and bearings of the boundary lines.

B. Locating Lines All lines shall be marked with flagging during maintenance work. The flagging shall not be removed except as a necessary part of clearing. Flagging that is not on the boundary line (try lines, etc.) shall be removed. If a monument cannot be located using a hand or staff compass, a stake should be placed at the approximate location of the missing monument.

C. Clearing Lines A four-foot-wide corridor free of woody vegetation less than three inches DBH shall be created along all boundary lines as necessary. The corridor shall be centered on the boundary line (see figure one) and all woody vegetation <3" DBH shall be cut reasonably flush with the ground. Branches and limbs up to seven feet above the ground level that obstruct the line of sight shall be pruned. Only minimal clearing is necessary where the boundary is clearly defined by features such as stonewalls, roads, or streams.

D. Blazing New blazes;

Blazes will be made on the side of the tree(s) facing the boundary line. Blazed trees will be established or maintained at an interval of 50 feet or less where possible and shall be intervisible at all seasons of the year. Line trees shall be blazed on two sides with the blazes facing the direction of the boundary line. All blazed trees shall be located within five feet or less of the actual boundary line. New blazes shall be made on healthy trees that are at least three inches DBH. Discretion should be used in deciding whether to blaze trees on private property abutting a state forest boundary line. In woodland situations it has been customary to do so, and that practice should be continued - where blazes do exist, they should be freshened. However, in situations adjacent to suburban lots, new acquisitions, etc. the abutter should be contacted before boundary maintenance work is carried out. Most importantly, it should be brought to their attention that the boundary work is as much to their benefit as it is to the Commonwealth.

Blazes shall be made approximately five feet above ground level on trees greater than three inches DBH. Blazes shall be made by cleaning the bark or dirt, lichens and loose particles from the tree and creating three shallow cuts approximately three inches apart no deeper than 1/4" and no greater than 1/2" in their vertical dimension (see figures two and

I three of this procedure). The alternative is to cut a 3” wide x 5” long rectangle no deeper than 1/4”. The cut surfaces shall be painted, and in the case of the 3 cut method, the area between the blazes shall be painted with boundary paint. Where an inadequate amount of trees greater than 3" DBH exist a painted strip no less than 3 inches long shall be applied to saplings within five feet of the boundary line at a point approximately five feet above the ground. Where possible, these painted marks shall be intervisible and shall occur at intervals no greater than 50' apart.

Existing blazes;

Trees with existing blazes that have become difficult to detect will be reblazed according to the same specifications as new blazes.

E. Painting All old blazes as well as new blazes shall be painted on the side of the tree facing the boundary line with a brush and boundary paint. The paint shall cover the entire blaze and in no case is less than three inches square. Blazes on dead or dying trees shall be replaced with new blazes on nearby live trees. Often, an Eagle oiler is the most convenient method of carrying and dispensing the paint. Black paint shall be applied to mask the error on trees have been incorrectly painted.

F. Boundary Signs On all boundary lines new boundary signs shall be placed at intervals of 75 feet or less.

Boundary signs shall be placed on both sides of all highways, roads or trails where they cross the boundary. Boundary signs shall only be placed on trees on DCR property that are within five (5) feet or closer to the line and shall face outward from DCR property. No signs will be placed on trees that are less than three inches DBH. Signs shall be affixed to trees with two nails and an allowance for one inch of future growth will be provided. See figures two and three.

At each monument on line two signs shall be posted. Each sign shall be placed within 20 feet of the monument on the line on both sides of the monument to show the direction of the boundary lines.

G. Witness Trees At all comer monuments, three live witness trees, if available, shall be blazed, painted and signed as specified in the preceding paragraphs of this procedure. Witness trees shall be no further than twenty feet from the monument.

Approx. 5.5'

Specifications for the Maintenance of State Forest and Park Boundary Lines

Bureau of Fire Control and Forestry Division of State Parks and Recreation

Department of Conservation and Recreation

Smaller/shallower on

Placement of Blazes and Boundary Sign