Silvicultural_Prescription_Sheridan_Fire_Reforestation_12052022_Signed.pdf

Tr ea tm en t P la n Silvicultural Treatment: Reforestation – Applied Nucleation Planting/

Group-Interspace Method

Id en tit y

Project Name NEPA Forest / District

Sheridan Fire Reforestation Chino Landscape EA Prescott NF/ Chino RD

Prescribed by: Benjamin Roe Date: 02/05/2022 Planting Units Location/Sites 641/654/756

Acres 367 acres – 225 priority Certified by: /s/ Date: 02/05/2022 7

Treatment Method: Hand planting with hand tools

Slash Treatment: N/A Skid Trails: N/A Constraints and Other Considerations:

Archaeology – Heritage sites will be excluded from planting

- Sites must be flagged before implementation starts

Wildlife – No timing restrictions. If planting Sept 1 – Oct 1, start on eastern units

• Complete Unit 6 last due to nearby Goshawk

Notes for Implementation:

• 225 priority acres will be planted out of a total acreage of 367 acres.

• 45,000 seedlings will be planted within priority 225 acres o 200 trees per acre = avg 14x14 ft spacing.

o Variable spacing, use the best suitable planting space o All trees must be planted

• Scalp planting area 24x24 inch, remove all competing vegetation and debris

• Place shading material by planted trees to shade root collar

• Seedlings must be taken from trucks and covered with reflective tarps

• No tree shelters will be installed for this contract.

Follow-up Treatment (next 5 years):

• Plan release treatment around planted trees in 3-5 years o Remove all vegetation within 5 feet of planted trees

• Pause all prescribed burns in the area for 3 to 5 years following planting o After release treatment, rx burn with low intensity firing patterns

La yo ut

Boundary Designation: Contractor supplied with PDF Maps & shapefiles, No Boundary Flags.

Heritage sites: White Flagging Layout completed by: Ben Roe Date: August 2022

Marking verified by: N/A Date: N/A

Section 1 – Existing Conditions

The Sheridan Fire burned 21,482 acres on the Prescott National Forest in 2019. The majority of the fire burned through Pinyon Juniper-evergreen shrub and chaparral vegetation types. However, 3,465 acres burned through suitable ponderosa pine timberland on the east side of the fire off FR705. These ponderosa pine ecosystems were burned at a high severity and the fire was stand replacing. This area is a transitional pine ecosystem and with limited seed source available, it is expected that the area will convert to a chaparral ecosystem for the next 100+ years.

An in depth assessment was carried out in 2021 which identified the following areas:

• 367 acres – Planting needed. Area deforested, previously PIPO and does not have seed source

• 994 acres – Area was deforested but was previously an oak/juniper woodland or access is extremely difficult due to roads and topography. Will rely on natural regeneration of oaks and junipers for reforestation. Reassess in 5 years.

A large portion of the project area is identified as a Ponderosa Pine – Evergreen oak vegetation type with components of turbinella/scrub oak (Quercus turbinella) and Emory oak (Quercus emorii) as well as a minor overstory component of Pinyons (Pinus monophyla fallax) and Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma). There is a small portion of Ponderosa Pine – Gambel oak vegetation on the south end of Unit 4 as well as Pinyon-Juniper Evergreen Shrub vegetation type. It is worth noting that although a portion of the treatment area is identified as PJ-Evergreen Shrub, the existing vegetation before the Sheridan fire was made up of a ponderosa pine overstory within the planting area. The understory was largely comprised of a mix of turbinella oak, Emory oak, mountain mahogany, and manzanita which is indicative of a transitional ponderosa pine ecosystem.

With the vigorous shrub component in the project area and lack of seed source it is expected that the area will not naturally regenerate ponderosa pine within the next 50 to 100 years and with warming trends this area will likely convert to a chaparral or oak woodland vegetation type.

Table 1: Current Stand Conditions

Site Limiting Factors Hydrology

If overstory is removed, Qutu2 and Arpu5 may become well established and offer significant plant competition

Most units are well drained.

Ephemeral streams occur within treatment units.

Snags/Acre CWD Litter/Duff Significant snag component 5-10 tons/ac Litter depth ranges from 0.5” to 1”

Table 2: Site Characteristics

Site Characteristics Area 367 acres

Plant Associations PIPO/PIFA/JUDE2/QUTU2 Elevation 5800-6000 ft

Slope 0-20% Aspect Mixed

Management Direction Forest Plan Management Area 4 – Pine (Suitable Timber)

Table 3: Soil Types

Priority Areas – 225 acres

TEUI Acres

PIPO

Site Index (Base 100)

Terrestrial Ecosystem Unit Inventory – Soil Type and Notes

055 1.2 ac 85 Deep, very stony loam. Occasional flooding and high surface rock. Ecosystem is associated with a riparian component.

425 25.1 ac N/A Moderately deep, very stony coarse sandy loam. Edaphic fire disclimax. Erosion hazard moderate. Maintain vegetative cover to minimize erosion.

475 4.3 ac N/A Shallow, very stony coarse sandy loam. Edaphic fire disclimax. Erosion hazard severe.

Maintain ground cover to minimize erosion.

486 87.9 ac N/A Moderately deep, very gravelly coarse sandy loam. Revegetation potential is high

505 38.9 ac 40 Shallow, extremely stony sandy loam. Erosion hazard moderate. Maintain vegetative cover to minimize erosion.

542 67.2 ac 65 Moderately deep, very cobbly sandy loam. Erosion hazard moderate. Maintain vegetative cover to minimize erosion. Soils subject to trafficability problems when wet.

Additional acres outside of priority - 142 acres

TEUI Acres

PIPO

Site Index (Base 100)

Terrestrial Ecosystem Unit Inventory – Soil Type and Notes

055 0.6 ac 85 Deep, very stony loam. Occasional flooding and high surface rock. Ecosystem is associated with a riparian component.

425 21.3 ac N/A Moderately deep, very stony coarse sandy loam. Edaphic fire disclimax. Erosion hazard moderate. Maintain vegetative cover to minimize erosion.

475 3.6 ac N/A Shallow, very stony coarse sandy loam. Edaphic fire disclimax. Erosion hazard severe.

Maintain ground cover to minimize erosion.

486 82.6 ac N/A Moderately deep, very gravelly coarse sandy loam. Revegetation potential is high

505 20.8 ac 40 Shallow, extremely stony sandy loam. Erosion hazard moderate. Maintain vegetative cover to minimize erosion.

542 11.4 ac 65 Moderately deep, very cobbly sandy loam. Erosion hazard moderate. Maintain vegetative cover to minimize erosion. Soils subject to trafficability problems when wet.

Section 2 – Long-Term Desired Conditions and Prescribed Treatment Objectives Desired Condition Reforestation is an essential component to restore high severity fire areas. Tree planting restores the aesthetic and ecological values lost in the fire and will one day serve as a recreation spot for future forest visitors. Watersheds become healthier with reforestation due to increases in water quality and retention with the reintroduction of vegetation to the landscape. Reforestation restores waterways by reducing the movement of soil and debris into the streambed, limits the establishment of head cuts, offers potential shade to streams, reducing water temperatures for aquatic life, and aids in bank stabilization. Soil stability improves on the slopes impacted by the fire with the reintroduction of deep-rooted flora, less incidence of rain on loose soil, and the retention of rainfall as the trees mature.

Benefits to wildlife include creation of cover in migration route and feeding areas, injection of nutrients into the soil to promote the presence of forbs and grasses and creates a mosaic of forest structures on the landscape once the trees mature. The reforestation of the Sheridan Fire is necessary to ensure a healthy and enjoyable forest for years to come.

The 2023 Sheridan Reforestation project will focus on the area in Camp Wood adjacent to the junction of Camp Wood Road and Forest Road 702. Within the 367 acres planting area, a further 225 acres were identified as priority planting areas within that overall footprint due to their concave topography and depositional soil which is likely have higher productivity and result in greater seedling survival rates.

Planting within the Sheridan Fire Reforestation project will be implemented using the ‘Applied Nucleation’ technique, also known as the group/interspace method. This involves planting small clusters of trees within the most productive microsites in order to accelerate forest recovery. Once planted, these patches, or nuclei, attract seed dispersers and facilitate establishment of new woody recruits, expanding the forested area over time. The goal is for these patches of trees to gradually close in on each other and allows for the planting of a larger area and is expected to result in more heterogenous canopies than traditional plantation planting. 1 For this planting method, it is important to understand that trees will only be established over half of the unit’s total acreage. Planters will plant at the desired spacing, but only within 2-4 acre sized “groups” with variable sized unplanted interspaces between them. When determining where to plant each group, it is advised to follow the most plantable ground and best suitable growing space.

Ponderosa pine seedlings will be grown from seed sourced on the Prescott National Forest. Seed lots for this planting were collected during 2012 cone collection and are sourced from sites Camp Wood, White Spar and Cherry. These lots were selected largely due to their similar elevation to the planting site and should be adapted to the site conditions.

Seedlings will be grown at Lucky Peak nursery from December to September and are considered 1-0 stock. These seedlings will be grown in FT-128 containers and will be removed from their containers at the nursery and will be boxed and shipped to the PNF. Site preparation will include scalping a 24 inch x 24 inch area in order to reduce competition with established vegetation on site.

The trees will be planted between September and November 2023 dependent on weather, moisture, and monsoon conditions for Northern Arizona. Approximately 45,000 seedlings will be planted across 367 acres within this area to aid in the Sheridan fire reforestation effort. The 225 priority acres will be planted at a density of 200 trees per acre, with irregular spacing in the best microsites which will average 14x14 feet across the priority areas. Leftover trees will be planted outside of the priority acres within the remainder of the 367 acre project area.

The planting units are located adjacent to the Camp Wood Goshawk PFA. Planting will be carried out from September to November and the PFA overlaps Planting Units 1, 2 and 6. Due to the limited Goshawk presence and topographic relief between the planting units and historic nest sites, there is no formal timing restriction on the planting. However if planting occurs from Sept 1 to Oct 1, the contract should direct planting to begin on the eastern units and plant Unit 6 last due to its location 0.5 miles from the historic nests.

1 Corbin, J. D., & Holl, K. D. (2012). Applied nucleation as a forest restoration strategy. Forest Ecology and Management, 265, 37-46.

Due to the transitional nature of these ponderosa pine stands, there is a major turbinella/scrub oak (Quercus turbinella) and Emory oak (Quercus emorii) understory already established in these burned areas. It is likely that these areas will need release treatments in the coming years which could include grubbing – removal of all vegetation within 5 feet of regeneration, hand thinning with lop and scatter or mastication in order to ensure that these planted trees become free to grow. These treatments would likely be carried out 3 to 5 years following any planting treatment.

Short-Term Objectives (Expected post-treatment outcome) This treatment will move towards the long-term desired conditions, within the constraints of the current stand. The treatment objectives are to:

1. Encourage the establishment of ponderosa pine within the Sheridan fire footprint

2. Begin the process of regeneration to develop a ponderosa pine overstory leading to a balanced uneven-age ponderosa pine structure.

3. Future treatments will create conditions conducive to the reintroduction of low severity surface fire which will minimize damage to ponderosa pine regeneration

Table 3: Prescribed Burning Considerations Primary Objectives Prescribed fire should be limited or paused in these areas for 3 to 5 years following planting. Prescribed fire should occur following a release treatment in year 3-5 using low intensity firing patterns to minimize seedling/sapling mortality.

Coarse Woody Debris Objectives Retain 1-2 tons per acre CWD and 3 logs 12” diameter or greater/acre Mineral Soil Exposure Objectives Minimize soil disturbance where practicable Acceptable Mortality Use low intensity firing pattern, dots not strips, make all reasonable efforts to minimize seedling/sapling mortality within planting units.

Burning Season Discretion of Fuels Specialist Type of Ignition Hand preferred within planting units Type of Fireline N/A Other Restrictions Minimize damage to ponderosa pine regeneration

Section 3 – Documentation: (FACTS, KV, planned future treatments, monitoring) Table 4: Documentation

Section 4– Implementation Guide Sheridan Fire Reforestation Project Plant 225 acres within 367 acre boundary Call Silviculturist Ben Roe if you have questions (928) 202-0281

Timing Restrictions

Wildlife – No timing restrictions. However, if planting Sept 1 – Oct 1, start on eastern units.

• Complete Unit 6 last due to nearby Goshawk

Resource Protection Measures

Archaeology – Heritage sites will be excluded from planting. Sites must be flagged before implementation starts

Flagging: Contractor supplied with PDF Maps & GPS shapefiles, No Boundary Flagging.

• Heritage sites will be flagged in white.

Planting Specifications:

• Planting will be carried out between September to November 2023, dependent on precipitation o Planned start date is October 2, 2023.

• A total of 225 acres will be planted out of a total acreage of 367 acres. A total of 45,000 seedlings will be planted within the priority 225 acres, at 200 trees per acre. All trees must be planted. If additional trees are left over, these may be planted outside to the priority 225 acre areas.

• Planting spacing will be variable. Planters will follow the most plantable ground and best suitable growing space. Spacing will average 14x14 ft

• Junipers, Oaks and shrub are not counted for spacing, only ponderosa pine

• Spacing may be varied as much as 25 percent in any direction to attain the best plantable spot

• Plant outside of drip line of existing shrubs as these compete for water

• No trees shall be planted closer than 14 feet from the dripline of healthy live ponderosa pine trees

• Multiple trees will not be planted in one hole. Contractor will make sure one tree is being planted per hole.

Proper planting techniques:

• All seedlings should be planted using hoedads or a comparable tool.

• Seedlings must be put in dug holes straight with no damage to plug and then properly compacted to reduce air pockets and ensure seedling remains straight. (See Figure 2 & Figure 3)

• Penalties for incorrectly planted seedlings are listed in contract.

• Trees shall be planted satisfactorily both above and below ground

• Contractor shall not alter the trees. This includes no root or top pruning.

• Trees shall be planted in moist soil, free of foreign debris, and in a hole deep enough to accommodate the fully extended tree roots

• Planting hole shall be consistent with the depiction in Figures 2, 3 and 4

Tree Shelters:

• No tree shelters will be required to be installed for this contract.

Unit Description

Unit Spacing Desired TPA Task Remarks

All

Variable, Best plantable ground, average 14x14 ft

All Units: Plant trees using the Group/Interspace method (Figure 1) with 24 inch scalping. 2-4 acre sized groups will be planted followed by 2-4 acre sized interspaces left unplanted. Within planted areas, tree spacing should average 14x14 feet.

No tree shelters shall be installed.

Total project area is 367 acres, but only approximately 225 acres will be planted.

Bid contract based on tree cooler in Williams, AZ

Tree Cooler/ Seedling Management

• Seedlings from Lucky Peak Nursery will be packed in boxes of approximately 200 trees

• The closest tree cooler is in Williams, Arizona at 742 S Clover, Williams, AZ 86046. The drive time to the planting site is 1 hour 52 minutes for 88 miles.

• It is possible that by the time the contract is implemented, the Prescott National Forest will have a tree cooler installed at 4000 Katahn Drive, Prescott AZ 86303. The drive time to the planting site is 1 hour 3 minutes for 36 miles.

• The contractor should bid based on a pickup location of Williams, AZ with a 1 hour 52 minute drive time.

• The planters shall have appropriate vehicles, trailers and equipment that will be able to transport seedlings.

Boxes are either 2ftx2ftx3ft or 2ftx1ftx1ft in size.

• Staging trees at the planting site for work the next day is prohibited. All trees removed from the tree cooler for work that day will be planted at the planting site. The seedlings cannot be put back in the cooler once removed.

• The planters are responsible for proper protection during transportation and care once the seedlings are stored at each unit. The Forest Service will provide reflective shade tarps for use at the planting sites. It is very important that seedlings in boxes are to be taken out of the back of trucks/trailers on site and covered by reflective tarps. This is a requirement will be enforced by inspectors.

• Trees not properly cared for may be considered wasted trees.

Scalping Requirements

• Areas for planted trees shall be scalped for a 24 inch x 24 inch area at the location of planting.

• All competing live vegetation and surface debris will be cleared down to mineral soil to a depth of 1 to 2 inches

• Contractor shall remove all root mats of grasses and other herbaceous plants

Shading Requirements

• Shading material shall be placed by planted trees to shade the root collar of the tree and reduce heat stress.

• Trees shall be planted on the north side of shading material.

o This can be an existing stump or small pieces of wood at least 3 inches in diameter so they shade the base of the seedling from the afternoon sun.

o Preference is for small material, place in an X on the downhill south side of the seedling, not touching the seedling

• Do not place this material on the uphill side of trees. Material can roll onto tree

• Do not use rocks for shade material as these get hotter in the afternoon sun.

Government-furnished property

• The government will provide 45,000 FT-128 size seedlings packed in cardboard boxes containing 200 seedlings.

• The government shall provide enough reflective tarps to cover one working day’s amount of seedlings

Section 5 – Attachments:

Figure 1. Diagram of grouped planting arrangements with interspace between groups.

For units being planted in the Group/Interspace method, it is important to understand that trees will only be established over half of the unit’s total acreage. Planters will plant at the desired spacing of 14x14 ft, but only within 2-4 acre sized “groups” with variable sized unplanted interspaces between them. The diagram below illustrates an example of how the planted groups could look from a birds eye view. When determining where to plant each group, it is advised to follow the most plantable ground and best suitable growing space. Inspectors for this method will be checking for both group size with correct spacing as well as reasonable sized interspaces with no trees planted. To help facilitate inspections, crew foreman should place provided flagging in the center of each planted group or use other method discussed at prework.

Figure 2. Proper planting techniques using hoedad.

Figure 3. Acceptable tree planting positions.

Figure 4. Proper shading techniques

Section 6 - Maps

Groom Creek TSI

Prescott National Forest

Soils – TEUI Map