Actions to accommodate forest resource values

The silviculture prescription must identify any forest resource values and features within the prescription area and describe on a site-specific basis, the action to be taken to accommodate them. Accommodations may be through modification of harvest boundaries or methods, or through the use of a particular silvicultural system, stocking standards, species selection, site preparation, brushing or stand-tending treatments.

General objective

• To show how the resource values and features identified through higher-level plans, referrals, public input or the prescription development process will be accommodated and the impacts minimized or mitigated.

Wildlife

The silviculture prescription must note any wildlife habitat areas, features or other concerns identified in the prescription area and provide an assessment of the impact that timber harvesting and other treatments are expected to have on these values. The intent is not to dwell on the fact that harvesting changes habitat conditions, but rather to describe concerns within the block that may be addressed by implementing certain management activities (e.g., retaining wildlife trees, stream-side or riparian habitat protection, retention of thermal cover).

The prescription must include the measures, if any, to be taken to accommodate wildlife concerns.

Any critical wildlife habitat or regionally important species identified by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (MoELP) must be accommodated as directed through higher-level plans, resource agency direction or wildlife guidelines.

Figure 6. Wildlife example.

Fisheries

Any fisheries concerns in or downstream of the prescription area must be identified and an assessment of the impact that timber harvesting and other activities are expected to have on those concerns should be provided.

Classification of all streams, lakes, and wetlands must be indicated in accordance with the ecology and resource information (section 4) and mapping (section 14) sections of this guidebook. The Riparian Guidebook provides guidance on determining riparian classifications, establishing riparian reserve and management zones and developing prescriptions for riparian management areas.

Where concerns are expressed regarding fisheries values or aquatic habitat, the prescription must provide the actions, if any, to be taken to address them.

Figure 7. Fisheries example.

Watershed values

The prescription must identify any water rights or community watershed and reference any watershed assessment or other higher-level plan that provides direction. It must also identify the actions, if any, that will be taken to accommodate the resource and comply with higher-level plans and assessments.

The SP must include the following items:

• identify any water rights or community watersheds affecting the SP
  
• ireference any watershed plan(s) or gully assessment(s) providing direction
  
• identify the actions, if any, that will be taken to accommodate the resource and comply with higher-level plans
  
• if the SP is on the coast in a community watershed, address the sediment and debris transportation potential of streams in the area in accordance with the Gully Assessment Procedures for Coastal B.C., Interior Watershed Assessment Procedure and the Coastal Watershed Assessment Procedure.

Figure 8. Watershed example.

Recreation

The forest development plan and any other higher-level plans should be reviewed to determine if there are any areas in or adjacent to the prescription with recreation objectives or known resource features.

The prescription should record:

• any resource feature (e.g., viewpoints, unique vegetation, recreation sites, trails)
  
• the significance of the feature as A (very high), B (high), C (moderate) or D (low)
  
• the Recreation Management Class as 0 (unique), 1 (special management) or 2 (normal forest management)
  
• the Recreation Opportunities Spectrum as P (primitive), SPN (semi-primitive non-motorized), SPM (semi-primitive motorized), RRL (roaded resource land) or R (rural roaded) if available, and unclassified if not available.

The silviculture prescription must describe the actions that are to be taken to meet the recreation objectives and protect, conserve or minimize the impact on recreation features.

Figure 9. Recreation example.

Visual values

Generally, visual landscape information is gathered at the forest development plan or higher-level plan stage. However, information gathered during development of the silviculture prescription may be useful for updating that information or designing ways to achieve visual quality objectives.

For identified scenic areas, visual values must be described based on classifications and definitions provided in the Ministry of Forests Recreation Manual (1991). Visual landscape inventories and analyses that describe these values are available from Ministry of Forests district offices.

Descriptions outside identified scenic areas

If the visual landscape inventory and analysis mapping shows that the silviculture prescription is located in a Non Visually Sensitive area, NVS should be given as the visual sensitivity rating and no visual quality objective rating is required for such cases. Generally, no further information is required.

Prescriptions within identified scenic areas

The silviculture prescription must provide the following information if it falls within an identified scenic area.
• visual sensitivity rating (VSR) recorded as High, Moderate or Low

• visual absorption capacity (VAC) recorded as High, Moderate or Low

• existing visual condition (EVC) recorded as P = preserved, R = retained, PR = partially retained, M = modified, MM = modified to the maximum, or EM= excessively modified

• visual quality objective (VQO) recorded as P = preservation, R = retention, PR = partial retention, M = modification, MM = maximum modification (The VQO must be differentiated by SU if the difference will require modification of silvicultural system, treatments or standards.)

• the viewing location(s) and distance(s)

• a visual impact assessment (VIA) or reference to a VIA done in an operational plan describing/showing the visual impact that the proposed activities will have on the landscape

• any actions prescribed to accommodate visual landscape values and achieve the established VQO.

VSR, VAC, EVC and VQO ratings represent assessments made at the landscape level (i.e., as viewed from outside the stand, not from within). However, the silviculture prescription should refer to the landscape level practices being used to achieve VQOs as well as describing the specific, stand-level actions being taken to decrease adverse visual impacts.

In areas where a target VQO cannot be achieved due to operations necessary to salvage timber, the silviculture prescription should identify the target VQO, the VQO that is expected to be achieved and a brief explanation of why the target cannot be achieved.

Sources of visual landscape information

The following sources should be used in order of availability.
• Detailed “Visual Landscape Inventory and Analysis” maps are available from MoF district offices.

• In the absence of detailed inventory information for areas considered visually sensitive, VSR, VAC, EVC and VQO ratings can be established in the field.

• In areas where detailed mapping is not available, broad mapping is available from district offices showing scenic areas and broad sensitivity and VQO ratings.

Figure 10. Visual landscape example.

Cultural heritage resources

If there are heritage resources in the area, they should be identified at the forest development plan stage and noted in the silviculture prescription. Any specific actions being taken to address those concerns must be provided.

Where archaeological sites, culturally modified trees, heritage trails or other examples of historical use are found in the field, their location should be mapped and specific management strategies developed through consultation with First Nations and appropriate resource agencies in accordance with the Archaeological Impact Assessment Guidelines (Heritage Conservation Branch, 1989) and the Heritage Conservation Act.

Figure 11. Cultural heritage resources example.

Range

The silviculture prescription must identify range development and use in the area, if any, and assess the impact that harvesting and silviculture activities are expected to have on the range resource and livestock management. It should also provide an assessment of the impact, if any, that livestock is expected to have on seedling regeneration and growth.

The prescription is to be consistent with range use plans and forest development plans and should identify the range tenure holder and refer to any agreements they have with the forest licensee. Where there are range concerns that have not been addressed in higher-level plans, the actions being taken to address those concerns should be specified in the silviculture prescription.

The following should be addressed in the silviculture prescription where appropriate:

• What is the timing and duration of use by livestock?

• Will harvesting remove natural livestock barriers or otherwise affect grazing use? What actions, if any, will be taken to mitigate these effects?

• Will silviculture treatments, specifically site preparation, impact grazing use?

• Will grazing use impact silviculture objectives? How will this be addressed?

• Is grass seeding to be done for range purposes? Will it impact the prescription?

• Are there any range improvements within the area or that will be affected by access or timber harvesting? What measures, if any, will be taken to protect them?

Figure 12. Range example.

Other forest resource values and interests

Where user groups or other forest interests are identified (normally at the forest development plan stage), refer to them and any actions to be taken to accommodate them.

Any issues such as species diversity, reserve requirements and so on, may be addressed here if not incorporated in other sections.

Figure 13. Other forest resource values example.

Silvicultural system

A silviculture prescription must state the choice of silvicultural system (including that for any phase or variant) under which the stand will be managed.

General objective

• To show how the silvicultural system selected will achieve forest management objectives at the landscape and stand levels, including those for biological diversity, visual quality, and timber production.

Along with the stated choice of silvicultural system, it is recommended that a rationale for this choice be provided whenever it is necessary to show that the silvicultural system was based on biological, economic, and social factors and the objectives for integrated resource management for the area.

Note: In areas where there are no trees to harvest on the prescription area (because of, for example, trespass, backlog, or severely damaged timber), the district manager may exempt the prescription holder from the requirement to specify a silvicultural system. In most cases, however, it will be appropriate to indicate the choice of silvicultural system under which the future stand is expected to be managed in order to clarify the objectives of the prescription.

The Silvicultural Systems Guidebook provides guidance and instruction on selecting an appropriate silvicultural system.

Prescription requirements by silvicultural system

Clearcut and patch cut (including variations with reserves)

Leave-tree characteristics

The species, function and characteristics of any trees to be left standing after harvesting must be described. Leave-trees include, but are not limited to, wildlife trees (including standing dead trees), reserve zones of riparian management areas, seed trees, shelter trees and advanced regeneration.

The number of stems and any relevant acceptability features (e.g., height, form, vigour, crown class) must be described, by SU if necessary. Distribution of stems must also be described in sufficient detail to enable post-harvesting assessment of success in achieving management objectives.

In silvicultural systems with group reserves, the location, function and duration of reserves, should be specified. In systems with uniform reserves, the characteristics, function and duration of the reserve trees should be specified.

Coarse woody debris requirements

Any actions that will be taken to achieve stated objectives for maintaining coarse woody debris must be described. These actions could include, but are not limited to, reservation of trees from cutting, modification of utilization standards and changes to site preparation activities.

Other requirements

The prescription must provide:

• estimated rotation age for the stand
  
• timing of any planned entries into the stand
  
• if reserves or leave-trees are to be removed, the timing and conditions for their removal.

Seed tree

Seed tree systems must describe the distribution of seed trees as grouped, uniform or possibly a combination of the two.

Group seed tree

Group seed tree systems function much like clearcuts or patch cuts with reserves. The silviculture prescription requirements are the same as in the preceding section. In addition, the characteristics, location and duration of seed tree groups must be described.

Uniform seed tree

Leave-tree characteristics

Stand structure and composition goals must be provided. The characteristics and distribution of seed trees should be described and the stand structure described in terms of residual basal area or density per hectare. Any trees left for wildlife or other purposes must also be described.

Other requirements

The requirements for coarse woody debris, rotation age, timing of any planned entries into the stand, and removal of leave-trees are the same as described in the preceding section on clearcut and patch cut.

Group selection

Leave-tree characteristics and coarse woody debris requirements

The species, function and characteristics of any leave-trees left in the openings must be described in the same manner as in the preceding section on clearcut and patch cut. Coarse woody debris requirements are also the same.

Stand structure and composition goals

The distribution of age classes to be achieved in the long term, and any other specific stand structure or composition goals, should be described.

Other requirements

The prescription must provide:

• average and range of opening sizes
  
• planned cutting cycle (i.e., the interval between harvest entries)
  
• estimated rotation age.

Shelterwood systems (including variations with reserves)

Silviculture prescriptions for shelterwood systems may cover multiple harvest entries (preparatory and/or regeneration cuts as well as final removal of shelter trees), or just a single harvest entry. In most cases the relatively long time between a preparatory cut and subsequent regeneration and removal cuts will necessitate prescribing the preparatory cut as a stand-alone treatment, using the same requirements as a commercial thinning prescription. See ahead to the section on commercial thinning for details.

Existing stand structure

Pre-harvest stand structure should be expressed in numbers of stems and basal area by diameter classes (by species, stem condition or other criteria if necessary for development of the prescription). This information may be shown in stand and stock tables, graphically or both.

Stand structure and composition goals

Stand structure goals to be achieved at each harvest entry must be described.

These goals may be described as residual basal area by species and pattern of distribution of leave-trees (strips, uniform, irregular, etc.) or by a stand and stock table in the case of uniform shelterwoods. For removal cuts, regeneration expectations should be described and stocking standards included in accordance with the stocking standards section of this guidebook.

Leave-tree characteristics and coarse woody debris requirements

In addition to the trees left for regeneration purposes, other trees may be left after harvesting to achieve other objectives including, but not limited to, wildlife tree retention, coarse woody debris and riparian management areas.

The species, function and characteristics of these trees must be described. The number of stems and any relevant acceptability features (e.g., height, form, vigour, crown class) must also be described in sufficient detail to enable post-harvesting assessment of success in achieving management objectives. The location, function, and duration of any reserves should be specified.

Other requirements

The prescription must provide:

• timing of and any conditions required for harvest entries
  
• intermediate stand treatment(s) and their proposed timing
  
• estimated rotation age of the stand.

Single tree selection

Existing stand structure

The pre-harvest stand structure should be expressed in numbers of stems and basal area by diameter classes (by species, stem condition or other criteria if necessary for development of the prescription). This information may be shown in stand and stock tables, graphically or both.

Stand structure and composition goals

The distribution of diameter classes to be achieved by the current harvest and in the long term, plus any other specific stand structure or composition goals must be described.

Note: Legislation requires that stand structure goals be provided for the current harvest entry and at least one subsequent entry. In cases where several entries are required to achieve the desired stand structure, the goal of the current entry plus the final goal should be provided.

Leave-tree characteristics and coarse woody debris requirements

In addition to the trees left to achieve stand structure objectives, other trees may be left after harvesting to achieve other objectives including, but not limited to, wildlife trees, coarse woody debris and riparian management areas.

The species, function and characteristics of these trees must be described. The number of stems and any relevant acceptability features (e.g., height, form, vigour, crown class) must also be described in sufficient detail to enable post-harvesting assessment of success in achieving management objectives. The location, function and duration of any reserves should also be specified.

Other requirements

The prescription must also provide:

• estimated cutting cycle (period between harvest entries)
  
• planned residual basal area to be left after harvesting.

Commercial thinning

For commercial thinning and preparatory cuts for shelterwoods, the prescription requirements follow.

Stand structure and composition goals

The prescription must describe the current stand structure, the objectives of the thinning treatment, and what stand structure and composition is to be achieved. The planned residual density or basal area per hectare must be provided, by species and/or stem condition, if relevant to the prescription.

Future entries

The projected timing and conditions for future entries (including final removal of the stand) should be described.

Leave-tree characteristics and coarse woody debris requirements

In addition to the trees left to achieve stand structure objectives, other trees may be reserved to achieve other objectives including, but not limited to, wildlife trees, coarse woody debris and riparian management areas.

The species, function, and characteristics of these trees must be described.

Silvicultural systems in reserve and management zones

Reserve zones

The Operational Planning Regulation places restrictions on harvesting in reserve zones. In cases where harvesting does occur in a reserve zone, a silvicultural system must be prescribed unless exempted by the district manager.

Management zones

Where harvesting is planned in a riparian or lakeshore management zone, a silvicultural system must be prescribed. Where soil conservation and/or stocking standards vary from other parts of the cutblock, these zones must be identified as separate SUs.

For management zones adjacent to reserve and other sensitive areas, the stand structure objectives and leave-tree standards for these areas should be described in the prescription, and the location of these zones must be indicated on the prescription map.

Figure 14. Example of silvicultural system – clearcut with reserves.

Figure 15. Example of silvicultural system – uniform seed tree.

Figure 16. Example of silvicultural system – group selection.

Figure 17. Example of silvicultural system – strip shelterwood.

Figure 18. Example of silvicultural system – single tree selection.

Figure 19. Example of silvicultural system – stand and stock table for single tree selection.

Harvesting

The Silviculture Prescription must describe the harvesting methods to be used on the site, and the actions to be taken to accommodate any harvesting constraints identified.

General objective

• To show how harvesting methods will be consistent with the forest resource objectives identified for the area.
  
• To show that the harvesting methods selected will
  
  • minimize erosion and soil disturbance
    
  • maximize worker safety
    
  • optimize use and regeneration and protect the residual stand
    
  • avoid disruption of fish and wildlife
    
  • minimize noise and dust in populated areas.

Harvesting method

The silviculture prescription must state the harvesting method, by SU if necessary, to be used on the site, distinguishing between ground, cable, skyline and aerial. Harvesting methods employed to meet specific management objectives should be identified (e.g., horse logging).

Harvesting constraints

Any constraints to harvesting activities or equipment due to seasonal site conditions must be identified. The prescription should identify sensitive areas and the actions required to protect them. The silviculture prescription will provide guidance to ensure that the logging plan contains appropriate controls and conditions.

Note:Where no timber is to be removed from the area (i.e., trespass, backlog reforestation or destroyed timber), the district manager may exempt the requirements above.

Figure 20. Example for harvesting.