All forest management activities in the WADF are determined by the WADF Working Committee. Appendix 1 gives a detailed description of the Committee’s role.

The Committee is guided in its decisions by four main principles:

1. Develop an effective and balanced total resource management plan for the WADF, to guide sustainable and balanced resource use.
2. Present a wide range of traditional forestry activities, as well as demonstrate new and innovative forestry techniques.
3. Research new forest management principles and practices.
4. Involve stakeholders and the general public, on a consultative and participatory basis, in planning and operating the WADF

The following objectives also guide resource management planning and activities within the demonstration forest:

• Consider water to be the highest priority resource.
• Maintain a high standard of visual integrity across the landscape.
• Provide a sustainable level of timber harvest.
• Maintain or enhance biodiversity across the landscape.
• Apply the findings of research and operational activities through an adaptive management process.

Decisions made at the stand level will reflect these higher level objectives and adhere to ecologically sound principles.

More specific objectives for various resource values are presented in the appropriate sections of this document.

Along with a new focus on ecosystem management, a revised public participation process has been developed for the WADF. The objectives of this process are to:

• Involve stakeholders and the general public, on a consultative and participatory basis, in planning and operating the WADF.
• Enable other area residents and the general public to review and comment at the strategic planning level.
• Seek new and more effective ways of public participation.

Among the members of the WADF Working Committee are representatives of local water interests. Local water users are considered stakeholders in their own watersheds. As such, they are encouraged to participate in the operational planning, and monitoring, of forest management activities in their watersheds through participation on Watershed Committees (see Appendix 1) or the WADF Working Committee.

In addition, there will be an improved extension and public information program for keeping local residents and others up to date on the various activities taking place in the demonstration forest (see Appendix 2). These changes should help ensure that the needs of all resource users are being met.

The WADF is intended to be an operational forest with research occurring in conjunction with operational activities. A key aspect of the WADF is to apply, test, and demonstrate new forest management principles and practices.

Our knowledge of ‘ecosystem management’ is increasing rapidly, and the WADF is an ideal site for applying the most up-to-date information, and testing new ideas. The area is a management challenge because of its very high resource values (including community watershed settings), its prominent location, and a high degree of public concern. The WADF offers the opportunity to meet these challenges while testing and demonstrating innovative management practices and adaptive management (see Appendix 3). A number of research projects have been completed, or are currently under way.

The WADF is also a Small Business Forest Enterprise Program (SBFEP) operating area, so it allows the Kootenay Lake Forest District a direct opportunity to practice innovative forestry techniques in an operational setting. Moreover, the Forest District recognizes that a diverse research program in the WADF provides a unique opportunity for the SBFEP to take the detailed information that will be generated, and use it to make appropriate adjustments to its day-to-day operations using the principles of adaptive management.

In addition to increasing our understanding of forest management, under the SBFEP the demonstration forest will contribute to the local long-term timber supply.

With the help of researchers from the Regional BCMOF office in Nelson, as well as additional researchers from around the province, it is intended for the WADF to become a showcase for new and innovative forestry techniques, as well as a source of much new information about how to manage the full range of forest resource values.

While stand-level planning (see Section 4.0) is limited to more localized concerns such as road locations, block size, and logging method, landscape-level planning addresses broad forest issues and values such as biodiversity, hydrology, and wildlife habitat.

planning at the landscape level recognizes that some effects of timber harvesting spread far beyond cutblock boundaries, and even beyond the boundaries of a single watershed. For instance, some wildlife species have large home ranges that may span several watersheds, therefore travel corridors must be available within and between the watersheds.

The system of landscape planning currently used in the WADF is called total resource design (TRD) (see Section 2.4) and was initiated in 1993. Several years after the adoption of the TRD process, the FPC was introduced. A number of the key components of the FPC, including biodiversity requirements, relate directly to landscape planning and therefore must be incorporated into the planning process at the WADF.

The objectives of landscape-level planning are to:

• Enhance or maintain biodiversity, hydrological values, visual quality, timber values, fish and wildlife habitat, soil productivity, cultural and heritage sites, botanical forest products, and recreational and social values.
• Provide guidance in designing forest harvesting plans and techniques at the stand level that will achieve landscape-level objectives. Landscape planning in the WADF will incorporate ongoing research projects while maintaining all forest values named above.
• Respond to the results of research in the WADF on a continuing basis with emphasis given to defining and developing stand structures that will achieve landscape objectives.
• Present and explain the concept of landscape planning to the public and resource professionals via the WADF project.
• Focus landscape-level planning on maintaining important forest values, such as water and visual quality, while minimizing forest fragmentation. This will be accomplished by providing wildlife habitat reserves and movement corridors, creating a variety of stand structures across the landscape, and integrating the long-term and large-scale effects of timber operations with ecological and social concerns.

Biodiversity refers to the variety or range of living species present in an area. The conservation of biodiversity requires an approach that maintains suitable habitat conditions for all native species across a landscape. This approach manages the habitat of native species, rather than the individual species. It assumes that if the full range of suitable habitat types is available in a landscape, the full range of biodiversity will be retained. In this way, habitat diversity is used as a surrogate to maintain biodiversity.

The FPC Biodiversity Guidebook presents various landscape-level biodiversity requirements that must be considered in forest management planning. This guidebook outlines specific levels of old forest retention and seral stage distribution (forest age classes) that must be achieved within a landscape unit, depending on the natural disturbance types (NDTs), biogeoclimatic zones, and biodiversity emphasis option of the landscape unit.

These requirements will be incorporated into the landscape planning process used at the WADF. This is not anticipated to be a problem because the TRD process (see Section 2.4) and the FPC biodiversity requirements are both based on mimicking natural disturbances and the structures and patterns they create; i.e. they have very similar objectives and can be amalgamated quite readily.

To achieve the FPC biodiversity requirements, the NDTs found in the WADF were delineated (see Section 2.3.1). Then, the appropriate seral stage objectives were determined, as per the FPC Biodiversity Guidebook (see Section 2.3.2).

Also, landscape units were designated across the entire Forest District (see Section 2.4), and a biodiversity emphasis option determined for each one. WADF will be managed in accordance with an intermediate biodiversity emphasis (as of October 1996) as described in the FPC Biodiversity Guidebook.

Section 2.5 describes how all the requirements have been incorporated into one comprehensive plan, including strategies for executing landscape-level planning and achieving biodiversity requirements.

The ecological variation in the WADF is great because of the wide range of topography and natural disturbance patterns found throughout the area.

Natural disturbance patterns were delineated and mapped as part of the TRD process (see Section 2.4). This same information can be used to delineate the WADF landscape into the NDT classifications presented in the FPC Biodiversity Guidebook.

This information is critical to the planning process because in order to plan management activities over a landscape, and to ensure that the end result will indeed mimic the patterns and structure of a natural landscape, it is important to understand the different types of natural disturbance regimes under which various ecosystem types have evolved.

Five NDTs have been delineated in British Columbia, all of which are represented in WADF. The original version of this document identified only four, but recent studies indicate that the fifth NDT (NDT 4) is present as well. Note: the addition of this NDT will is presently being worked on and will appear in the next version of this plan.

NDTs correlate directly with biogeoclimatic subzone designations (the ecosystem classifications used in the TRD process). Figure 2.1 is a representative cross section of the biogeoclimatic zones found in the WADF, from valley bottom to mountain top.

The four NDTs found in the WADF, and the corresponding biogeoclimatic classifications, are:

NDT 1: Ecosystems with rare stand-initiating events.

Major stand-initiating events were rare in these forests. Therefore, these forest ecosystems were usually uneven-aged or multi-storied even-aged, with regeneration occurring in gaps created by the death of individual trees or small patches of trees. These forests existed as contiguous tracts of older forests (old seral) with complex stand structures. When disturbances such as wind, fire, and landslides occurred, they were generally small and resulted in irregular edge configurations and landscape patterns. The mean return interval for these disturbances is generally 350 years.

Biogeoclimatic classification: In the WADF, NDT 1 occurs in the ESSFwc4 and ESSFwc1 (transitional between ESSFwc4 and ICHmw2) subzones.

NDT 2: Ecosystems with infrequent stand-initiating events.

Historically, these forest ecosystems were usually even-aged as a result of major fires. Wildfires were infrequent and were often of moderate size (20-1000 ha), with unburned areas resulting from sheltering terrain features, higher site moisture, or chance escape. Many larger fires occurred after periods of extended drought, but the landscape was dominated by extensive areas of mature forest surrounding patches of younger forest. The even-aged forest patches often contained snags and veteran trees that had survived previous fires. The mean return interval for disturbance is about 200 years.

Biogeoclimatic classification: This NDT occupies the ICHmw2 subzone in the WADF.

NDT 3: Ecosystems with frequent stand-initiating events.

Prior to fire-suppression activities, these forest ecosystems experienced frequent wildfires that ranged in size from small spot fires to large destructive burns covering tens of thousands of hectares. Natural burns usually contained unburned patches of mature forest that were missed by fire. Consequently, these forests produced a landscape mosaic of even-aged regenerating stands of various sizes, usually containing mature forest remnants. Frequent outbreaks of defoliating insects and an extensive presence of root diseases (Armillaria, Phellinus) result in dead trees, decaying logs, and canopy gaps. Mean return interval for disturbances is about 150 years.

Biogeoclimatic classification: NDT 3 occurs in the ICHdw subzone in the WADF.

NDT 5: Alpine Tundra and Subalpine Parkland ecosystems.

These ecosystems occur above or immediately below the alpine tree line and are characterized by short, harsh growing seasons. The vegetation is strongly patterned by variations in local topography. Fires can have a dramatic effect, by weakening or killing plants and causing long-term shifts in the position of the tree line. The harsh climate and short growing season restrict the rate of plant growth that can take place following a stand initiating disturbance. Major stand-initiating events are infrequent and these ecosystems support predominantly older vegetation.

Biogeoclimatic classification: This NDT is found in the ESSFwcp and AT subzones in the WADF. It is not considered operable forest land.

After a disturbance, the composition of plant and animal communities changes as forest stands develop through time (a process known as succession). Various organisms find their habitat needs during different stages of successional development (seral stages), and most habitat-specific species are associated with either the early herb/shrub seral stage or the mature and old seral stages.

Different natural disturbance regimes have created forest landscapes with greatly differing seral stage distributions. The more that managed forest mosaics diverge from natural disturbance patterns, the greater is the risk to biodiversity. Forest harvesting generally increases the amount of young forest and decreases the amount of older forest present in a landscape because managed forest rotations are generally shorter than natural disturbance return periods. If some level of older forests is not retained in a landscape, the species that depend specifically on these forests will be lost.

Table 2.1 shows the seral stage distributions recommended by the FPC Biodiversity Guidebook for the various NDTs found in the WADF. The recommended distributions will help maintain the diversity of seral stages found within the various biogeoclimatic subzones and variants present in the WADF.

Table 2.2 shows existing seral stage distributions in the NDTs in the WADF. Comparison of Tables 2.1 and 2.2 shows that the existing seral stage distributions in several of the NDTs fall substantially short of old seral targets. The recommended levels of old forest may not be achievable under natural processes in the WADF.

* In deficit of biodiversity requirement (as per FPC Biodiversity Guidebook). Mean stand replacement event intervals appear to be <250 years.

An initial total resource design (TRD) has been completed for the WADF. This design will now serve as the landscape-level plan that will guide the preparation of Forest Development Plans. Computer modeling (ATLAS) has begun, using the WADF inventory information, to determine the implications of the TRD, and various resource management strategies, on the WADF timber supply.

TRD is an ecosystem-based planning process that combines both ecological and visual landscape considerations. The process was adopted for landscape planning in the WADF in 1993 because it relates directly to the intent of forest management activities in the demonstration forest.

To develop the TRD landscape-level plan for the WADF, the following six steps were completed:

1. Assembly of inventory information - see Appendix 5
2. Setting landscape planning objectives - see Appendix 5
3. Constraints and opportunities analysis - see Appendix 5
4. Landscape ecological analysis - see Section 2.4.1 below
5. Landscape flow analysis (visual quality analysis) - see Section 2.4.2 below
6. Landscape design - see Section 2.4.3 below

The end result of this process was:

• a series of TRD maps that outline the information collected through these steps, and
• a set of landscape pattern objectives considered appropriate for each category of design unit delineated on the maps.

This analysis provides information about the landscape of the WADF as an ecological system in terms of structure, function, processes, and context within the larger landscape.

The analysis looks at current stand structures and tries to determine the factors that influenced stand development. This helps develop an understanding of the type of forest management activities that can be used to mimic nature while retaining the same type of stand structures throughout the area. The objective of the ecological analysis is to divide the landscape into ecologically homogeneous units.

This, in effect, is the same approach recommended in the FPC Biodiversity Guidebook (see Section 2.3), which aims to mimic the patterns and structures of natural landscapes through forest management activities. The assumption is made that if management activities mimic natural disturbances, all species present in a natural landscape will also be present in a managed one.

This is the most difficult and complex step in the design process because there are many factors to be considered.

Some of the factors taken into account for the WADF are: natural disturbance patterns (historical), biogeoclimatic zones, types of vegetation, aspect, elevation, moisture availability, and stand structural objectives.

The process identified various disturbance patterns evident in the landscape (Table 2.3). A fieldwork-based disturbance history project has been completed and makes recommendations for revisions which are currently being considered by the Working Committee.

* Note: For more information about NDT designations corresponding with each biogeoclimatic subzone see Section 2.3.1.

This analysis is used to identify the ‘lines of visual force’ in the landscape. Put simply, in a natural landscape the human eye tends to be drawn down ridges and up valleys. The implication of this for forestry is that if a harvesting block is shaped or positioned in a manner that disrupts these lines of force, then a strong visual tension will occur and cause the block to look out of place in the landscape. For example, because regular, geometric cutblocks do not ‘interlock’ with other parts of the forest, they tend to stand out and lack visual unity.

The objectives for visual landscape design in the WADF are to:

• Retain a high standard of visual integrity while managing for all forest resources.
• Create a diverse visual landscape, through the use of varying silvicultural systems, that will suit the topography and character of the area.

These objectives, applied at the landscape level, will naturally lead to design units with non-linear edges that interlock with one another. Continuity of interlocked patterns in the landscape will help control and absorb small changes within a larger area.

This visual analysis assists (with the ecological analysis) in determining the shapes of the design units, and is carried out using perspective photographs and topographic maps. The information is then mapped in both planimetric and perspective views.

This final step in the TRD process involves the actual design of the treatment units. All the information from the five previous steps (see Section 2.4) is collated to assist in the design of units that work with the landscape, both visually and ecologically. The shape, location, and size of the design units are determined at this stage.

For the WADF, the design process can be divided into two steps:

1. Delineation of a primary Forest Ecosystem Network (FEN)

The maintenance of biodiversity at a landscape level can be assisted by delineating a primary Forest Ecosystem Network (FEN), which protects essential riparian habitats and linkages in the landscape. This is an essential initial step in the landscape planning process. (Note: FENs are also recommended in the FPC Biodiversity Guidebook.)

A FEN is a series of special and important habitat types connected by adjacent forested areas (generally mature and old-growth forest) that assists the movement of wildlife, plants, and other organisms throughout a landscape. The FEN should incorporate essential areas and the linkages between them, and it should be well enough distributed, and large enough, to ensure that the ecological integrity and function of the forest landscape is sustained.

The objectives of the primary FEN, therefore, are to:

• Meet the habitat needs of native species and ecological processes.
• Maintain or restore the natural connectivity (linkages) within a landscape unit to allow the unobstructed daily and seasonal movement of wildlife, plants and other organisms.

The underlying assumption in designing these management activities was that all native species and ecological processes are more likely to be maintained if managed forests are made to resemble those forests created by the activities of natural disturbance agents such as fire, wind, insects, and disease. It has been these natural ecological processes that have determined the composition, size, age, and distribution of forest types on the landscape, as well as the structural characteristics of forest stands. This assumption is the foundation of the TRD planning process.

Appropriate management activities in a specific design unit may differ from those presented in Table 2.4b in order to meet additional biodiversity requirements of the FPC. In particular, older stands may be retained to meet old seral objectives, or mature stands may be designated as old-growth recruitment areas, and this would mean that activities in these design units would be restricted. These units will be identified following a seral stage analysis of the WADF. For more information see Section 2.3.2.

A comparison of the NDT classification system recommended in the FPC Biodiversity Guidebook, and the landscape pattern objective classifications used in TRD (En, Mwn, Mwg, etc.) shows the two systems to be very similar. Landscape pattern objectives provide a finer degree of distinction of ecosystems (i.e. nine categories) than the NDT classification (four categories in WADF). However, each landscape pattern objective category has a corresponding NDT category. Because of this, each design unit delineated in the TRD for the WADF can be assigned a NDT classification. This information can then be used to determine the seral stage distribution in the WADF with the TRD plan.

The FPC landscape-level biodiversity recommendations can be incorporated into the TRD process through computer analysis of current seral stage distribution, followed by the designation of areas for old seral stage management. These areas will become temporary components of the FEN already in place in the WADF. The areas identified for seral stage management will be designated as ‘secondary linkages’ in the FEN, a necessary component to overall landscape biodiversity objectives.

Unlike primary FEN corridors, secondary linkages are not fixed. The locations of secondary linkages will shift over time as the age class structure of the forest landscape changes and seral stage requirements across the landscape shift. Operational planning activities must identify cut/leave patterns across the landscape for the purpose of maintaining connectivity (secondary linkages) throughout the WADF. Mature and old-growth requirements must be achieved or recruited in a manner that enhances the function of the primary corridors. Old-growth management areas (providing sufficient interior forest conditions) should be recognized as ‘secondary linkages’ within the FEN.

An analysis is currently underway to determine the seral stage makeup of the various design units (and the FEN) delineated in the TRD. This information will show where and how much old seral forest is currently protected, and where opportunities exist for old-growth management areas and old-growth recruitment areas to be added to the FEN as secondary linkages. The analysis will also guide harvest scheduling to ensure the maintenance of desired seral stage distributions. These and other landscape-level considerations will be worked into the TRD plan to ensure that FPC biodiversity obligations are being met.

The general strategies for landscape-level planning are:

• Investigate new approaches in landscape planning. Among these will be methods of incorporating seral stage objectives and other landscape-level biodiversity objectives (such as the maintenance of old forest stands with ‘interior forest’ conditions) into the TRD process currently used in the WADF.
• Investigate adaptive management (see Appendix 3) and how best to incorporate it into operations, planning and policy making in the WADF, in order to expedite communication between researchers, the WADF Working Committee, and Forest District operational staff.
• Produce a harvest scheduling model that will help provide a regulated flow of wood from the WADF while ensuring that all other resource values (water, visuals, biodiversity, etc.) are protected over the landscape. When seral stage requirements have been met, scheduling will ensure that, wherever possible, stands that are highly susceptible to beetle attack will be logged first; i.e. to create greater landscape diversity and reduce the potential for future losses to insects.
• Make use of the temporal dimension by scheduling multiple harvesting entries to implement stand structural objectives, particularly in design units with high visual or water values.
• Utilize computer modeling to test the implications of a variety of management regimes on the rate of cut in the WADF.
• Utilize this Strategic Plan for the West Arm Demonstration Forest as a governing document for all forest development activities in the WADF. The SBFEP Forest Development Plans will adhere to this strategic plan.

Of the various FPC landscape-level biodiversity recommendations presented in the FPC Biodiversity Guidebook, the one that is likely to be the most difficult to achieve is the minimum area in old seral condition. A comparison of existing and recommended old seral stage distribution shows a deficit position in two of the subzones in the WADF (refer to Tables 2.1 and 2.2):

• ESSFwc4 – Old seral stages are in a deficit position by a minimum of 978 ha. The subzone is in a deficit position now because most of these areas are classified as mature (4346 ha). Most of this subzone exists in the inoperable area (En) at high elevations or on steep slopes.
• ICHmw2 – This subzone in the WADF is in a old seral stage deficit position of only 64 ha. This subzone also contains a large mature seral stage component (2006 ha). Portions of this subzone are located on inoperable terrain.

However, there are some concerns about age-class analysis and the current age-class distribution of stands in the WADF, and the strategy to meet the recommended seral stage distributions recognizes this. It includes four approaches that will be used concurrently to address the deficit position:

1. Areas appropriate for old seral stage management (i.e. existing old seral or old seral recruitment areas) will be identified and added to the FEN as secondary linkages. These linkages will be re-evaluated periodically and modified when necessary to ensure connectivity across the landscape is maintained over time. These areas will not be harvested while there is a deficit of old seral stands, with the possible exception of specialized partial-cutting prescriptions applied for research objectives.
2. Areas in the En will be allowed to grow to ages greater than 250 years. These areas will be identified in the TRD and labeled as ‘old-growth recruitment areas’.
3. Stand ages may be reclassified based on the oldest trees in the stand rather than on average stand age. Some of these stands are multi-aged and may contain trees in excess of 250 years; however, the current system of determining stand age yields an average stand age rather than the age of the oldest trees (which would be more appropriate in multi-aged stands). Stands that may contain old trees should be examined to determine the age of these trees. Standards relating to age, species, and number of stems per hectare will be developed to more completely define ‘old stands’.
4. Old growth may be best defined in terms of stand structures and ecological functioning rather than age. Attributes such as tree size, presence of rot, broken tops, dead tops, multi-age stand structure, regeneration within the stand, etc. which may better define ‘old growth’. When assessing stands for old-growth classification these structures and functions will be defined, and then stands will be examined to see if they meet these standards, rather than assessing the stands strictly by age.

There are 301 registered water licenses on streams and springs in the WADF. According to an inventory done in August 1998, the major drainages are:

• Bradley Creek - 60 licenses
• Kitto Creek - 30 licenses
• Redfish Creek - 23 licenses
• Kokanee Creek - licensed
• Laird Creek - 51 licenses
• Bagley Creek - 30 licenses
• Face units and springs - 80 licenses

Of these, Bradley Creek is licensed as a Community Watershed. The majority of the watersheds are being used for domestic water consumption.

The research section of the Nelson Forest Region currently has water monitoring stations set up on Laird and Redfish Creeks. This will allow comparisons between undeveloped (Laird Creek) and developed drainages (Redfish Creek). Data collection includes suspended sediment levels, turbidity, streamflow, snow accumulation/depletion rates, and climate information.

The objectives for managing water resources in the WADF are to:

• Consider water to be the highest priority resource in the WADF.
• Maintain quality, quantity, and timing of water flows sufficient for fisheries, domestic, and agricultural use.
• Ensure peak flows are not increased and low flows are not decreased by management activities.
• Preserve the functioning of riparian areas.
• Maintain present soil moisture regimes to support naturally occurring forest productivity.
• Demonstrate management and assessment alternatives not included in FPC guidebooks.

It is important to read Appendix 1 (Terms of Reference) in conjunction with this section.

The principles of ‘Integrated Resource Management’ in the Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plan recognize licensed water users as stakeholders. As such, it is important that water users in the WADF be licensed to maximize their ability to contribute to managing the water resource. Licensed water users or their representative(s) will have the opportunity to participate in the operational planning and monitoring of any activities within their watershed. Note that the formal acceptance by BC Environment of an application for a license will provide here the same treatment as a granted license.

Initially, proposals for road construction and harvesting are considered by the WADF Working Committee. If a proposal is supported in principle by the Working Committee, it goes before the relevant Watershed Committee for consideration (see Appendix 1). These committees will oversee hydrologic assessments for specific watersheds (both creeks and face units) where operations are planned. The hydrologic assessment will be completed prior to any work being recommended by the Working Committee, and approved by the District Manager. Watershed Committees also carry out field inspections of these authorized forest development activities.

A policy will be developed to deal with transitional forest development activities (i.e. those that are already in the planning process and have not been vetted by Watershed Committees). Guidelines may be developed for ‘grandfathering in’ existing timber sales that have reached a certain level of completion (see Appendix 15).

The public will be notified of planned forest management activities in their watershed at several stages in the development process:

Forest Development Plan: The public will be notified at two specific times with regard to the FDP. Notification will be required when the planned activities first appear in the FDP (normally in Year 5 of the Plan, see Appendix 6), and when activities are scheduled for the current year.

Notice of Work: Water users specifically affected by proposed harvesting and road building/deactivation will be notified at least four weeks prior to the commencement of operations.

In support of the objectives stated in Section 3.1, enhanced protection of RMAs is required as described in this section and in the Hydrological Assessment Appendix (Appendix 7).

Section 60(3) of the FPC Operational Planning Regulation gives the District Manager and the Designated Environmental Official power to vary the width of a Riparian Reserve Zone or Riparian Management Zone. These definitions make use of that regulation by altering the definitions to meet WADF requirements. Refer to Figure 3.1 for an illustration of the following riparian and channel features.

Stream: means any reach, flowing on a perennial or seasonal basis having a continuous channel bed, whether or not the bed or banks of the reach are locally obscured or bridging vegetation or soil mats, if the channel:

1. is scoured by water, or
2. contains observable deposits of mineral alluvium

Riparian Design Units (primary FEN corridor): Areas along major streams requiring enhanced riparian management, and identified in the TRD (shown in blue on the TRD map and corresponding to the primary FEN in Section 2.4.3). The intent of these primary FEN corridors is to provide a significant level of protection to the major streams within the WADF, and to ensure corridors are maintained for the long-term movement of plants and animals from lower elevations to higher elevations of the forest.

Within the Riparian Design Units (primary FEN corridor) there are two distinct zones (see Figures 3.1 and 3.2):

1. Riparian Reserve Zone (RRZ): This zone is the area directly adjacent to the stream or water body and it can be defined in two ways depending on topography (see Figure 3.2):

1. Where a topographic slope break is present, it is the area contained in the inner gorge.
2. In the absence of a topographic slope break, the area is defined as the land adjacent to the water course dominated by continuous high moisture content and the adjacent upland vegetation that exerts influence on it.

2. Riparian Management Zone (RMZ): This zone represents the remaining area within the Riparian Design Unit (i.e. from the edge of the Riparian Reserve Zone to the boundary of the Riparian Design Unit (primary FEN corridor) (see Figures 3.1 and 3.2).

Riparian Management Zones Outside of Riparian Design Units: For smaller streams (S6 streams) that are not included in the Riparian Design Unit (primary FEN corridor), the protective streamside zone is called the Riparian Management Zone (RMZ); and is defined as follows: the area directly adjacent to the stream or water body and it can be defined in two ways depending on topography:

1. Where a topographic slope break is present, it is the area contained in the inner gorge.
2. In the absence of a topographic slope break, the area is defined as the land adjacent to the water course dominated by continuous high moisture content and the adjacent upland vegetation that exerts influence on it.

Watercourse: A feature containing any intermittent or ephemeral flows and not otherwise ‘classified’ as a stream but will be managed as a stream.

Spring: Naturally occurring discharge features of groundwater flow systems. An important feature of springs is their source areas as defined in the BCE report entitled Defining Source Areas of Water Supply Springs.

Wetland: A swamp, marsh, or other similar area that supports natural vegetation that is distinct from adjacent upland areas.

Figure 3.2. Cross section of the Riparian Design Unit (primary FEN corridor).

Riparian ecosystems have been incorporated as an integral component of the FEN in the WADF. Riparian Design Units (FEN Corridors) have been delineated for the FEN and are shown on the TRD maps. The width of the Riparian Design Units depends on stream width, fisheries/downstream values, and stream edge profiles. Riparian Design Units are designated to:

• Maintain water quality, stream channel function, and the aquatic ecosystem diversity of streams, lakes, and wetlands.
• Provide stream shading, soil stabilization, sediment filtering effects, and wildlife habitat.
• Sustain the diversity and productivity of wildlife and vegetation associated with riparian habitats.
• Provide for forest uses that are compatible with FEN objectives.

Stand structure within the Riparian Design Units should be managed to provide for the following attributes, which will enhance their value to wildlife species and protect water quality:

• Forests, with large trees and relatively dense canopy closure.
• Uneven-aged structure with some small gaps (1-2 tree lengths).
• Multi-storied stands.
• Large amounts of course woody debris on the forest floor.
• Potential and existing windfalls capable of creating large organic debris in streams.
• Other old-growth attributes.

Limited forestry activities are allowed within the Riparian Design Units (see Section 3.3.3); however, forest practices must be designed to meet the management and stand structural objectives established for the riparian areas. Harvesting is generally not permitted within the RRZ, except as defined by the FPC. The removal or modification of selected trees or groups of trees within the remainder of the riparian design units shown on the WADF Plan maps, may be permitted, if agreed to by the Working Committee, for such purposes as:

• salvaging wind-thrown, diseased, insect-infested, or fire-damaged trees;
• roads
• undertaking recreational site development;
• managing fisheries and wildlife values;
• creating full suspension yarding corridors; or
• conducting activities under a riparian management plan.

Accordingly, these areas are expected to contribute approximately 15% of available volume during wood supply analysis.

The topography in the WADF is generally steep and consists of highly erodible coarse-textured soils. Compared to many areas in the province, most precipitation is in the form of relatively heavy snow packs. High-quality water is extremely valuable to a growing human population as a domestic water source, and to an important fishery resource. These factors combine to justify ‘site-specific’ water protection practices within the WADF.

The FPC Riparian Management Area Guidebook states that:

"Given the high degree of variability in site conditions with riparian management areas, it is not possible to provide a single prescription suitable for universal application. Site-specific decisions must be made regarding the appropriate level of retention within riparian management zones and the types of trees to be retained. Such factors as topography and windthrow hazard will determine the best management practice on a site specific basis."

With this in mind, the following are considered to be the best management practices for the WADF.

Within Riparian Design Units (primary FEN corridors): There are two levels of harvesting restrictions within the RMA (see Figure 3.1):

1. The RRZ contained within the corridor is reserved from harvesting except for designated stream crossings or site specific exemption. These areas are critical for the maintenance of high-quality water and are sensitive to the removal of vegetation.
2. RMZ are available to limited harvesting where terrain and soils are favorable. In these cases, the objective is to maintain ‘high forest cover’ at all times over the whole area. Consequently, the areas will be managed using silvicultural systems which maintain a minimum of 85% of the original Riparian Design Unit distributed evenly throughout the operable area. Single tree selection, which favors retention of healthy, windfirm dominant and co-dominant trees, will be the preferred system. However, it is recognized that response to blowdown or beetle infestation may result in small openings.

Riparian Management Zones outside of Riparian Design Units (primary FEN corridors):

• 1 Maintenance of high forest cover will be determined on a site specific basis. Appropriate levels of retention will be based on:
• a. the potential hazards (low, moderate, high) of the area (i.e., windthrow, soil erosion rating, soil compaction, other sensitive terrain features), and
• b. the potential consequences (low, moderate, high) of harvesting (i.e., magnitude of sediment delivery to fish streams or domestic water intakes, loss of productive forest land due to mass wasting or landslides).

1. Through due consideration of both hazards or consequences, area retention will range from 0-100% within these RMZs. In general, where both hazards and consequences were considered to be low in an area, appropriate retention may be 0-5% of the Zone. Conversely, an area with high hazards or high consequences could necessitate a retention of 75-100%. All proposed retention levels must be provided with a rationale.
2. No machinery shall operate within RMZs or within 20m of any stream, whichever is greater, except where there is an established stream crossing or site-specific exemption.

Springs: The method of identification of spring source areas is detailed in the Ministry of Environment publication Defining Source Areas of Water Supply Springs. These guidelines apply to springs that are contained within or may be affected by proposed activities as described in the Forest Development Plan, Silviculture Prescriptions, and Road Design Plans. Management of springs will be consistent with the Class 1 watershed as described in the Kootenay-Boundary Land Use Plan Implementation Strategy. The FPC establishes a no-harvesting buffer zone around water intakes (100 m) and springs (50 m). The WADF Working Committee will use these as minimum standards.

Wetlands: Wetlands and their management are described in the FPC Riparian Management Area Guidebook. Wetlands management in the WADF will be consistent with these guidelines. However, where high water tables are encountered on forested sites; road building or harvesting operations should be designed to minimize soil disturbance and surface erosion.

The general strategies for water management are:

• Protection of quality, quantity, and timing of flows is the highest priority at the TRD, Forest Development Plan, Road Access Plan, and Silviculture Prescription levels.
• If development results in detrimental impacts to the water resource, the problem will be identified and corrected as soon as possible, and activities will be revised to prevent similar problems in the future (see Appendix 8).
• Diversion of natural drainage channels, perennial or intermittent, must be avoided. Silviculture Prescriptions will require the marking of springs, seeps, and intermittent streams.
• Fell and yard away from the streams and connected gullies. All trees leaning toward any stream are reserved from cutting if by natural processes they would eventually fall into the stream.
• In locations where high windfall hazard extends beyond the riparian area, management techniques must be employed that protect the Riparian Management Area from windfall.
• All constructed skid trails within 50 m of streams are to be rehabilitated and seeded with grass or legumes within one growing season of the disturbance. All disturbed areas associated with road and trail construction will be seeded concurrent with construction in order to stabilize the soil on these sites as quickly as possible.
• Equipment, other than that which is hand-held, must not be fueled or serviced within a riparian management area. The use of organic lubricants will be encouraged for chain saw bars and hydraulic systems on machines.

• Recognizing that increased human activity in these watersheds will increase the risk of water-borne human disease, toilets will be installed and maintained by the Forest Service at recreation locations and other prominent locations such as parking lots, trail heads, gates, etc. as agreed to by the Working Committee, and referred to the BC Ministry of Health. All activities will be focused onto areas away from streams whenever possible.
• Portable toilets may be required for forest-related activities, under the direction of the Working Committee.

Stand-level management practices and prescriptions will be guided by landscape-level objectives for the WADF. They will accommodate, to the greatest degree possible, the design unit and landscape pattern objective recommendations developed in the TRD.

Stand-level management considerations include silvicultural systems, silviculture treatments, biodiversity, forest health, visuals, soils, and roads. Strategies for each aspect of stand-level management are presented below. Additional information about legislation, regulations, and guidelines governing each aspect is given in Appendix 9.

The objectives of stand-level management are to:

• Maintain the forest stands in the WADF in a condition that will continue to provide for integrated functions as follows: biodiversity, watershed values, visual quality, timber supply, wildlife habitat, recreational, and social values.
• Explore and demonstrate a broad range of silvicultural systems, harvest methods, regeneration, and site-preparation techniques across the landscape.
• Assess the economics, efficiencies, and results of various silvicultural systems.
• Maintain obligations under the SBFEP to plan and coordinate all forest management and development activities to make a steady wood supply available for an annual schedule of Timber Sale Licenses (see Appendix 6).
• Establish and maintain free-use firewood areas for the public.

The TRD will provide the data necessary to determine a sustainable harvest rate for the WADF. Inherent in this design are protection of unstable areas, inoperable areas and recreation areas, watershed protection measures, seral stage distribution targets for meeting biodiversity objectives, stand structural objectives, and visual protection using naturally inspired patterns that are created over time. The TRD will be modeled using the ATLAS computer model to determine a harvest rate for WADF.

The chosen rate of cut will allow sustainable harvesting that will provide an even flow of forest products while protecting other forest values. The harvest rate has not yet been determined, but is estimated to be between 4000 and 8000 m³/yr.

Silvicultural systems are defined as a process whereby forests are harvested, tended (weeding, cleaning, improvement cuts, and thinnings), and replaced, following accepted silvicultural principles (Daniels et al 1979). The FPC requires that all relevant silvicultural systems be considered to ensure that forest management objectives are met.

Ecosystem management is the primary management objective for the WADF. Silvicultural systems that maintain or create forest and stand structures more closely resembling those resulting from natural disturbance regimes will be the key to the successful implementation of the TRD. This strategy of maintaining the natural landscape pattern and age class distribution will help retain the function of the entire forest or ecosystem.

The use of clearcutting is restricted on some sites, as outlined in the FPC. Clearcutting cannot be prescribed for:

• very unstable terrain areas,
• where it is incompatible with visual quality objectives,
• areas where canopy retention is essential for maintaining wildlife populations, and
• old-growth management areas.

Where clearcutting is prescribed, structural attributes will be retained within cutblock boundaries.

The WADF will utilize ‘variable retention’ silvicultural systems when developing the forest for timber extraction. These systems fit well within the context of the TRD, and the objectives of forest management at the WADF.

The silvicultural systems objectives are to:

• Demonstrate and test the use of various silvicultural systems and treatment techniques that closely mimic natural disturbance regimes.
• Prescribe silvicultural systems that are appropriate to the design unit in question and will meet the landscape pattern objectives of the TRD plan while protecting other resources, especially water and visuals.
• Use various silvicultural systems to manipulate forest cover on certain sites for old-growth recruitment purposes, and to protect stand structural attributes and biodiversity.

The terminology used to describe conventional silvicultural systems focuses primarily on regeneration objectives. It has been recognized as inadequate to describe new silvicultural systems that address multiple objectives (CSSP 1995). The Clayoquot Sound Scientific Panel (1995) recommended that a silvicultural system be defined by the type and amount of forest cover retained within cut areas. This ‘variable-retention’ approach emphasizes retaining trees and patches of forest in a managed forest to protect a variety of values and ecosystem components. The retained trees and/or patches create forest characteristics similar to patterns and remnant structures left after natural disturbances. This strategy does not preclude the use of conventional silvicultural systems, including clearcuts, as they are also within the definition of the ‘variable retention’ approach.

The CSSP (1995) outlined four major points of the ‘variable retention’ system:

1. Regeneration of the area is important, but not always a dominating objective. The number and vigor of young trees may be an incomplete index of success.
2. Post-logging treatments must consider objectives other than just regeneration and wood fibre production.
3. The variable retention system offers a range of retention levels, including the broad mid-range that is not well represented in conventional silvicultural systems. The gradient ranges from complete clearing to nearly full retention. The system also provides for permanent retention of trees and other structures after regeneration is attained.
4. The variable retention method does not describe cutting practices by using traditional terminology that reflects different objectives. It simply describes the degree and pattern of retention. The retained trees can be dispersed across the opening, aggregated in groups, or combined in a mix of dispersed and aggregated retention.

The level and pattern of retention chosen for design units in highly visible parts of the landscape will be sensitive to visual considerations as well as landscape pattern objectives.

A key factor determined by the type of silvicultural system applied to a design unit is the level of structure remaining on a site following harvesting. Silvicultural systems can be designed to retain old-growth characteristics, maximize biodiversity, mimic specific disturbances, or any number of other options. The benefit of variable-retention systems is that they can be tailored to the specific requirements of a site within a larger landscape. Stand-level strategies for maintaining biodiversity are presented in Section 4.5.

Silvicultural systems strategies focus on identifying natural disturbance regimes and stand structural characteristics in order that this information can ultimately be used to develop better prescriptions for achieving seral stage and stand structural objectives. Use of the variable retention system allows significant variation in prescriptions so they can be tailored to site-specific management objectives. Better information about natural stand characteristics will improve these prescriptions.

The silvicultural systems strategies are:

• Determine the natural disturbance regime associated with each TRD design unit. Utilize the TRD landscape pattern objectives when determining silvicultural systems at the stand level, to ensure that forest development plans mimic stand structures and maintain ecosystem functions.
• Develop partial cutting silvicultural systems prescriptions for maintenance of old or mature seral stage characteristics in a stand.
• Assess a range of stand types, especially older mature and old seral stages, and describe and quantify key stand structural attributes to aid in developing prescriptions for maintaining stand-level biodiversity and seral stage characteristics.

Within the context of the desired stand structural objectives and ecosystem functioning goals, as specified in the TRD, the following silviculture objectives have been identified for the WADF:

• Reforest openings created by harvesting or natural events.
• Consider stand-level structures and biodiversity when planning silviculture treatments to ensure activities are designed to accommodate these values to the greatest degree possible.
• Demonstrate soil conservation techniques.
• Demonstrate innovative means of ensuring free-growing stands.
• Produce sawlogs, peelers, and poles as primary forest products, and other products as defined in this plan.

Traditionally, silviculture strategies in Kootenay Lake Forest District have been guided by timber supply objectives, which suggests that the priority of the silviculture program is to achieve green-up as soon as possible. In the WADF, however, the guiding principles are to develop an effective and balanced total resource management plan, and to present a wide range of forest activities including new and innovative forestry techniques.

The TRD process provides an ecosystem-based plan which describes desired stand structures for various design units. It is incumbent upon silviculturists to accurately predict the likely consequences of the prescribed treatments and develop a coordinated plan to meet management objectives.

During all silviculture activities, it is necessary to protect and maintain the wide variety of forest habitats that exist, and the abundant animal and plant life they support. Silviculture operations can significantly alter forest cover and influence wildlife and other non-forest values.

The following strategies will help ensure that silviculture activities are appropriate for the objectives of the site in question:

A full description of activities involved in each strategy is provided in Appendix 10.

Stand-level biodiversity management is critical to maintaining biodiversity across a landscape. Stand-level practices will ensure that every cutblock retains some structural attributes, while recognizing that not all elements of biodiversity can be—or need to be—maintained on every hectare.

The objective of stand-level biodiversity management is to ensure that the maintenance of important stand-structural attributes is considered in every silviculture prescription, through the full range of management activities (i.e. harvesting, silviculture, forest health, etc.).

Stand-level biodiversity objectives are to:

• Ensure stand-level management activities retain important ecosystem attributes.
• Ensure that a base level of biodiversity protection is achieved in all harvested areas, regardless of seral stage, proximity to primary FEN corridors, visual concerns, etc.

Some of the key stand-level attributes that are recognized as important for maintaining biological diversity are species composition, wildlife trees, and coarse woody debris (CWD).

Species Composition: To maintain biodiversity, it is important to maintain a significant component of the landscape in a state similar to communities that have developed through natural succession. Silvicultural practices that favour fewer tree species in forest plantations, and therefore reduce or eliminate the minor components such as hardwoods in conifer-dominated forests, should be avoided.

Wildlife Trees: Cavity-nesting birds are the largest group of wildlife tree users. Primary cavity excavators such as woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees, and secondary cavity users including small ducks, owls, and raptors, are highly dependent on wildlife trees. Wildlife-tree dependent mammals include most indigenous bat species, and a variety of forest rodents and furbearers. In addition, two species of salamander rely on wildlife trees for most of their life cycle. Wildlife tree management provides valuable habitat, both at present and in the future, for the conservation of these wildlife species.

Coarse Woody Debris: The goal in managing for CWD is to retain dead and down wood in size, distribution, and relative proportion to that found naturally in biogeoclimatic zones within the NDTs. It is recognized that maintenance of CWD conflicts with existing wood utilization standards; however, where possible non-merchantable stems should be retained.

Cutblock Size and Distribution: A range of harvest unit sizes and patterns that approximate the mosaic of stand sizes and patterns present in each natural disturbance type will help protect biodiversity over the landscape. In some cases this will mean larger harvest blocks with more stand retention than is now common practice. Large blocks may reduce forest fragmentation and reduce the amount of access required to harvest an equal volume of timber. However, equivalent larger, late seral forest areas will need to be retained to balance forest cover in the area in question.

Strategies for managing biodiversity are:

• Manage the temporal and spatial distribution of cutblocks to provide a range of harvest unit, and reserve unit, sizes and patterns, some of which may be larger than is now common practice to reduce forest fragmentation and access requirements.
• Maintain a variety of species representative of the natural stand in each harvest unit (in wildlife tree patches and individual stems). Avoid the use of silviculture treatments that reduce or eliminate minor stand components such as hardwoods in conifer-dominated stands.
• Retain wildlife trees in patches containing both live and dead trees, and individually (no work zones required around unsafe trees) within cutblock boundaries. A detailed approach to identifying wildlife trees may be found in the Methodology for Establishing Wildlife Tree Patches in Operational Forests of the Nelson Forest Region (Pandion Ecological Research Ltd. 1995). For additional information see Appendix 10.

• Wherever possible, accommodate CWD requirements by leaving a variety of non-merchantable trees with various diameter classes scattered throughout a block, similar to what is found in adjacent unlogged stands. As a minimum, all trees leaning toward any perennial stream are reserved from cutting if by natural processes they would eventually fall into the creek. Also, where possible given utilization standards, retain non-merchantable dead and down wood on site rather than yarding it to landings.

As shown in Figures 1.2 and 1.3, much of the forested area of the WADF contains mature and older forests. Varying levels of root disease, bark beetle, dwarf mistletoe, and white pine blister rust are evident. Appendix 11 provides a description of forest pests currently found in the WADF.

However, certain levels of pest populations are normal for any forest landscape (endemic levels), and a component of forest biodiversity. It is likely these populations are required in the long term for general ecosystem health and functioning. The forest health management strategy at the WADF will be to manage hazard versus controlling discreet populations.

The objectives of forest health management are to:

• Recognize the ecological values of forests insects and diseases.
• Determine for common insects and diseases, decision making strategies to assess the compromise between economic, social and ecological values. Based on this determination a management hazard strategy can be developed.
• Ensure that timber-damaging agents do not impede the success of reforestation activities or marginalize silvicultural investments (spacing, etc.).
• Avoid treatments that enhance the occurrence of damaging agents, except where decided otherwise for specific research purposes.

It is a generally accepted view in forestry that forest health relates primarily to the health of commercial tree species and the sustainability of commodity production. The WADF tends to take a more ecosystem-centered view which focuses on ecological processes and sustainability rather than commodity production.

A healthy forest may be defined as "one that is resilient to changes and characterized by tree species and landscape diversity that provides sustained habitat for fish, wildlife and humans" (Joseph et al 1991). As such, the following principles will be used to guide forest health management in the WADF.

1. Recognizing that insects and pathogens are indicators of forest health will facilitate management practices that remedy the underlying imbalances in the ecosystem, instead of simply treating symptoms. "Impaired health reflects functional degradation, often indicated by insect or pathogen responses to host stress resulting from climate change (macro or micro), increased crowding and/or substrate deterioration" (Lorio et al. 1993). Maintenance of microclimate, natural stand structures, and soil processes is imperative to forest health. Vegetation management should closely resemble natural ecosystem functioning, species composition, and stocking levels.
2. Understand that insects and pathogens play a critical role in regulating vegetation diversity (species composition and density), promotion of nutrient cycling, as well as creation and maintenance of wildlife habitat. Decisions relating to forest health planning must recognize these roles and develop strategies for action only where real risks to the forest exist.

Strategies for managing forest health are:

• Develop hazard ratings for common insects and diseases which include identifying geographic areas where accelerated mortality of a susceptible species is acceptable or not acceptable.
• Prevention of outbreaks will be facilitated in the long term by harvest scheduling that considers stand susceptibility and risk of insect attack. Highly susceptible stands will be given top harvest priority unless required to meet biodiversity or other requirements.
• Insect/pathogen management activities will be determined according to the extent, distribution, and location of infestations, as well as potential impacts to other values. Management options for the more common forest health agents found in the WADF include the following (see Appendix 10 for more information about each option):
• Bark beetles - prevention, suppression, holding action, salvage, abandon.
• Armillaria root disease - alternate species selection, inoculum avoidance, biological control, inoculum removal.
• White pine blister rust - plant resistant seedlings, pruning, canker excising.
• Dwarf mistletoe - plant non-host seedlings, remove infection sources, modify cutblock design.

Visual landscape design is a creative process, working with the patterns and forces of nature to guide us in shaping the landscape in a way that meets the needs of society in both a material and an aesthetic way.

Landscape design avoids generating geometric patterns based solely on operational criteria that have little or nothing to do with the landscape itself. In essence, the nature and shape of the landform will guide the aesthetic design of units. The landscape-level TRD process incorporates a visual component to ensure design units fit well within the natural landscape; however, stand-level planning also has to include a visual component to ensure the prescription developed for a design unit attempts to minimize aesthetic conflict.

The objectives of stand-level visual management are to:

• Incorporate the Landscape Character (Flow) Analysis as the guiding principle for all harvest and silviculture treatments to ensure that design units follow the patterns defined by a landform’s topography.
• Rehabilitate some existing harvested units to reduce visual tension.
• Identify silvicultural systems that incorporate Visual Sensitivity Ratings (VSR) and Visual Absorption Capability (VAC) while maintaining the integrity and function of ecological processes.

Strategies for visual landscape resource management are:

• Landscape Character Analysis and TRD units will guide all proposed operations in the WADF. Visual Quality Objective percent limitations of non-greened-up openings on an area may be waived if block designs utilize visual force analysis and fit the landform acceptably.
• Visual Impact Assessments will be required of all proposed harvest units in areas visible from the West Arm, Nelson and Kokanee Glacier Road, as per the minimum requirements of the FPC. Digital terrain models, sketches, photographs, sight-line profiles, or video imaging will be prepared.
• Stand structural objectives will be implemented over time to reduce visual impact. Harvesting activities will be designed so that visual impacts will be absorbed over a period of time with adequate spatial distribution.
• The shape of harvesting units should reflect the quality of natural shapes found in the landscape. Units should therefore be irregular in shape and interlock with the existing forest. Harvest units, properly shaped to follow landforms, will have boundaries that extend down ridges and up hollows.
• Partial roadside screening will be maintained along well-used roads (e.g. Kokanee Creek Road) to allow sporadic glimpses into designed harvest units and to increase visual diversity. Landings will be located behind timber screens where possible.

Appendix 10 contains some of the key visual management rules that will be applied at the WADF.

Detailed soils and terrain mapping has been completed for the entire WADF area. This information is critical for planning road locations and cutblock boundaries as well as for developing harvesting prescriptions that are appropriate for the site in question.

The objectives for soils and landforms management are to:

• Identify management strategies to preserve unique landform characteristics throughout the WADF area.
• Ensure logging prescriptions outline the methods used to maintain long-term forest soil productivity and minimize site disturbance.

The strategies for soils and landform management are:

• A terrain stability field assessment will be carried out for planned road locations and Timber Sale Licenses where detailed mapping indicates a terrain stability rating of high or very high (Class lV or V).
• Landings will be kept as small as operationally feasible and pre-located, preferably on stable, low productivity sites. Maximum areas for landings are specified in the FPC Soil Conservation Guidebook. For small cutblocks (£ 4 ha), landings will be located strategically, so that they can be used for future adjacent blocks. Roadside decking will be encouraged where cable-harvesting systems are used, to reduce the area of landings.
• An assessment of sensitivity to site preparation must be completed for any area for which prescribed site preparation is recommended.

Numerous rules and regulations exist to protect the soil resource during forest management activities. Some of the more important of these are presented in Appendix 10.

TRD maps (Simon Reid Collins, 1994) show existing and proposed roads for all developed drainages. A road-maintenance and de-activation plan for the WADF is currently being developed by the Working Committee.

The objectives of road planning, construction, and maintenance are to:

• Reduce the overall area of roads in the WADF through access management planning, deactivation planning, minimizing road widths wherever possible, and increased use of yarding methods that rely less on roads such as heli-logging and forwarding trails.
• Minimize the impact of roads on water quality through detailed planning, careful construction techniques, good road maintenance, and deactivation.
• Minimize the environmental impacts of roads on soils, wildlife, recreational opportunities, and views.
• Minimize the loss of productive sites to roads.
• Demonstrate the latest concepts in minimum impact road construction, maintenance, deactivation, and monitoring.

Strategies for road planning, construction, and maintenance are:

• An Access Management Plan will be formulated to document road construction and deactivation. The plan will indicate the annual level and techniques of road maintenance, deactivation, and monitoring.
• A survey and design shall be generated for all main road construction. The design clearing widths shall be field checked to ensure they do not exceed the minimum requirement for construction, maintenance, and safety.
• Monitoring of road surfaces, ditches, and water control structures (culverts, waterbars, etc.) during spring runoff and rain storm events will be consistent with the level of risk to the watershed.
• Road construction will be limited to dry summer and fall periods. The road construction foreman will be required to exercise ‘shut down’ authority if soil moisture conditions warrant it. Moisture conditions that threaten to deliver sediment to a creek or tributary are considered to warrant a shut down. Operations on or about stream crossings shall receive particular attention, and one of the duties of the road foreman will be to monitor such sites for stream siltation. Frequent inspections by the BCMOF will be required during periods of frequent rain showers.
• Application for Approval under the Water Act will be necessary in the following situations:

1. Any bridge design that calls for the placement of abutments, piers, or approach fills in the stream channel (i.e. below the high-water mark including all flood channels).
2. Any culvert 1.5-m diameter or greater, and/or the placement of more than 5 m of fill over the culvert.
3. Any temporary stream diversion or channelization.

Numerous road-related rules and regulations exist to govern all aspects of road planning, construction, and maintenance. Some of the more important of these are presented in Appendix 10.

The WADF has significant potential for recreational use given its proximity to Kokanee Glacier Park, Kootenay Lake, and the City of Nelson. It is well roaded, allowing access to much of the area, and it has a number of interesting recreational features both developed and undeveloped. A large number of people pass through WADF every year on their way to Kokanee Glacier Park and it is likely that some of these visitors would take advantage of increased recreational opportunities in the WADF if they were developed.

The objectives for managing recreation values are to:

• Recognize existing features, both developed and undeveloped, and identify the relative significance of natural and man made features.
• Protect significant features of recreational value.
• Disperse recreational use over the plan area in an ecologically sensitive manner.
• Ensure compatibility of recreational activities throughout the plan area.
• Enhance recreational opportunities within Kokanee Creek drainage in order to augment activities available in Kokanee Glacier Park.
• Enhance interest in natural or man-made features by providing an interpretive program in the form of brochures or signing of such features as slide chutes, landforms, historic sites, silvicultural techniques, and logging methods.

The following recreation management strategies have been developed to guide future recreational development in the WADF, and to ensure that forest management practices do not impact recreational opportunities in the forest. A detailed inventory of existing and potential recreation opportunities in the WADF has been completed (see Appendix 10).

• Promote the WADF for educational purposes. Identify and promote potential tour opportunities and recreational opportunities for school groups and the public.
• Protect old buildings and other historically important structures and associated corduroy roads from damage during logging.
• Assess the recreational potential of various locations in the WADF.
• Assess the potential for, and possible locations of additional trails and cabins.
• Hauling of logs on the Kokanee Creek Road is governed by an agreement reached between the Ministry of Transportation and Highways, BC Parks, and the Forest Service.

Wildcrafting is the harvesting of wild plants growing in a wild area. In the WADF wildcrafting opportunities can be divided into five categories based on the intended use of the harvested plant material:

1. Floral greenery products and crafts.
2. Landscape products and native seed needs.
3. Edible wild mushrooms.
4. Medicinal.
5. Food and beverage.

Various and diverse groups of people engage in wildcrafting activities in the WADF. These activities can be divided into four general categories:

• Wildcrafting as a recreational activity: often families gathering huckleberries (Vaccinium spp.)
• Wildcrafting for personal use: fruits, greens, and mushrooms for culinary uses, medicines, and crafts.
• Wildcrafting to supply local markets: small, part-time cottage industries providing food, medicines, and crafts for local stores, fairs, and the local barter system.
• Wildcrafting to supply commercial markets: crafts for large urban markets, and mushrooms for export markets, e.g. Japan and Europe.

The objectives of managing wildcrafting are to:

• Recognize wildcrafting as a valuable forest use that is occurring on an ongoing basis within the WADF and is of local significance.
• Identify which species occur or are suspected to occur on a site where harvesting is proposed.
• Maintain the resource and the biodiversity requirements of species used for wildcrafting.
• Incorporate wildcrafting opportunities (i.e. harvesting of wildcrafting species that would otherwise be destroyed or wasted by timber harvesting activity) into the forest management process.
• Avoid development activity in areas with certain species of high wildcrafting value and of rare significance. Recognize that certain species or areas may have a high wildcrafting value, or may be rare and thus in need of special consideration.

The strategies for managing wildcrafting resources are:

• Develop and manage a wildcrafting inventory database for useful plant species. The database will include inventories of individual wildcrafted species and their occurrence, the plant communities in which wildcrafted species are found, and plant flows across the landscape. Such knowledge will help to ensure that the biodiversity requirements of important species can be identified and managed. The maintenance of a database will also allow for tracking of plant species and the health of plant communities over time.
• Practice adaptive management (see Appendix 3) to help ensure that there will be perpetual use of wildcrafting species. Identification of wildcrafting species at specific sites during pre-harvest silvicultural activities will be used to update the inventory database and guide further planning of silvicultural activities.
• Identify the temporal and spatial distribution of disturbances occurring in the WADF. Distribution of disturbances will be correlated with the inventory of plant species known to occur in the disturbed area. The impact of development activities on the species occurring in the identified areas can then be assessed. Knowledge of risk to wildcraft species will guide planning of development in order to maintain the resource for use.

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