Site factors affecting rehabilitation success include:
Successful rehabilitation will be achieved by conserving topsoil during construction and replacing it during rehabilitation, and by decompacting the soils with a winged subsoiler. There are no hazards from altered drainage or off-site effects.
No special problems are anticipated for vegetation establishment on this site in the SBSwk1 (see Map 1). Because of the low surface soil erosion hazard, a selection of native species will be established to gain more familiarity with their potential for rehabilitation.
Within the logging plan, statements must be included about the rehabilitation treatments, schedules and monitoring plans. The following sections are examples of these statements:
Rehabilitation treatment: After harvesting, the debris piles will be burned. Topsoil and ash piles will be respread over the landings. Unburned woody debris will not be mixed into the topsoil in such a manner that loose, unplantable microsites are created.
After spreading the topsoil and ash, decompaction of the landings will be achieved by subsoiling to a depth of 50 cm with a winged subsoiler. We expect soil moisture conditions will be suitable for subsoiling in September and October, but they will be monitored before moving equipment to the site. The soils will be dry enough that they shatter when worked, but not so dry that they turn to powder. Woody debris may be distributed as a discontinuous (approximately 10% cover) layer with an excavator so the decompacted surface does not have to be driven on.
A mix of equal parts by weight Sitka alder, bronze sedge and perennial lupine from a local seed source will be established to improve nitrogen status, restore soil structure and control surface erosion. Seed will be dry broadcast immediately after subsoiling at a rate of 30 kg/ha. No fertilizer application is planned because it may interfere with the success of the native plants in occupying the site.
Lodgepole pine will be planted using the same specifications as the adjacent standards unit.
Map 1. Map, showing landings to be rehabilitated.
Site factors affecting successful rehabilitation include:
Soil disturbance will be minimized by harvesting on snowpack in late winter and early spring. The depth and width of cut will be minimized, and a mix of snow and fill will be used to construct the trails. Compaction will be reduced by working under frozen soil conditions.
Successful rehabilitation will be achieved by ensuring that sidecast topsoil is readily retrievable, and mixing of the topsoil and any unfavorable substrate is minimized, replacing the topsoil during rehabilitation, and by decompacting the running surfaces.
Vegetation establishment on this site in the MSdk will be affected primarily by calcareous subsoils and moisture stress. Because of the high surface soil erosion hazard, and as recommended by the district range agrologist, a well-tested seed mix of agronomic grasses and legumes will be used to reduce erosion on all exposed mineral soil. Visual quality concerns are low.
Within the logging plan, statements must be included about the rehabilitation treatments, schedules and monitoring plans. The following sections are examples of these statements:
Snow will be removed from the inner track area and compacted where the fill will be placed. Salvaged topsoil will then be placed on the snow, and covered with more snow to form the running surface.
Rehabilitation treatment: Concurrent with the end of harvesting, the excavated and bladed trails will be completely rehabilitated by ripping the bladed portion of the running surface to ensure that it is outsloping, then carefully replacing any subsoil against the cut. Finally, topsoil will be retrieved from within the fill and used to recontour the slope. This will leave the original trail surface in an outsloping condition, overlain by a loosened layer of topsoil at least 25 cm deep.
A discontinuous layer (approximately 20% cover) of woody debris will be spread on the surface.
Exposed mineral soil surfaces will be revegetated with a seed mix containing 15% perennial rye, 10% intermediate wheatgrass, 25% creeping red fescue, 15% orchardgrass, 10% Canada bluegrass, 20% Alsike clover, and 5% alfalfa by weight. It will be broadcast at 40 kg/ha once the snow has melted. This high rate of seeding reflects the need for vigorous vegetation cover to restore soil productivity and prevent surface soil erosion. Fertilizer (19-18-18) will be added at the time of seeding at a rate of 200 kg/ha.
Map 2. Map of bladed trails to be rehabilitated.
