This guidebook provides information that clarifies the intent of Forest Practices Code legislation related to green-up and explains how to meet the requirements associated with green-up. However, this guidebook is not referenced in the legislation.
The Forest Practices Code sets out requirements for ensuring that previously harvested cutblocks adjacent to proposed cutblocks are greened-up before the proposed cutblocks are harvested.
Generally, for green-up to be achieved, a stand must have the required height, stocking and block coverage requirements set out in the Operational Planning Regulation. When a stand has met these requirements it will provide a level of hydrological, visual and wildlife habitat recovery.
Other specifications for green-up may be established in a higher level plan or may be approved by the district manager, or the district manager and designated environ-ment official, to achieve landscape- and stand-level management objectives. Biodiversity objectives, wildlife habitat needs, visual quality, hydrologic concerns and situations requiring salvage of damaged timber may affect the green-up requirement. When basic green-up requirements are varied, the applicable regulations should be consulted to ensure the variation is in line with the legislation.
Requirements to meet hydrologic and visual green-up are specifically covered in the Community Watershed Guidebook, the Coastal Watershed Assessment Procedure Guidebook and the Interior Watershed Assessment Procedure Guidebook, the Visual Landscape Management Guidebook, and the Visual Impact Assessment Guidebook. Requirements for setting objectives to meet green-up to retain a range of cutblock sizes is contained in the Landscape Unit Planning Guide.
This guidebook describes green-up requirements, when and how to apply them, and when variation from these requirements is permitted. A recommended green-up survey procedure is summarized in Appendix 1.
