Policy 2.7 - Forage Seeding of Recently Disturbed Land

Effective Date: 31-Jul-97
Responsible Branch: Silviculture Practices Branch and Forest Practices Branch

Resource Management Volume Table of Contents | Amendment Log

Scope

This policy covers forage seeding on recently disturbed Crown forest land.

Policy

Recently disturbed land in range use areas will be seeded to provide interim grazing for livestock, where required under an approved land use plan.

Forest and range resources may occur on the same land, thereby significantly affecting the usage and quality of both. Because of this, forage seeding, grazing, and reforestation practices must be integrated through resource planning processes, such as the Pre-Harvest Silviculture Prescription (PHSP).

Recently Disturbed Land

Recently disturbed land is any area of productive Crown forest land where significant forest cover removal has taken place in the last two years, either through logging, landing and road construction, or fire.

Development of Seeding Program

Forage seeding programs will be developed as an integral part of Resource Management plans, including Ministry of Forests Act, s.8:

• Forest Land Management Plans (FLMP)
• tree farm licence (TFL) plans
• forest licence (FL) plans
• grazing tenure management plans
• Coordinated Resource Management Plans
• local resource management plans
• Five Year Forest and Range Resource Programs

Regional and District Managers must ensure that input from other appropriate agencies is provided for in all forage seeding plans and programs at the regional or district level (Range Act, s. 3, 4, 5, 6).

District Managers will review forest and grazing licensee proposals to ensure that regeneration and forage requirements are met. District forage seeding programs will be planned, budgeted, funded, and implemented by the District Manager.

Planning and Coordination

The Director, Silviculture Branch, will coordinate and monitor the cooperative development of procedures and standards within the regions for forage seeding and grazing activities as they relate to forest regeneration practices on recently disturbed Crown land.

The Directors of involved branches, such as Range, Research, Integrated Resources, Inventory, Timber Harvesting, and Wildlife Branch (Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks) will monitor:

• development of forest and range seeding procedures and standards within the regions
• promote planning processes at all levels, and provide for input from all involved agencies for the integration of forest land management practices
• provide economic, technical and scientific expertise as required

Forage seeding may also be undertaken where wildlife or silviculture benefit can be demonstrated; and may be done in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, Wildlife Branch.

Regional Managers and District Managers will foster cooperation and communication with the forest and ranching industries to ensure effective integration of forest and range management practices.

Seeding Conditions

Opportunities for forage seeding may be appropriate in the following situations:

• there is a demonstrated need for additional or continuing forage supply, based on a documented forage inventory
• as a silvicultural tool, and as part of a vegetation management plan
• where forage seeding is prescribed as a problem-solving technique for wildlife or livestock distribution
• as a land management practice such as limiting encroachment of noxious weeds or preventing soil erosion

If forage or grazing livestock might affect wildlife, reforestation objectives, site productivity, or other resource values, seeding will only be done if satisfactory coordination and agreement can be achieved through the CRMP planning process.

Site Interpretations and Monitoring

Inspections and monitoring are critical to the success of forage seeding as an integrated land management program. Sites proposed in the PHSP or other documents will be inspected immediately after logging or fire to assess suitability and timing of seeding in relation to reforestation requirements.

After seeding, periodic assessments will be made of forage quality and quantity.

District Managers are responsible for administering, monitoring, and documenting all aspects of regeneration practices, such as harvesting and forage seeding, as well as cattle management operations. District Managers will take remedial action if approved standards and procedures are not followed.

Regional Managers will monitor and audit the effectiveness of seeding plans.

Seeding Practices

A site prescription or plan must be developed for all seeding projects. These prescriptions must include (Silviculture Regulation, s. 2):

• management objectives
• required site conditions
• forage species and variety
• application rates and timing
• prescribed forage utilization (type of animal, timing, duration)
• references to the appropriate grazing tenure management plan

Only Agriculture Canada Certified seed will be used. The rate and timing of seeding must be scheduled to minimize adverse effects on tree regeneration, grazing use, and a variety of other resource uses. All seeding operations on Crown land must be approved by the District Manager.

References

• Ministry of Forests Act, s.8
• Range Act, s.3, 4, 5, 6
• Silviculture Regulation, s.2