VARIABLE RETENTION HARVESTING ON POTLATCH FORESTS

RETENTION SYSTEM?RETENTION SYSTEM?

Retains Retains structurestructure, such as live and dead trees and , such as live and dead trees and woody debris, for woody debris, for at least one rotationat least one rotation

Provides structural diversity and forest or residual Provides structural diversity and forest or residual tree tree influence influence over the over the majoritymajority of a cutblock of a cutblock

““Influence” generally extends at least Influence” generally extends at least one tree lengthone tree length from an edgefrom an edge

Usually are always plantedUsually are always planted You can also adapt traditional systems to the VR You can also adapt traditional systems to the VR

approachapproach BOTTOM LINE- Its an approach that modifies BOTTOM LINE- Its an approach that modifies

traditional forestry to better address the non traditional forestry to better address the non silvicultural issues-such as bio-diversity and visuals. silvicultural issues-such as bio-diversity and visuals.

Adapted from the March 1999, BC Operational Planning Regulations

DESIGN USING “ANCHORS POINTS”DESIGN USING “ANCHORS POINTS”

Representative range of tree Representative range of tree sizes, species, multiple sizes, species, multiple canopy layers, conifers & canopy layers, conifers & deciduousdeciduous

Understory vegetation and Understory vegetation and forest floorforest floor

Snags, decay features,Snags, decay features,coarse woody debriscoarse woody debris

Riparian, rock outcropsRiparian, rock outcrops Nests, bear dens, vetsNests, bear dens, vets Gullies, seeps, unique floraGullies, seeps, unique flora

or terrain featuresor terrain features Unsafe areasUnsafe areas Difficult loggingDifficult logging Poor planting sitesPoor planting sites Visual screensVisual screens Veteran treesVeteran trees

RETENTION HARVEST MYTHSRETENTION HARVEST MYTHS

IT PROMOTES GRAND FIRIT PROMOTES GRAND FIR YOU CANT BURNYOU CANT BURN IT’S TO EXPENSIVEIT’S TO EXPENSIVE IT’S TO COMPLICATEDIT’S TO COMPLICATED IT’S JUST HIGH GRADINGIT’S JUST HIGH GRADING IT’S JUST A CLEARCUTIT’S JUST A CLEARCUT IT’S A GROUP SELECTIONIT’S A GROUP SELECTION IT’S JUST UN-EVEN AGE MGTIT’S JUST UN-EVEN AGE MGT

JUST NEW WAYS OF THINKINGJUST NEW WAYS OF THINKING

FOREST INFLUENCEFOREST INFLUENCE ANCHOR POINTSANCHOR POINTS SPACING?? SPACING?? TARGETING BIOLOGICAL LEGACIES IN TARGETING BIOLOGICAL LEGACIES IN

PATCHS NOT SINGLE TREESPATCHS NOT SINGLE TREES PATCHES ARE KEYPATCHES ARE KEY

OUR LANDSCAPEOUR LANDSCAPESTRATEGYSTRATEGY

Retention, shifting mosaic, and green-up/adjacency.Retention, shifting mosaic, and green-up/adjacency. Each plays a role in providing structure for organisms Each plays a role in providing structure for organisms

and ecological processes at different scales. and ecological processes at different scales. Our retention strategy seeks to maintain the diversity Our retention strategy seeks to maintain the diversity

of plants, animals, and ecological processes at a stand of plants, animals, and ecological processes at a stand level by retaining biological legacies over the long-level by retaining biological legacies over the long-term. term.

Our green-up/adjacency strategy targets the ecological Our green-up/adjacency strategy targets the ecological balance of forest structure at a slightly larger scale by balance of forest structure at a slightly larger scale by limiting the amount of early-successional vegetation limiting the amount of early-successional vegetation within a particular drainage. within a particular drainage.

Our shifting mosaic strategy seeks to maintain Our shifting mosaic strategy seeks to maintain biodiversity at a much coarser scale, such as the biodiversity at a much coarser scale, such as the Landscape Management Unit, by ensuring the Landscape Management Unit, by ensuring the maintenance of a diversity of forest structure types.maintenance of a diversity of forest structure types.

GREEN TREE RETENTIONGREEN TREE RETENTION

USED WITH TRADITIONAL USED WITH TRADITIONAL TREATMENTSTREATMENTS

INCLUDES RANDOMLY PLACE INCLUDES RANDOMLY PLACE ANCHOR POINT RETENTIONANCHOR POINT RETENTION

GENERALLY POTLATCH IS MOVING GENERALLY POTLATCH IS MOVING TOWARD RETAINING MORE PATCH TOWARD RETAINING MORE PATCH RETENTION VS. DISPERSEDRETENTION VS. DISPERSED

LESS IMPACT ON GROWTH WITH LESS IMPACT ON GROWTH WITH PATCH RETENTIONPATCH RETENTION

The Potlatch GTR ProgramThe Potlatch GTR Program

consists of a number of facets, including:consists of a number of facets, including: Riparian stands Riparian stands Upland standsUpland stands Old growth reservesOld growth reserves Special SitesSpecial Sites Retention in harvest units Retention in harvest units Uneven-aged management standsUneven-aged management stands Visual Management CorridorsVisual Management Corridors

THE POTLATCH DEFINITIONTHE POTLATCH DEFINITION The retention harvest system (RHS)The retention harvest system (RHS) is designed to is designed to

meet visual constraints while removing more volume than meet visual constraints while removing more volume than shelterwood harvests in units with viewshed restrictions. shelterwood harvests in units with viewshed restrictions. The goal is to maintain enough tree canopy to have forest The goal is to maintain enough tree canopy to have forest or residual tree influence over the majority of the harvest or residual tree influence over the majority of the harvest unit and leaves some long-term live and dead reserve trees unit and leaves some long-term live and dead reserve trees or groups of trees for at least one rotation. The retention or groups of trees for at least one rotation. The retention harvest will leave approximately 20% of the stand volume harvest will leave approximately 20% of the stand volume (depending on stand location and shape) and will be (depending on stand location and shape) and will be representative of the average preharvest stand. Openings representative of the average preharvest stand. Openings are generally less than four tree lengths wide but may be are generally less than four tree lengths wide but may be any length. Residual trees may be in a patch/group or any length. Residual trees may be in a patch/group or strip/stringer pattern and will be strategically placed in the strip/stringer pattern and will be strategically placed in the unit to minimize the visual impact of the logging. unit to minimize the visual impact of the logging. Harvested areas are generally reforested through planting. Harvested areas are generally reforested through planting. Once the regeneration has reached acceptable heights as Once the regeneration has reached acceptable heights as described in the Potlatch green-up requirements, a portion described in the Potlatch green-up requirements, a portion of the residual stand may be removed.of the residual stand may be removed.

POTLATCH RETENTION POTLATCH RETENTION EXAMPLE 2000EXAMPLE 2000

RIPARIAN RETENTION

SCATTEREDVETEREN PINES

ADVANCEDREGEN

AREASPLANTED

POTLATCH EXAMPLE 1990POTLATCH EXAMPLE 1990

POTLATCH EXAMPLE 1999POTLATCH EXAMPLE 1999

MARATHON AERIAL VIEWMARATHON AERIAL VIEW

..

MARATHON TRIALMARATHON TRIAL

MARATHON RETENTIONMARATHON RETENTION

ESTIMATING TREE ESTIMATING TREE INFLUENCEINFLUENCE

LOGGING AND HAZARD LOGGING AND HAZARD MANAGEMENT PLANMANAGEMENT PLAN

ACRES AND VOLUMEACRES AND VOLUME

Unit Acres: 95Unit Acres: 95 Net All harvested: 1,422 MBFNet All harvested: 1,422 MBF Net All Residual Volume: 345 MBF Net All Residual Volume: 345 MBF

RETENTION AREASRETENTION AREAS

Total Retention in-groups: 13.6 AcTotal Retention in-groups: 13.6 Ac Total number of Groups: 7Total number of Groups: 7 Smallest Group: .1 AcSmallest Group: .1 Ac Largest Group: 6 Ac (Linked class II Largest Group: 6 Ac (Linked class II

riparian areas)riparian areas)

WHY WOULD YOU VR?WHY WOULD YOU VR?

WHEN VISUALS OR OTHER NONE-WHEN VISUALS OR OTHER NONE-SILVICULTURAL ISSUES REQUIRE YOU SILVICULTURAL ISSUES REQUIRE YOU TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTTO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT

IN THESE SITUATIONS VR USUALLY IN THESE SITUATIONS VR USUALLY HAS A HIGHER NPV THAN A HAS A HIGHER NPV THAN A TRADITIONAL SYSTEMTRADITIONAL SYSTEM

IT CAN ALLOW YOU TO CUT MORE IT CAN ALLOW YOU TO CUT MORE VOLUME GIVEN CLEARCUT SIZE OR VOLUME GIVEN CLEARCUT SIZE OR ADJACENCY CONSTRAINTSADJACENCY CONSTRAINTS

LAYOUT STEPSLAYOUT STEPS FIGURE OUT HOW IT WILL BE LOGGEDFIGURE OUT HOW IT WILL BE LOGGED

LOCATE AND MARK CRITCAL SCREENS AND ANCHOR LOCATE AND MARK CRITCAL SCREENS AND ANCHOR POINTS LIKE STREAMS-MEASURE AND MAP THEM- POINTS LIKE STREAMS-MEASURE AND MAP THEM- CALCULATE THE FOREST INFLUENCECALCULATE THE FOREST INFLUENCE

DETERMINE WHAT YOUR AVERAGE PATCH SIZE WILL BE DETERMINE WHAT YOUR AVERAGE PATCH SIZE WILL BE AND HOW MANY PATCHES YOU WILL NEED TO MEET THE AND HOW MANY PATCHES YOU WILL NEED TO MEET THE 50% RULE MAP THOSE OUT50% RULE MAP THOSE OUT

LAY-OUT THE REMAINING PATCHS ON THE GROUNDLAY-OUT THE REMAINING PATCHS ON THE GROUND

INVARIABLY IT WILL DIFFER FROM YOUR PAPER PLAN INVARIABLY IT WILL DIFFER FROM YOUR PAPER PLAN

UPDATE YOUR MAPUPDATE YOUR MAP

YOUR DONEYOUR DONE

TIPS TIPS YOU WANT LARGE OPENINGSYOU WANT LARGE OPENINGS

THE TENDENCY IS TO LEAVE TO MANY TREESTHE TENDENCY IS TO LEAVE TO MANY TREES

SCATTERED TREES ALL OVER GET IN THE WAYSCATTERED TREES ALL OVER GET IN THE WAY

CONCENTRATE YOUR RETENTION IN PLACES YOU DON’T CONCENTRATE YOUR RETENTION IN PLACES YOU DON’T WANT TO BE IN OR IN PLACES YOU DON’T WANT TO BE WANT TO BE IN OR IN PLACES YOU DON’T WANT TO BE SEENSEEN

MAKE SURE YOU CAN SITE PREP AND PLANT THE POST MAKE SURE YOU CAN SITE PREP AND PLANT THE POST HARVEST STANDHARVEST STAND

ALWAYS BE AWARE OF HOW MUCH VOLUME YOUR LEAVING ALWAYS BE AWARE OF HOW MUCH VOLUME YOUR LEAVING AND HOW EASY IT WLL BE TO GO BACK TO IT.AND HOW EASY IT WLL BE TO GO BACK TO IT.

BURNINGBURNING

BEST IF A SPRING BURNBEST IF A SPRING BURN LINE UNIT AS NORMALLINE UNIT AS NORMAL THE BIGGER THE PATCH THE EASIER THE BIGGER THE PATCH THE EASIER

IT IS TO SAVEIT IS TO SAVE KEEP SLASH OUT KEEP SLASH OUT DON’T TRY AND FALL TREES OUT OF DON’T TRY AND FALL TREES OUT OF

A PATCHA PATCH IT MAY BE OK IF A FEW BURN UPIT MAY BE OK IF A FEW BURN UP

HAZARD MANAGEMENTHAZARD MANAGEMENT

BLOWDOWNBLOWDOWN

LOOK AT SOILS AND STAND HISTORYLOOK AT SOILS AND STAND HISTORY PREVAILING WINDSPREVAILING WINDS RETENTION AREAS TUCKED OUT OF RETENTION AREAS TUCKED OUT OF

THE WAY OF THE PREVAILING THE WAY OF THE PREVAILING WINDS?WINDS?

SPECIES MIX?SPECIES MIX? PATCH SIZE AND SHAPE PATCH SIZE AND SHAPE

OBSERVATIONSOBSERVATIONS IF PLANNED RIGHT VR UNITS APPEAR MORE NATURAL THAN IF PLANNED RIGHT VR UNITS APPEAR MORE NATURAL THAN

ST, SW OR CTST, SW OR CT WHEN COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL PARTIAL CUTS YOU WHEN COMPARED TO TRADITIONAL PARTIAL CUTS YOU

HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER HAZARD MANAGEMENT, SITE HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER HAZARD MANAGEMENT, SITE PREP, AND REGENERATIONPREP, AND REGENERATION

THE UNITS ARE EASIER TO RELOG AND DO LESS DAMAGE THE UNITS ARE EASIER TO RELOG AND DO LESS DAMAGE TO REGENTO REGEN

EVEN IN CASES WHERE YOU CUT MORE WITH VR THERE IS EVEN IN CASES WHERE YOU CUT MORE WITH VR THERE IS MORE HIDING COVER AND THE STAND ACTUALLY APPEARS MORE HIDING COVER AND THE STAND ACTUALLY APPEARS LARGER THAN IF YOU A TRADITIONAL APPROACHLARGER THAN IF YOU A TRADITIONAL APPROACH

LOGGING COSTS CAN ACTUALLY BE LOWER AND THE UNITS LOGGING COSTS CAN ACTUALLY BE LOWER AND THE UNITS CAN ACTUALLY BE SAFER THAN OTHER PARTIAL CUTSCAN ACTUALLY BE SAFER THAN OTHER PARTIAL CUTS

QUESTIONS