Forest Management and Timber Harvest Planning

Mark Hitchcock CF, MFSFairweather Forestry360-766-65004S3@fidalgo.net

Basic Questions For Forest Landowners

What are your forest management objectives?

What are the physical attributes of your land?

What are the biological characteristics of your forest?

Management Objectives

Income

Aesthetics

Habitat

Mixed-Use

Physical Attributes

Soil attributes Drainage Depth Fertility Harvest Limitations Reforestation Limitations

Topography Elevation Aspect Adjacent land use

Forest Characteristics

Species Shade Tolerance Longevity Durability

Vigor Disease Insects Crown Ratios

Tree Species Characteristics

Species Shade Tolerance Typical Longevity Durability

Western Hemlock Very Tolerant 400-500 years Intermediate

Western Redcedar Very Tolerant 1000+ years Very Durable

Grand Fir Tolerant 250-300 years Vulnerable

Douglas Fir Intermediate 500-750 years Durable

Big Leaf Maple Intermediate 150-300 years Durable

Red Alder Intolerant 60-100 years Intermediate

Black Cottonwood Very Intolerant 150-200 years Durable

Evidence of root rot infestation. Root wads appear incomplete, or “fist-like“, due to root decay.Fallen trees are “jack-strawed” and do not appear directionally felled, as in windthrow.

Later evidence of bark beetle infestation. The first signs of attack are pitch tubes marking wherefemale beetles have entered the tree. Secondary evidence is dry boring dust, similar to fine sawdust,found in bark crevices and around the tree base.

Crown type classifications of trees in even-age stands. D= dominant, C= codominant, I= intermediate, W= wolf, S= suppressed, M= mortality. The “crown ratio” is the proportion of total tree height that is occupied by live crown. In this illustration, the dominants have a 50 percent crown ratio; the wolf tree has an 80 percent crown ratio.

Silvicultural Systems Simplified

Cultivation of forests through comprehensive programs of stand treatments, commonly classified by reproduction method. Even-Aged Reproduction Methods

Clearcutting Seed-Tree Shelterwood

Uneven-Aged Reproduction Methods Selection

Stand Age = 28 YearsTPA = 397 (RA = 81)QMD = 10.4

Uniform ThinningTPA = 150 (RA = 0)QMD = 12.9

Variable ThinningTPA = 150 (RA = 20)QMD = 12.1

A heavily thinned stand at age 50 – 30 yearsafter the first thinning. This is a highly productivesite where thinnings have reduced stand density toa low number of large trees. The open conditionhas allowed the development of understory plants.

A portion of the same stand, un-thinned, at age 50.The stand has developed to a high density withmany smaller trees and few plants growing in theunderstory because of a lack of light reaching theground.

Logging Equipment

Cable yarding systems

Ground-based yarding systems

A small cable yarding system equipped with a motorized, clamping carriage is commonlyemployed to selectively harvest timber on steep slopes or over vulnerable soils. Use ofintermediate supports can extend yarding distances, thereby reducing the costs and impactsof road construction.

Motorized carriage in action!

Left and right sides of the graph represent traction under the bestconditions, but soil and weather conditions may reduce gradability.

A crawler tractor is among the most versatile ofmachines. When equipped with winch and chokers ora grapple, as shown in this picture, it can be used foryarding. Wide, low ground pressure tracks reduce soilcompaction.

The typical rubber-tired skidder will provide veryeconomical yarding in a variety of silvicultureprescriptions. The use of a cable winch and chokers,as shown in this picture, increases machine versatilityand reduces soil compaction compared with using thesame machine equipped with a grapple.

A method of commercial thinning nowcommon is the use of a harvester-forwardercombination in what is called a cut-to-lengthsystem. The harvester moves through thestand felling, delimbing, bucking, andbunching trees selected for harvest;meanwhile a forwarder loads and movesthese processed logs to the truck road whereit then unloads and sorts the logs into decksfor log truck pickup.

Roads, Landings, and Skid Trails

Avoid Wetlands and Drainages

Locate Skid Trails To Minimize Impacts

Plan to Recycle Skid Trails

Protect Leave Trees

Ground disturbance comparison between designated skid trails and randomskid trails. In this example, random skid trails result in about 25% more ground disturbance that designated skid trails.

A rub tree is left intentionally to protect selected leave trees during harvest operations.Rub trees should be removed, from back to front, after all other logs have been removed.

Tree Selection

Form

Vigor

Crown Ratios

Spacing

Wildlife Trees

Height/Diameter Ratio

Intolerant species -  Less than or equal to 85

Tolerant species - Less than or equal to 95

The gradual decay of wildlife reserve trees into snags.

Tree and Boundary Marking

Clearly Mark Boundaries

Property Line Survey

Tree Marking

Harvest Timing

Dry Soil Conditions to Minimize Compaction

Avoid Spring Sap Flow (mid-March to mid-June) to Minimize Bark Slippage

Useful Web Sites

Washington State University Cooperative Extensionhttp://pubs.wsu.edu/cgi-bin/pubs/index.html

Oregon State University Extensionhttp://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/EdMat/

USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Stationhttp://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/index.shtml

Graphics, Tables, and Pictures Shamelessly Borrowed From:

Creighton, J.H. and D.M. Baumgartner. 1997. Wildlife ecology and forest habitat. EC1866, WSU Cooperative Extension, Pullman, WA

Duncan, S. 2002. Volume, value, and thinning: logs for the future. Science Findings Issue 48, USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station.

Garland, J.J. 1997. Designated skid trails minimize soil compaction. EC1110, OSU Extension Service, Corvallis, OR.

Greulich, F.R., D.P. Hanley, J.F. McNeel, and D.M. Baumgartner. 1999. A primer for timber harvesting. EB1316, WSU Cooperative Extension, Pullman, WA.

Schlosser, W., D.M. Baumgartner, D.P. Hanley, S. Gibbs, and V. Corraro. 1996. Managing your timber sale. EB1818, WSU Cooperative Extension, Pullman, WA.

Stathers, R.J., T.P. Rollerson, and S.J. Mitchell. 1994. Windthrow handbook for British Columbia forests. Working Paper 9401, British Columbia Ministry of Forestry, Victoria, B.C.