Kitsap County Parks Advisory Board Agenda August 19 2015 · 2015-08-19 · KITSAP COUNTY PARK...

KITSAP COUNTY PARK ADVISORY BOARD

MINUTES AUGUST 19, 2015

Meeting called to order at 6:02 by Chair Alvin Andrus.

Introductions of the Board – PRAB members present – Alvin Andrus, Brian Kilpatrick, Elizabeth

Grady, Frank Stricklin, Larry Walker, Joanne Clark, Keith Grellner, Kathryn Thompson, and Ani

Gatz.

Staff Present: Jim Dunwiddie, Arno Bergstrom, Billie Schmidt and Leigh Snyder

Elected Officials Present: Commissioners Ed Wolfe and Charlotte Garrido

Six members of the public attended.

Motion:

Motion by: Frank Stricklin Second by: Keith Grellner

Motion made to accept the minutes from July 15, 2015 as presented.

Discussion: None

Action: Minutes accepted by unanimous vote.

Correspondence & Communication: None

Special Presentation narrated by Frank Stricklin of NHHP and its wetlands formed by the west

glacial valley. The documentary was given special permission to film with the use of a drone.

The finished product will be valuable to education and shows the diversity of natural beauty that

is found in our park lands. Future viewing opportunities may include it’s availability to BKAT and

the Parks website. Commissioners’ Wolfe and Garrido were impressed with the footage and

wanted to thank all the volunteers especially Frank. Commissioner Garrido would like to see

more of our parks documented in this way. Commissioner Wolfe added that a drone policy will be

under discussion.

Opportunity for Public to Address the Board:

Nelson Lanchester reported all 110’+ of vandalized KLS track has been repaired by volunteers.

Operations are back to normal. Rebar was used in the repair work. The KLS has added a “Fire

Safety Car” with water and a fire extinguisher in light of the dry conditions in the Park.

Directors Report: Jim Dunwiddie:

Recent flooding in the Parks office due to recent heavy rainfall will be repaired after fair. Speed

tables have been completed at Anderson Point Park with the permanent NO PARKING signs

scheduled for installation by months end. Forest Stewardship plan for the Port Gamble Forest

Heritage Park was presented to the County Commissioners on August 12th. Print out provided

for information on the restoration work started at Kola Kole Schoolhouse. Olalla Boat launch

parking lot retrofit project work slated to being October 5th with completion in 30 days. Project

has been amended using different materials to lower cost. Plan remains the same. Kitsap County

Fair and Stampede runs from August 26 through August 30th. $200K in sponsorship money

secured – events include the X-treme Bulls, Rodeo, & D-Derby. A new “Bucky the Bull” has been

secured by sponsor and is available for viewing on the roof of the Silverdale Burger King. Play

ground equipment replacement is just now underway at Silverdale Waterfront Park there are plans

for new tables, a safety surface under the play equipment, and a landscaping plan. All work

scheduled for completion at the end of December. Thanks to Keith Grellner and the Health

Department for their diligence during the two recent sewage spill events.

County Forester – Arno Bergstrom:

Restoration thinning has started on 31 acres owned by Public Works that adjoins NKHP then the

thinning will move to NKHP and back to NHHP after Labor Day. Marked timber to be cleared at

SKRP is anticipated to take place between September 7 and October 1st. The PRAB has been

provided with a draft for review of the North Kitsap Heritage Park Forest Stewardship Plan and of

the Forest Stewardship Plan for the Ecological Restoration of the Port Gamble Forest Heritage

Park. Questions were raised by Elizabeth Grady concerning buffer areas and tables and a map

attached to the report. Arno referred her to the adopted Integrated Forest Stewardship Policy and

to the Newberry Hill Heritage Park Forest Stewardship Plan available on the Park website for

more in depth answers to her questions. Buffers do vary according to State Law, what type of

wetlands or streams you may be dealing with. The map and tables will be updated in the final

draft of the document. Kathryn Thompson asked if the Port Gamble Plan has been adopted. In

answer -the document has been sent to the PRAB for review and the commissioners have been

briefed on its contents thus far.

Operations Superintendent – Billie Schmidt - refer to printed report provided –updates regarding

increased vandalism at the children’s playground at the fairgrounds, working with the KC Sherriff’s

office for deterrents, staff is very busy setting up for the Fair. Presidents Hall awing has been

replaced with metal and will be painted prior to fair.

Parks Resource Superintendent – Dori Leckner – excused absence – refer to written report

provided.

Parks Planner – Steven Starlund – excused absence – refer to written report provided.

Subcommittee Reports – Draft completed for the NHKP Forest Stewardship plan and the technical

report for the ecological restoration of PGFHP as authored by Arno Bergstrom ready to be

presented at the PRAB for their review. Arno reviewed contract with AFM expectations are clear

and concise in the statement of work. An internal review is underway for the Fire Protection Plan.

Family Forest Field Day held August 15th in Raymond Washington.

Old Business – none

New Business – none

Board Comments: Where is lumber sold? To Manke in Tacoma and pulp wood goes to Belfair.

Is the price better than last year? Right now the market is better and the ratio for saw logs is

better at NKHP than it was at NHHP. Arno will have a conversation with the brush harvesters

about being careful where they park their vehicles so the catalytic converters don’t spark a fire in

the tall dry grass. Brian Kilpatrick commented that the community is very involved in reporting

and watching for illegal dumping after the segment on King 5. Ani Gatz asked about the recent

closure of Wildcat Lake - is it more than usual and what is the common cause of the e-coli

bacteria? Keith Grellner answered that actually the parks have had less closures due to bacterial

this year in spite of the warm weather. The cause is attributed to geese and human contamination.

Motion:

Motion by: Larry Walker Second by: Frank Stricklin

Motion: Adjourn Meeting

Discussion: None

In Favor: Unanimous

Action: Meeting adjourned at 7:14 PM

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Parks and Recreation Department Superintendent of Operations Report

Fairgrounds & Events Center, Village Greens Golf Shop, Permitting Process, Marketing

August, 2015

A. Facilities

a. Staff met with Kitsap Destruction Derby representatives who agreed to install metal

plates on the north side of the wall at the points where the poles are sticking out of

the wall. They also agreed to shorten the track by bringing the tires in closer. We

anticipate this action will help keep the wall hits to a minimum.

b. Turf Management – Due to dry and hot conditions the aerification and top dressing

of the fields in June was held off until fall to prevent scalding the fields.

c. Tennis Court concerns – Staff met with several community members to discuss

options for improvements on the tennis courts. A plan was made, but due to budget

season, this plan has not yet been put in front of the director or BOCC. Cost is

estimated at $50,000 for just the re-surfacing.

d. Presidents’ Hall awning is torn attempted repairs with awning tape have been

unsuccessful. Exploring other options.

2. Grants

a. The Department of Agriculture Safety Grant – completed, final report and billing has

been sent and approved.

b. Boand Family Foundation Grant - Lower Arena Roof

1. SDAP has been completed, permit in process – on schedule to begin

construction in September

c. PFD Funding

i. Phase One - Lobe Field Improvements.

1. Contract was sent to Architect for signature

2. Next step once contract is received is for Architect to put bid package

together for contractor bid.

d. LID Grant – Grant

i. Projects all completed, final report submitted with billing – waiting to hear

back from Department of Ecology.

B. Rental/Events

a. Events held included: July –Kitsap Bluejackets Games & fireworks show, Baseball

camp, Conditioning and Self Defense classes, Private Wedding, Pumas Game,

Destruction Derby. Baseball Tournament, New Life Day Camp, Cub Scout Day

Camp, Scout O’Rama, Little League Big League District Tournament, 2 Destruction

Derbies, Bus Roadeo, Private Quincenera, Skyhawks Sports Camps (tennis),

Grand Slam Baseball Camp, Night of Miracles. August – Super Saturday, Dahlia

Show, Baseball tournament, Skyhawks Sports Camp (Flag Football), Sounders FC

Soccer Camp, Kitsap Bluejackets games,

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b. Upcoming Events include - August - Kitsap County Fair & Stampede. September

– Private wedding, Destruction Derby, Volleyball Tournament, Gig Harbor Kennel

Club AKC Dog Show, Rabbit Show, Veteran’s Stand Down. October – HBA Home

Show, Quilt Show, JBF Children’s Consignment Sale, Fire & Ice, Haunted

Fairgrounds, Gun Show, Mushroom Show.

C. Staffing/Training

a. Nothing new to report

D. Marketing

1. Targeted Internet Ads placed through Kitsap Sun, ads forward folks to our website. 2. Parks (www.kitsapgov.com/parks ) and Village Greens

(www.Villagegreensgolfcourse.com ) websites were updated. 3. Facebook page was updated. Look for Kitsap County Parks and like it. 4. County Sharepoint Intranet was updated. 5. Ads placed on www.kitsapgov.com on the county calendar 6. Events posted to Govdelivery – county mass e-mail list. 7. Marketing Booth at the Fair needs volunteers.

E. Permit Process

Permitting – no new information.

F. Village Greens Golf Shop

Nothing new to report

G. Sponsorships – Nothing new to report.

H. E-Tix Program

a. Ticket Sellers present for the Destruction Derby ticket sales for July

b. New laptops are in and work great.

I. Work Parties

a. Eagle Scout Candidate Dominic Broderson completed his project – put in a fence at

the north Pavilion Parking lot separating the lower bowl lot from the upper lot.

b. Eagle Scout Candidate Tristan completed his project – built and installed a kiosk at

the Disc Golf entrance.

c. Volunteer Mark Boardman and Navy volunteers worked on preparing for the fair.

d. Washington Youth Academy helped prepare for the fair.

e. Volunteer David Grant continues to maintain the Kitsap Kids Playground.

f. Volunteer Cliff Hanson continues grounds keeping assistance throughout

Fairgrounds.

http://www.kitsapgov.com/parks

http://www.villagegreensgolfcourse.com/

http://www.kitsapgov.com/

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KITSAP COUNTY PARKS DEPARTMENT

Parks Resource Division Monthly Report

August 2015 Point No Point Lighthouse Park – Volunteers spread 30 plus yards of ¾ minus gravel along the trail behind the lighthouse to improve public access. Staff are working with MCCW crews to re-establish the park picnic area. Norwegian Point Park Steps are in motion on the demolition contract. Notice was awarded. Contract signed. Awaiting contractor on demolition. Billie Johnson Skate Park – Parks staff working with KCSO and community volunteers, to deter park after hour’s activities. Salsbury Point Park D.O.E. staffing removed creosote timbers and logs off the beach and in the park. Part of the larger bay cleanup with OPG. Kitsap P.U.D. wanting to install water to the park. KC Parks to keep well for irrigation purposes.

Island Lake Park Island Lake Meeting Facility – Parks staff researching various new floor replacement and/or improvements. Same for community center roof replacement, and/or treatment and cleaning.

Guillemot Cove Parks staff looking into the demolishing of the old Nest House, and the removal of the contents from the Nest house and the Barn.

Silverdale Dog Park Group has requested the installation of a waterline into the dog park.

Guillemot Cove Parks staff to work with WDFW and tribe for the removal of a bridge and woody debris in Boyce Creek in working to restore the creek.

SKRP Parks staff continues to work with KCSO, to deter illicit activities at the park. Increased presence of KCSO. Community volunteers conducting weekly cleanups at the park. Staff working with WYA on August 8th to remove scotch broom from the park. In the process of obtaining quotes for the anticipated soil amendments and hydro seeding of the large open play area. Harper Park Parks staff working with county purchasing department and park volunteers, on the salvaging/surplusing of the old metal bridge.

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Rotary Park New backstop fencing improvements completed. Parks staff working on both field backstop improvements. Anderson Point Park Parks staff installing round stock fencing in (2) locations to deter public access, and further hillside erosion. Stewardship Coordinator Point No Point Lighthouse Park – Eagle Scout performing preventative Maintenance on the Mary Rogers Viewing Platform. Billie Johnson Skate Park – Parks staff working with volunteers to paint over graffiti. Silverdale Rotary Gateway Skate Park – Parks staff working with park volunteers to install a waterline inside the dog park. Anderson Point Park – Parks staff to work with park volunteers to plant vegetation and trees on hillside to deter shortcuts and hillside erosion. Also to install BEACH FIRES PROHIBITED signs and Water Trails sign.

Point No Point

Aug 8th was National Lighthouse Day. Friends of PNP organized a scavenger hunt, living history tours, lighthouse tours, and interpretive talks with a WA Whale Trail docent. The event was very well attended.

Hansville Greenway

Greenway volunteers installed 100 feet of geoblock material to stabilize a steep trail section.

Carpenter Lake

Volunteers have removed a large amount of scotch broom and reed canary grass

Stillwaters Environmental Center has developed interpretive signs to inform visitors to Arness, Carpenter Creek estuary, and Carpenter Lake about the habitat.

Kingston Skate Park

Volunteers are planning a graffiti painting event. North Kitsap Heritage Park

Volunteers are working on defining the new beaver loop trail Silverdale Dog Park

Volunteers are installing an extension to the water line into the large dog park area.

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Howe Farm

Dog park volunteers have fenced of a wetland area within the dog park to protect the water quality

South Kitsap Regional Park

A volunteer group meets every Wednesday night at 5:00 to pick up litter. Banner Forest

GPC is working with volunteers, staff, and REI to design and build a turnpike on Croaking Frog Trail.

Anderson Point

Volunteers removed a large amount of Scotch Broom from the beach Anderson Landing

Staff and volunteers are designing a building a fence for safety at the overlook Newberry Hill Heritage Park

Volunteers and staff are working with WDFW to remove an old road bed and culvert and replace them with a bridge/boardwalk.

Guillemot Cove

Volunteers and staff are working with WDFW to design and install a bridge in the Boyce Creek estuary.

Time Oil

Volunteers, staff, WSU, GPC, Suquamish Tribe, and Clean Water Kitsap are in the planning process for the Salmon Tour scheduled for Saturday, November 14

Lori is scheduling and training high school students for the Fair Information Office.

Updates –

Postings for the (2) new FTE positions in the parks have been filled. Park vandalism and drug activity in the parks – Due to increased activity at the Old Mill Park restrooms, parks staff are moving forward to install door locking mechanisms and timers. Island Lake Park Swimming Beach closed, reopened, closed and reopened again. Due to high levels of Fecal Coliform from waterfowl. This also occurred at Wildcat Lake Park. Old Mill Park and SWF Park were closed to (2) separate incidents of a sewer spill in Dyes Inlet. Both parks were reopened within 24-48 hours after the notices were posted. Soliciting quotes towards roof cleaning and maintenance and/or replacement, at Island Lake Shelter, Island Lake Community Center and Wildcat Lake Park Restroom Building.

KITSAP COUNTY PARKS

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Parks and Recreation Advisory Board – August, 2015

Parks Planning Report

Steven Starlund | Ric Catron

PORT GAMBLE FOREST HERITAGE PARK – STEWARDSHIP | Trails

Stewardship Plan: Final Resource Stewardship and Public Access Plan

was approved by Board of County Commissioners on July 15.

Bay Clean-Up: Dept. of Ecology is beginning to schedule clean-up of

Port Gamble Bay and removal of pilings and creosote dock structures.

The dock at the Shoreline Trailhead area is scheduled to be demolished

during the next year.

Trails: Trail Closure and Park Boundary signs are posted at the top of Ranger Trail. Work crews from the

Mission Creek Correction Center de-constructed the extreme jump structures on that trail and filled in

the danger pits. Parks will work with Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance and volunteers to prepare a new

trail application, relocate a new trail with approved construction standards and materials.

Construction of a new route for the Beaver Pond Trail is scheduled for a volunteer event on Oct. 3.

Great Peninsula Conservancy, North Kitsap Trail Association, supported with an REI grant will complete

this re-route and de-construction of the connection with the existing trail. An viewing and interpretive

trail spur is planned to access the east side of the wildlife ponds.

KOLA KOLE PARK – KINGSTON SCHOOLHOUSE – Historic Restoration

Work has begun on the restoration of the schoolhouse siding, with new cedar

shingles on the upper story, new cedar siding on the lower story, and

replacement of all upper story windows which have been boarded up for years.

Work is on track to be completed by Sept. 7.

Park staff is working to clean up some overgrown landscaping and request a

Plague to commemorate the building’s recognitions on State and County Register of Historic Places.

A new entrance sign will be installed.

KITSAP COUNTY PARKS

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OLALLA BOAT LAUNCH PARKING – Construction Contract

Project bids were received and awarded to Sealevel Bulkhead Builders. Staff is working with the

contractor and engineers to adjust the project within our project budget. Authorization from the Board

of County Commissioners is scheduled for August 10. Contract award is expected this month.

Construction completion is projected for September 4.

HISTORIC HOWE FARM BARN – Restoration

Our contract engineer has re-submitted drawings and

specifications for the revised re-construction of the historic barn,

retaining two of the original walls. Project will be re-Bid and

building permits updated.

Work to begin this Fall.

Silverdale Waterfront –Playground

Existing playground equipment and fall protection surfacing is

outdated and worn. Staff is working with several regional

playground companies for replacement playground equipment

which best fit our site design consideration, existing playground

area footprint and create a “destination” quality, within our

budget. With purchasing requirements, ordering and installing

procedures, the Phase I project completion is anticipated later

this Fall.

New Park Land Acquisitions: Within the last few months, Parks has been “gifted” two new park

properties; 218 acres west of SR 3 near Poulsbo – Rude Rd., and 40 acres near Olympic View Drive. Both

properties were previous owned and managed by WA Dept. of Natural Resources. Parks will begin an

assessment of the properties’ condition, management issues and recreation potential.

August 17, 2015

Kitsap County Community Forestry - Pilot Program Report

August 2015

Forest Stewardship Plans and Plan Implementation for Individual Parks

Restoration thinning operations started on the 31 acres Public Works parcel that adjoins North

Kitsap County Heritage Park is completed. Restoration thinning operations in Unit 12 of North

Kitsap Heritage Park are expected to take three weeks. Operations will begin at Newberry Hill

Heritage Park after Labor Day.

The North Kitsap Heritage Park - Forest Stewardship Plan is attached for Park Board review and

recommendation. The Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park – Forest Stewardship Plan is attached

for Park Board review and recommendation.

South Kitsap Regional Park

The harvesting of marked timber in areas to be cleared for the planned Phase II project at South

Kitsap Regional Park will occur between September 7th and October 1st. Danger trees have also

been located and additional clearing maybe necessary to improve long term public safety.

Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park

The Forest Stewardship Plan for Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park has been drafted. Forest

ecosystem restoration and wild life habitat enhancement and Wild fire protection, Emergency

access, are primary elements of the plan.

Brush Harvesting

Late summer/fall brush harvesting is in full swing. Lease holders can be expected to harvest

brush through October.

NORTH KITSAP HERITAGE PARK

FOREST STEWARDSHIP PLAN

Restoring NKHP’S Forest for Fish & Wildlife and You

Revision F August 13, 2015

Rev. F - Aug 13, 2015

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MANAGING NKHP FOREST ECOSYTEMS FOR HEALTH AND DIVERSITY

Prepared by: Paul Larson, Tom Doty, Steve Weagant, Carolina Veenstra, Ron Vanbianchi and Arno Bergstrom

Edited by Jessica Solie

F O R E S T S T E W A R D S H I P P L A N

KITSAP COUNTY PARKS

Jim Dunwiddie, Director 614 Division Street MS-1 Port Orchard, WA 98366 Parks Department Office: 1195 NW Fairgrounds Rd, Bremerton, WA 98311 360-337-5350 www.kitsapgov.com/parks/

Rev. F - Aug 13, 2015

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FORESTRY STEWARDSHIP PLAN CONTENTS

CONTENTS 3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 5

DESCRIPTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES STEWARDSHIP OBJECTIVES 6

Vision 6

Goals 6

Objectives 6

Public Meeting 7

GENERAL PROPERTY DESCRIPTION 8

History 8

NKHP Forest Roads 8

Vegetation 11

RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 13

RESOURCE CATEGORY I: FOREST HEALTH 13

RESOURCE CATEGORY II: FOREST TREE INVENTORY 14

RESOURCE CATEGORY III: SOILS 15

RESOURCE CATEGORY IV: WATER QUALITY, RIPARIAN, AND WETLAND AREAS 15

RESOURCE CATEGORY V: FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT 19

RESOURCE CATEGORY VI: THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES 19

RESOURCE CATEGORY VII: HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES 20

RESOURCE CATEGORY VIII: AESTHETICS AND RECREATION 20

RESOURCE CATEGORY IX: SPECIAL FOREST PRODUCTS 21

STEWARDSHIP TIMELINE 21

Restoration Thinning Operations 22

Deleted: 19

Deleted: 21

Rev. F - Aug 13, 2015

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APPENDICES 23

Appendix 1: Mapping Units 23

Appendix 2: Percentage of Trees per Acre by Species 24

Appendix 3: Tree Planting Schedule 25

Appendix 4: Forest Stand Conditions/Prescriptions 26

Appendix 5: Forest Road Maintenance Plan (RMAP) & Culver INventory 31

Appendix 6: Soil Types 36

Appendix 7: Yearly Harvest & Net Revenue Projection 38

Appendix 8: List of Birds, Mammals, Amphibians, Reptiles, & Fishes 39

Appendix 9: List of Trees, Shrubs, Herbs, & Invasive Plants 41

Appendix 10: Fire Risk Reduction 43

Appendix 11: NKHP Trail Map 45

Appendix 12: Streams and Wetlands 46

Appendix 13: NKHP Forest Road Plan 48

Appendix 14 – Master Schedule 49

Appendix 15: Mapping Unit 12 50

Appendix 16: Glossary of Terms 51

Appendix 17: Summary of Public Comments 54

Rev. F - Aug 13, 2015

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Kitsap County Staff

Jim Dunwiddie, Director of Parks and Recreation

Arno Bergstrom, Forester

Dori Leckner, Parks Superintendent

Lori Raymaker, Stewardship Coordinator

Lucretia Winkler, GIS Data Collection

Dylan Vaughn, Apprentice Forester

Contributing Volunteer Stewards

Frank Stricklin

Paul Larson

Steve Weagant

Tom Doty

Carolina Veenstra

Jay Zischke

Ron Vanbianchi

Other Partners & Stakeholders

Washington DNR Forest Practices Forester – Aileen Nichols

Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Biologist – Gina Piazza

Kitsap County Department of Community Development – Forest Practices Inspector – Jerry Connell

American Forest Management Forester – Rick Kuykendall

Suquamish Tribe Biologist – TBD

Squamish Tribe GIS Manager– Tom Curley

Washington Department of Ecology –

Wild Fish Conservancy - http://wildfishconservancy.org/

Rev. F - Aug 13, 2015

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DESCRIPTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES STEWARDSHIP OBJECTIVES

VISION

orth Kitsap Heritage Park (NKHP) currently has a range of forest types from simple monoculture tree farm to complex natural forest that supports a diverse community of animals, high productivity for plants, and a replenishment of the water cycle. This NKHP Forest Stewardship Plan (the “Plan”)

emphasizes ecosystem management, a process that considers the environment as a complex system functioning as a whole. This plan recognizes that this land is a park that is regularly used by many people and that any plan must consider the health and social value of the human population. The approach to ecosystem management will rely heavily on partnership with park stewards, as well as private, tribal, local, state, and federal government stakeholders. This ecosystem management approach will:

Work with nature: Work with native plant species that have evolved and adapted to our temperate climate and are competitive and resistant to disease and insects.

Provide forest wildlife habitat: Structurally diverse forests provide the best habitat for the greatest number of wildlife species.

Diversify plant species: Forests comprised of mixed native tree species improve habitat, aesthetics, and the value of both timber and non-timber assets and better support diverse wildlife populations.

Recognize the true value of forest ecosystems: The stewardship of the park’s forests must be a dynamic and adaptive process that will benefit the county for centuries to come.

Protect water as a vital resource: Healthy, vibrant forest ecosystems are the best and least costly option for maintaining high water quality and for the management of surface and storm water runoff.

Consider that human park users are part of the system and critical to the decision making about the future of their park.

GOALS

successfully implemented Forest Stewardship Plan for NKHP will meet four basic goals, established by Resolution 169, which are closely related and not mutually exclusive. A successful plan will:

Enhance natural forest ecosystem complexity and health

Protect and enhance soil, water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat

Be biologically and economically self-sustaining

Provide safe, reasonable and appropriate public access to County forestlands

Through this Forest Stewardship Plan, Kitsap County will realize the full range of benefits and values of the

NKHP in a manner consistent with the County’s overarching goal of a growing community where natural resources and systems are sustained for the benefit of current and future generations.

OBJECTIVES

he NKHP Forest Stewardship plan is designed to improve the NKHP’s ecosystem health over a ten year period beginning in 2015. The plan is intended to be a living document that will change as the needs of the park change. It is anticipated that the park staff and stewards will make periodic updates and extend the plan

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Rev. F - Aug 13, 2015

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beyond 2024. Some timber stands in the park, most of which were planted by the previous landowner, Pope and Talbot Lumber Company as commercial forest, currently lack the vegetative diversity of a naturally grown forest in Western Washington. These areas are lacking in understory vegetation because of Commercial Forestry practices which created a dense monoculture by eliminating competing species. Park stewards desire to increase wildlife habitat and forest health by rectifying some of these past practices. This can be accomplished best by:

Managing areas with diseased and dangerous trees

Thinning stands that are over-stocked with one tree species.

Planting a variety of tree species to promote a diverse forest habitat

Controlling invasive species and noxious weeds

Kitsap County plans to conduct restoration thinning on approximately 200 acres, County-wide, of park land

each year. NKHP will benefit from thinning because it will improve the health and habitat of the forest. NKHP contains a high percentage of Douglas fir trees in the early stem exclusion development stage (20-50 years). This is a critical growth period during which these trees are under extreme stress and are vulnerable to root rot and catastrophic fire. Restoration thinning operations will preserve the largest trees, reduce stand density, and improve habitat diversity, tree health, girth, and longevity.

Park stewards, in collaboration with the Forestry Stewardship Advisory Committee and the Kitsap County Parks – Forest Stewardship Program, will establish priorities for areas to be thinned over a ten year period beginning in 2015 (See Appendix 7 –Yearly Harvest & Net Revenue Projection). In addition, the County Forester will submit a Forest Road Maintenance and Abandonment Plan (RMAP) and other required permits and paperwork to state authorities as needed (See Appendix 5 for RMAP and Culvert Inventory). Stewards will meet each year to review and evaluate all aspects of the Restoration Thinning Program at NKHP. Stewards will report their findings to the County and recommend areas for improvement as well as noting operations that work well.

PUBLIC MEETING

Park Stewards held a public meeting on February 26, 2015 at 7:00PM at the Kingston North Kitsap Fire Station. The purpose of the meeting was to inform the public about the benefits of Restoration Thinning in NKHP. Logging procedures and prospective schedules were described and riparian and wetland protection methodology was discussed. Generally, the public had a favorable response to tree thinning in NKHP. Questionnaire responses are summarized and provided in Appendix 17.

Rev. F - Aug 13, 2015

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GENERAL PROPERTY DESCRIPTION

HISTORY

North Kitsap Heritage Park is comprised of approximately 809 acres in the Grover’s Creek Watershed in Kitsap County. Kitsap County purchased the first 430 acres in 2005 from Olympic Property Group (OPG), the real estate arm of Pope Resources, a limited partnership which was spun off from Pope & Talbot in 1985. The land has been owned by Pope and Talbot since the 1870’s and logged for the last 150 years. At the time of this purchase, OPG granted Kitsap County an option to buy an additional 325 acres east of the park (Expansion Block) and a perpetual easement for trail development on these acres. The purchase of the park was precipitated by the 2000 Kitsap Parks and Open Space Plan that indicated wide public support for the purchase of large tracts of timber land for preservation of open space and recreation at a time when Kitsap County was experiencing suburban growth. The purchase of the original 430 acres was funded by a grant from the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Office and Kitsap County conversation futures funds. In 2006, Kitsap County purchased an additional 18.9 acres at the northwest corner of the park to provide access to Miller Bay Forest Road. In May of 2006 Kitsap County created a master plan for the NKHP and, at this time, created turn lanes on Miller Bay Road and a parking apron. Financial considerations have prevented execution of the master plan since these initial improvements. Beginning in late 2008, a group of individuals contacted Kitsap County to recognize the recreational activity that was occurring in the park. In 2009, North Kitsap Heritage Park Stewardship Group (NKHPSG) was sanctioned by Kitsap County to work with the Parks Department to help maintain the park and guide plans for the future of the park. Since then, NKHPSG has created, maintained, marked and mapped trails, improved accesses and parking areas and managed invasive species in the park. As a result of the partnership with NKHPSG, the park was officially opened for use in January 2010. In May of 1998 the Board of County Commissioners (the “Commissioners”) adopted the 1998 Kitsap County Comprehensive Plan (“Comprehensive Plan”). Adoption of the Comprehensive Plan satisfied the requirements set forth in the Growth Management Act including parks and open spaces elements. As part of the Comprehensive Plan, the Parks, Recreation & Open Space Plan is updated every six years and adopted by the Commissioners, most recently in 2000, 2006, and 2012. In September of 2012, Kitsap County Parks & Recreation Advisory Board recommended to the Commissioners the adoption of the Kitsap County Forest Stewardship Policy (“Policy”). On October 8, 2012 a public hearing was held and public testimony was taken and comments were incorporated into the Policy. On October 22, 2012 the Commissioners adopted the Policy by Resolution Number 169. The Policy resulted in a Forest Stewardship Plan for each participating County park, a four-year pilot program that is evaluated annually to determine its continuance beyond 2016. This NKHP FSP Plan is a result of this process. Park stewards will be primary to the planning and implementation of the plan. North Kitsap Heritage Park stewards have been working with Kitsap County Forester Arno Bergstrom since January 2014 to learn about the proposed variable density thinning and to tailor the general Kitsap County Forest Stewardship plan to particular requirements of the NKHP.

NKHP FOREST ROADS

Access for the removal of old growth timber in the late part of the 1800’s and early 1900’s was accomplished using narrow gauge rail road lines. In the late 1930’s early 1940’s rail gave way to a network of forest haul roads when trucking became the most economical way to move harvesting equipment and haul timber. The park has approximately 12 miles of service roads that were built between 1940 and 1970, now between 45 and 80 years old. The service roads in the park are an important asset and have provided access for the public for generations (Pope

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has always allowed non-motorized access). Labeled as trails on NKHP maps, these forest roads have had a history of transporting forest products harvested by the previous landowner, Pope Resources and its predecessors. Some of these forest roads have subsequently been designated as trails within the park and will continue to be used as trails. Some portions of forest roads will continue to see use for hauling forest products or for service vehicles. Others have fallen into disuse and will be abandoned.

The State of Washington has rules affecting forest road construction and maintenance, and these rules require Kitsap County to maintain Park Forest Roads to minimize damage to public resources, such as water quality and fish habitat. Since North Kitsap Heritage Park was established, only minimal maintenance of these forest roads has occurred. An approved Forest Road Maintenance and Abandonment Plan (RMAP) consisting of a forest road inventory and schedule for any needed forest road work will be created. The RMAP will need to be reviewed and approved by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) not later than 2016. If there is a forest road problem, the DNR will provide advice for correction. Forest road maintenance requires a permit from the WDNR. Currently WDNR has on file a Forest Road inventory for NKHP based on the previous owners forest road system used for commercial logging. Through the RMAP process, Kitsap County will be updating the forest road system to accommodate the current needs, Appendix 13: NKHP Forest Road Plan. Forest roads will be incrementally built/upgraded between 2015 and 2024 to support restoration thinning operations. Ultimately, WDNR’s Forest Road map will be updated to reflect the current Forest Road plan.

Forest roads will not exceed 18 feet in width tree line to tree line. The road surface width will be no greater

than 12 feet with 3 foot drainage ditches on one or both sides of the road depending on the topography or none at all (see Figure 1 below). Short sections of forest roads may be used as log loading areas and will need to be wider to allow traffic to pass. The tree line along the forest road will be cut back not further than 9 feet from the centerline of the forest road bed.

The forest road network in NKHP is designed to facilitate the tree thinning operations. Ideally, the forest road

network will be designed in such a way that logging equipment will not have to travel more than 1,000 feet from where a tree is felled to the point where the log can loaded onto the log truck. The trees along the forest road will be pruned vertically to be consistent with the maximum road width, if necessary, but in no event higher than 16 feet from the base of the tree.

Figure 1 – Forest Road Prism Cross Section

Forest road abandonment is required of all forest roads that will no longer be used or maintained. To abandon a forest road many factors must be considered. The most important factor is the forest road’s location and potential impact on public resources. Abandonment will involve blocking the forest road to four-wheel vehicle access, the removal of stream crossing structures (culverts, bridges, and fords) and unstable forest road fill, installing water bars, and re-vegetating exposed soils. It may, however, be less expensive to abandon a forest road than maintain it. The DNR must approve the forest roadwork before the forest road can be considered abandoned. Several forest

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road spurs in the park are candidates for abandonment and will be included in the RMAP. Well maintained service roads can be a valuable asset that will provide access to park patrons for generations. Abandoned forest roads may see future use as hiking, biking and horseback trails.

Table 1 lists the existing forest roads and trails in NKHP and the proposed uses during and following restoration thinning activity. Refer to Appendix 11, NKHP Trail Map and 13, Proposed NKHP Forest Road Plan for locations of forest roads, trails, and signposts.

Table 1 – Forest Road & Trail Use Plan

Forest Road or Trail Name and Length (miles)

Condition During Restoration Thinning

Condition Following Restoration Thinning

Arbutus (0.5) No Entry Maintained as trail

Bay Ridge (0.9) Forest Road

Signpost 13 to Miller Bay Estates: maintained as trail Signpost 13 to 14: maintained as Forest Road

Boundary (1.0) Forest Road from Signpost 14 to approximately 0.1 mile north of Signpost 15, including West Spur

Signpost 14 to 15: maintained as Forest Road North of Signpost 1: maintained as trail West Spur: abandoned

Forked Tongue (0.9) Abandoned Maintained as trail

Four Streams (0.7) No Entry Abandoned

Middle Ridge North (0.2) No Entry Abandoned

Middle Ridge South (0.6) No Entry Abandoned as trail

Power Line (1.0) Signpost 11 to 13: Forest Road

Maintained as Forest Road

Ravine Run (0.6) Limited entry from Signpost 7 to approximately 0.1 mile north

Maintained as trail

Salal (0.2) No Entry Maintained as trail

Short Cut (0.2) Forest Road Maintained as trail

Spine Line (2.9)

Signpost 1 to 4: No Entry Signpost 4 to 8: Forest Road Signpost 8 to 9: No Entry Signpost 9 to 10: Forest Road

Maintained as trail Maintained as trail Maintained as trail Maintained as trail

Unmapped spur Forest Road into Area 12 between Signposts 9 & 10

Forest Road Maintained as trail

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White Horse (0.4) Signpost 8 to 11: No Entry Maintained as trail

VEGETATION

The forest in North Kitsap Heritage Park has been impacted by human activities in many ways. The most evident is the commercial timber production which has resulted in a lack of habitat Diversity. About 90% of the park’s land was actively managed by Pope Resources and some areas were replanted with Douglas fir monoculture after each harvest. Between harvests, competing species were suppressed or eliminated, creating dense, even-aged plantations of Douglas fir. Some areas were not replanted or replanting failed resulting in stands dominated by red alder or big leaf maple.

Some clear-cut areas were overtaken by Scotch Broom that NKHP volunteers have been steadily working to

remove and manage. Natural processes have also impacted the park. Beaver, bear, wind and disease pockets

have created openings in the forest that have promoted crown differentiation. The fertile forest soil, with a Site

Index above 120 that exists in 80 percent of the park, contributes significantly to tree vigor and longevity (see

Appendix 6: Soil Types).

Fifteen tree stands have been identified within the park based on age, species composition and/or vigor.

Walking through the forest, the changes in forest structure are subtle and are found where soils change or where

human or natural disturbances have occurred. Each stand has been mapped, documented, inventoried and given

an ecological classification listed in the following Table 2:

Table 2 – Diversity Ecological Classification

Simple Trees of uniform age, spacing, height with a single canopy and lacking tree species diversity. Often single species plantations.

Complex Trees of different height, age, species and spacing. Canopy stratification to some extent, some mature trees (70-200 years old)

Old Growth

Defined as trees 200 years and older. Mix of shade tolerant understory trees and shrubs, decadent trees, snags, logs on the forest floor and canopy stratification

Meadow Existing open areas, sometimes artificially maintained, as an ecotone for raptors and bats. Size often limited to 1-2 acres.

Hardwood Patch Clumps of hardwood trees species including Red Alder,Big Leaf Maple, birch, Madrona, cascara, aspen and willow. Patches are small (1/4 to 1 acre) where conifers are removed to benefit wildlife.

Wetlands (WA Forest Practices wetland typing system)

TYPE A: An area of 1/4th acre or more covered by open water seven consecutive days between April 1 and October 1st

.TYPE B: An open area of 1/4th acre or more that is vegetated with water tolerant plants and or shrubs. Forested Wetland: A wetland with tree crown closure of 30% or more with mature trees.

Riparian Those areas that interface land to streams. There are multiple unnamed tributaries to Grovers Creek in the park.

The dominant species in NKHP is Douglas fir, as described above. Many of the tree and shrub species growing

in the park produce berries and support insect populations and thus provide important food sources for resident

and migrating birds. Leaf litter from trees is essential to fungal and macro-invertebrate populations, which in

turn form a food web that supports anadromous fish.

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There are hazards associated with standing dead timber, such as snags and uprooted trees that are leaning

against other trees and precariously perched. These potentially hazardous trees require attention when people

are at risk of injury. However, logs on the forest floor and remote snags provide important food, protective

cover, and nesting sites for wildlife and are essential components of a forest ecosystem.

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RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

ing County standards and guidelines the North Kitsap Heritage Park is managed by a stewardship group whose mission is to implement the guidelines below:

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Celebrate the natural beauty and protect the health of plant/wildlife communities and watershed headwaters

Offer safe, inviting, and clear access points, as well as way-finding throughout the park through a system of well-marked trails

Maximize the park's educational potential for students and the larger community in safe and engaging ways

Connect to nearby regional trail systems

Offer a variety of non-motorized recreational uses appropriate to the environmental characteristics of the land and within the County's ability to build and maintain them

Contribute to the park's role as a good neighbor to surrounding communities

In their efforts to protect the natural beauty, wildlife diversity, and overall health of the park, volunteers have conducted forest ecosystem analyses using the latest accepted forms of scientific measurement. Sampled sections of forest stands were subjected to standardized plot analyses measuring such data and variables as tree height, diameter, and condition. Also, trees were counted by species; shade tolerant trees and seedling/saplings (replacement trees) were recorded. These studies have raised serious concerns about the health of the forest.

Because NKHP was formerly maintained by a commercial forest owner, typical use involved an intensely commercial style logging and replacement regimen. Stands would be densely planted, sometimes thinned, and then clear-cut at age 50. The resulting stands of timber are far less conducive to wildlife habitat and forest health than naturally regenerated stands and will take hundreds of years to develop into more diverse old growth forest ecosystems. Past logging practices resulted in uniform height stands dominated by a single species, typically Douglas fir.

Close planting and irregular thinning schedules often resulted in trees that are too near one another, encouraging disease and increasing fire risk. Trees compete for nutrients and sunlight, and an entire stand of trees grows at a less than optimal rate, into a potentially unhealthy environment. In addition, wildlife diversity is greatly diminished because of the uniform habitat. Animals, understory plants, and fungi, as well as microscopic organisms adapted to more complex ecosystems are more likely to absent in such a monoculture.

This Forestry Stewardship Plan seeks, over time, to create an environment at NKHP that is more like that of a healthy, old growth forest. Multiple canopy heights will be established naturally and by planting various species of native evergreens and hardwoods. . In all its endeavors, this plan’s authors will refer to and reflect the Integrated Forestry Stewardship Policy guidelines set down by the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners in October 2012. The policy established the following resource categories:

RESOURCE CATEGORY I: FOREST HEALTH

a) Existing resource condition: As indicated, historic logging in the park has greatly diminished overall habitat and species diversity. In addition, laminated root rot, pine blister rust, bark beetle infestation,

U

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armillaria root rot, and heart rot can be found in many areas of the park. Some invasive species, notably Scotch Broom, blackberry, English Ivy and holly, infect many areas of the park.

b) Resources protection measures: Plot analyses have identified areas that need prophylactic care and/or diseased tree removal. Fire risk will also be addressed, see Appendix 9: Fire Risk Reduction.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: Measurement and identification of root rot pockets is ongoing. Park stewards, with the help of the Kitsap County Noxious Weed Control Program, are managing invasive species. Refer to Appendix 4: Forest Stand Conditions/Prescriptions for detailed information about the health of individual mapping units (stands) in the park.

RESOURCE CATEGORY II: FOREST TREE INVENTORY

a) Existing resource condition: Every section of the park has been sampled using inventory plots. Some minor tree species that were not noted in the inventory do occur in small patches and in riparian areas. Refer to Appendix 7 Yearly Harvest & Net Revenue Projection for a complete tree inventory. Some mapping unit inventory data was also provided by Olympic Resource Management.

b) Resources protection measures: Replanting will occur in areas where it is deemed appropriate. For instance, in a root rot pocket, after diseased trees are removed, resistant species would be planted. Where restoration thinning is done shade tolerant trees will be planted to increase tree diversity. If a meadow is desired, little replanting of trees would occur. Appendix 3, Tree Planting Schedule, shows a time line of when tree planting will occur.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: Restoration thinning will be required in many areas of the park due to the nature of the Douglas fir plantations. The ultimate goal of this thinning is to achieve more diverse forests. There are currently seven forest habitat conditions are in the park:

See Appendix 9; List of Trees, Shrubs, Herbs & Invasive Plants.

1. COMPLEX OR DIFFERENTIATED CANOPY

This habitat needs no attention because the forest already possess the desired attributes of a healthy forest, i.e. diversified canopy heights, varied density, and a multi-age mix of various tree species and a healthy understory. Map Unit 2 is the only forest stand in NKHP that has a complex canopy.

2. SIMPLE CANOPY

Young even-aged Douglas fir forests with simple canopies, suffering from weakened trees with weak Crowns and lack of understory shrubs and plants, are the dominant habitat in many areas of the Park. These habitats would benefit from restoration thinning. Variable density thinning, or thinning from below, leaves the biggest individual trees and small clumps of large trees. Skips (areas without any thinning) that protect specific environmental features, and Gaps (small forest openings) will create a rich, diverse habitat for wildlife. Park map units with Douglas fir trees 30-50 years old are prime candidates for restoration thinning.

3. OLD GROWTH LEGACY

A third habitat type involves old growth, legacy trees (200+ years old). This habitat doesn’t currently exist in NKHP but is the ultimate goal for many areas in the park. The challenge is to assess the surrounding timber and decide how best to encourage the development of these legacy trees. For

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instance, if a root rot pocket is located nearby, it would be a priority to remove diseased trees creating a safe perimeter, then plant disease-resistant tree species as a buffer around the potential old growth.

4. FOREST INITIATION – YOUNG FOREST HABITAT

This is the beginning stage of a new forest and has the greatest diversity of wildlife species. As the young trees grow and their branches begin to touch, the transition to closed canopy begins. Park map Unit 6 is the only young open forest that is still in this habitat stage. The previous landowner overplanted this unit, to offset the anticipated high mortality, and so the unit would benefit from a non-commercial thinning.

CURRENT CONDITION AND PRESCRIPTION DATA

These forest habitat types are described in one or more of the Park’s Mapping Units. Mapping units (stands) are distinguished from each other by age of planting/harvest, soil type, growing conditions, and features such as wetlands, streams or steep terrain. See Appendix 1: Mapping Units for detailed information about these discrete stands. Each Mapping Unit was extensively cruised to establish specific stand conditions and prescriptions. The data based on these field studies can be found in Appendix 4: Forest Stand Condition/Prescriptions

RESOURCE CATEGORY III: SOILS

a) Existing resource condition: Soils vary greatly throughout the park. Refer to Appendix 6: Soil Types for specific stand maps and information. This inventory shows that many areas of the park have some of the best known soils for growing large conifers (up to 160 feet of growth in 100 years).

b) Resources protection measures: Minimal forest floor impact and soil compaction during thinning is the highest priority. Minimal impact felling and other low-impact equipment can be used to remove trees to mitigate damage to forest soil. Modern mechanical tree removal is preferred over horse logging because it causes less damage to the forest floor.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: Stewards recognize that some damage to the forest floor and surrounding trees is inevitable during forest thinning. But all care will be taken to minimize these occurrences by utilizing preexisting service forest roads and skid trails. Harvest contractors will be required to use low impact felling and forwarding methods to minimize damage to forest soils.

RESOURCE CATEGORY IV: WATER QUALITY, RIPARIAN, AND WETLAND AREAS

Existing resource condition: Heritage Park includes many streams and wetlands. Appendix 12 contains a map of these features.

Streams

Representatives of Kitsap County, assisted by NKHPSG, have recently completed an inventory of streams originating within or flowing through North Kitsap Heritage Park. Some portions of these streams are type “F” (fish-bearing) streams and some are type “N” (non-fish-bearing) streams using the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) stream typing. Recent stream surveys conducted by the Wild Fish Conservancy identify four fish-bearing streams within the Park (http://wildfishconservancy.org/). DNR estimated the NKHP contains 2.77 miles of type F streams which is less than the Wild Fish Conservancy identified, and 4.5 miles of type N streams (See Appendix 8: List of Birds, Mammals, Reptiles & Fish). All of the streams are tributaries of Grovers

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Creek, a significant salmonid stream in the North Kitsap area. The Suquamish Tribe operates a fish hatchery near the mouth of Grovers Creek, downstream from Heritage Park.

The Washington Forest Practices Act (FPA) specifies the requirements for riparian Buffers, called Riparian Management Zones (RMZs), to protect riparian functions and resources along Type F (fish-bearing) and Type Np (non-fish-bearing, perennial) streams.

Western Washington RMZs for Type F Waters have three zones: the core zone is nearest to the water, the inner zone is the middle zone, and the outer zone is furthest from the water. The FPA prohibits timber harvest in the core zone and in some cases in the Inner zone, and limits harvesting in the outer zone. The site index, stream width, and harvest options determine the widths of the inner and outer zones.

Along Type Np streams the FPA establishes a 50’ wide no-harvest zone, the length of which depends on the stream’s location and distance from a confluence with a Type F stream.

The FPA does not require buffers along Type Ns (non-fish-bearing, seasonal) streams, but establishes a 30’ equipment limitation zone.

In addition to the FPA requirements, the Stewards also considered other agencies’ recommendations for stream and wetland protection. The Northwest Forest Plan recommends approximately 330 feet for fish-bearing streams, and 150 feet for non-fish-bearing perennial & non-fish-bearing seasonal streams (reported in Welsh, Hartwell H., 2011. Frogs, Fish and Forestry: An Integrated Watershed Network Paradigm Conserves Biodiversity and Ecological Services. Diversity 3, 503-530; doi: 10.3390/d3030503).

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) recommends 200 feet for perennial or fish-bearing streams 5 to 20 feet wide, 150 feet for perennial or fish-bearing streams <5 feet wide, 150 feet for intermittent streams with low mass wasting potential and 225 feet for intermittent streams with high mass wasting potential (Knutson, K. L., and V. L. Vaef. 1997. Management recommendations for Washington’s Priority Habitats: Riparian Wash. Dept Fish and Wildl. Olympia 181pp.)

Based on research recently published in the Journal Of The American Water Resources Association, Park stewards believe that no-entry buffers will not only protect riparian and wetland areas from direct impacts during the thinning operation and protect existing plant and animal communities adjacent to the streams and wetlands, they will also enhance forest biodiversity by providing a long-term source of large woody debris and snags. Areas outside the buffers where trees are thinned and left as logs and snags will provide an immediate source of large woody debris, and other areas outside the buffers where trees are thinned and removed will develop a forest community with large trees and a diverse understory. All three treatments (no thin, thin and leave, thin and remove) are needed to provide essential components of a healthy forest ecosystem. (Pollock, Michael M. and Timothy J. Beechie, 2014. Does Riparian Forest Restoration Thinning Enhance Biodiversity? The Ecological Importance of Large Wood. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 50(3): 543-559.DOI: 10.1111/jawr.12206.

After reviewing several buffering approaches, the NKHP Stewards recommend increasing the FPA-mandated buffers to provide greater protection for the Park’s streams and wetland habitats. Table 3 below identifies a buffer range (minimum and maximum buffer) for the various stream types. The Park Stewards believe that the buffer width could be different for a stream or section of a stream depending on topography, adjacent land use, and other considerations. For example, a break in an uphill slope 100 feet away from a Type F stream could be a natural buffer boundary that provides adequate protection. While providing a buffer range gives the steward who is in the field marking the buffers some discretion where the buffer is established, in all cases the NKHP buffer will be

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greater than the FPA-mandated buffers. In addition, unlike the FPA buffers, the NKHP buffers will be a harvest boundary/no-entry zone for mechanized logging equipment. Mapping Unit 12 is the first section of the Park where Wetland and Riparian features are delineated and buffered. The resulting map in provided in Appendix 15: Mapping Unit 12.

Table 3. NKHP Riparian Buffer Widths for streams and other water features located within the areas scheduled for Restoration Thinning.

Water Feature Type No-Entry Riparian Buffer Range

Streams

F 100 to 200 feet*

Np 80 to 160 feet**

Ns 80 to 160 feet**

Spring or Seep (not

applicable) 80 to 160 feet**

*Minimum based on WA FPA Core Zone + Inner Zone for streams <10 feet in width. **Minimum based on site index 125 tree heights at 50 years (Source: Forest Ecology in Washington, D. Hanley and Baumgartner, WSU Bulletin EB 1943, 2002).

Wetlands

There are many wetlands associated with stream channels, groundwater seeps, and enclosed landscape depressions within NKHP. Many are shrub-dominated wetlands, and there is at least one large open-water wetland, created by a series of beaver dams, associated with a fish-bearing stream, and a forested wetland that is composed of mature western red cedar and Sitka spruce trees. Wetland assessments will be done by the Park Stewards to identify the boundaries of all the wetlands within the areas proposed for Restoration Thinning.

Resource protection measures: The Washington Forest Practices Act (FPA) requires wetland buffers, called Wetland Management Zones (WMZs), to protect wetlands greater than one-half acre with open water (Type A wetlands), and non-forested wetlands greater than one-half acre that are vegetated with water-tolerant plants (Type B wetlands). The FPA does not require a WMZ for forested wetlands.

The FPA allows limited harvesting in the WMZs of Type A and Type B wetlands larger than one-half acre, and in forested wetlands. The FPA does not regulate Type A and Type B wetlands smaller than one-half acre.

To provide greater protection for the Park’s wetland areas, this plan amends the FPA-mandated buffers by

increasing the minimum buffer widths specified in the FPA for Type A and B wetlands, and providing buffers for

wetlands of every type and size. Consistent with the approach taken for streams, the Stewards believe that the

buffer width could vary for any wetland or section of a wetland depending on topography and other considerations.

Table 5 identifies the minimum and maximum buffer widths for wetland protection. Prior to each year’s

Restoration Thinning activities the perimeter of all wetland buffers will be flagged. Buffers establish a no

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mechanized equipment entry zone, and there will be no log extraction from the Park’s wetlands or their field-

defined buffers.

Table 5. NKHP Buffer Widths for wetlands located within the areas scheduled for Restoration Thinning.

Wetland Type Wetland Size No-Entry Wetland Buffer

Width

Type A

Type B

Forested

Greater than 0.5 acre 100 to 200 feet

0 to 0.5 acre 80 to 160 feet

* Minimum based on site index 125 tree height at 50 years (Source: Forest Ecology in Washington, D. Hanley and Baumgartner, WSU Bulletin EB 1943, 2002)..

Forest Roads

To provide haul roads for log removal three of the Park’s existing roads that cross riparian zones will be improved before thinning activities begin, and maintained as roads or trails following the completion of logging activities (Table 4). There will be no construction of new roads in riparian zones.

Table 4. Heritage Park roads that enter riparian zones, and the impacts of the restoration thinning activity. Refer to Appendices 10 and 12 for locations of roads, trails, and signposts.

Road Name and Length (miles) Condition During Restoration Thinning

Riparian Zone Impact*

Boundary (1.0)

Haul Road from Signpost 14 to approximately 0.1 mile north of Signpost 15, including West Spur

Road crossings

Four Streams (0.7) No Entry None

Middle Ridge South (0.6) No Entry None

Ravine Run (0.6)

Limited entry from Signpost 7 to approximately 0.1 mile north

None

Spine Line (2.9)

Signpost 1 to 4: No Entry Signpost 4 to 8: Haul Road Signpost 8 to 9: No Entry

None Road crossings None

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Signpost 9 to 10: Haul Road

Road crossings

Unmapped spur road into Area 12 between Signposts 9 & 10

Haul Road Road crossing

White Horse (0.4) Signpost 8 to 11: No Entry None

*Road crossings are based on culvert locations mapped November 2014 by KCDCD.

NKHP Stewards Delineated Wetland and Riparian areas in 2015 for Mapping Unit 12. Buffers were created for Unit 12 in accordance with the above guidelines. A map of Unit 12 is provided in Appendix

RESOURCE CATEGORY V: FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT

a) Existing resource condition: Only Mapping Units 2 and 3 have large diameter conifers (>20 inches) and are considered priority habitats by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife as well as streams and wetlands.

b) Resources protection measures: These priority habitats will be undisturbed. No-harvest buffers will

exclude log extraction operations.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: The science behind the State’s and County’s protection of sensitive areas is adequate in most locations; however, we have the luxury of exceeding minimum requirements in the park. Stewards believe it is better to err on the side of caution when sensitive fish and wildlife habitat is at risk.

Refer to Appendix 8 List of Birds, Mammals, Reptiles & Fishes.

RESOURCE CATEGORY VI: THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES

a) Existing resource condition: No endangered species have been noted in the park at this time. However, there are small areas that have been designated by the state as potential marbled murrelet habitat. Steelhead, a threatened species are passed upstream at the Grovers creek hatchery. The extent of their use of Grovers creek is presently unknown.

b) Resources protection measures: Restoring the health of the park forests may provide scarce habitat for endangered or threatened species. Culvert replacement can provide viable, healthy salmon habitat within the park that is under-utilized due to blocking or perched culverts.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: As per county policy, stewards recommend restoration thinning, removal of diseased trees, under-planting with native tree species and removal of invasive species to improve forest health and to create habitat for endangered or threatened species. Stewards have developed an RMAPS with a plan to maintain some forest roads and replace and repair culverts. Other existing forest roads in the park will be abandoned with culverts being removed to restore natural stream flows. This will require extensive resources and inter-agency cooperation.

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RESOURCE CATEGORY VII: HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

a) Existing resource condition: The first humans to enjoy the beauty and natural resources of the North Kitsap Heritage Park were Native Americans, who arrived sometime between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago. While no evidence of Native American habitation has been found, it can be assumed that the Suquamish tribe used the area for fishing and hunting. This Plan anticipates tribal use of Park lands in the future as provided in Resource Category IX: Special Forest Products.

Certainly the watersheds would have been crucial to salmonid rearing thousands of years ago. Salmon have been located by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in the wetlands that are crossed by Miller Bay Road, but inadequate culverts and other obstructions currently block access to the park’s beaver ponds, which are part of the headwaters of Grovers Creek. Ancient Suquamish tribal members were grateful for the abundance of fish that used to migrate to these streams.

The next groups of humans to use the park were early pioneers in the 1850’s in Kitsap County, taking advantage of homesteading acts to create farms. The only evidence in the park that may point to early settlers are the remains of a barn, farm ponds and a residence at the park entrance off Miller Bay Road. Several local residents remember fishing in the farm ponds, and the more recent logging activity by Pope and Talbot (Pope Resources).

Hunters, trappers, and local outdoors enthusiasts have taken advantage of the service forest roads to access

what is now a public park. Residents in the area relate using the Pope land for various recreational purposes for multiple generations of their families.

b) Resources protection measures: No evidence of sensitive historical or cultural use has been found in the

park.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: Stewards have found metal debris and disturbed land harkening back to the early days of logging in the park. If the debris is innocuous, it is usually left in place as a reminder to visitors of the working forest that once echoed to the sounds of misery whips and double-bit axes. Other debris including garbage and abandoned car bodies have been and will eventually be removed by park volunteers.

RESOURCE CATEGORY VIII: AESTHETICS AND RECREATION

a) Existing resource condition: Besides being a sanctuary for wildlife, a valuable aquifer regenerator, and a

protected place to grow late seral stage forests, NKHP provides various opportunities for citizens to

enjoy their park. It fills the county’s need to provide a more rural setting than those found in some of

the smaller, urban parks. While the park is closed to motorized vehicles, many people enjoy riding

horses, hiking, and mountain biking. The park is also used by geocachers, mushroom hunters, long-

distance runners, and dog walkers.

Access to the park is currently somewhat limited due to the number of parking spaces available at the main Miller Bay parking lot, the Norman Road gate, and the small parking area near the White Horse Golf Course Clubhouse. There is currently only one kiosk marking the trailhead at Miller Bay Road. Approximately 12 miles of forest roads were built within NKHP boundaries (see Appendix 5 – Forest Road Maintenance & Abandonment Plan (RMAP)). Some of these old forest road beds have been incorporated into a trail system for use by park visitors. Additionally, several other foot/horseback/biking trails have been built by park volunteers led by the park stewards (see Appendix 11 – NKHP Trail Map).Most are multi-use trails, but some are limited to foot traffic or prohibit use by horses. Trails within and in close proximity to wetland areas are limited to foot traffic only. A trail plan created by the North Kitsap Trails Association shows

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regional trails that will link NKHP to the regional Seattle to Olympics trail system. Information is available on the group’s website at: http://www.northkitsaptrails.org/.

b) Resources protection measures: Additional kiosks are planned for the Norman Road and White Horse

Trail access points.. An additional parking area is planned for the Norman Road entrance. Forest roads must be maintained or abandoned according to state standards including culvert replacement or removal for abandoned sections. Since some of the trails are forest roads, maintaining the integrity of the forest will be needed ensure culverts, water bars and ditches are functioning properly. Trails that have been built are subject to the same standard of public resource protection. Trails in NKHP are varied and will be built and maintained to trail standards agreed to by Kitsap County Parks Department and NKHPSG.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: Continue to develop public access and parking at entry points to the park. Some of these old forest roads will be maintained for use during forest thinning projects and for fire safety (see Appendix 10, shaded sections). Some portions of the old forest roads will be abandoned for use by vehicles and maintained as park trails (Appendix 11 & 13). Other portions will be abandoned as required and allowed to return to natural processes. Efforts to control invasive and noxious weeds along park trails is a priority and will continue. NKHPSG is working with Dana Coggon to create an invasive species management plan. NKHPSG has a trails subcommittee which is working to create a trail plan in order to deter un-authorized trail construction.

RESOURCE CATEGORY IX: SPECIAL FOREST PRODUCTS

a) Existing resource condition: Brush harvesting of salal and evergreen huckleberry provide a source of revenue for Kitsap County Parks, specifically NKHPSG projects. Kitsap County maintains a contract with a brush harvesting company, which is up for bid every three years. Citizens can also harvest mushrooms in the park for personal use.

b) b) Tribal use of the Park: Organized events allowing local Tribal members to gather culturally important plants should be allowed provided conservation measures are followed and an agreement is in place between the Tribe and the County.

c) Resources protection measures: Activities of illegal, non-permitted brush pickers have occasionally caused problems in the park. Litter and debris from pickers has to be managed through the enforcement of guidelines and rules by lease holder and Kitsap County Forester.

d) Stewardship practice recommendations: One of the best safeguards against illegal brush picking is to have an active contract with a legitimate brush harvesting company. After all, legitimate pickers only make money if the resource their company has paid for is not abused, which often happens in the case of illegal picking. Contractor activities will be monitored for impact on the park environment.

STEWARDSHIP TIMELINE

n the short-term, stewards expect to conduct plot surveys of areas requiring restoration thinning. While large-scale timber harvesting on state and federal land focuses on generating revenue, the NKHP stewards are exclusively interested in a diverse and healthy forest, and the wildlife that depend on it. As the

restoration needs of each mapping unit are addressed, this priority will guide the “feet-on-the ground” assessments of the areas to be thinned.

I

http://www.northkitsaptrails.org/

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A longer-term goal is to treat the entire park over a ten year period. Much of the park would benefit from restoration thinning. These long-term priorities are reflected in Appendix 7 Yearly Harvest & Net Revenue Projection.

RESTORATION THINNING OPERATIONS

Kitsap County and its consultant, American Forest Management, work to manage all aspects of the thinning operation including estimating yield projections, selecting subcontractors and marketing the logs. The logging contractors working in the park will be selected based on several criteria including their ability to extract the logs with the least amount of disturbance to forest and existing forest road system. The loggers will use state-of-the-art harvest machinery which will tread lightly on the forest floor. Logs will be harvested using the cut-to-length method which leaves tree slash evenly spread on the forest floor to decay. The slash also serves as a “carpet” for the machinery to drive on thus reducing soil disturbance. The cut-to-length method also means shorter logs so the forest road system will not have to be as wide to accommodate longer wheel base of the log trucks. The Park Stewards will be involved in establishing the areas in the park the loggers will have access to and protecting special and sensitive areas such as park trails, riparian areas, and wetlands. Boundary tape and blue paint will be used to create buffers, no-entry areas and the trees for harvest. Parks staff and Stewards will mark 100% of the take trees with the goal of leaving the best and strongest trees which will improve the overall health and habitat of the forest. To enhance and preserve habitat loggers will avoid disturbing stumps, and large woody debris that exist in the Park. Loggers will also use their best effort to create five snags per acre by topping trees at the maximum height their equipment will reach. Ideally snag trees should be 20” in diameter. Stewards would like to conduct hand thinning in selected areas of the Park. The County has informed Stewards that currently, due to liability concerns, Stewards are prohibited from hand thinning. Stewards would like work with the County to explore ways to alleviate the County’s liability concerns so the hand thinning would be permissible.

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APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1: MAPPING UNITS

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APPENDIX 2: PERCENTAGE OF TREES PER ACRE BY SPECIES

Stand/

Unit

Avg.

TPA

% Douglas

Fir

% Western

Hemlock

% Red

Cedar

% White

Pine

% Red

Alder

1 361 25% 0% 5% 0% 67%

2 140 0% 36% 36% 0% 21%

3 60 0% 100% 0% 0% 0%

4 305 75% 1% 4% 0% 12%

5 300 80% 0% 0% 20% 0%

6 260 70% 0% 0% 30% 0%

7 300 90% 0% 2% 8% 0%

8 305 92% 0% 0% 0% 8%

9 388 85% 0% 0% 0% 15%

10 300 70% 2% 4% 0% 24%

11 300 90% 2% 8% 0% 0%

12 360 90% 2% 8% 0% 0%

13 349 100% 0% 0% 0% 0%

14 150 2% 5% 10% 0% 83%

15 337 60% 5% 5% 0% 30%

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APPENDIX 3: TREE PLANTING SCHEDULE

To promote forest diversity and to create understory, shade tolerant seedling trees will be planted before and after restoration thinning is completed. The planting history and future schedule is provided below.

Stand

/Unit

Harvest

Year

Planting

Date

Red

Cedar

Sitka

Spruce

Total

Planted

1 NA 2014 500 500

17 NA 2014 1,500 500 2,000

12 2015 2016 0

11 2016 2017 0

13 2016 2017 0

4A 2016 2017 0

8 2018 2019 0

9 2018 2019 0

1 2021 2022 0

5 2021 2022 0

7A 2022 2023 0

7B 2023 2024 0

6 2024 2025 0

10 2024 2025 0

15 2024 2025 0

4B 2017 3/21/2015 200 100 300

2 NA 0

3 ? 0

16 NA

14 NA 0

Total 2,200 600 2,800

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APPENDIX 4: FOREST STAND CONDITIONS/PRESCRIPTIONS

Map Unit # Species Age Acres Trees/Acre

1 Douglas Fir 29 47 300/100

% Stocking Site Index Soil Type

Volume MBF Per Acre

Replacement Trees Replacement Trees / Acres

100+ 140 22 Red cedar 110


2 RA/WRC/Sitka 75+ 54 50 to 150


Volume MBF Per Acre


80 to 100 80 to 126 40 to 100 WRC/WH/Sitka 20 to 50


3 W Hemlock 95 8 60


Volume MBF Per Acre


80 to 100 115 70 W Hemlock 20


4 D fir 35 180 350

Unit Description Simple Canopy

This stand is dominated by Red alder, yet legacy trees and stumps indicate that it was largely Douglas fir and Western red cedar. Clear-cut and reforested into Douglas fir, approximately 30 years ago, this unit was quickly colonized by native Red Alder. Single canopy with Red Alder and Douglas fir fighting for dominance, Red alder is winning! Unit Prescription With the amount of wetland and stream flow, leave it to develop over the next 100 years. Western red cedar has been under-planted and should help form a more diversified canopy structure.

Unit Description Complex Canopy Largely a lowland area that is ecologically sensitive. Residual cut stumps the age of the red alder and Sitka spruce suggest that the last harvesting that occurred in this unit 70+ years ago.

Unit Prescription

No restoration is necessary with the possible exception of monitoring and managing invasive plants and under-planting shade tolerant conifers when the Red alder declines.


This eight acre unit borders private residential property on the western most side of the park. It is dominated by reasonably healthy, old, western hemlock estimate to be 95 years old.

Unit Prescription Monitor the health and vigor of this unit for potential hazard tree risks. In an effort to diversify this unit, under plant western red cedar to create a new canopy cohort.

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Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 120 to140 19 to 21 RC/WH/W Pine 47


5 D fir 20 16 300


Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 126 12 0 0


6 D fir/W pine 17 30 260


Volume MBF Per Acre


100 115 10 0 0


7 D fir 29 106 300+


Volume MBF Per Acre


Unit Description Simple Canopy Unit 4 represents the typical Douglas fir plantation found throughout NKHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription Unit needs to be thinned (VDT) to between 125 and 160 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 14 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under planting of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure.

Unit Description Simple Canopy Unit 5 is the typical Douglas fir plantation found throughout NKHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

Unit needs to be thinned (VDT) to between 150 and 190 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 12 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under planting of cedar to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and horizontal structure.

Unit Description Simple Canopy Unit 6 is the youngest Douglas fir plantation in NKHP. It is overstocked due to the naturally seeded western white pine. Invasive plants, Himalayan blackberry and Scotch broom are thriving in small open areas and adjacent access Forest Roads/tails. Established trees are healthy and vigorous. This unit, still in a young stand development stage, hasn’t yet achieved full Crown closure thus providing some of the best upland wildlife habitat in the park.

Unit Prescription Monitor and manage invasive plant species. Non-commercially thin the stand to a spacing of 200 TPA, selecting the best Douglas fir and white pine for leave trees.

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100+ 115 to 123 21 0 0


8 D fir 34 42 300


Volume MBF Per Acre


100 146 25 0 0


9 D fir 34 12 300


Volume MBF Per Acre


100 121 24 RC/WH 42


10 D fir 28 45 300+


Volume MBF Per Acre


100 115 to 121 21 0 0

Unit Description Simple Canopy Unit 7 is the typical Douglas fir plantation found throughout NKHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. In the area between Spine Line and Arbutus Trails, there is tree diversity, included many Madrone, and a healthy understory. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription Unit needs to be thinned (VDT) to between 150 and 190 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 12 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under plant cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy adding much needed species diversity and vertical stand structure.

Unit Description Simple Canopy Unit 8, again, the typical Douglas fir plantation found throughout NKHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Units provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription This unit needs to be thinned (VDT) to between 125 and 160 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 14 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under-planting of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure.


Unit 9, similar to 8 it is the typical Douglas fir plantation found throughout NKHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Units provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

Unit needs to be thinned (VDT) to between 125 and 160 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 14 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under-planting of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure.


A10 has steep slopes, yet is the typical Douglas fir plantation found throughout NKHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

Steep slopes maybe a limitation. The unit needs to be thinned (VDT) to between 150 and 190 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 14 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor;

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11 D fir 35 18 300+


Volume MBF Per Acre


100 115 19 0 0


12 D fir 37 53 360


Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 125 19 0 0


13 D fir 30 34 349


Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 126 18 0 0


14 R alder/BLM 26 79 150


Unit 11 has steep slopes, yet is the dense Douglas fir plantation found throughout NKHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

The unit needs to be thinned (VDT) to between 125 and 160 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 14 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under-planting of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure.


Unit 12 has riparian/wetland areas (See Appendix 15: Mapping Unit 12). On upland slopes there are dense Douglas fir plantation found throughout NKHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

Except for riparian and wetland areas, the unit needs to be thinned (VDT) to between 125 and 160 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 14 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under plant of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure.


Unit 13 has steep slopes, yet is the densely stocked Douglas fir plantation. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

The unit needs to be thinned (VDT) to between 150 and 190 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 12 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under plant of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure. Deciduous areas with few conifers should be skipped.

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Volume MBF Per Acre


100 115 to 128 10 - -


15 D fir 30 58 337


Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 110 to 124 9 - -

Unit Description Simple Canopy 14 is a failed Douglas fir plantation that is dominated by Red Alder and Big Leaf Maple. There are some small pockets of Douglas fir, and of the few remaining individual fir, all are suppressed and will eventually dropout of the canopy. Unit has extensive slopes and contains the only annual stream and the largest wetland/pond in the park.

Unit Prescription

Given the sloped drainage that makes up the entire unit, no restoration thinning is prescribed. Setbacks and slope restrictions limit almost all forest restoration activities. Under planting shade tolerant conifers, specifically western red cedar, will add complexity and enhance wildlife habitat by providing a conifer component in the canopy and recruitment wood for the stream.


Unit 15 has steep slopes, and is a densely stocked Douglas fir plantation. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

The unit needs to be thinned (VDT) to between 150 and 190 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 12 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under plant of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure.

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APPENDIX 5: FOREST ROAD MAINTENANCE PLAN (RMAP) & CULVERT INVENTORY

All forest land owners are responsible for properly constructing and maintaining forest roads to protect fish habitat and water quality. Trails must meet less stringent specifications.

Kitsap County has inherited forest roads in the NKHP that were constructed by Pope Resources for timber operations when this land was managed for commercial timber production. The following Forest Road and Culver map is the first inventor completed since the County purchased the Park from Pope Resources. In order to keep these Forest Roads, most which are now trails, we must comply with state law. The Forest and Fish law is part of the Forest Practices Regulations of Washington State. The intent of the law is the reduction of silt pollution and runoff into streams and rivers. Forest Road Prisms are hard on streams when forgotten culverts become plugged, wash out forest roadbeds, and deposit tons of silt in streams. Our goal is to keep some of the existing Forest Road Prisms in the park to use as trails: access for people with disabilities, running trails for cross country track, football, wrestling and soccer teams and access routes for maintenance equipment, forest thinning projects, and ingress/egress during emergencies. In order to do this we must comply with the law by having approved RMAPs check list that complies with the small landowner rules. The accompanying map and table show locations of existing historical forest roads (Fig. 2) and culverts (Table 6), their size and condition.

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Culverts rated Ephemeral have flow during heavy rains. Culverts designated Intermittent have flow approximately six months of each year. Culverts with RIW designation are those where wetland water levels are augmented by forest road impoundment. Bank Full Width (BFW) will be measured in the winter of 2015 at outfall of culverts.

ID

#Type

Dia.

(inches)

Length

(feet)

2014

ConditionLocation Ref.

1 Corrugated Plastic 6 20.5 Functioning White Horse Trail

2 Corrugated Metal 6 10 Clogged Spine Line Trail

3 Corrugated Metal 12 12.6 Clogged North Central

4 Corrugated Metal 18 4.6 Functioning North Central

5 Corrugated Metal 14 9.5 Crushed North Central

6 Corrugated Metal 14 31.5 Functioning North Central

7 Corrugated Metal 12 30 Clogged North Central

8 Corrugated Metal 12 27 Clogged North Central

9 Corrugated Metal 12 36 Crushed North Central

10 Corrugated Metal 12 30 Functioning Spine Line Trail

11 Corrugated Metal 12 30 Clogged North East

12 Corrugated Metal 12 22 Crushed Spine Line Trail


14 Round Concrete 12 11 Functioning Spine Line Trail

15 Round Plastic 4 8 Functioning Boundary Trail

16 Corrugated Metal 12 20 Crushed Boundary Trail

17 Corrugated Metal 12 20 Functioning Boundary Trail

18 Corrugated Metal 12 31 Functioning Boundary Trail

19 Corrugated Metal 12 30 Clogged Bay Ridge Trail

20 Corrugated Metal 6 10 Functioning Bay Ridge Trail

21 Corrugated Metal 12 20 Crushed Bay Ridge Trail

22 Corrugated Metal 12 20 Crushed Bay Ridge Trail

23 Round Concrete 12 16.6 Functioning Spine Line Trail

24 Other 5 7.5 Functioning Spine Line Trail

25 Corrugated Plastic 18 61.5 Functioning Spine Line Trail

26 Corrugated Plastic 18 24 Functioning Spine Line Trail

27 Round Concrete 14 23 Functioning Spine Line Trail

28 Other 6 10 Functioning Spine Line Trail

29 Corrugated Metal 66 30.8 Functioning Spine Line Trail

30 Corrugated Metal 16 40 Functioning Spine Line Trail

31 Corrugated Metal 14 59.5 Functioning Spine Line Trail


33 Corrugated Metal 12 21 Functioning White Horse Trail



36 Other 5 10.5 Functioning Spine Line Trail

37 Corrugated Metal Functioning Norman Road

38 Corrugated Metal Functioning Unnamed Road Spur

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BEAVER FLOODING

We recognize the beaver as a stakeholder and vital part of the park’s ecosystem. During heavy winter rain periods, culvert (#29) on Spine Line Trail crossing the pond is being plugged by beaver, and water has, at times, topped the forest road prism. During dry season (August) when the wetland is dryer, the culvert will be unplugged. The north end of the culvert has already been fenced to prevent beaver from plugging the culvert, flooding, as well as keep the water below the forest road prism during heavy rainfall. This culvert is scheduled for replacement in summer of 2017 when Kitsap Public Work is schedule to install a paved trail through the park from the White Horse Trail to the Norman Road gate. FOREST ROAD MAINTENANCE PLAN

There are 12 miles of forest roads within the park that need to be maintained or formally abandoned. Public use of motorized vehicles is not allowed in the park. The only motorized traffic on the park forest roads will be authorized maintenance vehicles (tractors, graders etc.), contractor vehicles (brush pickers and harvest contractors for example) and emergency vehicles. Where possible, runoff will be quickly returned to the forest floor as sheet flow by emphasizing out-sloping.

The following activities are necessary under DNR RMAPs rules.

1. An inventory of all park culverts will be maintained. This inventory has been completed. 2. GPS coordinates will be noted for each culvert. This has been completed 3. Culvert location monuments/markers will be placed at each culvert crossing, be tall enough to be visible

from the forest road prism and be inscribed with a unique NKHP ID #. 4. Forest road prism culvert inspection will occur each August/September to prepare for winter rains. 5. Ditches along all maintained forest roads shall be freed from obstructions that impede water flow. 6. Moss, duff, and grasses in ditches should remain undisturbed: for added water energy distribution, water

absorption, and head cut reduction. 7. Forest roads shall be sloped so that water is directed to the forest floor. See WAC 222-24 8. Where beaver activity is present, frequent checks must be made to prevent washouts. 9. As forest roads are needed for scheduled forest thinning projects, they will be prepared to withstand use by

trucks or other equipment. 10. When forest road segments are no longer needed will be abandoned as prescribed under FPA rules.

CULVERTS TO BE REPLACED

Culverts that block fish passage must be removed or replaced with bridges or arched culverts by July 1st, 2016. The goal is to ensure stream crossings allow fish passage for all life stages of fish. Culverts can sometimes block juvenile fish by creating a strong laminar flow that prevents upstream migration of Coho and Steelhead smolt. Culverts block returning adult salmon when they are perched higher than the fish can jump.

Replacement culverts must be a minimum of 18” in diameter. Many culverts have deteriorated to the point they will need replacement. All but a few have been in use for more than 50 years.

Currently, anadromous fish are present in the eastern and northern areas of the park, and the potential exists for them to utilize the park’s wetland habitat. There are likely chum, sea run cutthroat, steelhead and Coho in the watershed of Grovers Creek that borders the park. The large Category 1 wetland is prime rearing habitat for juvenile Coho, and potential spawning habitat is available south of Spine Line forest road in the wetland on the park’s eastside.

The only culvert that is a candidate for possible replacement with an arched culvert or bridge is the one on Spine Line Trail/ forest road on the eastside. Flow through this culvert is a type “F” (Fish Bearing) by WDNR,

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and flows into the Grovers Creek System. Replacing this culvert with a bridge or arched culvert should restore natural stream processes improving Salmonid habitat. All forest roads and culverts need annual maintenance. Maintenance typically consists of clearing and cleaning culverts and ditches of debris and vegetative growth. Graded forest road surfaces restore the proper movement of water off the forest road surface and to prevent rutting and head cuts. Forest roads and culverts should be inspected before the fall rainy season and after any periods or record rainfall. A spring inspection will help identify problems that need attention during summer dry season. There are 14 NKHP culverts that are not functioning. These culverts need to be inspected to determine if they are needed. If so, they will need immediate attention by cleaning to restore proper function or by replacement. Culverts 3, 8, 9, and 11 are conveying seasonal stream flows and are a priority. The remaining 10 non-functioning culverts may also be important to the management and control of storm and ditch water. Some culverts transfer storm and ditch water under the forest road and onto the forest floor.

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APPENDIX 6: SOIL TYPES

North Kitsap Heritage Park – Soil Map Unit Symbols **

6 Bellingham silty clay loam: Deep, poorly drained soil is located on the flood plain of the park. This soil is formed in

alluvium with mapped areas of between 5 and 20 acres. Vegetation is primarily grass and sedge with some conifers and

hardwoods.

18, 19 & 20 Indianola loamy sand: 0 to 6, 6 to 15, and 15 to 30 percent slope respectively. This deep, somewhat

excessively drained soil is found on the forest road uplands of the park. Formed in sandy glacial outwash, the primary

vegetation is conifers. Some of the most fertile areas in the park, these soils have a site index* of 131 for Douglas fir and

95 for red alder.

21 Indianola-Kitsap Complex: 45 to 70 percent slope, this soil is located in the southwest corner of the park off Bay

Ridge. Formed in glacial outwash and glacial lake sediment, the primary vegetation is conifers and hardwoods. Very

productive soil and suited to Douglas fir and red alder. Site index* is 131 for Douglas fir and 99 for red alder. Due to the

steepness of slope, this area of the park will be “skipped” in terms of restoration thinning.

22 Kapowsin gravely ashy loam: 0 to 6 percent slopes, this is a moderately deep moderately well drained soil on forest

road uplands and terraces. Formed in glacial till, are found in relatively small amounts, with less than 5 acres in the park.

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Native vegetation found on this soil is conifers and hardwoods. A very productive soil, Douglas fir has a site index* of

159.

30 & 31 Kitsap silt loam: 14 to 30, and 30 to 45, percent slope respectively. This is a deep, moderately well drained

soil on terraces in the central area of the park. This very fertile soil formed in glacial lake sediment on the side slopes of

terraces. Vegetation is conifers and hardwoods with a Douglas fir site index of 164 and site index* for red alder of 102.

39, 40 & 41 Poulsbo gravelly sandy loam: 0 to 6, 6 to 15, and 15 to 30 percent slope respectively. This moderately deep,

moderately well drained soil is on forest road uplands and is formed in glacial till. Native vegetation is conifers and

hardwoods. Well suited to Douglas fir and has a site index* of 161.

42 & 43 Poulsbo-Ragnar complex: 0 to 6, and 6 to 15 percent slope respectively, these soils are on forest road

uplands and terraces in the park. The formed in glacial till and glacial outwash this soil supports native vegetation

consisting of mixed stands of conifers and hardwoods. Well suited to Douglas fir, Poulsbo soil has a site index* of 171

for Douglas fir.

44 & 46 Ragnar fine sandy loam: 0 to 6 and 15 to 30 percent slope respectively. This is a deep, well-drained soil on

terraces and uplands and was formed in glacial outwash. Native vegetation is conifers and hardwoods with a site index*

for Douglas fir of 167.

47 Ragnar-Poulsbo complex: 15 to 30 percent slope. The soils of this complex are on forest road uplands and are

formed in glacial till and glacial outwash. Native vegetation is a mixed stand of conifer and hardwoods. Ragnar soils are

well suited to Douglas fir, western red cedar, hemlock and red alder. Douglas fir has a site index* of 139; The Poulsbo

portion of the soil complex has a site index of 161 for Douglas fir.

61 Sinclair very gravely sandy loam: 15 to 30 percent slope. This moderately deep, moderately well drained soil is on

till plains on the east side of the park. Formed in glacial till this soils support mainly conifers. Well suited to Douglas fir,

hemlock and Red alder, this soil has a site index* of 136 for Douglas Fir.

* Site index is the height of a dominant example of the titled tree species in 100 years.

** USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service – Online Web Soil Survey.

Rev. F - Aug 13, 2015

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. .. . . . . . .

APPENDIX 7: YEARLY HARVEST & NET REVENUE PROJECTION

Restoration Thinning will be applied to all but Mapping Units1, 2, 3, 6 and 14. Mapping Units 2 and 3 have the

oldest trees in NKHP. Mapping unit 2 is a mixed stand of Sitka spruce, Red Alder and Western red cedar that can’t be accessed due to current Washington Forest Practices Rules covering riparian and wetland areas. Mapping Unit 3 is a stand of Western hemlock that boarders a residential development adjacent to the park. Mapping unit 14 has steep slopes, is bisected by a year round stream and dominated by Red Alder and Big Leaf Maple.

An average of 58 acres per year will be thinned on 72 percent of the park acreage for a total of 578 acres over a ten year period. Riparian and Wetland management areas will be delineated and the creation of no harvest zones designed to maximize protection for water and wildlife resources. The table below is the ten year timeline with projected harvest volumes and net revenues. Net revenues are income less all direct cost to harvest the logs e.g. loggers cost, American Forest Management cost. The net revenues do not include the Kitsap County forester’s time.

Yearly Harvest & Net Revenue Projections

Harvest

Year

Stand

/Unit

Unit

Acres

Tree

Age

Avg.

DBHTPA MBF

Net

$/MBF

Est.

Est. Net

Revenue

Actual

Net

Revenue

Difference

2015 12 50 34 10 321 323 $150 $48,450

2016 11 20 36 11 300+ 186 $150 $27,900

2016 13 30 31 9.5 349 181 $150 $27,150

2016 4A 80 32 10 303 525 $150 $78,750

2017 4B 80 32 10 303 552 $150 $82,800

2018 8 40 35 10 305 129 $150 $19,350

2018 9 12 35 10 388 124 $150 $18,600

2021 1 30 30 9 361 401 $150 $0

2021 5 15 30 10 300+ 175 $0 $0

2022 7A 53 31 9 300+ 494 $150 $74,100

2023 7B 53 31 9 300+ 511 $150 $76,650

2024 6 30 20 8 335 120 $0 $0

2024 10 45 31 9 300+ 347 $150 $52,050

2024 15 40 31 9.5 377 258 $150 $38,700

NA 2 76 26 140 0 $0 $0

NA 3 96 300+ 0 $0 $0

NA 14 100 385 0 $0 $0

NA 16 $0

NA 17 $0

Total 578 4,326 $544,500 $0 $0

Notes:

1) Income based on estimates from the Kitsap County Forester

2) Thinning will occur 10 Years between 2015 and 2024

3) Avg. Thinning Acres Per/Yr. 57.8

4) There are 800 acres in NKHP. Approx. acreage thinned 72.3%

5)Units 2, 3 and 14 will not be thinned

6) Harvest Yeas maked "NA" will not be thinned

Rev. F - Aug 13, 2015

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. .. . . . . . .

APPENDIX 8: LIST OF BIRDS, MAMMALS, AMPHIBIANS, REPTILES, & FISHES

Birds observed at North Kitsap Heritage Park (by TL Doty and RK Bishop). Birds, of course, can fly and so other species may be expected as visitors to NKHP. Contact Kitsap Audubon Society for a complete list of birds of Kitsap County. Wildlife in North Kitsap Heritage Park BIRDS American Crow American Goldfinch American Robin Anna’s Hummingbird Bald Eagle Barred Owl Black-capped Chickadee Black-headed Grosbeak Cedar Waxwing Chestnut-backed Chickadee Common Nighthawk Common Raven Cooper’s Hawk Dark-eyed Junco Downy Woodpecker Evening Grosbeak Northern Flicker Great Blue Heron Golden-crowned Kinglet Grouse Hairy Woodpecker Hammond’s Flycatcher Hooded Merganser House Finch Mallard MacGillivray’s Warbler Mew Gull Mourning Dove Olive-sided Flycatcher Osprey Pacific-slope flycatcher Pacific Wren Pileated Woodpecker Purple Finch Red-breasted Nuthatch Red-breasted Sapsucker Red-tailed Hawk Red-winged Blackbird Rufous Hummingbird Townsend’s Warbler

Turkey Vulture Sharp-shinned Hawk Song Sparrow Spotted Towhee Swainson’s Thrush Steller’s Jay Western Tanager Willow Flycatcher Wilson’s Warbler Varied Thrush Yellow-rumped Warbler MAMMALS Beaver Black Bear Black-tailed Deer Bobcat Cougar Coyote Eastern Cottontail Douglas Squirrel Little Brown Bat Opossum Mountain Beaver Northern Flying Squirrel Raccoon Red Fox Skunk Snoeshow Hare AMPHIBIANS Bull Frog Northern Red-legged Frog Pacific Tree Frog Northwest Salamander Ambystoma gracile Long-toed Salamander Ambystoma macrodactylum Rough-skinned Newt Taricha granulosa Ensatina Ensatina eschscholtzii Western Red-backed Salamander Plethodon vehiculum Western Toad

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REPTILES Garter Snake Northern Alligator Lizard FISHES Cutthroat Trout Salmo clarki clarki Chum Salmon Oncorhyncus keta Coho Salmon Oncorhyncus kisutch Steelhead Oncorhyncus mykiss

Western Brook Lamprey Lampetra ayresi Revised by Ron Vanbianchi, June 19, 2012 Updated CV, July 21, 2014 Updated CV, November 18, 2014 Bird list reviewed by Judy Willot, 3,2015 Fish list added by Jay Zishcke, June, 2015

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APPENDIX 9: LIST OF TREES, SHRUBS, HERBS, & INVASIVE PLANTS

The following is a list of observed list of native plant species (trees, shrubs and herbs) at NKHP: Native plants in North Kitsap Heritage Park TREES Big leaf maple acer macrophyllum Bitter cherry prunus emarginata Black cottonwood populus trichocarpa Cascara rhamnus purshiana Douglas fir pseudotsuga menziesii Grand fir abies grandis Madrone arbutus menziesii Pacific dogwood cornus nuttallii Pacific willow salix lasiandra Paper birch Betula papyrifera Red alder alnus rubra Scouler willow salix scouleriana Sitka spruce picea sitchensis Sitka willow salix sitchensis Vine maple acer circinatum Western hemlock tsuga heterophylla Western red cedar thuja plicata Western white pine pinus monticola willow Salix sp. SHRUBS Blackcap rubus leucodermis Buckbrush Ceanothus velutinus Evergreen huckleberry vaccinium ovatum Hardhack spiraea douglasii Ocean Spray holodiscus discolor Oregon boxwood pachistima myrsinites Oregon grape berberis nervosa Osoberry oemleria cerasiformis Red huckleberry vaccinium parviflorum Red currant rubus sanguineum red elderberry sambucus racemosa Salal gaultheria shallon Salmonberry rubus spectabilis Swamp gooseberry ribes lacustre Tall Oregon grape berberis aquifolium Thimbleberry rubus parviflorus Trailing blackberry rubus ursinus Twinberry lonicera involucrata

HERBS Baldhip rose rosa gymnocarpa Bleeding hearts dicentra formosa Bracken pteridium aquilinum Candyflower montia sibirica Deer fern blechnum spicant Dewey’s sedge carex deweyana Chickweed stellaria media Common bedstraw Galium aparine Common horsetail equisetum arvense Common vetch Vicia sativa var. angustifolia Goldenrod solidago canadensis False miterwort tiarella trifoliata False solomon’s seal smilacina racemosa Fireweed epilobium angustifolium Fringe cups tellima grandiflora Foxglove digitalis purpurea Giant horsetail Equisetum telmateia Enchanter’s nightshade circaea alpina Hedge nettle stachys cooleyae Lady fern athyrium filix-femina Large avens geum macrophyllum Leafy mitrewort mitella caulescens Licorice fern polypodium vulgare Merten’s sedge carex mertensiana mugwort Artemisia sp. Orange honeysuckle lonicera ciliosa orchard grass Dactylis glomerata Pearly everlasting anaphalis margaritacea Self-heal prunella vulgaris Spotted coral root corallorhiza maculata Skunk cabbage lysichitum americanum slough sedge Carex obnupta Starflower trientalis latifolia Soft rush juncus effusus Small bedstraw galium trifidum var. pacificum Stinging nettle urtica dioica Sweet cicely osmorhiza chilensis Sword fern polystichum munitum Thistle (native) ?name? Tall buttercup Ranunculus acris Trillium trillium ovatum Twinflower linnaea borealis

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Yarrow achillea millefolium Yellow violet viola glabella Youth-on-age tolmiea menziesii Wall lettuce lactuca muralis Small-flowered nemophila Nemophila parviflora Wild ginger asarum caudatum Wild lily of the valley maianthemum dilatatum Wood fern dryopteris austriaca Wood rush luzula campestri Invasive plants & their approximate locations Ajuga (MB Rd entry pond) Bull thistle (Spine Line) Canada thistle (near barn @ entry) Creeping buttercup (Spine Line & Boundary) Daisy (Spine Line)

Dandelion (Spine Line & Boundary) English ivy (Boundary) Hawthorn (Spine Line & Boundary) Himalayan blackberry (Spine Line & Boundary) Holly (all over) Laurel (off trail) Reed canary grass (Spine Line) Scotch broom (Boundary, Power Line, Spine Line & Bay Ridge) Stinky Bob (Spine Line) Tansy ragwort (Boundary) Yellow iris (MB Rd entry pond) Nightshade (Boundary trail near post 13)

APPENDIX 10: FIRE RISK REDUCTION

Fire Risk Reduction Strategies for NKHP The objective of fire risk mitigation in the park is to reduce the potential for a crown fire. Because we cannot control the weather or change the topography of the park we are left with control and distribution of fire fuels as our only viable option for reducing the intensity of a fire. If successful, this strategy would not prevent fire, which is a natural part of the environment, but reduce the fire’s intensity by limiting it to a ground fire or surface fire. Reducing the potential for a fire to occur and creating a defensible space are other options that are compatible with long range goals and objectives for this park. Ground fires: least damaging and limited to duff with no visible flames (smoldering) Surface fires: produce a flame front and can be destructive Crown fires: most destructive with flames spreading from tree crown to tree crown Recognition of the role of fire in maintaining natural ecosystems1 Historical records show that wildfires have been a part of the natural environment for many centuries before the arrival of Europeans. A single fire that occurred on the Olympic Peninsula circa 1700, burned from near the Elwha southerly to the Hood Canal as far south as Belfair. Wildfires create new forests and contribute to the diversity of plants and habitats. Integrating Fire Management with Ecosystem Management In addition to increasing plant and habitat diversity, employing Variable Density Thinning (thinning from below) reduces the potential for a crown fire by increasing the spacing between tree crowns. Thinning from below canopy retains larger more vigorous and fire resistant trees and raises the base of tree crowns reducing ladder fuels. “The common denominator is fuel (2)

• Reduce surface fuels. • Increase the height to the base of tree crowns. • Increase spacing between tree crowns. • Keep larger trees of more fire-resistant species. • Promote more fire-resistant forests at the landscape level by reducing fuels both vertically

and horizontally.” Following these principles accomplishes three goals:

1. Reduces the intensity of a fire, making it easier for firefighters to suppress.

1 Fire Management for the 21st Century, James K Agee. Creating a Forestry for the 21st Century Kohm/Franklin

2 PNW 618 A Pacific Northwest Extension Publication Oregon State University, University of Idaho, Washington State University

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2. Increases the odds that the forest will survive a fire. Small trees, shrubs, and other understory vegetation may be injured or killed, but larger trees in the stand will only be scorched, and soil damage also will be reduced.

3. Reduces the extent of restoration activities needed, such as replanting or erosion control measures.

Specifics:

1. Access.

Maintain portions of Bay Ridge, Boundary, Spine Line and Power Line Trails as access for firefighting personnel and equipment.

2. Fuel Reduction Zones

Reduce fuel loading along trails by chipping or scattering. Control Scotch broom along existing service forest roads and the power line right-of-way.

3. Shaded Fuel Breaks

Take advantage of topography and enhance moist areas by removing dead wood and ladder fuels while leaving groundcover to increase moisture retention reducing the potential for a fire. 4. Mineral Soil Firebreaks Maintain a minimum of 30 foot crown separation across existing forest roads, (See RMAPS supplement) and reduce fuels (noxious weeds and dead wood).

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APPENDIX 11: NKHP TRAIL MAP

46

APPENDIX 12: STREAMS AND WETLANDS

NORTH KITSAP HERITAGE PARK STREAMS. (SOURCE: KITSAP COUNTY, 2015.)

47

PRELIMINARY MAP OF WETLANDS IN NORTH KITSAP HERITAGE PARK. Wetland boundaries are approximate, wetlands less than 1 acre are not shown, and the buffers do not represent those described in this

stewardship plan.

(SOURCE: NORTH KITSAP HERITAGE PARK MASTER PLAN, THE BERGER PARTNERSHIP, 2006.)

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APPENDIX 13: NKHP FOREST ROAD PLAN

The highlighted Forest Roads are roads that will be used as haul roads during the tree thinning operation.

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APPENDIX 14 – MASTER SCHEDULE

The Master Schedule was created by the NKHP Stewards and includes certain items from the County’s schedule. Note: the schedule is sorted by End Date.

No. Start Date Stop Date Task Complete

1 12/10/2014 12/10/2014 NKHP Expansion acquisition closes Yes

2 1/15/2015 1/15/2015 Place restoration thinning literature at NKHP entry points Yes

3 1/28/2015 1/28/2015 Meeting - Present Forest Stewardship Plan to park Stewards Yes

4 11/25/2014 2/1/2015 Map streams with Lucretia Winkler Yes

5 2/24/2015 2/24/2015 Annual Stewardship Meeting Yes

6 2/26/2015 2/26/2015 Meeting - General public to present NKHP Stewardship Plan Yes

7 2/1/2015 2/28/2015 Deliniate Unit 12 riparian and wetland zones Yes

8 3/1/2015 3/1/2015 Road Maintenance and Abandonment Plan (RMAP) application submitted ?

9 3/1/2015 3/1/2015 Forest Practices Application (FPA) & RMAP Checklist submitted to DNR ?

10 3/1/2015 3/1/2015 Submit State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Form ?

11 3/17/2015 3/17/2015 Pre-Application Informational Conference team site visit for Forest Practices Application (FPA) Yes

12 3/21/2015 3/21/2015 Plant shade tolerant trees in Unit 4 Alder stand Yes

13 3/29/2015 3/29/2015 Submit Final Forest Stewardship Plan to County for Review Yes

14 4/1/2015 4/1/2015 FPA Notice of Decision issued by DNR ?

15 2/28/2015 4/12/2015 Mark No Harvest Buffers in Unit 12

16 4/28/2015 4/28/2015 County Commissioners Review and Approve NKHP Forest Stewardship Plan

17 4/2/2015 5/31/2015 Mark trees to be removed from Unit 12

18 5/1/2015 7/31/2015 Harvest contract finalized, restoration thinning scheduled to begin on Unit 12

19 8/1/2015 8/1/2015 Post thinning road and site clean up as necessary

20 1/1/2015 12/15/2015 Invasive/Noxious weed control

21 9/1/2015 1/15/2016 Compile monitoring results and update Forest Stewardship Plan

22 1/1/2016 6/1/2016 Develop parking lot design for Norman Road access

23 3/1/2015 4/15/2020 Replace culverts to restore stream function and facilitate Coho passage

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APPENDIX 15: MAPPING UNIT 12

-Green: areas to be thinned. -Blue: Wetland and Riparian Zones -Unshaded: Buffers/no thinning areas.

51

APPENDIX 16: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Acre - A land area of 43,560 square feet. An acre can be any shape. If square, it would measure

approximately 209 feet per side. 640 acres = one square mile.

Anadromous Fish - Fish (salmon) that migrate up rivers from the sea to spawn

BFW - Bank Full Width. A measurement between the stream banks, the total length of the stream

bank.

Biomass - Biological material from living, or recently living plants or plant-based materials

Buffer(s) - A protective strip of land or timber adjacent to an area requiring attention or protection;

for example, a protective strip of un-harvested timber along a stream.

Commercial Forestry or Logging – Forestry practice design to maximize timber production and

profitability.

Culvert - A tunnel transporting water under a forest road

Crown - The upper portion of a tree that has live branches and foliage.

Crown Stratification - Creating three or more crown canopy layers, leading to a diverse habitat for

various mammals, amphibians, and birds.

DBH - Diameter Breast Height. A tree’s diameter measured at four and half feet from the ground

surface.

Delineation - Wetland and riparian delineation establishes the existence (location) and physical

limits (size) of a wetland or riparian area. The no harvest buffers are measured from the delineation

line.

Diversity - The variety and abundance of life forms, processes, functions, and structures of plants,

animals, and other living organisms, including the relative complexity of species, communities, gene

pools, and ecosystems at spatial scales that range from local through regional to global.

DNR or WDNR– Department of Natural Resources is a Washington State agency that manages

and oversees harvesting of timber from private and public land through the Forest Practices

Application Review System (FPARS).

DOE - Department of Ecology

Forestry - The profession embracing the science, art, and practice of creating, managing, using, and

conserving forests and associated resources for human benefit and in a sustainable manner to meet

desired goals, needs, and values.

Forest road(s) – Forest roads are identified by DNR in the Forest Practices Application Review

System. The Forest Road Maintenance and Abandonment Plan (RMAP) will be used to manage the

forest road system in the park. Some forest roads will be suitable for pedestrian and motorized

vehicles such as emergency vehicles, maintenance vehicles, logging trucks.

FPA – Forest Practices Act, promulgated by the WDNR. Forest Practices are activities related to

growing, harvesting, or processing timber, including, but not limited to, road and trail construction

and maintenance, thinning, harvesting, salvage, reforestation, brush control, suppression of diseases

and insects, and using fertilizers

FPARS - Forest Practices Application Review System administered by DNR.

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Gap - A random quarter to two acre clearing created to mimic forest stand reestablishment. It can

include forest road right of ways and landings.

Hazard Tree - Tree that poses a safety risk to persons or property

Hectare - Metric for 10,000 square meters. One hectare = 2.47105 acres.

ICO – Individual, Clumps and Openings Variable density thinning approach designed to mimic

natural disturbance. I = individual tree; C = clumps of two or more trees; O = Openings are created

to let more light reach the forest floor. See VDT.

Mapping Unit(s) also referred to a “Unit” or “Stand”– NKHP is divided into 17 sections that

were based on the year that Pope and Talbot’s planted trees. Mapping Units are shown in Appendix

1 and are used to plan yearly VDT.

MBF - One thousand board feet with a Board Foot = one foot by one foot by one inch.

Monoculture - A stand of a single tree species, generally even aged. After harvesting timber from

the area that is now NKHP, Pope and Talbot replanted with Douglas Fir in a tight pattern so as to

exclude other species.

NKHP or Park- North Kitsap Heritage Park

NKHPSG – North Kitsap Heritage Park Stewardship Group

OPG - Olympic Property Group

ORM - Olympic Resources Management

Perched Culverts - Culverts that have outflows above stream height.

Replacement trees - The trees that seed in naturally after a disturbance (harvest, fire, disease)

Restoration Thinning – Is a commercial thinning process of taking out small trees and leaving

larger trees to achieve a tree density that is suitable for animal habitat and promotes a healthy forest,

also known as Variable Density Thinning (VDT) or Individual, Clumps and Openings (ICO).

Riparian – Related to wetlands adjacent to rivers or streams.

RMZs - Riparian Management Zones is the area of land adjacent to streams, rivers, lakes and ponds

which provide important fish and wildlife habitat and water quality.

RMAP - Forest Road Maintenance and Abandonment Plan is a requirement of the Washington

Department of Natural Resources that must be approved prior to restoration thinning.

Forest Road Prism - The area of the ground containing the forest road surface cut slope and fill

slope.

Road, Forest Road, Service Forest Roads or Haul Forest Road – Forest roads that were

constructed to be used for heavy vehicles, such a log trucks Forest roads are described in Section 8

Park Forest Roads and in Appendix 13.

Root Rot - A disease affecting the roots of fir trees. This disease is also referred to as laminated root

rot.

Silviculture - Science-based methods used to manipulate forest to achieve both ecological and landowner goals. Site Index – Site Index is an indication of forest health based on a forest site productive capacity, in terms of height, of the dominant trees species in 100 years. The average site index helps to determine the influence of soil-related growth conditions on tree productivity for a particular site Skip – In restoration thinning, a skip is an area of forest land that is skipped in thinning process and

left “untouched” which is designed to mimic areas missed by fire, wind, and disease.

53

Snag - A dead standing tree.

Stem Exclusion - Forest development stage where trees are so crowded that only the vigorous individual trees thrive. It is sometimes referred to as natural thinning. Stewards - Individuals responsible for continued sustainability and volunteer service in a park.

Thinning - A silvicultural treatment designed to reduce the stand density of trees; primarily to

improve growth, enhance forest health, or recover potential mortality.

TPA - Trees Per Acre

Trails – Trails are suitable for pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles. The system of trails in the

park is identified in the North Kitsap Heritage Park Trails Map. Some trails have also designated

forest roads set forth in Appendix 11.

Type F Stream – Streams, lakes, and ponds that are used by fish, amphibians, wildlife and for

drinking water.

Type Np Stream – Streams that flow year-round either on the surface of the stream bed or

sometimes below the surface for some distance.

Type Ns Stream – Streams that do not flow year-round either on surface of stream bed or

sometimes below the surface for some distance.

Understory Trees - Tree seedlings and saplings growing beneath the taller tree canopy.

VDT- Variable Density Thinning. See restoration thinning.

Watershed - The topographical area where water is separated and flows into various rivers, lakes, or

Puget Sound.

Water Bars - Small hump built into the forest road surface that runs the width of the forest road at an angle sufficient to drain water to either a ditch or the forest floor. Water Topping - Where water is flowing over the forest road.

WDFW - Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Wetland(s) – Lands consisting of marshes, swamps or saturated land.

Wetland Management Zone(s) or WMZ(s) – Wetland Management Zone is an area adjacent to

Type A or B wetlands where specific measures are taken to protect the water quality and quantity,

and fish and wildlife habitat.

WSU- Washington State University

54

APPENDIX 17: SUMMARY OF PUBLIC COMMENTS

A public information meeting was held on February 26, 2015 where the NKHP Stewards presented the slide

show on the benefits forest thinning to the forest and habitat. A questionnaire was pasted out to the

attendees and their comments are summarized below.

25 people signed in with an estimate of 30 to 35 people in attendance.

9 asked for the presentation or the link to the plan or both (I sent Kate e-mails & she sent those out.)

Reasons people said they came:

They use the park, 2

They wanted to learn more about & better understand proposed plan & logging, 8

They live adjacent to stand 12, am a neighbor of the park, 2

Curiosity 1

To support stewardship group 1

Kitsap County Parks Forest Board member 1

18 feedback forms:

NO: 2

~ People first

~ Mankind knows no better than mother nature

~ Park used by many residents & user experience will be diminished for extended period of time

~ Need for strong mitigation & monitoring to allow NKHPSG to veto process

~ Need for fire management

YES, conditionally: 3

~ Will improve forest health

~ Better for wildlife & people to thin overcrowded forest

~ Impact on visitor experience, possibly for many years

~ Must be well managed to protect short & long term park quality

~ Must be done with contractual controls to ensure work is done per the NKHP plan

~ Should make first stand a test section, then decide if to proceed

YES: 13

~ I want to do restoration in my neighborhood also (not near park)

~ Thinning will improve forest, bring it back to natural conditions

~ Best way to ensure long term success of habitat

~ This will be an improvement & has been carefully thought through

~ I support goal of increasing diversity & increasing species found in the park

~ Forest needs renovation & health maintenance

~ Better wildlife habitat

~ Forest health essential for long term funding of forest program

~ Healthy & diverse forest important for continued enjoyment of park

~ Forest needs to be thinned selectively to bring light to forest floor, increase plant & animal diversity, decrease disease & fire

hazards.

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YES concerns:

~ Thinning must be done properly and not overwhelm volunteer resources

~ Slash should not be left on forest floor to increase fire fuel

~ What is forest fire plan for the park?

Forest Stewardship Plan for the

Ecological Restoration of

Port Gamble Forest

Heritage Park

August 5, 2015

Prepared by: Arno Bergstrom, Kitsap County Community Forester

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Kitsap County Staff

Jim Dunwiddie, Director of Parks and Recreation

Arno Bergstrom, Forester

Steven Starlund, Park and Open Space Planner

Dori Leckner, Parks Superintendent

Lori Raymaker, Stewardship Coordinator

Lucretia Winkler, GIS Data Collection

Forest Stewardship Committee (a sub-committee of the Parks Advisory Board)

Frank Stricklin

Sandra Bauer

Susan Cruver

Art Schick

John Willett

Other Partners & Stakeholders

Washington DNR Forest Practices Forester – Aileen Nichols

Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife Biologist – Gina Piazza

Kitsap County Department of Community Development – Forest Practices Inspector – Jerry Connell

American Forest Management Forester – Gus Gerrits

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FOREST RESTORATION - VISION FOR PORT GAMBLE FOREST HERITAGE PARK

VISION: The Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park (PGFHP) is an ecologically complex, diverse, and healthy forest that provides optimum wildlife habitat for a wide range of animal species. Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park currently has a range of forest types from simple monoculture, tree farm plantations, to several complex natural second growth forests. These complex forests serve as reference stands as they support a diverse community of animals, high productivity for plants, and a replenishment of the water cycle. The approach will be forest ecosystem restoration management, a process that considers the environment as a complex system functioning as a whole. Because this is a park that is extensively used by many people, restoration must also consider the social values of the community. Forest ecosystem restoration management will rely heavily on partnership with park stewards, as well as private, tribal, local, state, and federal government stakeholders. The ecosystem restoration approach will be to:

Work with nature: Work with native plant species that have evolved and adapted to our temperate climate and are competitive and resistant to disease and insects.

Enhance forest wildlife habitat: Structurally diverse forests provide the best habitat for the greatest number of wildlife species.

Diversify plant species: Forests comprised of mixed native tree species improve habitat, aesthetics, and the value of both timber and non-timber assets and better support diverse wildlife populations.

Recognize the connection between all plants, fungi and animals: all creatures contribute to a healthy and dynamic forest ecosystem.

Protect water as a vital resource: Healthy, vibrant forest ecosystems are the best and least costly option for maintaining high water quality and for the management of surface and storm water runoff.

Consider that human park users are part of the system and critical to the decision making about the future of the park.

PGFHP FOREST RESTORATION GOALS

A successfully implemented forest restoration program for the Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park will need to meet four basic goals, established in the 2012 Kitsap County Resolution 169 – Integrated Forest Stewardship Plan, and which are closely related and not mutually exclusive. These program goals are:

Enhance natural forest ecosystem complexity and health

Protect and enhance soil, water quality, and fish and wildlife habitat

Be biologically, socially and economically self-sustaining

Provide safe, reasonable and appropriate public access to County forestlands

The long range outcome of the forest restoration program is: Kitsap County will realize the full range of benefits and values of the Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park (PGFHP) in a manner consistent with the County’s overarching goal of a growing community where natural resources and systems are sustained for the benefit of current and future generations.

PGFHP FOREST RESTORATION STRATEGY

Most of the forest stands in the Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park were densely planted by the previous landowner, Pope and Talbot Lumber Company, and currently lack the vegetative diversity of a naturally developed forest in Western Washington. These dense stands lack significant understory vegetation because of commercial forestry practices which created a dense monoculture which totally shades out forest floor vegetation. The restoration strategy is to increase the

4

amount of light reaching the forest floor, enhance wildlife habitat and forest health by mitigating these past management practices. This will be accomplished by:

Non-conventionally (restorative) thinning the over-stocked conifer stands.

Planting a variety of shade tolerant tree species to improve forest habitat diversity.

Controlling invasive species and noxious weeds.

Monitoring and managing areas with diseased and danger trees.

PGFHP contains a high percentage of Douglas fir trees in the early, stem exclusion development stage (20-50 years). This is a critical growth period during which these trees are under extreme stress and are vulnerable to root rot and catastrophic fire. Restoration thinning operations will preserve the largest trees, reduce stand density, and improve habitat diversity, tree health, longevity, and reduce wildfire risk.

Why Use Restoration Thinning? Restoration thinning is a recommended restoration practice for overstocked conifer plantations including those within riparian and wetland management zones in Western Washington1. Operationally called variable density thinning (VDT), restorative thinning is specifically recommended for young dense Douglas fir plantations. Restoration thinning is most beneficial in Douglas fir stands that are less than 50 years of age because of anticipated high growth rates2. Unlike conventional thinning, restoration thinning can maintain or accelerate dead wood production1. This is accomplished by leaving all or most of the dead wood as part of the thinning prescription. The approach is to use VDT to create variation in the forest landscape by crafting tree clumps, skips and openings that closely mimic natural forest conditions2. As much as possible, non Douglas fir tree species in the park will be reserved as leave trees. Healthy, diverse forests contain dead trees. Properly implemented, VDT will result in continued stand mortality that will continue to contribute dead wood to uplands, streams and wetlands. Thinning prescriptions will also call for the artificial creation of snags. Snags can be potentially hazardous to park patrons in high use areas and require attention. However, downed trees and logs on the forest floor and remote snags provide important food, protective cover, and nesting sites for wildlife and are essential components of a forest ecosystem.

RESOURCE CATEGORY I: FOREST HEALTH

a) Existing resource condition: As indicated, historic management practices in the park have greatly diminished overall habitat and species diversity. In addition, laminated root rot, pine blister rust, bark beetle infestation, armillaria root rot, and heart rot can be found in many areas of the park. Invasive plant species, notably Scotch broom, Himalayan blackberry, English ivy and holly, infect many areas of the park.

b) Resources protection measures: Plot analyses have identified areas that need prophylactic care and/or diseased tree removal. Fire risk will also be addressed, see Appendix 5: Fire Risk Reduction.

1 Spies, Thomas, Michael Pollock, Gordon Reeves and Tim Beechie. 2013. Effects of Riparian Thinning on Wood Recruitment: A scientific Synthesis. Science Review Team Wood Recruitment Subgroup, Forest Sciences Laboratory, Corvallis, OR 2 Kerr, Andy, and Derek Churchill. 2012. Ecological Appropriate Restoration Thinning in the Northwest Forest Plan Area. Conservation Northwest, Geos Institute, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center and Oregon Wild. Seattle, WA.

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c) Stewardship practice recommendations: Measurement and identification of root rot pockets is ongoing. With the help of the Kitsap County Noxious Weed Control Program, staff and stewards will manage invasive species. Refer to Appendix 2: Forest Stand Conditions/Prescriptions for detailed information about the health of individual mapping units (stands) in the park. Pre-commercial and restoration thinning will be employed to diversify the most of the park’s pure 30-50 year old Douglas fir stands.

RESOURCE CATEGORY II: FOREST TREE INVENTORY

a) Existing resource condition: Mapping unit inventory data was provided by Olympic Resource Management. Some minor tree species that were not noted in the inventory do occur in small patches and in riparian areas.

b) Resources protection measures: Replanting/under-planting has and will continue to occur in areas where it is deemed appropriate. For instance, in a root rot pocket, after diseased trees are removed, resistant species would be planted. Where restoration thinning is done shade tolerant trees will be planted to increase tree diversity. If a meadow is desired, little replanting of trees would occur.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: Restoration thinning will be required in most areas of the park due to the nature and condition of the Douglas fir plantations. The ultimate goal of this thinning is to achieve more complex and diverse forests. There are currently seven forest habitat conditions are in the park:

CURRENT ECOLOGICAL CONDITION Twenty-one forest mapping units have been delineated within the Port Gamble Stewardship project area of interest. These units are segmented based on age, species composition and past harvest history (Appendix 1). Walking through the forest, the changes in forest structure are sometimes subtle due to soils change or where human or natural disturbances have occurred. Each stand has been mapped, documented, inventoried and given an ecological classification/habitat listed in the following Table 1:

Table 1 – Forest Ecological Classification/Habitats

Simple Canopy Trees of uniform age, spacing, height with a single canopy and lacking tree species diversity. Often single species plantations.

Complex or Differentiated Canopy

Trees of different height, age, species and spacing. Canopy stratification to some extent, some mature trees (70-200 years old)

Old Growth - Legacy

Defined as trees 200 years and older. Mix of shade tolerant understory trees and shrubs, decadent trees, snags, logs on the forest floor and canopy stratification

Meadow Existing open areas, sometimes artificially maintained, as an ecotone for raptors and bats. Size often limited to 1-2 acres.

Hardwood Patch Clumps of hardwood trees species including Red Alder, Big Leaf Maple, birch, Madrona, cascara, aspen and willow. Patches are small (1/4 to 1 acre) where conifers are removed to benefit wildlife.

Wetlands (WA Forest Practices wetland typing system) – Management Zone (WMZ)

TYPE A: An area of 1/4th acre or more covered by open water seven consecutive days between April 1 and October 1st

.TYPE B: An open area of 1/4th acre or more that is vegetated with water tolerant plants and or shrubs. Forested Wetland: A wetland with tree crown closure of 70% or more with mature trees.

Riparian - Management Zone (RMZ)

Those areas that interface land to streams. There are multiple unnamed stream, springs and tributaries in the park.

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Restoration thinning is recommended for 14 out of 20 map units in the park due to the current overstocked condition of these Douglas fir plantations. Appendix 2 provides specific stand data, describes the current condition and provides a prescription.

RESOURCE CATEGORY III: PROTECTING SOILS

a) Existing resource condition: Soils vary greatly throughout the park. Refer to Appendix 3 for Soil Types for specific stand maps and information. This inventory shows that many areas of the park have some of the best known soils for growing large conifers (up to 160 feet of growth in 100 years)

b) Resources protection measures: Specify the use low ground pressure harvesting equipment to minimize site disturbance and soil compaction during restoration thinning. Monitor and maintain roads, ditches and culverts to protect against erosion. Use only existing roads; no new road construction.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: It is recognize that some disturbance of the forest floor and surrounding trees is inevitable during restoration thinning. But all care will be taken to minimize these occurrences by utilizing preexisting forest roads and skid trails. Harvest contractors will be required to use low impact felling and forwarding methods to minimize damage to forest soils.

Restoration thinning will be done using low ground pressure harvesting equipment to minimize site disturbance and soil compaction. Roads, ditches and culverts will be monitored and maintained to guard against erosion. Operations will use only existing roads; no new roads will be constructed. See Appendix 4 – Roads and Culverts.

RESOURCE CATEGORY IV: WATER QUALITY, RIPARIAN, AND WETLAND AREAS

Streams

a) Existing resource condition: Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park has over 10 miles of streams. Appendix ___ contains a map of these features. See Appendix 5 Map of streams and wetlands.

To improve the accuracy of the historic stream typing by the Washington Department of Natural Resources, Wild Fish Conservancy has mapped all of the streams within the Park (http://wildfishconservancy.org/).

b) Resource protection measures: The Washington Forest Practices Act (FPA) requires riparian buffers, called Riparian Management Zones (RMZs), to protect riparian functions and resources along Type F (fish-bearing), Type Np (non fish-bearing, perennial) and Type Ns (non fish-bearing, seasonal) streams.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: Follow the policy adopted by resolution by the Kitsap Board of Commissioner in June 2015: Policy for the Protection and Restoration of Riparian and Wetland Management Zones in Kitsap County Parks.

Wetlands

a) Existing resource condition: There are wetlands associated with stream channels, groundwater seeps, and enclosed landscape depressions within PGFHP. Many are shrub-dominated wetlands, and there is at least one large open-water wetland, created by a series of beaver dams, associated with a fish-bearing stream,

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and a forested wetland that is composed of western red cedar and red alder trees. See Appendix 5 – Map of streams and wetlands.

b) Resource protection measures: The Washington Forest Practices Act (FPA) requires wetland buffers, called Wetland Management Zones (WMZs), to protect wetlands greater than one-half acre with open water (Type A wetlands), and non-forested wetlands greater than one-half acre that are vegetated with water-tolerant plants (Type B wetlands). The FPA does not require a WMZ for forested wetlands. Additional resources protection will be provided to all wetlands in the park, exciding the minimum requirements under Washington FPA rules.

C) STEWARDSHIP PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS: FOLLOW THE POLICY ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION BY THE KITSAP BOARD OF COMMISSIONER IN JUNE 2015: POLICY FOR THE PROTECTION AND RESTORATION OF RIPARIAN AND WETLAND MANAGEMENT ZONES IN KITSAP COUNTY PARKS.

RESOURCE CATEGORY V: FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT

a) Existing resource condition: Only Mapping Units 3, 4, 8, 13, and 18 have large diameter conifers (>20 inches) and are considered priority habitats by the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife as well as streams and wetlands. Most of the remaining mapping units are dominated by young, dense, Douglas fir stands. Most riparian and wetland areas are dominated by red alder and big leaf maple.

b) Resources protection measures: These priority habitats will be left undisturbed. RMZ and WMZ buffers will

exclude log extraction operations. Restoration thinning (non-conventional) will be used exclusively outside of the RMZ and WMZ buffers.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: The science behind the State’s and County’s protection of sensitive areas is adequate in most locations; however, we have the luxury of exceeding minimum requirements in the park. It is better to err on the side of caution when sensitive fish and wildlife habitat is at risk. Therefore restoration thinning will be conducted using a cut-to-length (CTL) harvesting system. CTL is ecologically the best harvesting system available; yet is less efficient and produces less net revenue return compared to conventional thinning systems.

RESTORATION THINNING FOR WILDLIFE

Thinning for wildlife involves creating more space between leave trees. The final number of leave trees per acre is based on established thinning guidelines (Table 2) for optimum wildlife habitat enhancement.

The number of leave tree per acre range (100 to 140) will be determined in the field using the average diameter of the leave trees to calculate the relative density (RD) to optimize the desired wildlife habitat condition. Larger trees need more space; and wide-spacing provides increased light to the forest floor stimulating understory plants and creating a more diverse habitat for wildlife. RD will be used to determine the thinning density or the number of leave trees per acre. The density goal will be an average RD of 35. Leave trees will be sampled and measured to determine the RD using the following guideline and methodology:

Table 2: Thinning guidelines for Wildlife

Deleted: ¶

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Relative Density (RD) for Wildlife

Lower Limit – RD 25

Upper Limit – RD 45

Avg. Leave Tree DBH (inches)

Trees/Acre (TPA)

Avg. Tree Spacing (Feet)

Trees/Acre (TPA)

Avg. Tree Spacing (Feet)

6 312 11 561 8

7 248 13 446 8

8 203 14 365 10

9 170 16 306 10

10 145 17 261 11

11 126 18 226 12

12 110 19 198 13

13 98 21 176 14

14 88 22 158 15

15 79 23 142 15

16 72 24 129 16

17 65 25 118 17

18 60 26 108 18

19 55 28 100 18

20 51 29 92 19

21 48 30 86 20

22 44 31 80 21

23 42 32 75 21

Relative Density (RD) is a descriptive term that relates to the density of a timber stand to a fully stocked level. An ideal RD for wildlife habitat is between 25 and 45. Mathematically, RD = Standing Basal Area (BA) in square feet per acre divided by the square root of the quadratic average of DBH in inches. The quadratic average is the square root of the average squared diameters. For smaller areas, a simple average DBH can work about as well as the quadratic average in calculating RD. Basal area (BA) is equal to the sum of the cross sectional area of trees at breast height on an acre of land. It is also equal to the BA of the average diameter multiplied by the trees per acre (TPA). To convert tree DBH to BA, square the DBH and multiply by 0.0054. Thus an average tree diameter of 10 inches would have a basal area equal to (10 X 10 X 0.054) or 0.54 square feet.

Excerpted from Washington State University Extension EB2000 “Silviculture for Washington Family Forest”3

3 Hanley, Donald P. and David Baumgartner. Silviculture for Washington Family Forests. 2005. Washington State University Extension Bulletin 2000. Pullman, WA.

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RESOURCE CATEGORY VI: THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES

a) Existing resource condition: No endangered species have been noted in the park at this time. However, there are small areas that have been designated by the state as potential marbled murrelet habitat. Coho salmon, a threatened species, exist in the park.

b) Resources protection measures: Restoring the health of the park forests may provide scarce habitat for endangered or threatened species. Culvert replacement can provide viable, healthy salmon habitat within the park that is under-utilized due to blocking or perched culverts.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: As per county policy, restoration thinning is recommended along with the management of diseased trees, under-planting with native tree species and removal of invasive species to improve forest health and to create habitat for endangered or threatened species. The RMAPS will be used to maintain forest roads and replace and repair culverts. Other existing forest roads in the park will be abandoned with culverts being removed to restore natural stream flows. This will require extensive resources and inter-agency cooperation.

RESOURCE CATEGORY VII: HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

a) Existing resource condition: The first humans to enjoy the beauty and natural resources of the North Kitsap Heritage Park were Native Americans, who arrived sometime between 10,000 and 15,000 years ago. While no evidence of Native American habitation has been found in the park, but it is known that the Port Gamble S’Klallam and Suquamish tribes have used the park shoreline and uplands for fishing, gathering and hunting.

Certainly the watersheds would have been crucial to salmonid rearing thousands of years ago. Salmon have been located by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) in the streams that are crossed by WA State Hwy 104, but inadequate culverts and other obstructions currently block access to the park’s beaver ponds, which are part of the headwaters. Ancient tribal members were grateful for the abundance of fish that used to migrate to these streams.

The next groups of humans to use the park were early loggers and pioneers in the 1850’s in Kitsap County, taking advantage of homesteading acts to create farms. Hunters, trappers, and local outdoors enthusiasts have taken advantage of the service forest roads to access what is now a public park. Residents in the area recount using the Pope land for various recreational purposes for multiple generations of their families.

a) Resources protection measures: No evidence of sensitive historical or cultural use has been found in the

park. Local Tribes have expressed interest in the management and harvesting of traditional plants and cedar bark.

b) Stewardship practice recommendations: Metal debris has been found and disturbed land harkening back to the early days of logging in the park. If the debris is innocuous, it is usually left in place as a reminder to visitors of the working forest that once echoed to the sounds of misery whips and double-bit axes. Other debris including garbage and abandoned car tires and parts have been removed by park volunteers. Old growth stumps with spring board notches can be found throughout the park.

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RESOURCE CATEGORY VIII: AESTHETICS AND RECREATION

a) Existing resource condition: Besides being a sanctuary for wildlife, a valuable aquifer regenerator, and a

protected place to grow late seral stage forests, PGFHP provides various opportunities for citizens to enjoy

their park. It fills the county’s need to provide a more rural setting than those found in some of the smaller,

urban parks. While the park is closed to motorized vehicles, many people enjoy riding horses, hiking, and

mountain biking. The park is also used by geocachers, mushroom hunters, long-distance runners, hikers and

dog walkers.

b) Resources protection measures: Kiosks have been built at parking and trail access points. All forest roads will be maintained or abandoned according to state standards including culvert replacement or removal for abandoned sections. Since some of the trails are forest roads, maintaining the integrity of the forest will be needed to ensure culverts, water bars and ditches are functioning properly. Trails that have been built are subject to the same standard of public resource protection. Trails in PGFHP are varied and will be built and maintained to trail standards agreed to by Kitsap County Parks Department.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: Continue to develop public access and parking at entry points to the park. Some of these old forest roads will be maintained for use during forest thinning projects and for fire safety. Some portions of the forest roads maybe abandoned for use by vehicles and maintained as park trails. Efforts to control invasive and noxious weeds along park trails are a priority and will continue. Stewards will work with Dana Coggon to create an invasive species management plan. PGFHP Stewards have a trails subcommittee which is working to create a trail plan in order to deter un-authorized trail construction.

RESOURCE CATEGORY IX: SPECIAL FOREST PRODUCTS

a) Existing resource condition: Brush harvesting of salal and evergreen huckleberry provide a source of revenue for Kitsap County Parks, specifically PGFHP projects. Kitsap County maintains a contract with a brush harvesting company, which is up for bid every three years. Following County Policy, Citizens can also harvest mushrooms in the park for personal use.

b) Resources protection measures: Activities of illegal, non-permitted brush pickers have occasionally caused problems in the park. Litter and debris from pickers will to be managed through the enforcement of guidelines and rules by lease holder and Kitsap County Forester.

c) Stewardship practice recommendations: One of the best safeguards against illegal brush picking is to have an active contract with a legitimate brush harvesting company. After all, legitimate pickers only make money if the resource their company has paid for is not abused, which often happens in the case of illegal picking. Contractor activities will be monitored for impact on the park environment.

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STEWARDSHIP TIMELINE

The goal is to conduct restoration management activates/practices over the entire park over a ten year period. Much of the park would benefit from restoration thinning. Under planting shade tolerant native trees will continue in red alder dominated riparian areas and in areas that have been restoratively thinned. RESTORATION THINNING OPERATIONS

Kitsap County and its consultant, American Forest Management, work closely together to manage all aspects of the thinning operations including estimating yield projections, selecting subcontractors and marketing the logs. The harvest contractor working in the park will be selected based on several criteria including their ability to extract the logs with the least amount of disturbance to forest and existing forest road system. Contractors will exclusively use low-impact harvest machinery which will tread lightly on the forest floor. Logs will be harvested using the cut-to-length method which leaves tree slash evenly spread on the forest floor to decay. The slash also serves as a “carpet” for the machinery to drive on thus reducing soil disturbance. All sensitive areas such as park trails, riparian areas, and wetlands will be marked with boundary tape. Blue paint will be used mark the trees for harvest. Parks staff and stewards will mark 100% of the take trees with the goal of leaving the best and strongest trees which will improve the overall health and habitat of the forest. To enhance and preserve habitat the contractor will be required to leave snags, avoid disturbing stumps, and large woody debris that exist in the Park. The harvest contractor will also use their best effort to create five snags per acre by topping trees at the maximum height their equipment will reach. Ideally snag trees should be 20” in diameter.

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Appendix 1: Map Units

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APPENDIX 2: CURRENT FOREST - CONDITIONS/PRESCRIPTIONS


1 Douglas Fir 30 TBD 400+


Volume MBF Per Acre


100++ 140 < 10 0


2 Douglas fir 25 TBD 400+

% Stocking Site Index

Soil Type Volume MBF

Per Acre Replacement Trees Replacement Trees

/ Acres

100++ 140 <10


3 W Hem./Douglas fir 80 3 60


Volume MBF Per Acre


80 to 100 124 35 W Hemlock 40


This stand is a young dense Douglas fir plantation in the stem exclusion stage of forest development. One of the last areas clear-cut in the park and reforested into Douglas fir, this unit with its high site index is ready for restoration thinning. Unit Prescription

Implement restoration thinning in 5 to 10 years to release the biggest and best trees.

Unit Description Simple Canopy This stand is a young dense Douglas fir plantation in the stem exclusion stage of forest development. One of the last areas clear-cut in the park and reforested into Douglas fir, this unit with its high site index is ready for restoration thinning. Unit Prescription

Implement restoration thinning in 5 to 10 years to release the biggest and best trees.

Unit Description Complex Canopy

This unit is a circle of trees that was left when the unit around it was clear cut in 1989. It is dominated by reasonably healthy, western hemlock and Douglas fir estimate to be 80 years old. It is a small legacy unit.

Unit Prescription Monitor the health and vigor of this unit for potential hazard tree risks. In an effort to diversify this unit, under plant western red cedar to create a new canopy cohort.

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4 WH/RA/WRC/DF 80 24 143




/ Acres

100+ 130 35 WH/RC 10


5 Douglas fir 29 16 360




/ Acres

100+ 118 10 0 0




Volume MBF Per Acre


100 109 5 0 0


This unit is dominated by reasonably healthy, western hemlock, Douglas fir and red alder estimate to be 80 years old. It is a small legacy second growth unit that provides good wildlife habitat due to the wide tree spacing, available dead wood and the

development of multiple canopies. The red alder is old and decadent and continues to create openings in the forest.

Unit Prescription

Monitor the health and vigor of this unit for potential hazard tree risks. In an effort to diversify this unit, under plant western red cedar to create a new canopy cohort.

Unit Description Simple Canopy Unit 5 is the typical Douglas fir plantation found throughout PGFHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

Unit needs restoration thinning (VDT) leaving between 100 and 140 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 8.5 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under planting of cedar to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and horizontal structure.

Unit Description Simple Canopy Unit 6 is a typical Douglas fir plantation in PGFHP. Invasive plants, Himalayan blackberry and Scotch broom are thriving in small open areas and adjacent access Forest Roads/tails. Established trees are healthy and vigorous. . Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription Unit needs restoration thinning (VDT) leaving between 100 and 140 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 8.5 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under planting of cedar to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and horizontal structure.

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Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 109 5 0 0


8 RC/DF/GF/RA 100 70 96




/ Acres

100 126 35 RC, Grand fir 60


9 DF/WH/Mixed 49 20 150


Volume MBF Per Acre


100 129 24 RC/WH 40

Unit Description Simple Canopy Unit 7 is the typical Douglas fir plantation found throughout PGFHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. In the area between Spine Line and Arbutus Trails, there is tree diversity, included many Madrone, and a healthy understory. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription Unit needs restoration thinning (VDT) leaving between 100 and 140 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 10 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under plant cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy adding much needed species diversity and vertical stand structure.

Unit Description Complex Canopy Unit 8, is the along the shoreline of Port Gamble Bay and contains the oldest stand of second growth in PGFHP. Western red cedar and Douglas fir are in equal quantity and mixed with a significant amount of grand fir and declining red alder. Units provides above average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription Since this unit is within the Shoreline Management Zone and has a natural designation, restoration and protection are the primary objectives. Invasive plant control and under planting shade tolerant native tree species to replace the declining red alder is the priority.


Unit 9 is similar to unity 13 in that both were established at the same time at planted with Douglas fir. The difference is that this unit provides above average wildlife habitat due to its more complex canopy. Multiple canopy layers provide both horizontal and vertical structure and could serve as a future reference stand for the park.

Unit Prescription

Unit needs only to be monitored for disease. The average diameter of trees is over 15 inches with many tree exceeding 20 inches DBH.

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/ Acres

100 140 12 0 0


11 Red alder 28 18 300+


Volume MBF Per Acre


100 108 5 0 0






/ Acres

100+ 116 13 0 0


Unit 10 has steep slopes, yet is the typical Douglas fir plantation found throughout PGFHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to b e stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

Steep slopes maybe a limitation. The unit needs restoration thinning (VDT) leaving between 100 and 140 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 12 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under plant of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure.


Unit 11 has steep slopes and after the last harvest was planted with Douglas fir which was out competed by naturally seeded red alder. Red alder cover 90 percent of the unit and are providing valuable wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

The priority would be to under-plant red cedar and western hemlock to replace the red alder in 30 to 60 years.


Unit 12 is nearly 100 percent conifer with Douglas fir occupying 90 percent of the area. This is a monoculture Douglas fir plantation like others located throughout PGFHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

Except for riparian and wetland areas, the unit needs restoration thinning (VDT) leaving between 100 and 140 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 13 inches. Improved spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; and begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under plant of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure.

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/ Acres

100+ 129 30 RC/WH 10






/ Acres

100 140 12 - -




Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 115 5 - -

Unit Description Simple Canopy This stand is occupied by typical Douglas fir plantation found throughout PGFHP. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed an d increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

Steep slopes maybe a limitation. The unit needs restoration thinning (VDT) leaving between 100 and 140 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 12 inches. This spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under plant of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure.


Unit 15 is a densely stocked Douglas fir plantation. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

The unit needs restoration thinning (VDT) leaving between 100 and 140 trees per acre. The restoration thinning should be delayed for 6 to 10 years. The goal would be have a average leave tree diameter of 12 to 13 inches. Increased tree spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under plant of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure.


Unit 13 is an older, well stocked Douglas fir plantation that was likely thinned 20 years ago resulting in significant understory vegetation. The canopy has closed enough that the few established shade tolerant trees, cedar and hemlock saplings, have limited light for growth. With the high single canopy this stand provide can only meet the needs of a limited number of wildlife species.

Unit Prescription

The unit needs restoration thinning (VDT) leaving between 100 and 140 trees per acre. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 20 inches. Increased tree spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow more light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under plant of cedar and hemlock would help create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure. Deciduous areas with few conifers should be skipped.

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Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 131 14 - -


Unit 15 has some steep slopes, and is a densely stocked Douglas fir plantation. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

The unit needs restoration thinned (VDT) leaving between 100 and 140 of the biggest trees. The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 12 inches. The increased spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under plant of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure.

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Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 108 7 - -


19 D fir 28 10 320


Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 108 7 - -


18 DF/RA/RC 47 130 220


Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 140 28 grand fir/red cedar 30


Unit 15 has steep slopes, and is a densely stocked Douglas fir plantation. Western hemlock has natural seeded in adding to the overstocked condition. This unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

The unit needs to be pre-commercially thinned to between 150 and 190 trees per acre. Additional space between trees would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Restoration thinning would be scheduled 10 years out to further develop the desired ecological structure.

Unit Description Simple Canopy Unit 15 is a densely stocked mixed species stand dominated by Douglas fir.. Overstocked, unit has areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Hardwoods including red alder and big leaf maple comprise 28 percent or the unit by volume. As many as five perennial of seasonal streams pass through this unit with these riparian corridors providing above average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

Areas within the unit would benefit from restoration thinning (VDT) leaving between 100 and 140 trees per acre . The average diameter of leave trees would be approximately 15+ inches. Increased tree spacing would reduce competition, improve tree vigor and allow light to reach the forest floor; stimulate the reestablishment of understory vegetation; begin providing enhanced wildlife habitat. Under plant of cedar and hemlock to create 2nd canopy would add much needed species diversity and vertical canopy structure.


Unit 19 has steep slopes, and is a densely stocked Douglas fir plantation. Western hemlock has natural seeded in adding to the overstocked condition. This unit has vast areas where there is little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription


20


20 D fir 25 18 360


Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 104 13 - -


21 R Cedar/R Alder 56 3 280


Volume MBF Per Acre


100+ 114 17 - -


Unit 15 has steep slopes, and is a densely stocked Douglas fir plantation. Overstocked, this unit has vast areas with little or no understory vegetation and the competition for light, moisture and nutrients causes the entire plantation to be stressed and increasingly vulnerable to attack by diseases, insects and fire. Unit provides below average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription



Unit 15 has steep slopes, and is a well stocked mixed stand of Western red cedar and red alder. This unit provides above average wildlife habitat.

Unit Prescription

Monitor and if needed, under-plant additional red cedar and western hemlock to replace the declining red alder over the next 20 years.

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Appendix 3: Soils

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Port Gamble Forest Heritage Park – USDA Soil Map Unit Symbols **

10 Dystric Xerorthents: 45 to 70 percent slopes. This deep, moderately well drained to somewhat excessively drained soil are on

the sidewalls of entrenched streams and shorelines. Formed mainly in glacial till, but some are formed in sandy and gravelly outwash.

Areas a long and narrow with most slopes are about 65 percent. The vegetation is conifers and hardwoods.

18, 19 & 20 Indianola loamy sand: 0 to 6, 6 to 15, and 15 to 30 percent slope respectively. This deep, somewhat excessively drained

soil is found on the forest road uplands of the park. Formed in sandy glacial outwash, the primary vegetation is conifers. Some of the

most fertile areas in the park, these soils have a site index* of 131 for Douglas fir and 95 for red alder.

21 Indianola-Kitsap Complex: 45 to 70 percent slope, this soil is located in the southwest corner of the park off Bay Ridge. Formed

in glacial outwash and glacial lake sediment, the primary vegetation is conifers and hardwoods. Very productive soil and suited to

Douglas fir and fed alder. Site index* is 131 for Douglas fir and 99 for red alder. Due to the steepness of slope, this area of the park

will be “skipped” in terms of restoration thinning.

22 Kapowsin gravely ashy loam: 0 to 6 percent slopes, this is a moderately deep moderately well drained soil on forest road uplands

and terraces. Formed in glacial till, are found in relatively small amounts, with less than 5 acres in the park. Native vegetation found

on this soil is conifers and hardwoods. A very productive soil, Douglas fir has a site index* of 159.

30 & 31 Kitsap silt loam: 14 to 30, and 30 to 45, percent slope respectively. This is a deep, moderately well drained soil on

terraces in the central area of the park. This very fertile soil formed in glacial lake sediment on the side slopes of terraces. Vegetation

is conifers and hardwoods with a Douglas fir site index of 164 and site index* for red alder of 102.

32 McKenna gravely loam: 0 to 6 percent slopes, this moderately deep over compact glacial till, poorly drained soil was formed in

glacial till. Found on uplands in low lying depressions and along drainage ways. Native vegetation is hardwoods, conifers, sedges, and

grasses. Poor drainage limits the suitability of this soil to water-tolerant trees such as red alder, western red cedar and hemlock.

39, 40 & 41 Poulsbo gravelly sandy loam: 0 to 6, 6 to 15, and 15 to 30 percent slope respectively. This moderately deep,

moderately well drained soil is on forest road uplands and is formed in glacial till. Native vegetation is conifers and hardwoods. Well

suited to Douglas fir and has a site index* of 161.

42 & 43 Poulsbo-Ragnar complex: 0 to 6, and 6 to 15 percent slope respectively, these soils are on forest road uplands and

terraces in the park. The formed in glacial till and glacial outwash this soil supports native vegetation consisting of mixed stands of

conifers and hardwoods. Well suited to Douglas fir, Poulsbo soil has a site index* of 171 for Douglas fir.

44 & 46 Ragnar fine sandy loam: 0 to 6 and 15 to 30 percent slope respectively. This is a deep, well-drained soil on terraces and

uplands and was formed in glacial outwash. Native vegetation is conifers and hardwoods with a site index* for Douglas fir of 167.

47 Ragnar-Poulsbo complex: 15 to 30 percent slope. The soils of this complex are on forest road uplands and are formed in glacial

till and glacial outwash. Native vegetation is a mixed stand of conifer and hardwoods. Ragnar soils are well suited to Douglas fir,

western red cedar, hemlock and red alder. Douglas fir has a site index* of 139; The Poulsbo portion of the soil complex has a site

index of 161 for Douglas fir.

* Site index is the height of a dominant example of the titled tree species in 100 years.

** USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service – Online Web Soil Survey.

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APPENDIX 4: FOREST ROADS, RMAP’S & CULVER INVENTORY

24

Forest Roads Owners of forestland are responsible for properly constructing and maintaining forest roads to protect fish habitat and water quality. Kitsap County has inherited the forest roads in the PGFHP that were constructed by Pope Resources for commercial timber operations. In order to keep these forest roads, most which are also used as trails, we must comply with state law. The Forest and Fish law is part of the Forest Practices Regulations of Washington State. The intent of the law is the reduction of silt pollution and runoff into streams and rivers. Forest road prisms are hard on streams when forgotten culverts become plugged creating wash out forest roadbeds, and deposit tons of silt in streams. The goal is to keep most of the existing forest roads in the park for natural resource management, and use as trails: providing access for people with disabilities, running trails, and access routes for ingress/egress during emergencies. In order to do this we must comply with the law by having approved RMAPs check list in accordance with the small landowner rules. The accompanying map and tables show locations of existing forest roads and culverts (Tables 2 & 3), their size and condition.

Table 2: Attributes for Shoreline Culverts Number Culvert type Dia. (in) Length (ft) Drop Trail Condition Culvert Condition Other Conditions @ Outlet (ft) 1 Box 36 * Adequate Adequate Functioning 2 Corrugated Metal 20 21.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 3 Box 36 * Adequate Adequate Functioning 4 Round Concrete 14 50.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 5 Round Concrete 14 * Adequate Adequate Functioning 6 Round Concrete 14 * Adequate Adequate Clogged 7 Round Concrete 18 * Adequate Adequate Functioning 8 Round Concrete 18 * Adequate Adequate Clogged 9 Round Concrete 18 * Adequate Marginal Functioning 10 Round Concrete 18 * Adequate Adequate Functioning 11 Round Concrete 18 * Adequate Adequate Functioning 12 Round Concrete 18 * Adequate Marginal Clogged 13 Round Concrete 18 * Adequate Adequate Functioning 14 Corrugated Metal 24 20.0 1.0 Marginal Adequate Functioning 15 Corrugated Metal 12 30.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 16 Corrugated Plastic 18 29.0 Marginal Adequate Functioning 25 Corrugated Plastic 18 28.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 26 Corrugated Plastic 18 28.0 Adequate Inadequate Functioning 27 Corrugated Plastic 18 45.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 70 Round Concrete 18 * Adequate Adequate Functioning 71 Corrugated Metal 18 31.5 Adequate Adequate Functioning 72 Corrugated Plastic 18 31.5 Adequate Adequate Functioning 73 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 74 Corrugated Plastic 18 24.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 75 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.5 2.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 76 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 1.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 77 Corrugated Metal 12 34.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 78 Corrugated Metal 12 38.3 Adequate Adequate Functioning 79 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 80 Corrugated Plastic 18 31.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 89 Corrugated Plastic 18 29.5 Adequate Adequate Functioning 90 Corrugated Plastic 24 30.5 Adequate Adequate Functioning 91 Corrugated Plastic 18 31.5 Adequate Adequate Functioning 92 Corrugated Metal 36 45.0 3.0 Marginal Adequate Functioning 93 Corrugated Metal 36 49.0 Marginal Adequate Functioning

*Unable to measure

25

Table 3: Attributes for pending purchase area culverts.

Number Culvert type Dia. (in) Length (ft) Drop Trail Condition Culvert Condition Other Conditions @ Outlet (ft) 17 Corrugated Plastic 18 29.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 19 Corrugated Plastic 18 32.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 20 Corrugated Plastic 18 31.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 21 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 22 Corrugated Metal 12 31.0 0.5 Adequate Adequate Functioning 24 Corrugated Plastic 18 31.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 28 Corrugated Plastic 18 31.0 Inadequate Adequate Functioning 29 Corrugated Metal 12 30.0 Inadequate Adequate Functioning 30 Corrugated Plastic 24 31.0 Inadequate Adequate Functioning 31 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 Marginal Adequate Functioning 32 Corrugated Metal 12 25.0 Marginal Inadequate Clogged 33 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 Inadequate Adequate Functioning 34 Corrugated Plastic 18 29.0 Marginal Adequate Functioning 35 Corrugated Plastic 18 39.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 36 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 37 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 38 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 39 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 40 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 41 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 0.5 Adequate Adequate Functioning 46 Corrugated Plastic 18 30.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning 51 Corrugated Metal 12 19.0 Adequate Adequate Functioning

*Unable to measure

FOREST ROAD MAINTENANCE PLAN (RMAP) There are approximately 6 miles of forest roads within the project area that will need to be maintained or formally abandoned. Public use of motorized vehicles is not allowed in the park. The only motorized traffic on the forest roads will be authorized maintenance vehicles (tractors, graders etc.), contractor vehicles (brush pickers and harvest contractors for example) and emergency vehicles. Where possible, runoff will be quickly returned to the forest floor as sheet flow by emphasizing out-sloping.

The following activities are necessary under DNR RMAPs rules.

1. An inventory of all park culverts will be maintained. This inventory has been completed. 2. GPS coordinates will be noted for each culvert. This has been completed 3. Culvert location monuments/markers will be placed at each culvert crossing be tall enough to be visible from the

forest road prism and be inscribed with a unique ID #. 4. Forest road prism culvert inspection will occur each August/September to prepare for winter rains. 5. Ditches along all maintained forest roads shall be freed from obstructions that impede water flow. 6. Moss, duff, and grasses in ditches should remain undisturbed: for added water energy distribution, water

absorption, and head cut reduction. 7. Forest roads shall be sloped so that water is directed to the forest floor. See WAC 222-24 8. Where beaver activity is present, frequent checks must be made to prevent washouts. 9. As forest roads are needed for scheduled forest thinning projects, they will be prepared to withstand use by

trucks or other equipment. 10. When forest road segments are no longer needed will be abandoned as prescribed under FPA rules.

26

CULVERTS TO BE REPLACED

Culverts that block fish passage must be removed or replaced with bridges or arched culverts. The goal is to ensure stream crossings allow fish passage for all life stages of fish. Culverts can sometimes block juvenile fish by creating a strong laminar flow that prevents upstream migration of Coho and Steelhead smolt. Culverts block returning adult salmon when they are perched higher than the fish can jump. Replacement culverts must be a minimum of 18” in diameter.

Currently, anadromous fish are present in the eastern and northern areas of the park, and the potential exists for them to utilize the park’s wetland habitat. There is likely chum, sea run cutthroat, steelhead and Coho in the Port Gamble Bay that borders the park. All forest roads and culverts need annual maintenance. Maintenance typically consists of clearing and cleaning culverts and ditches of debris and vegetative growth. Graded forest road surfaces restore the proper movement of water off the forest road surface and to prevent rutting and head cuts. Forest roads and culverts should be inspected before the fall rainy season and after any periods or record rainfall. A spring inspection will help identify problems that need attention during summer dry season. There are four (4) culverts in the subject property that are not functioning. These culverts only need maintenance.

APPENDIX 4: FIRE RISK REDUCTION

Fire Risk Reduction Strategies for NKHP

The objective of fire risk mitigation in the park is to reduce the potential for a crown fire. Because we cannot control the weather or change the topography of the park we are left with control and distribution of fire fuels as our only viable option for reducing the intensity of a fire. If successful, this strategy would not prevent fire, which is a natural part of the environment, but reduce the fire’s intensity by limiting it to a ground fire or surface fire. Reducing the potential for a fire to occur and creating a defensible space are other options that are compatible with long range goals and objectives for this park. Ground fires: least damaging and limited to duff with no visible flames (smoldering) Surface fires: produce a flame front and can be destructive Crown fires: most destructive with flames spreading from tree crown to tree crown Recognition of the role of fire in maintaining natural ecosystems (4) Historical records show that wildfires have been a part of the natural environment for many centuries before the arrival of Europeans. A single fire that occurred on the Olympic Peninsula circa 1700, burned from near the Elwha southerly to the Hood Canal as far south as Belfair. Wildfires create new forests and contribute to the diversity of plants and habitats. Integrating Fire Management with Ecosystem Management In addition to increasing plant and habitat diversity, employing Variable Density Thinning (thinning from below) reduces the potential for a crown fire by increasing the spacing between tree crowns. Thinning from below canopy retains larger more vigorous and fire resistant trees and raises the base of tree crowns reducing ladder fuels. “The common denominator is fuel (5)

• Reduce surface fuels. • Increase the height to the base of tree crowns. • Increase spacing between tree crowns. • Keep larger trees of more fire-resistant species. • Promote more fire-resistant forests at the landscape level by reducing fuels both

vertically and horizontally.”

4 Fire Management for the 21

st Century, James K Agee. Creating a Forestry for the 21

st Century Kohm/Franklin

5 PNW 618 A Pacific Northwest Extension Publication. Oregon State University, University of Idaho, Washington State University

28

Following these principles accomplishes three goals:

1. Reduces the intensity of a fire, making it easier for firefighters to suppress. 2. Increases the odds that the forest will survive a fire. Small trees, shrubs, and other

understory vegetation may be injured or killed, but larger trees in the stand will only be scorched, and soil damage also will be reduced.

3. Reduces the extent of restoration activities needed, such as replanting or erosion control measures.

Specifics:

1. Access.

Maintain access for firefighting personnel and equipment.

2. Fuel Reduction Zones

Reduce fuel loading along trails by chipping or scattering. Control Scotch broom along existing service forest roads and the power line right-of-way.

3. Shaded Fuel Breaks

Take advantage of topography and enhance moist areas by removing dead wood and ladder fuels while leaving groundcover to increase moisture retention reducing the potential for a fire. 4. Mineral Soil Firebreaks Maintain a minimum of 30 foot crown separation across existing forest roads and reduce fuels (noxious weeds and dead wood).

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Appendix 5 - Streams/Wetlands

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Kitsap County Parks Advisory Board Agenda August 19 2015 · 2015-08-19 · KITSAP COUNTY PARK...

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