Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan - Higher Level Plan Order

Transcription

1 Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan - Higher Level Plan Order Order Establishing Resource Management Zones and Resource Management Zone Objectives within the area covered by the Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan, March 1998 Pursuant to Sections 3(1) and 3(2) of the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act (the Act) Pursuant to section 3(1) of the Act, the Bulkley Timber Supply Area, the Agriculture/Wildlife Zone, Special Management Zones 1, and Special Management Zones 2 as presented on Map 1 (attached) are Resource Management Zones. Bulkley Timber Supply Area Pursuant to section 3(2) of the Act, the provisions in Appendix 1 are Resource Management Zone objectives for the Bulkley Timber Supply Area. Agriculture/Wildlife Zone Pursuant to section 3(2) of the Act, the provisions in Appendix 2 are Resource Management Zone objectives for the Agriculture/Wildlife Zone. Special Management Zones 1 Pursuant to section 3(2) of the Act, the provisions in Appendix 3 are Resource Management Zone objectives for Special Management Zones 1. Special Management Zones 2 Pursuant to section 3(2) of the Act, the provisions in Appendix 4 are Resource Management Zone objectives for Special Management Zones 2.

2 Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan - Higher Level Plan Order Filing the Order This order will be filed with the regional manager of the Prince Rupert Forest Region and will take effect on December 29, Original signed December 19, 2000 The Honourable Gordon Wilson Date Minister of Forests Original signed The Honourable Glenn Robertson Minister of Energy and Mines Original signed The Honourable Ian Waddell Minister of Environment, Lands and Parks December 14, 2000 Date December 19, 2000 Date

3 Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan - Higher Level Plan Order APPENDIX 1 - OBJECTIVES FOR THE BULKLEY TIMBER SUPPLY AREA (TSA)

4 Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan - Higher Level Plan Order APPENDIX 2 - OBJECTIVES FOR AGRICULTURE/WILDLIFE ZONE 14) Agriculture/Wildlife Zone (Sub-unit 7-3) Enhance agricultural capacity and protect high value wildlife habitat 9 by developing forest resources in a manner that minimizes conflicts between agriculture and wildlife High value wildlife habitat as mapped and made available at the operational level. 10 Specific provisions for maintaining these values will be determined through stand level development strategies.

5 Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan - Higher Level Plan Order APPENDIX 3 - OBJECTIVES FOR SPECIAL MANAGEMENT ZONES 1 (SMZ1) 15) Barbeau Creek Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 1-1) water quality, mountain goat habitat, grizzly bear habitat, especially travel corridors and denning areas, wilderness recreation opportunities, especially around remote lakes, and watershed in a primitive state by harvesting timber only where required for approved mineral and energy 11 exploration and development. 16) Big Onion Mountain Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 5-2) recreational snowmobiling opportunities, water quality in creeks and tributaries that serve as domestic water supplies, hiking trails, and visual quality by harvesting timber only where required for approved mineral and energy 11 exploration and development. 17) Old Cronin Mine Area Resource Management Zone (Sub-Unit 5-3) recreational and visual quality of alpine areas and hiking trails into the Babine Mountains by harvesting timber only where required for approved mineral and energy 11 exploration and development. 18) Cronin Alpine Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 5-4) recreational and visual quality of alpine areas and hiking trails into the Babine Mountains by harvesting timber only where required for approved mineral and energy 11 exploration and development. 19) Howson Range Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 11-1) caribou and goat habitat, especially winter habitat, visual quality, especially views from Highway 16 and the ski hill, and opportunities for wilderness recreation and backcountry tourism by harvesting timber only where required for approved mineral and energy 11 exploration and development.

6 Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan - Higher Level Plan Order 20) Hankin Plateau Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 11-2) caribou and goat habitat and visual quality, especially views from Highway 16 and the ski hill by harvesting timber only where required for approved mineral and energy 11 exploration and development. 21) Silvern Lakes Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 12-1) backcountry recreational opportunities and visual quality by harvesting timber only where required for approved mineral and energy 11 exploration and development. 11 Energy means petroleum, natural gas and geothermal resources.

7 Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan - Higher Level Plan Order APPENDIX 4 - OBJECTIVES FOR SPECIAL MANAGEMENT ZONES 2 (SMZ2) 22) Babine River Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 2-2) Maintain the following river-based resource values adjacent to Babine River Provincial Park: wilderness recreation opportunities, water clarity 12 and hydrologic stability 12 for fish habitat in the tributaries of the Babine River, visual quality within view of the Babine River 13, and travel and denning habitat 14 for grizzly bears by: developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values, not constructing new, permanent, unrestricted 15 road access north of the Babine River bridge, avoiding road construction to the Babine River corridor boundary, and logging by selection harvesting or small clearcuts 12 only. 23) Reiseter Creek Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 5-6) visual quality within view of major river and highway corridors and recreation focus points 13, water quality 12 for domestic consumption, and recreational hiking trails to the Babine Mountains 12 by developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values, including re-routing trails if necessary. 24) Upper Corya Creek Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 8-1) visual quality within view of major river and highway corridors and recreation focus points 13,and recreational opportunities and access 12 by developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values. 25) Jack Mould Lake (Sub-unit 9-2) connectivity 16 of mature forest between Kitseguecla and Jack Mould lakes, recreational opportunities 12, and visual quality within view of Jack Mould Lake and Kitseguecla Lake 13 by: developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values, and maintaining walk-in only status 15 to Jack Mould Lake.

8 Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan - Higher Level Plan Order 26) Glacier Gulch Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 10-1) visual quality within view of major river and highway corridors and recreation focus points 13, rare ecosystems 16, and water quality 12 for domestic consumption and fish habitat by developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values. 27) Hudson Bay Mountain Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 10-2) visual quality within view of recreational focus points 13, and recreational opportunities and access 12 by developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values. 28) Ski Smithers Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 10-3) visual quality within view of major river and highway corridors and recreation focus points 13, and recreational opportunities and access 12 by: not constructing roads onto the grassy tundra, and developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values. 29) Community Forest Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 10-4) water quality 12 for domestic consumption, the diversity and abundance of existing species 12, a desired mix of habitats for biodiversity 12, recreational and educational opportunities 12, and visual quality within view of Highway 16 and recreation focus points 13 by developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values. 30) Mooseskin Johnny Lake Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 11-3) existing commercial backcountry tourism opportunities 12, caribou and goat habitat 14, shallow lakes and wetlands 16, visual quality within view of Mooseskin Johnny Lake 13, and forest connectivity between the Howson Range SMZ1 and Hankin Plateau SMZ1 16 by: developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values, and restricting 15 motorized access on roads.

9 Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan - Higher Level Plan Order 31) Telkwa River Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 11-5) water quality 12 and hydrologic stability 12 for fish habitat, structural diversity 12 of the riparian area, wetlands 12, and a corridor for deer and grizzly bear 16 by developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values. 32) Copper River Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 12-2) visual quality within view of the Copper River corridor and recreational focus points 13, water quality 12 for fish habitat, high value fish habitat 14, important riparian ecosystems 16, red and blue listed plant communities 16, and steelhead fishing opportunities in an uncrowded, natural setting along the Copper River by: developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values, not constructing new permanent 15 roads within1 kilometre of the Copper River, not expanding existing range use, and including the majority of this corridor within the core ecosystem ) Serb Creek Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 12-3) grizzly bear habitat 14, water quality 12 for fish habitat, fish habitat 14, visual quality as seen from Serb Creek, Copper River and recreational focus points 13, and the integrity of the watershed 12, by: not constructing road crossings on Serb Creek 18, and developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values. 34) Mulwain Creek Resource Management Zone (Sub-unit 12-5) water quality 12 for fish in the Copper River, visual quality for viewscapes from the Seven Sisters and Copper River 13, forest connectivity 16 with the Copper River SMZ2, and primitive recreation opportunities for the Seven Sisters Protected Area 12 by: developing timber in a manner which minimizes the effects on these values,

10 Bulkley Land and Resource Management Plan - Higher Level Plan Order restricting 15 non-industrial, motorized access to the Seven Sisters Protected Area, and designing cutblocks with strategic placement of leave trees and patches, feathered edges and lines from the natural landscape Specific provisions for maintaining these values will be determined through landscape unit planning using landscape and stand level development strategies. 13 View points and associated scenic areas (visual quality areas) as mapped and made available through landscape unit planning. The associated scenic areas which fall into Special Management Zones (SMZ), except Mulwain Creek SMZ, will receive special consideration and may require a higher visual quality objective than scenic areas from the same view point which fall outside special management zones. 14 Wildlife habitat as mapped and made available through landscape unit planning. 15 Strategies at the landscape level may include access control points (e.g. a gate), winter roads, or deactivation. 16 Specific provisions for managing this value will be developed through landscape unit planning and may include using the ecosystem network defined in Objective Core ecosystems and landscape corridors as defined in Objective 1 as mapped and made available at the landscape level. 18 Both sides of Serb Creek are potentially accessible through routes on either side of the creek.

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12 Bulkley LRMP Objectives set by Government Integrated Land Management Bureau September 2006

13 Bulkley LRMP Objectives Set by Government PREAMBLE The Bulkley LRMP was approved in March, To support the Forest Practices Code Act landscape unit planning framework, legal objectives for biodiversity were established in 1998 for each individual landscape unit. The exception is the Bulkley Landscape Unit where the plan s objectives are established as policy. Resource Management Zone objectives (RMZ) were established shortly afterward in Specific landscape unit objectives have never been set for wildlife, visual quality, timber, or recreation although direction for these values do exist as district manager policy. The RMZ objectives and the biodiversity objectives provide a comprehensive suite of hierarchical objectives for the Bulkley TSA that require consideration by licensees when developing Forest Stewardship Plans. To minimize the number of objectives considered in a Forest Stewardship Plan while maintaining the current legal direction, ILMB agreed in October 2005 to initiate a project to streamline the Bulkley LRMP s legal objectives. This streamlining involved reviewing the existing legal objectives from the Bulkley LRMP Higher Level Plan Order, the Biodiversity Objectives, Landscape Unit Plans, and the Bulkley Valley Sustainable Resource Management Plans, identifying any inconsistencies and developing new wording, consistent with the existing intent. The process did not lead to negotiation around current management direction. Spatial identification of resource features is considered an integral component of the objectives. However, the specific location of these features usually needs to be identified at an operational level. Therefore, the lines used to describe polygons associated with a particular resource feature or management direction as identified in these objectives should be considered to have an accuracy of plus or minus 100 metres at an operational scale. In addition, these lines may be varied if better resource information is available (e.g. District Policy on the changes to the ecosystem network). This flexibility is not intended to reduce the effective size of a particular resource feature. Also, this flexibility is not intended for use adjacent to features with a legal designation such as a park, private land or woodlot licence but may be acceptable when applied to wildlife habitat polygons, visual inventories and other similar designations. The March, 1996 timber supply analysis of the Bulkley LRMP was a major consideration used in bringing a consensus to the LRMP. The analysis showed that the cumulative timber supply impact resulting from the LRMP management direction was up to approximately 10% for the Bulkley Timber Supply Area (TSA). The impacts summarized in this analysis were considered closely when establishing the following objectives. Where objectives were established to meet a special management intent and where this caused greater impact to the timber supply in one area, objectives were modified elsewhere in the plan to lighten timber supply impacts, always with the goal of maintaining the 10% ( LRMP budget ) accepted timber supply impact. In the future, when new objectives and/or additional resource constraints are being contemplated, the LRMP budget will be considered and the goal will be to keep cumulative impacts to less than 10% for the Bulkley TSA. September, 2006 i

14 Bulkley LRMP Objectives Set by Government The Forest and Range Practices Act, appendices 2, 3, and 4 from the December 2000 LRMP higher level plan order, the Bulkley LRMP, the Bulkley Valley Sustainable Resource Management Plan, and the Bulkley Landscape Unit Plans all provide important legal direction, context and strategies (e.g. water, ecosystem network) for the management of forest resources consistent with public and legislated expectations. These plans should be referred to during the development and implementation for forest management plans. In the event of catastrophic events (e.g. Mountain Pine Beetles or Fire) in the LRMP area, these objectives may be revisited to address the issues arising from the event. ii

15 Table of Contents PREAMBLE... i DRAFT ORDER ESTABLISHING LAND USE OBJECTIVES: BULKLEY TSA... iii Table of Contents... iv List of Tables... iv List of Maps... iv 1. OBJECTIVES FOR BIODIVERSITY Seral Stage Ecosystem Representation: Core Ecosystems Connectivity: Landscape Corridors Tree Species Diversity Stand Structure OBJECTIVES FOR WILDLIFE Wildlife Moose Mountain Goat Woodland Caribou Grizzly Bear Deer OBJECTIVES FOR FISH HABITAT OBJECTIVES FOR TIMBER Enhanced Timber Development Areas OBJECTIVES FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION Recreation Opportunities Recreation Access List of Tables Table 1. Seral-stage targets by landscape unit (see Map 1) and BEC Subzone (see Map 2).5 Table 2. Approximate target percentage of cutblock area to be retained in wildlife tree patches by BEC Subzone and landscape unit List of Maps Map 1. Project Area and Landscape Unit Boundaries Map 2. Biogeoclimatic Subzones and Landscape Unit Boundaries Map 3. Ecosystem Network and Enhanced Timber Development Areas Map 4. Wildlife Habitat Map 5. Ecosystem Network, Enhanced Timber Development Areas and Wildlife iv

16 1. OBJECTIVES FOR BIODIVERSITY 1.1 Seral Stage a. Maintain biodiversity by maintaining a natural seral-stage distribution (Table 1) Table 1. Seral-stage targets by landscape unit (see Map 1) and BEC Subzone (see Map 2). Landscape Unit NDT BEC Variant Minimum Old a (%) Minimum Mature b + Old (%) Maximum Young c (%) Bulkley Corya Nilkitkwa Babine Copper Harold Price N/A 3 SBSdk 10 na na 3 SBSmc2 10 na na HIGH BIODIVESITY EMPHASIS 1 ESSFwv ICHmc ICHmc ESSFmc SBSmc INTERMEDIATE BIODIVERSITY EMPHASIS 2 ESSFmc SBSmc ESSFwv MHmm CWHws ESSFmc SBSmc ESSFwv ESSFmc ICHmc SBSmc September

17 Bulkley LRMP Objectives Set by Government Landscape Unit NDT BEC Variant Minimum Old a (%) Minimum Mature b + Old (%) Maximum Young c (%) Reiseter Telkwa Trout Creek 2 ESSFmc ICHmc ICHmc SBSdk SBSmc ESSFmk ESSFwv CWHws ESSFmc SBSdk SBSmc ESSFwv ICHmc ICHmc SBSdk SBSmc LOW BIODIVERSITY EMPHASIS Blunt 2 ESSFmc 9 14 na 3 SBSmc na Chapman 2 ESSFmc 9 14 na 3 SBSmc na Deep Creek 2 ESSFmc 9 14 na 3 SBSdk na 3 SBSmc na Torkelson 2 ESSFmc 9 14 na 3 SBSmc na 6 September 2006

18 a Old is defined as > 250 yr in all subzones except SBSdk/mc2; and as > 140 yr in the SBSdk/mc2. If there is less old than the target, there will be no old forest harvest. b Mature is defined as > 120 yr in the MHmm2 and ESSFmc/mk/wv; as > 100 yr in the ICHmc1/mc2 and SBSdk/mc2; and as > 80 yr in the CWHws2 c Young is defined as <= 40 yr in all subzones. 1.2 Ecosystem Representation: Core Ecosystems a. Maintain biodiversity by representing a cross section of naturally-occurring ecosystems; b. Maintain biodiversity by maintaining some areas with forest interior conditions; and c. Maintain biodiversity by retaining representative examples of rare and endangered plant communities in core ecosystems identified in Map 5; by i. not expanding range use in core ecosystems; and ii. not harvesting timber in core ecosystems unless it is necessary for: a. protecting the integrity and function of the ecosystem; b. mineral and energy exploration and development; c. providing access to timber outside the core ecosystem that would otherwise be isolated, or d. forest health control where there is a risk to operable timber outside of the core ecosystem. 1.3 Connectivity: Landscape Corridors a. Maintain, within a managed forest setting, habitat connectivity across the landscape by maintaining landscape corridors dominated by mature tree cover and containing most of the structure and function associated with old forest, identified in Map 5. b. Maintain, within a managed forest setting, movement and dispersal of organisms in landscape corridors identified in Map Tree Species Diversity a. Maintain a diversity of coniferous and deciduous species representing the natural species composition for each biogeoclimatic subzone. September

19 Bulkley LRMP Objectives Set by Government 1.5 Stand Structure a. Maintain a diversity of attributes of old forest, such as coarse woody debris and standing dead and live trees, in managed stands in the percentages identified in Table 2. Table 2. Approximate target percentage of cutblock area to be retained in wildlife tree patches by BEC Subzone and landscape unit. LU CWHws2 ESSFmc ESSFmk ESSFwv ICHmc1 ICHmc2 MHmm2 SBSdk SBSmc2 Babine 3 7 Blunt 3 7 Bulkley Valley Chapman 5 11 Copper Corya Deep Ck Harold Price Nilkitkwa 1 5 Reiseter Telkwa Torkelson 3 7 Trout Ck OBJECTIVES FOR WILDLIFE 2.1 Wildlife a. Provide for wildlife habitat and populations by implementing and timing road location, development and maintenance activities in a manner that minimizes the effects on these values. 8 September 2006

20 2.2 Moose a. Provide woody browse in moose winter habitat identified in Map 5. b. Provide visual screening, security, thermal and snow-interception cover in moose winter habitat identified in Map Mountain Goat a. Provide thermal and snow interception cover and forage in mountain goat habitat identified in Map 5. b. Provide security to mountain goats in mountain goat habitat identified in Map 5 by limiting disturbance. c. Provide forested cover adjacent to escape terrain in mountain goat habitat identified in Map Woodland Caribou a. Provide forests with mature and old characteristics within the Telkwa Caribou Herd Recovery Area identified in Map 5. b. Provide forests with near natural disturbance patterns by biogeoclimatic zones within the Telkwa Caribou Herd Recovery Area identified in Map 5. c. Provide for forest types capable of supplying a long-term supply of terrestrial and arboreal lichen forage in the Telkwa Caribou Herd Recovery Area identified in Map 5. d. Provide security cover in the Telkwa Caribou Recovery Area identified in Map 5. e. Provide large areas of inactivity over a rotation in the Telkwa Caribou Recovery Area identified in Map 5. f. Avoid caribou displacement, by reducing human, caribou and predator interaction, in the Telkwa Caribou Herd Recovery Area identified in Map Grizzly Bear a. Provide high-value habitat buffered for security and bedding for grizzly bears in the locations identified in Map 5. b. Provide diverse understory within high-value, mixed forest habitat identified in Map 5. c. Limit road development and the number and duration of entries within moderate-value grizzly bear habitat identified in Map 5. d. Avoid human-bear conflicts in high-value grizzly bear habitat identified in Map 5. September

21 Bulkley LRMP Objectives Set by Government e. Provide opportunities for movement with minimal disturbance from humans between important landscape features in the Boucher Creek Wetlands management unit, the Nichyeskwa South management unit and the Nichyeskwa North management unit (Map 5). 2.6 Deer a. Provide woody browse during winter in deer habitat identified in Map 5. b. Provide visual screening, security, thermal and snow-interception cover in deer habitat identified in Map 5. c. Provide mature cover adjacent to steep, south facing slopes within deer habitat identified in Map OBJECTIVES FOR FISH HABITAT a. Provide for lakes containing high-value fish habitat by maintaining lakes in a full spectrum of settings including semi-primitive and primitive. 4. OBJECTIVES FOR TIMBER 4.1 Enhanced Timber Development Areas a. Enhance available timber supply and improve timber quality in Enhanced Timber Development areas identified in Map OBJECTIVES FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION 5.1 Recreation Opportunities a. Maintain or enhance a diverse range of recreational values and opportunities 5.2 Recreation Access a. Maintain reasonable access to a diverse range of recreational values and opportunities. 10 September 2006

22 Map 1. Project Area and Landscape Unit Boundaries September

23 Bulkley LRMP Objectives Set by Government Map 2. Biogeoclimatic Subzones and Landscape Unit Boundaries 12 September 2006

24 Map 3. Ecosystem Network and Enhanced Timber Development Areas September

25 Bulkley LRMP Objectives Set by Government Map 4. Wildlife Habitat 14 September 2006

26 Map 5. Ecosystem Network, Enhanced Timber Development Areas and Wildlife September