LITTLE PRAIRIE COMMUNITY FOREST: B2B October 12, 2016 Presented by Jeff Beale, RPF

Transcription

1 LITTLE PRAIRIE COMMUNITY FOREST: B2B October 12, 2016 Presented by Jeff Beale, RPF

2 Little Prairie Community Forest 2016 Map ~ 13,500 hectares total gross area ~ 3,500 hectares in an old growth management area ~ 7,000 hectares visually sensitive ~ 9,000 hectares harvestable timber Water & Wildlife mgmt; esp Moberly Recreation trails (hike, ski, bike) First Nations cultural & heritage (archaeology, trapping, trails) 2011 >> 20,000 cubic meters /yr harvest 2013 >> uplift to salvage Mtn Pine Beetle killed pine stands Harvested ~856,00,000 cubic meters in total /17 (~1,400 hectares) June 2015 Little Prairie Community Forest: Indicator Analysis

3 Little Prairie Community Forest Culture & Management THREE COMMUNITIES are the PARTNERS West Moberly First Nations District of Chetwynd Saulteau First Nations ONE BOARD OF DIRECTORS of Little Prairie Community Forest Inc. 2 appointed directors per Partner MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT LPCFI BoD struck a 5 yr partnership agreement to manage most aspects of forest management (planning, harvesting, reforestation, roads, fire mgmt, reporting) BoD: very engaged in communication, review & approval of activities done in the CF Partnership Management Agreement: up for review soon Partners work closely with Chetwynd Forest Industries to bring forward Partner Community objectives, concerns and opportunities Water & Wildlife mgmt; esp Moberly Visual quality (VQO s) Cultural (archaeology), trapping, trails Recreation trails (hike, ski, bike) Firewood & Access COST EFFECTIVE Business model June 2015 Little Prairie Community Forest: Indicator Analysis

4 Little Prairie Community Forest Culture & Management COMMUNITY PARTNERS OBJECTIVES Leading edge management (listening, adapting, innovation) Supporting local community businesses Economic viability and economic diversification Sustainable financial dividends; sponsorships Cultural, social, environmental & recreational benefits Communication to & with the communities BOARD OF DIRECTORS (LPCFI) Annual General Meeting ~June 25 th each year Review s performance as per set List of Indicators Forest Practices Board Audits or Investigations FLNRO staff assessments Board MANAGEMENT Going Forward Review, revise Management Agreement or other such business model for day-to-day strategic & operational planning Review, adopt various Policies other similar CF s have throughout the Province Expand the Community Forest boundaries to match the additional AAC (Allowable Annual Cut) that has been apportioned to the LPCF following the recent 2015 Timber Supply Review June 2015 Little Prairie Community Forest: Indicator Analysis

5 LPCF Annual Performance Indicators Strategic Values: - Wildlife and Habitat (OGMA, WHA, WTP, Hi-Value): <22/0.2/9/1%> - Cultural areas - Water (Streams, crossings) - Visual quality - Invasive plants Harvesting Values: - Environmental management: spills - Roads (sediment controls, erosion, deactivation) - Harvest Volume - Waste volume Reforestation & Silviculture Values: - Planting - Stand tending - Free growing - Stand Monitoring Community Values: - Local employment opportunities - Firewood - Interpretive trails - Recreation trails (biking, skiing) - Educational opportunities - Country foods (berries etc.) June 2016 Little Prairie Community Forest: Indicator Analysis

6 4. Cultural Area Indicators Number of areas avoided with high archaeological potential: Areas may be machine-free zoned, or excluded from the cutblock analysis: No new Development analysis: 159 areas analysis: 59 areas Area surveyed for archaeological potential analysis: No new Development analysis: 827 ha analysis: 1078 ha Area dropped due to high cultural significance analysis: No new Development : 37 ha

7 5. Visual Quality Indicator Visual Quality management strategy - Understory retention where possible - Retain deciduous (aspen, cottonwood) NO Market either! - Cut block boundaries are located with visual impact in mind - Use Wildlife Tree Patches to reduce visual impact - Landscape 3D modelling from visually sensitive viewpoints - Consultations with First Nations, Groups & residents Area under a Visual Quality Objective (VQO) analysis: ~ 1,038 ha or 25% of total cutblock area Number of Viewpoints modelled: ~ 15 Area dropped due to visual quality concerns: ~ 30 hectares (forfeit timber values)

8 Visual Quality Objectives VQO polygons are (light grey) ~ 24% of LPCF area Harvest Blocks (brown) Roads (pink)

9 Harvesting Indicators Analysis 3. Sediment control strategy Ditches are seeded as soon as practicable to prevent sedimentation Ditch water is diverted through cross-draining culverts to prevent sedimentation into streams. Hay bales are used to filter ditch water prior to stream entry where diversion is impracticable Sediment fencing is installed in critical areas Seeding occurs as soon as practicable after hauling is complete and roads are de-activated

10 Harvesting Indicators Analysis 4. Salvage Program Progress (to March 31, 2016): Proportion of lodgepole pine harvested analysis: ~ 75% Pine, 25% (Spruce, Balsam fir) Total volume harvested to date analysis: 536,797m 3 ~33,000 m 3 to go Percent of salvage program harvested to date analysis: 99%

11 Silviculture Indicators Analysis 3. Stand tending strategy Plant large stock Sheep to graze competing vegetation Will not eat woody vegetation Access can be difficult, requires lots of planning Use walk through surveys to monitor stands Out of the Moberly drainage use herbicide selectively

12 Silviculture Indicators Analysis 4. Free Growing Indicator: Stocking Standards & Free growing requirements In the Moberly drainage, willow and alder provide good ungulate habitat -- = s NO Spraying; and are considered acceptable when assessing free growing status, as long as the height to diameter ratio of crop trees does not exceed 60 Free growing stands must meet these minimum requirements: Composed of Lodgepole Pine and/or Hybrid Spruce Target 1200 stems per hectare, with a minimum of 700 and an average of 2m spacing Average minimum height of trees must be 1, 1.4 or 2 m depending on the ecological classification Must be met 15 years after harvest

13 Silviculture Indicators Analysis 5. Stand Monitoring strategy Planting quality is verified during planting to ensure the highest seedling survival Once a block has been replanted, it is surveyed the first season following reforestation to monitor survival After this initial survey, blocks are surveyed every three years until free growing status is achieved. Walk through surveys are used intermittently between the three year survey period to monitor stand health and assess the need for stand tending.

14 Community Indicators Analysis 4. Firewood Allocation : Two logging truck loads of firewood delivered to each First Nations Partner 5. Berry Patch Management Strategy Identified and avoided berry patches in the salvage area, and will continue to do so

15 Communications Strategy Accomplishments (FY ) Early spring 2015 tour of harvesting & reforestation operations (Partners & Board, Chetwynd Forest Industries) LOGO contest into the local schools, with lots of contestants Recreation trails discussions with Club, DoC & First Nations Event sponsorships in First Nations Partner communities Advertising in Coffee Talk Sponsorship of Chainsaw Carving event

16 A PARTNERSHIP WEST MOBERLY FIRST NATIONS DISTRICT OF CHETWYND SAULTEAU FIRST NATION