Prepared For: Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program. Prepared By: Dan Murphy, Coordinator Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resources Society

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1 Project Title: Rabbit Mnt Bighorn Sheep Ecosystem Restoration FWCP Project No: W-F15-07 Prepared For: Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program Prepared By: an Murphy, Coordinator Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resources Society This project was completed as part of the Rocky Mountain Trench Ecosystem Restoration Program with financial support from the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program on behalf of its program partners BC Hydro, the Province of BC, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, First Nations and the public. 1

2 Executive Summary Thinning and broadcast burning are required to establish open range and open forest stocking standards on the project site. This project will maintain or increase the species richness and population density of endemic plant and wildlife species; with special emphasis on red or blue listed species by the Conservation ata Centre. The project area is immediately adjacent to Highway 3/93, south of the village of Elko. This project has focused on the thinning phase in preparation of broadcast burning to be conducted by the MFLNRO Wildfire Management Branch in the spring or fall of Mastication (mechanical thinning by mulching) and hand slashing in a lop and scatter pattern were used to thin two treatment units at Rabbit Mountain Pasture in the Waldo Range Unit for a total of 66.5 hectares. TU 5B is a net area of 20.6 hectares and was thinned to Open Forest standards by mechanical mastication using a Timberjack 628 feller-buncher with a modified cutting disk. TU 7 is a net area of 45.9 hectares and was hand slashed in a lopped and scatter pattern to Open Range standards where possible. Both treatment units are in the Elko Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Area; therefore, the ecosystem restoration work completed will have positive fuel management benefits to the Village of Elko. Pruning of residual trees in TU 5B, primarily ouglas fir, will be completed in 2015 to remove the ladder fuels in preparation of the broadcast prescribed burn planned in A major wind event occurred in the Elko area in November 2014, resulting in many large diameter residual ouglas fir and ponderosa pine trees blowing down in the recently masticated area of TU 5B. Blown down trees were logged and sold on a cost recovery basis resulting in the stand being furthered opened which will have positive ecosystem restoration and fuel management benefits on the treatment unit. 2

3 Table of Contents Page Number 1.0 Introduction Goals and Objectives Project Area Methods Results iscussion Recommendations Acknowledgements References Confirmation of FWCP Recognition..11 List of Figures Figure 1: Mastication head mounted on the end of the boom of a feller-buncher..5 Figure 2: Mule deer feeding in masticated area at north end of TU 5B.6 Figure 3: Thicket of small ouglas fir trees before mastication treatment.7 Figure 4: Mastication treatment at south end of TU 5B 8 Figure 5: Mastication area at south end of TU 5B. 9 Figure 6: Salvage logging throughout TU 5B..10 3

4 1.0 Introduction The Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resources Society (Trench Society) is a coalition of 11 environmental, hunting, ranching and wildlife organizations working together since 1996 to restore and conserve the grasslands and open forests of the East Kootenay. The Trench Society is a founding partner in the Rocky Mountain Trench Ecosystem Restoration Program a partnership of 30 government agencies, NGOs, citizen groups and First Nations working together to restore grasslands and open forests from Radium Hot Springs to the US border. This project area is immediately adjacent to Highway 3/93, south of the village of Elko. Mapping for the project area shows that it is class 5 winter range for moose, mountain goat and bighorn sheep, class 1 to 2 for elk and class 1 to 3 for whitetail and mule deer. The thinning and burning operations will improve the forage on site while the wildlife tree patch and biodiversity patch retention will provide thermal and security cover. Bighorn sheep use the area and Yellow badger burrows are noted within the Elko area. The area required thinning to become good ground squirrel and badger habitat. This ecosystem restoration project followed the direction of Ungulate Winter Range Orders, which meet the habitat requirement of ungulates on site. The objective is to maintain or increase the species richness and population density of endemic wildlife species in treated areas; with special emphasis in species listed as being red or blue listed by the Conservation ata Centre. The Conservation ata Centre records Yellow badger as being on this site and Lewis Woodpecker 4 kilometres to the east. This project has improved the site for both. Plant species or plant community objectives include maintaining or increasing the species richness and population density of endemic plant species and plant communities in treated areas by increasing the native grass and forb plant cover (e.g. rough fescue/ Idaho fescue/ blue bunch wheatgrass) and increasing the forage biomass production (e.g. Saskatoon berry, rose spp., ceanothus, chokecherry). Thinning and broadcast burning is required to establish open range and open forest stocking standards. This project has focused on the thinning phase in preparation of the broadcast burning to be conducted by the MFLNRO Wildfire Management Branch in the spring or fall of Goals and Objectives 2.1 Increase the native grass and forb plant cover by 10% within ten years of initial burn treatment. Initially, until better inventory data is available, the rough fescue/ Idaho fescue/ blue bunch wheatgrass is to be used as the default community to be increased. Measurement of the increase shall be determined by range inventory plot update taken during routine monitoring that will be calibrated by effectiveness monitoring plots where actual measurements will be taken. 2.2 Increase forage biomass production by 5% within 5 years of initial burn treatment. 2.3 Increase the forage biomass of valuable decreaser (e.g. Saskatoon berry, rose spp., ceanothus, chokecherry) shrubs by 10% cover in treated areas within 5 years. 4

5 3. Project Area This project area is part of the Rabbit Mountain Pasture in the Waldo Range Unit near the village of Elko, BC. TU 5-B is south of the village of Elko and just north of Canfor s Elko Sawmill adjacent to Canfor s offhighway haul road called the River Road. TU 7 is south of the junction of Highway 3/93, south of Highway 3, adjacent and east of Highway 93 and north of Trans Canada s pipe line. See maps attached. 4. Methods Mastication (mechanical thinning by mulching), and hand slashing were used to thin two treatment units for a total of 66.5 hectares. The work was tendered to local qualified contractors with proven experience with mechanical mastication and hand slashing as ER treatment activities. 4.1 TU 5B is a net area of 20.6 hectares and was thinned to Open Forest standards by mechanical mastication. Open Forest stands were maintained at 76 to 400 stems/ha on sites with a target of 150 stems/ha while maintaining largest trees on site emphasizing trees greater than 30cm BH. One third of trees retained were from largest diameter class present on site. Trees greater than 30 centimeters in height and less than 20 centimeters diameter at a maximum stump height of 30 centimeters were masticated. A Timberjack 628 feller-buncher with a modified cutting disk was used to complete the mastication. The machine is owned and operated by Peter Savarie Logging Ltd. from Cranbrook, BC. Figure 1: Mastication head mounted on the end of the boom of a Timberjack 628 feller-buncher. Left to right: Pete Savarie, Owner & Operator of Peter Savarie Logging Ltd and John Brace, RPF, Project Manager, Nupqu evelopment Corporation. 5

6 4.2 TU 7 is a net area of 45.9 hectares and was hand slashed in a lop and scatter pattern to Open Range standards where possible. Open Range stands are to maintain 0-75 stems/ha on site with a target of 20 stems/ha while maintaining largest trees on site emphasizing trees greater than 30 centimeters BH. Trees greater than 30 centimeters in height and less than 20 centimeters diameter at a maximum stump height of 30 centimeters were felled and bucked. When the boles of the slashed trees crisscrossed they were bucked further and hand piled for future pile burning before or during the broadcast burn. The hand slashing was completed by Strategic Fire Control Ltd., owned and operated by Mike Effray. 5. Results 5.1 The boundaries of TU 5B were revised to exclude parts of the treatment unit that were too steep for mechanical mastication, generally slopes greater than 45 percent with the exception of short pitches that could be reached by the machine s boom, which could extend out approximately 10 meters in any direction. The treatment unit net area was reduced from 24.6 hectares to 20.6 hectares. The north end of the treatment unit had a greater number of larger diameter trees; therefore, resulted in more stems per hectare of residual trees exceeding the targeted open forest stand density of 150 stems per hectare. The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources (FLNRO) Section 52 authority to cut trees on crown land issued by the istrict Manager, does not permit trees over 20 centimeters at a stump height of a maximum of 30 centimeters, to be cut unless they are a anger Tree. Figure 2: Mule deer feeding in masticated area at north end of TU 5B. 6

7 The south end of the treatment unit had a greater number of smaller trees, therefore, larger openings were created, but in a mosaic design with residual patches of larger trees and deciduous leave trees between masticated openings. Figure 3: Thicket of small ouglas fir trees at south end of TU 5B before mastication treatment. 7

8 Figure 4: Mastication treatment at south end of TU 5B, Rabbit Mountain is in the background to the west. 8

9 Figure 5: Mastication area at south end of TU 5 B, the northern end of the Galton Range (onald Creek) is in the background to the south. 5.2 All of TU 7 was treated by hand slashing in a lop and scatter pattern. As in TU 5B, our FLNRO Section 52 authority would not allow us to cut trees greater than 20 centimeters at the legal stump height resulting in more residual trees than targeted in the Ecosystem Restoration Prescription (ERP). However, existing large natural void areas resulted in a desired mosaic design of open and denser treed areas. 6.0 iscussion 6.1 TU 5B Pruning of residual trees, primarily ouglas fir, will be completed in January/February 2015 with funding from FLNRO s Land Base Investment Fund, to remove the ladder fuels in preparation of a broadcast prescribed burn planned for the spring or fall of TU 5B is in the Elko Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Area; therefore, the ecosystem restoration work completed will have positive fuel management benefits to the Village of Elko. 9

10 A major wind event occurred in the Elko area on November 28, 2014, resulting in many large diameter residual ouglas fir and ponderosa pine trees blowing down in the recently masticated area. A salvage harvesting permit was acquired from FLNRO and the blown down trees were logged and sold on a cost recovery basis. Approximately, 80 cubic meters of merchantable timber volume was salvaged and resulted in the stand being furthered opened up which will have positive ER benefits on the treatment unit. Figure 6: Salvage logging throughout TU 5B, approximately 80 m3 of merchantable timber was removed on a cost recovery basis. Pete Savarie, owner-operator of Peter Savarie Logging Ltd. and an Murphy, RPF, Coordinator, Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resources Society. 6.2 TU 7 The treatment method proposed in the project application was originally for machine mastication, however, after tendering a lower than budgeted cost was received from an experienced contractor for hand slashing. After a discussion with Larry Ingham, FLNRO s FWCP Wildlife Biologist, because of the extent of invasive plants established on the site that hand slashing was a better alternative rather than using a heavy tracked machine that may increase the spread of invasive plants. TU 7 is also in the Elko WUI Area; therefore, the ecosystem restoration work completed will have positive fuel management benefits to the Village of Elko too. 10

11 7. Recommendations It is strongly recommended that the Rabbit Mountain Pasture be broadcast prescribed burned in the spring or fall within 1 to 3 years, before all the fine fuels resulting from the mastication and hand slashing have dropped. A prescribed burn is presently schedule by FLNRO s Wildfire Management Branch and the Rocky Mountain Trench ER Program for the spring or fall of Acknowledgements This Project was funded by the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program on behalf of its program partners BC Hydro, the Province of BC, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, First Nations and the public, who work together to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife impacted by the construction of BC Hydro dams. Funding was also received from the Ministry of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations, Land Base Investment Fund, the Rocky Mountain Ecosystem Restoration Program and the Rocky Mountain Trench Natural Resources Society. 9. References All treatment activities followed the Ecosystem Restoration Prescription developed by Randy Harris, RPF, Ecosystem Restoration Team Leader, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Rocky Mountain Resource istrict, Cranbrook, BC, and approved by the istrict Manager. 10. Confirmation of FWCP Recognition A media release will be prepared and distributed to all media outlets in the East Kootenay Region by Trish Barnes, the ER Program Communications & Outreach contractor in February, 2015, with recognition of FWCP s funding contribution. A spring field trip will be held in May, 2015 with resource professionals and managers to view the results of the project among other projects completed recently in the Rocky Mountain Resource istrict. 11

12 Main St Colomb St Ranger Station Rd Hwy 3 And 93 CNS R Hwy 93 pullout 14 Junction Rd service road A TU 1 5 NP CNS R TU 7 Hwy 3 Burton Lake Rd A B F G C TU 3 L E 082G.025 H I K J TU 4 Elko-Grasmere Rd Sheridan Lane Kyrke St River Road FSR TU 6 TU 5 TU 2 M W Cascade Ave access road bk W industrial access rd SHEEP R Ecosystem Restoration ER Project - Rabbit Mtn. Pasture Mapsheet - 82G025 Locations - Waldo - Sheep Mtn Forest Region - Southern Interior Region Perimeter - Pink and Blue ER Ribbon ate - Aug 18, 2010 Scale - 1:20,000 atum - Nad 83 Rabbit Mtn ha TU ha TU ha TU ha TU ha TU ha TU ha TU ha WTP ha Survey Parcels References East Kootenay - Private Land Trails/Misc Paved Loose Rough Fences Crown Fence Private Fence Cattleguard Corral : Exclosure Gate W Meters ) Pump ]) bk W Salt Lick (natural) Scoop Out )( Spring Spring with trough Tank Water Trough W " W Waterline/Valve Well W:\FOR\RSI\RM\Projects\Ecosystem_Restoration\mxd\RabbitMtn.mxd

13 HIGHWAY 3 E L K O HWY ELKO R08249 SEC.02 SEG.01 FSR ELKR B PRIVATE ELKR P5000 SEC I00005 SEC PRIVATE Railway Gravel Main Waldo Pasture Water Operational Transmission Line Other Railway Paved Proposed 20m Contours Spur Temp Constructed Temp Proposed Sheep Mountain North Pasture Treatment 5B = 20.6 ha 1:10, Meters ± atum: NA85 Projecton: UTM Zone Nupqu evelopment Corporaton rawn By: Contact: Sheet No. 82G.021 ate: Yvan Kathriner, FIT ykathriner@nupqu.com October 10, 2014