Prince George Timber Supply Area Timber Supply Review

Transcription

1 Prince George Timber Supply Area Timber Supply Review Data Package December 1998 District Manager Prince George Forest District Director Timber Supply Branch District Manager Vanderhoof Forest District District Manager Fort St. James Forest District

2 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION CURRENT FOREST MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS AND ISSUES BASE CASE MANAGEMENT ASSUMPTIONS STATEMENT OF MAJOR FOREST MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS AND ISSUES INVENTORIES BACKGROUND INFORMATION DIVISION OF THE AREA INTO MANAGEMENT ZONES MANAGEMENT ZONES AND TRACKING OF MULTIPLE OBJECTIVES (GROUPING) ANALYSIS UNITS TIMBER HARVESTING LAND BASE DEFINITION IDENTIFICATION OF THE TIMBER HARVESTING LAND BASE DETAILS ON LAND BASE CLASSIFICATION Land not administered by the British Columbia Forest Service for timber supply purposes Land classified as non-forest or non-productive forest Non-commercial cover Environmentally sensitive areas Areas considered Inoperable Non-merchantable forest types Roads, trails and landings Wildlife habitat reductions Cultural heritage resource reductions Riparian reserve and management zones Exclusion of specific, geographically defined areas (not covered elsewhere) Timber licence reversions CURRENT FOREST MANAGEMENT ASSUMPTIONS HARVESTING Utilization levels Volume exclusions for mixed species stands Minimum harvestable age Silvicultural systems UNSALVAGED LOSSES SILVICULTURE Regeneration activities in managed stands Not satisfactorily restocked (NSR) areas INTEGRATED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Objectives which require forest cover requirements Reductions to reflect volume retention in cutblocks SENSITIVITY ANALYSES TO BE PERFORMED...41 i

3 Table of Contents Tables 1. Major forest management considerations Inventory information...6 3a. Objectives to be tracked...9 3b. Objectives to be tracked resource management zones Vanderhoof LRMP c. Objectives to be tracked Prince George and Vanderhoof Forest District Crown land plans (zone, modelling assumption) Definition of analysis units Description of environmentally sensitive areas Criteria for defining physical operability for mature stands (applies to stands greater than 140 years old) a. Area inclusion factors for maturea merchantable stands b. Area inclusions for mature cedar / hemlock merchantable stands c. Site index thresholds for immature stands a. Estimates for existing roads, trails, and landings b. Estimates for future roads, trails, and landings Management regimes for wildlife habitat areas Cultural heritage resources a. Riparian reserve and riparian management zone criteria b. Stream riparian reserve and riparian management zone area estimates c. Lakes and wetlands riparian reserve and riparian management zone area estimates Exclusion of specific, geographically defined areas Utilization levels Minimum harvestable age criteria Percentage of total harvested area by silvicultural system Unsalvaged losses a. Regeneration assumptions by analysis unit for the Fort St. James Forest District b. Regeneration assumptions by analysis unit for the Prince George and the Vanderhoof Forest Districts a. Treatment of not satisfactorily restocked (NSR) areas b. Projected re-inventory per cent by analysis unit for unmanaged NSR Forest cover requirements a. Forest district standards for retention in cutblocks total forest area b. Reductions to reflect wildlife tree retention in cutblocks timber harvesting land base Sensitivity issues specific to the Prince George TSA Standard sensitivity analysis...42 ii

4 1. Introduction This data package outlines the basic information and assumptions that are required for the Prince George Timber Supply Area (TSA) timber supply analysis. The completed data package contains those inputs that are a part of current performance for the timber supply area. For the purpose of the timber supply review, "current performance" is defined: by the current forest management regime the productive forest land available for timber harvesting, the silviculture treatments, the harvesting systems and the integrated resource management guidelines used in the area; by the standards used to approve or reject forest development plans; by fully implemented land-use plans; by land-use decisions approved by Cabinet; by approved higher level plans under the Forest Practices Code (FPC), and by other approved B.C. Forest Service and joint agency forest management practices and policy. The purpose of the timber supply review program is to model "what is" not "what if". Changes in forest management objectives and data, when and if they occur, will be captured in future timber supply analyses. Each section of this data package is organized in the following way: 1) A short explanation of the data in the data table; 2) Data table; and 3) Sources of the data and comments. This data package, while representing the best available knowledge and information at the time it was written, is subject to change. A public review period has been established to allow submission of comments and concerns about the data package to the Ministry of Forests. Submissions and new information made available prior to the analysis may lead to changes in the data package. Furthermore, as noted in several sections, until the timber harvesting land base is determined, it is not possible to finalize the values shown in some of the tables. In some cases the criteria are shown but the final value is not yet filled in. These appear as gray shaded columns in the tables. Finally, if any major changes to management regimes occur over the next few months the timber supply analysis will attempt to capture these changes. The final timber supply analysis report will include a technical appendix which will contain the final data package used in the timber supply analysis, and highlight any changes made to this package. 1

5 2. Current Forest Management Considerations and Issues 2.1 Base case management assumptions These assumptions reflect current performance with respect to the status of forest land, forest management practices and knowledge of timber growth and yield. The harvest forecast developed from these assumptions is termed the base case harvest forecast and is used as a baseline term of reference. Section 7, "Sensitivity Analyses to be Performed," identifies areas of uncertainty with respect to the data and assumptions and outlines sensitivity analyses intended to be performed. 2.2 Statement of major forest management considerations and issues The major forest management issues and considerations for the Prince George TSA are listed in Table 1. A timber supply assessment will be made for issues which are defined within legislation, regulations or standards. Issues and factors that are difficult to quantify or assess using a timber supply model may be either analysed separately or noted as upward or downward pressure on the timber supply. 2

6 2. Current Forest Management Considerations and Issues Table 1. Major forest management considerations Consideration/issue Vanderhoof land and resource management plan (LRMP) Proposed protected areas Harvesting to manage beetle impacts Stand-level biodiversity Landscape-level biodiversity Caribou habitat Visual quality objectives (VQO) Description Vanderhoof LRMP has been approved by Cabinet as ministerial policy. It divided the land base into 20 resource management zones (RMZ) which represented 5 categories: Settlement/Agriculture; Resource Development Emphasis; Multi-Value Emphasis; Special; and, Proposed Protected Areas. The portions of the Vanderhoof LRMP which are current management will be included in the base case. An order-in-council (OIC) must be passed before proposed protected areas can be considered permanently unavailable for timber harvesting. For the analysis, only officially designated protected areas will be defined as outside the timber harvesting land base under current management. However, any OIC approved by cabinet before the AAC determination will be considered in the final decision. Throughout the Prince George TSA several insects pests (e.g., spruce bark beetle, Douglas-fir beetle, mountain pine beetle) are influencing the focus of harvesting operations. Although strategic and operational plans attempt to plot a course for forest management, these beetle management operations often mean unpredictable amendments and modifications to manage and/or salvage beetle infested areas. Insect infestations are important determinants of salvaged and unsalvaged timber volumes, which are discussed in Section 6.2, Unsalvaged losses. Current implementation of Forest Practices Code (FPC) requirements, including riparian reserves and wildlife tree patches, will be assessed. Draft landscape unit (LU) boundaries have been defined. For the analysis, a weighted biodiversity emphasis option representing provincial policy for the balance among low-, intermediate- and high-emphasis will be applied to each draft LU. A sensitivity analysis will examine the impact of applying the draft biodiversity emphasis options in each draft LU. Areas of high and medium value caribou habitat, as well as movement corridors, will be considered in the analysis. Management of areas within the TSA with assigned visual quality objectives will be represented in the analysis. (continued) 3

7 2. Current Forest Management Considerations and Issues Table 1. Major forest management considerations (concluded) Consideration/issue Fort St. James and Prince George draft land and resource management plans (LRMPs) McLeod Lake Indian Band Treaty 8 adhesion Cedar/hemlock licenses University of Northern B.C. Research Forest Description Fort St. James and Prince George LRMPs are nearing completion. Fort St. James draft LRMP divides the land base into 36 resource management zones in 5 categories: Settlement/Agriculture; Multi-Value; Resource Development; Special Management; and, Proposed Protected Areas. Prince George Draft LRMP divides the land base into 54 resource management zones representing the same 5 categories. Treatment of these ongoing LRMPs in the timber supply analysis is discussed in Section 7, Sensitivity Analyses to be Performed. There is a court injunction which applies to approximately hectares in the proposed McLeod Lake Indian Band, Treaty 8 area. It is unknown when the land claim process will be completed thus for the analysis we will assume a 10 year deferral of harvesting in these areas. The February 1 st, 1996 determination included a partition for the harvesting of cubic metres of cedar and hemlock stands. Licensees have recently been harvesting in these forest types, and there is interest in maintaining the partition. Cedar and hemlock stands will be tracked separately from other forest types in the analysis (see Section 5.2.6, Non-merchantable forest types ). A research forest has recently been established in the Fort St. James area. The timber harvested from the research forest will continue to contribute to the Prince George TSA timber supply 4

8 3. Inventories 3.1 Background information The inventories and associated management information which will be used to define the timber harvesting land base and to model forest management activities are listed in Table 2. The data source and reliability of the information, including any irregularities in the data and assumptions used in deriving the information, and quality assurance measures taken for non-standard data are also shown. 5

9 3. Inventories Table 2. Inventory information Data Source Vintage Update Scale Standard Forest cover Ministry of Forests (MoF) Fort St. James, Prince George, Vanderhoof [except North Sustut (1975) and PG SSA (1978)] : Biogeoclimatic Non-standard Natural disturbance type (NDT) a Visual landscape inventory MoF Research Branch MoF Forest Practices Branch MoF Prince George Forest Region, Fort St. James, Prince George, Vanderhoof : : : :250,000 and 1:50,000 1: Land and resource management plans (LRMP) resource management zones MoF Fort St. James, Prince George, Vanderhoof :250,000 1:250,000 1:50,000 Proposed protected areas (from the LRMPs) MoF and Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (MELP) Fort St. James, Prince George Vanderhoof :20,000 1:20,000 1:50,000 Draft landscape units MoF and MELP Fort St. James, Prince George, Vanderhoof : Lakeshore riparian area buffers MoF Fort St. James, Prince George, Vanderhoof :50,000 1:50,000 1:50,000 Caribou habitat MELP :50,000 Woodlot update MoF Prince George Forest Region : (a) NDTs may be assigned using biogeoclimatic information from the inventory file. 6

10 3. Inventories Data source and comments: The forest inventory file will be projected for growth to Visual landscape inventory has been updated to reflect the Vanderhoof LRMP scenic area recommendations and current practice. In the Prince George and Fort St. James Forest Districts, scenic values that have been made known will be reflected in the timber supply analysis. After intersecting the various inventories, the resulting data file will be audited to assess the integrity of the information. In this analysis, some of the data used originates from maps not included in the Forest Service corporate inventory files. These layers include: landscape units, lakeshore buffers, caribou habitat. Although the landscape unit boundaries have not yet been approved, this layer is available for use in the analysis. The woodlot licences in the inventory are only those that have been awarded prior to the date of this data package. 7

11 4. Division of the Area into Management Zones 4.1 Management zones and tracking of multiple objectives (grouping) The concept of management zones is used to differentiate areas with distinct management emphasis. For example, a zone may be based on a harvesting system, silviculture system, visual quality objective or wildlife consideration. In previous timber supply analyses, management zones were mutually exclusive with respect to the application of forest cover requirements. If wildlife habitat overlapped with visual quality areas, a choice had to be made as to which forest cover requirement would be applied. We can now track multiple objectives applied on a single area. The forest cover data set can now be grouped by different variables. In addition, the role of non-contributing forest (land considered unavailable for timber harvesting) in attaining some forest cover objectives may be considered. Further information on the forest cover requirements to be applied to these areas can be found in Section 6.4, "Integrated resource management." 8

12 4. Division of the Area into Management Zones Table 3a. Objectives to be tracked Objectives Inventory definition Management strategy Group 1 Visual quality objectives (VQO): Preservation Retention Partial retention Modification Maximum modification Group 2 Land and Resource Management Plans (LRMP) resource management zones (RMZ) Group 3 Caribou habitat Group 4 Caribou-Chilcotin land use plan (CCLUP) management zone Group 5 Crown land plans VQO code = P VQO code = R VQO code = PR VQO code = M VQO code = MM Vanderhoof LRMP RMZs will be assessed as current practice (see listing below) (Note: Fort St. James and Prince George LRMP RMZs will be assessed in sensitivity analyses). Caribou habitat: high, medium, and, corridors. Prince George Forest District overlap with two zones: Lower Blackwater special resource development; and, Nazko enhanced resource development zone Vanderhoof Forest District the Vanderhoof LRMP decision paper from Cabinet changes the boundary of the CCLUP to ensure no overlap with the Vanderhoof LRMP. Prince George and Vanderhoof Forest District Crown land plans (Fort St. James: no Crown land plans). Preservation VQO areas to be removed from the timber harvesting land base see Table 19 for the details for the other VQO codes. See Table 3b for details. See Table 9 for details. Management strategies and modelling assumptions are same as integrated management areas; however there are a higher concentration of other values (i.e., visual quality, wildlife, recreation, etc.) in the Lower Blackwater SRDZ, which are accounted for in other groups. See Table 3c for details. Group 6 Aleza Lake research forest Within the Prince George Forest District. See Table 19 for details. Group 7 Herrick local resource use plan Within the Prince George Forest District reserves; special management study areas; special management areas forest ecosystem networks; commodity emphasis forest. Group 8 Stuart/Takla fish/forestry study Within the Fort St. James Forest District an area of experimental harvesting treatments. See Table 3d for details. No change to modelling assumptions as management in this area falls within the range of current practices defined in this data package. (continued) 9

13 4. Division of the Area into Management Zones Table 3a. Objectives to be tracked (concluded) Objectives Inventory definition Management strategy Group 9 Sustut local resource use plan Group 10 McLeod Lake Indian Band Treaty 8 adhesion A preservation zone was identified and is being managed accordingly. Approximately hectares under injunction. Exclude from the timber harvesting land base. 10 year deferral from harvesting. Group 11 Kuyakuz Mountain Vanderhoof Forest District. 5-year deferral from harvesting (awaiting outcome of traditional use study). Data source and comments: See Section 3.1, "Background information" for the some of the mapping sources for the zones described above. Draft landscape unit boundaries for the Prince George TSA have been derived based on the Forest Practices Code, Higher Level Plans: Policy and Procedures Guidebook, June These boundaries have only interim approval, and biodiversity emphases have not yet been established. 10

14 4. Division of the Area into Management Zones Table 3b. Objectives to be tracked resource management zones Vanderhoof LRMP Resource management zone (RMZ) Resource management zone (RMZ) category Management strategy/modelling assumption RMZ # 1 Vanderhoof North Resource development emphasis Resource development emphasis/model as other integrated management area a. RMZ # 2 Stuart River Protection Proposed protection/remove from land base if Order-in-Council (OIC) (special management if not OIC). RMZ # 3 Sutherland River Protection Proposed protection/remove from land base if OIC (revert to special if not OIC). RMZ # 4 Upper Sutherland Special resource management Special/5-pass system with block size 5-40 hectares (average of 15 hectares). RMZ # 5 Nechako Valley Agriculture/settlement Resource development emphasis/model as other integrated management area a. RMZ # 6 Francois North Multi-value resource management (general) Resource development emphasis/model as other integrated management area a. RMZ # 7 Francois South Protection Proposed protection/remove from land base if OIC (revert to special if not OIC). RMZ # 8 Nechako West Resource development emphasis Resource development emphasis/model as other integrated management area a. RMZ # 9 Upper Nechako River Special resource management Special/5-pass system with block size 5-40 hectares (average of 15 hectares). RMZ # 10 Crystal Lake Multi-value resource management (general) Resource development emphasis subzones A and B Special subzone C (5-pass). RMZ # 11 Nechako Canyon Protection Proposed protection/remove from land base if OIC (revert to special if not OIC). (a) 'Other integrated management areas' forest cover requirements are provided in Table 19. continued 11

15 4. Division of the Area into Management Zones Table 3b. Objectives to be tracked resource management zones Vanderhoof LRMP (concluded) Resource management zone (RMZ) Resource management zone (RMZ) category Management strategy/modelling assumption RMZ # 12 Vanderhoof South Resource development emphasis Resource development emphasis/model as other integrated management area a. RMZ # 13 Finger - Tatuk Protection Proposed protection/remove from land base if (OIC) (revert to special if not OIC). RMZ # 14 Kluskus Resource development emphasis Resource development emphasis/model as other integrated management area a. RMZ # 15 Lucas Lake RMZ # 16 Chedakuz Multi-value resource management (general) Multi-value resource management (general) Special/5-pass system with block size 5-40 hectares (average of 15 hectares). Resource development emphasis/model as other integrated management area a subzones A and B Special subzone C (5-pass). RMZ # 17 Davidson Creek Resource development emphasis Resource development emphasis/model as other integrated management area a. RMZ # 18 Laidman Lake Multi-value resource management (general) Resource development emphasis/model as other integrated management area a subzones A and B Special subzone C (5-pass). RMZ # 19 Upper Blackwater Special resource management Special/5-pass system with block size 5-40 hectares (average of 15 hectares). RMZ # 20 Entiako Protection Proposed protection/remove from land base if OIC (revert to special if not OIC). (a) 'Other integrated management areas' forest cover requirements are provided in Table

16 4. Division of the Area into Management Zones Table 3c. Objectives to be tracked Prince George and Vanderhoof Forest District Crown land plans (zone, modelling assumption) Crown land plan zone Agricultural development area Settlement reserve area Recreation and conservation management area Wildlife habitat management area Sand and gravel reserve Aggregate management area Community pasture area Natural environment area Community leases and licenses Integrated forest management area and/or provincial forest Management strategy Exclude from the timber harvesting land base Exclude from the timber harvesting land base Exclude from the timber harvesting land base Exclude from the timber harvesting land base Include in the timber harvesting land base Include in the timber harvesting land base Include in the timber harvesting land base Exclude from the timber harvesting land base Exclude from the timber harvesting land base Include in the timber harvesting land base Source for management strategies: B.C. Lands in Prince George (Art Kaehn). Prince George Crown Land Plan was digitized March Robson Valley Crown Land Plan was digitized October Vanderhoof Crown Land Plan is based on 1991 information. Table 3d. Objectives to be tracked Prince George Forest District Herrick Local Resource Use Plan Resource management emphasis Preliminary composition of Herrick timber harvesting land base (%) Modelling assumptions Reserves 11.3 Exclude from timber harvesting land base Special management study areas 7.4 Timber harvesting deferred until 2000 Special management areas forest ecosystem networks 5.3 Maximum 20% below green-up height Commodity emphasis forest 76.0 Include in the timber harvesting land base Total area covered by Herrick Local Resource Use Plan (LRUP)

17 4. Division of the Area into Management Zones Data source and comments: The Herrick Local Resource Use Plan (LRUP) was initiated at the request of the Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations of the Ministry of Forests due to old-growth values. The LRUP was approved by the Regional Manager of the Prince George Forest Region in November The LRUP has been endorsed by the Inter-agency Management Committee (IAMC) and the Prince George LRMP Working Group. The plan is currently being used as a basis for development plan approval. The objectives designations in Table 3d come from the document titled, An Old Growth Strategy for B.C. The objectives of each designation are described in the following paragraphs. The Herrick LRUP covers about 2.5% of the total TSA land base. Based on preliminary information, the area available for timber harvesting in the LRUP area comprises about 0.8% of the harvesting land base of the Prince George TSA. The reserve zone of the LRUP constitutes an estimated 0.1% of the Prince George TSA timber harvesting land base. The objective of reserves is to maintain viable old-growth forest ecosystems in their natural state, well distributed over their range in size and distribution, to ensure their ecological integrity both within the individual reserves and within the network or system of reserves throughout a regional landscape. The objective of special management is to maintain old-growth attributes within forests that are managed with a special emphasis on old-growth dependent resources. The objective of commodity emphasis is to maintain forest stands for commodity use while retaining, enhancing or creating ecological attributes essential to sustaining the natural productivity of the land base. Areas managed in this way should be able to support specific old-growth attributes which are necessary to ensure that reserves and special management areas do not exist in biological isolation. 4.2 Analysis units An analysis unit represents a combination of stands dominated by specific tree species or silvicultural regime with a specific timber growing capability as indicated by the inventory type group and site index in the forest inventory file. Each analysis unit is assigned its own timber volume projections (yield tables) for existing and future stands. After determining the timber harvesting land base the timber supply analyst will review the amount of area found in specific analysis units and the similarities between yield tables to determine the final analysis units. Yield tables for existing natural stands are derived using the variable density yield projection (VDYP) growth and yield model. Yield tables for recent plantations and future stands are derived using the table interpolation program for stand yields (TIPSY). 14

18 4. Division of the Area into Management Zones Table 4. Definition of analysis units Analysis unit number and leading tree species Inventory type groups Site index a range 1. Fir 1-8 All 2. Cedar 9-11 All 3. Hemlock All 4. Balsam All 5. Spruce > Spruce < Pine 28-31, 34 All 8. Deciduous 35, 36, 40, 41, 42 All 9. High elevation ESSF (balsam and spruce >1200 metres) All (a) Site index is the height, in meters, at breast height at age 50 years. Data source and comments: Timber yields will be developed for each of the analysis unit/forest district combinations. 15

19 5. Timber Harvesting Land Base Definition 5.1 Identification of the timber harvesting land base The timber harvesting land base for the Prince George TSA is determined by separating out the categories of land as described in Sections to , which do not contribute to timber harvesting in the area. This section outlines the steps used to identify the timber harvesting land base (the productive forest expected to support timber harvesting) within the timber supply area. Land may be unavailable for timber harvesting for three principle reasons: it is not administered by the British Columbia Forest Service for timber supply purposes (e.g., private land, parks, etc.); it is not suitable for timber production purposes; and it is required for other forest values. Land may also be added to the timber harvesting land base: by management activities which improve productivity or operability (e.g., the stocking of land currently classified as non-commercial brush); and by the acquisition of productive forest land (e.g., timber licence reversions). After all areas that do not contribute to the timber harvesting land base have been identified, any additional lands are added to the land base. The resulting productive forest land base is defined as the "current timber harvesting land base" for the Prince George TSA. 5.2 Details on land base classification Land not administered by the British Columbia Forest Service for timber supply purposes Ownership codes are generally used to identify whether land can contribute to timber supply. Areas with ownership code 62C and 69C, indicating crown land in a forest management unit, can contribute to the Prince George TSA timber supply. Areas with all other ownership codes will be removed from the land base considered available for timber supply. Ownership code 70N, timber licence land, is discussed under Section , "Timber licence reversions." Land classified as non-forest or non-productive forest Type identity 6 and 8, areas such as alpine, lakes, rocks, alpine forest etc., are removed from the land base considered for timber supply. However, all type identity 6 areas with a mature coniferous-leading component are considered to contribute toward maintaining older forest characteristics to achieve biodiversity objectives Non-commercial cover Type identity 5 represents areas which when inventoried were occupied by non-commercial brush species. These areas are considered to be unlikely sites for timber production. Non-commercial cover areas are not equivalent to not satisfactorily restocked (NSR); that is, they are not the result of past harvesting. There are currently no initiatives to re-forest non-commercial brush, other than small areas within harvest blocks. The overall area rehabilitated is not significant in terms of TSA timber supply. All areas classified as non-commercial cover will be deducted from the land base that contributes to timber supply. 16

20 5. Timber Harvesting Land Base Definition Environmentally sensitive areas Some forest lands may be environmentally sensitive and/or significantly valuable for other resources. These areas are identified and delineated during a forest inventory and are called environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs). The ESA system uses the following categories: soil (S), forest regeneration problems (P), snow avalanche (A), recreation (R), wildlife (W), and water (H). With the exception of avalanche (A) and management problems (C), two ESA classes are recognized within each category: high (1) and moderately (2) sensitive. In the context of timber supply analysis, environmental sensitivity may reduce the harvesting opportunity, or preclude harvesting. The modelling strategies used to account for ESAs are: per cent area reductions, and the specific evaluation of individual ESA polygons for harvesting opportunity. Table 5. Description of environmentally sensitive areas Per cent reduction (%) ESA category ESA description Prince George Vanderhoof Fort St. James A1 Snow avalanche N/A N/A 90 P1 Regeneration problems high P2 Regeneration problems moderate 30 N/A N/A R1 Recreation high sensitivity R2 Recreation moderate sensitivity S1 Soil high sensitivity S2 Soil moderate sensitivity W1 Wildlife high sensitivity W2 Wildlife moderate sensitivity C1 Areas with management problems (This classification was used in PSYUs surveyed prior to After which C is replaced by P, and A). N/A N/A 90 Data source and comments: The lower per cent reductions for most categories for the Vanderhoof Forest District compared to the Prince George and Fort St. James Forest Districts are due primarily to the proportionately higher amount of area of ESAs in Vanderhoof that are classified as highly sensitive (ESA1). In a review of ESAs, MoF and MELP staff ascertained that some of the ESA1 areas in the Vanderhoof Forest District are in fact ESA2, and subject to lower restrictions on harvests. In all cases, the land base reduction factors are based on the MoF/MELP review, and reflect conditions in the respective forest districts. 17

21 5. Timber Harvesting Land Base Definition Areas considered Inoperable Operability and inoperability codes are generally used to describe the presence or absence of physical barriers or limitations to harvesting, and the logging methods (e.g., cable) most suitable for an area. Harvesting system mapping, based on physical terrain and soil types, has been incorporated into the database for the entire TSA. The area reductions are listed in Table 6 for each operability class. An economic aspect of operability is included in Table 6 through the minimum volume per hectare criteria. Table 6. Criteria for defining physical operability for mature stands (applies to stands greater than 140 years old) Per cent reduction based on minimum volume per hectare Inventory operability description Operability code < 140 m³/hectare 140 to 200 m³/hectare 201 to 250 m³/hectare > 250 m³/hectare Conventional (ground) A Mixed conventional / cable M Cable C Inoperable I Non-merchantable forest types Non-merchantable forest types are stands or sites with non-commercial species, low timber volumes, or low potential for growing timber. Deciduous forest areas are not currently harvested and are removed from the timber harvesting land base. Mature coniferous stands that have not reached minimum height or volume criteria are considered unavailable for timber harvesting. Tables 7a and 7b summarize the inclusions of forest types by forest district and operability class. A factor of 100 signifies full inclusion in the timber harvesting land base, and a 0 signifies full exclusion. 18

22 5. Timber Harvesting Land Base Definition Table 7a. Area inclusion factors for mature a merchantable stands Forest district: Prince George Vanderhoof Fort St. James Logging system: Conv Mix Cable Conv Mix Cable Conv Mix Cable Type group number (leading species) Age, height and stocking class 1-8 Age 7,Ht 3,Stock = (Douglas-fir) 752, 852, 952, 742, 842, , 832, , 821, , 822, Age 7, Ht = 1, All stock Age 6, Ht 3, Stock = (Balsam) 642, 742, 842, , 732, 832, , 721, 821, , 722, 822, Age 6, Ht = 1, All stock Age 7, Ht 3, Stock = (Spruce) 742, 842, , 832, , 821, , 822, Age 7, Ht = 1, All stock Age 5, Ht 3, Stock = (Pine) 542, 642, 742, 842, , 632, 732, 832, , 633, 733, 833, , 634, 734, 834, , 621, 721, 821, , 622, 722, 822, , 623, 723, 823, , 624, 724, 824, Age 5, Ht = 1, All stock All age, height and stock (Deciduous) (a) Mature is defined as: age class 7 and older (> 140 years) for Douglas-fir and spruce; age class 6 and older (> 120 years) for balsam; and age class 5 and older (> 100 years) for pine. All deciduous-leading stands will be excluded from the timber harvesting land base for the base case. 19

23 5. Timber Harvesting Land Base Definition Table 7b. Area inclusions for mature cedar / hemlock merchantable stands Forest district: Prince George Vanderhoof Fort St. James Logging system: Conv Mix Cable Conv Mix Cable Conv Mix Cable Type group number (leading species) Age, height and stock class 9-11 (Cedar) Age 7, Ht 3, Stock = (Hemlock) Age 7, Ht 3, Stock = Table 7c. Site index thresholds for immature stands Minimum site index for inclusion in timber harvest land base Inventory operability description Operability code Douglas-fir age class < 7 (< 140 years) Cedar/hemlock age class < 7 (< 140 years) Balsam age class < 6 (< 120 years) Spruce age class < 7 (< 140 years) Pine age class < 5 (< 100 years) Conventional A Mixed conventional/cable M 15.1 N/A Cable C 16.9 N/A Immature stands are those younger than included in Table 7a. The site index thresholds were derived using VDYP, and represent the index at which a minimum volume per hectare is predicted to be achieved by 140 years of age. A 140 cubic metres per hectare; M 200 cubic metres per hectare; C 250 cubic metres per hectare Roads, trails and landings Separate estimates are made reflect the loss in productive forest land due to existing and future roads, trails and landings. Existing roads, trails and landings estimates are applied as reductions to the current productive forest considered available for harvesting, and future roads, trails and landings reductions are applied after stands are harvested for the first time in the simulation model. 20

24 5. Timber Harvesting Land Base Definition Table 8a. Estimates for existing roads, trails, and landings Location Logging history Within block productive loss (% of the timber harvesting land base) Productive loss between blocks (% of the timber harvesting land base) Prince George Yes 4.6 N/A No N/A 0.8 Vanderhoof Yes 5.7 N/A No N/A 0.3 Fort St. James Yes 5.6 N/A No N/A 0.3 Table 8b. Estimates for future roads, trails, and landings Location Logging history Within and between block loss (% of the timber harvesting land base) Prince George No 3.8 Vanderhoof No 4.4 Fort St. James No 5.2 Data source and comments: Sources of estimates for roads, trails and landings include data from ground based surveys, information from Integrated Silviculture Information System (ISIS) and Major Licensee Silviculture Information System (MLSIS) records and advice from district engineering staff. Since a portion of each district has already been accessed (that is, the main haul roads have been constructed), future losses will somewhat lower than existing losses Wildlife habitat reductions In the Prince George TSA, wildlife habitat, with the exception of caribou, is managed through ESAs (Section 5.2.4, "Environmentally sensitive areas"), proposed protected areas, the Forest Practices Code, Crown land plans, land and resource management plans and landscape unit plans. Ungulate winter ranges have been made known by government under the Forest Practices Code (letter to licensees from Prince George Forest District Manager, and Regional Fish and Wildlife Manager, dated October 14, 1998). Mule deer habitat defined in the Caribou-Chilcotin Land Use Plan, which applies to a portion of the Prince George TSA, and medium caribou habitat in the Prince George Forest District are two known ungulate ranges. 21

25 5. Timber Harvesting Land Base Definition Grizzly bear management in the Prince George TSA is currently done on a case specific basis. As localized areas of important grizzly bear habitat (e.g., south facing avalanche chutes, high elevation burns) are identified in forestry planning, measures are prescribed to minimize impacts from development. These measures include access management and control, changes to stocking standards, and silviculture practices. The exception is for some avalanche chutes, where forested buffers or reserves are maintained along the chutes. Current understanding and inventory of these habitat areas suggests they are relatively uncommon in the Prince George TSA, with most located in the Fort St. James Forest District, and are a minor influence on timber supply. As inventory information improves, the treatment of critical grizzly habitat in timber supply analysis may need to be re-evaluated. High and medium suitability habitat and travel corridors for caribou have been mapped. The management strategies for caribou habitat are summarized in Table 9, for the Prince George Forest District and the Fort St. James Forest District. Table 9. Management regimes for wildlife habitat areas Wildlife issue Management strategy Modelling assumptions High suitability caribou habitat (Prince George Forest District) Medium suitability caribou habitat (Prince George Forest District) Caribou habitat (Fort St. James Forest District) Caribou corridors (Prince George Forest District) Wildlife management (Vanderhoof Forest District) Caribou management area Vanderhoof LRMP No commercial timber harvesting until proven management strategies are developed in medium caribou habitat. Implementation of alternate silvicultural systems is preferred. District staff are currently refining locations and management strategies for existing caribou habitat Maintain the integrity of caribou movement corridors. Four areas, currently being managed for wildlife (either movement corridors or habitat areas), are impacting timber availability. Within Laidman RMZ subzones A and B. (see Table 3b) Exclude high habitat from the timber harvesting land base. Maximum 33% of the timber harvesting land base younger than 81 years of age. The northern portion of the caribou habitat will be deferred from harvest until Maximum 20% of the timber harvesting land base below green-up (3 metres), and minimum of 20% older than 100 years. Areas align with LRMP RMZs (see Table 3c): model as special management (5-pass): Chedakuz RMZ subzone C Laidman RMZ Fawnie Creek subzone Nechako West RMZ Targe Creek subzone Vanderhoof South RMZ Nulki Hills subzone. Requirements as listed in Table 3b. 22

26 5. Timber Harvesting Land Base Definition Cultural heritage resource reductions The Forest Act defines a cultural heritage resource as " an object, a site or the location of a traditional societal practice that is of historical, cultural or archaeological significance to the province, a community or an aboriginal people." There are several cultural heritage values within the Prince George TSA. They include archaeological sites, cultural modified trees, historical trails and areas of traditional use. Culturally modified trees are emerging as an important cultural heritage resource. The impact to timber supply due to culturally modified trees is difficult to assess at this time, but will need to be monitored for subsequent timber supply review processes. Current procedures generally require recording the location, notifying the Ministry of Forests and notifying the appropriate First Nation. Consultation with the First Nation then determines the subsequent management strategy. The Lheidli T'enneh First Nation has identified a sacred area in the vicinity of Ice Mountain in the Herrick Valley. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in 1994 between the Ministry of Forests and the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation that provides a procedural framework for mutual cooperation with respect to forest management. The Nuxalk-Carrier Grease Trail (Alexander Mackenzie Voyageur Route) and the Giscome Portage Heritage Trail have a buffer of 100 metres either side of the centre line of the trails. Within this buffer timber harvesting is only permitted for control of insect infestations or disease or for salvaging timber damaged by fire, wind, and other natural disturbances. Several areas are being excluded from the timber harvesting land base in the Vanderhoof Forest District for cultural/heritage reasons. Kuyakuz Mountain, an area of approximately 1700 hectares, is reserved from harvesting pending the results of a Traditional Use Study with the Kluskus First Nation. Five pre-1846 aboriginal trails in the Vanderhoof Forest District are currently being managed: the Omineca Trail, the Cheslatta Trail, the Fraser Lake-Stuart Lake Pack Trail, the Ormond Creek Trail (from Ormond Lake Road to the South end of Ormond Lake), and the Messue Wagon Road (from the Blue Road to Euchiniko Lakes). A 100-metre exclusion zone precludes harvesting on either side of these trails (200 metres total). For other historical trails (e.g., Fort St. James to McLeod Lake, Telegraph Trail) the management intent is to maintain the integrity of the trail; no general harvesting restrictions apply. 23

27 5. Timber Harvesting Land Base Definition Table 10. Cultural heritage resources Identifying inventory variables (location descriptors) Excluded area Reason for exclusion Nuxalk-Carrier Grease Trail (Alexander Mackenzie Voyageur Route) Giscome Portage Heritage Trail Prince George Vanderhoof 200-metre corridor 160 hectares (approximate area from the LRMP) 200-metre corridor Corridor is not available for timber harvesting. Corridor is not available for timber harvesting Omineca Trail 200-metre corridor Pre-1846 aboriginal trail; corridor is not available for timber harvesting. Cheslatta Trail 200-metre corridor Pre-1846 aboriginal trail; corridor is not available for timber harvesting. Fraser Lake-Stuart Lake Pack Trail (Vanderhoof Forest District) Ormond Creek Trail (from Ormond Lake Road to the South end of Ormond Lake) Messue Wagon Road (from the Blue Road to Euchiniko Lakes) 200-metre corridor 200-metre corridor 200-metre corridor Pre-1846 aboriginal trail; corridor is not available for timber harvesting. Pre-1846 aboriginal trail; corridor is not available for timber harvesting. Pre-1846 aboriginal trail; corridor is not available for timber harvesting. 24

28 5. Timber Harvesting Land Base Definition Riparian reserve and management zones Riparian reserve and riparian management zone width specifications for each stream class can be found in the Riparian Management Area Guidebook and are provided as background information in Table 11a. Table 11a. Riparian reserve and riparian management zone criteria Reserve and management classification Reserve zone width (metres) Management zone width (metres) Streams S1 large rivers S S S S S S Lakes L1 A L1 A modified L1 B L1 C L1 D L1 E L Wetlands W W W W W Data source and comments: Streams and wetland guidelines from the Forest Practices Code Riparian Management Area Guidebook (December 1995) and lakeshore from the Lake Classification and Lakeshore Management Guidebook, Prince George Forest Region (September 1996). 25

29 5. Timber Harvesting Land Base Definition Stream riparian A comprehensive stream inventory is not available for the Prince George TSA. To approximate a land base reduction needed to account for riparian reserve and management zones, a percentage area exclusion was estimated based on several MoF, MELP and licensee studies. Table 11b. Stream riparian reserve and riparian management zone area estimates Reserve zone impacts Management zone impacts Ecosection % reduction to the timber harvesting land base Basal area retention % Estimated % impact to the timber harvesting land base Hart Ranges, Caribou Mountains and Eastern Skeena Mountains All other ecosections Data source and comments: Information on stream riparian reserves comes from sample mapsheet studies by MoF staff in the Prince George region, mapping work for the McGregor Model Forest (TFL 30), and riparian studies for Lakeland Mills. Information on riparian management zones is based on input from district operations staff, and sampling of silviculture prescriptions. 26

30 5. Timber Harvesting Land Base Definition Lakeshore and wetland riparian Table 11c. Lakes and wetlands riparian reserve and riparian management zone area estimates Ecosection Reserve zone impacts (% reduction to the timber harvesting land base) Management zone impacts (% reduction to the timber harvesting land base) Lakeshore Lakeshore reserve zones have been digitized 10% reduction to timber harvesting land base in riparian management zone Wetland Wetland reserve zones have been digitized 10% reduction to timber harvesting land base in riparian management zone Data source and comments: Lakeshore areas and wetlands have been mapped and overlaid with the forest cover inventory for the analysis. Management guidelines in lakeshore zones and wetlands are based on Table 11 in the FPC Riparian Management Area Guidebook Lakeshore reserves and management zone buffers have been mapped and will appear in the data file as a separate layer of information. A 100% reduction will be applied to lakeshore reserves. For lakeshore management zones it is the intention to retain a maximum of 25% of the stand volume. These overall retention levels are not intended to be applied on a cutblock by cutblock basis but rather reflect an average objective at the landscape level. The management of riparian areas will vary on a site by site basis and will need to consider the soil, terrain and windthrow hazard and the values that are to be managed in the zone Exclusion of specific, geographically defined areas (not covered elsewhere) The purpose of this section is to specify the location and total area to be excluded from the timber harvesting land base to account for any specific areas not likely to be harvested under current forest management. Areas recognized in legislation, by Order-in-Council or as dictated by current practice as not contributing to the timber harvesting land base are excluded from the land base for the purpose of this timber analysis. Most of these areas have been identified and discussed in other section and tables within this data package (e.g., protected areas, Herrick reserves and culture/heritage trails). Areas which have been deferred from harvesting because they are contentious or are under study (e.g., planning deferrals, potential parks) are considered available for timber harvesting, but are identified to be assessed in sensitivity analyses (e.g., proposed protected areas). 27