Process for Projects on Which CNF
and NEW Coalition Will Collaborate: From Initiation to Decision
Time -------------------------ˆ -------------------------ˆ -------------------------ˆ -------------------------ˆ -----------------------ˆ-------------------------ˆ -------------------------ˆ-------------------------ˆ
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1
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2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
A
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Colville National Forest
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Conduct
broad-scale inventory, as needed to develop proposed action (fuels, timber
inventories; other resources at coarse-scale) |
Evaluate and
develop descriptions of existing condition; compare to desired conditions as
described in Forest Plan. Prepare PIL
(Project Initiation Letter) for projects to be documented in EA or EIS, or
similar letter for CE projects.
Send copy of PIL or letter to Coalition. Initiate Tribal
consultation. Invite public to
be included in collaboration for project. List on SOPA. |
Prepare
Òstarting point informationÓ for proposed action development. ÒStarting point
informationÓ would include a map/GIS layer depicting stands that could be
treated to meet the purpose and need; generalized stand information for
grouped candidate stands (see Stage 1 example, attached); and transportation
and logging systems needed to treat candidate stands. Provide
collaborators with GIS layers.
(Project-specific GIS layers that have been prepared to date will be
provided; other layers will be provided as they become available.) |
|
Begin scoping
(request comments on proposed action from agencies, public). |
Responsible
Official determines ÒscopeÓ of the environmental analysis. (Determines key issues and level of
analysis needed for informed decision) |
Develop
alternatives (if needed); Analyze effects,
which may include focused field inventory (sensitive plants, heritage, soils,
etc.) |
Identify
preferred alternative or tentative selected action. Update stand
information table to include the estimated percentage of trees in each of the
two largest tree classes expected to remain after treatment (see Stage 2
example, attached) |
Prepare and sign
decision document. |
B
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NEWFC
(Coalition)
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Become familiar
with existing condition, desired condition, and project area. |
Become familiar
with candidate stands. |
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Provide CNF with
NEWFCÕs tentative level of support for proposed project |
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Provide CNF with
written statement indicating the level of support NEWFC has for the preferred
alternative or tentative selected action. |
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C
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Collaborative
Activity
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If
Responsible Official agrees to do so, review and discuss desired
conditions for project area. May
include review and discussion of Purpose and Need and project objectives. |
Field Trip
(timing may be adjusted due to seasonal considerations) |
Develop proposed
action. |
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Stand/Unit Data to Provide NEWFC for
Collaboratively-Developed Projects
Generally follow the format
developed for the Herron Fuel Reduction Project (see Example, attached). Information will include:
á
Stand or Unit Identifier
(Stands or Units may be grouped)
á
Current Conditions (including
structural stage)
á
Current Problems
á
Proposed Treatment and
Rationale
á
Desired Conditions after
Treatment
á
Comments
Data would be provided in two
stages. The first data provided
would occur at the starting point for proposed action development. Data provided at this point would be
generalized by stand type, and would not include any numerical estimates. Data provided in the second stage would
occur during the environmental analysis process, prior to NEWFC providing the
written statement indicating their level of support.
In most cases, stands or units
will be grouped. At either
data-point, precision of the information provided will be dependent on the data
available. Estimates may be
updated if/when data becomes available.
Examples of data to be provided are attached below.
For the Desired Conditions discussion
at the second stage, one requirement is to provide a description of the
expected stand condition after treatment, with focus on the larger trees in
the overstory layer(s).
Suggested procedure is to estimate
the percentage of the largest diameter classes expected to remain after
treatment, as follows:
á
Divide the upper half of the
commercial[1]
size diameter group in two groups.
(If the largest diameter group in a stand is < 12Ó DBH, only
the largest three-inch diameter group need be described).
á
Estimate the percentage of
trees expected to be left in each of the two largest diameter groups.
á
Note exceptions, such as high
levels of dwarf mistletoe or areas where suitable leave-tree species do not
exist, with description of how these exceptions would be handled with regards
to the large tree groups.
For example, if the range of
commercial trees is from 6 to 20Ó, the upper half of the commercial size group
is 14 to 20Ó. Dividing the upper
half of the commercial size diameter group into two groups results in a 14-17Ó
class, and an 18-20Ó class. The
percentage of trees in each of the two largest tree classes expected to remain
after treatment would then be specified as follows: Òxx% in the 18-20 inch
diameter class, and xx% in the 14-17 inch diameter class are expected to remain
after treatment.Ó
Example #2: If the range of
commercial trees is from 6 to 13Ó.
The upper half of the commercial size class is from 9 to 13Ó. Dividing the upper half of the commercial
size diameter group into two groups results in a 9-11 inch class, and a 12-13
inch class. The percentage of
trees in each of the two largest tree classes expected to remain after
treatment would then be specified as follows: Òxx% in the 12-13 inch class, and
xx% in the 9-11 inch class are expected to remain after treatment.Ó
It is also recommended (but not
required) to provide an estimate of average leave-tree spacing for the stand or
unit. Trees from smaller size
classes would count in the residual leave-tree spacing, as needed to fill in between
leave-trees from the larger tree size classes.
Example—Stand Information at
Stage 1 (Proposed Action Development Starting Point)
|
Stand or Group
Identifier |
Current Conditions |
Current Problem |
Proposed Treatment
and Rationale |
Stage I
Information: Desired Conditions after Treatment |
Stage 2
Information: Desired Conditions after Treatment |
Comments / Caveats |
|
Structural
Stage 5 stands on warm-dry Douglas-fir biophysical environments, slopes <
35% (Stands 2, 4,
7) (Commercial
Thin, underburn) |
á Structural
stage 5 (Multi-stratum without large trees) á Stands are
dominated by older overstory pine, with Douglas-fir regeneration filling in
the stand. á Timber litter
and brush are accumulating under trees. á Past
overstory removal has occurred in stands 2, 4; none in 7. á Lots of
mistletoe in stand 7. |
á Ingrowth of
young Douglas-fir seedlings and saplings is slowly converting to a less
fire-resilient stand that is not sustainable. Stands are susceptible to insect and disease outbreaks as
well as high mortality from wildfire. á Abundance of
ladder fuels (brush, saplings) causing threat of torching and crown
fire. High potential of
stand-replacing fire. á Heavy
mistletoe in stand 7 severely reduces tree growth and adds to ladder fuel
conditions. |
á Use
conventional, ground-based harvesting to thin stand, leaving the largest and
best trees (deleted text), favoring fire-resistant pine and larch. á Whipfall fir
<6Ó to reduce ladder fuels and future overstocking. á Underburn to
remove surface fuels, kill brush, and heat-prune lowest limbs. |
á Moving toward
Structural Stage 7 (Single-stratum with large trees). á Surface fuels
would be reduced around leave trees for less chance of intense wildfire with
long flame lengths. á Few ladder
fuels would remain under or around leave trees to lessen chance of torching
or crown fire. á Open,
park-like stand structure with clear spacing between crowns that will resist
fire mortality and crown fire. |
á (Average
leave-tree spacing and estimated percentage of trees in each of the two
largest tree classes expected to remain after treatment would be filled in at
Stage 2.) |
á Treatment of
stand 7 will depend upon successful negotiation of access through old logging
road on adjacent private property. |
Example—Stand Information at
Stage 2 (Prior to NEWFC Level of Support Letter)
(Example of Information added at Stage 2
is in bold type)
|
Unit or Group
Identifier |
Current Conditions |
Current Problem |
Proposed Treatment
and Rationale |
Stage I
Information: Desired Conditions after Treatment |
Stage 2
Information: Desired Conditions after Treatment |
Comments / Caveats |
|
Structural
Stage 5 units on warm-dry Douglas-fir biophysical environments, slopes <
35% (Units 2, 4,
7) (Commercial
Thin, underburn)) |
á Structural
stage 5 (Multi-stratum without large trees) á Stands are
dominated by older overstory pine, with Douglas-fir regeneration filling in
the stand. á Timber litter
and brush are accumulating under trees. á Past
overstory removal has occurred in units 2, 4; none in 7. á Lots of
mistletoe in unit 7. |
á Ingrowth of
young Douglas-fir seedlings and saplings is slowly converting to a less
fire-resilient stand that is not sustainable. Stands are susceptible to insect and disease outbreaks as
well as high mortality from wildfire. á Abundance of
ladder fuels (brush, saplings) causing threat of torching and crown
fire. High potential of
stand-replacing fire. á Heavy
mistletoe in unit 7 severely reduces tree growth and adds to ladder fuel
conditions. |
á Use
conventional, ground-based
harvesting to thin stand, leaving the largest and best trees, favoring
fire-resistant pine and larch. á Whipfall fir
<6Ó to reduce ladder fuels and future overstocking. á Underburn to
remove surface fuels, kill brush, and heat-prune lowest limbs. |
á Moving toward
Structural Stage 7 (Single-stratum with large trees). á Surface fuels
would be reduced around leave trees for less chance of intense wildfire with
long flame lengths. á Few ladder
fuels would remain under or around leave trees to lessen chance of torching
or crown fire. á Open,
park-like stand structure with clear spacing between crowns that will resist
fire mortality and crown fire. |
á Average
leave-tree spacing would be approximately 20-26 Ô. á The estimated
percentage of trees in each of the two largest tree classes expected to
remain after treatment would be 90% in the 18-20Ó class, and 70% in the
14-17Ó class. á Unit 7 would
be an exception due to heavy dwarf mistletoe in Douglas-fir. In portions of the unit, the
percentage of trees in each of the two largest tree classes may be as low as
40% in the 18-20Ó class, and 20% in the 14-17Ó class. |
á Treatment of
unit 7 will depend upon successful negotiation of access through old logging
road on adjacent private property. |
STRUCTURAL STAGES
Early Stage 1/2/3 (E1/2, E-3) - Stand initiation through stem
exclusion. These stages occur following a
stand-replacing disturbance such as a fire or timber harvest. Seedlings reoccupy the stand,
eventually fully utilizing the site and excluding new trees. Trees are the same age class
(cohort). Tree size may range from
seedlings to small or medium pole size.
Understory may contain forbs, grasses and shrubs.
Middle Stage 4/5 - Understory reinitiating, multi-stratum
without large trees. As single trees die (due to forest
pathogens, small spot fires, partial-cut logging, etc.) openings fill in with a
second cohort of trees that become established under the older, typically early
seral (trees that grow best in open conditions, e.g. larch, pine)
overstory. The overstory canopy is
discontinuous and two or more canopy layers are present. The stand may have a mix of sizes;
however, large trees are uncommon.
For the Colville National Forest, "large" is defined as trees
that are at least 21 inches DBH (diameter at breast height) for all BEs
(biophysical environments), except the alpine fir/grouse huckleberry BE
(13" DBH due to site limitations).
"Common" is defined as eight trees per acre for all BEs other
than the alpine fir/grouse huckleberry BE (10 trees per acre).
Late Stage 6 (SS6) - Multi-stratum with large trees.
This stage characterizes stands that contain two or more cohorts of
trees in two or more canopy strata.
Medium and large trees dominate the overstory, though all sizes may be
present.
Late Stage 7 (SS7) – Single stratum with large trees.
A single layer of medium or large early seral trees is present. The understory is absent or sparse in
clumps of seedlings and saplings.
The Òpark-likeÓ conditions found in some ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir or
western larch stands may exist.