General Recommendations
The prospects for achieving the Gahr's objectives for the forest are excellent The managed forest is healthy, and will continue to respond well to thinning and patch cutting of the young Douglas-fir and cutting of selected oak to relieve overcrowding.. The mixed oak / fir stands add much diversity, and should be maintained by providing space to some of the better oak trees now in danger of being killed by overtopping.
In the first 10 year period of the plan, three thinnings -- in the summer of 2000, another in four years and one after a period of 8-to-10 years -- will allow less vigorous or mature conifers to be removed, improving the growing space overstocked areas of the stands (particularly in Types 1 & 4). These harvests will include some patch cuts of 0.5 to 2 acres in size, allowing replanting of fir and other species in understocked areas. Smaller harvest volumes in the early years will allow volumes to increase as the young forest matures (see Growth and Harvest projections below). This will ultimately increase the sustainable harvest opportunities in the following ten years.
The greatest management priority (thinning patches of overcrowded, dense fir in Type 1) is scheduled for the summer of 2000. Future thinnings will be limited to 30% of the volume at each entry, with a 5-to-7 year return cycle. In early years, this will be primarily a "thinning from above" that cuts the generally larger, often rough trees. Later, as the young stands mature, the thinning will be more balanced, cutting trees of low vigor from all diameter classes. Wildlife trees and legacy trees that will survive and grow into the next generation have been and will be marked prior to harvest.
A secondary management priority is to increase the vigor of mixed Oak - Douglas-fir stands. Selective thinning in some areas of the better oak stands helps to remove competing and/or defective Douglas-fir. The areas where good oak will be favored are Types 5 and Type 2, north of the main haul road. This will help preserve some of the best stands where oak currently dominates. Selective thinning in other areas of the mixed oak-fir will salvage some Douglas-fir and relieve overcrowding, helping to maintain the balance between oak and fir.
The management focus during the second 10 year period (2010-2019) will emphasize selective thinnings to maintain growth and vigor of the stand. With a thinning re-entry cycle of 5-to-7 years (in the young fir stands), several more small harvests are expected during this time period.
During harvest entries an effort should be made to identify and mark trees of unique value (legacy trees and wildlife trees) for preservation, on a forest-wide basis. It is particularly important to mark these trees in stands before any harvest activity begins.
The riparian - reserve area above the pond (Type 3) is permanently taken out of the active management area.
MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES / ACTIVITY SCHEDULE 2000- 2019
year Type activity mbf** income*
2000 Type 1 Thin dense fir 20 $7,500 patches
2000 Type 1 Mark Wildlife
& Legacy trees
2000 - Type 1 Permanently Mark
Skid Trails
2004 Types 1 Thin fir, 50 $19,000
2 & 4 some oak
2004 Type 2 Several Patch cuts 15 $ 5,500 Plant Patch cuts ( $800)
2008 All Types Thin as needed 120 $45,000
_____________________________________________
2010 All Types re-inventory, update plan ($3,500)
2010- All Types Thin as needed
2019 harvest levels @ + 50% of growth
_____________________________________________
* Assumes current log prices (1999 Dollars)
** Douglas-fir harvest only
Monitoring and Assessment
Each harvest area will be monitored one and three years after the cut. Growth response and stand stability will be evaluated, with salvage scheduled in cases of significant value loss. Seedling survival will be assessed, with follow-up treatments prescribed as necessary. Major windstorms will trigger a property monitoring walk to evaluate damage.
At the end of the first 10 year period, management should be assessed to gauge how well landowner goals are being met. An updated timber cruise at year 2010 will monitor timber volumes and growth rates. By 2010 the following specific measurable goals should be attained:
(1) Harvests rising to 120 MBF (on a four-year cycle)
(2) Annual fir growth rate of 60+ MBF
(5) No harvest openings visible from the valley floor
(6) A slowing in growth, but no net decrease in oak and maple volume.
GROWTH & HARVEST YIELD PROJECTIONS
The harvest schedule outlined below illustrates the way the forest will continue to grow if the modest harvest levels of the first 20 year plan are followed. While forecasting the forest growth and harvest levels of a 20 year period is more speculative, it is important to look that far ahead, towards what the forest will look like in a more mature state. These volume estimates are for Douglas-fir only (it is assumed that +85% of the growth and harvests will be from Douglas-fir in the first 20 year period).
Assumptions: Volumes are based on the 1998 timber cruise that estimated 289 MBF of Douglas-fir on the property. An annual growth rate of 12% is assumed for the first 5 years (current rate measured in the inventory), slowing to an annual growth rate of 8% by 2010, and finally to a rate of 6% by the end of the 20-year period -- as the forest matures and growth slows naturally. These growth levels will be supported by the large number of premerchantable trees moving into the forest canopy layer. Annual growth rates average about 60 MBF as the total volume of Douglas-fir rises to nearly 1 million board feet. This schedule would: (1) Build the timber volume on the property over time by cutting less than the annual growth (letting the forest become more mature), and (2) gradually increase the sustainable harvest levels over the 20 years.
* all volumes are MBF Douglas-fir
GROWTH AND HARVEST TRENDS
The following chart illustrates the way the forest will continue to grow if the harvest levels suggested above are followed:
Harvests will provide regular and increasing income, and be conservatively below current growth levels. Following this management strategy, all three primary tree species will increase in standing volume over the next 20 years, while over 500,00 board feet of Douglas-fir is harvested. Oak was assumed to grow at a 2.5% annually, and bigleaf maple at 3.5% annually over the next 20 years
In the first 10 year period of the plan, three thinnings -- in the summer of 2000, another in four years and one after a period of 8-to-10 years -- will allow less vigorous or mature conifers to be removed, improving the growing space overstocked areas of the stands (particularly in Types 1 & 4). These harvests will include some patch cuts of 0.5 to 2 acres in size, allowing replanting of fir and other species in understocked areas. Smaller harvest volumes in the early years will allow volumes to increase as the young forest matures (see Growth and Harvest projections below). This will ultimately increase the sustainable harvest opportunities in the following ten years.
The greatest management priority (thinning patches of overcrowded, dense fir in Type 1) is scheduled for the summer of 2000. Future thinnings will be limited to 30% of the volume at each entry, with a 5-to-7 year return cycle. In early years, this will be primarily a "thinning from above" that cuts the generally larger, often rough trees. Later, as the young stands mature, the thinning will be more balanced, cutting trees of low vigor from all diameter classes. Wildlife trees and legacy trees that will survive and grow into the next generation have been and will be marked prior to harvest.
A secondary management priority is to increase the vigor of mixed Oak - Douglas-fir stands. Selective thinning in some areas of the better oak stands helps to remove competing and/or defective Douglas-fir. The areas where good oak will be favored are Types 5 and Type 2, north of the main haul road. This will help preserve some of the best stands where oak currently dominates. Selective thinning in other areas of the mixed oak-fir will salvage some Douglas-fir and relieve overcrowding, helping to maintain the balance between oak and fir.
The management focus during the second 10 year period (2010-2019) will emphasize selective thinnings to maintain growth and vigor of the stand. With a thinning re-entry cycle of 5-to-7 years (in the young fir stands), several more small harvests are expected during this time period.
During harvest entries an effort should be made to identify and mark trees of unique value (legacy trees and wildlife trees) for preservation, on a forest-wide basis. It is particularly important to mark these trees in stands before any harvest activity begins.
The riparian - reserve area above the pond (Type 3) is permanently taken out of the active management area.
MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES / ACTIVITY SCHEDULE 2000- 2019
year Type activity mbf** income*
2000 Type 1 Thin dense fir 20 $7,500 patches
2000 Type 1 Mark Wildlife
& Legacy trees
2000 - Type 1 Permanently Mark
Skid Trails
2004 Types 1 Thin fir, 50 $19,000
2 & 4 some oak
2004 Type 2 Several Patch cuts 15 $ 5,500 Plant Patch cuts ( $800)
2008 All Types Thin as needed 120 $45,000
_____________________________________________
2010 All Types re-inventory, update plan ($3,500)
2010- All Types Thin as needed
2019 harvest levels @ + 50% of growth
_____________________________________________
* Assumes current log prices (1999 Dollars)
** Douglas-fir harvest only
Monitoring and Assessment
Each harvest area will be monitored one and three years after the cut. Growth response and stand stability will be evaluated, with salvage scheduled in cases of significant value loss. Seedling survival will be assessed, with follow-up treatments prescribed as necessary. Major windstorms will trigger a property monitoring walk to evaluate damage.
At the end of the first 10 year period, management should be assessed to gauge how well landowner goals are being met. An updated timber cruise at year 2010 will monitor timber volumes and growth rates. By 2010 the following specific measurable goals should be attained:
(1) Harvests rising to 120 MBF (on a four-year cycle)
(2) Annual fir growth rate of 60+ MBF
(5) No harvest openings visible from the valley floor
(6) A slowing in growth, but no net decrease in oak and maple volume.
GROWTH & HARVEST YIELD PROJECTIONS
The harvest schedule outlined below illustrates the way the forest will continue to grow if the modest harvest levels of the first 20 year plan are followed. While forecasting the forest growth and harvest levels of a 20 year period is more speculative, it is important to look that far ahead, towards what the forest will look like in a more mature state. These volume estimates are for Douglas-fir only (it is assumed that +85% of the growth and harvests will be from Douglas-fir in the first 20 year period).
Assumptions: Volumes are based on the 1998 timber cruise that estimated 289 MBF of Douglas-fir on the property. An annual growth rate of 12% is assumed for the first 5 years (current rate measured in the inventory), slowing to an annual growth rate of 8% by 2010, and finally to a rate of 6% by the end of the 20-year period -- as the forest matures and growth slows naturally. These growth levels will be supported by the large number of premerchantable trees moving into the forest canopy layer. Annual growth rates average about 60 MBF as the total volume of Douglas-fir rises to nearly 1 million board feet. This schedule would: (1) Build the timber volume on the property over time by cutting less than the annual growth (letting the forest become more mature), and (2) gradually increase the sustainable harvest levels over the 20 years.
* all volumes are MBF Douglas-fir
GROWTH AND HARVEST TRENDS
The following chart illustrates the way the forest will continue to grow if the harvest levels suggested above are followed:
Harvests will provide regular and increasing income, and be conservatively below current growth levels. Following this management strategy, all three primary tree species will increase in standing volume over the next 20 years, while over 500,00 board feet of Douglas-fir is harvested. Oak was assumed to grow at a 2.5% annually, and bigleaf maple at 3.5% annually over the next 20 years
