Home » Planning Document::2007 Plantation Thinning EA » Stewardship Contracts::Third Party Monitoring Contract » Activities::Hot Thin Monitoring

Survey of Hot Thin Monitoring, taken on 10/09/2007 by Rick_Barnes

(Survey: Thinning)

Posted March 28th, 2008 by Rick_Barnes
Survey Date: 
10/09/2007
Activity: 
Hot Thin Monitoring
Pre-Implementation Issues
Unit(s) surveyed: 
All: 322, 324, 328, 330, 332, 336, 338, 340, 342, 344, 346, and 348
Do silvicultural prescriptions support the Proposed Action as described in the EA? 

Yes

Are silviculture prescriptions likely to produce variable stand density both between and within units? 

Yes

Are silvicultural prescriptions accurately designated in the field? 

Yes

Are riparian no-cut buffers clearly designated in the field as outlined in the EA? 
Yes
Are minor species and the largest trees clearly designated to be retained? 

Yes

Are snags clearly designated to be retained? 

Yes

Are coarse wood debris features clearly designated to be retained? 
No
Do skips contain any of the following? 
Riparian areas
Trees w/ elements of wood decay
Large trees
Minor tree species
Insects or disease
CWD
Are skips and gaps clearly designated as described in the EA and silviculture prescription? 

Yes

If skips do not contain these features, are they observed elsewhere in the project area? 

Unit 330 boundary is located to exclude an opening which was created by a slide.

Do gaps containany of the following? 
N/A
Are designated wildlife trees present? 
Yes
Does the project meet desired goals of variability as described in the EA? 
Yes
Additional recommendations/comments regarding pre-implementation issues? 

Contract clause KT-CT.3.5.7# Individual Tree Designation (Option 1) states dead standing trees are reserved. It does not state what happens to material lying on the ground. On the last page of the contract area maps, note #2 states, "Standing dead timber and dead down timber is to be left uncut." It is recommended this wording be included in KT-CT.3.5.7 to assure there is no confusion as to what happens to the dead trees lying on the ground.

The planned Relative Density (RD) meets the EA criteria but the RD, based on the post marking cruise, indicates the RD is going to be below established criteria in units 324, 336, 338, 340, 342, and 344. There are root diseases present in all of these units which naturally create openings that lowers the average RD.

The survey for the Hot Thin took place October 9, 10 and 11, 2007.

Post-Implementation Issues
How long ago did cutting and yarding occur? 
N/A