IMPLEMENTATION METHODS COLORADO FRONT RANGE LANDSCAPE RESTORATION INITIATIVE Implementation Methods Through 6 Years Of Fuels Reduction & Restoration Treatments Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project, Colorado Front Range Initiative, Pike National Forest.
COLORADO FRONT RANGE LANDSCAPE INITIATIVE Front Range Fuels Treatment Partnership & Roundtable 800,000 acre Wildland-Urban Interface landscape. Dominated by ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir. Conduit for 75% of Colorado’s drinking water. Woodland Park Healthy Forest Initiative Area 2
MAJOR TREATMENT GOALS Fuels Reduction Reduce canopy closure (mid structure stage, closed to open) Reduce ladder fuels Increase Heterogeneity (ICO - Individuals, Clumps, Openings) Clumpy (tree spacing) Variable residual density (structure) Openings (structure) Favor early seral / shade intolerant species for retention Enhancement of Aspen Retention of Legacy Trees Product Utilization Biomass, non-sawtimber, sawtimber 3
SILVICULTURAL METHODS UNEVEN-AGED METHODS, SELECTION SYSTEMS Variable Spacing - Thinning Clumps & Groups: Experimenting with different implementation methods Variable Residual Density COVER TYPE LIVE BASAL AREA (sq. ft.) 40 – 60 Ponderosa pine / Douglas-fir 60 – 80 Dry Mixed Conifer 80 – 100 Mesic Mixed Conifer (live conifer BA) 0 – 40 Aspen Openings Patch cutting around aspen Persistent openings on south facing slopes Patch cuts on north slopes that regenerate aspen and pine / remove dense Douglas-fir & spruce 4
IMPLEMENTATION METHODS – CUT & LEAVE TREE DESIGNATION Most subjective DxP - Designation by Prescription Sample Marking Hybrid ITM w/ DxP Hybrid ITM w/ DxD (Designation by Description) ITM (Individual Tree Marking) Low-No discretion 5
6 DESIGNATION BY PRESCRIPTION PHANTOM CREEK 1 2011 Post-treatment Pre-treatment
HYBRID: CUT TREE MARKING & DxP 7
8 LEAVE TREE MARKING LONG JOHN 2012 Post-treatment Pre-treatment
HYBRID – CUT TREE MARKING & DxP 9
DxP WHAT WORKS Vary residual density by forest type in areas with distinct stand breaks / aspect changes Retention of legacy ponderosa pine per tree characteristics Patch cuts around aspen clones – south facing pine / aspen stands Thin from below, even spacing CHALLENGES Opening Designation - range of location criteria Variable tree spacing Variable Density – similar stands/terrain 10
TRADE OFFS - DxP Personnel experience - use of DxP may work where experience is high. Very limited with high turnover Efficiency DxP will save time and $ with layout, contract prep Savings gained by prep crew transferred to sale administrator and/or contractor Accuracy - cruising more subjective with DxP (may not matter depending upon market conditions, type of contract, etc.) Accountability - less accountability with contract administration Desired Conditions - less certainty in post treatment results 11
SOLUTIONS Prioritize use of DxP by objectives, stand type & RX Visualization Guide Sample Marking Emphasis on residual stand attributes in contract acceptance provisions Include tolerances in contract provisions 12
KEY TAKE HOME MESSAGES No “one size fits all” implementation method Opening designation has not worked well via DxP or DxD Rule of thumb: RX may be too complicated to implement via DxP with more than 3 key prescription criteria Emphasis on heterogeneity should be at the project - watershed - landscape scale Prioritize areas where highly complex structures are desirable and implementation methods may require more time and $ Heterogeneity at the stand scale is a process that may take multiple entries. 1st entries often reduce structural complexity in order to shift species composition and reduce densities 13
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