2015 Silvicultural Operating Plan

Northumberland County Forest 2015 Interim Silvicultural Operations Plan

Prepared By: Ben Walters, Forest Manager Northumberland County

James Rogers, Forest Conservation Officer, Kestrel Forestry Consulting

Forest Stewardship Council ®

The forests owned and managed by Northumberland County has achieved Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certification (FSC® C018800) through the Eastern Ontario Model Forest’s Forest Certification Program. The FSC® is an international, membershipbased, non-profit organization that supports environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests.

Background Northumberland County recently completed implementation of a 5-year silvicultural (timber management) operating plan for the Northumberland County Forest (2010-2014). The operating plan outlined the planned timber harvest locations (compartments and sub-compartments) and the type of silvicultural treatments (e.g., plantation thinnings) that would occur. For those years, silvicultural management has focused on conifer plantations where harvest treatments included row thinning and shelterwood harvest treatments.

A new 5-year plan is being developed for approval in 2015 and to be implemented in 2016 (2016-2020).

The 5-year Silvicultural plan will: 1. Summarize the past 5-years of harvesting; 2. Propose areas suitable for timber harvesting for the years 2016 to 2020.

3. Suggest general harvest operations (e.g., row thinning, selective harvest), for those areas based on the currently known information; 4. Discussion of estimated volume of those sites based on the best known information; 5. Discussion of any tending or complementary forest management activities (e.g., pruning, planting, prescribed burn); 6. Suggest systems that should be implemented surrounding harvesting such as resource inventories, tree marking, tendering and monitoring; 7. Identify areas of concern and propose operational procedures for those areas.

During the preparation of the 5-year Silvicultural Operating Plan, Northumberland County Forest Service staff and Kestrel Forestry Consulting are proposing a 1-year interim operating plan. The interim operating plan is to be carried out between fall 2015 and spring 2016. This harvest is in addition to a timber sale that is to begin in the fall of 2015. Included in the interim harvest plan is a compartment that was scheduled to be harvested during the 20102015 operating plan, but was not included in a tender as the site’s economic viability was reduced as a result of its distance from any other harvest sites.

Proposed Operations Location The proposed locations of the interim 2015/2016 harvest are: Compartment

Area Stand Basal Area Species Composition Last (ha) Age* (m2/ha) Harvest 43 D 6.2 66 33 Pr-90, Pj-10 1982 43 E** 8.5 66 40 Pw-70, Pr-20, Or-10 1996 43 H 15.1 66 28 Pr-90, Or-10 2003 42 A 3.3 66 29 Pr-80, Pw-10, Aw-10 1995 42 D 9.8 66 23 Pr-80, Pw-10, Aw-10 1995 42 G** 4.4 66 29 Pw-60, Aw-20, Or-20 1988 42 H 15.7 66 24 Pr-50, Pw-40, Aw-10 1982 Total 63 * - Stand age is a general age as there may be areas of younger or older trees within the sub-compartment ** - Denotes that a partial harvest of the sub-compartment is expected Note: Species composition numbers indicate the approximate percent contribution of each dominant species to the stand’s basal area. Species codes are: Pr = Red Pine, Pj = Jack Pine, Pw = White Pine, Or= Red Oak, Aw = White Ash.

Figure 1. Map of the location of the Northumberland County Forest. Proposed harvest areas are shown in yellow. Orange area is area remaining from previous operating plan.

Figure 2. Location of proposed interim harvest area (yellow) and the area carried over from the previous operating plan (orange).

Figure 3. Map of proposed harvest areas (yellow) with area carried over from previous operating plan shown in orange. It is expected that compartments 43E and 42G will be partially harvested.

Operations Operations will be further defined by detailed Silvicultural Prescriptions prepared by a qualified member of the Ontario Professional Foresters Association. In general, operations will focus on harvesting red pine, jack pine and Scotch pine within these sites. A shelterwood harvest system will be used where the planted conifer are removed selectively. In addition to improving tree spacing, trees that are of poor quality (e.g., unlikely to significantly improve in quality or size) or that are showing signs of decline (pockets of red pine decline were observed, particularly on the west side) will be selected. Opening of the forest canopy through the removal of these trees will allow for the natural regeneration of a more shade tolerant mixed forest without the need for replanting. Progressive thinning of the plantation allows seedlings and midcanopy trees more access to light and water resources, thereby providing them with release from conditions that are an impediment to growth.

The resulting forest will be a more natural forest type (e.g., mixed oak, white pine, maple), will provide more diverse habitat, and will be more resilient to pests and disease. Presently, the nearly monoculture (single species) nature of the dense conifer plantations poses a higher risk for damage from pests and diseases than a more natural forest environment would be. . As these plantations are gradually converted to more diverse, mixed species forests they become more resistant to damage from pests and diseases.

In addition, throughout initial forest resource surveys performed in this area in 2015, it has been noted that there is a relatively high concentration of white and green ash trees. Most of these trees have been of marginal quality as they are small diameter and have poor form. It is likely that Emerald Ash Borer will infest this area in the next few years as they are known to be in close proximity. White and Green Ash trees show little to no resistance to mortality from Emerald Ash Borer infestation. Ash trees that are suitable for harvest may be salvaged during these operations.

Considerations High Conservation Value Forest

The Forest Stewardship Council identifies 6 High Conservation Value (HCV) categories. County Forest records have been searched to determine if there are any HCV’s that need to be considered in this area. The following are the HCV’s and outline any harvest modifications needed.

Oak Ridges Moraine – Category 1 HCV

Most of the County Forest (~98%) is located within the Natural Core Area designation of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan. These silvicultural activities are designed to improve forest health. Continued presence of healthy forest cover will benefit groundwater infiltration and sequestration functioning on the Oak Ridges Moraine.

Northumberland County Forest Candidate ANSI – Category 1 HCV

The Northumberland County Forest is considered a category 2 HCV as it is a regionally significant forest based on the forested area. As a result of the significance of the large forest area and its importance to area sensitive species it is a Candidate Life Science ANSI. There will be no negative impact as a result of harvest operations as the operations will further the conversion from conifer plantation to a more natural, mixed forest. This provides a greater benefit to a wider variety of species, and develops greater ecological resilience and resistance.

Species-at-risk – Category 1 HCV

Eastern Hognose Snake (Listing: Provincially – Threatened, Federally – Threatened) There are records of Eastern Hognose Snake in this area. The scale and intensity of this harvest should not impact Eastern Hognose Snake. Although there would be no snake eggs present during the timber harvest sandy, dune-like or mixed

intolerant upland hardwood sites will be avoided during tree marking and operations as this species is likely to return to the site annually for oviposition (Kraus 2011). Additionally, as suggested in this species’ provincial recovery strategy, sites within 100m of those oviposition (egg laying) sites shall be regulated. Harvest operations are not addressed as a regulated activity, likely because habitat is not being lost through these operations. The County will take a precautionary approach to harvest 100m from those areas unless the Forest Manager is certain that removal of planted conifers improves the site’s habitat for this species (e.g., exposes a sandy area, provides a more open oak site).

Although rock piles are not identified in any recovery strategy, and they are generally found in unsuitable habitat within this area harvest operations will avoid disturbing those potential refuge areas. Due to the threat of illegal collection of this species, the exact locations of these suitable areas are not detailed in this document.

Reference: Kraus, T. 2011. Recovery Strategy for the Eastern Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon platirhinos) in Ontario.

Ontario Recovery Strategy Series. Prepared for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Peterborough, Ontario. i + 6 pp + Appendix vi + 24 pp. Adoption of the Recovery Strategy for the Eastern Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon platirhinos) in Canada (Seburn, 2009).

Common Nighthawk (Provincial – Special Concern; Federal – Threatened) There are no records of Common Nighthawk from within this site, however they are a cryptic species that forages over large areas and whose nesting location is not easily determined. Therefore, it could be that Common Nighthawks encountered foraging nearby could be nesting within this area.

There are no recovery strategies or similar documents for Common Nighthawk, although the COSEWIC assessment report states that recently logged areas can be good breeding habitat for this Common Nighthawk. The forest manager has encountered Nighthawk nests in conifer plantation forest. Grassy areas are also considered good habitat, especially for feeding as is found at the south end of the proposed harvest area. Prescribed burns are also suggested as a good

management technique for creating and maintaining Common Nighthawk habitat, so that should be considered as a future option for these stands.

As the site is being harvested outside of the breeding season when this species has migrated or is in migration to its wintering grounds and the harvest treatments are not expected to affect its habitat, there are no modifications needed for its protection.

Reference: COSEWIC. 2007. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, Ottawa. Vi + 25pp.

Public Review and Comment The draft proposal for the 2015, one-year silvicultural operating plan was posted online for public comment. The comment period was open for 21 days, from Monday, July 27th to August 16th. The comment period was advertised through a media release (published by print and radio media outlets) and the County Forest’s Facebook Page. In addition, the plan was presented to the County’s Forest Advisory Committee at a meeting on July 22nd.

One comment was received by e-mail and comments from Forest Advisory Committee members were provided at the meeting or by phone prior to the meeting. The comments and the Forest Service’s responses area as follows: • General concerns about harvested trees blocking trails, rutting of trails, proximity of signage to operations and notices of operations. o Forest service will ensure that all trails are clearly marked for the operator and operators will not be allowed to leave any harvest materials or residues on those trails. Other than the main roads at the south (Huckleberry Lane) and the north (Dunbar Road), the only approved trails in the area are a north-south trail on the east side of MacDonald Road and the Oak Ridges Trail that traverses the site east to west along the northern portion.

• Potential impacts of the logging slash on the use of the forest for orienteering o The Forest Service is aware of the potential conflict between orienteering and timber harvesting; however harvesting is required for multiple reasons. It is not feasible (ecologically or economically) to remove slash from an area. Forest Service staff will do their best to ensure that there are no windrows of slash, instead that slash is left in discontinuous piles and that harvesters reduce the slash height as best as possible.

• Notifying users of harvesting activities o Forest Services staff will ensure that radio ads, social media postings and notices on trailhead signs provide details about the locations and timing of the operations. Staff will also contact Forest Advisory Committee representatives to provide them with information.

• Potential impacts on trail users (at MacDonald Road parking lot and along Huckleberry Road) by activities o All efforts will be made to minimize the use of the Dunbar Road and Huckleberry Lane for harvest operations. Forest Service’s staff will work with the contractor to base operations out of the central portions of the area where a forest roads exist in the area of the boundary of 43A and 43D and a similar location on the east side.