FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN
FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN 7.
ATTACHMENT:
Forest Stewardship Guidelines Prepared by
UNH Cooperative Extension Agent Sam Stoddard on 5-22-95
GENERAL
This property consists of 130 acres located on North Road in Shelburne. The property comprises a section of the north wall of the Androscoggin River Valley. The land rises steadily and sometimes steeply up and away from the road and encompasses the summit of First Mountain near the northern limit of the property. The land slopes toward the south, except from the north face of First Mountain.
The property boundaries are freshly marked by red blazes around the entire property. This first management step was an important one. It is important to maintain clearly marked property lines and corners. The best markings are blazed trees cut with an axe, and then painted with a good exterior enamel paint. Paint marks should be larger than the cut blaze and cover the bark about one inch on all sides, because the paint lasts longer on the bark than on the exposed wood. Re-blazing should be accomplished about every 10 to 15 years.
Access to the property is excellent from North Road. Access within the property is partially developed. A system of skid trails remains from a 1988 logging operation conducted by Arthur York, Consulting Forester. The northern half of the property is largely inaccessible for heavy equipment, due to steep slopes, ledges, and boulder fields.
For Current Use taxation purposes, 35 acres (stand 6 on the map) may be classified as unproductive forest land, due to steep slopes, ledges, and boulders. An additional 3 acres (part of stand 3 on the map) may be classified in the unproductive wetland category. The remainder of the property is productive forest land, except for a proposed building site and associated driveway.
This property is diverse. Vegetation cover types vary from moist softwood forest and wetland to well-drained hardwood types on the upper slopes. Except for bare ledge areas, the mountain peak is covered by high-elevation softwood types.
The land has a long history of use by man. It appears that some gravel mining may have been conducted near the road a very long time ago. Timber harvesting on the accessible portions of the property has been conducted periodically. The most recent harvest occurred in 1988, when hemlock, spruce, fir, birch, maple, red oak, and white ash was harvested in the eastern half of the property. Prior to that, perhaps, in the late 1950s, a major harvest was conducted over accessible portions of the property.
The 1988 logging resulted in the creation of a network of several skid trails, which offer excellent possibilities for hiking trail development. A hiking trail can readily be developed that would follow skid trails northeasterly, connecting to an existing trail that travels northwesterly to the summit area of First Mountain.
The accompanying forest map shows the layout of the property and the various forest stands. A stand is a contiguous area where the species, size, age, and general condition of trees is uniform enough to be distinguished from adjacent areas. Management recommendations in this paper are offered for each stand and are based upon owner objectives and stand characteristics.
Tree diameters are measured in inches at 4.5 feet above ground level, known as "diameter at breast height" (dbh). Trees are described according to the following size groups:
Forest cover types are classified as follows: (Return to Stand Descriptions in Plan)
(As an example, the forest type "H2A" describes a stand of hardwood poletimber that is overstocked and in need of thinning. Where more than one size group is present the classifications are combined, such as "M2,3B" represents a well stocked mixed stand of pole and sawtimber.)
Forest management practices, applied correctly, can make the difference between a healthy, productive forest stand, and a stressed, unproductive one. The ideal timber management approach is to harvest pulpwood and over-mature sawlogs in overstocked stands, in order to create a well stocked stand of growing stock: healthy vigorous trees to be grown into high quality sawlogs in the future. The goal should be to efficiently produce the highest grade log products, of which the trees are capable.
By practicing good forestry it is possible to double timber income! By concentrating on growing a high quality forest, the greater return from timber harvesting will be realized over time. On the other hand, harvesting without regard to the effects of future forest condition, growth and quality, will result in less timber income over time.
For some landowners, timber production is not the primary purpose of owning the land. Instead, other land uses, such as wildlife habitat, forest recreation, or aesthetics may be more important. Often multiple land use goals are compatible. The stewardship prescriptions provided for each forest stand on the property are based upon fulfillment of the following landowner objectives.
MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
Owner objectives for this property are:
STAND DESCRIPTIONS AND PRESCRIPTIONS
STAND 1. This stand (classified as S2B) contains a mix of hemlock, spruce-fir, and white birch poletimber. The stand is in good condition and requires no special treatment for the time being.
STAND 2. This stand (classified as M2,3B) contains more poletimber than sawtimber. The predominate species are hemlock and white birch. The stand was partially harvested about 1988, and requires no special treatment over the next ten years. There are two places along the main skid trail that require water bars to protect against soil erosion.
STAND 3. This stand (classified as wetland) contains a mix of vegetation. Three acres of wetland in this area may be considered unproductive for growing timber crops. The area should be protected in its natural state for its various wildlife values.
STAND 4. This stand (classified as H2,3B) contains red oak, beech, and scattered American mountain ash. The stand was partially logged many years ago, leaving a healthy stand of trees. Stocking is good, and the stand needs no treatment within the next ten years.
STAND 5. This stand (classified as H2,3B) contains a mixture of hardwood species, including sugar maple, yellow birch, white birch, beech, red oak, and white ash. The stand was partially harvested about 1988. No treatment is required over the next ten year period.
STAND 6. This predominately red oak stand is classified as H3A, but may be categorized as "unproductive". The timber is inaccessible, due to the presence of massive boulders, ledges, and steep slopes. Recommend no action in this stand.
STAND 7. This softwood stand is classified as S3B. The stand contains a mixture of softwood species, such as white pine, red pine, spruce, balsam fir, and hemlock. The stand was thinned many years ago. Present stocking is excellent. No action is required in this stand over the next ten years.
STAND 8. This hardwood stand is classified as H2,3A. The predominant species are beech, yellow birch, white birch, American mountain-ash, and striped maple. The stand is somewhat overstocked. Some weeding and thinning may be desirable in portions of the stand to ensure the survival and accelerated growth of preferred trees. American mountain-ash trees should be "released" in this manner to enhance the wildlife food source.
ACTIVITY SCHEDULE
STAND - ACTIVITY - YEAR TO DO
# 8 - Weed & thin young trees. / "Release" mountain-ash from competition. - By 2001.
# 2,5,7,8 - Hiking trail development. - Anytime.
# 2 - Water bars on 2 sections of skid trail. - As soon as possible
UPDATE OF THESE GUIDELINES
Natural processes, harvesting, and other management practices cause changes in the forest that will make these guidelines less valid with the passage of time. Therefore, new guidelines should be developed at least every 10 years.
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
The following general rules should be applied to benefit wildlife in the Coos County area:
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Addendum to Plan - Certification by Licensed
Forester
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Management Plan Main Page
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