Sound Woodlot Operations Practices Field Guide

1. Sound Woodlot Operations Practices Field Guide

2. Workplan • Part 1: 19 h à 19 h 55 - Introduction - Forest planning - Forest roads • Part 2: 20 h à 21 h - Forest roads (continued) - Forest harvesting Health break • Part 3: 21 h 15 à 22 h - Silvicultural practices - Resources of particular interest - Laws, rules and regulations Suggestions et comments

3. Beneficial Forest Management Practices for Private Woodlots Part I

4. Introduction • Visual concept: Surfing through the BMP guidelines • Each section is colour coded

5. Introduction • Visual concept: Surfing through the BMP guidelines (continued) • Each section is colour coded « Blue » is the theme colour for this section

6. Introduction • Visual concept: Surfing through the BMP guidelines(continued) • General information and practical hints Practical hints General info

7. Introduction Title and thematic picture of section General Rules and regulations are shown «in red» Practical hints Page(s) as shown in BMP guidelines booklet is linked to this slide .

8. Introduction • Why adopt BMPs • Woodlot owners requests • Conservation and protection awareness for plant and wildlife species on private forest land • Diversify economic outcomes (Multi-resource) • Pave the way for landowners, contractors and forest workers to satisfy to the requirements of environmental certification systems • Public pressure

9. Introduction Environmental Certification Systems - ISO 14001 (International Standards Organization) - CSA (Canadian Standards Association) - SFI (Sustainable Forest Initiative) - FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)

10. Introduction • Important issues • habitat • forest stands • forest ecosystems • biodiversity 110-111

11. Introduction • Important issues (continued) • natural regeneration • wetlands • sensitive sites, exceptional sites • exceptional forest ecosystems • threatened species and species at risk 110-111

12. Introduction • Private Woodlot Organizations • Marketing boards (Syndicats de producteurs) • Group ventures (Organismes de gestion en commun) and program delivery agents • Regional private forest assistance agencies (Agences régionales de mise en valeur des forêts privées) • Regional municipal county boards (Municipalités régionales de comté (MRC) et les municipalités)

13. Introduction • Principles of Sustainable Forest Management(SFM) • Fibre production within the capacity of the forest production (AAC) • Fibre production while ensuring the integrity and sustainability of all forest resources • Fibre production while maintaining a diversified forest environment • Fibre production within the capacity of the territory of the Regional Private Forest Agency (AAC based on forest growth, harvesting, natural losses and silvicultural effect). 12-13

14. Introduction Animals, insects and diseases Planning Process Resources of interest Laws and Regulations Sylviculture Investments Forest road construction Forest harvesting

15. Forest Planning Process Current Activities Resources Planned Use Feasibility Ways and Means Goals and Objectives 15

16. Forest Planning Process • Get ready to meet the forest planner • Get all your information and documents together • Track back on recent woodlot history, operations and ongoing activities. • As a woodlot owner, focus on your expectations • Indicate the presence of wildlife and whether you have made agreements with hunters 15

17. Forest Planning Process • Tools available • Regional protection and forest improvement plan (PPMV) at the regional or landscape level • Woodlot Stewarship Plan (WSP) (individual) • Woodlot Stewarship Plan for Wildlife (WSPW) or plan d’aménagement forestier et faunique) (PAFF) 15-20

18. Forest Planning Process 1. Woodlot Property Map • Woodlot Stewardship Plan • - identifies forest stands • - visual stand description • anticipate and visualize recommended treatments • plan operations 16

19. Forest Planning Process 2) woodlot inventory - Links to the property map - Provides valuable information to implement owner’s objectives - Helps to understand on the ground realities and constraints 16

20. Forest Planning Process 3) Management objectives Woodlot Stewardship Plan + Commitment to BMPs Owner’s goals = 17

21. Forest Planning Process • 4) Recommendations for woodlot improvement , protection activities and silviculture investments - refer to examples in BMP guidelines - Plan and recommendations are valid for 10 years - these are only recommendations ! You establish your own timelines ! 17

22. Silviculture operations Roads and watercourses 260m

23. Forest Planning Process • USEFUL TIPS ! 1) Use you WSP and follow up with an action plan 2) Walk your woodlot 3) Seek market information for primary products; 4) Keep a register of activities 5) Establish your goals and focus on them 6) Contact your local certified forester for technical assistance 7) Review your plan WSP 18

24. Forest Planning Process • Regional protection and forest improvement plan (PPMV) • A landscape level tool for private forest development • Encourages sustainable forest management while focussing on fiber production • A five year plan • Computes annual allowable harvest for the Agency’s territory 19

25. Forest Planning Process • The wildlife bonification to the WSP • Ask your certified forester about the WSPW (PAFF) • Ask about the WSPW contents • Which activities enable the owner to be eligible for property tax reimbursements • You could do it yourself, see reference tools … 20

26. Forest Planning Process • Complementary tools to improve your woodlot information Aerial photography Ecoforestry map 17

27. Forest access roads • You expect to build a forest access road? • This is one activity which has a major impact on aquatic ecosystems • Be aware on the importance of the following steps in forest road constrruction and woodlot access planning. 22

28. Forest access roads • So… • Prevent erosion problems (loss of productive forest land and roadbed damage) • Minimize the impact of forest road building on watercourses and sensitive sites • - Save money in the long term 22

29. Forest access roads • Proper Forest Road Planning Determine optimal season for operations; • Road location in relation to stand typing, soil types, topography (slope) and woodlot area covered. • Road use, seasonal use? Truck and trailer type; • Road building equipment and budget available; • Protection of forest ecosystems, exceptional sites, and species at risk; • Protection of lakes and watercourses 23

30. Forest access roads USEFUL TIPS • Contact your woodlot forester • Check on old access roads and existing infrastructures • Map watercourses on your property • Prevent crossing watercourses if you can ! ! 23

31. Forest access roads USEFUL TIPS … • Protect watercourses ! 24

32. Forest access roads USEFUL TIPS… • Plan woodlot access and forest road building in least sensitive areas • Plan road building and winter harvest operations for wet areas • Prevent sharp road turns and steep slopes. 24

33. Forest access roads

34. Forest access roads • How to build a woodlot access road 25

35. Forest access roads Plan woodlot access to integrate truck and machinery access with ATV access and trail planning

36. Forest access roads USEFUL TIPS … • Build roads and trails during the dry season. Beware of high water levels. • Limit the width of the roadway to twice the width of the roadbed (rolling surface). • Plan proper drainage for the roadbed 25-26

37. Forest access roads USEFUL TIPS …. • Plan the useful harvest of the commercial trees in the right of way. Slash residual growth before road construction. • If they can not be buried in the road form, leave stumps undisturbed. • Stabilise roadsides and soil with plants and seeding. • Use proper drainage techniques. 25-26

38. Forest access roads USEFUL TIPS … Deviate ditches 20 m (65’) from a watercourse Keep or reinstate herbaceous plants, stumps and seedlings on all disturbed soil within a distance of 20 m (65’) from a watercourse 26

39. Forest access roads Planning tips for …wet soils • Plan winter roads on wet sites • Plan building such roads for short hauling distances • Wait till the soil has frozen to a depth of 35 centimetres (27 inches) to begin construction • Use snow to fill in roadbase, avoid borrow pits and avoid digging into the mineral soil. 27

40. Questions and comments …