Appendix J-1

Marking Guidelines Alternative 4 GTR 220

General Principles 

The Alternative 4 of the KREW Project is implementing the landscape, ecological vision of An 

Ecosystem Management Strategy for Sierran Mixed-Conifer Forests (North el al, 2009), the PSW-GTR220, and is based in part on the Dinkey Planning Forum’s interpretation of the topographic-based 

design criteria including the slope position matrix. The Proposed Action (Alternative 5) 

implements these marking guidelines outside of research watersheds.

Heterogeneity is a key concept in the GTR: avoiding even spacing of residual trees and protecting 

unique structures including wildlife trees, black oaks, snags and large logs, clumps of large trees, 

understory vegetation including shrubs and other hardwoods. 

A goal of the Decision Priorities is to balance the desire for a fire resilient, healthy forest (healthy = 

management actions will trend the project area towards a more appropriate species mix, density 

and age distribution) with the fisher’s association with “maximum biomass” in the habitat modeling 

work of the Conservation Biology Institute (June 2008). 

A large-tree dominated forest with areas of higher canopy cover benefiting the Pacific fisher 

(63percent home range, > 60 canopy cover: Zielinski et al. 2004) and other rare, old forest 

associated species. 

None of these individual goals are meant to override the mutual desire for a healthy, fire resilient 

forest, but instead are intended to provide ecological balance to marking crews as they implement 

prescriptions. 

Topographic Position Orientation

1. Orient to topographic position on maps where you are working (northerly canyon, 

southerly ridge, etc. from zone maps in North et al.)

2. Review principles for zone based on topographic matrix created in project description.

3. In drainages & canyon zones, and CWHR 5M, 5D and 6 leave some overtopping and denser 

conditions. As you move away up slope, you have to separate age classes so they are 

clumpier and separated.

4. Apply the basal area for the topographic zone and forest type identified in the table below
forest type Group desired tree structure

Pine

Mixed 

conifer Pine

Mixed conifer 

fir

desired 

Basal 

Area per 

acre 

square 

feet

desired 

Trees > 

11” Per 

Acre 

desired 

percent 

canopy 

cover

Aspect/topographic zone

Southwest 120 25 38

Southwest 150 28 43

neutral 160 33 44

canyon/fisher 

rest sites neutral Southwest 180 37 47

canyon/fisher 

rest sites neutral 210 40 52

canyon/fisher 

rest sites 240 46 56

Tree Selection Guidelines related to Micro-Site Priorities and Additional Ecological Objectives

5. Select white fir and incense-cedar, in general, over pine due to uncharacteristic departure 

from historic conditions, fire susceptibility, density etc.

6. Hazards: Remove hazards near structures and developed sites. Leave large trees for 

downed wood ecological requirements after felling unless triggering fuels standards.

7. Snags: Retain all snags that are not hazards. Smaller soft snags exhibit very high use in the 

project area. Retain (or create) snags where appropriate in project design. Avoid marking 

that applies averages across unit areas, rather clump and provide un-even distribution of 

snags while attaining ecological goals.

8. Growth: Maintain dominant and co-dominant trees in each cohort. Avoid leaving 

suppressed or intermediate trees except to meet wildlife micro-site habitat. Wildlife habitat 

needs include hiding cover, canopy layers not “stacked” underneath larger residual trees.

9. Priorities for Retaining Species 

a. Leave all black oaks. All black oaks will be released (thinning to outer drip line and 

considering south-facing position of surrounding trees) unless it has high levels of 

rot and does not appear to have the ability to develop a callous over wounds. For 

such oaks, allow overtopping by conifers.

b. Healthy sugar pine second choice, leaving sugar pine resistant to White Pine Blister 

Rust. 

c. Jeffery Pine is third priority. 

d. Lodgepole is forth priority. 

e. Incense-cedar and white fir are given last priority. 

10. Wildlife—Macro and Micro-Site Considerations
Approximately 88percent of fisher resting structures are generally trees >20” (from Sequoia 

NF, Zielinski et al. 2004 data). 

Fishers select the largest individual trees in dense canopy stands. There is a low level of 

reuse of these resting structures (Zielinski 2004b) so many large trees are required. This 

behavior makes provision of adequate resting habitat critical to fisher conservation (GTR 

p.10).

Wildlife tree micro-site characteristics include

a. Snags of various size classes and live defect trees and the largest trees in general with 

cavities, broken tops, cavities and “witches broom” components have high wildlife 

value.

b. Decadent black oaks have disproportionate levels of use as habitat trees. 

c. Retain known nest and roost trees (provide description, flagging). Retain potential nest 

and roost trees for a range of wildlife species (nest identification traits).

d. Marking in clumped distribution of leave trees rather than an even-spacing distribution 

of leave trees. This will trend stands toward a more heterogeneous distribution of 

residual trees and will more resemble historic conditions see 15 below (GTR p.5) 

11. Disease

Understory trees (<20”) with mistletoe, white pine blister rust, and damage are 

discriminated against. Trees >20” with damage or rot remain to provide wildlife habitat. 

Trees with less mistletoe or those with mistletoe in the lower third or where the mistletoe 

is found on the outer crown remain over those with high amounts of mistletoe and 

infections close to the bole or in the upper two thirds of the crown. Damaged or diseased 

trees should be removed prior to healthy trees. Maintaining trees with good form and 

growth is higher priority than spacing or target structure. 

12. Erosion

Trees along stream banks remain to provide stability, prevent accelerated soil erosion, and 

provide habitat. Female fisher show high levels of use in Riparian Conservation Areas. 

Maintain high fisher habitat values in this zone. Higher levels of canopy cover, snags, large

trees and understory vegetation. 

13. Crown Position

Trees in the lower crown layers are removed to provide space for trees in the upper crown 

layers. Crown position is a strong indicator of a trees ability to make use of site resources. 

Leave dominant and co-dominant trees in each cohort. 

14. Fuel Ladders

Trees that provide fuel ladders to larger trees are removed to create conditions suitable for 

underburning and reduce the potential for torching. Protecting larger trees from 

underburning maintains stand structures that will contribute to future habitat diversity. 

Canopy layering is reduced in the WUI by accentuating age classes (e.g. a 10” tree among 

30” trees is removed to accentuate the 30” class). Maintain canopy layering in PACs and 

HRCAs outside WUI defense. 
Clumps & Openings

15. Clump Retention and Promotion

Clumps of trees are a grouping of trees identifiable by density, species mix, tree size or 

presence of snags). Clumps have an identifiable edge, they can be walked around. 

Residual clump density works in combination with overall stand density to accomplish 

heterogeneity and desired condition. Residual basal areas post-treatment are defined in 

separate table based on topographic position, forest type and site index.

16. Dense Tree Clumps for Pacific Fisher and Restoration

Micro-sites is a topographic or localized forest feature that can be identified on the ground 

– meadow, stream, seep, canopy opening in the KREW project these sites should be focused 

in the Providence Unit.

These conditions provide opportunity for clumps:

 Presence of large cavities

 Presence of snags

 Large Oak (>18 inches) with some decadence

 Where large woody debris (24 inches in diameter, 20 feet long)

 Proximity to (approximately 300 feet) water...closer to water

a. High Quality Fisher Rest Sites: These sites are found rarely across the KREW Bull 

unit and tend to be located and near (<300 ft) water, meadows or on steeper slopes. 

High Quality fisher rest sites are composed of clumps of five or more trees > than 

30” for conifers and oaks over 20 inches with a density greater than 240ft2/acre 

and the presence of fisher rest structures (large legacy trees, cavities and rarely 

downed logs). These clumps not only have high density but deep canopies. Fisher 

rest sites are often found in areas of CWHR size and density classes 5D, 5M and 6. 

The size of the large trees, deep crowns, location near water, canopy cover, and 

along with rest structure(s) makes these sites particularly useful to fisher. Canopy is 

typically split between upper canopy and lower canopy layers. Treatments should 

be limited to the edges or removing limited layering of trees less than 12” DBH to 

keep the dense character of these sites. These sites would rate out as better than 7 

in fisher rest site guidelines or meet the concepts in Cedar Valley agreement.

b. Moderate Quality Fisher Rest Sites: Clumps of dense (~>240 ft2/acre) trees 

with large (>35”) snags, legacy trees or suitable large rest structures (snags, 

damaged or diseased trees > 20”, oaks over 25 inches). These rest sites are not 

rare across the KREW project. They are characterized by the density of trees over 

240ft/acre and the presence of one or more suitable rest structures. Rest structures 

are typically large older legacy trees with large branches or a tree with a 

deformation that provides rest platforms. Higher value rest sites are found near 

water. Growing space (leaf area, canopy) is split between an upper canopy layer 

and a lower canopy layer. Canopy foliage composed of upper and lower layers can 

be stacked or more often found adjacent.
i. Fisher Objective: Maintain > 240 ft2/acre or more in most clumps with 

structure. Leave clumps untreated near stream or meadow. Removals 

should be focused in suppressed and intermediate trees. These structures 

are particularly important near meadow and wet area micro-sties. Retain 

integrity of these areas by limiting removals to edges of clump- keep all 

snags that are not hazards.

ii. Restoration Objective: Promote heterogeneity, focus on retaining and 

promoting pine, removals around edges of the clump to protect from fire 

and promote pine growth

c. Lower Quality Dense Sites: High density clump (> 240 ft2/acre), trees > 24”: 

These clumps are composed of dense single layered trees generally greater than 24” 

DBH. While crowns are dense, canopy cover is found in mostly a single layer. This 

single layer of canopy is found high above the forest floor. While snags may be 

found in these clumps, the size of snags or decay class offers few resting platforms. 

While trees are over 24”, live trees offer few resting platforms.

iii. Restoration Objective: Retain integrity and density of 240 ft2/acre in these 

clumps except when clumps have scattered pine, use decision priority on 

“scattered pine.” Removals should be focused in all cohorts 10” to 30”. 

iv. Fisher Objective: Retain large tree structure and density.

d. Lowest Quality Dense Sites: High Density clump (> 240 ft2/acre), trees < 24”: 

While these clumps are dense they have few fisher rest platforms. The nature of the 

tree size and the crown cover found in a single canopy layer make these areas of low 

value regardless of location or proximity to water.

v. Restoration Objective: Promote heterogeneity across the stand by 

emphasizing a single canopy layer of the dominant cohort within a clump. 

Remove poor growing, suppressed, and intermediate trees. Removals will 

benefit pine growth and future growth of residual trees. Remove trees 

through all diameter classes and cohorts 10” to 30”. Restoration is 

associated with topographic zones and aspect.

vi. Fisher Objective: Develop future multi-storied stands following restoration 

objective.

17. Pine Clumps

Maintain and promote clumps in areas of pine where the 40percent or greater of the basal 

area is made up of pine (clumps are typically 0.25 to 0.5 acres)

Promote the growth and health of the pine by thinning through the clump using the 

following ranges: 

North Slope: 60-75percent (high-higher) of normal basal area (for what land can 

support) 
Canyon/fisher rest sites: 80percent (highest) of normal basal area (for what land 

can support) or 180 square feet basal area per acre

Southwest Slope: 55-60percent (low-moderate) of normal basal area (for what land 

can support) or 120 square feet basal area per acre

This thinning activity may result in some pine as well as other species being harvested.

18. Brush

Maintain historic conditions of area in young brush age classes (less than 15 years old). 

Project area will maintain 10percent of project area as openings covered with brush less 

than 15 years of age. fir dominant areas, regenerate pine in existing openings. This is not a 

uniform distribution and some areas may have 30percent or more cover of brush. 
19. Pine Regeneration and Planting

Promote the growth of young pine in small areas that have been previously planted or that 

currently support young pine. Plant additional pine in openings. Open and orient from 

southeast to southwest. For existing openings, remove trees to improve orientation and 

Existing 

Openings

0 to 0.25 acres > 0.25 acres

< 30%

With dead 

branches

>30% 

With dead 

branches

Do 

nothing

Consider 

burning or 

masticating to 

regenerate 

brush

Brush in unit <10% Brush in unit >10%

Do 

nothing

< 30%

With dead 

branches

>30%

With dead 

branches

Consider 

burning to 

regenerat

e

If slope 

position 

favorable to 

pine, remove 

brush and 

plant pine

If slope position 

not favorable, 

and fuels are a 

concern, 

consider 

masticating or 

burning to 

regenerate 

brush

No

Yes, consider pine 

regeneration

Fir Dominant
lighting to promote growth. Thin edge of regeneration sites to increase sunlight received. 

Thin within the existing planted pine clumps to give spacing to small trees. 

Outside Clumps

20. Pine-Exclusive Area

Promote the growth of pine where pine is dominant (>50percent of basal area is pine). 

These areas are more open than mixed conifer units.

21. Residual Stand Basal Area

Stand basal area targets are used to identify the residual stand density, see unit tables.

Important Land Allocations

22. California Spotted Owl 300-Acre PACs 

Treatments should be based upon ecological need although the current standards and 

guides allow treatment outside of 500’ nest buffer using forest-wide standards and guides 

for mechanical treatments in the Defense Zone. 

23. PACs in Defense Zone--near homes, campgrounds, other facilities the treatments should 

meet fuels objectives. 500’ nest tree has further restrictions. 

24. PACs in Threat Zone—treat surface and ladder fuels with the goal of achieving some fire 

resilience and meet habitat objectives.

25. California Spotted Owl Home Range Core Areas (HRCAs): 600 acres around nest area of 

the best available habitat on the Sierra National Forest. 

Desired Conditions: At least 2 canopy layers, 24” trees in dominant and co-dominant trees, a 

number of large, very old trees (>45”dbh), at ;east 50-70percent canopy cover, and higher 

than average snags and down wood.