California Code of Regulations › Title 14 - Natural Resources › Division 1.5 - Department of Forestry and Fire Protection › Chapter 4 - Forest Practices › Subchapter 4 - Coast Forest District Rules › Article 3 - Silvicultural Methods › Section 913.1 - Regeneration Methods Used in Evenaged Management

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
The following types of Regeneration Methods are designed
						to replace a harvestable stand with well-spaced growing trees of Commercial
						Species. Evenaged management systems shall be applied with the limitations
						described by this rule:
(a) Timber
					 stands harvested under an evenaged Regeneration Method shall meet the following
					 standards:
(1) Where a regeneration step
					 harvest of evenaged management will occur on stands younger than 50 years of
					 age for Class I lands, 60 years of age for Class II and III lands, or 80 years
					 of age for Class IV and V lands, or equivalent age of trees, based on height as
					 determined according to the appropriate site class, the RPF preparing the THP
					 or SYP must demonstrate how the proposed harvest will achieve MSP pursuant to
					 14 CCR
					 §
													913.11(a) or (b);
					 provided, however, that the Director may grant an exemption from this section,
					 based upon hardship.
(2) The
					 regeneration harvest of evenaged management shall be limited to 20 acres for
					 Tractor Yarding. Aerial or Cable Yarding may be 30 acres. Tractor Yarding may
					 be increased to 30 acres where the EHR is low and the slopes are < 30%.
The RPF may propose increasing these acreage limits to a
						maximum of 40 acres, and the Director may agree where measures contained in the
						THP provide substantial evidence that the increased acreage limit does any one
						of the following:
(A) by using
					 additional on-site mitigation measures, reduce the overall detrimental effects
					 of erosion thereby providing better protection of soil, water, fish and/or
					 wildlife resources; or
(B) provide
					 for the inclusion of "long corners", or
(C) create a more natural logging unit by
					 taking maximum advantage of the topography; or
(D) will increase Long Term Sustained Yield;
					 or
(E) provide Feasible off-site
					 mitigation measures that can be incorporated in the Plan to restore or enhance
					 previously impacted resource areas or other environmental enhancements that
					 will result in demonstrable net environmental benefits within the Planning
					 Watershed. These measures may include, but are not limited to, Watercourse
					 restoration, soil stabilization, road surface stabilization, road Outsloping,
					 road Abandonment, road reconstruction, enhancement of wildlife habitats and
					 vegetation management.
To qualify for an exemption the Plan submitter is not
						required to demonstrate that other Feasible options are not
						available.
(3)
					 Evenaged regeneration units within an ownership shall be separated by a logical
					 logging unit that is at least as large as the area being harvested or 20 acres,
					 whichever is less, and shall be separated by at least 300 feet in all
					 directions.
(4) Within ownership
					 boundaries, no logical logging unit contiguous to an evenaged management unit
					 may be harvested using an evenaged Regeneration Method unless the following are
					 met:
(A) The prior evenaged regeneration unit
					 has an approved report of Stocking, and the Dominant and Codominant trees
					 average at least five years of age or average at least five feet tall and three
					 years of age from the time of establishment on the site, either by the planting
					 or by natural regeneration. If these standards are to be met with trees that
					 were present at the time of the harvest, there shall be an interval of not less
					 than five years following the completion of operations before adjacent evenaged
					 management may occur.
(5)
					 Except for the clearcut method, all trees to be harvested or all trees to be
					 retained shall be marked by, or under the supervision of, an RPF prior to
					 felling operations. A sample area shall be marked prior to a preharvest
					 inspection. The sample area shall include at least 10% of the Harvest Area up
					 to a maximum of 20 acres per stand type, and must be representative of the
					 range of conditions present in the area. The Marking requirement may be waived
					 by the Director if the trees to be harvested are easily distinguished from the
					 trees to be retained, when explained and justified by the RPF in the
					 Plan.
(6) Special consideration for
					 aesthetic enjoyment shall be given to selection of silvicultural treatments and
					 Timber Operations within 200 feet of the edge of the traveled surface of any
					 Permanent Road maintained by the County, or the State.
(7) Special consideration for aesthetic
					 enjoyment and protection of adjacent Stand Vigor shall be given to the
					 selection of Silvicultural Methods and Timber Operations within 200 feet of
					 adjacent non-federal lands not zoned TPZ.