Oregon Administrative Rules › Chapter 629 - DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY › Division 643 - WATER PROTECTION RULES: VEGETATION ALONG STREAMS › Section 629-643-0000 - Vegetation Retention Goals for Streams; Desired Future Conditions

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 7, July 1, 2024
(1) The purpose of
			 this rule is to describe the vegetation retention measures for streams, the
			 measures' purposes, and how the measures shall be implemented. The vegetation
			 retention requirements for streams, as described in OAR 629-643-0100  through
			 629-643-0500, are designed to produce desired future conditions for the wide
			 range of stand types, channel conditions, and disturbance regimes that exist in
			 Oregon's forestlands.
(2) Sections
			 (3) through (6) of this rule, including tables in OAR 629-643-0300, are
			 effective until replaced by the Board of Forestry as part of the
			 post-disturbance harvest rulemaking directed by section 6(2)(a), chapter 33,
			 Oregon Laws 2022 that is to occur no later than November 30, 2025.
(3) The desired future condition for
			 streamside areas that require forested buffers is to grow and retain vegetation
			 so that, over time, average conditions across the landscape become similar to
			 the conditions of mature streamside stands. Oregon has a tremendous diversity
			 of forest tree species and stand density along waters of the state. The age of
			 mature streamside stands varies by tree species. Mature stands generally occur
			 between 80 and 200 years of stand age. Hardwood stands and some conifer stands
			 may become mature at an earlier age. Mature forests provide ample shade over
			 the channel, an abundance of large wood in the channel, channel-influencing
			 root masses along the edge of the high-water level, and regular inputs of
			 nutrients through litter fall. Mature forests are generally composed of
			 multi-aged trees of appropriate and varied density, native tree species well
			 suited to the site, a mature understory, snags, and downed wood.
(4) For the forests specified in (3) above,
			 the rule standards for desired future conditions and located in Western Oregon
			 or the inner zone in Eastern Oregon can be developed by using normal conifer
			 yield tables for the average upland stand consistent with the geographic region
			 to estimate the conifer basal area for average unmanaged mature streamside
			 stands (at age 120). For alternative vegetative prescription basal area targets
			 for catastrophic events, see the tables in OAR 629-643-0300. For site specific
			 vegetation retention prescriptions basal area targets, see the table in OAR
			 629-643-0400. These rule standards provide guidance for operators to implement
			 site specific alternate plans, described in OAR 629-643-0300, and to develop
			 site specific vegetation prescriptions, described in OAR
			 629-643-0400.
(5) The desired
			 future condition for streamside areas that do not require tree retention areas,
			 as defined in OAR 629-643-0130, is to have sufficient streamside vegetation to
			 support the functions and processes important to downstream fish use waters and
			 domestic water use, and to provide habitat for amphibians and other wildlife
			 across the landscape. Such functions and processes include but are not limited
			 to:
(a) Maintaining downstream cool water
			 temperature and other water quality parameters;
(b) Influencing sediment
			 production;
(c) Stabilizing banks;
			 and
(d) Contributing nutrients and
			 organic matter.