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Conifer Restoration (Hardwood Tree Harvest) for Western Washington
December 15, 2020
Overview
The following is an experimental low impact alternate harvest prescription that is being offered only to
small forest landowners (link to definition). It is intended to encourage the restoration of conifer stands
in riparian areas where they once existed but have been replaced by alder or other short-lived hardwood
species. This prescription includes allowances specifically established to help offset the costs for small
forest landowners to conduct a successful restoration activity.
Many riparian areas that previously supported conifers are currently dominated by hardwoods and are
not on an expeditious path to achieve the desired future condition (specified conifer basal area) at stand
age 140 years, and are not providing the riparian functions at desired levels. Hardwood trees, such as red
alder, are short-lived species, whose wood decays more quickly than conifer. When a hardwood stand
dies and deteriorates, brush can dominate the area for an extended time until tree cover can naturally
become re-established. Applying this alternate harvest prescription to achieve conifer restoration can
therefore create riparian management zones (RMZ) providing the intended level of riparian functions
sooner than would occur otherwise. However, we know from previous experience that successful
conifer restoration is extremely challenging and requires some understanding of silvicultural processes
and especially a dedicated commitment from the landowner to ensure effective and vigilant monitoring
and maintenance practices are followed in order to establish the new conifer stand.
Using this alternate harvest prescription allows small forest landowners to prescriptively harvest
hardwoods while maintaining existing conifers and re-establishing a viable conifer stand within the
RMZ. Re-establishing a conifer dominated riparian stand by using this prescription is expected to
achieve the goal of WAC 222-30-010(2) “. . . to protect aquatic resources and related habitat to achieve
restoration of riparian function; and the maintenance of these resources once they are restored.”
Process
An appropriate experimental low impact alternate harvest prescription form, available from DNR, must
be included with your forest practices application (include link). The form documents the details of the
landowner’s site and plan for the alternate harvest. The form must be included with the forest practices
application (FPA).
While an Interdisciplinary (ID) Team of specialists may be called to review the proposed harvest (see
WAC 222-12-0401(5)), by following the provisions in this prescription the need for an ID Team will be
reduced as compared to standard Alternate Plan review and typically be necessary only if specific issues
related to site eligibility arise. However, ID Team review may also be necessary in certain situations.
Difference from Standard Riparian Management Zones Rules
This prescription differs from standard rules (WAC 222-30-21-(1)(i)(A) and (B)) by:
• Establishing prescriptions that do not change based on site class or stream size.
• Eliminating the requirement to own the forest 500 feet above and below harvest area.
• Eliminating the need to retain a 75-foot no cut buffer on opposite bank.
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• Eliminating the need to conduct shade analysis.
• Allowing conifer restoration closer to the stream and for greater lengths along the stream.
Eligibility Requirements
This prescription can be used for hardwood stands located within an RMZ adjacent to Type S or Type F
streams which have all of the following characteristics:
• Hardwood dominated stands containing 70% or more hardwood trees per acre.
• Proposed restoration area is capable of producing a conifer stand – this evidence can include
generally well distributed conifer stumps, historical photos, conifer in the understory or other
information that the site can support conifer. A proposed restoration area, where conifer stumps
are confined to only isolated hummocks and not found throughout the rest of the area, does not
meet this eligibility requirement.
• Hardwood stand has less than 100 conifer trees per acre greater than 4-inches in diameter at
breast height (DBH) or less than 57 conifer trees per acre that are greater than 8-inches DBH.
• Conifer restoration area does not have stream-adjacent parallel roads located within 75 feet from
the outer edge of BFW or CMZ (Include Illustration).
• Hardwood restoration area is not located on alluvial fans (include link to diagram) where streams
may easily change their path over short time periods.
• Regardless of general eligibility of a stand for harvest under this prescription, all perennially
saturated soils, headwall seeps, and springs (include link to diagram) within the conifer
restoration harvest areas are to be surrounded by minimum 50-foot no-harvest buffers.
Applicants will be required to provide documentation that the proposed harvest unit meets these
eligibility requirements (photos, plot data, stand survey, etc.). Technical assistance may be necessary to
provide this documentation, especially for first-time applicants.
Harvest Prescriptions:
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The objective of this alternate harvest prescription is to achieve a successfully restored riparian forest.
Successfully restored under this alternative harvest prescription means: having 150 trees per acre that
are well distributed and undamaged conifer averaging 15 feet or greater in height with their leaders and
first two whorls above competing brush and hardwood trees.
This prescription establishes a 110-foot-wide Riparian Management Zone (RMZ) which can be used to
apply this prescription on only one side of the stream at a time:
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Restoring conifer in a riparian area can be challenging. Landowners are advised to carefully consider the acreage of harvest
area created by their choice and the costs and effort (monitoring and maintenance) required to successfully restore these areas
to conifer stands.
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• The RMZ is measured from the outer edge of the stream’s bankfull width or channel migration
zone, whichever one is greater (include link to diagram).
• The upland area beyond the 110-foot-wide RMZ can be even- aged harvested (clear cut) of
conifer and hardwoods.
• Within the area inside the RMZ only hardwoods can be harvested and removed (exceptions
described below).
• Within the area inside the RMZ the operator must exercise extreme care during felling and
harvest to minimize damage to all residual (retained) conifer trees.
• Forested areas upstream, downstream, and across the stream from a restoration harvest area, need
to consist of stands of either: 1) hardwood or conifer having an average minimum height of 40 or
80 feet, respectively
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(these adjacent stand conditions for restoration harvest only apply when the
adjacent lands are regulated under forest practices jurisdiction), or 2) be a successfully restored
stand of conifer having 150 trees per acre that are well distributed and undamaged averaging 15
feet or greater in height with their leaders and first two whorls above competing brush and
hardwood trees
• A minimum 40-foot-wide no-harvest zone adjacent to the edge of the stream.
• A 70-foot-wide treatment zone wherein all hardwoods may be harvested and all conifers retained
and where:
o The maximum length of treatment area is 1,000 feet of stream reach, with these treatment
areas separated by uncut patches of at least 500 feet on each side of treatment (illustration).
o The adjacent uncut patches may themselves be harvested under this prescription (or non-
template or alternate plan rules) once the initially harvested patches have been successfully
restored (described above).
Illustration of Harvest Prescription:
Figure showing the maximum allowed 1000’ harvest. (Figure needs to be added)
Limited Conditions for Conifer Harvest
Up to 5% of the conifer trees may be cut where necessary for operational or safety reasons under this
prescription. However, these trees cannot be removed from the restoration area. Plan your skid roads to
avoid the largest conifer trees, which must be retained. Conifers to be cut must be marked in the field
and described on the Conifer Restoration Form for approval prior to felling.
Retention of some hardwoods for species diversity
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The retention or existence of uncut patches for this prescription is limited to the conditions which occur only on the owner’s
property. The prescription is not intended to be applied in consideration of the riparian stand conditions of neighboring
landowners. Thus a harvest unit for this prescription can occur immediately adjacent to an adjacent landowner’s property
regardless of the condition of that landowner’s riparian zone.
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In order to maintain some species diversity, retain some dominant bigleaf maple and other desirable
hardwood (Oregon ash, Oregon white oak, cottonwood, etc.) trees, when possible, but only where
retention of such hardwood trees do not preclude successful conifer restoration.
Silviculture and Reforestation
• The landowner is responsible to ensure the conifer restoration area has been successfully restored
with conifer trees. This reforestation and the conifer restoration is complete when the conversion
areas have at least 150 generally well distributed free to grow conifer trees per acre (including
both residual and new trees) that are averaging 15 feet or greater in height with their leaders and
first two whorls above competing brush and hardwood trees.
• Restoring conifers within riparian areas has proven to be very difficult and labor intensive.
Active management is necessary to re-establish conifers in most hardwood-dominated
riparian areas. Planting and tending conifers in riparian zones in western Washington
present unique challenges, which if not carefully executed, often results in failure: a stand
not of conifers but of hardwoods and/or brush. Continuous seasonal or yearly seedling
maintenance is mandatory for success.
Detailed Silviculture and Reforestation Plan
A reforestation plan is required as part of this alternate harvest prescription and must describe:
• Site preparation methods
• Trees per acre to be planted (footnote/link BM 6, Part 2, Table 6.1)
• The size, type, and species of planting stock. (Appendix D)
• When the trees will be planted.
• How each species will be generally be distributed throughout the conversion area.
• The method for protecting seedlings from animal browsing, as necessary.
• The method and schedule for brush control.
Consultation with a forestry professional in developing a silviculture and reforestation plan can greatly
improve the success of your project. To improve the chances of reforestation success, landowners are
strongly encouraged to consider and implement treatments appropriate to their specific site conditions
for each of the following silvicultural activities:
• Site Preparation: Develop a site preparation plan, prior reforesting the hardwood conversion
site, considering the following:
o Most seedling mortality occurs in the first year after planting, so adequate control of
vegetation prior to planting may be critical to reforestation success.
o Reduction in shrub competition after mechanical site preparation lasts only one or two years
– shrubs grow quickly with increased light resulting from clear-cuts.
o Site prep can reduce salmonberry cover for about 5 years relative to no site prep.
o Site prep can increase initial conifer height growth and survival rates.
o Eliminate red alder and vine maple trees that will compete with the residual conifer or
conifer seedlings prior to planting in the restoration area.
o Pesticides being applied by hand must only be applied to specific targets, such as vegetation,
trees, stumps and burrows, or as bait or in traps; no pesticides may be applied by hand
within a core zone, unless necessary to meet requirements for noxious weed control.
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• Seedling Species Selection: Reforest with conifers appropriate to the site; consider planting
shade tolerant conifer species.
• Seedling Stock Type: Plant the most appropriate seedlings stock type for the site (See Appendix
A). Unless significant site preparation is needed, this should generally occur in the first planting
season following harvest. Consider:
o Bigger seedlings/plugs are more likely to survive in brushy sites, and will likely reach free-
to-grow status sooner than smaller seedlings/plugs.
o Shade tolerance and browse susceptibility vary greatly among major PNW conifer species.
Much of this difference likely relates to specific site conditions, and is not easily predicted.
o Intense shrub competition may not kill planted conifer seedlings but will slow growth rates
and attainment of free-to-grow status.
o Clumping planting patterns may reduce costs and improve survival rates.
• Animal Damage Protection: Protect seedlings from animal damage using browse exclusion
devices and/or other strategies. Consider that:
o Mountain beavers can be the primary animal pest affecting conifers in riparian areas of
western Washington.
o Removing (trapping) mountain beavers can be an effective strategy to reduce damage and
mortality of conifer, but trapping typically needs to be repeated over several years.
o Trapping should occur within a minimum 100’ perimeter around the planted area and across
the stream of a riparian harvest unit
o Practices that reduce hiding cover (i.e. slash) for mountain beavers can lower mountain
beaver populations and potentially lessen browsing of young seedlings.
o Individual tree barriers can be effective for protecting seedlings from mountain beaver. Yet
barriers can also girdle trees, are expensive to install and maintain, and can deform growth of
young trees.
o Deer, elk and small rodents are other sources of animal damage and individual tree barriers
can also be effective for protecting seedlings from these species.
• Conifer Release: Continue controlling competing vegetation (shrubs, grasses and volunteer
hardwoods) at a minimum until trees are free to grow (Appendix B). Free to grow in this context
means that the top of the tree is at least 15 feet tall and two whorls above the brush. Consider
that:
o Shrub, grass and volunteer hardwoods generally increase rapidly following harvest.
o Release prescriptions will improve growth rates and survival in the short term.
o Manual cutting can be effective, and some studies indicate it can be more effective than
chemical treatments, which may inadvertently damage crop trees.
o Manual release treatments include cutting to a stump height of not more than 6 inches all
salmonberry and other woody vegetation within a 3-ft radius of a conifer. Salmonberry
sprouting is lowest when cut in June or July, and is greatly reduced (along with cover and
height) when the plant is cut over several growing seasons, particularly when cut over
successive growing seasons. With each manual (or chemical backpack spray) cumulative
application costs increase as does risk of harming planted seedlings.
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o Conifers in riparian areas may need multiple release-treatments.
o Cut red alder late in the growing season. DeBell and Turpin (1989) recommends the optimal
cutting time starts 8 to 10 weeks after red alder breaks bud and continues for approximately 8
weeks.
o Delay cutting until the red alder are at least 5 years old. DeBell and Turpin (1989) reported
sprouting was most vigorous when 4 year- old red alder were cut. They recommend waiting
until the red alder are at least 5 years old before cutting.
o Cut hardwood stumps to 4 inches or less.
See Appendix D for additional resources from Webster Forest Nursery, Washington State University
Extension and Oregon State University Extension.
Reforestation Surveys
Reforestation surveys are required by the landowner following the 2
nd
, 5
th
, and 10
th
growing seasons
after planting. However, to ensure prescription success and to protect the investment, landowners are
strongly encouraged to evaluate planting success after the first growing season and to maintain the
planted trees (see section above) on an annual basis.
Growing seasons typically end by October 1
st
of a given year. Late fall or winter reforestation surveys
are preferred (compared to growing season surveys) in order to allow the surveyor to more easily find
and observe the conifer seedlings, as well as identify actions needed to ensure restoration success.
Landowners are required to submit their 2
nd
, 5
th
, and 10
th
year reforestation surveys to the DNR office
that approved the harvest. Once the conifer restoration standard (see Glossary) is met, a final report,
with supporting reforestation survey information, is required to be submitted to the DNR. If the conifer
restoration standard is met between the 5
th
and 10
th
year after planting, a final report and survey (to
document that fact) may be submitted to DNR before the 10
th
year, and a 10
th
year reforestation survey
is not required.
A preferred methodology for establishing reforestation survey plots is described in Appendix C.
The surveys will include the following information:
o The number of living conifer trees per acre
o Number of living conifer trees per acre that have at least two whorls above the brush.
o Number (or an estimate if too numerous to count) of hardwood trees per acre in the harvest
area.
o What vegetation control measures are needed and when they will be performed.
o Additional surveys will be required after the 5
th
growing season (up until the 10
th
year) if the
stand does not at least contain 150 conifer trees per acre that are “free to grow” (have at least
two whorls above the brush). In such cases, additional planting and maintenance will be
necessary to meet this conifer restoration standard and the landowner is required to document
the specific reforestation measures employed.
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Landowners who are not able to perform the survival and growth surveys will need to enlist the help of a
professional forester. You can find a list of forestry consultants on the Washington State University
Extension website. See Appendix D for additional information sources.
Monitoring
This is an experimental harvest prescription. By choosing this prescription, the landowner is providing
DNR, in concert with other review and monitoring team members, permission to access the
experimental harvest site to review the proposed harvest and to conduct specific effectiveness / response
monitoring activities, such as measurement of pre- and post-harvest stand conditions and evaluation of
the success of the experimental harvest prescription.
This access permission is only associated with site visits by DNR and other review and monitoring team
participants (and not enforcement or compliance monitoring).
This access and right-of-entry must remain in place throughout the monitoring period, even in the case
of a change in ownership of the property on which the experimental harvest occurs.
DNR will provide advanced notice to the landowner at least one week prior to monitoring visits.
The landowner will be required to notify DNR of any change in ownership of the property involving the
experimental harvest site and of any significant weather events (windthrow, fire, snow-break events,
etc.).
See Appendix E, the current Experimental Alternate Harvest Prescriptions Monitoring Scoping
document.
DNR Review of this Experimental Prescription
This experimental prescription will be reviewed in 5-year cycles by DNR, and as sufficient data is
collected the prescription will either be adjusted as needed to ensure it meets the intended level of
riparian functions, or validated and converted to either a rule or an alternate plan template.
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Appendix A Seedling Stock Types (Summary)
Courtesy of the Webster Forest Nursery, Olympia
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Appendix B Brush Control
From the Pacific Northwest Weed Management Handbook
Oregon State University March, 2000
Competition from brush is only part of the brush problem in areas due for reforestation. Brush is fine
habitat for animals that feed on tree seedlings. Moreover, in heavy stands of brush, dead or alive,
substantial shade will weaken trees and considerable debris can fall and crush small seedlings. An
ordinary effort to establish trees in established shrub or sprout stands will surely result in failure. It is
always best to provide for reforestation before brush becomes well established, and to avoid suppressing
conifers by controlling fast-growing species such as alder and maple.
Tree seedlings used for reforestation in brush need to be substantially larger than those used for
Christmas trees and planting old fields. Larger seedlings almost always are a good buy because they are
more competitive and can tolerate more animal damage than smaller seedlings. Proper stock is an
important element in managing competition. Even so, seedlings also may need treatment with repellent
or be a species unpalatable to animals. Douglas-fir and western redcedar are attractive to animals and do
best with little shade. Douglas-fir seedlings should be at least 24 inches tall for such areas; 30 inches is
preferable if you can get them. Live cover uses water as well as shading seedlings, hence generally is
undesirable on planted seedlings regardless of species or size unless there is a severe frost problem. All
conifer seedlings grow best if free of weed competition for at least 2 yr. After that, vigorous seedlings
will dominate most competitors.
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Appendix C Preferred Reforestation Survey Plot Layout and Survey Procedures
Modified from Board Manual Section 6 – Guidelines for Determining Acceptable Stocking
Levels
1. Determine the planted acreage of each conifer restoration treatment zone. For example, the
acreage of the treatment zone would be calculated by multiplying the width of the treatment zone
(up to 70 feet) by the length of the treatment zone (up to 1000 feet) divided by 43560 square feet
per acre. Using these figures, (70’ x 1000’) divided by 43560 sq.ft. / acre produces 1.61 acres of
treatment acreage.
Your treatment zones may defer in width and length from these examples, but the calculation is
simple if you follow the formula given above.
2. Sample each conifer restoration treatment zone at two plots per acre. the calculated 1.6 acres of
treatment zone would require three (3) plots; for the
3. Establish plots as follows:
a. Locate one of the two end points of the common line between your 40’ No-Cut and your
Conifer Restoration treatment zones. Using a compass, determine the rough compass
bearing from this end point along the common line between these two zones back toward
the other endpoint. Note or remember this compass bearing.
b. Move half way up the side edge of your Conifer Restoration treatment zone from one of
these two end points; in our example, move 35 feet up the side edge of your treatment
zone. Hang a flag here; use a different color of flagging than you used previously to
delineate the No-Cut and the Conifer Restoration treatment zones. This flag is the
starting point for layout of reforestation survey plots along a centerline within your
treatment zone.
c. Establish this centerline by following the compass bearing you determined in Step 3a
above, to the opposite side edge of your Conifer Restoration treatment zone. Hang
flagging intervisibly (in sight of each other) along this compass line, as the centerline for
layout of your reforestation survey plots. Hang your last flag where your compass line
meets this opposite edge of your Conifer Restoration treatment zone.
d. Once you have completed flagging this centerline, turn around. This last flag that you
hung in Step 3c is the actual starting point for laying out your reforestation survey plots.
4. Reforestation survey plot centers should be roughly evenly spaced along the centerline you
established in Step 3. Follow the following procedure to establish the spacing of plot centers:
a. Determine the length of your treatment zone. Using the examples from Step 1 above, the
treatment zone is 1000 feet.
b. From the Step 2 examples above, the 1000-foot long treatment zone requires three (3).
c. Divide 1000 feet by 4 (the number of required plots (3) plus one); the resulting distance is
250 feet. For this 1000-foot long treatment zone example, establish the plot center of
your first reforestation survey plot (on the centerline you flagged in Step 3c) 250 feet
from the starting point you established in Step 3d. The second plot center should be
established 250 feet further along the centerline from the first plot center, the third plot
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center established another 250 feet further along the centerline form the second plot
center, and so on. The fifth plot center established should end up being roughly 250 feet
from the edge of the other side of the treatment zone on the centerline you established in
Step 3c.
5. The preferred plot size is 1/150 acre. Use a plot radius of 9.6’. A pole or rod five (5) feet in total
length and marked with a length of 4.6 feet should be a useful tool to establish the outer extent of
these 9.6-foot radius plots.
6. Count up to two established conifer seedlings, or count one advanced reproduction, sapling or
merchantable conifer tree per plot. Record and total separately for one seedling / plot or one tree
/ plot, for two seedlings / plot and for plots not stocked. Do not count seedlings or trees less than
half the height of the dominant seedling or tree in the plot. Also note whether conifer or
hardwood, or indicate actual species.
7. Seedlings, advanced reproductions, saplings and merchantable trees must be vigorous, without
damage to roots and stem that would cause mortality or reduce merchantability, free from
competing vegetation, and must have survived at least one growing season on the site.
8. Acceptable stocking with seedlings means at least 55% of all the plots have two or more
established seedlings / plot while 20% of all the stocked plots have at least one established
seedlings / plot.
9. Acceptable stocking with advanced reproductions, saplings, or merchantable trees means 75% or
more of all the plots are stocked with one or more trees / plot.
10. Calculation of seedlings/plot data.
Calculate the average number of well-distributed seedlings or trees per acre using Steps 6 and 7
and the arithmetic steps described below.
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190 well-distributed seedlings per acre are required. Multiply 150 by the number of plots with
only 1 seedling. Next, multiply 300 by the number of plots with 2 or more seedlings. Add the
answers and divide by the total number of plots taken. If the answer is less than 190, the area
may be under stocked.
The average number of established, well-distributed seedlings/acre is calculated by using the
following formula:
11. Calculations of plot data for larger trees.
Calculate the average number of established, well-distributed trees/acre using this formula:
100 well distributed merchantable trees, saplings or advanced reproductions per acre are
required. Multiply 133 by the number of plots with 1 or more trees. Divide the answer by the
total number of plots taken. If the answer is less than 100, the area may be under stocked.
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The department may approve lower stocking levels that reasonably utilize the timber growing
capacity of the site.
Note: Plot size and sampling procedures allow for some variation in distribution and stocking.
Further adjustments are not needed.
Appendix D Sources for Additional Information
You can find additional information from these websites:
The Webster Forest Nursery – planting stock and tree planting
https://www.dnr.wa.gov/programs-and-services/forest-resources/webster-forest-nursery/plant-
right-tree-seedlings
OSU Extension – Successful reforestation, forest health and management
https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/ec1498.pdf
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/forests/health-managment
https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/ec1388
WSU Cooperative Extension site - pest control, consulting foresters list
http://ext.wsu.edu/forestry/
DNR Small Forest Landowner Office
https://www.dnr.wa.gov/sflo
Appendix E Experimental Alternate Harvest Prescription Monitoring Scoping
In development
