Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 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.
(b) Clearcutting. The clearcutting
Regeneration Method involves the removal of a stand in one harvest.
Regeneration after harvesting shall be obtained by direct seeding, planting,
sprouting, or by natural seed fall. When practical, clearcuts shall be
irregularly shaped and variable in size in order to mimic natural patterns and
features found in landscapes. Site Preparation and Slash disposal measures, if
necessary for successful regeneration, shall be described in the
Plan.
(c) Seed Tree. The Seed Tree
Regeneration Method involves the removal of a stand in one harvest except for
well distributed Seed Trees of desired Species which are left singly or in
groups to restock the harvested area. The seed step is utilized to promote
natural reproduction from seed and to initiate the establishment of an evenaged
stand. The removal step may be utilized to remove the Seed Trees after a fully
stocked stand of reproduction has become established.
(1) Seed Tree Seed Step.
The Seed Tree seed step is the regeneration step and
shall meet the following requirements:
(A) Retention of at least the following basal
area of Seed Trees per acre which are 18 inches dbh or greater:
1. Fifteen square feet basal area on site I,
II and III lands and
2. Twelve
square feet basal area on site IV and V lands.
The Seed Trees must be of full crown, capable of seed
production and representative of the best phenotypes available in the
preharvest stand.
(B) No point within the logged area shall be
more than 150 feet from a Seed Tree.
(C) Seed Tree Species and Site Preparation
measures shall be specified in the Plan by the RPF.
(D) Seed Trees shall be marked by or under
the supervision of an RPF prior to felling operations.
(E) If natural regeneration is inadequate
within two years after the first August following completion of Timber
Operations, Seed Trees may be harvested and artificial regeneration shall be
used to meet the requirements of
14 CCR
§
912.7(b)(1).
(F) In the absence of a Sustained Yield Plan,
to maintain and improve tree Species diversity, genetic material and seed
production, trees of each native Commercial Species where present at the time
of harvest shall be retained after harvest. These leave trees shall be
representative of the best phenotypes available in the preharvest stand. The
RPF may propose and the Director may agree to a Species-specific Plan in the
THP which protects existing regeneration or provides for regeneration in-lieu
of retaining trees.
(2)
Seed Tree Removal Step.
Not more than 15 Predominant Trees per acre may be
removed in the Seed Tree removal step. Not more than 50 sq. ft. of basal area
of Predominant Trees per acre may be removed in the Seed Tree removal step. The
Seed Tree removal step may be utilized when the regeneration present exceeds
the minimum Stocking requirements set forth in
14 CCR
§
912.7(b)(1).
Regeneration shall not be harvested under the Seed Tree method unless the trees
are dead, dying or diseased or substantially damaged during Timber Operations.
The minimum Stocking Standards of
14 CCR
§
912.7(b)(1) shall be
met immediately upon completion of operations. The Seed Tree removal step shall
only be used once in the life of the stand unless otherwise agreed to by the
Director.
If the extent and intensity of the soil and vegetation
disturbance caused by the harvest is similar to what would have been caused by
a clearcut, the size limitations, separation (spacing) by logical logging unit
requirements, and Yarding equipment limitations of
14 CCR
§
913.1(a) are
applicable.
(d)
Shelterwood. The shelterwood Regeneration Method reproduces a stand via a
series of harvests (preparatory, seed, and removal). The preparatory step is
utilized to improve the crown development, seed production capacity and wind
firmness of designated Seed Trees. The seed step is utilized to promote natural
reproduction from seed. The removal step is utilized when a fully stocked stand
of reproduction has become established, and this step includes the removal of
the protective Overstory trees. The shelterwood Regeneration Method is normally
utilized when some shade Canopy is considered desirable for the establishment
of regeneration.
(1) Shelterwood Preparatory
Step. The shelterwood preparatory step shall meet the following minimum
standards:
(A) At least the following basal
area of Seed Trees per acre which are 18 inches dbh or greater shall be
retained.
1. Thirty square feet basal area on
site I, II and III lands and
2.
Twenty-four square feet basal area on site IV and V lands.
The Seed Trees must be of full crown, capable of seed
production and representative of the best phenotypes available in the
preharvest stand.
(B) No point within the logged area shall be
more than 100 feet from a Seed Tree.
(C) Seed Tree Species shall be specified in
the Plan by the RPF.
(D) At least
125 square feet of Basal Area Per Acre on Site I lands, and 75 square feet of
Basal Area Per Acre on Site II and III lands and 50 sq. ft. of Basal Area Per
Acre on site IV and V lands shall be retained.
(E) The minimum Stocking Standards of
14 CCR
§
912.7(b)(1) shall be
met immediately upon completion of operations. Within six months following
completion of work described in the Plan, a report of Stocking shall be filed
as stated in PRC §
4587.
(2) Shelterwood Seed Step. The shelterwood
seed step is the regeneration step and shall meet the following standards:
(A) At least the following basal area of Seed
Trees per acre which are 18 inches dbh or greater shall be retained
1. Thirty square feet basal area on site I,
II and III lands and
2. Twenty-four
square feet basal area on site IV and V lands.
The Seed Trees must be of full crown, capable of seed
production and representative of the best phenotypes available in the
preharvest stand.
(B) No point within the logged area shall be
more than 100 feet from a Seed Tree.
(C) Seed Tree Species and Site Preparation
measures shall be specified in the Plan by the RPF.
(D) Seed Trees shall be marked by or under
the supervision of an RPF prior to felling operations.
(E) If natural regeneration is inadequate
within two years after the first August following completion of Timber
Operations, Seed Trees may be harvested and artificial regeneration shall be
used to meet the requirements of
14 CCR
§
912.7(b)(1).
(F) In the absence of a Sustained Yield Plan,
to maintain and improve tree Species diversity, genetic material and seed
production, trees of each native Commercial Species where present at the time
of harvest shall be retained after harvest. These leave trees shall be
representative of the best phenotypes available in the preharvest stand.
The RPF may propose and the Director may agree to a
Species-specific Plan in the THP which protects existing regeneration or
provides for regeneration in-lieu of retaining
trees.
(3)
Shelterwood Removal Step. The shelterwood removal step may be utilized when the
regeneration present exceeds the minimum Stocking requirements set forth in
14 CCR
§
912.7(b)(1). Unless
otherwise agreed to by the Director, the Shelterwood removal shall only be used
once in the life of the stand. Regeneration shall not be harvested during the
shelterwood removal step unless the trees are dead, dying or diseased or
substantially damaged by Timber Operations. The minimum Stocking Standards of
14 CCR
§
912.7(b)(1) shall be
met immediately upon completion of operations.
The size limitations, and separation (spacing) by logical
logging unit requirements, of
14 CCR
§
913.1(a) are
applicable unless the post-harvest stand, regardless of average Diameter, meets
the Stocking Standards of
14 CCR
§
913.3(a)(1)(A) or
(B). Not more than 32 Predominant Trees per
acre may be removed in the shelterwood removal step. Not more than 100 square
feet of basal area of Predominant Trees per acre may be removed in the
shelterwood removal step.
1. New
NOTE filed 2-21-79 as procedural and organizational; effective upon filing
(Register 79, No. 9).
2. Repealer and new section filed 1-11-83;
effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 83, No. 3).
3. Change
without regulatory effect filed 5-24-89 (Register 89, No. 23).
4.
Editorial correction of subsection (b)(2) (Register 91, No. 28).
5.
Amendment of section heading and section filed 11-25-91 as an emergency;
operative 11-25-91 (Register 92, No. 25). A Certificate of Compliance must be
transmitted to OAL 3-24-92 or emergency language will be repealed by operation
of law on the following day.
6. Repealer of emergency amendments
filed 11-25-91 and reinstatement of prior text filed 9-22-92 by operation of
Government Code section
11346.1(f)
(Register 92, No. 40).
7. Amendment filed 1-7-94; operative 3-1-94
(Register 94, No. 1).
8. Amendment of subsections (a)(1)-(2)(A),
(a)(4)(A) and (d)(3) filed 5-16-94; operative 5-16-94 (Register 94, No.
20).
9. Amendment of subsection (a)(4)(A) filed 11-7-96; operative
1-1-97 (Register 96, No. 45).
10. Editorial correction of subsection
(a)(2)(B) (Register 96, No. 50).
11. Amendment of subsections
(a)(5), (c)(1)(D) and (d)(2)(D) filed 11-26-97; operative 1-1-98 pursuant to
Public Resources Code section
4554.5
(Register 97, No. 48).
12. Amendment filed 11-14-2002; operative
1-1-2003 pursuant to Public Resources Code section
4551.5
(Register 2002, No. 46).
13. Change without regulatory effect
amending section filed 9-7-2017 pursuant to section
100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 2017, No. 36).
Note: Authority cited: Sections
4551
and
4561,
Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections
4561
and
4582(h),
Public Resources Code.
