Current through Register Vol. 18, September 20, 2024
(1) The
department shall manage old growth to meet biodiversity and fiduciary
objectives. The department shall consider the role of all stand age classes in
the maintenance of biodiversity when designing harvests and other activities.
Stand age distributions, including old growth, shall be evaluated and managed
as described in ARM
36.11.407 through
36.11.416 based on the patterns
historically present on the landscape as a result of natural disturbances.
Amounts and distributions of all age classes will shift and change over time.
No stands would be permanently deferred from management, although some stands
may not be entered for relatively long time periods.
(a) The department shall identify old growth
that occurs in a project area. Old growth stands shall be managed to achieve
biodiversity objectives, including possible harvest. The department shall
consider site-specific concerns and other legal criteria regarding the harvest
of old growth. Interdisciplinary teams shall work to meet overall objectives to
generate revenue for the trust, while also meeting biodiversity goals across
the landscape, which shall entail project-level harvesting decisions.
(b) Designation of old growth set-asides, or
networks, may be made as long as the trust secures full market value.
(c) When managing old growth the department
shall apply restoration, maintenance, or removal treatments consistent with the
range of natural disturbances.
(i) When
utilizing old growth restoration treatments, the department shall retain
sufficient large live trees to meet the old growth definition as defined in ARM
36.11.403. Such treatments shall
be applicable on sites that historically had non-lethal frequent fire regimes.
The department shall target shade tolerant species for removal and overall
stand density shall be reduced. The department shall treat stands with periodic
re-entry, and prescribed under-burning when practicable, to maintain relatively
low densities, open understories and dominance by shade-intolerant species. The
department shall determine specific prescriptions at the project
level.
(ii) When utilizing old
growth maintenance treatments, the department shall retain sufficient large
live trees to meet the old growth definition as defined in ARM 36.11.403. The
department shall apply such treatments on sites that historically had mixed
severity fire regimes, either relatively frequent or infrequent. In some cases,
the department may apply these treatments to stand replacement regimes when
determined reasonable at the project level. The department shall target shade
tolerant species for removal and reduce stand density. For residual stands, the
department shall incorporate canopy gaps of sufficient size to encourage
regeneration of shade-intolerant tree species. The department shall treat
stands with periodic re-entry at less frequent intervals than for restoration.
Densities and representation of shade-tolerant species will be higher than in
restoration treatments. Fire shall be less frequently applied than in
restoration treatments. The department shall determine specific prescriptions
at the project level.
(iii) The
department shall consider old growth removal treatments on sites that
historically had stand replacement fire regimes. The department shall make
selection of this treatment at the project level after considerations for
biodiversity and forest health. Post treatment stands shall no longer qualify
as old growth. The department shall determine specific prescriptions at the
project level.
(d) The
department shall maintain the option to apply or to not apply old growth
removal treatments, regardless of disturbance regime, when determined
reasonable at the project level.
77-1-202,
77-1-209,
77-5-201,
77-5-204, MCA; IMP,
77-5-116,
77-5-204,
77-5-206,
77-5-207,
MCA;
