'\LX. COM -l&cbi. Cutblock Assessment Tool Level 1 status assessment (Approximation #1) May 2008 /dlberla Sustainable Resource Development Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/cutblockassessme00albe_0 Citation for this Document: Forest Range Health Assessment Working Group. Cutblock Assessment Tool. Rangeland Management Branch, Lands Division, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Edmonton, Alberta. Pub. No. T/182 To obtain additional copies of this publication: Kevin France, Provincial Rangeland Ecologist Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Lands Division Rangeland Management Branch 4th Floor, 9920-108 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5K 2M4 Phone 780-427-3595 (On the Rite Line, dial: 310-0000) or Fax 780-422-0454 On the Web: http://srd.alberta.ca/Iands/managingpublicland/grazingtimberintegration.aspx A f irst approximation user guide to assessing the status of successful forest regenerationand forage outcomes in coniferous and deciduous cutblocks grazed by livestock. Prepared by: Forest Range Health Assessment Working Group: Timber Industry Bruce Macmillian, Heath Schneider, Tjerk Huisman Livestock Industry Cody Bateman, Darwayne Claypool, Larry Gaultier Sustainable Resource Development Donna Lawrence, Gerry Ehlert, Ken Greenway, Kevin France, Michael Alexander, Michael Willoughby Pub No. T/182 ISBN Number: 978-0-7785-7040-0 (Printed edition) ISBN Number: 978-0-7785-7041-7 (on-line edition) Alberta Sustainable Resource Development Rangeland Management Branch, Lands Division May 16, 2008 2 . Table of Contents Page Introduction 5 How to Use the Assessment Tool 5 What is it? 5 Where Does it A pply? 5 Using the Tool 5 Cutblock Factors to Be Assessed 6 Rating System and Recommended Action 6 Cutblock Stratification 7 Cutblock Assessment Questions 9 Question 1 - F orage Utilization 9 Question 2 - P hysical Site Disturbance 10 2a. Trailing 10 2b. Mineral Soil Exposure from Silviculture Practices 11 Question 3 - R egenerating Trees 1 1 3a. Distribution and Density of Regenerating Trees 1 1 3b. Tree Height 13 3c. Growth Form and Vigour of Trees 13 Question 4-Accessibility of Forage for Livestock 15 Question 5-Presence of Restricted and Noxious Weeds 16 Appendix 1: Level 1 Cutblock Assessment Scoring Sheet 18 Cutblock Assessment - S coring Sheet 21 3 List of Tables Page Table 1: Crop Tree Distribution in Cutblocks 12 Table 2: Restricted Weeds in Alberta 17 List of Figures Figure 1: Examples of Soil Erosion, Compaction, Hoof Shearing and Trailing 10 Figure 2: Lodgepole Pine Showing Vertical Scarring and Stem Displacement 14 Figure 3: General Height Trajectory Curves for Aspen (Aw), Lodgepole Pine (PI), White Spruce (Sw) and Douglas Fir (Fd) 15 Figure 4: Stem density of aspen 60-70 /10m2 and Slash which Restricts Livestock Movement 16 Figure 5: Density Distribution Guide Rating for Weed Infestation 17 4 Introduction In June 2006 Alberta Sustainable Resource Development (ASRD) implemented a new grazing timber integration policy and manual1. The purpose of the policy is to reduce conflicts by improving communication and integration between grazing and timber disposition holders on a common land base. The policy requires overlapping disposition holders to develop operational planning agreements called Grazing Timber Agreements (GTAs). A G TA is required where a new activity by either the grazing or timber disposition holder is p roposed; or when a p roposed activity by one disposition holder could affect the interests of the other disposition holder. Examples of proposed activity include: grazing in a regenerating cutblock, timber harvesting within a g razing disposition boundary, or grazing disposition fenceline development involving timber removal. A G TA is not required on overlapping dispositions where grazing in regenerating cutblocks was occurring prior to the effective date of this manual, and neither operator has concerns. Detailed information on GTA can be found in the Grazing Timber Integration Manual (June 2006). The GTA requires both disposition holders to complete operational monitoring (forest range assessments). Monitoring expectations, such as frequency and responsibilities, should be discussed and clear protocols specified during GTA development. Monitoring includes both individual and joint field inspections to ensure that operations on regenerating cutblocks are occurring as agreed. During monitoring the focus is on forage utilization, site disturbance, tree regeneration, forage accessibility, and the presence of noxious and restricted weeds. Where a p roblem has been identified, joint monitoring should continue until problem areas have been resolved. How to use the Cutblock Assessment Tool? What is it? The Cutblock Assessment Tool was developed to help guide the successful integration of grazing and timber management practices on overlapping dispositions. It is a status assessment tool not a diagnostic tool. The monitoring process is p art of a p hased risk management approach for determining the status of forage and forest regeneration within cutblocks. The cutblock assessment tool contains information to increase awareness, provide education, and identify integration problems common to the beef and forest industries, and SRD staff. The integration focus makes it d istinct from regeneration standards and range health assessment procedures. Where Does it Apply? Use of this assessment tool is recommended for GTA monitoring in regenerating conifer, mixedwood and deciduous cutblocks. The tool’s rating system can alert resource managers to potential integration problems. It may also be used to record assessment scores for future reference in areas where no GTAs are currently required. Cutblocks harvested for ‘range improvement' purposes are to be measured with the tame pasture assessment tool. (Adams, et.al 2005) Using the Tool Resource managers need to be aware of the factors that can be monitored and the physical evidence that can be recorded both increase as the time since harvest increases. However, the management 1 h ttp://srd.alberta.ca/lands/managingpublicland/pdf/AGTIA Manual Final June 061.pdf 5