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DRAFT Desired Future Conditions for Jonvik/CRSP Project Area North

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DRAFT Desired Future Conditions for Jonvik/CRSP Project Area North DRAFT Desired Future Conditions for Jonvik/CRSP Project Area North Shore Till Plain Land Type Association developed for North Shore Forest Collaborative by Dave Ingebrigtsen 25 September 2012; revised 17 December 2012 Biodiversity Area –High (north of the powerline) Old white cedar –scattered trees and clumps Declining paper birch trees A few white pines (protected with fencing) Current Open canopy Condition Ground vegetation: bush honeysuckle LTA level/class level DFC Goals Table 1, LTA level/class level DFC goals Vegetation There is an ecologically distributed proportion of high-quality, representative native plant communities, and native plant Structure and community associations. Composition High quality, representative native plant communities and rare native plant communities are sustained or enhanced. Lands are managed or restored according to the forest system (e.g. MH, FD) defined in the Native Plant Community classification System. Growth Stages Increase the 81+ multi-aged conifer growth stage (MFRC NE Landscape Committee 2003). Tree Species Increase the white pine, white spruce and tamarack component (MFRC NE Landscape Committee 2003). Diversity Increase yellow birch and white cedar where appropriate. Native/Nonnative Maintain natives. Species Prevent introduction of nonnative invasive species. Eliminate or control nonnative invasive species populations. Restore the forests that have been encroached upon by grass. (primarily Calamagrostis Canadensis, Canada bluejoint). Rare communities Native plant communities with an S-Rank of S1(“Critically Imperiled”) or S2 (“Imperiled”) rare in the North Shore Subsection are protected or restored (see Appendix Tables 1-2). Native plant communities with an S-Rank of S3 to S5 that are rare or unique in the North Shore Subsection are sustained or enhanced (see Appendix Table 3) Woody debris and Maintain or create coarse wood debris and snags. snags Forest Forest is continuous and connectivity is maintained between Lake Superior and inland reaches of LTA. Fragmentation Large patches of contiguous forest dominate the landscape. and Landscape- Plant communities are minimally fragmented by ownership boundaries, development and unnatural disturbances. scale Connections Desired future conditions for Fire dependent Rationale for Restoration in Jonvik/CRSP Project Area system: Northern Mesic Mixed Forest class, FDn43 Difference between DFCs and Existing Restoration needs (define DFCs historic conditions measurable objectives) conditions Vegetation Canopy cover of forests in FDn43 na Canopy open to Closed canopy in 50 years (small Structure and classes older than 80 years are semi open in areas of semi-open canopy will Composition dominated by conifer. many areas. remain). Canopy will be of long- Patch mosaic in this class reflects the Some areas of lived conifers with 10-20% natural disturbance regime as described na birch/aspen. aspen/birch. Tree regeneration will by bearing tree data. Powerline and result from wind disturbances and Stand structure is varied as appropriate roads dominate. canopy replacement of dying trees. to its age. Structure is poor. Structure will be enhanced with addition of new tree plantings. Growth Stages 60% of forest in FDn43 classes is older Likely that at In project area, Stand will retain old cedars and the than 80 years (graph on page G53 more than that younger forest establishment of long-lived conifers USDA Forest Service 2004; Minnesota amount was dominates, but will achieve this goal in 100 years. Department of Natural Resources older than 80 surrounding 2003b).) years because of FDn43c is much longer fire older. intervals near shore. Tree Species Increased presence of white pine, All these listed These conifers Planting and protection of conifers is Diversity balsam fir, white cedar & white spruce. conifers were are old, necessary because of lack of good Aspen is 10% or less of the forest cover important in the declining & not seedbed and deer browsing impacts. in this class. Jonvik. regenerating. Aspen will be crowded out by Paper birch maintained in this class as a Aspen/birch Some areas have restoration methods. component but typically not in pure probably had declining birch. Paper birch will persist and establish stands (<1% of bearing trees in Lb01 more of a itself in wind- and tree mortality- were <40 years old indicating a lack of presence in this caused openings. early successional stands). immediate area. Tree Species Native plant community composition na Disturbance NPC will gradually regain aspects of Diversity (cont.) reflects high quality examples of the from logging high quality as tree species diversity type. and deer has increases and stand structure altered the becomes more varied. NPCs. Rare communities Existing FDn43a, FDn43c & FDn32e na Small portion of Any portions that are FDn43c will be (rare) communities have been conserved FDn43c mapped conserved and portions of the project and restored where possible. Native in project area. area that is primarily FDn43b1 will plant community composition reflects exhibit features that are similar to high quality examples of the types (e.g. FDn43c including: increase in white FDn43a: Magney State Park; cedar, white pine, white spruce & Encampment Forest; FDn43c: Cascade yellow birch. State Park, Spring Beauty SNA; FDn32e: Split Rock State Park, Horseshoe Bay proposed SNA). Climate Change Bur oak has been maintained where now Bur oak was na Might be appropriate now on shallow Considerations found in 2012 and also occupies likely not soil to bedrock sites. appropriate new sites. present. Site Prescription: How to Accomplish Survey area to map site variation with an eye to determine what methods described below might be more conducive. For example, some areas have existing white spruce regeneration. Site preparation by light mechanical scarification or hand work. Must minimize disturbance and/or accomplish site preparation with snow cover present to slow spread of invasives. Avoid or buffer areas where invasives are present. Site preparation may not be necessary on all sites. White cedar, white pine, white spruce, tamarack and yellow birch will be planted under existing overstory. Planting will be denser (<400 trees/acre) in the areas with more open canopy. Protection of most species is necessary to prevent deer browsing on planted trees. Individual wire fences will be the primary method of protection, but small exclosures can be utilized also. Follow up maintenance of fence exclosures is important. Appendix. Minnesota’s Native Plant Communities (NPCs) have been evaluated and assigned an S-Rank based on the Heritage Conservation Status Rank (S-Rank) system developed by NatureServe1. The resulting S-Rank is a value (S1 to S5) assigned to a NPC type (or subtype) that best characterize the relative rarity or endangerment of the NPC statewide (Table 1). Table 1. Statewide Heritage Conservation Ranks (S-Ranks) for Native Plant Community types. NPC Type Definition S-Rank S1 Critically imperiled. S2 Imperiled. S3 Rare or uncommon. S4 Widespread, abundant, and apparently secure, but with cause for long-term concern. S5 Demonstrably widespread, abundant and secure. A complete list of the Statewide S-Ranks for NPC types in Minnesota is available from the Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program.2 Table 2. Native Plant Community (NPC) types and subtypes with an S-Rank of S1 or S2 known to occur in the North Shore Highlands Subsection. Based on Statewide S-Ranks (April '04). Type Subtype Subtype State Code Code Type Name Name Rank CTn11c Dry Thomson Cliff (Northern) 1 CTn11e Dry Sandstone Cliff (Northern) 1 CTn32c Mesic Thomson Cliff (Northern) 1 CTn32e Mesic Sandstone Cliff (Northern) 1 CTn42b Wet Rove Cliff (Northern) 1 CTn42c Wet Felsic Cliff (Northern) 1 CTn42d Wet Sandstone Cliff (Northern) 1 CTu22c Sheltered Mafic Cliff (Lake Superior) 1 1 NatureServe - In cooperation with the Network of Natural Heritage Programs and Conservation Data Centers 2002. Element Occurrence Data Standard. Arlington, VA. 2 MN DNR 2008. Statewide Heritage Conservation Status Ranks (S-Ranks) for Native Plant Community Types (elements) in Minnesota. Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program and Minnesota County Biological Survey. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. St. Paul, MN 55155. FDn32b Red Pine - White Pine Woodland (Minnesota Point) 1 FDn32e Spruce - Fir Woodland (North Shore) 1 LKi32a Sand Beach (Inland Lake) 1 LKi54b LKi54b1 Mud Flat (Inland Lake) Saline Subtype 1 LKu32a Beachgrass Dune (Lake Superior) 1 LKu32b Juniper Dune Shrubland (Lake Superior) 1 LKu32c Sand Beach (Lake Superior) 1 MRu94a Estuary Marsh (Lake Superior) 1 ROn23b Bedrock Shrubland (Lake Superior) 1 CTn11b Dry Rove Cliff (Northern) 2 CTn12b Mesic Open Talus (Northern) 2 CTn32d Mesic Felsic Cliff (Northern) 2 CTn42a Wet Mafic Cliff (Northern) 2 CTu22b Exposed Felsic Cliff (Lake Superior) 2 CTn32d Mesic Felsic Cliff (Northern) 2 FDn12a Jack Pine Woodland (Sand) 2 FDn12b Red Pine Woodland (Sand) 2 FDn22d Red Pine - White Pine Woodland (Eastcentral Bedrock) 2 Jack Pine - Balsam FDn32c FDn32c1 Black Spruce - Jack Pine Woodland Fir Subtype 2 FDn32d Jack Pine - Black Spruce Woodland (Sand) 2 FDn33c Black Spruce Woodland 2 LKi32b Gravel/Cobble Beach (Inland Lake) 2 LKu32d Beach Ridge Shrubland (Lake Superior) 2 LKu43b LKu43b1 Wet Rocky Shore (Lake Superior) Cobble Subtype 2 LKu43b LKu43b2 Wet Rocky Shore (Lake Superior) Bedrock Subtype 2 MHn44b White Pine - White Spruce - Paper Birch Forest 2 MHn45b White Cedar - Yellow Birch Forest 2
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