Yellow River State Forest Management Plan
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YELLOW RIVER STATE FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN Iowa Department of Natural Resources Conservation and Recreation Division Forestry Bureau – January 2009. TABLE OF CONTENTS Purpose …………………………………………………………………………………………3 Iowa DNR Mission Iowa DNR Vision Core Functions of the Iowa DNR Bureau of Forestry Mission Management Goals……………………………………………………………………………..3 Management Objectives………………………………………………………………………..4 History and Overview…………………………………………………………………………..5 History………………………………………………………………………………… 5 Landscape perspective………………………………………………………………….6 Cultural History………………………………………………………………………...7 Geology…………………………………………………………………………………8 Forest Soils…………………………………………………………………………….. 8 Archaeology…………………………………………………………………………….9 Land Acquisition………………………………………………………………………..9 Recent Changes and Trends in Forest Composition…………………………………..12 Forest Health Issues……………………………………………………………………12 Recreation…………………………………………………………………………….. 15 Wildlife……………………………………………………………………………….. 16 Forest Units……………………………………………………………………………………17 Forest Management Classes and Descriptions………………… ………………………………26 Sustainable Harvest Targets……………………………………. …………………………… 31 Appendix……………………………………………………………………………………….32 A. Forest Work Plan…………………………………… ……………………………..33 Cultural Practices Schedule…………………………………………………...34 Work Plan Summary…………………………………………………………..36 Stand Descriptions and Cultural Practices Maps……… …………………… 39 FY 2009: Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 1…… ……………………………. ……..39 Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 2……………………………………………..52 Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 9……………………………………………..62 Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 17……………………………………………66 FY 2010: Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 13…………………………………….....…73 Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 18……………………………………………83 FY 2011: Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 3……………………………………..…….88 Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 10……………………………………………96 FY 2012: Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 4………………………………………. 107 Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 5……………………………………………111 Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 15…………………………………………..124 FY 2013: Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 7……………………………………….. 132 Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 8……………………………………..……144 FY 2014: Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 11……………………………………….154 Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 12…………………………………..……..163 FY 2015: Luster Heights Unit, Compartment 1……………………………………..173 Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 15…………….…………………………..191 FY 2016: Yellow River Unit, Compartment 1…………………………………..….196 Yellow River Unit, Compartment 2……………………………………..….200 Lost 40 Unit……………………………………………………………..….206 FY 2017: Paint Rock Unit, Compartment 1……………………………………..….209 Paint Rock Unit, Compartment 2…………………………………….…….219 FY 2018: Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 6………………………………….…….228 Paint Creek Unit, Compartment 14………………………………….……..235 Waukon Junction Unit……………………………………………….…….242 Luster Heights Unit, Compartment 2……………………………….……...248 B. Glossary of Forestry Terms…………………………………………………………..….257 2 Purpose The purpose for developing a management plan for the State Forests is to ensure that these lands are sustained for future generations and that the mission and core functions for the DNR and Bureau of Forestry are reflected in the management of these lands. Furthermore, this plan serves as a record of public input and desired uses for these lands. This plan reflects the management intentions for the next twenty years based on current knowledge of land capability, inventory data, sound forestry practices, land stewardship, and public demands. This plan will be a working document, and will be revised as needed to address the challenge of managing a forest resource that is constantly changing. The mission and core functions of the DNR are as follows: Iowa DNR Mission: To conserve and enhance our natural resources in cooperation with individuals and organizations to improve the quality of life in Iowa and ensure a legacy for future generations. Iowa DNR Vision: Leading Iowans in caring for our natural resources Core Functions of the Iowa DNR: Conservation, Protection, & Stewardship – Protect, manage, and ensure the lands through the effective use of policies and procedures. Provide sustainable, responsible recreational opportunities where possible. Increase awareness and understanding of natural resources values and needs. Provide all vital infrastructure needs necessary to administer and support agency operations to achieve results for Iowans. Bureau of Forestry Mission: To help Iowans value, protect, expand and enjoy our trees, forests and prairies and the amenities they provide. This plan will achieve forest and prairie management goals on the state forest to help accomplish our mission. In the planning process we have developed goals and objectives that will move the forest resource to a desired future condition. This plan ensures a system of orderly management and development of the state forest which reflects the current science regarding harvesting, forest stand improvement, and reforestation. The following management goals and objectives lay a foundation for the implementation of sound forestry management practices. Management Goals Sustainability - Manage for healthy, sustainable forests and prairies. Maintain and improve the diversity of plant species and communities on the state forests. • Improve forest age diversity through the harvest and regeneration of over-mature forest stands • Use forest stand improvement to enhance species diversity. • Manage native prairies and savannahs using fire management to promote plant diversity and control unwanted woody plants and invasive species. • Increase the quality, quantity, and connectivity of public forestlands in Iowa. Utilization – Ensure a sustainable flow of wood products for public benefit while promoting forest vigor by applying proper forest management techniques. 3 • Intensify forest management practices to utilize and regenerate over-mature and declining forest stands. • Use forest stand improvement to enhance tree growth rates and vigor. • Reduce non-forest acreage through natural succession and tree planting. Demonstration and Research - Create and maintain forest management demonstration areas and research areas to increase the public awareness of the value and role of forests in Iowa and provide educational opportunities for students, organizations and others. • Establish and maintain forest research plots. • Establish forest demonstration areas, host field days, and provide outdoor classrooms to increase awareness and understanding of forest and prairie management. • Seek partnerships with supporting private organizations, non-profit groups, and educational institutions to promote forestry education and awareness. Wildlife - Maintain or improve natural wildlife habitat for game and non-game species. Protect known endangered and threatened species, as well as species of concern and their habitats. • Use forest stand improvement and other practices to improve mast production for wildlife species. • Maintain prairie and grassland habitats, increase contiguous forest cover, and create forest edge where appropriate to promote habitat diversity. • Identify, study, and preserve unique habitats and T & E species. Recreation – Create and enhance primitive, low-impact recreational opportunities. • Maintain primitive trail and camping facilities where appropriate. • Promote hunting, fishing and other game management activities. • Promote other primitive activities such as backpacking and bird-watching. Water quality – Enhance water quality by protecting watersheds and preventing soil loss by erosion. • Prevent soil erosion by employing good conservation practices • Protect and enhance streams and waterways adjacent to agricultural land by establishing riparian buffers. • Use “Best Management Practices (BMP’s)” in all forest management operations. Management Objectives 1. Approach sustainable harvest levels (40 acres per year) through timber sales and regeneration harvests on non productive forest stands, using techniques that favor maintaining a viable oak component. 2. Use forest stand improvement to affect changes in growth and diversity on 200 acres per year. 3. Increase contiguous forest cover through tree planting on open fields and reduce amount of non-forest acreage. 4. Monitor and control invasive species and forest pests. 5. Maintain unique hill prairies through prescribed burning and tree cutting. 6. Maintain demonstration areas which showcase forestry techniques to the public at Forestry Field Days and other outdoor classroom events. 4 7. Continue collection of data to improve knowledge base and further understanding of changes in the forest landscape. History and Overview History Yellow River State Forest was originally acquired in 1935 with money that was appropriated to support the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The Iowa General Assembly had in mind the goal of preserving a large tract of native forest in northeast Iowa. The land originally purchased was mostly adjacent to the Yellow River near its confluence with the Mississippi. At that time, the name “Yellow River Forest” was appropriate. In 1949, however, 1500 acres of the original Yellow River Forest was transferred to the National Park Service and is now known as Effigy Mounds National Monument. The main units of the state forest are now north of the original units in the Paint Creek watershed. Later land purchases tied fragmented pieces together and today, there are about 8600 acres in the state forest. Most of the land that was purchased was farmland and pasture and much of the early management of Yellow River