Cass County Forest Resources Management Plan - January 2021 - Prepared by: Cass County Forest Resources Management Plan Adopted: November 2003 Revised: May 2010 Updated: January 2021 Cass County Board Neal Gaalswyk, District 1 Robert Kangas, District 2 Jeff Peterson, District 3 Scott Bruns, District 4 Dick Downham, District 5 Natural Resources Advisory Committee Cass County Soil & Water Conservation District Board Thomas Kuschel, District 1 Kenneth LaPorte, District 2 James Ballenthin, District 3 David Peterson, District 4 Willard Pehling, District 5 Land & Forestry Department Staff Kirk Titus, Land Commissioner Patrick Bundy, Forest Resource Manager Kevin Dahlman, Forest Resource Manager Kim Frame, Forest Resource Manager Erik Lindquist, Forest Resource Manager Amy Rand, Forest Resource Manager Prepared by Consultant Team Dovetail Partners, Inc. Photo Credits Cass County Land Department unless otherwise noted Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................ i Chapter 1.0 Mission ................................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Mission ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 1.2 Management Approach............................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Certification ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Chapter 2.0 Strategic Initiatives ........................................................................................................................ 3 2.1. Progress in Meeting Management Plan Goals .................................................................................... 3 2.2. Strategic Assumptions .............................................................................................................................. 3 Chapter 3.0 Socio-Economic Context .............................................................................................................. 5 3.1. Socio-Economic Context ........................................................................................................................... 5 Chapter 4.0 Resource Description .................................................................................................................... 9 4.1. Land Ownership .......................................................................................................................................... 9 4.2 Ecological Context ..................................................................................................................................... 12 4.3 Cover Types and Water Resources ...................................................................................................... 25 4.4 Ecological Classification .......................................................................................................................... 30 4.5 Resource Assessment................................................................................................................................ 35 Chapter 5.0 Department Administration ...................................................................................................... 41 5.1. Assessment .................................................................................................................................................. 41 5.2 Procedures .................................................................................................................................................... 44 Chapter 6.0 Revenue Generation ..................................................................................................................... 45 Chapter 7.0 Land Base, Leases, Easements & Use Permits ...................................................................... 48 7.1. Assessment................................................................................................................................................... 48 7.2 Procedures .................................................................................................................................................... 55 Chapter 8.0 Recreation Facilities and Trails ................................................................................................ 56 8.1. Assessment .................................................................................................................................................. 56 8.2 Procedures .................................................................................................................................................... 65 Chapter 9.0 Forest Roads ................................................................................................................................... 66 9.1. Assessment .................................................................................................................................................. 66 9.2 Procedures .................................................................................................................................................... 67 Chapter 10.0 Habitat ........................................................................................................................................... 68 10.1. Assessment ................................................................................................................................................. 68 10.2 Procedures ................................................................................................................................................... 71 Chapter 11.0 Timber Management ................................................................................................................... 72 11.1. Assessment ................................................................................................................................................. 72 11.2 General Silvicultural Practices .............................................................................................................. 76 11.3 NPC Management ..................................................................................................................................... 80 11.4 Cover Type Management ....................................................................................................................... 80 11.5 Procedures ................................................................................................................................................... 80 11.6 Forest Management Summary ............................................................................................................... 81 11.7 Overview of Change .................................................................................................................................. 81 Appendicies ............................................................................................................................................................ 82 Index of Policies Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................ i Chapter 1.0 Mission ................................................................................................................................................ 1 Certification Policy ............................................................................................................................................ 2 Chapter 2.0 Strategic Initiatives ........................................................................................................................ 3 Chapter 3.0 Socio-Economic Context .............................................................................................................. 5 Chapter 4.0 Resource Description .................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 5.0 Department Administration ...................................................................................................... 41 Advisory Committee Policy ........................................................................................................................... 41 Planning and Coordination Policy ............................................................................................................... 42 Deep Portage Policy ......................................................................................................................................... 43 Ordinance and Regulation Policy ................................................................................................................ 43 Resource Data Policy ....................................................................................................................................... 43 Procedure Development Policy ..................................................................................................................... 44 Chapter 6.0 Revenue Generation ....................................................................................................................