Williams Lake TSA – Type IV Silviculture Strategy Working Data Package Version 3.0 September 2013 Project 419-25 Prepared by: Prepared for: Forsite Consultants Ltd. BC Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resource Operations 330 – 42nd Street SW Resource Practices Branch PO Box 2079 PO Box 9513 Stn Prov Govt Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4R1 Victoria, BC V8W 9C2 250.832.3366 Williams Lake TSA – Type IV Silviculture Strategy September 2013 Table of Contents 1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1 1.1 Study Area ................................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Context ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2 2 Modelling Approach ...............................................................................................................2 2.1 Model ........................................................................................................................................................................ 2 2.2 Data Sources ............................................................................................................................................................. 3 2.3 Forest Inventory Updates.......................................................................................................................................... 4 3 Base Case Scenario .................................................................................................................8 3.1 Land Base Assumptions ............................................................................................................................................. 8 3.1.1 Non-TSA Ownership ........................................................................................................................................ 10 3.1.2 Non-Forest and Non-Productive ..................................................................................................................... 10 3.1.3 Parks and Protected Areas .............................................................................................................................. 10 3.1.4 Environmentally Sensitive Areas ..................................................................................................................... 11 3.1.5 Low Productivity Stands .................................................................................................................................. 11 3.1.6 Physically/Economically Inoperable ................................................................................................................ 11 3.1.7 Wildlife Habitat ............................................................................................................................................... 12 3.1.8 Old Growth Management Areas ..................................................................................................................... 12 3.1.9 Scenic Areas – Preservation VQO .................................................................................................................... 12 3.1.10 Lakeshore Management Class A ..................................................................................................................... 13 3.1.11 Critical Habitat for Fish .................................................................................................................................... 13 3.1.12 Buffered Trail Areas......................................................................................................................................... 13 3.1.13 Community Areas of Special Concern ............................................................................................................. 13 3.1.14 Riparian Zones ................................................................................................................................................. 13 3.1.15 Roads, Trails, and Landings ............................................................................................................................. 14 3.1.16 Wildlife Tree Retention ................................................................................................................................... 14 3.2 Non-Timber Management Assumptions ................................................................................................................. 14 3.2.1 Landscape-Level Biodiversity .......................................................................................................................... 14 3.2.2 Stand-Level Biodiversity .................................................................................................................................. 16 3.2.3 Scenic Areas .................................................................................................................................................... 16 3.2.4 Wildlife Habitat Areas and Ungulate Winter Ranges ...................................................................................... 16 3.2.5 Grizzly Bear...................................................................................................................................................... 17 3.2.6 High Value Wetlands for Moose ..................................................................................................................... 17 3.2.7 Lakeshore Management Classes ..................................................................................................................... 17 3.2.8 Birch Areas for First Nations ............................................................................................................................ 17 3.2.9 Hydrology ........................................................................................................................................................ 18 3.2.10 Other Resource Features ................................................................................................................................ 19 3.3 Harvesting Assumptions .......................................................................................................................................... 20 3.3.1 Utilization Levels ............................................................................................................................................. 20 3.3.2 Volume Exclusions ........................................................................................................................................... 20 3.3.3 Minimum Harvest Criteria ............................................................................................................................... 20 3.3.4 Harvest Profiles ............................................................................................................................................... 21 3.3.5 Silvicultural Systems ........................................................................................................................................ 23 3.3.6 Patch Size Distribution .................................................................................................................................... 23 3.4 Incorporating Related Strategies ............................................................................................................................ 24 3.4.1 Wildfire Management Strategy ....................................................................................................................... 24 3.4.1 Fuel Management Strategy ............................................................................................................................. 24 3.4.2 Forest Health Strategy..................................................................................................................................... 24 3.4.3 Protecting Secondary Structure ...................................................................................................................... 25 3.4.4 Enhanced Retention Strategy .......................................................................................................................... 25 3.4.5 Wildlife Habitat Mapping ................................................................................................................................ 25 3.4.6 Climate Change ............................................................................................................................................... 26 3.5 Growth and Yield Assumptions ............................................................................................................................... 26 3.5.1 Analysis Unit Characteristics ........................................................................................................................... 26 3.5.2 Stand Projection Models ................................................................................................................................. 27 Working Data Package - Version 3.0 i Williams Lake TSA – Type IV Silviculture Strategy September 2013 3.5.3 Decay, Waste, and Breakage ........................................................................................................................... 27 3.5.4 Managed Stand Definition .............................................................................................................................