Indiana State Forest Procedure Manual Table of Contents SECTION A: STATE FOREST AND FOREST RECREATION AREA SYSTEM ..................... 1 Forest Management ..................................................................................................................... 1 Resource History ......................................................................................................................... 1 Current Management................................................................................................................... 5 Future Management .................................................................................................................... 5 SECTION B: MANAGEMENT SUBDIVISIONS ......................................................................... 7 Land Administration Units ......................................................................................................... 7 SECTION C: RECREATION ......................................................................................................... 9 Dispersed User Parking Areas .................................................................................................... 9 Property Non-Public Roads ...................................................................................................... 10 Aesthetic and Visual Enhancement Areas (VEA) .................................................................... 10 Hunting, Fishing, Trapping, and Wildlife Viewing .................................................................. 12 Backcountry Areas .................................................................................................................... 12 Knobstone Trail (KT) ............................................................................................................... 13 Other Trails ............................................................................................................................... 14 Access for Persons with Disabilities ......................................................................................... 15 SECTION D: RESOURCE INVENTORY ................................................................................... 16 Forest Inventory ........................................................................................................................ 16 Other Inventories ....................................................................................................................... 18 SECTION E: MANAGEMENT GUIDES .................................................................................... 21 Tract Management Guide .......................................................................................................... 21 Program Management Guides ................................................................................................... 22 Amendments ............................................................................................................................. 22 Ten-Year Financial Guides ....................................................................................................... 23 SECTION F: SILVICULTURAL GUIDELINES ......................................................................... 24 Hardwood Management ............................................................................................................ 24 Pine Management ...................................................................................................................... 30 Other Management Considerations ........................................................................................... 30 Special Management Considerations ........................................................................................ 31 Tools ......................................................................................................................................... 32 SECTION G: TIMBER SALES .................................................................................................... 35 Procedures - Administration ..................................................................................................... 41 Timber Sale Administration ...................................................................................................... 43 Salvage, Catastrophic or Emergency Events............................................................................. 54 SECTION H: FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT ............................................................ 57 Forest Wildlife Habitat Management on State Forests ............................................................. 57 General Considerations for the Management of Forest and Woodland Wildlife Habitats ....... 58 Management of Species of Greatest Conservation Concern ..................................................... 59 Guidelines for Fish & Wildlife Population Augmentation and Restoration ............................. 60 Guideline for Refuges and Special Management Areas ........................................................... 61 Collection of Animals ............................................................................................................... 61 SECTION I: WATER QUALITY AND BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ........................ 63 Watersheds ................................................................................................................................ 63 Riparian Areas .......................................................................................................................... 65 Wetlands ................................................................................................................................... 66 Springs and Seeps ..................................................................................................................... 66 SECTION J: INFORMATION AND EDUCATION ................................................................... 67 Good Neighbor Program ........................................................................................................... 67 Signs .......................................................................................................................................... 67 Tract Management .................................................................................................................... 68 Public Information Exchange .................................................................................................... 69 Presentations ............................................................................................................................. 69 Interpretive Trails ...................................................................................................................... 69 Education Centers and Interpretive Areas ................................................................................. 69 SECTION K: FOREST PRODUCTS ........................................................................................... 71 Firewood ................................................................................................................................... 71 Other Wood Products ................................................................................................................ 72 Edible and Medicinal Plant Material Gathering ....................................................................... 72 Other Material Gathering .......................................................................................................... 73 SECTION L: FOREST ACCESS ................................................................................................. 74 State and Federal Highways ...................................................................................................... 74 County Roads ............................................................................................................................ 74 Property Public Roads ............................................................................................................... 75 Property Non-Public Roads ...................................................................................................... 76 Access for Persons with Disabilities ......................................................................................... 77 Dispersed User Parking Areas .................................................................................................. 77 Key Security .............................................................................................................................. 78 Limits to Public Access for Safety Reasons ............................................................................. 78 SECTION M: CULTURAL RESOURCES .................................................................................. 80 Clearances ................................................................................................................................. 81 Inventory ................................................................................................................................... 82 Protection .................................................................................................................................. 82 Well Closure ............................................................................................................................. 83 SECTION N: NATURAL AREAS ..............................................................................................