Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Concerns Significance What are the Standards / Expectations? What are my Responsibilities? BMP’s

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Concerns – type of waterbodies to consider? LakesPonds (½ – 8 ha.) Rivers

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Concerns – type of waterbodies to consider? Mapped Streams Unmapped Streams, springs, seeps… Need a better example of a mapped stream?

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Significance – harvest affects vary by scale At catchment level: watering-up – rise in groundwater after harvest Trees are natural “pumps” When removed, reduced  transpiration,  evaporation  interception

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Significance – where does the water go? more water moving through soil into lakes & streams – even 5-10 years later Carrying nutrients and also some heavy metals

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Significance – mineral soil exposed leads to more water movement across land sedimentation deposits into lakes & streams And that means:

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Significance Reduced light penetration in water Affecting fish ability to hunt Clogged fish gills Spawning areas covered (suffocating eggs & fry)

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Significance – the LAW federal Fisheries Act (RS 1985)  “any work...results in the harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat” – a “HADD”  “no person shall deposit…a deleterious substance of any type in water frequented by fish”

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Sources of Sediment: #1 – poorly installed crossings  Therefore – water crossing guidelines!

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Sources of Sediment: Roads / Landings / Pits  Therefore – AOC’s around water to restrict road building  Up to 90m on steepest slopes

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Sources of Sediment: Less significant –  Rutting  Mineral soil exposure Greatest concern – within 15m of water

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Your responsibility? AOCs marked before harvest Unmapped streams, ephemeral streams, seeps, groundwater flows  You will find them first –  You have to be able to identify the value & modify operations

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Your responsibility? Know BMPs to reduce sedimentation In clearcuts – know which trees to retain for wildlife in shoreline areas

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Standards: AOCs Aquatic feature 3 m no machine zone 15 m no soil disturbance zone Total AOC

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Standards: AOCs 3 m no machine zone  Harvest OK, but  No machinery except at approved X’ings  Don’t fell tree into water – problem when you drag it out!

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Standards: AOCs 3 m no machine zone If drag tree out, risk –  disrupt aquatic env.  damage shoreline  damage shoreline vegetation

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Standards: AOCs 3 m no machine zone If tree falls in water – leave it Protect root mat, avoid cutting shrubs, saplings, unmerchantable trees Don’t put slash in water

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Standards: AOCs 15 m no soil dist. zone Machinery permitted but  No ruts Ruts expose min. soil & channel water  No significant mineral soil exposure

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Standards: AOCs Rest of AOC (15-75 m)  Standard operating procedures to minimize rutting / compaction

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Recognize Values (streams) Doc – I’ll leave this and the next 3 slides in, in case you can use some of the images in the mapped / unmapped discussion.

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Recognize Values (streams) PermanentIntermittent

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Recognize Values (streams) PermanentIntermittent

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Recognize Values (streams) PermanentIntermittent

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Mapped Streams no skidding across stream except at approved crossings cross streams at right angles

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Mapped Streams No crossing without a proper structure Minimize crossing distance

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Unmapped Streams no machine travel except at minimum # of crossings – leads to soil exposure crossing to be approved by SFL

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Unmapped Streams Ford stream ONLY if no risk of damage to banks, exposed mineral soil, or disrupting stream flow

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Unmapped Streams Use temporary structures – portable skidder bridge, ice bridge, brush mat / geotextile When done, remove crossing, restore stream

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Any Stream Crossing No trees / debris deposited in water No equipment damage to steam banks or beds Don’t fell trees into 3m AOC – risk disturbance to stream bank, soil exposure Avoid activity during wet weather

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Any Stream Crossing Avoid activity during amphibian breeding / egg laying season Disperse concentrated flow of water thru areaTrails / portage routes – rehabilitated and cleared No refueling / lubrication / washing of equipment where water will flow into creek

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Any Stream Crossing Minimize amount of fill and dirt entering the stream Use gravel materials -- easy to recover in restoration

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Any Stream Crossing On approaches – skid with the contour on grades, no sharp right angles avoid creating ruts that could channel into the stream (no sediment plumes)

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Ephemeral streams, seeps, etc connected to fish habitat – No rutting or significant MSE – could lead to soil movement during later rain events Use brush mats or other techniques – do not disrupt water flow Ensure adequate cross drainage

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Wetlands Crossing precautions:  Only if no reasonable alternative  Avoid areas with moving water that do not freeze well  Design so will remain stable, will not restrict water during wet periods

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Wetlands Crossing precautions:  Minimize length and width thru wetland  Temporary crossing preferred – on frozen ground, using brush to avoid rutting

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Wetlands (seeps/ shallow ground water flows) stay out, but if no choice (long / linear) --  cross at narrowest part possible  use brush mats skid away from streams and drains plan ahead - how will you stabilize the site if it gets wet?

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands Tree retention, shoreline areas – why? Required as future logs in water Functions – Cover and reproductive habitat - bass / muskie Living surface, plants / insects Protects shore from erosion Traps sediment, creates pools for fish

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Tree retention, shoreline areas Within 10 m of water, spaced 10 m apart Conifers – last longer than hardwoods in water – cedar, white pine, hemlock, white spruce, jack pine… At least 15 m tall Closer to water, and leaning toward water

Careful Logging – Partial Cuts Water and Wetlands BMP’s: Tree retention, shoreline areas In rest of AOC, leave – Living trees Supercanopy trees Large cavity trees veterans