Framework ROD Standards and Guidelines

Forest-wide Standards and Guidelines (Page A-25 through A32)

Fuel Reduction Treatments

Structural change to treatment acres by mechanical methods is limited to one per decade.

Fuel Treatments in Forested Stands of Large Trees:

Under 90^th percentile fire weather conditions achieve following outcomes:

Stands < 40% canopy cover - Over 75% of stand, crown height 15', 6' flame lgth

Stands 40-70% canopy cover - Over 75% of stand, crown height 20', 6' flame lgth

Stands >70% canopy cover - Over 75% of stand, crown height 25', 6' flame lgth

Design mechanical treatments to achieve fuel outcomes by removing surface and ladder fuels less than 12" dbh.

Allow incidental felling of trees between 12 and 20" dbh.

Retain felled trees to achieve 10 to 20 tons per acre in logs > 12' diameter.

Hardwood management:

Retain all large hardwoods on westside except where large trees pose a threat or losses are incurred due to prescribed or wildland fire.

· Large montane hardwoods are 12" or greater dbh.

· Large blue oak woodland hardwoods are 8" dbh or greater.

Allow removal of large hardwoods up to 20" dbh if research supports need to maintain or enhance the hardwood stand.

Large tree retention

Retain all live conifer trees 30" or greater dbh westside

Retain all live conifer trees 24" or greater dbh eastside

Retain all hardwood trees 12" or greater dbh westside

Snag and Down Woody Material (snags must be larger than 15 " dbh)

Following stand-replacing events, do not conduct salvage harvest in at least 10% of total area affected by the stand-replacing event

Retain 3 logs per acre > 12" in eastside forests

Retain 4 of largest snags per acre in westside mixed conifer and ponderosa pine forests

Retain 6 of largest snags per acre in westside red fir

Retain 3 of largest snags per acre in eastside mixed conifer and pine forests

Retain 4 of largest snags per acre in westside hardwood ecosystems

Retain 6 of largest snags per acre where live hardwood trees lack dead branches

Land Allocation Standards and Guidelines (Page A-33 to end)

Inventoried Roadless Areas

Cutting or removal of small diameter timber may be needed for recovery, and it will be consistent with maintaining or improving roadless area characteristics.

Interim Rule states the Regional Forester may allow removal of small-timber material if it reduces the risk of uncharacteristic wildfire effects.

· Appendix B-3 SNFPA ROD - Small trees are defined as 11-24" dbh (CWHR) or 12-24" dbh (R5).

Spotted Owl PAC's and HRCA's

Encompass best available 300 acres of habitat, two or more canopy layers, trees averaging 24" or greater, at least 70% canopy cover, and CWHR classes 6, 5D, 5M, 4D in descending order.

Maintain limited operating period within 1/4 mile of nest between March 1 through August 31.

Establish 1,000 acre home range core area for the Tahoe, Plumas, and El Dorado within 1.5 miles of the activity center using same criteria as PAC.

Fuel treatments in HRCAs is the same as in OFEA, except for the urban wildland intermix.

Northern Goshawk PAC's

Encompass best available 200 acres of habitat, trees averaging 24" or greater, at least 70% canopy cover in westside, and at least 60% canopy cover in eastside.

Maintain limited operating period within 1/4 mile of nest between February 15 through September 15.

Great Gray Owl PAC's

Encompass best available 50 acres of CWHR classes 6, 5D, 5M habitat.

Maintain limited operating period within 1/4 mile of nest between March 1 through August 15.

Forest Carnivore Den Sites

Fisher: Encompass highest quality 700 acres of CWHR classes 4 or greater habitat, and canopy > 60%. Maintain limited operating period between March 1 through June 30.

Marten: Encompass highest quality 100 acres of CWHR classes 4M or greater habitat. Maintain limited operating period between May 1 through July 31.

Old Forest Emphasis Areas

Fuel treatments:

Under 90^th percentile fire weather conditions achieve following outcomes:

Stands < 40% canopy cover - Over 75% of stand, crown height 15', 6' flame lgth

Stands 40-70% canopy cover - Over 75% of stand, crown height 20', 6' flame lgth

Stands >70% canopy cover - Over 75% of stand, crown height 25', 6' flame lgth

Design mechanical treatments to achieve fuel outcomes by reducing surface and ladder fuels less than 12" dbh.

Allow incidental felling of trees between 12 and 20" dbh.

Retain felled trees to achieve 10 to 20 tons per acre in logs > 12' diameter.

Do not reduce canopy cover by more than 10%.

Retain a 30% minimum canopy cover for eastside forests.

For SPLAT's, mechanical thinning of trees up to 20" dbh, and canopy reductions of 20% (same as threat zone) may be conducted in CWHR 4M and 4D stands to meet fuel reduction objectives (must allow for suitable owl habitat).

Retain all snags > 15" dbh, except following stand-replacing events and except to address imminent hazards to human safety.

Post-fire guidelines for fuel treatment:

In stand-replacing area (where fire burns with sufficient intensity to kill 75-80% of trees 6" or greater), dead trees less than 15" can be removed to meet treatment objectives and trees > 15" can be removed to benefit landscape conditions for old forest structure and function.

If less than 75% stand mortality:

CWHR types 6, 5M, 5D, snags can be taken less than 15", and live trees less than 12".

CWHR types 4M, 4D (12-24") live trees can be taken less than 12" to meet fuel objectives. If larger trees needed to meet fuel objectives, then if not HRCA, you can take live trees up to 20", and snags less than 15" dbh.

Urban-Wildland Defense Zone (1/4 mile in area of one structure per 5 acres)

Fuel Treatment:

Under 90^th percentile fire weather conditions achieve following outcomes:

Stands < 40% canopy cover - Over 90% of stand, crown height 15', 4' flame lgth

Stands 40-70% canopy cover - Over 90% of stand, crown height 20', 4' flame lgth

Stands >70% canopy cover - Over 90% of stand, crown height 25', 4' flame lgth

Achieve fuel outcomes by thinning from below to remove surface and ladder fuels. Leave 10% untreated. Snag and down log guidelines do not apply.

Post-fire guidelines for fuel treatment: No special rules.

Urban-Wildland Threat Zone (1 and 1/4 mile out from defense zone)

Fuel Treatment:

Under 90^th percentile fire weather conditions achieve following outcomes:

Stands < 40% canopy cover - Over 85% of stand, crown height 15', 6' flame lgth

Stands 40-70% canopy cover - Over 85% of stand, crown height 20', 6' flame lgth

Stands >70% canopy cover - Over 85% of stand, crown height 25', 6' flame lgth

Achieve fuel outcomes by thinning from below to remove surface and ladder fuels up to 20" dbh. Leave 15% untreated. Forest-wide snag and down log guidelines apply.

Do not exceed 20% canopy reduction.

Post-fire guidelines for fuel treatment: Snag and down logs rules apply.

General Forest

Fuel treatment:

Under 90^th percentile fire weather conditions achieve following outcomes:

Stands < 40% canopy cover - Over 75% of stand, crown height 15', 6' flame lgth

Stands 40-70% canopy cover - Over 75% of stand, crown height 20', 6' flame lgth

Stands >70% canopy cover - Over 75% of stand, crown height 25', 6' flame lgth

Achieve fuel outcomes by thinning from below to remove surface and ladder fuels up to 20" dbh. Leave 25% untreated. Forest-wide snag and down log guidelines apply.

Do not exceed 20% canopy reduction in dense areas.

Do not exceed 10 canopy reduction in 50-59% areas.

Retain a 30% minimum canopy cover for eastside forests.

Post-fire guidelines for fuel treatment: Snag and down logs rules apply.

Riparian Conservation Areas

Perennial streams - 300 ' on each side of the stream

Seasonal streams - 150 ' on each side of the stream

Streams in inner gorge - Top of inner gorge

Special aquatic features - 300 ' from edge of feature or riparian vegetation

Determine the type and level of allowable management activities by assessing how proposed activities measure against the riparian conservation objectives (RCOs) and their associated standards and guidelines.