Or. Admin. Code § 629-643-0300 - Alternative Vegetation Retention Prescriptions

(1) Alternative prescriptions are intended to apply to situations where the existing streamside stand is too sparse or contains too few live trees to maintain fish, wildlife, and water quality resources over time. Future desired streamside stand conditions are achieved through immediate manipulation of vegetation, including reforesting the riparian management area with conifer.

(2) Section (3) and (4) of this rule are alternative vegetation retention prescriptions described for the geographic areas in Figure 1, that the operator may apply if the basal area in the riparian management area is no more than one-half of the standard target indicated in either Table 5 or Table 6, as may be applicable, and conditions described in the alternative prescription are applicable.

[Figure 1. Geographic Areas, OAR 629-643-0300]

[Table 5. Alternative Prescription Basal Area Table for Type F/SSBT Streams]

[Table 6. Alternative Prescription Basal Area Table for Type D and Type N Streams]

(3) Alternative vegetation retention prescription 1 (catastrophic events). This alternative prescription applies to streamside stands that have been damaged by wildfire or by catastrophic windthrow, or by insect or disease mortality. Such mortality must occur at the stand level and may not include normal endemic mortality. This alternative prescription is intended to provide adequate stream shade, woody debris, and bank stability for the future while creating conditions in the streamside area that will result in quick establishment of a new and healthy stand. The operator shall:

(a) Retain trees that have fallen in the stream. The operator may only harvest portions of these trees that are outside the high-water levels and do not contribute to the ability of the downed tree to withstand movement during high flows.

(b) Retain all live and dead trees within 20 feet of the high-water level of large and medium streams and 10 feet of the high-water level of small streams.

(c) For Type F and Type SSBT streams, retain live trees, dying or recently dead trees, and downed logs sufficient to satisfy the active management target shown in Table 5.

(d) For Type D and N streams, retain live trees, dying or recently dead trees, or downed logs sufficient to satisfy the standard target shown in Table 6.

(e) Retain live conifers first to meet the target. If live conifers are too few to satisfy the target, the operator shall meet the target as much as possible by including windthrown trees within the channel and dying or recently dead trees.

(f) For purposes of this prescription, the basal area of a windthrown tree in the channel or a retained dying or recently dead tree contributes two times its basal area toward meeting the target.

(4) Alternative vegetation retention prescription 2 (hardwood dominated sites). This alternative prescription applies to streamside sites that are capable of growing conifers, and where conifer stocking is currently low and unlikely to improve in a timely manner because of competition from hardwoods and brush. If portions of such riparian management areas currently contain abundant conifer basal area, it is intended that these areas of good conifer basal area be segregated and managed using the standard practice vegetation retention prescription while the remainder is managed according to this alternative prescription. This alternative prescription is intended to provide adequate stream shade, some woody debris, and bank stability for the future while creating conditions in the streamside area that will result in quick establishment of a conifer stand. The operator shall:

(a) Submit to the State Forester a written plan that describes how the operator will meet these requirements and that demonstrates that the conversion will substantially improve the likelihood and timeline to reach the desired future condition.

(b) Evaluate the stand within the riparian management area and, where they exist, segregate segments 200 feet or more in length that are well-stocked with conifer, as identified from an aerial photograph, from the ground, or through other appropriate means. The standard practice vegetation retention prescription for vegetation retention shall be applied to these segments.

(c) For the remaining portion of the riparian management area that has lower conifer basal area, divide the riparian management area into conversion blocks and retention blocks.

(d) Include no more than half the total stream length in the harvest unit within conversion blocks. Conversion blocks shall be no more than 500 feet long and shall be separated from each other by at least:

(A) 200 feet of retention block; or

(B) A 200-foot segment where the standard practice vegetation retention prescription is applied.

(e) Within conversion blocks, the operator shall retain:

(A) All trees growing in the stream, or within 10 feet of the stream's high-water level.

(B) For large streams, all trees leaning over the channel within 20 feet of the high-water level of the stream.

(f) Within retention blocks the operator shall retain:

(A) For large streams:

(i) All conifer trees within 50 feet of the high-water level of the stream.

(ii) All hardwood trees within 30 feet of the high-water level of the stream.

(B) For medium streams:

(i) All conifer trees within 30 feet of the high-water level of the stream.

(ii) All hardwood trees within 20 feet of the high-water level of the stream.

(C) For small streams, all trees within 20 feet of the high-water level of the stream.

Notes

Or. Admin. Code § 629-643-0300

DOF 7-2022, adopt filed 11/21/2022, effective 1/1/2024; DOF 1-2024, amend filed 01/03/2024, effective 1/3/2024; DOF 16-2024, amend filed 02/21/2024, effective 2/21/2024

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Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 527.710 & Section 2(1), Chapter 33, Oregon Laws 2022

Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 527.715, 527.765 & Section 2(2), Chapter 33, Oregon Laws 2022