Wash. Admin. Code § 222-30-050 - Felling and bucking
Current through Register Vol. 22-07, April 1, 2022
(1)*Felling along water.
(a) Except when removing or repositioning
large woody debris per WAC
222-30-062, no trees will be
felled into Type S and F Waters RMZ core zones, sensitive sites, or Type A or B
Wetlands except trees which cannot practically and safely be felled outside
these areas using techniques in general use. Such felling and removing in Type
S or F Waters shall incorporate mitigation measures necessary to achieve
no-net-loss of productive capacity of fish and shellfish habitat as follows:
(i) Trees shall not be felled into or across
the stream except where approved by the department.
(ii) Trees or logs that enter a stream during
felling shall remain where they enter unless parts or all of the trees or logs
are specifically approved to be removed by the department.
(iii) If limbs or other small debris enter
the watercourse as a result of felling timber, they shall be removed
concurrently with each change in yarding road or within seventy-two hours after
entry into the watercourse and placed on stable locations outside the stream's
influence. Limbs or other small debris shall be removed from dry watercourses
prior to the normal onset of high flows. Large woody material which was in
place prior to felling timber shall not be disturbed.
(iv) Precautions shall be taken to minimize
the release of sediment to waters downstream from the felling activity. See
board manual section 5 for technical guidance.
(b) Within RMZ inner and outer zones, and
wetland management zones, fell trees favorable to the lead consistent with
safety standards to yard or skid away from the waters. The use of directional
felling, lining, jacking and staged felling techniques are required.
(c) Trees may be felled into Type Np Water if
logs are removed as soon thereafter as practical. See forest practices board
manual section 4 guidelines for clearing slash and debris from Type Np and Ns
Water.
(2)
Bucking
or limbing along water.
No bucking or limbing shall be done on trees or portions thereof lying within the bankfull width of Type S, F or Np Waters, in the RMZ core zones, in sensitive sites, or in open water areas of Type A Wetlands, except as necessary to remove the timber from the water, or unless it is part of a proposal to remove or reposition large wood debris per WAC 222-30-062. Such bucking or limbing in Type S or F Waters shall incorporate the mitigation measures in subsection (1)(a) of this section.
(3)
Felling near riparian management
zones, wetland management zones and setting boundaries. Reasonable care
shall be taken to avoid felling trees into riparian management zones, wetland
management zones and areas outside the harvest unit.
(4)
Felling in selective and partial
cuts. Reasonable care shall be taken to fell trees in directions that
minimize damage to residual trees.
(5)
Disturbance avoidance for northern
spotted owls. Felling and bucking within a SOSEA boundary shall not be
allowed within 0.25 mile of a northern spotted owl site center between March
1st and August 31st provided that, this restriction shall not apply if:
(a) The landowner demonstrates that the owls
are not actively nesting during the current nesting season; or
(b) The forest practice is operating in
compliance with a plan or agreement developed for the protection of the
northern spotted owl under WAC
222-16-080(6)(a), (e), or
(f).
(6)
Disturbance avoidance for marbled
murrelets. Felling and bucking shall not be allowed within 0.25 mile of
an occupied marbled murrelet site during the daily peak activity periods within
the critical nesting season, provided that, this restriction shall not apply if
the forest practice is operating in compliance with a plan or agreement
developed for the protection of the marbled murrelet under WAC
222-16-080(6)(a) or
(c).
Notes
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