Forest Logging Plan 2018/2019
Front Stand 15 Acres: 1986 30 yr Doug Fir
2018
Back Stand 14 Acres: 1902 80 yr Mixed Stand
2019
- Harvest large trees around Earl's house (some topped 1990)
- Thin 40 yr old cedar grove behind picnic shed.
- Leave riparian strips along Jordan Creek and the seasonal tributary.
- Clear-cut 30yr stand west side of huckleberry hill.
- Replant western red cedar seedlings 320/acre
- Utilize the 1901 parallel road along Jordan Creek for access to this stand.
- Cross Jordan Creek using a permanent RR flatcar bridge at one end.
- Cross Jordan Creek using a temporary log pile at the other end.
- Create two 100' circles to use as landing, one on each side of Jordan Creek.
- Nothing to be disturbed within the 50' inner riparian zone along Jordan Creek.
- Leave enough mature trees to maintain a healthy forest. 30%-40% thin.
Making The Case For a Harvest
The mistakes were not made all at one time but were a series of small, seemingly inconsequential decisions made by the well-meaning owners over thirty years.
Here are some mistakes we made and things for tree farmers to remember:
1) The 40 and 80 year old stand of mixed Fir, Cedar and Hemlock was found to have areas of Laminated Root Rot
2) Therefore we should not have replanted Douglas Fir in 1986 knowing that the Root Rot could and most likely would return to infect the new stand.
3) We did not understand the seriousness of controlling the brush invasion that occurs in NW forests at the 3-5 yr mark and areas of the 20acre replant fully got away from us.
4) At the 10-15 year mark, we didn't fully appreciate the importance of reducing the number of trees per acre. This was probably the most important thing we didn't pay attention to.
5) The 20 acres was originally planted to 435 Trees per Acre (TPA) or 10'x10' and should have been reduced to 190 TPA (15'x15') within the first 10 years.
6) Because we didn't thin the stand, parts of it became leggy and prone to windthrows and other areas of trees had slowed growth due to crown lock.
7) Danger from a forest fire continues in this part of Snohomish county.
8) Loss of income due to over-mature trees declining in health.
Forest Stewardship Plan
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Snohomish County
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09/24/19
