Mike Barsotti, Oregon
Department of Forestry;
Mike Bondi, OSU Forestry
Extension;
Dave Degenhart, Oregon
Department of Forestry;
Greg Filip, OSU Forestry
Extension; and
Jim Mair, Oregon Department
of Forestry
Planning is the foundation
of good forest stewardship and management.
In Oregon, forest stewardship plans for private lands are developed for
a variety of reasons. This booklet
offers a standard set of planning guidelines and planning elements that meet
the needs of a variety of stewardship plan types.
Staff members of the Oregon
Department of Forestry and Oregon State University Forestry Extension Program
jointly developed these guidelines.
They have been reviewed and endorsed in concept by designated
representatives of the Oregon Society of American Foresters (OSAF), the Oregon
Tree Farm System (OTFS), the Oregon Small Woodlands Association (OSWA), and the
Oregon Chapter of the Association of Consulting Foresters (ACF).
These guidelines were
designed to be used for Oregon Forest Stewardship Plans developed for the
following programs:
A. Forest Practices Stewardship Plan & Agreement (FPSP&A) –
The basic criteria for a Forest Practices Stewardship Plan are set in legislation and rules (OAR 629-606-0000 through 629-606-1000). The Forest Practices Stewardship Plan is required for a landowner to receive a Stewardship Agreement. The agreement focuses on Forest Practices Rules requirements and allows the landowner to implement the Forest Practices Rules as a voluntary alternative to traditional mechanisms of operation planning and review, inspection, and enforcement.
B. Forestry Assistance Stewardship Plan (FASP) –
A certified stewardship plan is required for a landowner to qualify for participation in the Stewardship Incentive Program (SIP). This program is designed to provide financial incentives to assist family forest landowners in defining and meeting their management objectives while protecting other natural resources on their properties. The three main objectives of the SIP program are to help landowners meet integrated resource objectives as indicated by development of a stewardship plan, to coordinate agencies and groups working with landowners and to fulfill the goals of the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds by enhancing riparian areas and water quality. This type of plan would qualify as an Oregon Tree Farm System Stewardship Plan if desired by the landowner.
C. Resource Management Planning Stewardship Plan (RMPSP) –
The Resource Management Planning (RMP) program is an OSU Extension Service training program designed for landowners who are aware of basic forest resource concepts and wish to develop a resource management (stewardship) plan. The program guides landowners through the preparation of a stewardship plan for their forest property including developing objectives, constraints, a resource inventory, and an action plan. The landowner who completes the RMP training program and develops a stewardship plan may wish to take further training and become a Master Woodland Manager. This plan would generally qualify as a Forestry Assistance Stewardship Plan if requested by the landowner and approved by an ODF Service Forester.
D. Oregon Tree Farm System Stewardship Plan (OTFSSP) –
The Oregon Tree Farm System’s purpose is to ensure that the excellence of the American Tree Farm System is maintained in Oregon. Volunteer professional resource managers inspect and certify tree farms, but landowners must provide a management plan.. These guidelines were used to develop the Oregon Forest Stewardship Plan Template. The Oregon Tree Farm System, Inc. endorses the use of the template as meeting the requirements for the management plan required to be a certified tree farm.
E. Which type of Stewardship Plan is for you?
These guidelines can be used to develop the four types of stewardship plans explained above. Not every forest landowner needs or wants each type of plan. Which type is for you?
Forest Practices Stewardship Plans and Agreements are appropriate for forest landowners that regularly harvest timber and do other activities regulated by the Oregon Forest Practices Rules. This type of plan will normally be developed by industrial forest landowners, but may also be appropriate for some family forest landowners.
Forestry Assistance Stewardship Plans are appropriate for family forest landowners who want to participate in the Stewardship Incentive Program.
Resource Management Planning Stewardship Plans are developed by participants in an OSU Forestry Extension training program.
Oregon Tree Farm System Stewardship Plans are appropriate for industrial or family forest landowners that want to be certified by the Tree Farm program.
Landowners that want to participate in more than one of these programs are encouraged to develop a single stewardship plan that will meet the guidelines of all the programs they want to participate in.
This section identifies the
parts or elements of a stewardship plan and the kinds of information to be
included in each. The amount of
information and the level of detail included under each element will vary with the
landowner and the plan’s purpose, but most elements should be included.
Table 1, at the end of this
section, shows which plan elements are required for each plan type. Landowners and plan writers are encouraged
to address each element in every plan wherever practical.
A. Cover Page
The following items should be included on a
cover page:
•
Date
of plan
•
Landowner
name
•
Landowner
address
•
Landowner
phone
•
Landowner
e-mail
•
Tract
name or number
•
Total
tract acreage
•
Total
forested acreage
•
Tract
legal description
•
Latitude
and longitude (to a recorded survey monument on the property)
•
Land
use classification
•
Watershed
tract is located in
•
Fire
protection district
•
Property
tax classification
•
Tree
farm number
•
Tree
farm certification date
•
Seed
zone
•
Plan
writer name
•
Plan
writer address
•
Plan
writer phone number
•
Plan
writer e-mail
Explain the plan’s purpose and how it relates to the landowner and his/her values. The landowner is identified as the decision maker and the plan is identified as suggested courses of management. Address the history of the property both before and after the present owner bought it.
C. Landowner Objectives
Describe what the landowners want to achieve on their property. Include both goals, which are broad statements of desired outputs for the property and objectives, which are specific and measurable. If landowner intends to make a profit from their operations, indicating profit as one of the objectives can help establish active management status for tax purposes. If eligibility for a stewardship agreement with the Board of Forestry under the Oregon Forest Practices Rules is an objective, that must be stated.
D. Map/Woodland Description
Give landowner information, legal description, tax lot, boundary map, assessor’s plat, property corners, adjacent property owners, and tax status. Include a map or maps of a scale appropriate for the property that show legend; property boundary; vegetation cover types; soil types; topography; access (including existing and proposed roads and culverts); stream/ponds; and other resource sites. Overlays or digital formats are allowed. In addition to the required maps, aerial photos of the property showing boundaries and other information can be included. If there are several maps, include the property map here and put the others in an appendix.
E. Forest Vegetation
Describe the existing forest types, including those in riparian areas. Include a forest type map for the property. Give the following details for each forest type: acreage, species mix, density, site index, size class, age, elevation, slope, and aspect. Site information can be in relative terms, if site index or site class information is not available. For uneven- or all-age stands, give age or age-class range.
Give forest inventory data including a range of detail appropriate for management opportunities. Owners concerned with proprietary information may want to include volumes, grades and other detailed inventory information in an appendix or separate report that is not shared. Harvesting plans may also be separate from Stewardship Plans.
List significant historical events for the stand such as date of origin, if planted or natural, past timber/product sales, timber stand improvements, reforestation, vegetation management, and loss events such as fire, insects and diseases.
List management opportunities for each vegetation type. Include tax-designations of forested lands, as applicable.
F. Wildlife/Fish Habitat
Describe different species, habitat components, special protection measures needed, and improvement activities needed to meet landowners’ objectives and Oregon Plan objectives. Include specified resource sites covered under the Forest Practices Rules (bird sites, threatened and endangered species, wetlands, etc.). Presence and abundance of snags and downed woody debris should be assessed for wildlife, but should also be noted for Forest Health.
G. Soils
Use information from published soil surveys and other sources if available to identify major soil types, topographic and geological features and characteristics such as site index, slope stability, and soils limitations. Recommend tree species and other vegetation types based on soil types and landowner objectives. Identify erosion, drainage, and other problems through an inventory process.
A Forest Practices Stewardship Plan will also include an inventory of topography, unique soil characteristics, or geological features that may affect slope stability or erosion into waters due to harvesting or road building and will identify how these are to be addressed.
H. Roads
Make general road and culvert assessment recommendations for improving, developing, and maintaining road systems to ensure good water quality and fish habitat and to meet landowner objectives. Considerations to be taken into account include road locations, stream crossings, potential for sediment delivery, culvert size and condition, fish passage, and surface and road stability. Discuss skid trail design and access and identify any problems related to water quality and soil productivity. Identify road easements.
Identify road needs such as relocations, needed rebuilding, or resurfacing. Also any maintenance needs like rebuilding water bars, installing rolling dips, culvert cleaning, ditching etc. All recommendations should meet or exceed Oregon Forest Practices Rules requirements. Be sure that any road construction and maintenance coordinates with any planned timber/product harvests.
A Forest Practices Stewardship Plan will include any known inventories of road-related problems that could adversely affect water quality or soil productivity and identify how these problems are to be addressed.
I. Water Resources
Identify key local watershed boundaries and the watershed context for the property. For example, list the named stream that drains the property and the next larger stream. Identify streams, wetlands, ponds, and other special riparian considerations and their protection needs, consistent with landowner objectives. Identify water rights for both the property and registered domestic downstream water use as described in the Forest Practices Rules. Ponds and pump chances should be identified for fire protection. Assess and evaluate ponds for leaking and dike failure problems. If ponds are planned or work is needed, landowner should check with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), or the Oregon Water Resources Department (WRD). Riparian areas and wetlands may be included here or treated as a separate section of the plan that addresses vegetation, inventory, needs, and opportunities for management/restoration. Identify opportunities for coordinated management with neighboring landowners. Identify easements for water rights.
J. Forest Health
Identify any insect, disease, animal damage, wind-throw and wildfire problems and associated management strategies to resolve problems, consistent with the landowner’s objectives. Note pest management concerns and fuel levels on forest type maps (Section D).
K. Fire Plan
Provide a separate fire management plan that includes roads, turning radius, addressing, pump chance, water supply, fuel reduction, tree thinning, tree pruning, and creation of defensible space around structures. Note the fire protection district of property.
L. Agro-forestry/Range
Identify resources and opportunities consistent with landowner’s objectives. Include projected costs and revenues where applicable.
M. Archeological and Cultural Resources
Many landowners are very interested in preserving family, community and settlement history and associated resources such as cemeteries, homesteads, trails and other significant sites. List any measures needed to protect known archaeological or cultural resources to meet existing laws and landowner objectives. Cemeteries and gravesites should be protected as mandated by state and federal law. Human bones should be brought to the sheriff’s attention. Cabins or buildings (>50 years old) should be identified and landowners are encouraged to consider these for preservation. State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) should be notified and asked to evaluate such properties. The SHPO will provide confidential consultation at no cost to the landowner.
N. Recreation
If recreation is one of the landowner’s objectives, identify resources and describe and plan for opportunities. Trails should be identified and assessed and design resources should be noted. Fire safety must be addressed in recreation planning. Include anticipated costs and revenues where appropriate.
O. Aesthetic/Scenic
Describe opportunities to meet landowner objectives. Note any scenic highways and scenic rivers on or abutting properties. Identify opportunities for scenic management. Note opportunities to improve aesthetics of forest practices.
P. Threatened and Endangered Species
Habitat on many landowners’ property may be important for threatened and endangered (T&E) species. Identify known T&E species and describe management and protection measures. List activities to maintain or improve T&E species habitat that are consistent with the landowner’s objectives. Landowner may want to include plant as well as animal species.
Q. Forest Practices Rules
The plan and all management recommendations must meet or exceed the Oregon Forest Practices Rules as administered by the Oregon Department of Forestry. Most forest operations require filing of Notifications of Operations and a 15-day waiting period. Some operations require filing of a written plan (OAR 629-605). Landowner should obtain a current copy of the Oregon Forest Practice Rules.
A Forest Practices Stewardship Plan will include a description of the Forest Practices Rules requirements for inventorying and protecting the rule-protected resources (e.g., protected waters, high-risk sites, road-related problems, sensitive bird sites), including prescriptions or alternate practices for specified resource sites. When resource inventories are incomplete, the plan must describe how those sites will be identified and protected as required by the rules.
R. Assistance
Describe available financial, technical, and educational assistance. List agencies and individuals that provide assistance to family landowners, including names, addresses, phone, and e-mails. Identify assistance needed to accomplish objectives.
S. Tax and Business Management:
This section includes a series of statements related to tax and business management that should be included in plans.
Property tax – Include a statement such as: “Landowners wanting to meet WOSTOT (Western Oregon Small Tract Option Tax) or Designated Forestlands status may need to have a Management Plan to qualify and may need to make special application.” The stewardship plan should document the current tax status of the property.
Income tax – Include a statement that timber harvest and other revenue generating activities generally produce a federal and state income tax liability. Tax credits may be available for some management activities.
Estate tax – Include a statement that good estate planning can help to lessen tax liability when passing land to heirs and that landowners should seek good planning and tax advice.
Record keeping – Include a statement that good record keeping can help landowners manage their assets, increase their revenues, and minimize their tax liability.
Land Use – Document the land use classifications of the property from the county land use plan.
T. Summary of Resource Situation, Management Recommendations & Priorities
Describe resource situations and management opportunities by management unit (forest type-island or stand). These may include short-term and long-term recommendations. Build in options for recommendations, if applicable. Include guidance on how specific recommendations achieve objectives.
Where applicable, address:
· Financial aspects
· Tax implications/questions
· Estate planning/passage implications
· Assistance/new skills needed to accomplish the job and associated costs
A management activity schedule should be used to summarize the timing and priority of management recommendations.
U. Additional Sections for Forest Practices Stewardship Plans
A Forest Practices Stewardship Plan (see section II A) must address the following topics in addition to those described above.
• When sites that are high-risk for landslides are present, summarize the engineering and geo-technical expertise that will be applied to forest practices on or near those sites.
• When designated resource inventories are incomplete, describe how those resource sites will be identified and protected during operations.
• Describe planned resource restoration or enhancement projects or processes ranging from restoring fish passage at stream-crossing culverts to participating with watershed councils in conducting assessments and developing action plans.
• Describe consultation strategies that may be required to conduct complex site-specific restoration projects.
Show evidence of the landowner’s knowledge and practical experience in applying current forest practices on forest operations and evidence of the availability of technical, administrative, and operational resources appropriate for the size and landscape complexity, and show the number and variety of protected resources on the ownership.
V. Forest Practices Stewardship Agreement
A Forest Practices Stewardship Plan (see section II A) will be accompanied by a separate Stewardship Agreement that includes the following points.
• Include the name of the landowner, their representative responsible to implement the plan, the planned frequency of audits (at least every three years), and the planned duration of the stewardship agreement.
• State the landowner’s commitments to comply with the forest practices rules and laws, to keep up to date on prescribed forest practices, to maintain adequate staffing for plan implementation, to seek appropriate technical assistance for special resource protection issues, to update the required resource inventories, and to report resource damage and repair activities to the State Forester.
W. Business and Tax Supplement
Where tract is used for significant income generation, landowner may want to have a supplemental section on additional business and tax considerations. This section could include:
· Date and method of acquisition of each parcel of land owned
· Markets used for products (contact names, addresses, phone, etc.)
· Date and name of surveyor of last legal boundary survey
· Special zoning classifications and easement
· Description of all improvements on the property (roads, firebreaks, bridges, culverts, ponds, fences, wells, buildings, etc.)
· “Form” of business under which the operation exists
o name/contact information of owners/partners/stockholders directors
o what is your relationship with them
o written/verbal agreements existing
· Anticipated cost share program participation
o Program name, contact, benefits ($), details, sign up deadlines
· Written business plan
· Written estate plan
X. Signature Page
The following elements should be included on
a signature page:
•
Date
of plan
•
Landowner
name & signature
•
Plan
writer name & signature
•
Service
Forester name, signature & date of approval (if a Forestry Assistance
Stewardship Plan)
•
Forest
Practices Forester name, signature & date of approval (if a Forest
Practices Stewardship Plan)
These guidelines are intended to be used for Oregon Forest Stewardship Plans developed for the following programs:
1. Forest Practices Stewardship Plan & Agreement (FPSP&A),
2. Forestry Assistance Stewardship Plan (FASP),
3. Resource Management Planning Stewardship Plan (RMPSP), and
4. Oregon Tree Farm System Stewardship Plan (OTFSSP).
Table 1 shows what plan elements are required for each plan type. Landowners and plan writers are encouraged to address each element in every plan wherever practical.
Table 1. Plan elements
required by Stewardship Plan Types.
|
Element/Type |
FPSP&A |
FASP |
RMPSP |
OTFSSP |
|
A.
Cover Page |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
B.
Plan Introduction |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
C.
Landowner Objectives |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
D. Map/Woodland Description |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
E.
Forest Vegetation |
|