1. Managing Site Disturbance
2015

2. Why is Soil so Important?
Soil is the foundation for terrestrial life and essential for aquatic life and clean water supplies.
Soil disturbance caused by harvesting activities have the potential to negatively affect the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil.

3. How does Canfor Manage for Soils?
Data collected during layout includes:
Soil texture
Percent course fragments
Slope percent
Depth of water restricting layer (i.e. hard pan, bedrock)
Data is used in writing of site plan and determining site disturbance limit

4. Classifications of Disturbance
Under FRPA, disturbance is classified into two main types:
Areas occupied by permanent access structures (i.e. roads); and
Areas occupied by soil disturbance in the net area to be reforested.

5. Implication of Excessive Soil Disturbance
Disturbed sites often have reduced soil productivity and may not provide optimum growing conditions for new trees.

6. Accepted Soil Disturbance Limits
5% of the area to be reforested if comprised of sensitive soils.
10% of the area to be reforested if comprised of non-sensitive soils.
25% of the area covered by a roadside work area.
“Sensitive Soils" means soils that, because of their slope gradient, texture class, moisture regime, or organic matter content have the following risk of displacement, surface erosion or compaction (for the Interior, a very high hazard).

7. Best Management Practices
Scheduling and season of harvest
Operations planned based on the sensitivities of all soils in the harvest unit.
Choice / operation of equipment
If harvesting under unfavourable soil moisture conditions is unavoidable, consider using innovative or non-conventional harvesting strategies (e.g., hoe chucking, designated trails, or low ground pressure equipment).
Distribute skidder traffic over a wider area
When at risk of exceeding the defined site disturbance limit, shut down and contact your Canfor Harvesting Supervisor

8. Probably Should have Been a Winter Harvest
Conclusion
Managing Site Level Disturbance Equates to Logging at the Right Time of the Year with The Right Equipment
Probably Should have Been a Winter Harvest