Happy Valley Timber Sale 

 Appendix D: Vegetative Analysis 



5. Happy Valley (project area) Age Class Distribution 



Table 4, displays the estimated age class distribution for the Happy Valley project area from 

 SLI observations. Very few residuals from earlier timber harvests exist on the Happy Valley 

 parcel. The upper canopy level of the stands on this parcel is the result of the past harvests. 

 The majority of trees in the lower canopy levels are generally less than 80 years old and have 

 grown as a result of the first major harvest on the parcel. t 



6. Old Growth 



In Historical Vegetation of Montana under Age Structure of Natural Stands it is noted that, 

 The final category (150+ years) represents a pool of acres of old aged trees, a portion of 

 which may be considered old growth stands. The actual acres which may be considered old 

 growth are somewhat elusive in that our understanding of the concept of old growth is limited 

 and not rigidly defined by nature." It is recognized that stand age is an important criteria for 

 determining old growth but would not realistically determine old growth acreage if used as the 

 sole parameter. The Northern Region USFS publicized their effort to characterize old growth 

 forest communities by cover type in a 1992 Internal Report: Old -Growth Forest Types of the 

 Northern Region, by P. Green, J. Joy, D. Sirucek, W. Hann, A. Zack, and B. Naumann. 



As per the State Forest Land Management Rule 36.1 1 .403 (48)DNRC defines old growth by 

 cover types, based on minimum number and size of large trees per acre and age of those 

 trees as noted in Old-Growth Forest Types Of The Northern Region. Older stands within 

 proposed project areas would be assessed for determining actual acreages that meet 

 DNRC's old growth definitions. Old growth will be managed to meet biodiversity and fiduciary 

 objectives pursuant to applicable State Forest Land Management Rules. 



No stands within the project area met the criteria for DNRC's old growth definitions. Neither 

 the age criteria or the stocking of large diameter trees per acre criteria were met in the Happy 

 Valley timber stands, 



7. Happy Valley Stand Characteristics 



Stand characteristics helpful in describing existing stand conditions are summarized below in 

 Table 6. Proposed Harvest Unit 2a, 2b, and 2c includes Stand 1 in Section 31 , most of Stand 

 5 and all of Stand 6 in Section 29, and a portion of Stand 2 and all of Stands 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 

 and 9 in Section 32. Proposed Harvest Unit la and lb includes Stands 1, 2, 3, 4, and a 

 portion of Stand 5 in Section 29 and Stand 1 and a portion of Stand 2 in Section 32. Refer to 

 Happy Valley Stand Map, A4. 



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 11/25/2003 



