Timber Harvesting

Harvesting includes felling trees and transporting logs on skid trails to a landing where products are sorted and loaded onto trucks for transport to a mill.  Skid trails are temporary travel-ways for logging equipment to transport felled trees or logs to a landing.  They are not intended for over-the-road vehicles.  Skid trails that require excavation need careful design and should follow BMPs in the Woodland Roads section and Appendix C.  Landings may be permanent or temporary features.  If permanent, they may be used as parking areas or wildlife openings.

· Follow all planning BMPs in the Advance Planning section.

· For BMPs concerning skid trails and landings in wetlands, consult the Wetlands section.

· Limit the length and number of skid trails and number of landings and stream crossings to the minimum necessary to conduct the harvest operation and to meet the landowner’s objectives.

Harvesting

· When harvesting near streams or lakes, follow BMPs in the Streamside Management Areas section.        

· Whenever possible, winch logs from steep slopes if conventional skidding could cause erosion that affects water quality.

· Avoid operating equipment where excessive soil compaction and rutting may cause erosion that affects water quality.  The use of low ground pressure equipment may allow operations to continue.

· Fill in ruts, apply seed and mulch and install sediment-control structures and drainage structures on skid trails and landings where needed to prevent erosion and sedimentation into surface waters.  See the Drainage Structures section and the Soil Stabilization section of Appendix C: Woodland Roads.

· Inspect soil-stabilization practices periodically during and immediately after harvest operations to insure they are successful and remain functional.  Follow BMPs in the Road Maintenance section of Appendix C: Woodland Roads.

· Do not pile slash into drainage areas where runoff may wash slash into streams, lakes or wetlands.

Landings

· Locate landings outside streamside management areas.

· Locate landings on frozen ground, firm well-drained soils with a slight slope, or on ground shaped to promote efficient drainage.

· Landings may need a crown shape to allow for drainage.

· Use existing landings if possible.  Close existing landings in streamside management areas unless construction of new landings will cause greater harm to water quality than using existing landings.

· Locate residue piles (sawdust, field chipping residue, etc.) away from drainages where runoff may wash residue into streams, lakes or wetlands.

Skid Trails

· Locate skid trails outside SMAs.

· Locate skid trails on frozen ground or firm well-drained soils.

· Keep skid trail grades less than 15%, where possible.  Where steep grades are unavoidable, break the grade and use soil-stabilization practices (as described in Appendix C: Woodland Roads) where needed to minimize runoff and erosion.

·  Use existing trails if they provide the best long-term access.  Consider relocating existing trails if both access and environmental impact can be improved.

Stream Crossing for Skidding

· AVOID skidding across running streams.  When that is not possible, use permanent crossings as described in the BMPs for Stream Crossings, or use temporary crossings such as pole       fords and frozen fords.

· Pole fords may be used in small streams by placing poles (or small logs) side by side on the streambed (Figure 5-1).  Pole fords must be removed immediately after use or before the upstream      end becomes clogged with debris and impedes streamflow.

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