WAC 222-34-020
Required reforestation -- East of Cascades
Summit. (1) Reforestation - where required.
(a) Unless the harvest application indicates that the
land will be converted to another use, or the lands are
identified in WAC 222-34-050 as having a likelihood of
conversion to urban use, reforestation is required for forest
lands harvested after January 1, 1975 in the following
instances:
(i) Clearcutting; or
(ii) Partial cutting where 50 percent or more of the
timber volume is removed within any 5-year period, unless the
department determines that the live trees remaining will
reasonably utilize the timber growing capacity of the soils.
(b) Reforestation is not required where:
(i) Individual dead, dying, down or windthrown trees are
salvaged; or
(ii) A tree or trees not constituting a merchantable
stand are removed from lands in actual use for other purposes,
for example, removal of individual trees from lands used
exclusively for farming or cultivated pasture; or
(iii) Trees are removed under a thinning program
reasonably expected to maximize the long-term production of
commercial timber; or
(iv) An average of 150 vigorous, undamaged,
well-distributed seedlings per acre of a commercial tree
species are established on the area harvested (up to 20
percent of the harvested area may contain fewer than 150
seedlings per acre, but no acre of the harvested area with
timber growing capacity may contain less than 120 seedlings
per acre); or
(v) A minimum of 100 vigorous, undamaged,
well-distributed advanced regeneration, saplings or
merchantable trees per acre of a commercial tree species or
combinations thereof, remain on the area harvested.
(2) Reforestation standards. A harvest area is
reforested when that area contains an average of 150 or more
vigorous, undamaged commercial species seedlings per acre that
have survived on the site for at least 1 growing season. Up
to 20 percent of the harvested area may contain fewer than 150
seedlings per acre, but no portion of the harvested area with
timber growing capacity may contain less than 120 seedlings
per acre. The department may determine that less than an
average of 150 seedlings per acre is acceptable if fewer
seedlings will reasonably utilize the timber growing capacity
of the site.
(3) Competing vegetation. Competing vegetation shall be
controlled to the extent necessary to allow establishment
survival and growth by commercial species.
(4) Artificial regeneration standards.
(a) Satisfactory reforestation - clearcuts. Satisfactory
reforestation of a clearcut harvest occurs if within 3 years
of completion of harvest or a period of from 1 to 10 years as
determined by the department in the case of a natural
regeneration plan, the site is restocked to at least the
acceptable stocking levels described in subsection (2) of this
section: Provided, That regeneration failures from causes
beyond the applicant's control will not result in a violation
of this section, but supplemental planting may be required
except in riparian management zones (see WAC 222-34-030(4)).
The department may grant an extension of time for
planting or seeding if suitable seedlings or seeds are
unavailable, or if weather conditions or other circumstances
beyond the forest landowner's control require delay in
planting or seeding.
(i) Reforestation species. Where the species proposed
for reforestation after timber harvesting differs from the
removed stand, the department may approve use of the proposed
species where the reforestation plan reveals that the proposed
species is preferable from any of the following standpoints:
(A) Site data indicates better potential production for
the proposed species than the existing species.
(B) Control of forest insects or diseases.
(C) Greater economic return.
(ii) Seedling and seed standards. Except as approved by
the department to qualify as acceptable reforestation, the
seedlings and seed must be from an appropriate seed source
zone. The department shall establish seed zones and
guidelines for their use.
(b) Satisfactory reforestation - partial cuts. Partial
cuts not meeting the specifications of subsection (1)(b)(iv)
or (v) of this section shall have a seed source as required in
subsection (5)(c)(ii) of this section.
(5) Natural regeneration standards. A natural
regeneration plan may be approved by the department as
acceptable reforestation if:
(a) A seed source of well-formed, vigorous trees of
commercial tree species capable of seed production is
available.
(b) The owner of the seed source agrees in writing not to
harvest the seed source for the time period specified in the
plan or until issuance of a satisfactory reforestation
inspection report.
(c) The seed source consists of one of the following, or
combinations thereof:
(i) Seed blocks which total a minimum of 5 percent of the
area of each 40 acre subdivision or portion thereof harvested:
Provided, That the seed block should be reasonably windfirm,
at least 1/2 acre in size, and reserved in locations shown on
the plan and approved by the department; or
(ii) A minimum of 4 undamaged seed trees per acre, well
distributed over each 40 acre subdivision or portion thereof
harvested: Provided, That the distance from seed trees of
harvested areas that are not adequately stocked should not be
more than 200 feet. Seed trees shall be of commercial tree
species, vigorous and of seed-bearing age and size.
(6) Any alternate plan for natural reforestation may be
approved if it provides a practical method of achieving
acceptable stocking levels as described in subsection (2) of
this section within a period of 1 to 10 years.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040. 05-12-119, §
222-34-020, filed 5/31/05, effective 7/1/05; 87-23-036 (Order
535), § 222-34-020, filed 11/16/87, effective 1/1/88;
86-21-040 (Resolution No. 86-2), § 222-34-020, filed 10/10/86,
effective 12/1/86. Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040 and 76.09.050. 82-16-077 (Resolution No. 82-1), § 222-34-020,
filed 8/3/82, effective 10/1/82; Order 263, § 222-34-020,
filed 6/16/76.]