Riparian Habitat Management – South Chilcotin Stewardship Plan

Riparian areas occur next to the banks of streams, lakes and wetlands and include both the area dominated by continuous high moisture content and the adjacent upland vegetation that exerts an influence on it. Riparian ecosystems contain many of the highest value non-timber resources in the natural forest. Streamside vegetation protects water quality and provides a ‘green zone’ of vegetation that stabilizes stream banks, regulates stream temperatures and provides a continuous source of woody debris to the stream channel. The majority of fish food organisms come from overhanging vegetation and bordering trees while leaves and twigs that fall into streams are the primary nutrient source that drives aquatic ecosystems. Riparian areas frequently contain the highest number of plant and animal species found in forests and provide critical habitats, home ranges, and travel corridors for wildlife. Biologically diverse, these areas maintain ecological linkages throughout the forest landscape, connecting hillsides to streams and upper headwaters to lower valley bottoms. There is no other landscape feature within the natural forest that provides the natural linkages of riparian areas.

The Riparian Management Area (RMA) consists of a Riparian Management Zone (RMZ) and, where required by regulation, a Riparian Reserve Zone (RRZ). Within the management zone, constraints to forest practices are applied. The width of these zones is determined by the attributes of streams, wetlands or lakes, and adjacent terrestrial ecosystems.

RMA objectives are implemented:

To minimize or prevent impacts of forest and range uses on stream channel dynamics, aquatic ecosystems and water quality of all streams, lakes and wetlands;
To minimize or prevent impacts of forest and range use on the diversity productivity and sustainability of wildlife habitat and vegetation adjacent to streams, lakes and wetlands with reserve zones or where high wildlife habitat values are present; or,
To allow for forest and range use that is consistent with either of the above bullets.

As it relates to the SC Plan area, stream locations and lengths were taken from the 1:20,000 scale forest cover maps (FC1 database). This analysis assumes that stream locations and the location of the forested edge are accurately represented on the FC1 files. Stream classifications for the Churn Creek watershed are from the 1996 Forest Renewal BC Reconnaissance Level Stream Inventory whereas, stream classifications for the area east of the Black Dome height of land are from the 1994 Ministry of Environment, Lands, and Parks fish survey. For the purposes of this analysis, tributaries that were not surveyed or included in the above assessments were assumed to be S6 streams (i.e. non-fish streams, 3 metres or less in width).

In this analysis, prescribed RRZ and RMZ widths are consistent with those detailed in the FPC Operational Planning Regulation for each specific stream class and are assumed to be measured over the horizontal distance. For operational purposes it should be noted that the Forest Practices Code (FPC) dictates that slope distance shall be used when establishing appropriate RMZs and RRZ buffers. Within Scenario 5 Final (Appendix 5 Page) dated February 9, 1999, the area encompassed by RRZs was modeled as exclusion to the land base (i.e. contributed to the overall Equivalent Excluded Area for the SC Plan area). For the area included within prescribed RMZ, the analysis assumed the implementation of best management practices as defined by the FPC RMA Guidebook. Prescribed retention percentages within RMZ’s Scenario 5 Final, were assumed to translate [in a linear fashion] into equivalent area deductions and, as such, were again modeled as an exclusion to the land base; (e.g. over one rotation, 50% retention within an RMZ equates to 50% of the zone being excluded from harvest).

Stream Class	Dimensions (m)	Reserve Zone Width (m)	Management Zone Width (m)	Assumed Retention Within the RMZ (%)
S1	> 20	50	20	50
S2	> 5 to 20	30	20	50
S3	1.5 to 5	20	20	50
S4	< 1.5	0	30	25
S5	> 3	0	30	25
S6	3 or less	0	20	5

I. Streams classified as S1 through S4 are fish bearing whereas; S5 and S6 streams are not.

II. RMZs for S6 streams were not modeled in the analysis because the retention level is minimal (estimated to be 5% as described above) and because there is a strong belief that the number of S6 streams is overestimated on the forest cover maps.

III. One hundred percent of the area within RRZs contributes to the old seral requirement within applicable landscape units (only applied where there is a net old seral requirement remaining after accounting for the old seral contribution from the parks).

Wetlands

Wetlands include shallow open water (up to 2 metres in depth), swamps, marshes, fens and bogs. Supplement to this, the Forest Practices Code includes shrub-carrs as wetlands due to their close similarity to and association with wetlands. Shrub-carrs occur primarily in broad depressions and low-lying areas where forest development is limited by cold, periodically saturated soils. Shrubcarrs are characterized by shrub-dominated vegetation (primarily scrub birch and willow) up to 2 metres tall and often with widely scattered taller trees.

As with streams, the prescribed Riparian Reserve Zone (RRZ) and Riparian Management Zone (RMZ) widths are consistent with those detailed in the FPC Operational Planning Regulation for each specific wetland class and are assumed to be measured over the horizontal distance. The area encompassed by RRZs and the equivalent area deductions for RMZs (e.g. 50% retention within an RMZ equates to 50% of the zone being excluded from harvest) were again modeled as exclusions to the land base. That is, they contributed to the overall Equivalent Excluded Area for the SC Plan.

For analysis purposes, only 20 % of the RMZ area and 8% of the RRZ area (35% in Hungry Valley) west of Churn Creek are included in the modeling data base (i.e. contributed to EEA calculations) for the SC Plan. Using forest inventory information for swamps and non-productive timber types (i.e. non-productive and non-productive brush polygon labels) was believed to be an inaccurate estimate of wetlands as defined by the FPC. This inaccuracy was confirmed through an air photo review process. For the indicated area, it was this air photo review process that ultimately generated more realistic numbers for RMZ and Riparian Reserve Zone Equivalent Excluded Area contributions.

Non-stream RMA Equivalent Excluded Area contributions within the Sub-Boreal Pine-Spruce (SBPS) and Interior Douglas-fir (IDF) biogeoclimatic zones were not included in the SCSRP analysis because of the small contribution of area (Interior Douglas fir) or because of the low retention levels within applicable RMZs (SBPS – 10%).

Riparian Class	Dimensions (ha)	Reserve Zone Width (m)	Management Zone Width (m)
W1	>5	10	40
W5	Wetland Complex	10	40
W3	>1 to 5	0	30

I. There are no W2 or W4 wetlands within the SC planning area.

II. Within RMZs, the retention levels used are those described in the ‘Best Management Practices’ section of the FPC RMA Guidebook.

Objectives	Management Direction/Strategies	Measures of Success/Targets	Intent
1. Manage resource development and use activities to maintain or enhance riparian habitats that sustain healthy aquatic ecosystems supporting viable fish and wildlife populations	1.1 Continue to manage S1 – S3 streams as per current legislation	Mineral and placer activities in riparian areas consistent with current legislation and regulations (e.g., Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia; Inter- Agency Memorandum of Understanding) Forest management in riparian areas consistent with current legislation and regulations (e.g., Forest and Range Practices Act; Forest Planning and Practices Regulation; Riparian Management Area Guidebook)	To maintain riparian integrity and function. The definitions for streams are the Forest and Range Practices Act definitions as they may be amended from time to time. To encourage flexibility and variation of application to meet the unique needs of specific stream systems. For all stream classes, continue to use as guidelines the maximum overall levels of basal area retention within the riparian management zone. Variances in buffer widths can occur as per the current guidelines. Retain wildlife trees where practicable within the management zone. Consistent with the objectives for riparian management areas in community watersheds: minimize the impacts of forest and range use on stream and lake water quality by providing a vegetated buffer and filter between those activities and the streams. Maintain stream channel stability by protecting stream banks and stream bank vegetation and by ensuring that a longterm supply of large wood is available for stream channel processes For the purposes of this strategy, a qualified person or persons must have education and expertise in riparian values, fisheries and wildlife values, stream hydrology and timber harvesting
	1.2 Consistent with best management practices, where windthrow risk is moderate or high in the reserve zone, a sufficient number of trees should be retained within the management zone to protect the wind firmness of the reserve zone
	1.3 Retain wildlife trees that do not pose a risk to workers within the management zone adjacent to the reserve zone
2. Maintain the function of riparian areas by minimizing the impact of forest health management activities directed at preventing bark beetle outbreaks	2.1 The primary approach in riparian areas should be sanitation, which might include tree removal, rather than salvage
3. Increase knowledge and information available on riparian ecosystems	3.1 Initiate research to assess the effectiveness of current management for maintaining riparian values (not only for fish) for all streams		South Chilcotin-specific work is required on this issue, which should tie into provincial work that is underway
	3.2 Complete stream inventories for the plan area, where fish presence information is lacking
3. Establish RMZs along streams, lakes and wetlands such that adequately accommodate riparian habitat.	3.1 Ensure that RRZs are established in a manner consistent with recommendations supplied in FPC RMA Guidebook.
	3.2 Ensure that RMZs are established in a manner consistent with recommendations supplied in the ‘Best Management Practices’ section of the FPC RMA Guidebook.