Appendix D. Timberland Conversion Vegetation Types

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Arline Atkins
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2 Appendix D Timberland Conversion Vegetation Types

3 Timberland Conversion Vegetation Types Appendix Preservation Ranch Prepared by Nicholas Kent, Registered Professional Forester #2418, Kent & Associates, Healdsburg, California April 14, 2008 Summary Of the 1,861 acres proposed for vineyards, 1,671 acres are considered timberland using criteria established by California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) during a pre-consultation field meeting at Preservation Ranch on September 28, The CAL FIRE criteria use presence or absence of conifers as a determinant of timberland, as well as capability and availability of land to produce timber, and is not related to the amount of timber that could be produced per acre. Timberland designations were field checked by CAL FIRE forester, James Bawcom, on June 13, 2006, who concurred with these designations and associated mapping. A copy of Mr. Bawcom s letter to the RPF, dated October 26, 2007, is attached. Scope Kent & Associates (K&A), a professional forest resources planning and management firm located in Healdsburg, California, made a determination of timberland based on the CDF criteria in Registered Professional Foresters (RPF) and supervised designee s of RPFs performed the vegetation survey. Methodology The resolution used for vegetation typing and timberland determination was a minimum of one acre. The conversion areas were typed into one of ten types, described below in Table 1 Vegetation Types within Vineyard Footprint. Refer to Figure 1 Timberland Conversion Vegetation Types for a description of the types which includes a representative photo of each type. Timber site index trees were measured in representative areas on the project area. Timber volume was estimated from the 2006 Timber Inventory of Preservation Ranch (refer to Forest Restoration Appendix). Results Within the vineyard footprint 190 acres were determined to be non-timberland and are either grasslands (Types 1) or oak woodlands (Type 2) with the majority being grassland (Refer to Table 1 Vegetation Types within the Vineyard Footprint). Areas determined to be timberland include approximately 4 acres of true oak mixed with conifer seedlings and scattered conifer overstory (Type 2B), and 45 acres of brushlands with conifer seedlings (Type 3); these areas have very marginal conifer stocking and appear to be understocked by Board of Forestry (BOF) standards. Mixed hardwood/conifer forests that are dominated by hardwoods, principally tanoak, and which appear to be understocked by FPR standards make up 306 acres (Types 4 and 5). The remainder of the conversion area 57444\SRO8R021 Page D - 1 of 15

4 is made up of forests with a mix of conifers and hardwoods which are young or immature forest stands (a majority of the overstory is <20 DBH) and make up 1,309 acres (Types 6A and 6B), and 18 acres (Types 7A and 7B) are mature forest stands with overstory trees >20 dbh. The majority of the conversion area is occupied with young, immature stands of trees. The 2006 inventory estimates that approximately 8,160 thousand board feet (net Scribner short log scale) of conifer timber will be harvested during the timber conversion component of the Project. The timber estimated to be harvested is comprised of 3,822 thousand-board feet of redwood (47%), 3,746 thousand-board feet of Douglas-fir (46%), and 591 thousand board feet of sugar pine (7%).Volume per acre of conifers is relatively low on the conversion areas, with an average of 5.55 thousand board feet per acre of conifers, refer to Table 2 Volume by Species in Conversion Area. Table 2 indicates that hardwoods make up a high proportion of the forest with 54% of total stocking and tanoak makes up 37% of total stocking measured in basal area. The majority of the trees present in the areas to be converted are small diameter. Refer to Table 3 Trees per Acre in Conversion Area by Species and Size Class and Chart 1 Trees per Acre in Conversion Area, which shows most trees are in the 6 inch to 16 inch diameter at breast height size classes. indicates there are no trees over 28 inches diameter present other than a very few lone residuals \SRO8R021 Page D - 2 of 15

5 Table 1 Vegetation Types within Vineyard Footprint Type # Type Conifer Stocking Acres Conifers Not Present 1 grassland none 183 2A oak woodland none 7 subtotal 190 Conifers Present (understocked) 2B true oak/conifer understocked 12 3 brushland/conifer understocked 45 4 mixed hardwood/conifer, <20 DBH overstory mixed hardwood/conifer, >20 DBH overstory understocked 294 understocked 6 5 subtotal 357 Conifers Present (stocked) 6A Douglas-fir or sugar pine, <20 DBH overstory stocked 604 6B Redwood, <20 DBH overstory stocked 692 7A Douglas-fir, >20 DBH overstory stocked 3 7B Redwood, >20 DBH overstory stocked 15 subtotal 1314 Conversion Total 1671 Project Total 1861 Stocked lands were evaluated using the waiver procedure of 14 CCR 1070(d) Table 2 Volume by Species in Conversion Area Species Total Board Feet Board Feet per Acre Total Trees Trees per Acre Basal Area per Acre (sq.ft.) Redwood 3,822,575 2,602 59, Douglas-fir 3,746,319 2,550 53, Other Conifers 591, , Total Conifers 8,160,645 5, , Tanoak 3,550,624 2, , Other Hardwoods 1,681,925 1,145 50, Total Hardwoods 5,232,549 3, , Total (All Species) 13,393,194 9, , \SRO8R021 Page D - 3 of 15

6 Table 3 Trees per Acre in Conversion Area by Species and Size Class (DBH = diameter at breast height) DBH < 4" 4-6" 6.1-8" " " " " " " " " " " Redwood Douglas-fir Other Conifers Total Conifers Tanoak Other Hardwoods Total Hardwoods Total (All Species) \SRO8R021 Page D - 4 of 15 April 30, 2008

7 Chart 1 Trees per Acre in Conversion Area 60.0 Number of Trees/Acre Redw ood Douglas-fir Other Conifers Total Conifers Tanoak Other Hardw oods Total Hardw oods Total (All Species) - < 4" 4-6" 6.1-8" " " " " " " " " " " Diameter at Breast Height 57444\SRO8R021 Page D - 5 of 15 April 30, 2008

8 Figure 1 Timberland Conversion Vegetation Types Type 1 Classification Description: Grassland (183 acres) Identification Keys: Absence of conifers or hardwood species except isolated individual trees. Grasslands dominates with some brush species associated. Grass is typically stunted in growth (<2 feet tall). Associated with poor soils, wetlands and unstable areas. Conifer Stocking: None 57444\SRO8R021 Page D 6 of 15 April 30, 2008

9 Type 2A Classification Description: Oak Woodland (7 acres) Identification Keys: Absence of conifers. Savannah with scattered true oaks and brush. Conifer Stocking: None 57444\SRO8R021 Page D 7 of 15 April 30, 2008

10 Type 2B Classification Description: True Oak/Conifer (12 acres) Identification Keys: True oak dominated stands with scattered conifer seedlings and overstory trees. Grass understory. Conifer Stocking: Understocked by BOF standards 57444\SRO8R021 Page D 8 of 15 April 30, 2008

11 Type 3 Classification Description: Brushland/Conifer (45 acres) Identification Keys: Lands dominated by coyote brush, Manzanita, or other brush species, with some conifer succession Conifer Stocking: Understocked by BOF standards 57444\SRO8R021 Page D 9 of 15 April 30, 2008

12 Type 4 Classification Description: Mixed Hardwood/Conifer, <20 dbh overstory (294 acres) Identification Keys: Lands dominated by hardwoods (tanoak, madrone, black oak, live oak), with scattered conifers. A majority of the hardwood overstory is <20 dbh (diameter at breast height) Conifer Stocking: Understocked by BOF standards 57444\SRO8R021 Page D 10 of 15 April 30, 2008

13 Type 5 Classification Description: Mixed Hardwood/Conifer, >20 dbh overstory (6 acres) Identification Keys: Lands with a dominant overstory composition of mixed mature hardwoods, with scattered conifers. A majority of the hardwood overstory is >20 dbh (diameter at breast height) Conifer Stocking: Understocked by BOF standards 57444\SRO8R021 Page D 11 of 15 April 30, 2008

14 Type 6A Classification Description: Douglas-fir and/or Sugar Pine, <20 dbh overstory (604 acres) Identification Keys: Lands with a majority overstory composition of immature Douglas-fir and/or sugar pine. >50% Basal area of conifers comprised of Douglas-fir and/or sugar pine A majority of the overstory is <20 DBH (diameter at breast height) Conifer Stocking: Stocked by BOF standards 57444\SRO8R021 Page D 12 of 15 April 30, 2008

15 Type 6B Classification Description: Redwood, <20 dbh overstory (692 acres) Identification Keys: Lands with a majority overstory composition of immature Redwood >50% Basal area of conifers comprised of Redwood A majority of the overstory is <20 dbh (diameter at breast height) Conifer Stocking: Stocked by BOF standards 57444\SRO8R021 Page D 13 of 15 April 30, 2008

16 Type 7A Classification Description: Douglas-fir, >20 dbh overstory (3 acres) Identification Keys: Lands with a majority composition of mature Douglas-fir >50% Basal area of conifers comprised of Douglas-fir A majority of the overstory is >20 dbh (diameter at breast height) Conifer Stocking: Stocked 57444\SRO8R021 Page D 14 of 15 April 30, 2008

17 Type 7B Classification Description: Redwood dominated, >20 dbh (15 acres) Identification Keys: Lands with a majority composition of mature redwood >50% Basal area of conifers comprised of redwood A majority of the overstory is >20 dbh (diameter at breast height) Conifer Stocking: Stocked 57444\SRO8R021 Page D 15 of 15 April 30, 2008

Financial maturity is when the rate of value

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