Brule River State Forest Master Plan Progress Report 8- Concepts 1-4

CONCEPT STATEMENT

Under this management concept, the forest would be managed on mostly a low impact basis, to include forest management actions. Very little disturbance and management activities would be seen in the majority of the forest. In the following text, management topics will be explained.

• Natural resource management on the BRSF under this concept would be geared toward allowing natural processes and events shape the resources on the property.

• The management of the fisheries would be through regulations only, with no active management of habitat, including elimination of the beaver control program.

• Manage to restore a unique native boreal forest (conifer dominated forest) using minimal management techniques.
• Harvesting of forest products would be limited to the thinning and eventual elimination of existing plantations to natural appearing pine forests.
• Salvage operations would be limited to those needed for public safety or recreational facilities.
• Allowing natural succession in the grassland areas would gradually phase out grassland areas. Attempts may be made at direct seeding species such as white pine, white spruce, white cedar, and white birch to establish a seed source for these species. Under this concept however, these seeding efforts would be conducted without mechanized site preparation, which will result in a limited number of new trees. Some form of mechanical site preparation treatment would be needed to make direct seeding a viable option on large acreage. Without eliminating competing vegetation, any new seedlings that result from this seeding effort would likely become overgrown and fail.
• Created wetlands and ponds would be maintained where public safety is a concern, others would be removed or abandoned.

• Gradual shift from aspen-dominated forests to a more conifer-dominated ecosystem over a long period of time (80-120 years). Aspen will remain a component of this ecosystem.
• Gradual shift from edge wildlife species to interior wildlife species such as chipmunks and red backed voles.
• Decrease open grass and brush habitats, thereby decreasing populations of open land wildlife species.

Mille Lacs Uplands (west/central/BRSF)

• Restore the native mix of hardwoods interspersed with supercanopy pine through passive management practices.
• Harvesting of forest products would be limited to thinning the pine plantations that are present in this ecoregion, along with salvage operations needed for public safety and recreational facilities.
• Direct seeding and limited planting of red pine and white pine in natural canopy openings to encourage the development of these species. Openings would not be maintained under this concept.

• Habitat for forest interior wildlife species such as various warblers will gradually improve.

• Gradual loss of the early successional species (oak, birch, aspen) now prevalent across this ecoregion. Gradually, red maple, sugar maple, and some basswood would replace these early successional species. Establishment of young pine would be limited under this concept of disturbance.
• Forest openings would be lost to natural succession over time, and habitat for most game species (deer, grouse) would decline.

• Under this concept of low impact restoration, we cannot completely attain the goal of establishing a pine barrens and dry forest (jack pine, N. pin oak, & red pine) community.
• Within this concept, existing pine plantations and other natural cover types would be managed to encourage natural regeneration of forest cover types appropriate to the site conditions.

• We cannot negatively impact adjoining landowners through management practices that allow insect infestations to go unchecked; therefore management must be done to curb this problem. This would be accomplished through commercial timber sales and other silvicultural methods.
• Open conditions would be maintained only on a portion of this ecoregion as identified in the Biotic Inventory (Barrens Restoration site) through an active timber sale program.

• Bayfield Sand Plain plant communities are driven by disturbance, in this case the pine barrens and dry forest communities are both fire dependent ecosystems.
• A large block of mature forest would be created.
• Reduction of open land plants such as blueberries.
• Reduction in wildlife species that prefer open land.
• Increase fire danger fuel loads substantially.

• Management of the Brule Bog and Spillway under this concept would be to let natural processes dominate the area.

• Areas on the slopes leading to the bog and the terraces associated with these slopes are also included in this management unit, and would also be allowed to follow natural successional pathways.

• Natural disturbances within the bog area such as wind and ice storms should eventually increase structural diversity within this area.
• The slopes and terraces would develop into older conifer-dominated forests over a time period of 100-200 years.
• Monitoring of this area for invasive species would be conducted and low impact methods would be used for removal of these species.

• Increase in forest interior wildlife species such as salamanders.

• Loss of game habitat, though cover would increase for some seasonally.

• No change to the Bog itself.

• Reduction in timber harvest from the slopes and terraces.
• Animal browse pressure on white cedar would remain problematic.

• Over the long term (120 years) it will shift the visual character of the forest to older growth forest with less forest edge and openings.
• Increase in interior wildlife species such as red backed voles.

• High water quality would be maintained.

• Fewer timber sales.
• Game and open land/edge species reduction such as deer and hare.
• Economic losses due to reduction in timber sales and hunter numbers.
• Limitations on bough cutting and Christmas tree permits.

BRULE RIVER STATE FOREST - CONCEPT 2

Under this concept, the management objective for the state forest would be to restore the ecological communities through active land management actions. Under this concept, active management actions and some level of disturbance would be seen in most areas of the state forest. In the following text, management topics will be explained.

• Natural resource management on the BRSF under this concept would be geared toward using both active and passive management to restore ecological communities.

• Fisheries management on the river would remain at the same levels as what has been occurring. This includes controlling beaver numbers to allow fish to access spawning tributaries and spawning areas on the upper river, adding large woody debris to the river system, adding gravel to low gradient upper Brule, and utilizing current fisheries regulations with some tightening of regulations where necessary.

• Restore the native "boreal" type forest on the Lake Superior Clay Plain through active and passive management techniques. Including aspen harvest to release conifers for increased conifer dominance.
• Timber harvests, planting, and direct seeding activities will be done to encourage the growth of these species (white cedar, white spruce, white birch and white pine).
• Planting, direct seeding, or not maintaining grasslands to allow forests to be re-established on these sites will reduce the open grasslands.
• Direct seeding and planting efforts would be done in conjunction with mechanized site preparation activities to increase success rates.
• Planting will not be done in plantation style.
• Active management actions would not be used in inappropriate areas such as steep slopes and stream/river corridors.
• Actively manage the hydrology of the area to eliminate field drains and reestablish sheet flow of water across the landscape.

• A general increase in tree size over time, and a general shift from edge wildlife species to interior species favoring those that prefer larger blocks of mature forests with a significant conifer component.

• Active management will result in accelerated conversion of the aspen cover types into conifers.
• Reduction in aspen dominated acreage (aspen will still be a component of this ecoregion), and an increase in coniferous forest types. Over the next 60 years, this change from aspen to coniferous cover types (primarily fir and spruce) would occur on approximately 25% (1900 acres) of the aspen acreage on the clay plain. In the next 120 years this change would be over 50% (3600 acres).

• Conversion of grassland types to forest types.
• Reduction in open grassland and brushy habitat types, thereby reducing habitat for wildlife species that utilize these cover types.
• Some short term negative aesthetic impacts such as timber harvests, site preparation and planting.

Mille Lacs Uplands (west/central/BRSF)

• Restore the native mix of hardwoods intermixed with "supercanopy" red and white pine and other conifers through active management techniques.
• Under this concept, silvicutural practices would include applying shelterwood harvest techniques and/or small clearcut areas to maintain the shade intolerant species such as pine, oak, birch, and aspen that were historically found on these sites.
• The shelterwood harvest would include the harvest of species other than pine along with a site preparation treatment to prepare a suitable place for the pine seeds to germinate and grow. A shelterwood harvest appears very similar to a heavy thinning, but with the purpose being to establish a crop of young trees under the remaining large trees within an area. Some planting of pine species will be done in areas where a seed source is lacking to establish these species as a component of the ecosystem.
• The Sugar Camp Hill area will continue to be managed and maintain a large block of mixed boreal and northern hardwood species of older age classes.

• A long-term increase in the pine, spruce, and fir component of these forests types, with increased diversity of the hardwood species over time.
• Maintain the present diversity of forest types in this area. Forest types currently found include aspen, oak, birch, scattered supercanopy pine, and northern hardwoods such as sugar maple, red maple, ash, and basswood.
• Maintain some level of edge habitat for game species (deer and hare), as well as improving habitat for some forest interior species such as chipmunks and various warblers.
• Maintain an active timber sale program.

• Restoration to Sand Barrens and dry forest type communities.
• Barrens restoration will occur on a specific site as identified in the ecological assessments and identified on the accompanying map.

• Barrens restoration techniques that would be used include; harvesting, prescribed burning, and possible re-introduction of native plants following treatments.

• On areas not identified as barren restoration areas, manage as a dry pine forest community.
• Pine plantations and natural stands would be managed to mimic natural tree densities and natural regeneration techniques would be applied following harvest. Planting would occur if natural regeneration were not successful.
• Regeneration practices would include mechanical scarification treatments to expose mineral soil to allow germination as well as prescribed burns to create conditions suitable for regeneration of natural species, primarily jack pine.

• Shifts from a plantation-dominated forest cover to a naturally appearing forest.
• The landscape would appear to be more open. This would result in greater infiltration of ground water.
• Habitat for open land wildlife species would improve, (including sharptail grouse and many native "prairie" plants and animals).

• Expanded opportunities for activities such as berry picking and sightseeing.

• With current ownership only an example of a barrens community could be restored. Landscape level restoration would require additional ownership.

• Maintain and enhance a large contiguous mostly conifer dominated forest ecosystem with high canopy closure, thus protecting the micro-habitats and many rare species populations that are currently present.
• Active management of the side slopes and terraces to promote the growth of an older, conifer dominated ecosystem.
• Thin existing pine plantations in stages to promote natural regeneration of the desired conifer species (on side slopes and terraces).

• Mechanical scarification, prescribed burning, direct seeding, planting, and herbicide use to establish a natural, coniferous forest (on side slopes and terraces).
• Within the bog area, research activities would be supported which would determine reliable methods to regenerate the bog conifers that are currently and historically present on this area. These research activities would work off of the results of past studies that have been conducted in this area and nearby.
• Some level of monitoring the flora and fauna of this area is warranted under this and all concepts.

• Reach the objective of older conifer dominated sideslopes and terraces within 50 - 100 years, which is shorter than in concept 1 (100-200 years).

• Forest interior wildlife habitat would improve.
• Very little change in bog area, with limited research activities taking place.

• Decrease in timber production.
• Reduction in game habitat.
• Animal browse pressure on white cedar would remain problematic.

• In about 60 years the visual character of the forest will shift to older growth forest with more conifer dominance, less forest edge and fewer openings.

• Increase in interior wildlife species habitat.

• High water quality would be maintained or improved.

• Decrease in timber production levels
• Decrease in game habitat in some areas, but an increase in the Sand Barrens.

Under this concept, the management level of the forest would increase over concepts 1 & 2. In the following text, the management topics will be explained.

• Natural resource management on the BRSF under this concept would be geared toward using both active and passive management to restore ecological communities.

• Fisheries management on the river would remain at the same levels as what has been occurring. This includes controlling beaver numbers to allow fish to access spawning tributaries and spawning areas on the upper river, adding large woody debris to the river system, adding gravel to low gradient upper Brule, and utilizing current fisheries regulations with some tightening of regulations where necessary.

• The one addition to fisheries management under this concept would be to increase stocking of the current fish species that are now present.

• The forest management program in this ecological unit would be split into several different areas as shown on the map.
• North of Hwy 13 the objective would be to restore the "boreal" forest community using a combination of active and passive management techniques as outlined in concept 2.
• South of Hwy 13 would be managed to maintain a mix of forest cover types and age classes. This would include a mixture of aspen and conifer cover types.
• Techniques utilized in this area would include clearcut harvests of varied sizes and shapes to promote optimum habitat for early successional species including grouse and deer.
• Existing grassland/wetland complexes would be maintained as open land by mowing and/or burning to provide habitat for wildlife that prefer or rely on these habitats.
• Hydrology of previously drained areas would be restored to provide sheet flow of water across the land surface rather than ditch flow of water.

• Increase in the conifer component of this forest area will provide a mixture of habitats to maintain the current wildlife species.
• The process of conifer establishment will be achieved sooner under this management strategy than the previous two concepts.

Mille Lacs Uplands (west/central/BRSF)

• The management of this ecological unit under this concept is very similar to concept 2. The major differences would be a greater amount of oak and aspen management than in concept 2. This would be done to maintain a diverse mix of sizes and age classes of these early successional species to benefit game species.
• The emphasis on the establishment of pine in this area would still be applied as under concept 2.
• Sugar Camp Hill would be managed to provide an older aged class forest, but with a mix of size and age classes. Northern hardwood forest cover types would be maintained, grading to aspen and boreal type forest types to the south and east.
• Management techniques would include a mix of selective and regeneration harvest techniques. Harvesting activity on Sugar Camp Hill would be the exception, rather than the norm.

• A long-term increase in the pine, spruce, and fir component of these forests types, with reduced area of aspen, birch and maple.
• Increased diversity of the hardwood species over time.
• Maintain the present diversity of forest types in this area.
• Maintain and improve some level of edge habitat for game species (deer, grouse), as well as improving habitat for some forest interior species (red backed voles, salamanders).

• Maintain an active timber sale program.

• Under this concept the sand plain would also be managed similar to concept 2. This concept would retain the core area (as identified on the map) for Bayfield Sand Plain restoration potential.
• The remainder of the sand plain would be managed as noted under concept 2. See the results section from concept 2.

• The resource management would be very similar to concept 2. Included in this concept would be management of scattered wildlife openings along the side slopes, as well as a limited amount of aspen management for wildlife benefits.

• Animal browse pressure on white cedar would remain problematic.

• The visual character of the forest will shift, (60 years) to a combination of large pockets of older growth forest with significant areas of young forest to open landscapes of pine barren and grasslands.

• Increase in timber production levels over previous concepts, while providing for restoration of natural communities.
• Game habitat is improved, while not adversely effecting non-game species.
• Maintenance or improvement of high water quality would continue to be a priority.
• Some ecological potential is lost with continued grassland management, but non-game grassland birds and mammals would also benefit.

Under this management concept, manage the forest for timber production as the primary objective. Maintaining and enhancing ecological values would remain a priority. Management activity would be seen throughout the forest except in aesthetic zones along the river, lakes and roads. In the following text, management topics will be explained.

• Natural resource management under this concept would be geared toward production of forest products, with habitat management for wildlife game species emphasized. Restoration of native ecological communities will also be done, but on a smaller scale than under previous concepts.

• Fisheries management practices would remain consistent with concept 3, with the possible addition of increased stocking levels, including the possible stocking of cold water species that are not currently present.

Lake Superior Clay Plain (northern BRSF)

• North of Hwy 13 the sites specially identified would be managed for ecological goals. Natural succession and both active and passive management would be used to restore old growth boreal forest.
• This would be a working forest, the production of timber within the boreal type would be most important. Stands would be considered for silvicultural treatments at an economic rotation age (younger age) rather than at a biological rotation age (older age).

• The Lake Superior Clay Plain south of Hwy 13 would be managed for timber production purposes, with a mixture of aspen and conifers being the predominant cover types, based upon ecological potential of the site. A conifer component would be encouraged and maintained throughout this region, and some areas would be dominated by "boreal’ type conifers. Regular harvest would occur at economic rotation (40-60 years).

• Existing grassland and wetland areas would be continued to be managed for the wildlife benefits they provide, and additional areas would be considered for these purposes.

• Eliminating field drains and ditch systems to reestablish sheet flow of water across the landscape would actively restore hydrology of the area.

• Result in a younger age class of forest, while some areas would take on old growth characteristics.
• Diversity of forest cover types and age classes, but there would not be large areas of any one size and age class.

Mille Lacs Uplands (west/central/BRSF)

• The management of this ecoregion would be similar to concept 3 with a few differences.
• An increased acreage of aspen would be maintained through clearcut harvests for timber production purposes as well as wildlife habitat benefits.
• White pine regeneration would be encouraged through increased acreage of shelterwood harvest, planting, and direct seeding activities. This would be done to create a long term situation where white pine would be more of a major component of timber management activities on this ecoregion.

• Increased acreage of white pine, with aspen acreage being kept at current levels.
• Harvest activity would be more frequently seen across this unit, with harvest areas being larger in size than present conditions.

• This management concept would retain all aspects of the Bayfield Sand Plain restoration site identified on the accompanying map.
• The remainder of the sand plain would be managed with timber production as a priority, including harvesting areas at economic rotation ages, and follow up treatments would include site preparation for natural regeneration as well as replanting areas following harvest.

• Increased levels of forest product production.
• Increase in temporary roads for timber harvest.
• Improved game habitat, and decreased levels of interior wildlife habitat from other concepts.

• This area would be managed very similar to concept 2, with the exception being the terraces associated with the sideslopes being managed for timber production purposes with techniques similar to the sand plain as noted above.

• Improved game species habitat, and a decrease in interior wildlife species habitat.

• Increased timber production levels from this ecoregion.
• Animal browse pressure on white cedar would remain problematic.

• Under this management concept the conifers in the boreal forest area would increase, but older growth stands would be limited to the sites specifically noted on the map. In the barrens area the tree density would be more natural, but the harvest rotation would be more frequent than concept 3.
• The visual character of the forest will shift, (40 years) to many smaller mixed age classes. Generally a younger forest with active timber harvests including clearcuts will occur at regular economic intervals with an increase in forest road and harvest activity.

• Maintenance of high water quality would remain a high priority.

• Improved game habitat.
• Increased levels of timber harvesting.
• Decrease in interior wildlife species habitat from other concepts.