Weyerhaeuser Company Weyerhaeuser Company: Soil Monitoring Methods for Western Timberlands By: Ron Heninger and Alex Dobkowski Weyerhaeuser Company, Western

Weyerhaeuser Company

Weyerhaeuser Company:Soil Monitoring Methods for Western

Timberlands

By: Ron Heninger and Alex Dobkowski

Weyerhaeuser Company, Western Timberlands Research


Objective of Today's Presentation

Describe methods Weyerhaeuser Company is using to monitor soil disturbance to minimize erosion and harmful soil disturbance

Discuss consequences of Douglas-fir growth responses on non-tilled and tilled skid trails and logged only controls.


Process Components Required to Achieve Sustainable Site Productivity

STRATEGIC DATABASE

IMPLEMENTATION OF BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPs)

RESEARCH

MONITORING

GUIDELINES

TRAINING


Weyerhaeuser Soil Disturbance Classification


Weyerhaeuser Soil Disturbance ClassificationExample of Class 1 Soil Disturbance










Soil Management Process Monitoring and Tracking

Quality Control Monitoring– Self-monitoring by the equipment operator, a

visual inspection– Spot-checks by the Harvest Manager or

auditor, using a point-intercept method– Compliance Audit after the setting is

completed, using a point-line intercept method


Soil Management ProcessMonitoring and Tracking

Quality Control Monitoring– Compliance Audit

» A sub-sample of ground logged settings will be audited.

» Levels of soil disturbance will be determined by a point-line intercept method of sampling

» Sampling will be done by “certified” contract auditors


Soil Management ProcessMonitoring and Tracking / Compliance Audit

Soil Disturbance Assessment Procedures

1. Delineate the portion of the setting operated on by ground equipment onto the setting map

2. Plot the sample grid onto the map» Random Start» Equal distance between sample points» Randomly oriented grid


Soil Disturbance Assessment ProceduresSetting map showing area to be sampled and the sampling grid


Soil Management ProcessMonitoring and Tracking / Compliance Audit Soil Disturbance Assessment Procedures

3. Become familiar with the undisturbed soil profile» Weyerhaeuser Soil Survey or NRCS County Survey» Dig a small soil pit or view a road cut bank» Be able to distinguish the differences between topsoil

and subsoil» Develop an association between depth of disturbance

and the different soil disturbance classes


Soil Disturbance Assessment ProceduresViewing a small soil pit in undisturbed soil and using the soil survey to confirm soil series


Soil Disturbance Assessment Procedures Determining the differences between topsoil and subsoil



Soil Disturbance Assessment Procedures4. Locate one of the predetermined sample points using

direction and distance from a known point (e.g. road junction)

5. Follow the Line-Intercept Transect procedures

» Audit transect starts at grid intersection point

» Randomly select transect direction from the sample point

» Record the beginning and ending distance for each change in soil disturbance class intersected by the transect line (measuring tape or electronic distance)


Soil Disturbance Assessment ProceduresLine-Transect along a randomly select azimuth


Soil Disturbance Assessment Procedures Identifying a change in soil disturbance class and measuring length of the disturbance


Soil Disturbance Assessment Procedures Verifying the classification



Soil Disturbance Assessment Procedures5. Follow the Line-Intercept Transect procedures: (continued)

» Estimate for each soil disturbance class line segment Average depth of soil disturbance relative to the

undisturbed soil Suitability of the soil condition for planting (severity of

compaction and the extent to which logging slash is churned with the soil)


Soil Disturbance Assessment ProceduresUsing shovel to estimate the level of the undisturbed soil surface


Soil Disturbance Assessment ProceduresAssessing planting media - topsoil is compacted through a 10 inch planting depth - loss of macroporosity (air-space between soil aggregates).


Soil Disturbance Assessment ProceduresExample of non-compacted topsoil - soil loose and friable (soil macroporosity intact)


Soil Disturbance Assessment ProceduresRecording data on an electric hand-held data recorder


Soil Disturbance Assessment ProceduresAuditor continues on the azimuth and verifies the next length of either non-disturbed soil or soil disturbance


Soil Management Process Monitoring and Tracking / Compliance Audit

Soil Disturbance Assessment Procedures

6. Use the sample grid direction and interval to travel to the next sample point

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all sample transects are assessed

8. Summarize the data and generate reports with the Soil Assessment Summary Software


Soil Management ProcessMonitoring and Tracking

Quality Control Monitoring– Compliance Audit

»Reports Setting Compliance - shows performance against standards Setting Detail - shows more detailed information useful for

determining the need for soil rehabilitation Reports are distributed immediately to Harvest Manager and

Forester Information is summarized on a Monthly, Quarterly, Year-end

basis to track performance trends over time


Soil Management ProcessReport Copy - Cover Page


Soil Disturbance from Ground-Logging Declined After Soil Management Process Implementation

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1989-90 1994-95

Winter Logging (Year)

Soil Disturbance (%)

Classes 3&4

Class 2

Class 1


Soil Management ProcessDouglas-fir Growth Response on non-tilled and tilled skid trails, and logged only controls

Soil Bulk Density, Total Height and Height Growth Response

– Coastal Washington:

» Soil bulk density increased on skid trails 40+%

» Early height growth differences were not detectable» Height at 18 years did not differ among treatments

– Oregon Cascades:

» Soil bulk density increased on skid trails 14%

» Early height growth differences were detected through year 6-7

» Height growth from years 8 through 10 were not different

» Total height at age 10 was 61 cm (2 ft.) less on non-tilled trails, or less than 1 years current height growth

» Tillage improved growth to that of the logged-only control


Trends of total height for Douglas-fir through 18 years after planting in Coastal Washington on disturbance classes 0 and 2 & 3 skid trails with and without tillage (mean +/- standard error). Average change in net bulk density = +40%

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

18.0

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 12 16 18

Years Since Planting

Mean Total Height (M)

Non-Tilled Logged Only Tilled


Annual height growth of Douglas-fir through 10 years after planting in the Oregon Cascades on disturbance classes 0 and 2 & 3 skid trails with and without tillage (mean +/- standard error) Average change in net bulk density = +14%

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

4 5 6 7 8-10

Years Since Planting

Height Growth (cm)

Non-Tilled Logged Only Tilled


Soils Management Process Summary

We have been auditing soil disturbance for the last 11 years Sharing audit data results and training of machine operators has

resulted in decreased levels of Class 2, 3 and 4 disturbance Consequences of soil disturbance on tree growth varies by climate

and soil types Tree height growth on non-tilled skid trail eventually becomes equal

following early height growth reductions, in Oregon after age 7 Tillage recovered the soil’s growth potential

Documents

Weyerhaeuser Company Weyerhaeuser Company: Soil Monitoring Methods for Western Timberlands By: Ron Heninger and Alex Dobkowski Weyerhaeuser Company, Western