ARC CONSULTING SERVICESRONALD E. SCOTT, CF, ACF (Ret.)
ALL RESOURCE CONNECTIONS
REGISTERED FORESTER #612
http://webpages.charter.net/arcwoodsMay 24, 2007
Jeff Brokaw
3210 Bischoff
Harrison, MI 48625
Reference: Private Property Land and Resource Management Prescription
Dear Jeff:
A field review was made on 5/11/07 of your woodland property of two 10-acre parcels located in the Township of Detour, County of Chippewa, Michigan described as follow:
Parcel A:
The Northwest ¼ of the Northwest ¼ of the Northwest ¼, Section 27 Town 42 North, Range 3 East.
Parcel B:
The Northeast ¼ of the Northwest ¼ of the Northwest ¼, Section 27, Town 42 North, Range 3 East.
OverviewThe property is bounded by N. Caribou Drive (county blacktop) on the north and Piesly road (county gravel) on the west. A gravel access site and vehicle-parking spur is located on the north side of the property off of North Caribou Drive. It is suspected that the access site/parking spur was constructed to provide legal access to the property when N. Caribou Drive was constructed /reconstructed and blacktopped some time back.
A high voltage power transmission line traverses the property at approximately 45 degrees from the northwest corner at the intersection of N. Caribou Drive and Piesly road. The transmission line rights-of- way is not easily assessable by two-wheel drive vehicle due to excessive wetness, heavy rutting, and a heavy matted vegetative cover of thick cannery grass.
The woodland ecosystem is primarily lowland conifer with included lowland hardwoods. Tree species are northern white cedar, balsam fir, white spruce, eastern larch (tamarack), aspen, balsam poplar, red maple, and white and yellow birch. The basal area averages 110 – 120 square feet/acre of saw timber and pole size timber.
1. The terrain is generally flat with a high water table through much of the year. Deer, bear, rabbits, and grouse are active on the area. An intermittent stream runs through the southeast corner of the property with some included small ponding waterholes.
SoilsFive (5) soil types for the property are described in the Soil Survey of Chippewa County, Michigan issued February 1992. They are (see included soils map):
(149B) Kalkaska Sand, 0 – 6% slopes, stony. This soil is located in a small triangular area in the southwest corner of the property bounded by Piesly road and the south property line. This soil is a very deep, somewhat excessively drained nearly level and undulating. It is usually on broad plains and upland flats. Surface runoff is slow.
Northern hardwoods are usually the dominant cover type on this soil. The soil is good for hardwoods, conifers, and wildlife shrubs. Trees to plant include red pine and white pine.
Major management concerns are equipment limitations, seeding mortality, and plant competition.
This soil is deeper to water and the best suited for building site development on the property, but septic filtering may be poor.
(89A) Kinross-AuGres Complex, 0 – 3% slopes (Hydric Soil). This soil is found in a diagonal band to the northeast parallel with the power line. This soil is very deep, nearly level, poorly drained Kinross and somewhat poorly drained AuGres soil on low ridges and knolls.
Kinross soil is frequently ponded. It has a surface of black muck about 5 inches thick. Typically, the AuGres soil is covered by about 1 inch of well-decomposed leaf litter.
Permeability is rapid in the Kinross and AuGres soils and the available water capacity is low. Surface runoff is slow on the AuGres soil and very slow or ponded on the Kinross soil from fall to late spring. The Kinross soil has a seasonal high water table of 1 foot above to 1 foot below the surface October - June and the AuGres soil has a water table at a depth of 0.5 foot to 1.5 feet November – May.
These soils are used as woodland. Aspen and swamp conifers are the dominant cover types of these soils. Trees are generally not planted on these soils, but trees that may be planted are white spruce, red pine, eastern white pine, and Norway spruce.
This soil is poorly suited to building site development and the use of equipment is limited because of wetness and ponding.
(36) Markey and Carbondale Mucks (Hydric Soil). On to the northwest, these soils cover the majority of the property. They includes the diagonal transmission line rights-of- way.
These soils are very deep, nearly level, and very poorly drained. They are organic soils in broad depressions, swamps, and drainage ways. They are frequently ponded and have excess humus.
Available water capacity is high in both soils. The water table is 1 foot above to 1 foot below the surface from fall to summer, September – June, and seldom drops below a depth of 1 foot. Surface runoff is very slow or ponded. The potential for frost is high.
These soils are used as woodland. The swamp conifer cover type is dominant on these soils. Trees are shallow rooted, and wind throw may be common. These soils are good for wetland plants and shallow water areas favorable to wildlife.
They are unsuited for building sites and use of equipment is restricted due to the severe wetness.
(14A) Gaastra Silt-Loam, 0 – 3% slopes (Hydric Soil). This soil is located in a small area along the center of the east property line. This is a somewhat poorly drained, nearly level soil on broad plains and in depressions. Permeability is moderately slow. Available water capacity is high. Surface runoff is slow.
A seasonal high water table is at a depth of 1 – 2 feet from late fall to late spring, November – May. The potential for frost action is high.
Most areas are used as woodland of swamp conifers and lowland hardwoods. White spruce and eastern white pine may be planted. The major management concern is excessive wetness. Use of equipment is limited and it is poorly suited for building site development because of wetness.
This soil may be prime farmland if drained.
(98) Ermatinger Silt Loams muck (Hydric Soil). This soil is very deep, nearly level, poorly drained soil on broad flats on former glacial flood plains. It is frequently ponded. Permeability is moderate. Available water capacity is high. Surface runoff is very slow or ponded. The seasonal high water table is 1 foot above to 1 foot below the surface from fall to early summer October – June.
Because of wetness, trees on this soil are shallow rooted. Many may be blown down during periods of high winds. The aspen cover type is dominant on this soil and it is good for wetland plants.
Use of equipment is limited and it is poorly suited for building site development because of wetness. A major management need is removing excess water during wet periods.
Management DirectionThe following management direction is recommended for the property under its existing condition:
1) Manage the majority of the area in its existing natural condition for wildlife, wetland, aesthetics, and timber stand improvement.
2) The primary timber management direction for the woodland is to improve its future quality and value through timber stand improvement by release, culling, and weeding for development and improvement of hardwood and conifer crop trees.
A suggested work method to complete timber stand improvement is:
- Divide the woodland into 1-5 acre grids as preferred to serve as work and control areas to insure completion of the entire woodland acres in a systematic manner. Within the grid areas identify crop trees and release them from competition. (Crop trees are those trees that will be grown to maturity and will not be removed from the woodland before final harvest. Crop trees are usually selected on the basis of its species, location with respect to other trees, and quality.)
- Paint mark or number the selected crop trees. Identify crop trees that are spaced 20 to 25 feet apart. If crop trees are scarce or unevenly distributed, you can leave two trees as close as 10 feet as long as you treat them as one tree when thinning. Remove trees with crowns that encroach on those of crop trees.
- Free all sides of sapling and small pole timber-size trees and at least three sides of larger trees. Trees below the main canopy will not affect crop tree growth, but you may cut them if they can be used for personal use, firewood, or are marketable.
- Do not damage crop tree stems and roots while thinning the stand. Repeat the thinning every 15 to 20 years. The thinning may then be done commercially, but only during winter freeze up conditions when the trees are of pulpwood and sawlog size. In simple terms “always manage for the best tree in place and remove the worst first”.
- Give preference to any hardwood tree species when found in any segment of the woodland and retain any included hemlock, red pine, and white pine. Designate all aspen and balsam poplar for removal.
3) Daylight some of the existing small openings throughout the lowland woodland to encourage diversity of ground vegetation for wildlife. Leave 1-2 grouse drumming logs/acre.
4) Clean out and if possible expand the small wetland ponded areas along the intermittent stream in the southeast corner of the property for wildlife watering holes.
5) When doing timber stand improvement activities, retain the limbs and woody debris for placement in brush piles for rabbit cover.
6) There are a number of “natural bear dens” throughout the area. Retain such sites and improve them as possible with additional slash bedding and woody debris.
7) Remove the existing reed canary grass cover and level the heavy ruts along the power transmission line rights-of-way. Obtain a soil analysis and after the reed canary grass has been controlled, seed the rights-of-way with wildlife northern seed mixtures and plant low growing wildlife shrubs. Plant a vegetative screen along the rights-of way at its intersection with N. Caribou Drive and Piesly road.
Complete a registered landline survey of the property and obtain a Certificate of Survey. Mark the surveyed lines with steel fence posts and monument all corners with an above ground steel pipe.
9) Place a “Stewardship Forest” sign along the north boundary along N. Caribou Drive and place one along the west boundary along Piesly road. These signs are the same as those placed by Lou Kurtis, the neighboring landowner. Mr. Kurtis stated that he could make some such signs available to you.
10) Continue to work with the Chippewa/Mackinaw east ½ County Conservation District Forester and/or a local Professional Consulting Forester for continued land & resource management.
Sincerely,
RONALD E. SCOTT, CF, ACR (Ret.)
ARC Consulting Services
