Stand Management Prescription Guidebook: British Columbia

of
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Stand Management
Prescription Guidebook
Second edition
March 1999
This Forest Practices Code Guidebook is presented for information only.

It is not cited in regulation. The Forest and Range Practices Act and its regulations took
effect on Jan. 31, 2004. This replaced the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act and
regulations. For further information please see the Forest and Range Practices Act.
Authority
B.C. Ministry of Forests Act
Forest Act
Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act
Operational Planning Regulation
Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data
Main entry under title:
Stand management prescription guidebook
(Forest practices code)
Rev. ed.
ISBN 0-7726-3900-0
1. Forest management – British Columbia –
Planning. 2. Forests and forestry – British
Columbia – Planning. I. British Columbia. Ministry
of Forests. II. Series: Forest practices code of
British Columbia.
SD438.B7S73 1999 634.9'2'0711 C99-960182-2
 1999 Province of British Columbia
For more information, contact:

Forest Practices Branch
1450 Government Street
PO Box 9513, Stn. Prov. Govt.
Victoria, BC
V8W 9C2
Visit our website:

http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/hfp.htm
Preface
This guidebook has been prepared to help forest resource managers plan,
prescribe and implement sound forest practices that comply with the Forest
Practices Code.
Guidebooks are one of the four components of the Forest Practices Code. The
others are the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act, the regulations
and the standards. The Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act is the
legislative umbrella authorizing the Code’s other components. It enables the
Code, establishes mandatory requirements for planning and forest practices, sets
enforcement and penalty provisions, and specifies administrative arrangements.
The regulations lay out the forest practices that apply province-wide. Standards
may be established by the chief forester, where required, to expand on a
regulation. Both regulations and standards, where required and established under
the Code, must be followed.
Forest Practices Code guidebooks have been developed to support the

regulations, but are not part of the legislation. The recommendations in the
guidebooks are not mandatory requirements, but once a recommended practice is
included in a plan, prescription or contract, it becomes legally enforceable.
Guidebooks are not intended to provide a legal interpretation of the Act or
regulations. In general, they describe procedures, practices and results that are
consistent with the legislated requirements of the Code.
The information provided in each guidebook is to help users exercise their

professional judgment in developing site-specific management strategies and
prescriptions to accommodate resource management objectives. Some guidebook
recommendations provide a range of options or outcomes considered acceptable
under varying circumstances.
Where ranges are not specified, flexibility in the application of guidebook

recommendations may be required to adequately achieve land use and resource
management objectives specified in higher level plans. A recommended
practice may also be modified when an alternative could provide better results
for forest resource stewardship. The examples provided in many guidebooks
are not intended to be definitive and should not be interpreted as the only
acceptable options.
iii
Contents
Preface ...................................................................................................................... iii

Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1
General objective of the stand management prescription ................................ 1
General requirements .............................................................................................. 3
General objective ............................................................................................. 3
Administration .................................................................................................. 3
RPF signature and seal ........................................................................... 3
Licensee signature .................................................................................. 3
District manager signature ...................................................................... 3
Prescription amendments................................................................................. 4
Life span of a stand management prescription ................................................ 4
Role of the SMP in the planning process ......................................................... 5
Creating a stand management prescription ..................................................... 6
Steps for creating a stand management prescription....................................... 7
Identify and collect background information ............................................ 7
Conducting the stand management prescription field work ..................... 9
SMP format ............................................................................................................... 11
Location identification (Section A) ......................................................................... 12
Information ....................................................................................................... 12
Standards units ....................................................................................... 13
Treatment areas and multi-area SMPs .................................................... 13
Grouping treatment areas into one standards unit .................................. 14
Separate standards units for treatment areas with one SMP .................. 14
Management objectives and consistency with other plans (Section B) ............. 17
B-1. Higher level plans ..................................................................................... 17
B-2. Stand-level objectives............................................................................... 19
Timber management objectives .............................................................. 19
Wildlife management objectives .............................................................. 20
Watershed management objectives ........................................................ 21
Fisheries/Streams–wetlands management objectives ............................ 22
iv
Range management objectives ............................................................... 23
Visual landscape management objectives .............................................. 24
Recreation management objectives ........................................................ 25
Other resource values/interest ................................................................ 26
Ecological information, site and stand characteristics ........................................ 27
Biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification........................................................... 27
C-1. Area description........................................................................................ 28
C-2. Current stand description ......................................................................... 30
C-3. Forest health and protection..................................................................... 31
Forest health assessment ....................................................................... 31
Filling out section C-3 of the SMP template ............................................. 32
Protection ................................................................................................. 33
Target stand conditions and strategies .................................................................. 34
D-1. Post-treatment standards................................................................................. 35
General objectives ........................................................................................... 35
D-2. Special areas ..................................................................................................... 38
D-3. Reserve areas.................................................................................................... 39
Mapping requirements.............................................................................................. 40
General mapping requirements........................................................................ 40
Map content ..................................................................................................... 40
Administrative and area information ......................................................... 40
E. Prescription signatures ....................................................................................... 42
Appendix 1. Stand management prescription template......................................... 43
Figure 1. Graphical representation of SMP definitions for standards units,
treatment areas, special areas and reserve areas,
simplified to show definitions ...................................................................... 16
v
Stand Management Prescription Guidebook
Introduction
General objective of the stand management prescription

A stand management prescription (SMP) is an operational plan for describing
actions to be carried out on a free growing site to:
• ensure that planned stand management maintains or enhances
resource values
• ensure resource values, including biological diversity, are identified and
accommodated
• set out a series of stand management activities to produce a stand capable of
meeting the stated management objectives, including timber supply and
timber values.
All stand management activities must follow the intent and meet the treatment
standards stated in the SMP.
The SMP was created to complement the silviculture prescription (SP) by

specifying a full-rotation plan or stand strategy for an individual stand.
An approved SMP is required by law prior to the commencement of any

treatments on free growing stands. SMPs are prepared for the district manager or
approved by the district manager.
SMPs were introduced in 1995 with the Forest Practices Code of British
Columbia Act, associated regulations and the 1995 Stand Management
Prescription Guidebook. In 1997/1998, through the Forest Statutes Amendment
Act (Bill 47), the legislation was amended to streamline the preparation and
implementation of operational plans. Content requirements and applications for
SMPs were refined and these changes are reflected in this revised guidebook.
This document has been written to help prepare SMPs that comply with the
Forest Practices Code. It is limited to the preparation and administration of SMPs
that are required under the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act and
the Operational Planning Regulation (OPR).
For clarification, examples are provided from the revised Ministry of Forests
SMP template form for each section of the guidebook. The examples are not
necessarily required in terms of either content or format. Items required by the
OPR are indicated with an asterisk in the text for easy reference.
1
The template is a guide to the legislative and regulatory requirements. Additional

information may be required to produce a professional document and ensure that
the prescribed objectives are clear and achievable. Sound professional judgement
and discretion are necessary to ensure a prescription is effective. Local
knowledge, procedures and issues will dictate the level of detail required in
each section.
2
General requirements
General objective
• To ensure that submission and approval requirements are adequate.
• To explain the role of SMPs in the planning process.
• To explain the relationship of the SMP to the SP.
A SMP must be consistent with any higher level plan in effect when the SMP is
submitted for the district manager’s approval or prepared for the district manager.
Administration
The following signatures are required to signify where accountability rests.
RPF signature and seal

A SMP must be signed and sealed by a registered professional forester who is
responsible for its content and accuracy.
Licensee signature
Where the holder of the prescription is a major licensee or woodlot licensee for
treatments required by a licence under the Forest Act, the SMP must be signed
by the holder of the licence or a person who has signing authority. These SMPs
are prepared under Section 24(2) of the Forest Practices Code of British
Columbia Act.
District manager signature

The district manager should only sign the SMP if it has been prepared and
submitted in accordance with the Act and the regulations and the district manager
is satisfied that the measures prescribed adequately manage and conserve the
forest resources.
District managers may require additional information in order to ensure that the
measures being prescribed adequately manage and conserve forest resources.
3
Prescription amendments
Changes to an approved SMP will require an amendment. A SMP may be
amended any time prior to the commencement of work affected by the
amendment.
Life span of a stand management prescription

An SP authorizes all silviculture activities from pre-harvest of the original stand
to free growing of the new stand. A SMP can cover a full rotation, from the free
growing declaration until the next harvest. This provides context and rationale
for the sequence and types of treatments proposed.
The plan for a stand should be stated in the SMP. For example, a SMP for a
lodgepole pine stand could prescribe spacing down to 1600 sph at age 15 years.
The overall plan for the area could be to have 3 fertilizations at age 20, 30 and 40
followed by a commercial thinning at age 50. With a harvest forecast for age
80 years. At age 80 the average sawlog piece size is expected to be 25 cm
(450 m3/ha @ 12.5+ cm utilization).
The legislation requires treatments to be scheduled with an earliest and latest

date if the treatment is scheduled for more than three years from the date of
SMP approval.
The above example can be managed in the following manner:
The SMP can describe the overall stand management plan in general terms with
specifics on the spacing treatment that is expected to occur in the next three years
(therefore an earliest and latest date for the spacing treatment is not required).
The fertilization treatment can be described in the general plan for the SU. To
authorize treatment it can be described in detail with an earliest and latest date
for carrying out the fertilization treatment (in this case four to six years after
approval). If the fertilization treatment is not described with an earliest and latest
date, it must be added as an amendment in order to authorize entry into this stand
to carry out the fertilization. The other two fertilization treatments could also be
added as amendments in the future. The commercial thinning entry is a planned
objective and should be stated in the SMP, however, a silviculture prescription is
required before the commercial thinning is carried out.
Full-rotation plans provide continuity and clarity to the direction and

development of a stand over a rotation period (or series of cutting cycles), and
thereby help meet the management objectives set for the stand.
The schedule of activities prescribed in a SMP should provide the most

appropriate and cost effective means of producing the desired target stand. A
target stand is a stand with the desired structural attributes achieving the
4
specified management objectives for the site. SMPs should be designed to ensure
that the biological, economic and forest-level objectives are achieved in the most
efficient manner possible.
The ordering of activities within the schedule is also critical. Activities should be
scheduled to maximize the effectiveness of each activity. For example, if
fertilizing, pruning, and then spacing are to be carried out, much of the benefit
will be lost by fertilizing too many trees, pruning too many trees, and then
spacing out the extra trees previously pruned and fertilized. It is more efficient to
space, prune, then fertilize, so that the crop trees benefit most from the treatments. If
a treatment is scheduled within a SMP for a period greater than three years from
the approval date, the range of years for that treatment must be specified.
It may be appropriate to only schedule one activity in the SMP. The SMP can be
as simple or as complex as required to meet the forest management objectives.
Where it is critical that a treatment be carried out during a season, the “window”
for treatment should be listed in the SMP. For example, this would be important
when spacing stands where commandra rust is present. Spacing when the spores
are visible on infected trees will help improve the crop tree selection during the
spacing operations.
The SMP does not have the same legal requirements as the SP. The holder of an
SP must meet specific stand objectives at free growing as a legal requirement.
There is no obligation on the holder of a SMP to fund or carry out any specific
treatments under an approved SMP. However, once the decision is made to carry
out a treatment, the conditions and post-treatment standards specified in the SMP
must be achieved or the SMP amended prior to treatment. There are some
licences under the Forest Act that require the licensee to conduct treatments on
free growing stands at the licensee’s expense. In these the cases the licensee is
the holder of the SMP.
If no activities are planned for the site after free growing, no SMP is required.
Role of the SMP in the planning process

Stand management prescriptions play a valuable role in the implementation of
stand-level management objectives by:
• providing a clear link between specific stand management objectives as
defined in higher level plans
• confirming and updating any stand management objectives after
free growing
• incorporating input from other resource agencies
5
• specifying the schedule of silviculture treatments necessary to achieve stand

management objectives
• providing specified end results to facilitate monitoring.
Creating a stand management prescription

The creation of a SMP (FS 68) follows a procedure similar to that of the new SPs
required under the Forest Practices Code. The presence and details of existing
SPs will determine the amount of additional information needed to prepare a
SMP. There are three possible scenarios:
1. No previous SP in place – the area was harvested or originated from a
natural disturbance prior to October 1, 1987 and meets the criteria for free
growing. There may or may not be any higher level plans and there will be
no defined target stand conditions. The SMP for this stand will require the
most work as there is little or no information to go on. This scenario will
require the identification of higher level plan objectives (if they exist), the
collection of stand information, setting of management objective, and
preparation of the SMP.
2. An older SP (or PHSP) exists and the stand is now free growing – the
prescription contains no higher-level management objectives and a limited
description of target stand conditions. The SMP for this scenario may
require almost as much work as an area that has no SP. Older SPs may not
be comprehensive but should still be used to identify any stand-level
information and management objectives.
3. A recent SP is in place and the stand is now free growing – the SP clearly
identifies stand management objectives to free growing and may include a
schedule of silviculture activities proposed for after free growing. The SMP
prepared under this scenario is the simplest of all. The SP should be consulted
for stand-level information and management objectives. The SMP may be as
simple as extracting pertinent SP information and refining the objectives,
target stand conditions, current stand attributes, and the schedule of treat-
ments to achieve those objectives. If the SP lacks sufficient detail, other plans
guidelines or agreements should be consulted for management objectives.
4. The area may have had previous treatments done under a SMP. For these
areas, much of the required information is already available and, in that
respect, these areas are similar to number 3 above.
6
Steps for creating a stand management prescription

The following steps are recommended for creating a SMP:
1. identify and collect background information – identification and
determination of management areas and objectives
2. conduct the SMP field work – field work/data collection including: forest
health and protection, significant habitat features, soil conservation and fine
tuning of stand structural objectives
3. if the area is not considered suitable for treatments a SMP should not be
developed
4. prepare the final prescription – this guideline specifies the required level of
detail
5. produce the final map.
Identify and collect background information

Assembly of plans and management information
Block identification and assessment of management objectives involves
gathering pertinent plans and resource information and preparing for field work.
The following process is intended for the creation of SMP on areas, with either
no SPs, or for areas with older SPs that do not contain a description of target
stand conditions and management practices.
A person preparing a stand management prescription:

1. should consider the result of any free growing survey carried out on the area
2. must ensure that the prescription is consistent with the resource objectives
contained in any higher level plans for the area.
The stand management prescription for the area:

1. should contain a reference to any higher level plan for the area under the
prescription that guides the formulation of the prescription
2. must describe the stand-level objectives for the area
3. must describe the location of the area.
Free growing status – Stand management prescriptions must not be submitted

for approval or implemented until SP obligations for the area have been met.
7
Set stand-level resource objectives

Within the SMP, the management objectives should:
• be specific and measurable, so the success of treatments can be evaluated
• be written to effectively communicate the management intent of the
prescription
• include a schedule for the implementation of activities, if applicable.
Higher level plans – SMP objectives must be consistent with objectives

contained in higher level plans. Where there are no such plans, resource
management plans and other resource agencies should be consulted for input to
determine suitable resource management objectives for the area.
First Nations issues – The SMP must be consistent with the Heritage
Conservation Act. Where available, traditional use overview studies and
archaeological impact studies should be consulted. Any questions or concerns
should be directed to the district Aboriginal forestry advisor of the Ministry
of Forests.
Resource value objectives – The SMP should consider all resource values
previously identified for the area. Resource values may be specified either in
higher level plans or during the forest development plan (FDP) process. The
following are examples of strategies to accommodate specific resource values:
• a 5 m, no-treatment zone is prescribed adjacent to Hamilton Creek to
maintain streamside species diversity
• crop tree selection criteria has been modified to create a clump distribution
(to enhance grizzly bear habitat)
• at least 50% of the existing deciduous trees (approximately 50 trees/ha post-
treatment) are to be retained (as wildlife trees).
Stand structure and composition goals – The SMP must specify the post-
treatment site conditions and the proposed strategies, if any, to be taken to
mitigate the impacts on non-timber resources on or adjacent to the area.
Damaging agents – the SMP must specify the occurrence of forest health factors
that are currently causing damage, and strategies, if any, for control of those
health factors must be specified in the SMP.
Other objectives – the SMP should also specify any other management
objectives. The SMP should specify actions to reduce fire hazard, to prevent the
reduction of site and soil productivity, or propose any other management actions
needed. Management objectives may be provided through district manager
policy for SMPs.
8
Pre-stratify the proposed SMP area

Pre-stratification of a block on an aerial photo prior to a field visit provides the
opportunity to become familiar with the site. At this level of detail it is easier to
stratify large parts of the block to meet specific higher-level management
objectives. This pre-stratification should be based on local surface or terrain
features, vegetation, special areas, previous survey data (e.g., opening file
information), or other factors that may influence the prescription.
Conducting the stand management prescription field work

Stand stratification and mapping
Once the block has been identified as a possible candidate for silvicultural
treatments through plans and/or reconnaissance, the block should be assessed on
the ground to create the SMP. The field assessment may be a walkthrough of the
block to identify distinct management units and to clarify stand-level resource
objectives. This walkthrough should be similar to field data collection for the SP.
If the area is ready for a stand tending activity, particularly spacing, a pre-stand
tending survey may be conducted.
When conducting the pre-stand tending survey, the contractor, licensee or

ministry staff should consider the information that will be required to guide
subsequent activities for the stand (such as pruning after spacing). Increased
efficiency can be realized through tailoring the current data collection and
prescription development to minimize the administration, cost and work required
in subsequent treatment activities.
A walkthrough or pre-stand tending survey should be used to provide a

preliminary screening of suitablility for treatment. Areas that are not suitable for
treatment can be ruled out at this stage.
Standards units
Standards units (SUs) must be described in the SMP and indicated on the
attached map(s). A SU in the SMP is defined as an area covered by the
prescription that will be managed through the uniform application of standards.
The standards established for these units must be used during treatment and for
inspections after treatments have been completed.
In the SMP, the SU is the basis for determining the achievement of target stand
objectives through the prescribed silviculture activities. For example, if two
distinctly different post-spacing densities are prescribed for two similar
ecosystems within a block, two SUs must be created.
9
Biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification

The SMP must, for each SU, specify the biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification
(BEC) for the area. Prior to visiting the block, a biogeoclimatic map should be
used to identify the broad site classification for the area. Once on site, the zone,
sub-zone and variant classification should be confirmed. Regional guidebooks
for ecosystem identification should be used to assist in identifying the site series
within the block and developing appropriate SUs.
10
SMP format
The Ministry of Forests SMP form has been developed to ensure that all Forest
Practices Code requirements are addressed in a standardized format. The first
two pages of the SMP form contain a description of:
• Location – where the stand is
• Management Objectives – summarize the forest-level objectives from higher
level plans or develop or refine stand-level objectives from information
about resource potential collected from the site.
The third and fourth pages of the form summarize site information about a
treatment area (or series of treatment areas), the required treatments, and
treatment standards.
11
Location identification (Section A)
General objective
• To provide pertinent administrative references and information, including
the required fields for ISIS and MLSIS records.
Information
This section provides an administrative description of the treatment areas under
the SMP. Through the tenure number, a link is provided to other forest
management documents and information systems.
Tenure information must be consistent for plans, referrals, silviculture

information systems (MLSIS and ISIS), surveys and any reports required
by legislation.
As with SPs, the following information must be recorded for SMPs:
Note: Sections marked with an asterisk are required under the Operational
Planning Regulations
* SU Identifies each SU under the SMP. A separate SU is

required for treatment areas with the same treatments
and standards
* Area identifier This should clearly identify for future reference where
the stand is. A combination of opening number,
cutblock number, timber mark, latitude/longitude,
UTM grid or location name can be used to locate a
treatment area.
* Treatment area Indicates the area of the individual treatment areas. Net
treatable area within these units may differ and should
be confirmed post-treatment.
* Total treatment area A sum of all treatment areas for the SMP.
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A. LOCATION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AREA

SU TREATMENT AREA (TA) IDENTIFIER (OPENING NO.; CUTBLOCK; TIMBER MARK; OTHER) TA TREATMENT AREA (Net)
(to the nearest 0.1 ha)
Standards units
Standards units (SUs) and treatment areas (TAs) must be described in the SMP
and indicated on an attached map.
In the SMP, the SU is the basis for determining the achievement of target stand
objectives and standards through specific silvicultural activities. Standards unit,
as defined in the OPR, means one or more areas of uniform treatments and
treatment standards contained in the same SMP. The standards established for
the treatment areas will be used in compliance inspections after treatments have
been completed.
Treatment areas and multi-area SMPs

Treatment area, as defined in the OPR, means one or more areas of a standards
unit that are proposed for treatment and have the same area identifier, and
includes special areas located in the treatment area, but does not include any of
the following:
• an area occupied by permanent access structures
• and area of rock, wetland or other area that in its natural state is not capable
of supporting a free growing stand of trees
• an area of non-commercial forest cover except and to the extent that it is
specifically identified in the stand management prescription as an area for
treatment
• an area indicated in a stand management prescription on a map as a reserve
area where the treatment of a free growing stand is not proposed.
13
Grouping treatment areas into one standards unit

Section 24 (2.1) of the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act
authorizes SMPs to cover more than one distinct treatment area.
Designation of treatment areas allow for portions of stands or different stands,

which are physically separated from one another to be identified as separate
treatment areas but amalgamated under the same standards unit, with one
prescription for the entire standards unit.
Such a procedure provides significant benefits for record keeping and

administration when stand management activities will be uniformly applied over
many treatment areas.
The treatment areas within the standards unit should:

• have the same management objectives
• be in the same general geographic location
• have similar site and stand conditions
• have the same target stand strategies
• have the same treatments and standards.
The key consideration before lumping a number of treatment areas into one
standards unit, is the appropriateness of applying the same treatment regime and
standards to all the treatment areas.
Separate standards units for treatment areas with one SMP

Where treatment areas differ in treatments and standards and/or site or stand
conditions, but still have the same management objectives, one SMP “objectives
description” for both treatment areas may be completed, although each treatment
area would be a different standards unit. All standards unit criteria must be
specified for each area, and the different SUs identified on the map.
Even though a multi-treatment area SMP can include many treatment areas,
record keeping and auditing must be carried out on a treatment area-specific
basis. District and licensee staff should ensure that a copy of the approved SMP
and any activity accomplishment reports are stored on each opening file (or
cutblock file) and on appropriate silviculture information systems.
14
Examples of multi-area SMP applications

Example 1. One SMP, containing one standards unit and several treatment units.
The standards unit contains more than one treatment area. Where a number of
treatment areas have the same forest management objectives and the same
treatment regime and standards, they may be grouped into one standards unit
within one SMP.
For example: There are four proposed treatment areas in the same general
geographic area. All proposed areas have similar species, stand structure and site
condition. They are proposed to be spaced to 1200 sph and a uniform set of
treatments and standards are planned for all treatment areas. The four treatment
areas could be grouped into one standards unit which have the same treatment
regime and standards.
Had different treatment areas required different treatment regimes or standards to

meet the SMP management objectives, separate standards units would have been
created (as in example 2).
Example 2. One SMP, containing more than one standards unit.
For example, there are four proposed treatment areas in the same geographic
area. Three blocks contain similar species, stand structure and site condition and
are proposed to be spaced to 1200 sph. The other area contains similar site
conditions but is proposed to be spaced to 700 sph. Two separate standards units
would be developed; one which contains three treatment areas being spaced to
1200 sph; and one standard unit containing one treatment area being spaced to
700 sph (See Figure 1).
15
Figure 1. Graphical representation of SMP definitions for standards units, treatment areas, special
areas and reserve areas, simplified to show definitions. (This is not a sample SMP map.)
16
Management objectives and consistency with

other plans (Section B)
General objective
• To ensure consistency with objectives presented in higher level plans,
resource management zones or landscape units.
Management objectives:
• should be written to effectively communicate the management intent of the
prescription
• should be specific and measurable so the success of treatments can be
evaluated
• must be consistent with the objectives of higher level plans.
B-1. Higher level plans

Higher level plans provide objectives for resource management and establish the
broader, strategic context for operational plans. Higher level plans are the
primary source of objectives that determine the forest practices and site
conditions described in operational plans, such as SMPs.
* This section specifies whether this prescription is within an area covered by a
higher level plan. If a higher level plan(s) exists, the name(s) and date(s) should
be recorded for reference. Other resource plans, such as local resource use plans,
integrated watershed management plans, or total resource use plans can provide
additional information for consideration.
Through interpretation of higher level plans and other resource plans, the forest-
level objectives can be subjectively ranked by writing ‘1’ (highest) to ‘10’
(lowest) in the appropriate boxes. It is possible for more than one forest-level
objective to have an equal rank with another objective. The highest rank
objectives should all be ranked as ‘1’ (highest). There could be one or more
objectives with the highest rank. The next highest objective(s) should be ranked
‘2’ as next highest.
17
B. MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
B-1. HIGHER LEVEL PLANS
ARE ANY OF THE TREATMENT AREAS SUBJECT TO A HIGHER LEVEL PLAN? ( ) YES ( ) NO
PLAN NAME Date

Y M D
IF YES:
IF NO: CONSULT WITH OTHER RESOURCE AGENCIES TO ASSIST IN DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES FOR THE PRESCRIPTION.
SUMMARY OF HIGHER-LEVEL OBJECTIVES FOR THESE TREATMENT AREAS (Please rank specific objectives [1 = highest priority, 10 = lowest] ):
( ) Timber ( ) Range ( ) Recreation ( ) VQO ( ) Wildlife habitat ( ) Biodiversity ( ) Wildlife trees ( ) Fisheries ( ) Water quality ( ) Other:
USE SECTION B2. STAND-LEVEL OBJECTIVES TO CLARIFY, CONFIRM AND SPECIFY MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES FROM HIGHER LEVEL PLANS.
18
B-2. Stand-level objectives

This section is used to summarize management objectives from higher level
plans and for developing or refining stand-level objectives based on site specific
conditions. This section should be referred to when creating the stand strategy to
ensure that all applicable management objectives are addressed. Based on site
specific stand conditions, plans can be developed to meet the various objectives.
Timber management objectives

* List specific timber management objectives, if any, for each SU. This may
include the target operable sawlog size and merchantable volume, or a reduced
time to harvest to fill an age class gap. It may also include some very specific
product objectives (e.g., produce a hemlock, spruce and redcedar sawlog mix;
harvest at age 80 years; 300–325 sph of approximately 45 cm dbh clear hemlock
sawlogs/peelers pruned to 5.5 m).
The use of stand projection models may be useful in providing estimates of stand
diameter, volume and density. If a model was used to provide stand structure
and/or financial analysis information, the prescribing forester should specify the
name of the model and attach a copy of the computer simulations.
If a resource management plan or management plan contains prespecified

silviculture regimes, the SMP should refer to those documents and include,
where applicable, harvest flow and/or timber values.
B-2. STAND-LEVEL OBJECTIVES

ARE CURRENT STAND-LEVEL OBJECTIVES AVAILABLE FROM SILVICULTURE PRESCRIPTIONS? ( ) Yes ( ) No IF ‘YES,’ SEE ATTACHED FS 711A.
ARE CURRENT STAND-LEVEL OBJECTIVES STILL APPROPRIATE FOR THESE STANDS? ( ) Yes ( ) No
USE THIS SECTION TO SUMMARIZE OBJECTIVES FROM HIGHER LEVEL PLANS OR FOR DEVELOPING OR CLARIFYING STAND-LEVEL OBJECTIVES.
TIMBER MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
THESE OBJECTIVES APPLY TO: SU________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
19
Wildlife management objectives

The SMP is a document for managing timber and non-timber resources. List
specific wildlife habitat and biodiversity objectives, if any, for each SU. This
may include specific objectives, such as target for wildlife trees or timing
contstraints to avoid nesting periods.
* Identified wildlife strategies and any “red-listed” or regionally important species

should managed in accordance with the Managing Identified Wildlife: Procedures
and Measures. Additional information may be provided from resource agency
recommendations or wildlife guidelines. Information on wildlife trails should be
included in this section and shown on the SMP map. Wildlife trails will normally
require strategies for protection such as slash removal. If wildlife trails are signi-
ficant, the prescribing forester should notify the Ministry of Environment, Lands
and Parks. Significant wildlife trails may be considered a wildlife habitat feature.
This section is also available to note any local features that may provide useful
habitat for the species identified in the higher level plans. Use the “stand
strategy” and “special area” portion of the SMP to describe how these features
will be managed (e.g., wildlife tree retention may require a “reserve zone” [no-
treatment zone] in the SW corner of the block).
In some cases, timber may not be the primary management objective for an area
or standards unit. In some situations, the SMP may be directed through a higher
level plan to modify habitat conditions. In such situations, timber management
objectives should be considered.
* Areas such as streams, wetlands, lakes, wildlife areas and special resource
management zones, may have special management objectives and may require
special management practices.
Note: Felling or modification of trees in a riparian reserve zone requires

approval by the district manager and the designated environment official.
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES –

HABITAT/BIODIVERSITY/WILDLIFE TREES
THESE OBJECTIVES APPLY TO: SU_______________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
20
Watershed management objectives

* List specific watershed management objectives, if any, for each SU.
For areas within a community watershed, known water rights must be identified
and a description of any watershed concerns in or adjacent to the prescription
area should be provided. If the area is within a community watershed, any special
management objectives pertinent to the SMP must be documented.
Where water quality concerns exist, the SMP should detail any water quality
monitoring actions that may be required before, during or after any management
activities on the area.
Reference any community watershed plan or other higher level plan that provides
direction.
WATERSHED MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
21
Fisheries/Streams–wetlands management objectives

* List specific fisheries/streams–wetlands management objectives, if any, for
each SU.
Any fisheries concerns in or downstream of the prescription area should be

identified.
* Streams must be mapped and classified according to the Riparian Management

Area Guidebook and the Fish-Stream Identification Guidebook. Where there are
concerns regarding fisheries values or aquatic habitat treatments, they should be
highlighted and dealt with in the stand strategy section.
* S6 streams do not have to be shown on the SMP map, however, any proposed
strategies for riparian class S6 streams must be specified in the SMP.
FISHERIES/STREAMS–WETLANDS MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
22
Range management objectives

* The SMP must identify range objectives, if any, and assess the impact that
silviculture activities are expected to have on range and livestock. If seeding has
been carried out on the area, will it be maintained through fertilization or
reseeding? Information on primary cattle access trails should be included here
and shown on the SMP map. Any other objectives or comments should be
recorded in the comments section provided.
Most concerns regarding the interaction between livestock and silviculture

should be resolved through range use plans and forest development plans. The
SMP should be consistent with those plans and should identify the range tenure
holder and reference to any agreements they have with the forest licensee. Where
there are range concerns that have not been addressed in higher level plans, any
actions that are needed to address those concerns should be specified in the stand
strategy section of the SMP.
RANGE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES CATTLE IF ‘YES’ RANGE

USE? ( ) Yes ( ) No UNIT PASTURE:
CATTLE PRIMARY IF ‘YES’ LOCATE SEEDED? ( ) Yes (Year) ( ) No

ACCESS TRAILS? ( ) Yes ( ) No ON ATTACHED MAP
THESE OBJECTIVES APPLY TO: SU___________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
23
Visual landscape management objectives

* List specific visual landscape management objectives, if any, for each SU.
* The SMP should provide a visual quality objective (VQO) where one has been
established and is available at the applicable MOF district office. The VQO is
based on biophysical, viewing and social factors and indicates the level of
acceptable visual impact for a particular landscape. The VQO (i.e., P = preser-
vation, R = retention, PR = partial retention, M = modification, MM = maximum
modification, NVS = not visually sensitive) must be differentiated by SU if the
difference will require special treatment actions.
Where the VQO is determined to be NVS, no further information is required.
For all other VQOs, the prescription must include:

• the viewing source and distance
• landscape sensitivity rating (LSR) (high, medium, low)
• visual absorption capacity (VAC) (very high, high, moderate, low).
Identify factors on the site that may influence VQO, for example steep slopes. In
the stand strategy section, integrate treatments that meet VQO objectives with
those to meet other stated objectives. See the visual landscape assessment and
prescription section of the Silviculture Prescription Guidebook for further
assistance.
VISUAL LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES (VQO) LANDSCAPE VISUAL

SENSITIVITY QUALITY
OBJECTIVE
THESE OBJECTIVES APPLY TO: SU__________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
24
Recreation management objectives

Recreation values, if any, in or adjacent to the area must be described based on
the definitions provided in the Ministry of Forests Recreation Manual.
Record:
1. The feature significance categories, (A = very high, B = high,
C = moderate, D = low), key feature (e.g., aquatic, beaches, vegetation,
trails), and recreation management class (i.e., 0 = unique; 1 = special
management; 2 = normal forest management) are described in the
Inventory Chapter of the Recreation Manual.
2. Recreation opportunities spectrum (i.e., P = primitive; SPN = semi-primitive
non-motorized; SPM = semi-primitive motorized; RRL = roaded resource
land; R = rural roaded).
Describe and map any key recreation features (e.g., aquatic, beaches, vegetation,
trails), state their significance in accordance with the Recreation Manual
(A = very high, B = high, C = moderate, D = low), and what actions, if any, will
be taken to accommodate the recreation resource in the stand strategy section of
the SMP.
Describe here any features found on site that may have high recreational
significance.
RECREATION MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES FEATURE

SIGNIFICANCE
KEY MANAGEMENT
FEATURE CLASS

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
25
Other resource values/interest

Specify any other resource values or interests present on site that are pertinent to
managing the area. An example could be retaining Pacific yew for medical
purposes.
If there are known cultural heritage resources in the area, they must be identified
and management objectives that mitigate impacts must be developed.
Where archaeological sites, culturally modified trees, heritage trails or other

examples of historical use are found, their location must be mapped and specific
management strategies developed through consultation with First Nations and/or
appropriate resource agencies in accordance with the Archaeological Impact
Assessment Guidelines (Heritage Conservation Branch, 1989) and the Heritage
Conservation Act.
Note: Location of archaeological sites may be sensitive information and may

require restricted distribution.
Any actions required to mitigate impacts on cultural heritage resources should be

provided in the stand strategy section of the SMP.
This section can also be used to document soil conservation objectives.
OTHER RESOURCE VALUES/INTERESTS MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
26
Ecological information, site and stand characteristics
General objective
• To record the ecological classification of the site and describe site and stand
conditions that limit operations.
The SMP must specify the biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification (BEC) and
critical site conditions that would affect the type, intensity and timing of
operations. Any additional information requirements are not legislated, but may
be useful for making and supporting decisions, and could be included or attached
to the document.
An ecological approach to forest management is essential to ensure that forest

and soil resources are sustained.
The ecological evaluation of the area helps to identify the site associations upon
which a SU is based. The aggregation of similar site associations that have
similar management objectives forms the basis of a SU.
For additional detail on completing this section of the SMP form, refer to the
ecology section in the Silviculture Prescription Guidebook and the completed
example in the appendix of this guidebook.
Biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification

* The SMP must contain the following ecological information:
• biogeoclimatic zone, sub-zone, variant

• BEC site series.
Ecological classification and interpretation guidance is provided in the following

publications:
Banner, A., et al. 1993. A field guide to site identification for the Prince Rupert
Forest Region. B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Land Manage. Handb. 26.
B.C. Ministry of Forests. (draft) 1989. A field guide for the identification and
interpretation of ecosystems in the Cariboo Forest Region. Research Section,
Williams Lake, B.C.
27
Braumandl, T.F. and M.P. Curran. 1992. A field guide for site identification and
interpretation for the Nelson Forest Region. B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Land Manage. Handb. 20.
DeLong, C., et al. 1990. A field guide for identification and interpretation of
ecosystems of the northeast portion of the Prince George Forest Region. B.C.
Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Land Manage. Handb. 22.
DeLong, C., et al. 1994. A field guide for site identification and interpretation for
the northern Rockies and portions of the Prince George Forest Region. B.C.
Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Land Manage. Handb. 29.
Green, R.N., et al. 1994. Site identification and interpretation for the Vancouver
Forest Region. B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Land Manage. Handb. 28.
Jull, M.J., et al. 1993. A field guide for site identification and interpretation for
the southern portion of the Prince George Forest Region. B.C. Min. For.,
Victoria, B.C. Land Manage. Handb. 24.
Lloyd, D., et al. 1990. A guide to site identification and interpretation for the
Kamloops Forest Region Part 1 and Part 2. B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Land Manage. Handb. 23.
MacKinnon, A., et al. 1990. A field guide for identification and interpretation of
ecosystems of the northwest portion of the Prince George Forest Region.
B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C. Land Manage. Handb. 21.
C-1. Area description

* SU area Indicates the size in hectares of the SU (net of all roads
and landings) but includes all treatment areas (TAs)
plus inclusions of special areas (SAs).
* Treatment Area Indicates the area of the individual treatment areas. Net
treatable area should be verified post-treatment.
* Zone, sub-zone, variant, Enter the BEC zone, sub-zone, variant and site series
site series, phase, type for this SU. Where site series varies estimate the
percent cover of the various site series. Refer to BEC
maps and guidebooks for ecosystem identification
(phase and type may be needed in some cases).
* Moisture/nutrient grid Refer to the edatopic grid for the appropriate BEC unit
and enter the moisture and nutrient grid codes – may
include a range (e.g., 4-5/C-D).
Elevation range (m) Enter the minimum, maximum and average elevation
for the SU.
28
Aspect Enter the dominant direction that the SU is facing, as

azimuth in degrees. If the area is flat, enter “F.”
Slope % Indicates the average slope over the SU in percent.
Slope position Describe as per site diagnosis procedures (e.g., upper
slope, flat).
Slope length (m) Enter ‘L’ or ‘LONG’ where the distance is equal to or
greater than 150 m between major slope breaks, enter
‘S’ or ‘SHORT’ where the distance is less than 150 m
between major slope breaks.
Slope uniformity For uniformity, enter ‘U’ or ‘UNIFORM’ if there is
one or less cross drainages per 100 m of contour. This
information is used in determining erosion hazard and
site sensitivity.
Humus form Enter mor, moder or mull.
Rooting depth Enter rooting depth (in centimetres).
Soil depth to restricting Indicates the average depth in cm from the surface
layer to either gleyed, impervious or calcareous layers or
bedrock if present.
Soil texture Enter soil texture based on the soil textural triangle.
Soil coarse fragments For coarse fragments (% CF), enter an estimate of the
percentage of the total volume of soil material (by
horizon if necessary) that is comprised of fragments
2 mm and greater in diameter.
Drainage Enter as very rapid, rapid, well, moderately well,
imperfect, poor or very poor.
Water courses and Enter the number of water courses and gullies per
gullies/100 m 100 m of contour on the SU. This information is used
in determining erosion hazard and site sensitivity.
* Where mechanized stand tending is prescribed, the hazards for soil compaction
and the maximum proportion of each treatment area that may be occupied by soil
disturbance caused by the mechanized stand tending treatment must be specified.
If trail building is associated with the mechanized treatment, the hazards for soil
erosion and soil displacement must be assessed and listed in the SMP. If trail
building is associated with the mechanized treatment and the slope gradient is
greater than 60 percent, the area must be assessed for the likelihood of landslides.
For guidance in assessing site sensitivity refer to the Soil Conservation
Guidebook. To determine the appropriate level of mapping detail, see the
“Mapping requirements” section of this guide.
29
C-1. AREA DESCRIPTION

ZONE, SUBZONE, VARIANT SITE SERIES (RANGE) MOIST/NUTR. GRID
ELEVATION ASPECT SLOPE DATA SLOPE

Min: Max: Avg.: Min. %: Max. %: Avg. %: POSITION LENGTH UNIFORMITY
HUMUS ROOTING SOIL DEPTH TO SOIL TEXTURE SOIL COARSE DRAINAGE

FORM DEPTH RESTRICTING LAYER FRAGMENT %
WATER COURSES MECHANIZED STAND TENDING IF YES, SEE OPERATIONAL PLANNING REGULATION FOR FURTHER
CONTENT REQUIREMENTS
Water Gullies ( ) Yes ( ) No
C-2. Current stand description

The current stand description provides detail on the structure, species mix and
percentage, age, height, site productivity (site index), stand density, number of
well-spaced stems/ha, and basal area. This section can be completed by
transferring the appropriate information from free growing or pre-stand-tending
surveys. For even-aged stands the first line is for inventory information, the
second line is for silviculture information. For uneven-aged stands, record the
information by layers 1 through 4. Use the Guide to Completing FS 708 Forms
for further assistance.
Strata/or treatment area Enter the alpha or numeric value corresponding to the
area on the map. You may wish to separate out
treatment areas or combine them (if they are the same).
In either case the stand types should be similar enough
to require the same treatment.
* Layer Enter the kind of layer ( ) – inventory,
(S) – silviculture, (V) – veteran, (1) – layer one
trees equal to or greater than 12.5 cm dbh, (2) – layer
two trees between 7.5 and 12.4 cm dbh, (3) – layer
three trees between 1.3 m tall and 7.4 cm dbh, and
(4) – layer four trees beneath 1.3 m tall.
Rank Rank each layer of a multi-layer stand in the order of
their harvest importance starting with ‘1’ for the most
important.
Species composition/ Enter the percentage species composition (nearest
percent one percent) to a maximum of five species. The total
species composition should add up to 100 percent.
* Age Enter the age on-site (to the closest year) of the leading
species (codominants and dominants).
30
* Height Enter the height in metres to the nearest tenth of

a metre.
Reference year Enter the year the survey information was collected.
* Site index Enter the site index for the stand to the nearest tenth of
a metre (in line one).
* Density Enter the total number of stems per hectare.
* Well-spaced Enter the total acceptable well-spaced stems
per hectare.
C-2. CURRENT STAND DESCRIPTION
TA Well- Basal
or Species Composition Age Height Ref. Site Density spaced Area
Strata Layer Rank Spp % Spp % Spp % Spp % Spp % (yrs) (0.1) m year index (stems/ha) (stems/ha) (m2/ha)
C-3. Forest health and protection

Forest health assessment
Insects, disease, wildlife and abiotic factors can have a significant impact on
forest productivity and may limit the ability to meet management objectives.
* The SMP must for each standards unit, specify the occurrence of forest health
factors that are currently causing damage and the strategies, if any, to mitigate
the impacts of identified factors. All anticipated future forest health risks should
be identified when developing plans and prescriptions.
Forest health management objectives should be documented in this section.
* Where there are pests currently, the prescription must identify the pest and
estimate the percent or magnitude of infection, by standards unit if necessary.
Where the potential of damage occurring later in the rotation is identified, the
type of pest and an assessment of the risk to the stand should be provided.
Any actions proposed to address pest concerns must be specified in

the prescription.
This section should include treatment windows where treatment during a specific
time of the year is critical. For example, sanitation of stem rusts during a time of
the year when the spores are visible.
31
Filling out section C-3 of the SMP template

SU Record standards unit
* Agent code Record agent code for specific pest code as per ISIS
codes (or FS 747)
* Agent name Record commonly used name
* Host species Record host species
* Total trees affected Record percent of total trees affected
* Total conifers affected Record percent of total conifers affected
* Host trees affected Record percent of total host trees affected
Describe the management objectives for the agent (e.g., minimize the spread
of armillaria).
C-3. FOREST HEALTH AND PROTECTION

FOREST HEALTH AGENT OCCURRENCE
AGENT TOTAL TREES TOTAL CONIFERS HOST TREES AREA

SU CODE AGENT NAME HOST SPECIES AFFECTED (%) AFFECTED (%) AFFECTED (%) (ha)
FOREST HEALTH STRATEGIES:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
32
Protection
Increased fire hazards such as concentrations of woody debris or slash resulting
from stand management practices should be reduced to an acceptable level.
Abating the hazard should not be at the expense of site productivity.
Hazard abatement must be consistent with higher level plans and should be
conducted in accordance with the Fire Management Guidebook.
The SMP should make an assessment of the fire hazard and fuel loading
expected after the silviculture activity and, where fire hazard abatement is
anticipated, specify the actions to be undertaken and the expected time frame for
completion of the work.
The fire site sensitivity rating will influence hazard abatement options.
PROTECTION
FIRE HAZARD ASSESSMENT & PROTECTION STRATEGIES:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
33
Target stand conditions and strategies
General objective
• To provide a concise overview of the entire prescription – What is to be
done, when and why.
The prescription should describe the what, when and why (blueprint) for the SU
(stand). This section is used to describe the target stand objectives and structure.
A series of linked treatments and their objectives are described and details on
how they will achieve specific target stand conditions.
This section should describe the blueprint for others to follow. People move, this
document remains. This will help provide stability and continuity in stand-level
planning. If objectives change, it is possible to determine the consequences of the
change and whether the costs are acceptable. If objectives change, an amendment
can be done or a new SMP can be prepared.
It is within this section that each of the desired objectives and attributes
identified in section B should be addressed and the rationale documented on how
the proposed treatment regime fits with the specified objectives and/or
constraints.
D. TARGET STAND CONDITIONS AND OBJECTIVES

STAND TREATMENT REGIME — The stand treatment objectives for all treatment areas in this standards unit must be the same. Clearly describe the average target
stand condition for all Treatment Areas under this standards unit. Clearly identify how you propose to achieve the forest management objectives in Part B of this
prescription. Clearly explain how the proposed treatments will achieve the stated objectives and/or mitigate impacts on non-timber forest resources listed in Part B.
Where quantification is NOT possible, use qualitative descriptions.
Selection criteria for crop trees (height, age, vigour, species preference, etc.):
* Selection criteria for crop trees to be retained (e.g., species preference, height,
age, DBH, health, vigour).
This section must provide a clear definition of what crop trees are to be retained
after a spacing treatment. For each activity it is critical to accurately describe
what trees will be treated (e.g., pruned) or retained (e.g., after spacing).
34
D-1. Post-treatment standards
General objectives
• To provide a detailed list and schedule of all stand tending activities planned
for the prescription.
• To provide the minimum standards required by activity to meet the
management objectives.
• To provide standards by which compliance can be measured.
• To provide direction for treatment contracts.
The table is used to provide a detailed list of all stand tending activities planned
for the prescription area and the minimum standards required by activity to meet
specific management objectives. Any activities and standards specified in the
table applies to all of the treatment areas contained in the standards unit. The left-
hand portion provides direction for implementation, while the right-hand portion
provides post-treatment standards.
* Year Enter the range of years a treatment is scheduled to be

carried out.
Treatments must be scheduled by range of year (if the treatment will occur more
than three years after date of approval) and may include average target stand age,
stand height, or target diameter. If the implementation of the planned treatment is
delayed past the latest treatment year, the site should be revisited to determine if
the treatment is still appropriate.
* Age Enter the stand age when the treatment is scheduled to

be carried out.
* Height Enter the average dominant/codominant stand height
when the treatment is scheduled to be carried out.
* Diameter Enter the target stand diameter when the treatment is
to be carried out.
* Layer Enter the layer the treatment is scheduled for. For
even-aged stands there is usually only one layer to
consider. For uneven-aged stands there are up to four
layers that may be considered for treatment.
35
* Treatment Enter the type of treatment planned for the site (add
specifics if possible – e.g., fertilize with 225 kg/ha N
at a rate 520 kg of forest grade urea/ ha).
* Area Enter the net treatment area or net area to be
treated (ha).
The following standards will become the prime auditing points for activities
completed under a SMP.
Species composition:
* Preferred Enter the preferred species for the site (may differ
from original SP due to forest health concerns or other
objectives).
* Acceptable Enter the acceptable species for the site.
* Target no. well-spaced Enter the target number of well-spaced stems/ha to be
left after treatment.
* Min. pref. well-spaced Enter the minimum number of well-spaced stems/ha of
the preferred species, to be left after treatment.
* Min. inter-tree dist. Enter the minimum inter-tree distance between well-
spaced trees.
* Min. total well-spaced Enter the minimum number of total well-spaced
stems/ha to be left after treatment.
* Max. total well-spaced Enter the maximum number of total well-spaced
stems/ha to be left after treatment.
* Prune: min. lift height Enter the minimum lift height for the pruning
treatment. This field needs to be completed only if
pruning is scheduled.
* Type of fertilizer Enter the chemical composition of the fertilizer to
be used.
* Rate of application Enter the rate of fertilizer application in kg/ha.
* Method of application Enter the method of fertilizer application (e.g. aerial
or ground).
* Season Enter the seasonal constraints and any necessary
weather conditions necessary for effective application.
* Other post-treatment standards – Describe any other post-treatment standards
that apply to either timber or non-timber resource
objectives. Any standards specified should be worded
to ensure that they are operationally achievable. This
section specifies standards that must be met by
36
individual stand management treatments. For example,

after pruning is completed, pruned trees must have:
• all branches greater than 3 cm long removed up to the proper lift height with
a minimum of 3 whorls remaining or 30% live crown, whichever is greater
• branches cut flush with the branch collar, with a 1.0 cm or less stub –
measured from the branch collar
• no scarring of the stem exposing the cambium layer over an area greater than
that of the largest pruned branch scar on the tree.
If other standards or modified standards are required, they should be clearly

outlined in the SMP.
D-1. POST-TREATMENT STANDARDS

Use the table below to enter the schedule of stand-level treatments and appropriate standards. Complete only the relevant columns.
TARGET SCHEDULE STAND STRUCTURAL ATTRIBUTES

Target Min. Min. Max.
No. Pref. Min. Total Total Min. Prune
Range Well- Well- Inter- Well- Well- BA Min.
of Age/ Area Species spaced spaced tree spaced spaced or Lift
Year Height DBH Layer Treatment (ha) Preferred Acceptable /ha SPH Dist SPH SPH Vol. Height
OTHER POST-TREATMENT STANDARDS: Describe any other post-treatment standards (type and rate of fertilizer, minimum live crown percent after pruning, maximum stump
height after spacing, or other appropriate standards that apply to Forest Health, IRM, wildlife trees, etc.)
37
D-2. Special areas
General objective
• To describe the location, size and unique features of small areas within a
treatment area where different or special treatments will be applied. These
areas can be designated as separate standards units. The maximum size for a
special area is one hectare or 5% of the area, whichever is greater.
A special area is an area within a standards unit (SU) where the standards differ
from the rest of the SU. For each special area the SMP must specify how
standards vary from the rest of the SU.
Note: Buffers and reserves, where no treatments will be conducted are NOT
Special Areas by definition in the OPR. Areas where no treatment is
proposed can be designated as reserve areas. Designated reserve areas
should be shown on the SMP map.
This section can also be used to describe, wildlife habitat areas, riparian
management areas, and any management practices planned to enhance or
maintain these areas. Treatment in a riparian reserve zone may be proposed for
managing fisheries or wildlife values or for sanitation treatments. Joint approval
from the district manager and the designated environmental official is required if
trees are to be felled or modified in a riparian reserve zone.
D-2. SPECIAL AREAS - (TREATMENT PROPOSED)

TREATMENT AREA # TYPE OF SPECIAL AREA
(e.g., Riparian Reserve Zone, Riparian Management Zone, Lakeshore Management Zone, FENs)
AREA NO. SIZE ha Description of special area and significant features (Show approximate location on map)
DESCRIBE HOW MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES DIFFER FROM THE REST OF THE STANDARDS UNIT
38
D-3. Reserve areas
General objective
• To describe the location and size of features where no treatment is
prescribed. The term reserve area can be used for any area where it is
important that no treatment is carried out.
A reserve area differs from a special area due to the absence of a treatment
prescribed. Reserve areas should be prescribed where it is important to leave an
area untreated to protect a resource feature. The area must be shown on the SMP
map. The actual area of a reserve area is part of the net down for calculating the
treatment area.
This section can be used to describe wildlife tree reserves or any other area
where no treatment is prescribed. An area where a treatment is prescribed is
either a special area or a separate area under an SU.
Riparian reserve zones will normally be reserve zones if within the treatment
area boundaries. Where it is desirable to fell or modify trees in a riparian reserve
zone the area should either be a separate treatment area or a special area. In
addition there must be approval from the district manager and the designated
environment official in writing to authorize treatments in a riparian reserve zone.
D-3. RESERVE AREAS - (NO TREATMENT PROPOSED)

TREATMENT AREA # TYPE OF RESERVE AREA
(e.g., Riparian Reserve Zone, Roadside Buffers, others)
AREA NO. SIZE ha
Description of Reserve Area (Show approximate loction on map)
39
Mapping requirements
General objective
• To provide an accurate visual representation of those physical features,
ecological units, standards units and other resource features that have been
referred to in, or have a bearing on, the prescription.
General mapping requirements

The suggested map scale for silviculture prescriptions is 1:10 000. However, the
appropriate scale and level of detail will depend on topography, block size and
the complexity of management on the area. Whether it is necessary to delineate
very small units depends on their impact on the prescription.
Map content
Stand management prescriptions must include administrative information,
known resources, riparian information, ecological information and the
approximate location of access structures.
In many cases, only one map will be required in order to display SUs, TAs, SAs
and other important features affecting the prescription. However, with multi-area
SMPs having blocks significantly separate from one another, two or more maps
of suitable scale may be needed.
Administrative and area information

Some of the following information is not mandatory but is suggested to simplify
administration and provide references to the prescription document. Mandatory
items are marked with an asterisk.
* tenure identification (area identifier) – at least the licence number, cutting permit,
block number, mapsheet and opening number
* location – the block must be referenced to a recognizable feature or
location name
* the SU number associated with each treatment area
* legend – the legend describing all mapped objects and strata
* history symbol
40
* scale, north arrow

* date drawn and name(s) of the cartographer
cutblock and other administrative boundaries (e.g., leases, research plots)
* watercourses, lakes and wetlands within or adjacent to the area
existing roads, landings and trails (forest road names and mileage)
biogeoclimatic ecosystem units
* approximate location of special areas
* approximate location of mappable reserve areas
* known wildlife habitat areas, known resource features (other than domestic water
supply intakes), known licenced water supply intakes and related
water supply infrastructures, known community water supply intakes
and related water supply infrastructures
* riparian management zones and riparian reserve zones
other features or zonation referenced in the prescription or higher level plans.
These might include: no-treatment roadside buffers, objectives for
sensitive areas, landscape units, resource management zones, stream
reach classification, areas of rock or unstable soils, range
improvements, or water monitoring
different forest cover or topographic factors if different management is proposed
based on those factors (e.g., different forest cover may necessitate
different target stand conditions and management activities)
other significant features requiring a modified or no treatment (reserve zones)
41
E. Prescription signatures
Before work can be carried out for an area under a SMP, the SMP must be signed
by the prescribing forester and the district manager. Where the licensee is the
holder of the SMP, it must also be signed by the license holder signing authority.
Signing of a SMP does not constitute liability to carry out any or all treatments
scheduled. Once a person carries out a treatment the person must ensure that
activity conforms to the standards outlined in the SMP.
42
Appendix 1. Stand management prescription template

STAND MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTION {insert district name} Forest District Date: _________________
A. LOCATION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AREA
SU TREATMENT AREA (TA) IDENTIFIER (OPENING NO.; CUTBLOCK; TIMBER MARK; OTHER) TA TREATMENT AREA (Net)
(to the nearest 0.1 ha)
B. MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
B-1. HIGHER LEVEL PLANS
ARE ANY OF THE TREATMENT AREAS SUBJECT TO A HIGHER LEVEL PLAN? ( ) YES ( ) NO
PLAN NAME Date

Y M D
IF YES:
IF NO: CONSULT WITH OTHER RESOURCE AGENCIES TO ASSIST IN DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES FOR THE PRESCRIPTION.
SUMMARY OF HIGHER-LEVEL OBJECTIVES FOR THESE TREATMENT AREAS (Please rank specific objectives [1 = highest priority, 10 = lowest] ):
( ) Timber ( ) Range ( ) Recreation ( ) VQO ( ) Wildlife habitat ( ) Biodiversity ( ) Wildlife trees ( ) Fisheries ( ) Water quality ( ) Other:
USE SECTION B2. STAND-LEVEL OBJECTIVES TO CLARIFY, CONFIRM AND SPECIFY MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES FROM HIGHER LEVEL PLANS.
B-2. STAND-LEVEL OBJECTIVES

ARE CURRENT STAND-LEVEL OBJECTIVES AVAILABLE FROM SILVICULTURE PRESCRIPTIONS? ( ) Yes ( ) No IF ‘YES,’ SEE ATTACHED FS 711A.
ARE CURRENT STAND-LEVEL OBJECTIVES STILL APPROPRIATE FOR THESE STANDS? ( ) Yes ( ) No
USE THIS SECTION TO SUMMARIZE OBJECTIVES FROM HIGHER LEVEL PLANS OR FOR DEVELOPING OR CLARIFYING STAND-LEVEL OBJECTIVES.
TIMBER MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES –

HABITAT/BIODIVERSITY/WILDLIFE TREES
THESE OBJECTIVES APPLY TO: SU_______________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Light grey shaded boxes are not required by legislation

FS68 HFP 98/10
43
44
WATERSHED MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FISHERIES/STREAMS–WETLANDS MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
RANGE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES CATTLE IF ‘YES’ RANGE

USE? ( ) Yes ( ) No UNIT PASTURE:
CATTLE PRIMARY IF ‘YES’ LOCATE SEEDED? ( ) Yes (Year) ( ) No

ACCESS TRAILS? ( ) Yes ( ) No ON ATTACHED MAP
THESE OBJECTIVES APPLY TO: SU___________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
VISUAL LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES (VQO) LANDSCAPE VISUAL

SENSITIVITY QUALITY
OBJECTIVE

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
RECREATION MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES FEATURE

SIGNIFICANCE
KEY MANAGEMENT
FEATURE CLASS

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OTHER RESOURCE VALUES/INTERESTS MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FS68 HFP 98/10
45
This page can also be duplicated to accommodate separate treatment areas; one page per treatment area if appropriate.
TREATMENT AREA (TA) DESCRIPTION

Use this page to record appropriate treatment area(s) information by standards unit. This page may be used for
more than one treatment area if similar area descriptions. If necessary duplicate pages 3 & 4 for multiple areas.
SU ____ Area Identifier ______________ TA _____ TA Area _______ha
Area Identifier ______________ TA _____ TA Area _______ha
C-1. AREA DESCRIPTION
ZONE, SUBZONE, VARIANT SITE SERIES (RANGE) MOIST/NUTR. GRID
ELEVATION ASPECT SLOPE DATA SLOPE

Min: Max: Avg.: Min. %: Max. %: Avg. %: POSITION LENGTH UNIFORMITY
HUMUS ROOTING SOIL DEPTH TO SOIL TEXTURE SOIL COARSE DRAINAGE

FORM DEPTH RESTRICTING LAYER FRAGMENT %
WATER COURSES MECHANIZED STAND TENDING IF YES, SEE OPERATIONAL PLANNING REGULATION FOR FURTHER
CONTENT REQUIREMENTS
Water Gullies ( ) Yes ( ) No
C-2. CURRENT STAND DESCRIPTION

TA Well- Basal
or Species Composition Age Height Ref. Site Density spaced Area
Strata Layer Rank Spp % Spp % Spp % Spp % Spp % (yrs) (0.1) m year index (stems/ha) (stems/ha) (m2/ha)
C-3. FOREST HEALTH AND PROTECTION

FOREST HEALTH AGENT OCCURRENCE
AGENT TOTAL TREES TOTAL CONIFERS HOST TREES AREA

SU CODE AGENT NAME HOST SPECIES AFFECTED (%) AFFECTED (%) AFFECTED (%) (ha)
FOREST HEALTH STRATEGIES:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PROTECTION
FIRE HAZARD ASSESSMENT & PROTECTION STRATEGIES:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FS68 HFP 98/10
46
D. TARGET STAND CONDITIONS AND OBJECTIVES
STAND TREATMENT REGIME — The stand treatment objectives for all treatment areas in this standards unit must be the same. Clearly describe the average target
stand condition for all treatment areas under this standards unit. Clearly identify how you propose to achieve the forest management objectives in Part B of this
prescription. Clearly explain how the proposed treatments will achieve the stated objectives and/or mitigate impacts on non-timber forest resources listed in Part B.
Where quantification is NOT possible, use qualitative descriptions.
Selection criteria for crop trees (height, age, vigour, species preference, etc.):
D-1. POST-TREATMENT STANDARDS

Use the table below to enter the schedule of stand-level treatments and appropriate standards. Complete only the relevant columns.
TARGET SCHEDULE STAND STRUCTURAL ATTRIBUTES

Target Min. Min. Max.
No. Pref. Min. Total Total Min. Prune
Range Well- Well- Inter- Well- Well- BA Min.
of Age/ Area Species spaced spaced tree spaced spaced or Lift
Year Height DBH Layer Treatment (ha) Preferred Acceptable /ha SPH Dist SPH SPH Vol. Height
OTHER POST-TREATMENT STANDARDS: Describe any other post-treatment standards (type and rate of fertilizer, minimum live crown percent after pruning, maximum stump
height after spacing, or other appropriate standards that apply to Forest Health, IRM, wildlife trees, etc.)
D-2. SPECIAL AREAS - (TREATMENT PROPOSED)

TREATMENT AREA # TYPE OF SPECIAL AREA
(e.g., Riparian Reserve Zone, Riparian Management Zone, Lakeshore Management Zone, FENs)
AREA NO. SIZE ha Description of special area and significant features (Show approximate location on map)
DESCRIBE HOW MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES DIFFER FROM THE REST OF THE STANDARDS UNIT
D-3. RESERVE AREAS – (NO TREATMENT PROPOSED)

TREATMENT AREA # TYPE OF RESERVE AREA
(e.g., Riparian Reserve Zone, Roadside Buffers, others)
AREA NO. SIZE ha Description of reserve area (Show approximate location on map)
FS68 HFP 98/10
47
STAND MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTION {insert district name} Forest District Date: ________________
E-3. ADMINISTRATION
PRESCRIPTION PREPARED BY (RPF SIGNATURE AND SEAL):
RPF NAME (Printed)
DATE: ____________________________ RPF NO.:_____________

RPF SIGNATURE
PRESCRIPTION ATTACHMENTS: MAJOR LICENSEE SIGNING AUTHORITY

❑ ADDITIONAL SMP COMMENTS
❑ SMP MAP(S)
❑ FIELD DATA CARDS
❑ TERRAIN STABILITY FIELD ASSESSMENT
❑ FOREST HEALTH/PEST INCIDENCE ASSESSMENT Licence Holder Signing Authority Signature (delete if not applicable)
❑ ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
❑ OTHER: SPECIFY: ___________________________
Licence Holder Signing Authority Name (Printed) (delete if not applicable)
Date:
PRESCRIPTION APPROVED BY:
District Manager’s Signature
District Manager’s Name (Printed)
Date:
Original approval date (if amended):
FS68 HFP 98/10
48

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This Forest Practices Code Guidebook is presented for information only.

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Visit our website:

Forest Practices Code guidebooks have been developed to support the

The information provided in each guidebook is to help users exercise their

Where ranges are not specified, flexibility in the application of guidebook

Preface ...................................................................................................................... iii

General objective of the stand management prescription

The SMP was created to complement the silviculture prescription (SP) by

An approved SMP is required by law prior to the commencement of any

The template is a guide to the legislative and regulatory requirements. Additional

RPF signature and seal

District manager signature

Life span of a stand management prescription

The legislation requires treatments to be scheduled with an earliest and latest

The above example can be managed in the following manner:

Full-rotation plans provide continuity and clarity to the direction and

The schedule of activities prescribed in a SMP should provide the most

Role of the SMP in the planning process

• specifying the schedule of silviculture treatments necessary to achieve stand

Creating a stand management prescription

Steps for creating a stand management prescription

Identify and collect background information

A person preparing a stand management prescription:

The stand management prescription for the area:

Free growing status – Stand management prescriptions must not be submitted

Set stand-level resource objectives

Higher level plans – SMP objectives must be consistent with objectives

Pre-stratify the proposed SMP area

Conducting the stand management prescription field work

When conducting the pre-stand tending survey, the contractor, licensee or

A walkthrough or pre-stand tending survey should be used to provide a

Biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification

Location identification (Section A)

Tenure information must be consistent for plans, referrals, silviculture

As with SPs, the following information must be recorded for SMPs:

* SU Identifies each SU under the SMP. A separate SU is

A. LOCATION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AREA

Treatment areas and multi-area SMPs

Grouping treatment areas into one standards unit

Designation of treatment areas allow for portions of stands or different stands,

Such a procedure provides significant benefits for record keeping and

The treatment areas within the standards unit should:

Separate standards units for treatment areas with one SMP

Examples of multi-area SMP applications

Had different treatment areas required different treatment regimes or standards to

Example 2. One SMP, containing more than one standards unit.

Management objectives and consistency with

B-1. Higher level plans

PLAN NAME Date

B-2. Stand-level objectives

Timber management objectives

If a resource management plan or management plan contains prespecified

B-2. STAND-LEVEL OBJECTIVES

TIMBER MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES

THESE OBJECTIVES APPLY TO: SU________________________

Wildlife management objectives

* Identified wildlife strategies and any “red-listed” or regionally important species