TYPE THREE TREATMENT
TYPE 3
MACHINE BASED INTERFACE CLEAN UP
This treatment method is similar to our Type 2 – Post-Harvest Fuel Management – treatment however it is carried out in interface areas where combinations of insect attack, root disease, blowdown and past high-grading have depleted the merchantable timber to the point where no viable harvest volume remains.
The Type 3 treatment reduces the extreme fuel loads on these sites, while retaining an open overstory of established large trees of fire-resistant species.
The SIFCo WUI stocking standards will generally be met by natural regeneration.
Our Type 3 treatment uses an excavator to pile fine and medium fuels for disposal, or to mulch fuels in lace using a mulching head.
Our machine access routes create open strips in the treated area, but machine access is constrained to limit impacts on stocking density and soil disturbance.
If financially feasible, the hand treatment crew go through the unit to address remaining fuel loads following the machine piling/mulching phase.
Our Type 3 treatment meets fuel management and climate change adaptation goals.
TYPE 3 TREE REMOVAL
Within this type of WUI treatment Overstory stems larger than 17.5cm in diameter are retained.
most Understory conifers smaller than 17.5cm in diameter are thinned to create a density of 4m intertree spacing where possible.
For the purpose of structural diversity and habitat values, clumps of conifer regeneration under 17.5cm in diameter are retained.
Areas which provide a visual screen from roads or trails are the first priority for clump location. We ensure these ‘clumps’ do not create a fire pathway within the treated unit, considering terrain, wind patterns and adjacent vegetation types/fuel types.
The Creation of machine access trails requires that some overstory stems be felled. This is always minimized as much as possible.
