This presentation discussed the differences, advantages, and disadvantages between timber sale contracting methods such as traditional timber sale, IRTC, IRSC, and the 10-year stewardship. The differences, advantages, and disadvantages between Forest Service mark and using Designation by Prescription, and how these methods of tree selection fit in with the different contracting methods, was also discussed.

Advantages of using alternative contracting and tree selection methods include decreased sale prep time and cost, treating sales that may not be economically viable, and providing consistency to contractors. One disadvantage is the increased risk to the government. These contracting and tree selection methods have been used on the Malheur National Forest in the Starr Stewardship project, Marshall Divine, Soda Bear, and Galena. In addition, a comparison between Forest Service mark and Designation by Prescription was completed in the Starr Stewardship project to determine if there were any differences between basal area, clumpiness, and cost for these two methods. Since the Starr Stewardship trial Designation by Prescription has been used for several other projects on the Malheur, including Marshall Divine and Galena.

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