Restoration And Management Of Declining Habitats (Acre)

ID-643

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE Idaho CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS FOR RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT OF DECLINING HABITATS

______(Owner/Operator) (Project Title)

GENERAL HABITAT DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION IN IDAHO Installation shall be in accordance with an approved design and plan (ID-CPA-25, The following is a brief description of each Seeding/Planting Plan Specification). The habitat and where it applies in Idaho. Refer minimum size of the restored area shall be to the Idaho Major Land Resource Area 10 acres or all of the identified ecological (MLRA) map in the Field Office Technical site if less than 10 acres. Guide (FOTG), Section I Maps, Management Reference Maps. The U.S. Department of Interior – National Biological Service has identified the Palouse prairie throughout its range in following habitats as rare and declining in Idaho: Idaho: The potential natural communities are Palouse prairie throughout its range in Idaho dominated by Idaho fescue, bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, arrowleaf Sagebrush grass steppe in the western Snake balsamroot, and yarrow. Snowberry, rose, River Plains ninebark, and black hawthorn become prominent on north slopes and moist sites. Basin big sagebrush in the Snake River Plain These plant communities are located in of Idaho MLRA 9 (Palouse and Nez Perce Prairies) and are described in the ecological site Old-growth ponderosa pine forest in the descriptions, Section II, FOTG, for MLRA northern Rocky Mountains and 9. Additional information is available in the Intermountain West technical bulletin, "Steppe Vegetation of Washington". Riverine cottonwood forest on big rivers of southern Idaho Sagebrush grass steppe in the western Snake River Plains: Low-elevation wetlands The potential natural communities are dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush, bluebunch wheatgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, Thurber's needlegrass, Indian ricegrass, and

NRCS - IDAHO 1 January 2005 ID-643 needle-and-thread. Common forbs are phlox, Approximation", and "Forest Habitat Types biscuitroot, and annuals. Winterfat, and of Central Idaho". shadescale dominated plant communities are interspersed throughout. Basin big Riverine cottonwood forest on big rivers sagebrush communities with basin wildrye of southern Idaho: and bluebunch wheatgrass are found on low- lying deeper soils. They are located in the These plant communities are located in western portion of MLRA 11 (Snake River floodplains along major river systems in the Plains) and are described in the ecological Snake River Plains. Black or narrowleaf site descriptions in Section II, FOTG for cottonwood and willow species dominate MLRA 11. these plant communities. Associated plant communities include redosier dogwood, Basin big sagebrush in the Snake River yarrow, western wheatgrass, and basin Plain of Idaho: wildrye. These riverine forests are located in MLRA 11 and 10. The potential natural communities are dominated by basin big sagebrush, Low-elevation wetlands bluebunch wheatgrass, basin wildrye, Indian ricegrass, needle-and-thread, and Sandberg These plant communities are associated with bluegrass. Arrowleaf balsamroot, tapertip floodplain wetlands along the major stream hawksbeard, phlox, biscuitroot, yarrow, and and river systems across Idaho. They do not penstemon are important forbs in the Basin include headwater streams and wetlands in big sagebrush plant communities along the mountainous and alpine regions of the state. Snake River Plain. They are located in Tufted hairgrass, sedges (Carex spp.), rushes MLRA 11 (Snake River Plains) and are (Juncus spp.), spikerushes (Eleocharis spp.), described in the ecological site descriptions cattail, and bulrush (Scirpus spp.) dominate in Section II, FOTG for MLRA 11. these plant communities. These wetlands are found in MLRA 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 43A Old-growth ponderosa pine forest in the and 43B. northern Rocky Mountains and Intermountain West: SITE PREPARATION, SEED AND SEEDING Ponderosa pine as climax plant communities occur on mountains and along broad valleys Palouse prairie, sagebrush grass steppe, throughout central and northern Idaho. basin big sagebrush - refer to the FOTG, Associated plant species include bluebunch Section IV, Standard 550 Range Planting for wheatgrass, Idaho fescue, elk sedge, Oregon site preparation techniques and seeding rates grape, common snowberry, and ninebark. for herbaceous and shrub seedings. These ponderosa pine climax communities are found in MLRA 43A, 43B, and 44 Old-growth ponderosa pine forests - refer to (Northern Rocky Mountains and Northern the FOTG, Section IV Standard 612 Rocky Mountain Valleys). Detailed Tree/Shrub Establishment. information can be found in the ecological site descriptions in Section II, FOTG for Riverine cottonwood forest – refer to the MLRA's 43A, 43B and 44 and in "Forest FOTG, Section IV Standard 390 Riparian Habitat Types of Northern Idaho: A Second Forest Buffer and Plant Materials Technical

NRCS - IDAHO November 2004 2 ID-643

Notes TN 23, "How to Plant Willows and at least 5 of the dominant species in the Cottonwoods for Riparian Rehabilitation," ecological site description that in aggregate TN 32,"User's Guide to Description, compose at least 80 percent of the species Propagation, and Establishment of Native composition by weight in the site description Shrubs and Trees for Riparian Areas in the and includes at least one species in each life Intermountain West", and "The Practical form (grass, forb, shrub, tree) described in Streambank Bioengineering Guide," for site the site description. preparation, planting techniques, and spacing for planting seedlings or cuttings. For the following vegetative habitats:

Low-elevation wetlands - refer to the FOTG,  Palouse prairie Section IV Standard 657 Wetland Restoration and Plant Materials Technical  sagebrush grass steppe Notes TN 23, 32 and 38, "User's Guide to  basin big sagebrush Description, Propagation and Establishment of Wetland Plant Species and Grasses for Refer to the FOTG, Section IV, Standard Riparian Areas in the Intermountain West", 550 Range Planting for management for vegetative establishment techniques and guidance. Refer to the FOTG, Section II-E spacing for wetland restoration projects. to find the appropriate range ecological site description for specifics on plant SPECIES composition (% grass, % forbs, % shrubs) and the species selection for the restored Species suited for the site will be based on climax community. ecological site descriptions in the FOTG, Section II-E Rangeland, Grazed Forestland  Old-growth ponderosa pine forest and Native Pastureland Interpretations, habitat types, or best available research. Refer to the FOTG, Section IV, Standard 612 Tree/Shrub Establishment for guidance Select proven cultivars and alternative on spacing distances and Standard 550 releases when available and endemic species Range Planting for management guidance. adapted to the soils, mean annual rainfall, Refer to the FOTG, Section II-E to find and native to the geographic area. Refer to appropriate range ecological site description Plant materials Technical Notes TN 5 for specifics on plant composition (% grass, "Improved Conservation Plant Materials % forbs, % shrubs) and the species selection Released by NRCS and Cooperators", and for the restored climax community. TN 24 "Improved Grass, Forb, Legume, and Additional information can be found in Woody Species for the Intermountain West" "Forest Habitat Types of Northern Idaho: A and listed species for the habitat type (see Second Approximation", and "Forest Habitat referenced Habitat Type publications). Types of Central Idaho".

SPECIES SELECTION  Riverine cottonwood forest

Native species, which represent the plant Refer to the FOTG, Section IV Standard 390 community to be restored, will be seeded in Riparian Forest Buffer and Plant Materials diverse mixtures. No introduced species TN 23 and 32 for site preparation, planting will be seeded. Planted species will include techniques, and spacing for planting

NRCS - IDAHO 3 January 2005 ID-643 seedlings or cuttings. Refer to the FOTG, Idaho Department of Fish and Game and Section II-E to find appropriate range Bureau of Land Management, 2001, ecological site description for specifics on Riparian and Wetland Plant Associations of plant composition (% grass, % forbs, % Southwestern Idaho. shrubs) and the species selection for the restored climax community. Additional information can be found in "Riparian and Steele, R., R.D. Pfister, R.A. Ryker, and J.A. Wetland Plant Associations of Southwestern Kittams, 1981, Forest Habitat Types of Idaho". Central Idaho, USDA-FS, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station,  Low-elevation wetlands General Technical Report INT-114.

Restoration of low-elevation wetlands USDA– NRCS, Idaho, Field Office requires reestablishment of the original Technical Guide (FOTG). hydrology. Wetland plant communities generally establish from natural sources USDA-SCS, 1986, Potential Natural once hydrology has been restored. No Vegetation Map Idaho. plantings/and or seeding of herbaceous vegetation is recommended unless USDI– National Biological Service, determined by an on-site evaluation. The Endangered Ecosystems of the United restored climax plant community will be States: A preliminary Assessment of Loss dominated by native species listed in the and Degradation, 1995, Biological Report “Habitat Description and Location in Idaho” 28. section of this specification and Riparian and Wetland Plant Associations of Southwestern Idaho.

REFERENCES

Bentrup, G. and J.C. Hoag, 1998, The Practical Streambank Bioengineering Guide, USDA-NRCS, Plant Materials Center, Aberdeen, ID.

Cooper, S.V., K.E. Neiman, and D.W. Roberts, 1991, Forest Habitat Types of Northern Idaho: A Second Approximation, USDA-FS, Intermountain Research Station, General Technical Report INT-236.

Daubenmire, R., 1970, Steppe Vegetation of Washington, Washington Agricultural Experiment Station, Technical Bulletin 62, 1970.

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