DRAFT - Complete Revision

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NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE CONSERVATION PRACTICE STANDARD

UPLAND WILDLIFE HABITAT MANAGEMENT (acre)

CODE 645

DEFINITION  Habitat development and management necessary, to achieve the purpose(s), shall Creating, restoring, maintaining or enhancing be based on a wildlife habitat appraisal or areas for food, cover, and water for upland suitable habitat evaluation. The appraisal wildlife and species which use upland habitat or evaluation procedure shall be used to for a portion of their life cycle. determine a habitat suitability for either individual fields, home range areas, habitat type or natural community as well as to PURPOSE provide an overall evaluation for the entire  Provide a variety of food for the desired property or operating unit. kinds of wildlife species; Habitat Appraisal or Habitat Evaluation:  Provide a variety of cover types for the desired kinds of wildlife species, examples  The evaluation will result in a quality rating include nesting, fawning, loafing, resting, or habitat suitability index (hsi). This will escape, travel lanes, and thermal; consider the type, amount, and distribution of habitat elements required. The quality  Provide drinking water for the desired rating or hsi will be compared to the quality kinds of wildlife species. criteria in Section III of the FOTG.

 Arrange habitat elements in proper  If the evaluation indicates a level below the amounts and locations to benefit desired acceptable quality, alternatives will be species. recommended that will result in the necessary changes in habitat elements or  Manage the wildlife habitat to achieve a their management to bring the rating up to viable wildlife population within the species the minimal acceptable or above. home range.  If the evaluation is at the minimum or above, alternatives will be recommended CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES that will result in the necessary management to preserve, maintain or On all landscapes that are suitable for the improve the existing habitat in its present kinds of wildlife habitat that are needed within state or toward optimum conditions the range of the desired species or the natural community under consideration.

CRITERIA General Criteria Applicable to all Purposes

Conservation practice standards are reviewed periodically, and updated if needed. To obtain NRCS, OREGON the current version of this standard, contact the Natural Resources conservation Service. December 2002 645 - 2

Habitat Elements  Vegetative manipulations to restore plant and/or animal diversity shall be  The following habitat elements will be accomplished by prescribed burning or considered when assessing wildlife mechanical, biological or chemical habitat. Not all may apply to every habitat methods, or a combination of the four. type.  Where feasible prescribed burning shall be 1. Food utilized instead of mowing. a. Type  Livestock grazing or haying shall be b. Amount conducted to maintain or improve 2. Cover vegetation structure and composition so as to improve the desired wildlife habitat. a. Type b. Amount  Management measures shall be provided 3. Water to control invasive species and noxious weeds. a. quality b. quantity  To protect forbs and legumes that benefit c. accessibility d. seasonal availability native pollinators and other wildlife and provide insect food sources for grassland 4. Interspersion and Distance to nesting birds, spraying or other control of a. crops noxious weeds shall be done on a “spot” b. grasses and or legumes basis. c. shrubs d. trees e. water CONSIDERATIONS f. openings Wildlife population control (hunting to reduce 5. Migration numbers) which is the responsibility of state and federal wildlife agencies and the a. routes landowner may be necessary to protect and b. season of use maintain certain habitats. c. corridors Development and Management of Wildlife Consider that manipulations of habitat may Habitat: impact more than the desired kinds of wildlife. These possible effects shall be evaluated and taken into consideration during the planning  As indicated by the wildlife habitat process. evaluation, certain habitat elements may be weak or missing. For the desired This practice may be used to promote the species, identify the types, amount, and conservation of declining species, including distribution of habitat elements and threatened and endangered species. management actions necessary to achieve the management objectives. Consider the problems of habitat fragmentation when using this practice, create large blocks of  The amount and kinds of habitat elements habitat verses increased edge which leads to planned, their location and management predation and parasitism by some species shall be identified in a management plan. such as cowbirds.  The use of native plant materials shall be Consider habitat linkages and habitat corridors encouraged. when developing upland wildlife habitat.

NRCS, OREGON December 2002 645

PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS Timing of haying and livestock grazing will avoid periods when upland wildlife are nesting, Plans and specifications for this practice shall fawning, etc. and will allow the establishment, be prepared for each site. Plans and development, and management of upland specifications shall be recorded using vegetation for the intended purpose. approved specifications sheets, job sheets, technical notes, or narrative documentation in Biological control of undesirable plant species the conservation plan, or other acceptable and pests (e.g., using predator or parasitic documentation. species) shall be implemented where available and feasible. OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

The purpose of operation, maintenance, and management is to insure that the practice functions as intended over time.

A plan for operation and maintenance of upland wildlife habitat at a minimum shall include monitoring and management of structural and vegetative measures.

NRCS, NHCP

July, 1998

Conservation practice standards are reviewed periodically, and updated if needed. To obtain the current version of this standard, contact the Natural Resources Conservation Service.