Long Term No-Till 329-LT

DRAFT 386 - 1 NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

CONSERVATION PRACTICE STANDARD

FIELD BORDER (Feet)

CODE 386

DEFINITION Additional Criteria to Reduce Erosion from Wind and Water A strip of permanent vegetation established at the edge or around the perimeter of a field. Wind Erosion Reduction Locate borders around the entire perimeter of PURPOSES the field, or as a minimum, provide a stable  Reduce erosion from wind and water area on the upwind edge of the field as  Soil and water quality protection determined by prevailing wind direction data.  Management of harmful insect populations Minimum height of grass shall be one foot during the critical erosion period.  Provide wildlife food and cover Water Erosion Reduction CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES Locate borders around entire perimeter of the At the edges of cropland fields and to connect field, or as a minimum, install borders to other buffer practices within the field. May also eliminate sloping end rows, headlands, and apply to recreation land or other land uses other areas where concentrated water flows where agronomic crops are grown. will enter or exit the field.

CRITERIA Additional Criteria to Protect Soil and Water General Criteria Applicable to All Purposes Quality The field borders will be established to adapted Reducing Runoff and Increasing Infiltration species of permanent grass, legumes, and/or Locate borders around entire perimeter of the shrubs. Species selected must be compatible field, or as a minimum, install borders to with planned purposes. eliminate sloping end rows, headlands and Minimum field border widths shall be 10 feet. other areas where concentrated water flows This width should be adjusted upward to meet will enter or exit the field. the specific purpose(s) of the practice, Sediment Trapping equipment needs, or other site-specific requirements. Locate borders around the entire perimeter of the field, or as a minimum, in areas where Field borders will be established around the runoff enters or leaves the field. field edges to the extent needed to meet the resource needs and producer objectives. Reducing Soil Compaction from Equipment Parking and Traffic Ephemeral gullies and rills present in the planned border area will be smoothed as part Border widths will be designed to of seedbed preparation. accommodate intermittent travel lanes, parking, loading/unloading equipment, grain Vegetation selection and establishment shall harvest operations, and turn rows for farm be in accordance with the NRCS-NC Plant equipment. Establishment Guide or Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645), Appendix 1.

Conservation practice standards are reviewed periodically, and updated if needed. To obtain the current version of this standard, contact the Natural Resources Conservation Service. NRCS, NC September, 2004 386-2 DRAFT

Additional Criteria for Management of Harmful Insect Populations Provide a Harbor for Beneficial Insects Include herbaceous plants that attract beneficial insects. See planning considerations for including shrubs. Mowing, harvesting, and pesticide applications will be scheduled to accommodate life cycle requirements of the beneficial insects. Additional Criteria to Provide Wildlife Figure 1 Although less than ideal for bobwhite Food and Cover quail, a two zone field border, parallel to the row direction, can accommodate traveling farm The minimum width required to meet this equipment and add wildlife habitat to the field. criteria is 20 feet. If widths greater than 120 feet are desirable, then the North CONSIDERATIONS Carolina’s Upland Wildlife Habitat Consider during planning that field Management practice (Code 645) should borders are more effective and provide be utilized. more environmental benefits when Managing volunteer vegetation following planted around the entire field. a fallow small-grain cover crop may In nutrient-sensitive areas, consider satisfy permanent vegetation criteria- placing field borders along ditches and provided that unwanted pest plants are watercourses. controlled, soil is adequately protected from erosion, and other applicable Consider that field borders can be used criteria are satisfied. to assist a producer to comply with required field setback distances Tall fescue, Bermudagrass, Bahia grass, applicable for manure and chemical Weeping lovegrass, Sericea lespedeza, applications. and Nepalese browntop shall not exceed 10% of the total groundcover. Consider wildlife enhancement and other benefits of native or volunteer plants Trees and shrubs may comprise up to during planning. Native species should 10% of the total canopy cover. If greater be used when feasible and meet amounts of woody vegetation are producer objectives. desired, then North Carolina’s Hedgerow practice (Code 422) should be utilized. Consider overseeding the border with legumes for plant diversity and wildlife Any vegetation planted to meet these benefits. criteria shall be selected and established using the materials and rates specified in Consider that waterbars or berms may the Appendix to North Carolina’s Upland be needed to breakup or redirect Wildlife Habitat Management practice concentrated water flows within the (Code 645). borders. Surface shaping may be needed to provide row runoff entry and The conservation plan shall include prevent or eliminate standing water. application of North Carolina’s Early Succession Habitat Management (Code Consider plants tolerant to sediment 647) to 30-50% of the total field border deposition and chemicals planned for annually. application. The field border must be located at least Consider that rows of shrubs 20 feet away from the hard surface edge (Windbreak/ Shelterbelt Establishment, of a public road. 380) adjacent to field borders will often enhance field borders ability to harbor The habitat portion of a field border shall beneficial insects, and may also provide not be used as a travel way or turnrow. additional wildlife benefits.

NRCS, NC September, 2004 DRAFT 386 - 3 Consider that special loosening/ripping vegetation during non-critical times may be need to reduce compaction for wildlife to encourage dense before seeding. vegetation growth. Consider during planning that the 2. Lime and fertilizer are to be applied selection of species to be planted should according to the NRCS-NC Plant consider the likelihood of spreading into Establishment Guide. areas where it is not desired. 3. Shut off sprayers and raise tillage equipment to avoid damage to field borders.

Consider that borders placed parallel to 4. Provide spot treatment to control rows will provide undisturbed nesting and invading woody plants. feeding areas for wildlife.

Consider marking field borders with permanent markers to more effectively communicate their locations to farm workers. REFERENCES  NRCS-NC Practice Standard 645, PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS Upland Wildlife Habitat Management Plans and specifications are to be Conservation Instruction – Field prepared for each practice site. At a Borders, NC-190-116 minimum, the following items should be  Field Borders Job Sheet. specified:  NRCS-N.C. Plant Establishment 1. Border widths and lengths Guide 2. Location within the field or farm boundary 3. Species to be planted, including care and handling of the seed to ensure acceptable survival and a statement that only viable, high quality seed will be used 4. Planting rate or plant spacing 5. Site preparation 6. Planting method 7. Liming or fertilizer requirements 8. Season of the year to be planted 9. Statement regarding compliance with all federal, state, and local laws 10. Operation and maintenance requirements

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE Operation and maintenance information provided to the client must include at a minimum: 1. Inspect and repair field borders after storms to fill in gullies, remove sediment, re-seed disturbed areas, and take other measures to ensure the effectiveness of the border. Mow (and harvest if possible) field border NRCS, NC September, 2004