Forestry· Wildlife Guidelines to Habitat Management
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11111111~113 0318 r~1~1 mmmr1~1~11~1~r11~11111111 00028. 8449 This document is made available electronically by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library as part of an ongoing digital archiving project. http://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/lrl.asp (Funding for document digitization was provided, in part, by a grant from the Minnesota Historical & Cultural Heritage Program.) FORESTRY· WILDLIFE GUIDELINES ·, TO HABITAT MANAGEMENT 1985 Revision FOREST - --·----·- ~ ... / -T-R A N S I T I 0 N PRAIRIE ·MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES GENERAL CON:rENrS SEr.rION PAGES .EOLICY - WILDLIFE/FORESTRY COORDINATION •••••••••••••••• A-G I - I'NI.'RC.>IXJC'I ION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 - 12 Foreword, Approval, Vegetative Zones and Habitat Evaluation, Vegetative Zone Map II - MANAGEMEN.r IN!'EGRATION BY GENERAL PRACI'ICES •••••••••••• 13 -24 Rationale, Soils Evaluation, Timber Harvest, Reforestation, Tirrber stand Improvement III - MANAGEMENI' IN!'EGRATION BY TIMBER TYPE •••••••••••••••••• 25 - 42 References, Aspen and Paper Birch, Oaks, Northern Hardwoods, Central Hardwoods, Lowland Hardwoods, Conifers, Deforested Areas IV - WILDLIFE PROJECTS FOR HABITAT MANAGEMEN.r IN CONJUN:TION WITH TIMBER MANAGEMENI' •••••••••••••••••• 43 - 54 Wildlife Openings, Roads and Trails, Non corrmercial Cover Type Regeneration, Brush Piles, Fruit Trees V - WILDLIFE PROJECTS FOR HABITAT MANAGEMENI' SEPARATE FROM TIMBER MANAGEMENI' ••••••••••••••••••••••• 55 - 60 Browse Regeneration, Agriculture Leases and Coop Farming Agreements, Wetland Developnent, Wildlife Cover Plantings VI - SP~IAL AREA HABITAT MANAGEMENI' ••••••••••••••••••••••• 61 - 76 Deer Wintering Conplexes, Forest Wetlands, Prairie Wetlands, Native Prairie, Old Growth Considerations, Riparian Zones, Gravel Pits VI I - SPECIAL SPECIES HABITAT MANAGEMENI' •••••••••••••••••••• 77 - 98 Cavity and Snag Users, Colonial Tree-nesting Waterbirds, Moose, Prairie Chicken, Raptors, Reptiles and Amphibians, Sandhill Crane, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Wild turkey, other Animals and Plants of Special Concern. VIII - FIRE UTILIZATION••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 99 - 100 APPEIDICES •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 101 - 132 IIDE:X ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 133 - 137 ..... --------------------------------.--------------------------------------------~-1Effective Date 10/28/80 Number ---8 her Guidelines OEPIRTMEIT OF · Supersedes Commissioner Order II ---- Number Rules & Regulations ll lURll RESOURCES --- Operational Order Date Department Manual Policy· --- Other SUBJECT: WILDLIFE/FORESTRY COORDINATION .. 00640 Preamble As. state administered lands are to be managed for compatible multiple use benefits, unless otherwise dedicated by law, both the Divisions of Forestry and Fish and Wildlife are jointly charged with the responsibility of achieving the goal of integrating forest and wildlife management, while recognizing other multi p1 e use purposes. The fo 11 owing po 1 i c i es and procedures are meant to ensure that integration takes place. General Policy 1. All State Administered Lands (unless otherwise dedicated by laws) The department shall strive to implement the practices delineated in the Forestry/Wildlife Guideli~es To Habitat Management on all state administered lands. Such implementation is important since manipulation of forest vegetation is the key to managing for wildlife as well as timber products. Succ~ssful management for these two purposes depends upon achieving the desired combination and distribution of age classes by forest types in conjunction with stated multiple-use policies and· overall sustained forest and wildlife goals. Therefore, both disciplines will follow these guidelines when planning and implementing forestry and wildlife management practices on forestry and wildlife administered lands recognizing that whenever possible wildlife management objectives should be met through forest management practices. These guidelines will be expanded and updated as new techniques are developed. A. Forestry Administered Lands Outside of State Forests in Wildlife Management Areas 1. To the extent possible on lands determined to have significant wildlife and significant forestry values, wildlife management objectives shou 1d be met through fores try management. practices. However, where 1ong term fore st management objectives are in conflict with long term wildlife objectives on specific tracts of land internal transfers of administrative control-- lease, or acqu1s1tion shall be considered.* However, this should be considered ~·where critical habitat conditions cannot be met through cooperative planning. *In this document, all such referenced actions on specific tracts of land shall be consistent with department policy and procedures for all divisions xchan e and internal transfers of administrative control. (B) SUBJECT: WILDLIFE/FORESTRY COORDINATION 2. Lands determined to have primary value for wildlife with relatively low values for forestry should be acquired or custodial control transferred to the Division of Fish and Wildlife. B. Wildlife Management Area Lands Within State Forests Where overlap of unit boundaries occurs, i.e. state forest and state wildlife management areas, cooperative agreements relative to administration shall be established. These agreements shall-.become part of the forest management and wi 1d life management area p1 ans. However, where long term forest management objectives are in conflict with long term wildlife objectives on specific tracts of land transfer of custodial control, lease, or acquisition shall be considered. 2. Other Non-DNR Lands Wildlife and forestry personnel should seek to establish cooperative agreements with other public land management agencies, private landowners, or industrial land owners for the purposes of meeting wildlife and forest management objectives. Private forest management assistance should consider the Forestry/Wildlife Guidelines To Habitat Management. Specific Policy 1. Forestry/Wildlife Guidelines To Habitat Management Forestry/Wildlife Guidelines To Habitat Management have been developed. Subsequent changes or additions to these guidelines sha 11 be brought to the attention of the division level of Forestry and Fish and Wildlife. Upon joint agreement at the division level, all changes will .be forwarded to the field for implementation. 2. The following items are covered in the Forestry/Wildlife Guidelines to Habitat Management. a. Habitat composition goals: Habitat composition goal~ have oeen developed so that each district in the state has something to work with. It should be recognized that these goals provide a general framework within which the area manager has leeway to develop more specific objectives. b. Compartment analysis: The guidelines define a procedure for getting ~ s,.wcHic. compartment analysis to the districts. c. Forestry practices: The specific types of modifications (size, design, etc.,) to forestry practices e.g., timoer sales, site preparation, roads for habitat enhancement have been addressed. d. Openings: The guidelines develop a sy~tem for dealing with wildlife openings created through forestry pract1ces. \ v I SUBJECT: WILDLIFE/FORESTRY COORDINATION e. Special Wildlife Considerations: Those considerations needed for special wildlife species or wildlife concentrations (e.g., eagles, osprey~ prairie chickens, etc.) have been addressed. f. Habitat develokiment projects: The guidelines develo·p a method for handling and eeping track of habitat development projects (e.g., browse strips, impoundments, prescribed burns). 3. The task force on wildlife/forestry coordination shall meet on ·an an.nual basis to determine how we 11 the po 1i c i es, procedures, and guide 1i nes ·. are working and to reconmend any changes that may be necessary in these documents. 4. To improve coordination and cooperation between the Divisions of Forestry and Fish and Wildlife, wildlife and forestry personnel, within the primary forested area of the state sha 11 have a conman office, · when the opportunity exists. 5. The department should initiate forest and wildlife research projects and provide information on mutually important tree species (such as white cedar, oak, and others) to address wildlife and forestry values. 6. Management plans for all DNR management units will have input from all divisions prior to public release or public information meetings. 7. The Divisions of Fish and Wildlife and Forestry need to develop a joint· pol.icy on the use of prescribed fire. 8. A policy statement or cooperative agreement(s) should be d~veloped to address prob 1ems between fish management and fore st and wildlife management practices. General Procedural Policy As a general rule, assigned Forestry and Wildlife staffs should attempt to review a 11 management practices at joint meetings (see specific management pr~rt11~ ~\nc@ such meetin9s foster better working relationships, promote understanding, and favor mutua 1 agreements. It 1s hoped tnat these meetings will encourage more frequent contact between staffs. If, upon notification of a specific practice, a discipline opts to not review a specific practice, then lack of review shall indicate that there are no concerns. Any differences in judgement in interpreting this policy .or procedure or in deciding any particular management project or ,P_rogram which cannot be resolved shall be il'1111ediately referred to the next higher level of the department organization. Under