AMERICAN TREE FARM SYSTEM® LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT PLAN State of Georgia i Landscape Management Plan Creation Plan Development and Composition The American Forest Foundation (AFF), in conjunction with Southern Forestry Consultants, Inc.(SFC), developed the original components, outlines, structure, and drafts of the Landscape Management Plan (LMP) and the associated geodatabase. AFF and SFC also worked cooperatively to evaluate and incorporate edits, comments, and modifications that resulted in the final LMP and geodatabase. Natural Resource Professional Support Committee AFF consulted regularly with staff from the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) to seek their input on various thematic, structural, and scientific components through multiple drafts of this LMP. Additionally, GFC staff facilitated access to and procurement of publicly available geospatial data during the development of the geodatabase. Additional Stakeholders AFF also sought input from a variety of additional stakeholders with expertise in the natural resources, planning, certification, and regulatory disciplines. Like the Support Committee, these additional stakeholders did not necessarily endorse all components of the LMP, nor does AFF imply a consensus was reached. These additional stakeholders included: • American Forest Management • Southern Regional Extension Forestry • Association of Consulting Foresters • The Nature Conservancy • Belle W. Baruch Foundation • University of Georgia • Bishop Brothers Forestry Consultants • US Army – Fort Jackson • Boise Cascade Company • US Fish & Wildlife Service • Four W Forestry Group • USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) • Georgia Conservancy • USDA Forest Service • Georgia Department of Natural Resources • USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service • Georgia Farm Bureau (NRCS) • Georgia Forestry Commission • WestRock Company • Georgia-Pacific Corporation • Weyerhaeuser Company • Georgia Tree Farm • Georgia Wildlife Federation • Interfor Corporation • International Paper Company • Longleaf Alliance • National Wild Turkey Federation • Palmetto Conservation Foundation • Pee Dee Land Trust • Pinova Solutions • Preservation Tree, LLC • Quality Deer Management Association ii TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 2 1.1. Forest Resource Professionals .......................................................................................... 3 1.2. Adaptive Management ....................................................................................................... 4 1.3. 2015-2020 ATFS Standards of Sustainability within the LMP ........................................... 5 1.4. Forest Stewardship Program Standards within the LMP ................................................. 12 1.5. A Forester’s Field Guide for Using the Landscape Management Plan with Landowners . 13 1.6. A Landowner’s Field Guide for Using the Landscape Management Plan......................... 15 2. SITE SPECIFIC CHARACTERIZATION THROUGH GEODATABASE TOOLS ............................ 18 2.1. Instructions for Use.......................................................................................................... 18 2.2. Geodatabase Layer Descriptions ..................................................................................... 18 3. ECOREGIONS (LEVEL III) ........................................................................................................ 26 3.1. Southwestern Appalachians ............................................................................................ 26 3.1.1. Forest Types Within Ecoregion .............................................................................. 29 3.2. Ridge and Valley .............................................................................................................. 29 3.2.1. Forest Types Within Ecoregion .............................................................................. 29 3.3. Blue Ridge ....................................................................................................................... 29 3.3.1. Forest Types Within Ecoregion .............................................................................. 30 3.4. Piedmont ......................................................................................................................... 30 3.4.1. Forest Types Within Ecoregion .............................................................................. 30 3.5. Southeastern Plains ........................................................................................................ 30 3.5.1. Forest Types Within Ecoregion .............................................................................. 31 3.6. Southern Coastal Plain .................................................................................................... 31 3.6.1. Forest Types Within Ecoregion .............................................................................. 31 3.7. Ecoregions Application to Landscape Management Plan ................................................ 32 4. HYDROLOGIC CATEGORIES ................................................................................................... 34 5. OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................. 36 5.1. Common Landscape Objectives ...................................................................................... 36 5.1.1. Forest Land Conservation and Retention .............................................................. 36 5.1.2. Support Healthy Forest Products Industry ............................................................. 43 5.1.3. Watershed Protection and Restoration ................................................................. 44 5.1.4. Wildlife Management and Protection/Biodiversity ................................................ 47 5.1.5. Forest Ecological Restoration ................................................................................ 51 5.1.6. Non-Native and Invasive Species (NNIS) and Nuisance Species Management .... 52 5.1.7. Supporting Military Bases Through REPI and Sentinel Landscapes ..................... 58 5.1.8. Air Quality .............................................................................................................. 59 5.1.9. Fire Management .................................................................................................. 60 5.2. Landowner Objectives ..................................................................................................... 62 5.2.1. Forest Health Management ................................................................................... 62 5.2.2. Conservation .......................................................................................................... 65 5.2.3. Economic Return ................................................................................................... 66 5.2.4. Wildlife Management and Protection .................................................................... 70 5.2.5. Recreation ............................................................................................................. 72 5.2.6. Aesthetics .............................................................................................................. 73 5.2.7. Legacy Planning .................................................................................................... 74 iii 6. COMMON GEORGIA FOREST TYPES...................................................................................... 79 6.1. Loblolly Pine Dominant .................................................................................................... 84 6.2. Longleaf Pine Dominant .................................................................................................. 84 6.3. Shortleaf Pine Dominant.................................................................................................. 85 6.4. Slash Pine Dominant ....................................................................................................... 86 6.5. Pine/Hardwood Mixed ..................................................................................................... 86 6.6. Upland Hardwoods .......................................................................................................... 87 6.7. Bottomland Hardwoods ................................................................................................... 87 6.7.1. Tupelo-Cypress Mixed ............................................................................................ 88 6.7.2. Mixed Floodplain ................................................................................................... 89 6.7.3. Elm/Ash/Cottonwood ............................................................................................ 89 7. FOREST RESOURCES ............................................................................................................. 91 7.1. Common Forest Resources.............................................................................................. 91 7.1.1. Conservation Incentives ........................................................................................ 91 7.1.2. Ecosystem Services ............................................................................................... 95 7.1.3. Historical and Cultural Sites .................................................................................. 95