FBO_10_Attachment_E_KY_FSI_Job_Sheet_Wildlife.pdf

Forest Stand Improvement For Wildlife Conservation Practice Job Sheet 666 Participant Name Tract #: Field #

INFORMATION ON THIS JOB SHEET IS

CONSIDERED TO BE PART OF THE

CONSERVATION PLAN AND/OR

CONTRACT.

Purpose Forest Stand Improvement which includes a wildlife focus is a forest management technique used to remove unwanted trees from an area in order to improve forest stand composition and structure. This process opens up the canopy so that more sunlight can reach the ground providing increased understory plant diversity and growth thereby enhancing wildlife habitat. Forest stand improvement techniques like crop tree release, result in crown expansion of dominant, and co-dominant hard and soft mast producing trees.

This will increase mast/seed food sources for grouse, deer, turkey, and numerous songbirds while also encouraging the establishment of oak seedlings.

Conditions Where Practice Applies This practice applies to forestland where stand composition and structure can be improved for wildlife as part of a Forest Stand Improvement practice.

Specifications

• Maintain maximum overstory and understory diversity. White oaks and red oaks shall be maintained in a good balance. Hickories and berry producing shrubs and trees shall also be maintained in good numbers.

• Thin woodlands to 60 percent stocking or less to encourage crown expansion, increased seed production and heavier herbaceous understory development.

• Leave or establish 2 to 4 cavity trees per acre, ranging in size from six to 20 inches Diameter Breast Height (DBH).

• Leave four to six native vines per acre. Favor vines in trees that will be left as den trees and in trees greater than 10 inches DBH.

• If tree felling will be used to remove unwanted trees, all felling must be completed between November 15th and March 31st to avoid adverse effects to the endangered Indiana Bat.

• A Kentucky Division of Forestry (KDF) Forest Stewardship Plan 2 (FSP2) which includes these specifications must be developed and followed for this practice.

• Additional information on Forest Stand Improvement for Wildlife can also be found in the KDFWR Timber Stand Improvement Habitat How-To located at:

http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/timberstand.pdf

Maintenance

• Monitor sites at least every 10 years to determine if it is necessary to retreat the area.

• Rotate thinning, when possible, through each stand to establish various stages of plant succession.

Additional Requirements and/or Recommendations from NRCS, KDF, KDFWR, or Qualified TSP:

ATTACHMENT E

FSI for Wildlife Conservation Practice Job Sheet 666

Solicitation 121A23180028 Timber Stand Improvement Plan for USDA NRCS State of Kentucky http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/timberstand.pdf�

Certifications

Job Sheet

Prepared by: Title: Date:

Approved by: Title: Date:

Installation

Meets NRCS standards and specifications.

Certification by: Title: Date:

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC

20250-9410, or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or

(800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

ATTACHMENT E

FSI for Wildlife Conservation Practice Job Sheet 666

Solicitation 121A23180028 Timber Stand Improvement Plan for USDA NRCS State of Kentucky

Certification signature sheet-pdf