Gopher_Tortiose_2019_Survey_Site_Acerage.pdf

Exhibit 4 List of Survey Sites Including Acreage Site # Acres

BILOXI DISTRICT

BIN2 67

BIN3 502

BIN4 936

BIN5 116

BI31 97

BLACK CREEK DISTRICT BCN1 392

BCN2 229

BCN3 372

BCN4 273

BCN5 545

BCN7 215

BC29 266

BC48 202

CHICKASAWHAY DISTRICT CHN1 477

CHN2 115

CHN4 239

CHN5 230

CHN6 197

CHN7 190

CHN8 206

CHN9 106

CHN10 486

CHN11 290

BI BC CH Total # sites 5 8 10 23 total survey acreage 1718 2494 2536 6748

Exhibit 5 Qualitative Vegetative Data Collection Survey Form Gopher Tortoise Burrow Survey

De Soto National Forest

Site Number: ___________ Date: _____________ Completed by: _____________________

Burrow/Forage Habitat & General Conditions Variables (a score of 1.0 is optimal)

Basal Area (BA): BA is determined at the ROP using an appropriate device (e.g., Angle Gauge, 10-factor Prism, penny coin) and shall not be visually estimated. Only live trees will be used for BA, and it is not limited to pine and may include hardwoods.

a) ≤60 BA 1.0

b) 61–80 BA 0.75

c) 81–90 BA 0.5

d) >90 BA 0.25

Canopy Cover (%): Percent canopy/foliar cover is determined by conducting a visual estimate using a 37.25 ft. radius plot (1/10 acre) with the ROP as the plot center.

Cover is visually estimated as relative canopy/foliar cover or converted to relative if absolute cover is used. Shrubs are all woody species (including woody vines) <3” DBH and regardless of height.

a) <10% 1.0

b) 10–39% 0.75

c) 40–59% 0.5

d) 60–79% 0.25

e) >80% 0.0

Herbaceous ground cover (%): Values represent relative cover determined with visual estimates. If absolute cover estimates are used, the results will be converted to relative cover. Species used for this variable must be herbaceous (grasses, grass-likes, and forbs). There is no maximum height limitation for a plant to be included.

Herbaceous vines (annual or perennial should be counted e.g., Cocculus, Ipomoea, Mikania). Woody seedlings and young woody vines are not considered in this measure. Mid-season leaf-on conditions will be used or predicted if the assessment is conducted during the dormant season.

a) >80% 1.0

b) 60–79% 0.75

c) 40–59% 0.5

d) 20–39% 0.25

e) <20% 0.10

Herbaceous species richness (grasses, grass-likes, and forbs): 37.25 ft. radius plot will be used with the ROP being the center of the plot. The number of different species will be inventoried (species do not need to be identified nor is there a maximum height limit for an herbaceous species to be counted). Non-climbing herbaceous vines (those individuals that are not climbing within the plot) shall be included in this count, but woody vines (e.g., Rubus, Smilax, Vitis, etc.) regardless of height are not herbaceous species.

a) >20 1.0

b) 16–20 0.75

c) 11–15 0.50

d) 5–10 0.25

e) <5 0.0

Noxious and or Invasive plant species % Cover: Metrics are within the 37.25 foot radius plot located at the ROP, determined visually.

a) 0% 1.0

b) 1 – 3% 0.75

c) 3 – 6% 0.5

d) 6 – 10% 0.25

e) > 10% 0.0

Habitat Improvement Needs:

General directions for the Gopher Tortoise WHEG

Mark as “N/A” (not applicable) if a habitat factor is absent due to normal seasonal dynamics (e.g., herbaceous species richness decision during the dormant season). If a factor is unknown, mark it with “unknown” and provide a brief explanation. Each site must be split into Assessment Areas (AA), which are similar enough in ecological condition (soils, stand density, stand age, etc.) that a single Representative Observation Point (ROP) can be selected and used to score that area. It is possible for a site to be uniform enough to be considered a single AA.

Locations of ROPs are determined with the aid of remote sensed date (e.g., quad maps, soils maps, aerial imagery, etc.) as well as an onsite reconnaissance.

Subdivision of the project area into AAs need not follow common land unit boundaries nor do AAs have to be contiguous. For example, if two non-contiguous areas have similar characteristics (i.e., would score the same), a single ROP is identified. Following scoring of each AA, a weighted average by acres shall be conducted to determine the total score for the project area.