Woodlands



Erosion Control Rank 4 (Low) Rank 3 (Low - moderate) Rank 2 (Moderate - high) Rank 1 (High)
Gully Erosion All gully erosion sites are controlled with no gullies present Gully erosion sites are controlled but sometimes control methods fail Gully erosion sites have minimal control and often control methods fail. Gully erosion sites are not controlled
Sedimen - tation There is no sedi - mentation damage occurring. There is only current years leaf litter on the ground. There is loss of growth in the trees due to sedi - mentation sedi - mentation is occurring every year and small pockets of trees are dying sedi - mentation is occurring every year and large pockets of trees are dying
Livestock Exclusion Livestock are excluded from woodland. Livestock have limited access to woodland. Livestock have access to woodland during a majority of the grazing season.

Livestock has year around access to woodland.
Livestock trails No livestock trails are present. Livestock trails are faintly visible, with little erosion occurring. Livestock trails are distinct with moderate erosion occurring. Livestock trails are well defined, and eroding in many places.
Roads
Location Roads remain on high or level ground, or on the contour. Roads are laid out on the hillside with less than 5% grade. Roads are laid on the hillside with less than 10% grade. Roads go through wet or low areas, or have more than 10% grade
Erosion There is no apparent erosion of the road surface. Water control features are in place and functioning. There is slight erosion on the road surface. Water control features are in place and functioning most of the time. There is moderate erosion on the road surface and cut slopes. Limited water control features are in place and do not function well There are frequent gullies that occur at grade changes. There are no water control features in place
Construction and Maintenance The road is usable 100% of the time. The road is usable 75% of the time. The road is usable 50% of the time The road has severe restrictions on the time and use the road can be used due to poor construction or maintenance.
Species
Invasive Species * There is a uniform distribution of desired species with less than 10% invasive species. There is a majority of desired species. with less than 40% invasive species There is a majority of invasive non-crop species greater than 60% of the stand. The area is dominated by single non-native species that are not selected crop trees, such that selected crop trees are eliminated.
  • To complete this section you must first complete a forest inventory of the stand
Diversity There are several cover types inter - mingled with selected crop species, with good distribution within the stand. There are many cover types inter - mingled with the selected crop species, with poor distribution. There are few cover types mixed in with the selected crop species, with poor distribution of the cover types. The stand is a mono - culture with only one species over a majority of the stand.
Stocking Stocking levels are at 90 - 100% of soil capacity. Stocking levels at 90 - 75% of soil capacity. Stocking levels are at 75% - 60% of soil capacity for the selected crop trees. Stocking levels are at less than 40% of the soil capacity for the selected crop trees.
Location 100% of the trees are growing adequately with no limit on growth or man - agement due to location or soils. 75% of the trees are growing adequately with no limit on growth or man - agement due to location or soils. 50% of the selected crop trees are growing adequately with no limit on growth or man - agement due to location or soils. A majority of the selected crop trees have restricted tree growth or poor man - agement due to soil conditions or topography.
Man - agement
Form * 90% of the selected crop trees are growing in form or quality that meets the product criteria for the intended market. 75% of the selected crop trees are growing in a form or quality that meets the product criteria for the intended market. 50% of the selected crop trees are growing in a form or quality that meets the product criteria for the intended market. A majority of the selected crop trees are in poor form or quality for the intended market.
  • Because the quality criteria for some timber markets can be extremely variable it is recommended that contact be made with a representative of that market to determine what quality criteria is being used.
Spacing * Spacing is appropriate for the selected crop species Spacing is 1.3 or 0.8 times the appropriate spacing for the selected crop species Spacing is 1.7 or 0.6 times the appropriate spacing for the selected crop species. Spacing is 2.0 or 0.5 times the appropriate spacing for the selected crop species.
  • Because spacing of selected crop species is dependent on diameter of the crop trees and the site index of the site a forest inventory and a calculation of the site index must be done before this section can be completed.
Growth Rate Growth rate is at 100% of the site index. Growth rate is at 80% of the site index. Growth rate is at 65% of the site index. Growth rate is at 50% of the site index
Herbicide Use All stands are inspected on a regular basis and economic thresholds are used in determining application decisions. All stands are inspected on regular basis and the inspection data is used to determine application decisions. All stands are inspected infrequently and not at regular intervals. Application is based on historical data. Stands are not inspected and application is based on selected crop species.
Herbicide Application All herbicide application is based on label rates in accordance with labeled use. All herbicide application is based on label rates. Application is no based on label rates and is not used in accordance with labeled use.
Pest man - agement

Insects and Disease

There is no problem with pests that reduce the productivity of the stand There are small to moderate areas that are more of an aesthetics problem than a productivity problem. Less than 5% of the health and vigor of the stand is affected. There are moderate areas that are affected. At least 10% of the stand is in poor health and vigor. Areas affected are small and scattered. There is major mortality within the stand . Mortality is greater than 20%. Large continuous areas have rising mortality and loss of vigor in the stand.
Pest Treatment There is no loss sustained to the stand. Economic threshold is used to determine treatment methods. Loss sustained is only 1 years growth. Economic threshold is used to determine treatment methods. loss is sustained is 75% of the stand. Economic threshold is not used to determine treatment methods. Loss is sustained at 50% of the stand.
Repro - duction There is adequate understory repro - duction to maintain a mature stand. Understory repro - duction is 75% of what is needed to maintain a mature stand. Understory repro - duction is 50% of what is needed to maintain a mature stand. Understory repro - duction is less than 50% of what is needed to maintain a mature stand.
Com - paction No roots are exposed due to excessive grazing by livestock. There is a good cover of leaf litter, and adequate understory . There are only occasional roots are exposed due to excessive grazing by livestock. There is fair cover of leaf litter with occasional bare spots. There is moderate amounts of roots exposed due to excessive grazing by livestock. There is equal areas of cover of leaf litter and bare ground There is considerable exposure of roots due to excessive grazing by livestock. There is almost no leaf litter on the ground
Wildlife
Habitat and Nesting Cover There is habitat and cover available to support a wide diversity of species There is habitat and cover available to support a good diversity of species There is habitat and cover available to support a fair diversity of species. The is little habitat or cover available. Cover type is restricted to use by a small number of species
Food Woodland areas provide the seasonal require - ments for the wildlife species desired. Woodland will provide some the seasonal require - ments for the wildlife species desired. Woodland man - agement is not used to provide the seasonal require - ments but do provide some of the require - ments for the species desired.

Woodland provides little of the seasonal require - ments of the species desired.
Quantity and Quality of Water Adequate quantities of water of the desired quality are provided for the species desired. Adequate quantities of water of the required quality are provided most of the time except during excessively dry periods. Adequate quantities of water of the required quality are provided only seasonally. Adequate quantities of water of the required quality are not supplied.

This worksheet has been developed by the National Farm*A*Syst Office and the NRCS Material Development Team for Whole Farm and Ranch Conservation Planning. It is designed to serve as an example of whole farm and ranch worksheets that can be modified to fit individual state needs. For more information on this worksheet contact the National Farm*A*Syst Office at B 142 Steenbock Library, 550 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706-1293, Phone (608) 262-0024.


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July 24, 1998
Dennis Hoffman, Project Leader
Steve Dagitz, Webmaster