2007 Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program Arkansas State Plan

Table of Contents

THE NATURAL DIVISIONS OF ARKANSAS - Page 3

ARKANSAS’ RESOURCES - Page 5

CHANGES IN 2007 ARKANSAS’ WHIP PLAN - Page 6

WHIP POLICIES IN ARKANSAS FOR 2007 - Page 6

CONSERVATION PRACTICES COST-SHARED IN WHIP FOR 2007 – ARKANSAS - Page 7 

ARKANSAS’ PRIORITY HABITATS (Funding Categories)

   1. CAVE ECOSYSTEM - Page 8

   2. ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK SPECIAL PROJECT AREA - Page 9

   3. QUAIL FOCAL AREAS - Page 10

   4. STREAMBANK RESTORATION - Page 11

   5. UPLANDS - Page 12  

   6. WETLANDS - Page 14

PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND ACCOUNTABILITY - Page 15          

APPENDICES

Appendix One

   1. RANKING CRITERIA

     A - Cave Ecosystem - Page 1

     B - Rocky Mountain Elk - Page 2               

     C - Quail Focal Areas - Page 3                        

     D - Streambank Restoration - Page 4                        

     E – Uplands - Page 5                       

      F - Wetlands - Page 7                                                                                    

Appendix Two

1. AREA MAPS

   A – Quail Focal Areas - Page 1

      Damascus Quail Focal Area - Page 1

      Fulton County Quail Focal Area - Page 2

      Searcy County Quail Focal Area - Page 3

OBJECTIVES OF THE PLAN

State Level Objectives:

1. Increase, improve, and manage upland and bottomland riparian habitats throughout the state to improve instream habitats and water qualities for thirty targeted species of fishes, reptiles, amphibians, and bivalves, ten of which are federally listed as threatened or endangered.

2. Complement the Wetland Reserve Program by developing and managing habitats in bottomland hardwoods and seasonally flooded wetlands for deer, black bear, wild turkey, woodcock, mourning dove, alligator, and over seventy species of waterfowl, shorebirds, neotropical migrant birds, and furbearers.

4. Manage native upland communities, including mixed pine/hardwood forests, hardwood forests, and native grasslands to benefit turkey, deer, quail, songbirds, and other wildlife.

6. Restore and manage cave ecosystems and their recharge systems in seventeen counties in northern Arkansas to benefit three endangered bat species and two endangered cave fish species.

National Objectives:

1. Restoration of declining or important native wildlife habitats.

3. Protection, restoration, development or enhancement of wildlife habitat for federally listed threatened and endangered wildlife species.

4. Reduction of invasive species on wildlife habitats.

5. Protection, restoration, development or enhancement of declining or important aquatic wildlife species’ habitats.
 

THE NATURAL DIVISIONS OF ARKANSAS¹

Arkansas has two basic regions:  uplands (Interior Highlands) and lowlands (Gulf Coastal Plain).  The uplands generally are in the western and northern region of the state; lowlands are in the eastern and southern regions.

The Interior Highlands were formed by violent processes ‑ uplifting, folding, and faulting.  The mountains reach elevations over 2800 feet and maximum local relief exceeding 2000 feet.  They are the only mountains in the central United States from the Black Hills of South Dakota to the Cumberlands of Tennessee.

The Interior Highlands have two major divisions:  the Ozark Mountains and the Ouachita Mountains. The Gulf Coastal Plain includes the Mississippi Alluvial Plain (Delta) in eastern Arkansas and the West Gulf Coastal Plain in southern Arkansas.

The Ozarks occupy the northern and northwestern regions of Arkansas, meeting the Ouachitas on the south and the Delta on the east.  The Ozarks are plateaus uplifted as a unit with few folds (tilts) or faults (cracks).  The raggedness of these mountains is due to erosion of the plateaus by numerous swift rivers. The Ozarks are covered primarily with an upland hardwood forest, including the best developed and most continuous oak‑hickory forest in the United States.

The Ouachita Mountains, by contrast, have had extreme folding and faulting which have produced a series of east‑west trending ridges.  Only the southwestern part of the Ouachitas is simply an uplifted plateau.  The Ouachitas are covered primarily with a mixed short leaf pine upland hardwood forest.

The Gulf Coastal Plain covers the southern edge of the United States from Texas to Georgia.  During the Cretaceous and Tertiary Periods (135 to 70 million years ago) all of the Coastal Plain was covered by the Gulf of Mexico.  Due to its history as an ocean floor, the Coastal Plain is flat to rolling and its bedrock is deeply covered with unconsolidated sediments.  Gravel covers much of its surface.

The West Gulf Coastal Plain, normally called the "Coastal Plain", covers most of southern Arkansas.  It is bordered on the northwest by the Ouachita Mountains and on the east by the Delta.  The Central Plain is mostly rolling country except along the flat river bottoms.  Its general forest type is loblolly pine mixed hardwood.

The Mississippi Alluvial Plain or "Delta"' covers eastern Arkansas, being bordered on the southwest by the Coastal Plain and on the northwest by the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains.

The Delta is flatter than the Coastal Plain, its elevation varying only about 150 feet in the entire 250 miles of its length from Missouri to Louisiana.  Most of the remaining wetlands in Arkansas (72% have been destroyed) are in the Delta, which is the major agricultural region in Arkansas.  Remaining Delta forests, woodlots, and riparian strips are composed of various bottomland hardwood adapted to wet, poorly drained soils.

1 from Natural Divisions of Arkansas, by Thomas L. Foti, pages 11‑ 16 in Arkansas Natural Areas Plan, AR Dept. of Planning, December 1974.

Another important natural division is Arkansas' Crowley's Ridge, which is completely surrounded by the Delta.  It rises steeply 250 feet above the almost flat Delta for about 150 miles through eastern and northeastern Arkansas and into Missouri.  This ridge is heavily covered with loess (wind‑blown soil) and its forests are mainly in the yellow-poplar ‑ oak ‑ hickory association.

ARKANSAS' RESOURCES²

Total area ‑ 33,328,200 acres

2 Approximate acreages are from Arkansas Agricultural Statistics 1995, Arkansas Forestry Commission, Arkansas Department of Pollution Control & Ecology, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
 

CHANGES IN 2007 ARKANSAS WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVES PROGRAM (WHIP) PLAN

A new Quail Focal Area has been added near Damascus, Arkansas in Faulkner and Van Buren Counties.  This new quail focal area will have a 50% cost share on all practices (please see the Damascus Quail Focal Area Cost Share List on page 8).

The Ivory-billed Woodpecker special project area is no longer a funding category.  This change was made for 2007 because very few applications were made for this fund category in 2006.

WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVES PROGRAM (WHIP) POLICIES IN ARKANSAS – 2007

1. Annual food plots are not eligible for cost-sharing. 

• Cost-sharing will be allowed for reseeding annuals, such as annual lespedeza, used in mixtures containing permanent species and on narrow areas, such as partridge pea on fire lanes.  Cost-sharing will also be allowed for annual, cool-season grasses such as oats, rye, and wheat as nurse crops where other permanent species are being planted.

2. Livestock must be fenced out of all wooded areas and streams in all acreage to be included in the WHIP contract.

• Fences already constructed that serve this purpose adequately may not be replaced using WHIP funds.  Fencing is not to be planned where livestock are not already present unless a written lease agreement is already in place at the time of application.  WHIP funds may not be used to build boundary fences.
   
• All new fencing cost-shared in WHIP for livestock exclusion from streams and wooded areas must be at least 30 feet from the edge of the existing woodland.  This is to allow for edge development and management for wildlife habitat in areas next to woodlands and riparian areas that are protected from livestock.
   
• Where cattle need to cross streams, gaps in the fences and stream crossing areas may be developed by landowner but not cast shared.
   
• Where fence is constructed parallel to a riparian area, fencerow, or hedgerow with woody plants that are too sparse or too narrow for adequate wildlife cover, or woody plants are non-existent (a new hedgerow is to be developed), part of the area inside the fence (minimum width of 30 feet) may be planted to carefully selected species of trees and/or shrubs beneficial to wildlife.

3. Cost-sharing for Land Clearing (Conservation Practice 460) will not be allowed for developing edges next to pastures, cropland, or any other open land where landowner/landuser does not wish to use existing grassed or cropped area for edge development.

• Land Clearing will be approved for cost-sharing only where the biologist, district conservationist, and landowner/landuser agree new openings for wildlife need to be developed, and where existing openings need enlargement in areas of extensive woodland.  Land clearing will not be conducted on sites that meet the criteria of Wetland, or that would become Highly Erodible Land.

4.   For the purpose of WHIP Ranking, EDGE is defined as the transition zone between two distinct habitat types.  This transition zone should be at least 30' wide and be managed so that habitat components from both plant communities are in the ecotone, creating a soft or feathered edge.  Better edge habitat may be created by implementing practices in one or both habitat types.  Practices that may be used to create or maintain edge are:  strip disking, conservation cover, forest stand improvement, prescribed burning, and tree and shrub establishment.
 

ARKANSAS WHIP CONSERVATION PRACTICES COST-SHARED FOR 2007

Practices Cost-Shared at 50%:

Practices Cost-Shared at 75%:

Damascus Quail Focal Area Cost Share list.  All Practices Cost Shared at 50%:

DESCRIPTION OF PRIORITY HABITATS

I. Habitat Type: CAVES

              Geographic Scope:  Caves in the 13 northern Arkansas counties:

II. Habitat Type: ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK SPECIAL PROJECT AREA.  Native upland forests including upland pine/hardwood forests, upland hardwood forests and native/non-native open land areas surrounding the Buffalo National River. 

            Geographic Scope:  Includes areas in 3 northern Arkansas counties:

Arkansas’ elk herd originated from 112 Rocky Mountain elk stocked near the Buffalo National River in the early 1980’s.  The herd has grown but remains relatively small numbering about 450 – 500 animals.  The present herd covers about 315,000 acres in portions of Newton, Searcy, Boone, and Carroll Counties.  Most of the elk occur on public land along the Buffalo National River.  These public lands are comprised primarily of National Park Service land and the state-owned Gene Rush Wildlife Management Area.  Herd size and a limited distribution require intensive management to maintain a viable and huntable population compatible with habitat conditions and public acceptance.  The Arkansas Game and fish Commission’s (AGFC) long range strategic plan addresses efforts to work closely with private landowners in managing elk on private land within and outside of the primary elk range.

There is great potential for elk on private lands surrounding the National Park Service lands.  Habitat is currently limited on these private lands due to a lack of large dispersed openings which provide ample year-round ground forage (grasses and grass like plants) for a large herbivore such as elk.

Most of the more that 900,000 elk in North America occur in the western U.S. and in portions of western Canada.  National data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which addresses consumptive and non-consumptive uses of elk, indicate that elk rank just below deer and turkey in terms of big game hunter numbers.  This is reflected by license sales and number of days hunting.

General observations indicate an increasing public interest in viewing and photographing elk in Arkansas.  Even though quantitative data for Arkansas is unavailable concerning elk values, it is apparent that the potential exists to increase consumptive and non-consumptive wildlife recreational opportunities and to enhance the state and local economy through proper herd management.

Arkansas’ elk herd continues to expand onto private land.  AGFC staff observations indicate that many landowners seem to be receptive to elk on their property and in fact, enjoy viewing the elk.  Maintaining numbers of elk on private land at a level acceptable to landowners is a feasible option.

It is the objective of the AGFC to monitor elk on private land outside of the designated primary elk range by conducting late winter aerial elk counts to monitor population trends.  Annual counts will be initiated each February.  In addition, landowner surveys (telephone or mail) outside of the designated primary elk range will be performed on a 3-year rotation to obtain information on elk distribution and attitudes/opinions about elk and elk management.

Intensive education and economic incentives are key factors that will influence landowners in future years for restoring elk on private land.

Proper management of elk habitat, especially on private lands within the primary elk range, is critical for long-term viability of the herd.  This effort will allow managers to maintain a healthy, viable population for consumptive (hunting) and non-consumptive users (viewing, photography).  Efforts such as Natural

Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) partnering with AGFC via the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) will be critical to providing adequate habitat to maintain and expand the elk population.

One management strategy will be to seek cost-share incentives for private landowners to establish and maintain permanent openings, waterholes, and a preferred forage base required of premium elk habitat.  Insufficient funds will seriously impact efforts to meet these private lands objectives.

It is the goal of the AGFC and NRCS in Arkansas with the help of the WHIP to ensure the future of elk on private lands in Arkansas.  AGFC will provide technical assistance in the form of private lands biologists to work with NRCS in the development wildlife management plans with landowners interested in the program.

For WHIP in 2007, NRCS in Arkansas will provide 75 percent cost-share for implementing each of the following conservation practices in approved WHIP Plans throughout Arkansas.  This list includes most of the practices that will be used for elk habitat development and management in the Rocky Mountain Elk Special Project Area.

Practices Used

III. Habitat Type: QUAIL FOCAL AREAS.  Native upland habitat including upland pine hardwood forests, upland hardwood forests and native/non-native open land areas.

            Geographic Scope: Includes parts of 4 Arkansas counties.

Bobwhite Quail populations throughout Arkansas have been declining for at least the past thirty years.  Their declines have been so severe that numerous areas of previous abundance now have very few, if any, of these special game birds remaining.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) has developed a Strategic Quail Plan that proposes the development of “focal areas”, with at least 5,000 contiguous or nearly contiguous acres whose landowners are seriously interested in managing their lands for bobwhites.

The main reason for the bobwhite focal area concept is to concentrate planning, management, and funding assistance on contiguous acreages in order to maximize efficiency of resources and, hopefully, benefits through bobwhite population increases and distribution.

After focal area development, the next step in the Arkansas Strategic Quail Plan is to convince more and more neighbors to manage for bobwhites, etc.  This connecting of habitats is so critical to significant bobwhite population increases.  Isolated patches of habitat management for bobwhites are of little or no consequence to really helping this bird recover since they usually travel such short distances.

In March 2002, a group of biologists with various state, federal, and private organizations formed the Arkansas Quail Committee.  This committee’s main objective is to assist the AGFC with implementing their Strategic Quail Plan.

During the past four years, dedicated Natural Resources Conservation Service and AGFC employees in Fulton and Searcy Counties have been working with landowners in these counties interested in bobwhites and acreages that are contiguous or nearly so.

In October 2002, representatives from the Arkansas Quail Committee toured these areas in Fulton and Searcy Counties and then met with these landowners in November 2002 to brief them on bobwhite habitat requirements and to give them our proposals for planning and funding habitat management for bobwhites and other wildlife on their farms.

The Fulton County focal area comprises 13,246 acres and 14 landowners.  The Searcy County focal area comprises about 5,800 acres and 22 landowners.  Some of these landowners are already in WHIP and wish to modify their WHIP plans to do more for bobwhites.  All of the remaining landowners in these focal areas wish to participate in WHIP.

A new 9,800 acre Focal Area is being developed near Damascus, Arkansas in portions of Van Buren, Conway, and Faulkner Counties.  Practices in this area will be cost-shared at 50% with WHIP funds and the AGFC and Southwestern Energy Exploration Company will each fund 25% respectively.

Maps on the following pages show locations of Conway, Faulkner, Fulton, Searcy and Van Buren Counties in Arkansas and the locations of the focal areas in these counties.

These three areas will constitute the Bobwhite Quail Special Project Areas in Arkansas WHIP beginning in 2007.  All landowners in these three areas will be accepted into WHIP if they are not already in this program.

2007 Practices available for WHIP.

The AGFC plans to provide the remaining 25 percent cost-share for all of the above listed practices implemented from all WHIP Plans developed in 2003 within the Bobwhite Quail Special Project Area in Fulton County.

The AGFC, the Arkansas Quail Committee, and NRCS will help plan and conduct inventories of bobwhite populations and habitats in and outside of the two special project areas.  These important studies will begin before implementation of the 2003 WHIP Plans on these areas and will continue periodically with the development of the habitats throughout the ten-year period of the WHIP contracts.

The Bobwhite Quail Special Project Areas will also be used eventually for bobwhite habitat management field days to help publicize results and educate other landowners on quail and other wildlife habitat management. 

IV. Habitat Type: STREAMBANK RESTORATION.  Streams, creeks and rivers.

            Geographic Scope: Statewide eligibility.

VI. Habitat type: Uplands.

            Geographic Scope:  Statewide eligibility.

V. Habitat Type: WETLANDS.  Bottomland hardwoods and moist soil areas.

Geographic Scope:  Statewide eligibility.

WHIP PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Program implementation will be measured at the State and national level.  Specific information will be collected at the field level and forwarded to the State Conservationist.  The data will be used to provide information to the Administration, Congress, and the public concerning the general location, extent and types of wildlife habitat developed through WHIP as well as progress of WHIP plans.  The performance data and resource information in conjunction with State WHIP plans from the Customer Service Toolkit, PRS, and ProTracts will be used to determine appropriate funding levels for States.

APPENDIX ONE

Cave Habitat Ranking Questions:

1. Will this project regulate access to a USFWS designated sensitive cave?

2. Has the cave been documented, by the USFWS, to house endangered or threatened species?

3. Is this cave within 1 mile of a public road or other public access point?

4. Will installation of 1 cave gate totally regulate known access to this cave?
 

Rocky Mountain Elk Special Project Area Ranking Questions:

1.   Does this project offer to enroll 20 to 40 acres of newly established or managed habitat?

2.   Does this project offer to enroll between 40.1 and 80 acres of newly established or managed habitat?

3.   Does this project offer to enroll more than 80 acres of newly established or managed habitat?

4.   Is this tract of land being offered as a 10 year agreement?

5.   Is the offered tract within 3.1 to 5 miles of an existing Elk management area (Gene Rush WMA or Buffalo National River)?

6.   Is the offered tract within 2.1 to 3 miles of an existing Elk management area (Gene Rush WMA or Buffalo National River)?

7.   Is the offered tract within 1.1 to 2 miles of an existing Elk management area (Gene Rush WMA or Buffalo National River)?

8.   Is the offered tract within 1 mile or less of an existing Elk management area (Gene Rush WMA or Buffalo National River)?

9.   Will this project result in a block of land with interconnected habitats being managed for Elk, either alone or including suitable adjacent areas (Gene Rush WMA or Buffalo National River) of 250 to 500 acres?

10. Will this project result in a block of land with interconnected habitats being managed for Elk, either alone or including adjacent areas (Gene Rush WMA or Buffalo National River) of 501 to 750 acres?

11. Will this project result in a block of land with interconnected habitats being managed for Elk either alone or including adjacent areas (Gene Rush WMA or Buffalo National River) of more than 750 acres?

12. Will this project establish between 1 and 10 acres of wildlife openings?

13. Will this project establish between 10.1 and 20 acres of wildlife openings?

14. Will this project establish more than 20 acres of wildlife openings?

15. Will forest thinning to below 70 square feet of basal area be completed on at least 20 acres during the life of the contract?

16. Will forest thinning to below 70 square feet of basal area be completed on between 20.1 and 80 acres during the life of the contract?

17. Will forest thinning to below 70 square feet of basal area be completed on between 80.1 and 100 acres during the life of the contract?

18. Will forest thinning to below 70 square feet of basal area be completed on more than 100 acres during the life of the contract?

19. Will this project result in the creation of between 0.25 and 1 acres of edge habitat?

20. Will this project result in the creation of between 1.1 and 3 acres of edge habitat?

21. Will this project result in the creation of between 3.1 and 5 acres of edge habitat?

22. Will this project result in the creation of more than 5 acres of edge habitat?

23. Will this project utilize prescribed burning on 10 or less acres?

24. Will this project utilize prescribed burning on between 10.1 and 20 acres?

25. Will this project utilize prescribed burning on more than 20 acres?

26. Is the proposed project area made up of between 0 and 10 percent of existing open land?

27. Is the proposed project area made up of between 10.1 and 50 percent of existing open land?

28. Is the proposed project area made up of between 50.1 and 75 percent of existing open land?

29. Is the proposed project area made up of more than 75 percent of existing open land?

Quail Focal Area Ranking Questions: 

1.   Does this project offer to enroll 10 or less acres of newly established or managed quail habitat?

2.   Does this project offer to enroll between 11.1 and 20 acres of newly established or managed quail habitat?

3.   Does this project offer to enroll more than 20 acres of newly established or managed quail habitat?

4.   Is this tract of land being offered as a 10 year agreement?

5.   Is the offered tract within 3.1 to 5 miles of an existing Quail Focal Area tract?

6.   Is the offered tract within 1.1 to 3 miles of an existing Quail Focal Area tract?

7.   Is the offered tract within 1 mile of an existing Quail Focal Area tract?

8.   Will this project accomplish forest thinning to below 70 square feet of basal area on at least 10 acres?

9.   Will this project accomplish forest thinning to below 70 square feet of basal area on 10.1 to 60 acres?

10. Will this project accomplish forest thinning to below 70 square feet of basal area on 60.1 to 160 acres?

11. Will this project accomplish forest thinning to below 70 square feet of basal area on over 160 acres?

12. Will the proposed practices create .25 to 1 acres of edge habitat during the life of this contract?

13. Will the proposed practices create 1.1 to 3 acres of edge habitat during the life of this contract?

14. Will the proposed practices create 3.1 to 5 acres of edge habitat during the life of this contract?

15. Will the proposed practices create 5 or more acres of edge habitat during the life of this contract?

18. Will this project utilize prescribed burning on 10 or less acres?

19. Will this project utilize prescribed burning on between 10.1 and 20 acres?

20. Will this project utilize prescribed burning on 20 or more acres?

21. Will native warm season grass restoration be completed on 10 or less acres?

22. Will native warm season grass restoration be completed on between 10.1 and 20 acres?

23. Will native warm season grass restoration be completed on between 20.1 and 30 acres?

24. Will native warm season grass restoration be completed on more than 30 acres?

25. Will exotic invasive species (fescue, Bermuda grass) be eradicated and replaced with native plants on 10 or less acres?

26. Will exotic invasive species (fescue, Bermuda grass) be eradicated and replaced with native plants on between 10.1 and 20 acres?

27. Will exotic invasive species (fescue, Bermuda grass) be eradicated and replaced with native plants on between 20.1 and 30 acres? 
 

Streambank Restoration/Protection Ranking Questions:

1.   Will the proposed treatments result in the treatment of between 50 and 75 percent of an eroding stream bank on this property?

2.   Will the proposed treatments result in the treatment of at least 75.1 percent of an erroding stream bank?

3.   Will the proposed treatments result in the treatment of 100 percent of an erroding stream bank?

4.   Proposed practices will create buffers on 40 to 60 percent of treated stream banks.

5.   Proposed practices will create buffers on 61 to 80 percent of treated stream banks.

6.   Proposed practices will create buffers on 81 to 100 percent of treated stream banks.

7.   Is the affected stream known to contain one or more threatened and endangered species within 10 miles of the project area?

Upland Habitat Ranking Questions:

1.   Does this project offer to enroll 10 or less acre of newly established or managed habitat?

2.   Does this project offer to enroll 10.1 to 20 acre of newly established or managed habitat?

3.   Does this project offer to enroll more than 20.1 acre of newly established or managed habitat?

4.   Is this tract of land being offered as a 10 year agreement?

5.   Is the offered tract within 3 to 5 miles of a WMA or other protected wildlife habitat (WMA, NRCS Easement or FWS Land)?

6.   Is the offered tract within 1.1 to 3 miles of a WMA or other protected wildlife habitat (WMA, NRCS Easement or FWS Land)?

7.   Is the offered tract within less than 1 mile of a WMA or other protected wildlife habitat (WMA, NRCS Easement or FWS Land)?

8.   Will this project will result in a block of land with interconnected habitats being managed for wildlife (either alone or including suitable adjacent areas) of 250 to 500 acres?

9.   Will this project will result in a block of land with interconnected habitats being managed for wildlife (either alone or including suitable adjacent areas) of 500.1 to 750 acres?

10. Will this project will result in a block of land with interconnected habitats being managed for wildlife (either alone or including suitable adjacent areas) of at least 750.1 or more acres?

11. Will native warm season grass restoration be completed on 10 or less acres during the life of the contract?

12. Will native warm season grass restoration be completed on 10.1 to 20 acres during the life of the contract?

13. Will native warm season grass restoration be completed on 20.1 to 40 acres during the life of the contract?

14. Will native warm season grass restoration be completed on more than 40 acres during the life of the contract?

15. Will forest thinning to below 70 square feet of basal area be completed on at least 10 acres during the life of the contract?

16. Will forest thinning to below 70 square feet of basal area be completed on 11.1 to 80 acres during the life of the contract?

17. Will forest thinning to below 70 square feet of basal area be completed on 80.1 to 160 acres during the life of the contract?

18. Will forest thinning to below 70 square feet of basal area be completed on more than 160 acres during the life of the contract?

19. Will proposed practices create buffers on 40 to 60 percent of available stream or water body shorelines?

20. Will proposed practices create buffers on 61 to 80 percent of available stream or water body shorelines?

21. Will proposed practices create buffers on 81 to 100 percent of available stream or water body shorelines?

22. Will proposed practices create 0.25 to 1 acre of edge habitat during the life of this contract?

23. Will proposed practices create 1.1 to 3 acres of edge habitat during the life of this contract?

24. Will proposed practices create 3.1 to 5 acres of edge habitat during the life of this contract?

25. Will proposed practices create more than 5 acres of edge habitat during the life of this contract?

28. Will this project utilize prescribed burning on at least 10 acres?

29. Will this project utilize prescribed burning on between 10.1 and 20 acres?

30. Will this project utilize prescribed burning on between 20.1 and 30 acres?

31. Will this project utilize prescribed burning on more than 40 acres?

32. Will invasive exotic species (fescue, Bermuda grass) be eradicated on 10 or less acres?

33. Will invasive exotic species (fescue, Bermuda grass) be eradicated and replaced with native vegetation on between 10.1 and 20 acres?

34. Will invasive exotic species (fescue, Bermuda grass) be eradicated and replaced with native vegetation on between 20.1 and 30 acres?

35. Will invasive exotic species (fescue, Bermuda grass) be eradicated and replaced with native vegetation on between 30.1 and 40 acres?

Wetland Habitat Ranking Questions

1.   Does this project offer to enroll 40 or less acres of newly established or managed habitat?

2.   Does this project offer to enroll 41 to 79 acres of newly established or managed habitat?

3.   Does this project offer to enroll 80 or more acres of newly established or managed habitat?

4.   Is this tract of land being offered as a 10 year agreement?

5.   Is the offered tract within 3.1 to 5 miles of an existing wildlife management area or other protected lands (NRCS Easements or FWS Land)?

6.   Is the offered tract within 1.1 to 3 miles of an existing wildlife management area or other protected lands (NRCS Easements or FWS Land)?

7.   This project will result in a block of land with interconnected habitats being managed for wildlife either alone or including suitable adjacent areas (WMAs, NRCS Easements or FWS Land) of between 250 and 500 acres.

8.   This project will result in a block of land with interconnected habitats being managed for wildlife either alone or including suitable adjacent areas (WMAs, NRCS Easements or FWS Land) of between 501 and 750 acres.

9.   This project will result in a block of land with interconnected habitats being managed for wildlife either alone or including suitable adjacent areas (WMAs, NRCS Easements or FWS Land) of more than 1000 acres.

10. Bottomland hardwood tree species will be planted on 20 acres or less?

11. Bottomland hardwood tree species will be planted on 20.1 to 80 acres?

12. Bottomland hardwood tree species will be planted on 80.1 to 160 acres?

13. Bottomland hardwood tree species will be planted on more than 161 acres?

14. The proposed practices will create buffers on at least 60 percent of available stream or water body shorelines on the property?

15. The proposed practices will create buffers on at least 80 percent of available stream or water body shorelines on the property?

16. The proposed practices will create buffers on 100 percent of available stream or water body shorelines?

APPENDIX TWO

Quail Focal Area Maps

     Damascus Quail Focal Area

     Fulton County Quail Focal Area

     Searcy County Quail Focal Area

     Elk Special Project Area

Last Modified: 04/04/2007

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