FOTG Section IIIntroduction
Section II. Natural Resource Information
Introduction
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical assistance to decision-makers to develop conservation plans that protect, maintain, and improve soil, water, air, plant, animal resources and related human considerations. A primary goal is to help each client attain a Resource Management System (RMS).
Section II contains natural resources information for the local soil survey area. This section includes soil descriptions and interpretations, climatic data, cultural resources information, threatened and endangered species data, and ecological site descriptions. Information here can be used to make decisions about use and management of the land.
The information contained in Section II will help planners guide agricultural producers (clients) through the following phases of the NRCS 9-Step Planning Process:
- Step #1 – Identify Problems & Opportunities
- Step #2 – Determine Objectives
- Step #3 – Inventory Resources
- Step #4 – Analyze Resource Data
- Step #5 – Formulate Alternatives
- Step #6 – Evaluate Alternatives
- Step #9 – Evaluate the Plan
PacificIslands Area Merger
NRCS Hawaii and NRCS Pacific Basin Area were recently merged to form the NRCS Pacific Islands Area (PI). The PI is divided into two sub-areas, the East Area and the West Area. The PI East Area includes the State of Hawaii and the Territory of American Samoa. The PI West Area includes the Territory of Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Revision of Section II
Work has begun to develop a unified Section II for the entire Pacific Islands Area. New PI Section II documents have and will continue to be developed and other existing Hawaii and Pacific Basin Section II contents have been merged.
The electronic FOTG (eFOTG) is the official PI FOTG. Pacific Island Area offices are not required to maintain a physical copy. The PacificBasin and Hawaii eFOTG websites will continue to be maintained individually. Both sites will have the same Section II contents.
Public access to the eFOTG is available through the NRCS National website @:
NRCS employees may also access eFOTG through the “my.NRCS” portal @:
Section II – Contents
Section II contains natural resource data, databases, and procedures for interpretation. This information is useful in making decisions about land use and management.
Section II includes:
Section II Table of Contents
Section II Introduction
- Soils Information
This section includes sources of official soil survey information including the Soil Data Mart. It also includes links to websites where soils information may be obtained.
- Climatic Data
This section is divided into the following sub-sections: Pacific Islands Area, Hawaii, and PacificBasin. The PI and Hawaii sub-sections include links to websites where climatic data needed for planning resource management systems and installing conservation practices can be found. Climatic data which can be found at these websites include: record low and high temperatures; averages for such items as rainfall, temperatures, and water supply data.
The PacificBasin sub-section includes average rainfall, growing season, and temperature information for American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
- Cultural Resources Information
Cultural resources include historic, archaeological, architectural, historic engineering, traditional cultural properties, and historic and cultural landscapes. There are criteria of significance for cultural resources that NRCS must consider during program, project and conservation planning.
This section is divided into the following sub-sections: Pacific Islands Area, Hawaii, and PacificBasin. Each sub-section includes links to websites where cultural resources information may be found including the National Register of Historic Places.
- Threatened and Endangered Species
Information on federal and state threatened and endangered species, species of concern, and candidate species must be considered during program, project and conservation planning.
This section is divided into the following sub-sections: Pacific Islands Area, Hawaii, and PacificBasin. Each sub-sections include links to websites including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website where current listings of T&E species may be found.
- Forage Suitability Groups
Forage Suitability Groups are composed of one or more individual soil map units having similar potentials and limitations for forage production. Soils within a forage production suitability group are sufficiently uniform to support the same adapted forage plants under the same management conditions; require similar conservation treatment and management to produce the forages selected in the quality and quantity desired; and have comparable potential productivity.
No forage suitability groups are currently available for the Pacific Islands Area.
- Ecological Site Descriptions
This subsection contains ecological site descriptions. An ecological site is a distinctive type of land with specific physical characteristics that differs from other kinds of land in its ability to produce a distinctive kind and amount of vegetation. The ecological site description relates a unique vegetative assembly of plants with underlying soil resources on the landscape. Landscapes are divided into ecological sites for the purposes of inventory, evaluation, and management.
No ecological site descriptions are currently available for the Pacific Islands Area.
NRCS-PIPage 1 of 3February 2007