Fishand Wildlife Habitat Plan Criteria

Practice/ActivityCode (142) (No.)

1. Definition

A fish and wildlifehabitat plan is asite-specificplan developedfora clientwho is ready to plan and implement decisions with consideration for fish and wildlifehabitat and other biological resources.

A Fish and WildlifeHabitat Plan:

  • Meets Natural Resource Conservation Service(NRCS)qualitycriteriaforfish and wildlifehabitat and otheridentified resource concerns;
  • Complies with federal, state, tribal and local laws,regulations and permit requirements;
  • Addresses theclient’s objectives.

2. FishandWildlifeHabitatConservationPlanCriteria

This section establishes theminimum criteriato be addressed in thedevelopment ofa

Fish and WildlifeHabitat Plan

A. GeneralCriteria

A Fish and WildlifeHabitat Conservation Plan shall bedeveloped byacertified technical serviceprovider.In accordancewith Section 1240 (A), the Environmental Quality IncentiveProgram (EQIP)program providesfunding support throughcontractswith eligibleproducers to obtain services ofcertified Technical ServiceProviders (TSPs) fordevelopment an Fish and WildlifeHabitat Conservation Plan. Thespecificcriteriarequiredfor each typeofcertification for TSPis located on theTSPregistry(TechReg)web site at:

B. FishandWildlifePlanCriteria

  • A fish and wildlife activityconservation planwill address NRCSquality criteria for fish and wildlife and soil erosion, waterquality, orotheridentified resource concerns.
  • Theplan will complywith Federal, State, Tribal, and local laws, regulations, and permit requirements.
  • Satisfytheparticipant’s objectives in regard tofish and wildlife resources.

C. Background and SiteInformation

  • Landownerinformation – name, address, operation, size
  • Location and plan map ofparcel
  • Documentation of existingpractices/history
  • Resourceinventory
  • Fish and wildlife resource concerns

D. Client Objectives

  • Manageworkinglands for fish and wildliferesources
  • Increasepopulationsofselected species orgroups
  • Maintain populations ofselected species orgroups
  • Improvehabitat for aquatic, wetland, and/orterrestrial species

E. Document ExistingConditions

  • Conservation plan map –boundaries, fields, scale,streams, surfacewaters, wetlands, fences, land uses, etc.
  • Soils map – legend, interpretations for fish andwildlife resources
  • Client’s decisions – conservation practices neededto achieveobjectives
  • Habitat assessment, evaluations, orHabitat SuitabilityIndex(HSI)models
  • Current management activities
  • Carrying capacityforselected species/resources

F. Desired FutureConditions/Goals

  • Improveormaintain fish and wildlifepopulation levels
  • Restore fish and wildlifespecies orhabitats

G. Assessing/MonitoringofFish and WildlifePopulations

  • Evaluation methods and approach
  • Assessment design

H. Conservation Practices and/orActivities andSupport Documents

  • Fish and wildlife-related Conservation Practice Standards -TheNational HandbookofConservation Practices lists morethan 170 practices. Virtuallyeveryconservation practiceimpactsfish and wildlife resources in somemanner. Thepractices listed inAttachment 1 are specificallyrelated to fish and wildlife resources. Thesepractices will, when properlyimplementedand/ormanaged, positivelyaffect biological resources. Attachment 2relates conservation practices to groupings of biological resources.
  • Habitat assessmentguides (Statespecific). Habitat evaluations andHabitat SuitabilityIndex(HSI)models formany fish and wildlifespeciesare availabletoguidetheplannerin formulating alternatives fortheland owner/participant. The alternative(s)selected are implemented through oneormoreconservation practices that provideorimproveneeded habitat elements. Thepractices, when implemented, should achievetheparticipant’sobjectives, solveidentified problems, and improve habitat conditions.
  • Requirements from State-specific Field OfficeTechnical Guide

3. DeliverablesfortheClient– a hardcopy of theplanthatincludes:

•Coverpage– name, address, phoneofclientandTSP;TotalAcresof thePlan, signatureblocks fortheTSP,producer, andasignatureblockfortheNRCS acceptance.

•Soilsmap and appropriate soildescriptions

•Resourceassessment results (habitatassessment,etc.)

•CompleteHardcopyofthe client’s plan (MsWordcopy)with theplannedconservation practices and their respective practicesite-specificspecifications in aNRCSapproved jobsheet, orseparate practice plan for the following practices:

Code / Practice Name
643 / RestorationandManagementofDeclining Habitats
644 / WetlandWildlifeHabitat Management
645 / UplandWildlifeHabitat Management

•Forother practices theyshall bedocumented in the planfortheplanned amount, the fields wherethepracticeis to be applied, and theplannedyearof application.

4. DeliverablesforNRCSFieldOffice:

• CompleteHardcopyand Electroniccopyof theclient’splan(MsWord copy) and other appropriate digital supporting files.

• DigitalConservation PlanMap withfields, features, and structuralpractices located.

• DigitalSoilsMap.

5. References

1. National PlanningProceduresHandbook

2. Field OfficeTechnical Guide

3. National BiologyHandbook

4. National BiologyManual

5. National ForestryManual

6. National ForestryHandbook

7. National Environmental ComplianceHandbook

8. TechRegTechnical ServiceProviderRegistry

Attachment1- TypicalConservationPractices/FishandWildlife Resources

National ConservationPracticeStandards Specific to FishandWildlifeResources
AquaculturePonds (397)—A waterimpoundment constructed and managedfor commercialaquacultureproduction. To providesuitable aquatic environment forproducing,growing, and harvestingcommercial aquacultureproducts.
ConstructedWetland(656)—A wetlandconstructed fortheprimarypurposeofwaterqualityimprovement; i.e., treatment ofwastewater, sewage, surfacerunoff, milk-housewastewater, silageleachate, and minedrainage. Practicetreatswastewaterbythebiological and mechanical activities ofthe constructed wetland.
Early Successional HabitatDevelopment/Management(647)—Manageearlyplantsuccession to benefit desired wildlifeornatural communities. Increaseplant community diversity, providewildlifehabitat forearlysuccessional species and providehabitat for decliningspecies.
Field Border(386)—Astrip ofperennialgrass orshrubs established at oraround the edgeofafield. Field borders provideproductivehabitat forwildlifethat favorearlysuccessional habitats on agricultural landscapes.
FishPassage(396)—Eliminatingormitigatingthe effects ofnatural orartificial barriers, suchas dams, culverts, orcross-channel structures to fish and other aquaticorganisms. Allows for theunimpeded movement of aquaticorganisms past stream barriers.
FishpondManagement(399)—Developingorimprovingimpounded waterto produce fishand other aquaticorganisms fordomesticuseorrecreation. Provides asuitable aquatic environment forproducing,growing,and harvestingfish orother aquaticorganisms.
RestorationandManagementofDeclining Habitats (643)—Restoringand conservingrareordecliningnativevegetated communities and associated wildlifespecies to restore and manage habitats degraded byhuman activity, increasenativeplant communitydiversity, ormanage uniqueordecliningnativehabitats.
RiparianHerbaceous Cover(390)—Consists ofgrasses,grass-likeplants,and forbs at thefringeofthewateralong watercourses. Provides habitat for aquatic and terrestrial organisms, improves and protects waterquality, stabilizes the channel bedand streambanks, establishes corridors to providelandscapelinkagesamongexistinghabitats, and fosters management of existingriparian herbaceous habitat to improveormaintain desired plant communities.
ShallowWater ManagementforWildlife(646)—Managingshallow wateron agriculturallands and moist soil areas forwildlifehabitat. Areas provideopen waterareas to facilitate waterfowl restingand feeding, and habitat for amphibians and reptiles that serve as important preyspecies forotherwildlife.
StreamHabitatImprovementandManagement(395)—Create, restore,maintain, or enhancephysical,chemical,and biological functions ofastream system to providedesired qualityand quantityofwater, fish,and wildlifehabitat, channel morphologyand stability, and aesthetics and recreation opportunities.
UplandWildlifeHabitat Management(645)—Creating,restoring, maintaining, or enhancingareasfor food,cover,andwater forupland wildlifeand species that useupland habitat forpart oftheirlifecycle. Provide all ofthehabitat elements in theproper amounts and distribution, and managethespecies to achieveaviablewildlifepopulation within thespecies homerange.

Attachment1continued

National ConservationPracticeStandards Specific to FishandWildlifeResources
WetlandCreation(658)—A wetland created onasitelocation that historicallywas not awetland orwasawetlandbut with adifferent hydrology, vegetation type, or function than naturallyoccurred on thesite. Createwetlands that havewetland hydrology,hydrophyticplant communities, hydricsoilconditions, and wetland functions and/orvalues.
Wetland Enhancement(659)—Themodification or rehabilitation of anexistingordegradedwetland wherespecificfunction and/orvalues areimproved forthepurposeofmeetingspecific project objectives. Forexample, managingsitehydrologyforwaterfowl or amphibian use, or managingplant communitycomposition fornativewetland hayproduction.
WetlandRestoration(657)—A rehabilitation ofadegraded wetlandwheresoils, hydrology,vegetative community,and biological habitat arereturned to theoriginalcondition to the extent practicable. To restorewetland conditions and functions that occurred on thedisturbed wetland sitepriorto modification to the extent practicable.
WetlandWildlifeHabitat Management(644)—Retaining, developing, ormanaginghabitatforwetland wildlife. Tomaintain, develop, orimprovehabitat forwaterfowl, furbearers, or otherwetland-associatedwildlife.
WildlifeWatering Facility (648)—Constructing,improving, ormodifying wateringfacilitiesorplaces forwildlifeto obtain drinkingwater.

Attachment2- ConservationPracticesandAffectedBiologicalResources

Biological Resource / RelevantPractices
AquaticInvertebrates—crayfish, snails,
stoneflies, mayflies,rifflebeetles / StreamHabitatImprovementandManagement,
Riparian ForestBuffer,Wetland Restoration
TerrestrialInvertebrates—earthworms,
nematodes, dungbeetles / Conservation Cover, ForestStand Improvement,
Prescribed Grazing
Pollinators—bees, butterflies, moths, birds,
bats / AlleyCropping, Conservation Crop Rotation,
Tree/Shrub Establishment, EarlySuccessional
Habitat Development/Management
Fish / Nutrient Management,Irrigation Water
Management, RiparianForest Buffer, Stream HabitatImprovementand Management, Wetland Restoration, Fish Passage
Amphibians / Pond, Stream HabitatImprovement and
Management, Wetland Restoration
Reptiles / Wetland WildlifeHabitat Management,
Wetland Restoration, Restoration and
Management ofDecliningHabitats
Birds / Hedgerow Planting, EarlySuccessional Habitat
Development/Management, Prescribed Burning, Wetland WildlifeHabitat Management, Shallow WaterManagement for Wildlife, Prescribed Grazing,Irrigation Water Management, Restoration and Management of Declining Habitats, Wetland Restoration, Field Border, ResidueManagement, No-Till and Strip Till,Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment, Riparian Buffer,FilterStrip, Forest Harvest Management,
Mammals / Brush Management, Prescribed Grazing,
WildlifeWateringFacility,Fence, Forest Stand Improvement, RiparianForest Buffer, Tree/Shrub Establishment, Conservation
Cover, Stream HabitatImprovement and Management, Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment; EarlySuccessional Habitat Development and Management, Prescribed Grazing, Structure forWaterControl, Mine Shaft &Audit Closing,Forest Harvest

NRCS

August 2012

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