BFO
Management Guidelines for
These guidelines were developed by the Bloomington
Field Office (BFO) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to conserve the
federally threatened copperbelly watersnake (CWS) and endangered
Because the risk of incidental take of CWS and Ibats
in areas managed in accordance with these guidelines is discountable or
insignificant, the BFO will provide a written concurrence letter to the Natural
Resources Conservation Service advising them that they are in compliance with
Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act as long as these guidelines are
followed while implementing the Healthy Forest Reserve Program.
1. At
least 70% canopy cover (on a stand-by-stand basis, depending on size of stands)
shall be maintained after any timber harvest activities. A canopy shall be
defined as that formed from a mature tree crown.
2. Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)
or shellbark hickory (C. laciniosa) trees shall not be harvested or
removed during timber stand improvement (TSI) activities, unless the combined
density of these species exceeds 16 trees/acre. If present, there shall be no more than 15% of
the combined stem density of these two species manipulated (ie. girdled) by TSI
activities. All TSI activities shall not use herbicides on shagbark and
shellbark hickory.
3. Standing snags shall not be
felled/removed, except where they pose a serious human safety hazard (a tree
with <10% live canopy should be considered a snag). Snags that have no
remaining bark and no visible cracks, splits, or hollows may be felled as well
as any snags leaning more than 45º from vertical.
4. The following species of trees have
been identified as having relatively high value as potential
shagbark
hickory (Carya ovata)
shellbark
hickory (Carya laciniosa)
bitternut
hickory (Carya cordiformis)
silver maple (Acer
saccharinum)
sugar maple (Acer
saccharum)
green ash (Fraxinus
pennsylvanica)
white ash (Fraxinus
eastern
cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
northern red
oak (Quercus rubra)
post oak (Quercus
stallata)
white oak (Quercus
alba)
slippery elm (Ulmus
rubra)
American elm (Ulmus
black locust (Robinia
pseudoacacia)
(Tree species based on literature and unpublished
roosting data).
At least 3 live trees per acre >20" dbh (of
the high-value species listed above) shall always be maintained in the stand (a
tree with <10% live canopy should be considered a snag). These “leave trees”
will be the based on species specific age classes and shall be determined prior
to the first timber harvest of species >20” dbh. Following first timber
harvest, the 3 largest live trees per acre >20” dbh (of the high value
species listed above) shall be always maintained in the stand (a tree with
<10% live canopy should be considered a snag). An
additional 6 live trees per acre >11" dbh (of the species listed above)
must also be maintained. The "per acre" requirement can be expressed
as the average per acre on a stand-wide basis, depending on the definition of a
stand.
If there are no trees >20" dbh to
leave, then 16 live trees per acre must be left, and these must include the
largest specimens of the listed species remaining in the stand.
5. Timber
harvest or TSI activities occurring within 100 feet of a perennial stream,
intermittent stream or emergent or scrub-shrub wetland will be restricted to single
tree selection. No forestry skidders or heavy machine use shall be permitted
within the zones. All harvested trees must be removed in a way that provides
the least amount of soil disturbance (e.g. cables).
6. No felling or manipulation of trees
>3” dbh while CWS and Ibats may be present from 1 April through October 31 (i.e., trees may be
felled or manipulated from 1 November through March 31).
7. Group selection harvesting shall be limited to 10% of
harvest area, with openings not to exceed 2 acres. All openings shall not break
connectivity of the stand, nor be within 1 acre of the nearest other group
selection harvest.
8. In addition to Items 1 – 7, all forest management activities
shall follow best management practices.
WETLAND MANAGEMENT
GUIDELINES
1. Management and restoration treatments shall be
timed according to specific biological periods of time to minimize the risk of
negative impacts to the CWS. Equipment
operators and others onsite shall monitor CWS activity while applying these
treatments to avoid direct impacts to individual snakes.
A.1. Earth work to restore
wetlands shall be conducted between 1 May and 1 October.
A.2. Implementing projects
to plant or maintain desired vegetation using mechanical treatments, including
planting or mowing, shall not be
conducted between 1 April and 31 October.. However, tree planting in areas of unsuitable
habitat (e.g. agricultural land) may be undertaken inside this timeframe if
identified in the initial ranking process by a USFWS representative.
2. Known hibernacula shall not be disturbed. Areas that are potential CWS hibernacula, such
as crayfish burrows, will be avoided to the maximum extent possible.
3. Wetland basins shall not be restored in a manner
that makes them suitable to over winter fish, and landowners shall be advised
not to attempt to stock fish.
4. Water within restored wetlands shall not be
purposely drawn down or raised during the winter.
PRESCRIBED FIRE GUIDELINES
1. Prescribed burns shall not be conducted
from 15 April through 31 October..
2. Temporary fire breaks shall be
created/maintained around any known