NRCS Conservation Practices and Materials
Blanding's Turtle
The Blanding’s turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) inhabits wetland areas of 15 states in the Northeast and Midwest.
Eastern Hellbender
The Eastern Hellbender Partner Website was funded for NRCS and its partners to collaborate in support of private landowners to implement Working Lands for Wildlife partnership
Conasauga River Aquatic Species
The Conasauga River in southern Tennessee and northern Georgia is known for its exceptional mussel, snail, crayfish and fish biodiversity.
Colorado River Mussels
Six at-risk mussels that inhabit the Colorado River basin in Texas – false spike, Texas fatmucket, golden orb, smooth pimpleback, Texas pimpleback and Texas fawnsfoot – have suffered declines.
American Black Duck
The American Black Duck Partner Website was funded for NRCS and its partners to collaborate in support of private landowners to implement the Working Lands for Wildlife partnership.
Golden-Winged Warbler
The Golden-Winged Warbler Partner website was funded for NRCS and its partners to collaborate in support of private landowners to implement Working Lands for Wildlife partnership
Bog Turtle
The Bog Turtle Partner Website was funded for NRCS and its partners to collaborate in support of private landowners to implement Working Lands for Wildlife partnership.
Gopher Tortoise
NRCS offers technical and financial assistance to help agricultural producers voluntarily conserve gopher tortoise habitat on private lands. This assistance helps producers plan and implement a variety of conservation activities, or practices, that benefit the tortoise and support forestry operations.
Monarch Butterfly
NRCS is working with America's farmers, ranchers, and forest managers on voluntary conservation efforts to combat the decline of monarchs on private lands by establishing new habitat and managing existing habitat for monarchs and pollinators.
Poster Presentation: Seeing Past the Green: Quantifying the Characteristics of High-graded Forests
Download the Poster Presentation for "Seeing Past the Green: Quantifying the Characteristics of HIgh-Graded Forests
Decision Support Tools to Inform the Rehabilitation and Management of High Graded Forests
Abstract Numerous forests in the eastern United States have been degraded due to past exploitative timber harvesting known as high grading. High graded forest stands may not improve without active re- habilitation and may require targeted silvicultural treatments. This study focuses on high graded mixed-oak (mixed-Quercus spp.) stands and aims to develop a model that can identify past high grading and to determine modifications that may improve forest management recommendations provided by the prominent decision support tool, SILVAH. We present a model that uses standard forest inventory measurements and does not require knowledge of preharvest stand conditions to predict with moderate to high accuracy whether a stand was high graded, which could be par- ticularly useful for nonindustrial private forests. Results indicate that modifications to SILVAH may be necessary to improve its utility for prescribing silvicultural treatments in high graded stands. Study Implications: High graded forest stands are often not readily apparent and likely require specific forest management practices. We present a tool that uses standard forest inventory meas- urements to predict past high grading, which can be used to inform and prioritize forest manage- ment decisions. We also present suggested modifications to the prominent decision support tool, SILVAH, that may improve its ability to prescribe optimal silvicultural treatments for high graded stands. Results from this study provide forestry professionals/landowners working in the mixed- oak forests of the northeastern United States with tools to inform forest management decisions that aim to return degraded stands to healthier and more productive states.
WLFW Northern bobwhite, Grasslands, and Savannas Framework - Partners’ webinar 3/2/2022
On March 2, 2022 Bridgett Costanzo of NRCS's Working Lands for Wildlife and Jessica McGuire of QF presented on the WLFW framework for NOBO, grasslands and savannas. Ms. Costanzo presented on the content of the new framework document, the priority areas and conservation practice goals set by the 24 NRCS state offices, and responses received from the needs assessment survey. Ms. McGuire presented on staffing and monitoring plans associated with launching this framework.
Golden-winged Warbler Landowner Outreach Mailer Template
This editible mailer template from the Golden-winged Warbler Working Group is a great way to generate private landowner interest in your area! It outlines the importance and benefits of Golden-winged Warbler habitat and how landowners can participate or get more information.
NY NRCS Area Biologist Reflects on Nearly Two Decades of Conservation Success
Elizabeth Marks, NRCS Area Biologist, discusses the Bog Turtle Working Lands for Wildlife partnership in New York
Framework for Conservation Action in the Sagebrush Biome
This action-based framework is the culmination of multi-state, areawide planning initiated to update SGI 2.0 and its ongoing success in 2021-2025. This framework also serves as NRCS’ ongoing contribution to the Sagebrush Conservation Strategy administered by Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Sharing common cross-boundary threats, NRCS staff across 11 western states collaborated to create this shared vision for conservation action.
Framework for Conservation Action in the Great Plains Grasslands Biome
A ‘Call to Action’ has emerged in the Great Plains to scale-up conservation on private lands and meet the sustainability targets that benefit both agriculture and wildlife. In 2020, a multi-state, areawide planning initiative produced the first biome-scale framework for grassland wildlife conservation on the region’s sustainable working rangelands. This initiative features an action-based framework for 2021-2025 focused on addressing the two most severe and large-scale threats to the Great Plains biome: woodland expansion and land use conversion.
A Function-Based Framework for Stream Assessment and Restoration Projects
Download the Functional Framework for Stream Assessment and Restoration. This is the science-based development of the original function-based framework that is the basis for the SQT.
SE FireMap Phase 2 Proposal - Public Version
Phase II "Development" proposal jointly submitted by Tall Timbers Research Station and USGS. Financial information has been removed to accommodate sharing. This proposal was approved for funding by NRCS via direct agreements in November, 2022. Initial deliverables are anticipated in March, 2023 and the agreement performance period ends in 2026.
2022 Was a Busy Year for the Working Lands for Wildlife Hellbender Program
2022 was a busy year for the Working Lands for Wildlife hellbender program.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Gopher Tortoise
The gopher tortoise is a large burrowing tortoise that occurs in upland pine forests of the southeastern United States. The gopher tortoise is one of five tortoise species native to North America and the only tortoise species east of the Mississippi River. The sex of individual tortoises can usually be determined by shell dimensions. A male tortoise has a greater degree of lower shell concavity, and a longer gular projection. However, the sex of tortoises at maturity size is difficult to determine (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1990).
