Practical Conservation

“USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) Director Jim Reaves today announced that gardeners, foresters, landowners and others concerned about nonnative invasive plants in the South can now request free copies of “A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests“. The long-awaited book is an update of the very popular “Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests: A Field Guide for Identification and Control“, published by the Station in 2003.”

From SARE, a new conservation planning document for pollinators. 

“ ‘Managing Alternative Pollinators: A Handbook for Beekeepers, Growers and Conservationists‘ is a first-of-its-kind, step-by-step, full-color guide for rearing and managing bumble bees, mason bees, leafcutter bees and other bee species that provide pollination alternatives to the rapidly declining honey bee.”

Thanks to my graduate student Jolie Goldenetz-Dollar  for finding this.

MSUCares has a updated guide for Supplemental Wildlife Food Planting in the Southeast.

The U.S. NABCI Committee and the Intermountain West Joint Venture have produced a Field Guide to the 2008 Farm Bill for Fish and Wildlife Conservation.

The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service has a guide about Farmscaping for Biological Control.  The report highlights the services provided by natural insect predators (beneficials) and how to design farm landscapes that maximize these services.  The report describes Farm Bill programs that can be used to install conservation practices, lists species of plants that support specific groups of beneficial insects, and has detailed budget estimates for various management practices.

USDA has published a new 136-page corridor manual:

Bentrup, G.  2008.  Conservation Buffers: Design Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways.  Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-109.  USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station.

This is the NEW best corridor manual in existence, a planning tool following up  Conservation Corridor Planning at the Landscape Level (the “old” best corridor manual reviewed earlier by yours truly).  This new manual is designed for use in the field.  It is small and spiral bound.  It has great diagrams, rules of thumb for the practical landowner, and it describes design guidelines for 7 major objectives – water quality, biodiversity, productive soils, economic opportunities, protection & safety, aesthetics & visual quality, and outdoor recreation.  Importantly, it updates the science and includes recommendations for both urban and agricultural landscapes.

At www.bufferguidelines.net, you can also download the bibliography ( 1,400+ references!), case studies and slideshows that complement the guide.  Available as a free downloadable pdf or order it as a spiral bound copy.

One caveat: This new manual does not make the “old” best corridor manual – Conservation Corridor Planning at the Landscape Level – obsolete.  The old manual is a different type of publication – more like a textbook with more detailed explanations of the theories behind design principles and numerous detailed case studies.  For classroom study or for designing comprehensive management plans, the first corridor manual is still “required reading.”

USDA’s Conservation Assessment Effects Project has just released two extensive reviews of the effects of agricultural conservation practices – like those used in CRP and other conservation programs  (public announcement here).  Part A addresses terrestrial habitats and Part B addresses aquatic habitats.  Even better is the dynamic bibliography.

Missouri Extension has published a great guide for installing field borders (herbaceous strips of vegetation replacing crops at field edges) entitled Field borders for agronomic, economic and wildlife benefits.   The document illustrates some important principles of corridor design that we focus on in my course, but that are not incorporated (intentionally!) into farm plans nearly enough.  The document is b/w, but color versions of the pictures can be viewed on the html version HERE.

I have added the following updates to the Grassland Management Manuals page:

Converting Common Bermudagrass to NWSG.  (Barnes and Washburn) from www.wildlifemanagement.info.

Handling the Tall Fescue Problem from the Southeast Quail Study group via www.wildlifemanagement.info.

Fescue Eradication by the Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife via www.wildlifemanagement.info.

Native Warm-season Perennial Grasses for Forage in Kentucky by the UK Cooperative Extension Service via www.wildlifemanagement.info.

Establishing Native Warm Season Grasses via www.wildlifemanagement.info.

Native Warm Season Grasses for Wildlife via www.wildlifemanagement.info.

Warm Season Grasses from Penn State Univeristy via www.wildlifemanagement.info.

Warm Season Grasses and Wildlife from Penn State Univeristy via www.wildlifemanagement.info.

Restoring Native Grasslands by Texas Cooperative Extension via www.wildlifemanagement.info.

More pollinator resources from the Xerces Society have been added to the Pollinator Manuals page.   The updates are listed below.

Pollinators in Natural Areas: A Primer on Habitat Management.

Pollinator-friendly Parks. How to enhance parks, gardens and other greenspaces for native pollinator insects.

Making Room for Native Pollinators: How to Create Habitat for Pollinator Insects on Golf Courses.