OutdoorNebraska

64 TABLE B11. PHEASANT & QUAIL HABITAT MANAGEMENT - COZAD WMA Grassland Early Seral Stage Grassland Mid Seral Stage Grassland Late Seral Stage Food Plots/ Crops Early Succession Rota on Woodland Wetland Misc. Cozad WMA - 198 ac. Future Desired Condi on 17.5 ac. (50%) 17.5 ac. (50%) 0 ac. (0%) 39 ac. 100 ac. 59 ac. 2 ac. Current Condi on 27 ac. (77%) 8 ac. (23%) 0 ac. (0%) 37 ac. 100 ac. 59 ac. 2 ac. DEFINITIONS Early Seral Stage: The disturbance year and 1 -3 years following disturbance, i.e. burning, grazing, spraying, disking, lling. This cover is also provided by second year idle crop ground, forb/legume interseeding. Dominated by early successional forbs/legumes. Mid Seral Stage: 4 - 6 years following disturbance. Not dominated by one vegeta on type. Reduced early successional forbs/legumes in the stand. Late Seral Stage: > 6 years following disturbance. Dominated by grass or later successional plants. Few forbs/legumes in the stand. FUTURE DESIRED CONDITION Increase the amount of grassland func oning primarily as nes ng cover from 23% to 50% (increase of 9.5 acres). Nes ng cover defined as mid seral stage grass and forb/legumes, as well as legumes and idle small grains. Decrease the amount of grassland func oning primarily as brood rearing cover from 77% to 50% (decrease of 9.5 acres). Brood rearing is cover defined as early seral stage vegeta on, especially forbs/legumes, crop ground, idle crop ground. Maintain the amount of grassland primarily func oning as winter cover at 0%. Woodland vegeta on will be managed at 35% (35 acres) early seral stage, 50% (50 acres) mid seral stage, and 15% (15 acres) at late seral stage. Woodland vegeta on will add 35 acres of winter food sources across the en re area and will also add 50 acres of nes ng and winter cover. Winter cover for quail is provided by mid seral stage vegeta on and idle food plots. Food sources include early successional vegeta on, small grain food plots and to a lesser extent mid seral stage vegeta on. ANNUAL WORK PLAN Grasslands have been dominated by smooth brome grass in the past and all acres have recently been sprayed and/or disked within the last 2 years and converted to early successional habitat, which is why the percentage of early seral stage is currently high. Large cedar tree clearing projects have also recently taken place within the last 3 years and so the majority of woodland vegeta on is currently classified as early seral stage. Sprayed and/or disked grassland acres will be increased annually by 75% (7.5 acres) using a 4-6 year rota on depending on how quickly smooth brome infesta on occurs as well as how fast the forb component in the grassland decreases. Prescribed burning will be ini ated to burn 24 acres annually using a 4-5 year rota on to treat 35 acres of grassland and 85 acres of woodland acres. Burning woodland acres are con ngent on firebreak construc on and addi onal cedar tree removal projects. As always, burning is weather dependent and especially important on this WMA because of its proximity to Interstate 80. Grazing will be ini ated to burn 40 acres annually by implemen ng a 4-5 year rota on throughout the area where grazing is feasible (i.e. fencing issue with the river and water sources). Fence infrastructure will be needed to be

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