OutdoorNebraska

48 TABLE B3. PHEASANT HABITAT MANAGEMENT - SACRAMENTO-WILCOX WMA Grassland Early Seral Stage Grassland Mid Seral Stage Grassland Late Seral Stage Food Plots/ Crops Early Succession Rota on Woodland Wetland Misc. Sac-Wilcox WMA - 2,313 Acres Future Desired Condi on 243 (38%) 255 (40%) 140 (22%) 425.0 110.0 1,100.0 40.0 Current Condi on 325 (52%) 163 (22%) 140 (26%) 400.0 145.0 1,100.0 40.0 DEFINITIONS Early Seral Stage: The disturbance year and 1 -2 years following disturbance, i.e. burning, grazing, spraying, disking, lling. Cover is also provided by second year idle crop ground, forb/legume interseeding. Dominated by early succession forbs/legumes. Mid Seral Stage: 3 - 4 years following disturbance. Not dominated by one vegeta on type. Reduced early successional forbs/legumes in the stand. Late Seral Stage: > 4 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 22% to 40% (increase of 92 acres). Nes ng cover is 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 52% to 38% (decrease of 62 acres). Brood rearing is cover defined as early seral stage vegeta on, especially forbs/legumes, crop ground, idle crop ground. The amount of cover primarily func oning as winter cover will remain essen ally the same. Winter cover is provided by: late seral stage vegeta on such as warm season grasses, woodlands and wetlands. ANNUAL WORK PLAN Grasslands with severe infesta ons of smooth brome have been treated with glyphosate for the last 3 years (450 acres) and have responded with increased vigor and diversity of warm season grasses and forbs. Maintenance spraying of brome will be con nued, but acreages will be decreased by 50% (decrease of 75 acres) from previous years as these treated areas are in excellent condi on. Prescribed burning will be maintained on approximately 75 acres/year on a 5-year rota on, about the same as is done currently. Interseeding of legumes will be increased from 15 acres/year to 20 (33% increase). Thirty-one acres of new high- diversity plan ngs will be planted in re red cropland. This is new management as no new grassland has been planted for several years. Grazing will be implemented on approximately 80 acres/year, focused on loca ons where burning and glyphosate treatment are not possible or are not effec ve. Grazing has not been done for the last few years as we have been ge ng excellent early successional results with burning and spraying. The results will be evaluated, and if favorable, a 5-year rota on will be implemented. The food plot and cropping rota on plan will be con nued, with winter wheat being followed with soybeans, then 2 years of milo followed by 1 or 2 years of being idle (annual forbs). Some adjustments to this plan may occur, depending

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