OutdoorNebraska

52 TABLE B5. PHEASANT HABITAT MANAGEMENT - GROVE LAKE WMA Grassland Early Seral Stage Grassland Mid Seral Stage Grassland Late Seral Stage Food Plots/ Crops Early Succession Rota on Woodland Wetland Misc. Grove Lake WMA - 1,985 ac. Future Desired Condi on 570 ac. (57%) 240 ac. (24%) 50 ac. (5%) 140 ac 900.0 0 ac. 108.0 Current Condi on 270 ac. (27%) 500 ac. (50%) 100 ac. (10%) 130 ac. 900.0 0 ac. 108.0 DEFINITIONS Early Seral Stage: The disturbance year and 1 -3 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 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 early seral stage grassland func oning primarily as nes ng/brood rearing cover from 27% to 57% (increase of 300 acres). Decrease the amount of mid seral stage grassland func oning as nes ng/brood rearing cover as well as winter/escape cover from 50% to 24% (decrease of 260 acres). Decrease in these acres is due to disturbance that will shi to early seral stage. Reduce the amount of cover primarily func oning as winter cover from 10% to 5% (decrease of 50 acres) over the en re area. Winter cover is provided by late seral stage vegeta on such as warm season grasses. Adequate winter cover is available in the form of renovated shelter belts, food plots and un-renovated shelter belts, which are adequately distributed throughout the area. ANNUAL WORK PLAN There are 360 acres of converted successional grassland and 500 acres of na ve grassland on the area. Over the next 5 years, all 360 acres (70 acres per year will be treated vs the current 50 acres, a 40% or 20 acre increase) of converted successional will be treated with herbicide and disked if needed to set back smooth brome and crown vetch encroachment. Prescribed burning will be implemented on a 3-4 year rota on on converted successional grasslands (360 acres) and 5 year rota on on na ve grasslands (500 acres) On average, 200 acres per year will be burned vs the 150 acres burned annually currently, an annual increase of 33% (50 acres). The na ve grassland areas will each be burned once over the next 5 years, with 260 acres of it being grazed immediately a er burning. Grazing will be ini ated on the east side of the lake immediately following a burn once over the next 5 years to treat 260 acres. There are currently 130 acres of food plots, idle crops and crops on the area; of which 90 acres is a corn soybean rota on to accommodate a high deer popula on. It is desired to go to a corn, soybean, and milo rota on on these 90 acres to add a small grain. 10 acres of converted successional grassland will be converted to alfalfa to provide nes ng/brood rearing cover.

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