OutdoorNebraska

54 TABLE B6. PHEASANT HABITAT MANAGEMENT - DAVIS CREEK WMA Grassland Early Seral Stage Grassland Mid Seral Stage Grassland Late Seral Stage Food Plots/ Crops Early Succession Rota on Woodland Wetland Misc. Davis Creek WMA - 2,450 ac. Future Desired Condi on 831 ac. (35%) 950 ac. (40%) 594 ac. (25%) 50 ac. 23 ac. 0 ac. 2.0 ac Current Condi on 335 ac. (14%) 562 ac. (23%) 1,512 ac. (63%) 16 ac. 23 ac. 0 ac. 2.0 ac 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 grassland func oning primarily as nes ng cover from 23% to 40% (increase of 388 acres). Nes ng cover defined as mid seral stage grass and forb/legumes, as well as legumes and idle small grains. Increase the amount of grassland func oning primarily as brood rearing cover from 14% to 35% (increase of 496 acres). Brood rearing is cover defined as early seral stage vegeta on, especially forbs/legumes, crop ground, idle crop ground. Reduce the amount of cover primarily func oning as winter cover from 63% to 25% (decrease of 918 acres) over the en re area. Winter cover is provided by: late seral stage vegeta on such as warm season grasses, woodlands and wetlands. Increase winter food sources by 300% (increase of 34 acres). Food sources include small grain food plots and agricultural row crops. ANNUAL WORK PLAN Some grassland has become dominated by smooth brome grass, partly due to a prohibi on on prescribed burning. Vegeta on spraying with glyphosate will be increased by 100% at the current annual rate (increase of 230 acres) using ground applica on or by 200% (increase of 460 acres) if aerial applica on can be u lized. Disking grassland to create early successional habitat is not prac cal because disturbing soil results in noxious weed infesta ons. Prescribed burning, if authorized by BOR, will be implemented on a 5 year rota on to treat 1,512 acres. There is approximately 1,160 acres being grazed on the east side of the area. There are 8 paddocks in a 4 year rota on crea ng early seral stage and idle acres crea ng mid seral stage each year. Grazing will be increased annually by 100% (260 acres) by implemen ng a rota on on the west side of the area. Water sources will be needed to be developed to expand grazing to this area, by expanding an exis ng water pipeline or installing new solar wells. If grazing is not an op on then early and mid-seral stage requirements can be met by using prescribed fire and glyphosate treatments as an alterna ve op on.

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