Section 1537.EXHIBIT A   Forest Management Plan Outline

 

I.          Cover Page   

A.        Timber grower's name, address, phone number and email

B.        Plan preparer's name, address, phone number and email

C.        Plan preparation date

D.        Plan acreage

E.         Plan duration and Plan expiration date

 

II.        Signatures and Approval Page (IFDA Certification, Exhibit B)

 

III.       Property Location and Description

 

A.        General land description

1.         Quarter section, section, township, range

2.         Name of township and county

B.        Specify how to access property (include GPS coordinates)

C.        Adjacent land use to the north, south, east and west of this property

D.        Land use and/or management history

E.         Acknowledgement of easements, legal land designations or encumbrances

 

IV.       Forest Management Goals and Resource Concerns

 

V.        Stand Descriptions and Analysis

 

A.        Existing forestland

1.         Stand # and acreage

2.         Topographic features and aspect

3.         Soils

a.         Soil mapping units

b.         Site index

c.         Annual timber productivity or yield (bd.ft./acre or ft³/acre)

4.         Society of American Foresters cover type or IL natural community type

5.         Stand age class or structure

6.         Tree size classes and canopy position

7.         Invasive and/or exotic species

(Provide separate assessments for woody and herbaceous species)

a.         Species present and relative size

b.         Percent ground and/or canopy cover

c.         Average number of woody stems per acre

8.         Advanced regeneration and understory conditions

9.         Forest inventory data (stand and stock tables)

a.         Stand-level summary data

a.1.      Trees/acre

a.2.      Basal area/acre

a.3.      Volume/acre

a.4.      Quadratic mean diameter (QMD) or average diameter

a.5.      Stocking level

a.6.      Percent stocking

b.         Species-level summary data, by stand

b.1.      Trees/acre

b.2.      Basal area/acre

b.3.      Volume/acre

b.4.      Average diameter

10.       Timber quality and timber production assessment

11.       Timber harvest and forest practices history

12.       Active conservation practices or projects

B.        Afforestation or reforestation land (if applicable)

1.         Stand or field # and acreage

2.         Existing vegetative cover

3.         Topographic features and aspect

4.         Site limitations

5.         Soils

a.         Soil mapping units

b.         Site index

c.         Annual timber productivity or yield (bd.ft./acre or ft³/acre)

d.         Soil drainage class

 

VI.       Stand Prescriptions

 

A.        Existing forestland

1.         Designation and description of the silvicultural system

2.         Stand-specific objectives

3.         Narrative description of silvicultural practices and treatments necessary to achieve stand objectives and desired future conditions

4.         Appropriate quantified practice and treatment targets based upon stand objectives, silviculture and desired future conditions

a.         Stocking or density

a.1.      Basal areas to remove and retain

a.2.      Avg. # of crop trees/acre to release and retain

a.3.      Avg. # of trees/acre to remove and retain

b.         Desired species composition

c.         Desired stocking percent

d.         Exotic/invasive species control prescriptions and required targets of treatment

d.1.      Expected post-treatment results, including residual population structure and density for each prescribed treatment

e.         Underplanting specifications

e.1.      Planting stock species

e.2.      Planting stock type, source and quantity

e.3.      Location and spacing

e.4.      Site preparation

e.5.      Competing vegetation control and maintenance

f.          Quantified wildlife habitat specifications

g.         Advance regeneration specifications, composition and quantity

h.         Prescribed burning specifications or plan, if applicable (Prescribed burn plans must be submitted to the IDNR Forester prior to application for cost share assistance)

5.         Timber harvest schedule and harvest projections

B.        Afforestation or reforestation land (if applicable)

1.         Planting stock species

2.         Planting stock type, source and quantity

3.         Planting stock size or specifications (other than required)

4.         Planting method

5.         Site preparation specifications and cover crop needs

6.         Row spacing (between and within)

7.         Vegetation control and maintenance

8.         Post-planting care and management

9.         Minimum performance standards

a.         Survival of planted stock per acre

b.         Suppression of grasses and weeds

 

VII.     Conservation Opportunities, Constraints and Concerns

 

A.        Recreation and aesthetics

1.         Address timber grower's goals and objectives

2.         Visual impacts (aesthetics) or recreational use impacts resulting from applied management activities (if any)

B.        Air, soil and water quality conservation

1.         Presence or absence of forest structure, condition and concerns affecting air, soil and water quality

2.         How the affecting condition can be maintained or modified to have positive influence on the air, soil and water conservation

3.         Prescribe site-specific Illinois Forestry Best Management Practices necessary to conserve soil and water quality

C.        Wetland protection

1.         Presence and location of possible wetlands on the property; the Plan is not an official determination of wetlands

2.         Management activities necessary to protect streams, ponds or wetlands

3.         Prescribe site-specific Illinois Forestry Best Management Practices necessary to conserve wetland functions and features

D.        Fish, wildlife and biodiversity

1.         Address timber grower's specific goals and objectives

2.         Consistent with IDNR State Wildlife Action Plan (available on the IDNR website)

E.         Forest health and protection

1.         Detection and/or management of existing and imminent insects and diseases

2.         Implications of relevant or existing invasive/exotic species

3.         Physical or environmental threats or damage

4.         Livestock management and/or exclusion recommendations if applicable

F.         Threatened and endangered (T&E) species

1.         Search Ecological Assessment Tool (EcoCAT) database, available on the IDNR website

2.         Explain records or facts of existing and likely T&E species

3.         Management implications or constraints of existing T&E species

4.         Management for federally listed species requiring habitat protection

G.        Identify and protect special sites

1.         Summarize findings from field reconnaissance with regard to special sites (unique historical, archaeological, cultural, geological, biological or ecological characteristics)

2.         Provide protection and mitigation measures from planned forest management activities for documented special sites

 

VIII.  Practice Schedule (of all prescribed forest management practices)

 

A.        List the practices planned for each stand for the next 10 years; list these practices in priority order; use a table format

B.        Use one table row for each unique treatment in order of treatment priority

C.        Include the following information under column headings

1.         Year practice prescribed

2.         Stand

3.         Treatment description

4.         NRCS practice code

5.         Treatment units

6.         IFDA requirement? (yes or no)

7.         Proposed completion date

                       

D.        Practices that are recommended for good forest management but not required shall be listed, preceded by the word optional

 

IX.     Considerations Specific to the Forest Development Cost-Share Program

 

A.        Plan entitlements for timber grower or subsequent timber growers

1.         Eligible for technical assistance from the IDNR Forester

2.         Eligible for IDNR nursery stock, pending availability

3.         Eligible for cost-share funds to help implement planned practices

B.        Plan requirements of timber grower or subsequent timber growers

1.         Afforested/reforested area must maintain a minimum stocking level of 300 live, desirable trees/acre during establishment

2.         Repay all cost-share monies if Plan is cancelled

3.         Never remove IDNR nursery stock with the roots attached

4.         Timber harvest marking or operations will be only as approved by the IDNR Forester

5.         Modify the Plan or practices within the Plan period only with approval of both the timber grower and IDNR Forester, and documented in writing

6.         Return biennial review letter to maintain enrollment in IFDA Program

7.         Protect Plan acreage from wildfire

8.         Exclude any Plan acreage accessible to livestock unless approved in the Plan

9.         To implement this Plan according to the practice schedule and not contingent upon State or federal funding

10.       Notify IDNR within 30 days of address or ownership changes

 

X.       Plan Maps (copy-ready on 8.5 x 11 inch paper)

 

A.        Property map

1.         North arrow and legend

2.         Map with timber grower name, township, county and scale

3.         Depict property and stand boundaries, roads, fields, water and features

4.         Aerial photo having minimum scale of 1" = 660' or 1:7920

5.         Large properties may adjust scale to fit 8.5 x 11 inch paper

6.         GPS coordinates

B.        Soils map

1.         North arrow and legend

2.         Map with timber grower name, township, county and scale

3.         Forest areas and soil mapping units, roads, fields, water and features

4.         Aerial photo having minimum scale of 1:16,000 or larger

5.         GPS coordinates

 

XI.     Appendices

 

A.        Glossary of technical terminology

B.        Documents cited in the body of the Plan

C.        Forest inventory data, output or report

 

(Source:  Amended at 41 Ill. Reg. 15790, effective December 18, 2017)