Erosion Control & Wildlife Plantings for Forestry Operations

Introduction

More than 60 percent of the land area in Alabama and Georgia is forested. Timber management creates openings in the form of roads, stream crossings, log decks, skid trails, and firebreaks. Establishing vegetative cover on these areas reduces soil erosion and prevents offsite sediment.

In addition to protecting the soil, a vegetative cover can enhance wildlife habitat by providing nutritious forage. The purpose of this publication is to provide forest land managers with a variety of seeding mixtures that will stabilize sites and provide benefits to many species of wildlife.

Establishing vegetation includes selecting the proper plant species, preparing the site, liming, fertilizing, seeding, and mulching. Vegetation often requires maintenance after establishment.

With the intensity of forest management increasing every year, there is a growing opportunity to improve wildlife habitat quality. Most wildlife species need a diversity of food and cover which can be enhanced through wildlife plantings. Moreover, the value of wildlife plantings for many species including white-tailed deer, wild turkey, quail, rabbits, and certain songbirds has been firmly established. Research has shown that high quality plantings attract wildlife and can even increase wildlife populations.

Erosion Control and Wildlife

Forest managers, in an effort to protect water quality, have initiated programs to stabilize logging roads, log decks, and skid trails. Unfortunately, some of the best erosion control plants have little or no value for wildlife. On sites where wildlife is an objective and erosion potential is low, avoid planting mixtures that contain sericea lespedeza, fescue, bermudagrass, and weeping lovegrass. These plants provide little benefit for wildlife and are aggressive in nature, often out-competing beneficial wildlife plants. These plants, however, have excellent erosion control qualities and are best suited to steep slopes and stream crossings.

Table 1 lists plantings where erosion control is the most important consideration. Table 2 lists mixtures having erosion control and wildlife benefits. These mixtures are suited to those sites with less erosion potential, especially where wildlife is an objective. Table 3 lists plantings that are good to excellent in value for wildlife. Any mixture with white clover, red clover, crimson clover, arrowleaf clover, ryegrass, rye, wheat, or oats usually provides good ground cover and Wildlife food value for a minimum of two years. These plantings are well suited to sites with level or gentle slopes including log decks, skid trails, firebreaks, widened roadsides, closed roads, and other openings.

The tables in this publication are designed as a quick reference to help you select the proper seeding mixtures for your area. If you participate in programs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you must be aware of the conservation provisions of the latest Farm Bill. For example, planting small grains on highly erodible land must be part of an approved conservation plan, and wetlands cannot be converted for food plots. Contact the local Natural Resources Conservation Service office for additional details.

Site Considerations

Species selection, establishment methods, and maintenance procedures should all be based on site characteristics including climate, soils, slope, aspect, and land user objectives.

Climate

This publication recognizes three climatic zones (see Figure 1). The map provides a convenient means of determining where particular plant species can be successfully grown. Following the correct planting dates in each climatic zone will greatly increase success. No planting date is given if a species is not adapted.

Soil

The major soil types are sandy, loamy, or clayey. Soils are diverse throughout the region and often within a site to be planted. Deep sandy soils should be considered droughty because they do not hold much moisture. Clayey soils on steep slopes may

be droughty also, because rainfall runoff is higher than on other soils. Loamy soils are generally best suited for wildlife plantings since these soil types have good water holding capacity, are more fertile, and are easier to prepare for planting. Poorly drained soils are not suited for a wide array of plant species and should be planted to adapted erosion control varieties.

Slope

The slope of the area to be planted is an important consideration related to soil erosion. Steep slopes usually limit planting annual varieties because of the erosion hazard and droughtiness. The steeper the slope the more essential it is to establish an aggressive perennial cover. Steep slopes limit the use of equipment for seedbed preparation, planting, and maintenance and require mulching.

Aspect

Aspect affects soil temperature and moisture availability. Slopes facing the south and west tend to be warmer and drier than north and east facing slopes. On south and west slopes, mulch should be used to retain soil moisture. Warm-season perennial species tend to do better on slopes facing the south and west because they are usually more drought tolerant than cool-season species.

Cool-season perennial species are more successful on slopes facing north and east. On shaded sites, fall plantings do best on south and west aspects because of more sunlight and warmer soil temperatures.

Fertilizer and Lime

A soil test should be used to determine fertility and pH. If a soil test is not available and lime has not been applied in the past three years, lime should be applied at the rate shown in the following chart. Lime and fertilizer are most efficient when incorporated into the soil. They should be uniformly spread over the site prior to land preparation and mixed completely with the soil. Lime takes several months to react with the soil and become fully effective. Where needed, it is essential for success. Pelletized lime is available in bags convenient for small plots and areas where access with a spreader truck is not practical.

Fertilizer and lime are particularly important to mixtures with clovers. Clovers will not be productive on acid sites (below pH 6.0) with low fertility unless fertilizer and lime are added.

Forest soils are typically low in phosphorous and/or potassium and usually require lime. If an area is fertilized and no lime is applied, the amount of fertilizer available to the plant is reduced. This causes a weak, sparse stand, especially if clover is present.

Liming is absolutely necessary for maximum fertilizer utilization and proper plant growth.

Land Preparation

Roads, skid trails, loading decks, and other disturbed areas should be revegetated as soon as possible after management operations are completed. These sites should be shaped and smoothed prior to planting. Water diversion devices should be installed on roads and skid trails to prevent soil movement and erosion while vegetation is being established. Techniques often used to divert water off or away from roads and skid trails include: (1) turn out ditches, (2) broad-based dips, (3) culverts, and (4) water bars.

Seedbed preparation is important for vegetation establishment. A well-prepared, firm seedbed is necessary for good seed-soil contact. Disc harrowing and dragging will firm and smooth soil and promote good germination. In heavily compacted areas such as loading decks and roads, disking or ripping is needed.

Equipment most commonly used in land preparation are bulldozers and farm tractors. Bulldozers are used to reshape roads and skid trails and to install water diversion measures. Farm tractors are used to: (1) prepare a seedbed, by disking; (2) plant and fertilize using a broadcast seeder or grain drill; (3) cover seed by pulling a section harrow, cultipacker, or brush from the freshly logged area; or (4) mow revegetated roads using a rotary mower (bush hog). All Terrain Vehicles (4wheelers) can also be used to seed and mow small areas using special attachments.

Seeding Methods and Mulching

Seeding can be done in a number of ways. The most common method is with a farm tractor and a broadcast seeder. On skid trails and small areas, a shoulder-strap cyclone-type seeder may be used to broadcast seed. On steep and severely erodible sites, a hydroseeder can be used to seed the area and apply a mulch to hold the soil in place. Seed should be covered by pulling a section harrow, cultipacker, or brush.

Mulch should be used in specific situations to prevent erosion and allow vegetation to become established. Locations requiring mulch include slopes over 5 percent and sites where vegetation will establish slowly because of soil conditions such as deep sands or heavy clay. Structural measures such as a diversion, which moves concentrated runoff flow, usually require mulch.

Straw or hay should be evenly spread at the rate of 1 1/2 to 2 tons (60 to 80, 50 lb. bales) per acre to attain 65 to 75 percent ground cover. Straw is preferred over hay since it does not decompose as fast. Straw is easier to spread uniformly than hay if a mulching machine is not used. Where there is danger of mulch being blown or washed off the site, it should be anchored by running over with a disc harrow with the discs sets to run straight. On steep slopes, mulch can be anchored with netting and tack-down staples or sprayed with a tackifier.

Many commercial mulches are available and their use may be more practical than using straw or hay. Commercial mulches should be applied according to manufacturer's recommendations.

Maintenance

Maintaining established vegetation requires a program of mowing, fertilizing, and liming. Mowing keeps tall weeds and low growing woody vegetation from competing with plantings. Fertilizing and liming maintains adequate soil fertility and prevents soil acidity problems. Soil testing should be used to determine the amount of fertilizer and lime to apply. Soil test information can be obtained from the local County Extension Office. Vehicle traffic should be limited during wet weather, especially on newly seeded roads.

Summary

Establishment of vegetative cover on disturbed sites prevents erosion and benefits wildlife. Selecting mixtures that control erosion and provide food and cover for wildlife is a cost-effective way to conserve our natural resources.

Table 1. Erosion Control Plantings (Essential Where Erosion Potential is Moderate to High)

Table 2. Erosion Control & Wildlife Plantings (Erosion Potential Moderate to Low and Wildlife is an Objective)

Table 3. Wildlife Plantings (Erosion Potential Low and Wildlife is the Major Objective)

Acknowledgements

This publication was made possible through the efforts of the following individuals who served as technical committee members:

Stan Arrington, Weyerhaeuser Company
Roy Deason, Pennington Seed, Inc.
Micah Goldstein, Georgia Pacific Corporation
Charles Johnson, Johnson Erosion Control
Jerry Johnson, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Kent Kammermeyer, Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Earl Norton, Norton & Associates
Francis Palmer, Georgia Pacific Corporation
Ken Rogers, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Stan Stewart, Alabama Game and Fish Division
Don Surrency, Natural Resources Conservation Service
Reggie Thackston, Georgia Department of Natural Resources

A special thanks to Roy Deason with Pennington Seed, for his leadership in initiating the development of this publication, to Fay Garner with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Stephen Amos, Pennington Seed, for their help in formatting and preparing the document for printing, and to the Alabama Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, for their help in obtaining funds for printing the publication.

Photographs courtesy of: John Jensen, #9; South Carolina Department of Natural Resources #10; Micah Goldstein, #8; Roy Deason, #13; and Kent Kammermeyer, #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #11, #12.

The following companies and organizations helped make the printing of this publication possible through their financial contributions:

Alabama Chapter of the Wildlife Society
Alabama Wildlife Federation
Champion International Corporation
Georgia State Chapter National Wild Turkey Federation
Georgia-Pacific Corporation
International Paper Company
Kimberly-Clark Corporation-Southeastern Timberlands
MacMillan Bloedel Packaging, Inc.
Pennington Seed, Inc.
Union Camp Corporation
Weyerhaeuser Company