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Building Ecological Site Descriptions in the
Northern Plains Region: A Team Approach
Josh Saunders, Natural Resources Conservation Service
PROBLEM: Range site descriptions have provided
ecologically based guidance in making land management decisions for more than 60
years. However, a greater understanding of ecosystem dynamics coupled with an
emerging host of new landowners, non-traditional uses, and management objectives
have resulted in the transition to ecological site descriptions (ESD).
APPROACH: In August of 1999, the Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS), using the protocol outlined by the National Range
and Pasture Handbook, developed a comprehensive seven-year plan to convert all
existing range and woodland site descriptions within the Northern Plains Region
(Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming) into
ecological site descriptions.
The task is immense but attainable. More than 180 NRCS
employees in the Northern Plains Region will be called upon to develop over 2000
ecological site descriptions, covering 53 Major Land Resource Areas (MLRA), 18
states, and three adjacent regions. Coordination, communication, and commitment
are key to the success of the project.
Specific to each MLRA is a group of individuals know as the
"Local Work Group." These individuals are typically field people who have years
of experience and a wealth of technical knowledge. Together, they work as a team
with other coordinators and specialists to build the foundation of this new
rangeland/woodland management tool.
The major responsibility of the Local Work Group is to
develop species composition tables, state and transition diagrams, and written
narratives to support and explain the various plant communities, transitional
pathways, and ecological thresholds. These three components are the focal points
of each ESD.
Partners such as Agriculture Research Service (ARS), Bureau
of Land Management (BLM), Forest Service, Universities, local, state, private
entities, and other end users are continually involved in the development and
review process.
RESULTS: Development began in January of 2000. As of
January 2002, the Northern Plains Region has initiated work on 12 MLRA’s ranging
from 2 - 95% complete.
FUTURE PLANS: All ecological site descriptions in the
Northern Plains are scheduled to be complete by the end of 2006. Progress
continues to be steady and ongoing. Changes in NRCS policy and retirement of
experienced field specialists are major challenges. Future ESD’s will be
uploaded to an NRCS web site for public access. Upon completion, ecological site
descriptions will provide the foundation that will assist land managers in
making timely, well informed resource management decisions on rangeland and
forest land. The author may be reached via e-mail at:
Josh Saunders
or phone: 970-345-2259. |