1. 1 America’s Longleaf Restoration Initiative Longleaf Maintenance Condition Class Definitions Update Clay Ware US Fish and Wildlife Service April 25, 2013

2. Why Assess Condition Class? “I see the ‘improve category’ monitoring as a huge need relative to justifying funding and perhaps policy changes through Farm Bill and other programs for increased management to more fully and expeditiously restore ecosystem structure and function. A good example would be the need for increased fire frequency on existing stands within CRP.” Reggie Thackston, GA DNR

3. Background: How did we get here? Merger of recommendations from numerous efforts: NatureServe US Forest Service USFWS East Gulf Coastal Plain JV Jones Center/NFWF metrics for assessing LSF proposals Review from technical experts

4. 4 What’s Inside Table of Contents Range-Wide……………………………………………………………………….....2-6 Community Type: Xeric Longleaf Pine Barrens – G154 ………………….…...2 Community Type: Dry and Mesic Longleaf Pine Woodlands – G009 ……..…3 Community Type: Mesic Flatwoods Longleaf Pine Woodland – G596…...….4 Community Type: Mountain and Piedmont Longleaf Pine – G164………...…5 Community Type: Wet Longleaf Pine Flatwoods and Savannas – G190…....6 Central and South Florida Only..............................................................................7 Community Type: Mesic Flatwoods Longleaf Pine Woodland – G596…….....7 South Atlantic Coast Only………………………………………..………………..8-11 Community Type: Xeric Longleaf Pine Barrens – G154…………………..…...8 Community Type: Mesic Flatwoods Longleaf Pine Woodland – G596….…....9 Community Type: Dry and Mesic Longleaf Pine Woodland Group – G009...10 Community Type: Wet Longleaf Pine Flatwoods/Savanna Group – G190.....11

5. Metric Maintenance Condition Class Minimum Standards Field Observation Checklist Overstory Canopy B.6. Longleaf Pine Canopy Longleaf stand with two-tiered or uneven-aged structure; longleaf pine basal area 40-70 ft 2 /acre. B.13.A Canopy Hardwood or Off-Site Pine Basal area of canopy hardwoods or off-site pines ≤ 10 ft 2 /acre (trees ≥ 5” dbh class). B.15 Evidence of old growth characteristics in stand At least one of these characteristics is present in stand: Large longleaf present (≥ 20 ft 2 /acre of trees ≥ 14” dbh class*); Flat-top longleaf (old individuals) are present in canopy. Mid-Story Canopy B.8. Shrub Cover Shrubs average ≤ 30% cover and average ≤ 3 feet tall. B.13.A Canopy Fire-intolerant Hardwood or Off-Site Pine Mid-story ≤ 20% cover, with < 5% cover of fire-intolerant hardwood or off-site pine trees over 16 feet tall. Ground Layer B. 10. Herbaceous Indicators Continuous herbaceous cover ≥ 65%, with Wiregrass, Sandhill Dropseed, Little Bluestem, Slender Bluestem, or Silver Bluestem present and combined cover of these species ≥ 20% of stand. B.11 Soil Disturbance Total Weedy Cover** is ≤ 5%. B.15 Longleaf Pine Regeneration Advance longleaf regeneration cover is 5-15% of stand. Includes grass stage or regeneration < 2” dbh. B.5 Non-native Invasive Species Cover of invasive exotic plant species ≤ 1%. A longleaf stand or area is in maintenance condition class if all identified metrics are checked, otherwise the stand is in an improve condition class. *To represent presence of mature trees; ties to RCW recovery & wildlife habitat associations – tree size may be smaller in size in some community types. **Weedy cover species include Andropogon virginicus, Dichanthelium sp., Rhynchospora sp., and other species associated with soil disturbance and early succession. Community Type: Xeric Longleaf Pine Barrens

6. 6 For Comparison The merged metrics presented correspond well with the Jones Center- developed NFWF business model for the Longleaf Stewardship Fund for the four focal species selected. These species, RCW, NBQ, GT, BSP, shared preferences for parameters of major elements of habitat structure, including basal area, canopy cover, midstory cover and understory cover and composition. Metric Parameters Basal Area 40 – 70 square feet per acre Canopy Cover 40 – 60 percent Midstory Cover Less than 20 percent Understory Cover Greater than 65% contiguous herbaceous; at least 20% grasses

7. 7 Tentative approval from Longleaf Partnership Council Final review from technical experts Final approval from LPC (if needed, via email) Development of Implementation Guide Next Steps

8. 8 Discussion

9. Longleaf Partnership Council