UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

## Natural Resources Conservation Service

## South Carolina

# *COMPATIBLE USE PERMIT FOR WRP EASEMENTS*

**County: Contract No:**

###  

####  Date: 

**Purpose:** (Delete the ? and fill in the details of the easement,
Owner, acres etc)

> The purpose of this document is to allow ?????????, to manage their
> WRP easement to protect and restore the wetland functions, values and
> hydrology of approximately ????? acres of river floodplain to
> historical conditions and to improve wildlife and waterfowl habitat.
> The easement includes the wetlands located ???????????????? County,
> SC. The easement contains approximately ?????? acres of wetland that
> has been impacted by . The project will the following wetland
> functions and values: ??????????.

**Planned Activities:** (Modify the list below as necessary to fit your
easement)

> Maintaining and improving wildlife habitat in mutual cooperation
> between USDA-NRCS and the owners.
>
> Undeveloped hunting and fishing rights are permitted in accordance
> with State and Federal laws and regulations. [Portable deer stands and
> hog traps are permitted.]{.underline} Existing permanent deer stands
> shall either be removed or allowed to weather and deteriorate
> naturally without maintenance. NRCS does not recommend nor assumes any
> liability for the use of any stands on the easement. The landowner
> assumes all responsibility for the use of any stands. Managing the
> easement to encourage diverse wildlife species including neo-tropical
> birds, bats and wood ducks is encouraged.
>
> Any existing trail system is the responsibility of the owners to
> maintain.
>
> [Limited]{.underline} timber harvesting is permitted based on the need
> to remove storm or insect damaged trees. The thinning or removal of
> pine timber to increase wildlife habitat and diversity requires
> written permission of USDA-NRCS. SC Forestry Best Management Practices
> will be followed for harvesting. All timber harvest requests will be
> made in writing to the ?????? County USDA-NRCS District
> Conservationist identifying the purpose, location, and proposed
> amount. NRCS will review the request and its compatibility and respond
> in writing.
>
> All requests to perform work on the road system will be made in
> writing to the ????? County USDA-NRCS District Conservationist
> identifying the purpose, location, and proposed amount. NRCS will
> review the request and its compatibility and respond in writing.
>
> Recreational / educational activities, such as nature trails and
> observation platforms, that do not degrade the site, generally will be
> permitted. Request for these activities will be reviewed and
> authorized in writing by NRCS before work is commenced. All requests
> will be made in writing to the ?????? County USDA-NRCS District
> Conservationist identifying the purpose, location, and proposed
> amount. NRCS will review the request and its compatibility and respond
> in writing.
>
> Wildlife habitat management may be conducted on the easement.
> [Specific practices are addressed in the Wetlands Reserve Plan of
> Operations, developed in cooperation with the owner, and shall meet
> NRCS Standards and Specifications for Wetland Wildlife Habitat
> Management]{.underline}. Management of the area is limited to 30% of
> the easement area.
>
> In addition, 5% of the easement area may be planted to wildlife food
> plots. The food plot area is included in the overall 30% management
> area. The management areas will be identified on the conservation plan
> map. (Please see guidelines below for management activity guidelines).
>
> Contract No: enter WRP contract number (enter range of effective
> dates)
>
> **Statement of Effect and Compatibility:** (Modify the list below as
> necessary to fit your easement)
>
> The proposed activities listed are compatible with the objectives
> identified in the WRP plan.
>
> Any selective timber harvest activities will provide for the
> utilization of environmentally sensitive prevention, avoidance, and
> monitoring strategies to manage vegetation, insect damage, and improve
> wildlife habitat to help assure full restoration and protection of
> wetland hydrology and the plant and animal communities within the
> wetland easement.
>
> Wetland wildlife habitat management will help provide ecological
> diversity through water level manipulation, rotational disking, and
> prescribed burning. These activities increase vegetative early
> successional habitat conditions and native plant diversity.
>
> **Special Conditions and Details (Attach Guidelines):** (Modify the
> list below as necessary to fit your easement)
>
> All special condition requests will be made in writing to the ??????
> County USDA-NRCS District Conservationist identifying the purpose,
> location, and proposed amount. NRCS will review the request and its
> compatibility and respond in writing.
>
> **Moist Soil Management for Waterfowl**
>
> Draw down during late February to early March to expose soil. Draw
> downs should be gradual to concentrate invertebrates for waterfowl and
> shorebirds.
>
> Maintain draw down through April for germination of target plant
> species. Standing water should not cover the area during this period.
>
> In late April to early May, begin saturation of soil to surface by
> replacing the lower stop logs in the water control structure (WCS).
> Maintain until mid- October to allow evaporation and infiltration to
> mimic seasonal hydrologic cycle. In Mid-October thru November flood
> the impoundment to the planned surface water elevation.
>
> Closely monitor water levels throughout the fall and winter to
> maintain the impoundment to the planned surface water elevation.
>
> Contract No: enter WRP contract number (enter range of effective
> dates)

**Greentree Reservoir Management** (Modify the list below as necessary
to fit your easement)

> Flooding shall not commence until November 1
>
> To ensure that food is available to dabbling duck, GTRs should be
> gradually flooded to a depth of 6 to 18 inches with a maximum depth of
> 24 inches (excluding channel area)
>
> Gradual draw down should begin early enough in February to ensure that
> the majority of the impoundment is totally dried to bed level by March
> 1 unless natural conditions warrant otherwise.
>
> Water control structures (WCS) shall remain open during the time of
> draw down to facilitate water, nutrient and organism exchange.
>
> The reservoir shall not be flooded more than three consecutive years
> followed by at least one dry year with the water control structures
> completely open. This will result in reducing water stress that could
> be responsible for declines in tree growth and mast production, poor
> natural regeneration of vegetation and or mortality often associated
> with hydrological changes of the soil.
>
> All snags will be allowed to remain standing to provide wildlife
> habitat for cavity nesting species. Any snag that falls into the water
> will remain in the water to provide large woody debris for reptile and
> amphibian habitat complexity. Any snag that poses a threat to the WCS
> may be anchored to the reservoir substrate using an approiate "duck
> bill" type anchoring device.
>
> No timber cutting or significant modifications to the existing wetland
> vegetation shall take place within the impoundment.
>
> Any forest manipulation within the impoundment shall be conducted in
> accordance with a management plan and shall be restricted to those
> activities that promote the growth of mast producing tree species.

**Upland Wildlife Habitat Management** (Upland Buffers Only)

No clear cutting of timber is allowed whatsoever.

> Any management activities to encourage early successional habitat will
> be conducted outside of the primary nesting season for upland and
> grassland birds in South Carolina (April 1 -- September 1)
>
> Applications of recommended herbicides may be performed with prior
> written approval of the NRCS to control noxious weeds including
> invasive trees that may interfere with managed shallow water areas.
> All herbicides will be applied according to the manufactures suggested
> recommendations on the label.
>
> Prescribed burning may be incorporated in the easement as indicated on
> the Conservation Plan map. The burning must be done under the
> supervision of a South Carolina Certified Prescribed Fire manager and
> according to a written prescribe burn plan.
>
> The purpose of the burn is to enhance wildlife habitat conditions by
> removing undesirable vegetation and set plant succession back.
>
> Maintain wildlife openings by light disking one third of the opening
> each year, on a three year rotation to maintain early successional
> plant diversity.
>
> Areas planted to annual food plots must be identified on the
> Conservation Plan map. Planting 1/2 half or the food plot each year
> will allow for alternating each year between planted annuals and
> fallow early successional habitat. Another management option would be
> to alternate the food plot in strips, of 20 feet or wider, of annual
> planted and early successional habitat.
>
> Include any other management options that have been agreed to on the
> easement.
>
> Contract No: enter WRP contract number (enter range of effective
> dates)
>
> **Environmental Education** (Modify the list below as necessary to fit
> your easement)
>
> Construction of a nature trail and viewing tower to be used by
> students and the public for studying wetland ecosystems and other
> environmental interests is encouraged. Request for these type
> activities will be reviewed and authorized in writing by NRCS before
> work is commenced.

"NRCS retains the right to modify or cancel this compatible use
authorization at any time if the NRCS determines that such activities do
not further the protection and enhancement objectives of the easement,
or that the landowner has failed to comply with specified terms and
conditions. The landowner engages in such activities at his/her own
risk. This authorization does not vest any right of any kind in the
landowner. This authorization is null and void after the expiration date
specified above. By signing this document, the landowner agrees to the
terms described above and on referenced documents."

> Participant(s) DATE State Conservationist DATE