**CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM**

**Lower Chippewa River Watershed (Wisconsin)**

**Wildlife Habitat Self Assessment Tool**

The purpose of this questionnaire is to provide a method for you to
assess your property for the target wildlife species for the watershed.
This species is the **Red-headed Woodpecker** (*[Melanerpes]{.underline}
[erythrocephalus]{.underline})*, which represents a group of open
woodland/savanna species that are in decline. The biggest threat to this
species is the lack of open woodlands/savannas ([\>]{.underline}5 ac.)
with large diameter hardwood trees, especially oaks. A critical habitat
feature is a percentage of trees that are dead/dying or have large dead
limbs.

These questions help determine if the land you wish to enroll in CSP
meets the wildlife Resource Management System (RMS)
[minimum]{.underline} requirements.

**Directions:** Read and answer each question by checking **Yes** or
**No**. ( [\>]{.underline} means greater than or equal to;
[\<]{.underline} means less than or equal to)

+-----------------------------------------------------------+----+----+
| **Self Assessment Questions**                             | *  | ** |
|                                                           | *Y | NO |
|                                                           | ES | ** |
|                                                           | ** |    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+----+----+
| 1.  Do you have woods or scattered trees in one           |    |    |
|     contiguous parcel, [\>]{.underline}5 acres in size,   |    |    |
|     on your farm/tract?                                   |    |    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+----+----+
| 2.  Does this [\>]{.underline}5 acre parcel have          |    |    |
|     [\<]{.underline} 80% tree canopy (aerial) cover, OR,  |    |    |
|     have dead trees/limbs along the edge? (see charts     |    |    |
|     below to estimate).                                   |    |    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+----+----+
| 3.  Do the trees in this parcel average [\>]{.underline}  |    |    |
|     30 feet in height?                                    |    |    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+----+----+
| 4.  Are there at least 5 trees (at least 1 oak) which are |    |    |
|     [\>]{.underline} 20" in diameter in the               |    |    |
|     [\>]{.underline}5 acre parcel? (measured at 4 feet    |    |    |
|     off the ground).                                      |    |    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+----+----+
| 5.  Are there at least 2 dead or dying trees              |    |    |
|     [\>]{.underline}15" in diameter (measured at 4 feet   |    |    |
|     off the ground) per acre in the parcel?               |    |    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+----+----+
| 6.  Is the ground cover comprised predominantly           |    |    |
|     ([\>]{.underline} 50%) of grasses and broadleaved     |    |    |
|     plants?                                               |    |    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+----+----+
| 7.  Is the parcel [\<]{.underline} ½ mile (2640 feet)     |    |    |
|     from other woodland or savanna blocks                 |    |    |
|     [\>]{.underline}2.0 acres in size?                    |    |    |
+-----------------------------------------------------------+----+----+

![](media/image1.png){width="6.368055555555555in"
height="3.3055555555555554in"}**For questions #2 and #6 use the charts
below to estimate the percent tree canopy cover in the contiguous
woodlot being evaluated.**