# Presentation: 801708

## Applying the Technique:

- A six-step process

- Presentation given: SRM Annual Meeting
- Casper, WY February 2003

## Applying the TechniqueSix Steps

- Applying the TechniqueSix Steps

- Identify the Evaluation Area
- Obtain or develop Reference Worksheet
- Obtain or develop Evaluation Matrix
- Complete characterization worksheets
- Rate 17 indicators
- Rate the 3 Rangeland Health Attributes

## Steps in the Technique

**Step 1. **Identify evaluation area,
- verify soil and ecological site information

- Ecological
-  Site Reference
-  sheet available from
-  internet/NRCS?

- Yes

- Stop

- No

- Continue

**Step 2.** Develop
- Ecol. Site Reference sheet**. **Visit
- Ref. Area to aid development
- of Ref. sheet

## internet/NRCS? 

- Indicator
- Evaluation Matrix available from
- internet/NRCS?

**Step 3**. Develop Site-specific
- Evaluation Matrix Based on
- Ecol. Site Reference sheet

**Step 4. **Complete cover &
- Functional/structural
- worksheets** **(& optional
- quantitative data)

- Yes

- No

**Step 5. **Rate 17 indicators on
- Evaluation Worksheet and
- justify all ratings with
- written comments

**Step 6**. Evaluate 3 rangeland
- health attributes based on
- the ratings of the 17 indicators

- Stop

## Assemble Useful Resources

- Maps or GIS themes
- Topographic or Digital Elevation Map
- Aerial Photography or Digital Ortho Qtr. Quad.
- Soil Maps
- Soil Survey
- Species lists
- Ecological (Range) Site Descriptions

## Steps in the Technique

**Step 1. **Identify evaluation area,
- verify soil and ecological site information

- Ecological
-  Site Reference
-  sheet available from
-  internet/NRCS?

- Yes

- Stop

- No

- Continue

**Step 2.** Develop
- Ecol. Site Reference sheet**. **Visit
- Ref. Area to aid development
- of Ref. sheet

## Step 1 – Identify Evaluation Area

- Slope, aspect, elevation, topographic position
- Verify soil
- Soil pit
- Surface Texture
- Depth to restrictions
- Diagnostic horizons
- Verify ecological site
- Soil & Climate

## Rangeland Health Evaluation Worksheet

**Aerial Photo**:_                                 ._
** **
**Management Unit**_*Randy Rancher*_ 	**State** _*NM*_	**Office** _*Las Cruces*_ 	**Range/Ecol. Site Code**:  *042XB999NM_ *
-                                (Allotment or pasture)
**Ecological Site Name***:___Limy________________* 	**Soil Map Unit/Component Name**:_*Nickel gravelly fine sandy loam*
** **
**Observers**: ____*Joe Smith, Jose Garcia and Thaddeus Jones________*__________________ **Date**: _*June 10, 2002*
** **
**Location (description)**:___*Limy site two miles north of windmill in S.E. pasture_________________________________*
*** ***
**T**. _*11 S* **R**. _*23 *W** **	      **or** _____________**N. Lat.**    **Or**    **UTM  E**_________________**m**      **Position by GPS? Y / N ***No*
-                                            **UTM Zone**____, **Datum**______
**Sec.** _*12__, _NE*__ 1/4                _____________**W. Long.**          **N**_________________**m**      **Photos taken? Y / N ***Yes*
**Size of evaluation area** ___*Evaluation area is approximately 3 ac. and represents entire ecological site in this pasture*

**Soil / site verification:**
**Range/Ecol. Site Descr., Soil Surv., and/or Ecol. Ref. Area:****	****Evaluation Area:**
**Surface texture **_*grfsl, grlfs, gl*	**Surface texture **_*gfsl__________*
**Depth: very shallow **__, **shallow **__, **moderate **__, **deep **_*X_* 	**Depth: very shallow **__, **shallow **__, **moderate **__, **deep ***_X_*
**Type and depth of diagnostic horizons: ****	****Type and depth of diagnostic horizons:**
**1.** _*Calcic horizon w/in 20”* 	**3. **_________________	**1*****.**** Calcic Horizon at 15”**	***3.** ___________________
**2.** ___________________________ 	**4.** _________________ 	**2.** ___________________ **4.** ___________________
**Surf. Efferv.: none**_   _, **v. slight**_   _, **slight**_   _, **strong**_ __*X*__ _, **violent**_   _ 	**Surf. Efferv.: none**_   _, **v. slight**_   _, **slight**_   _, **strong**_ __*X*__ _, **violent**__
**Parent material** _*Alluvium    * **Slope** *_0-5_***%** **Elevation **_*4100_****ft*****.** 	**Topographic position ***_toeslope_________* **Aspect **_*south_*
**Average annual precipitation** _*8-12_inches**	***Seasonal distribution *****_****Summer thunderstorms dominate****_____***

**Recent weather (last 2 years)** **(1) drought **___, **(2) normal** __*X__, ***or (3) wet** _____.
**Wildlife use, livestock use (intensity and season of allotted use), and recent disturbances:  ***Wildlife use is dominated by pronghorn antelope in the winter.  Livestock use was extremely heavy yearlong during the 1900-1930.  Last 50 years, livestock use has been cow/calf moderate yearlong use.*
**Off-site influences on evaluation area:** __*None*________________________________________________________________________________
**Criteria used to select this particular evaluation area as REPRESENTATIVE**** ****(**specific info. And factors considered; degree of “representativeness”)** **
**_***Area is located near a pasture key area. It is located in the center of the ecological and represents the typical amount of livestock, wildlife and recreational uses on this area. This ecological site dominates this pasture. The area is 3⁄4 of a mile from the closest water source.**** ***_______________
**_________________________________________________________________________________________**______________________________
**Other remarks (continue on back if necessary)** _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
**Reference**: **(1) Ecological Reference Worksheet**:**__***Limy SD – 42B***__; Author**: _*J.Christensen*_____; **Creation Date**: _*03/23/2002*

**   ****or** **(2) Other (e.g. name and date of ecological site description,  locations of ecological reference area(s))**____*Limy Ecological Site 042XB999NM June 2001*_____.

## Steps in the Technique

**Step 1. **Identify evaluation area,
- verify soil and ecological site information

- Ecological
-  Site Reference
-  sheet available from
-  internet/NRCS?

- Yes

- Stop

- No

- Continue

**Step 2.** Develop
- Ecol. Site Reference sheet**. **Visit
- Ref. Area to aid development
- of Ref. sheet

## Step 2 – Reference Worksheet

- What is it?
- Describes the expected variation for each of the 17 indicators
- Incorporates variation among vegetation phases in an Ecological State that is resistant & resilient to disturbance
- Ecological site-specific
- Develop
- Assemble resources (maps, data, etc.) & group of experts
- Reach consensus on each indicators description
- Obtain
- In future, from NRCS State Office or web at http://plants.usda.gov/ & follow links to ESIS (Ecological Site Information System).

## Ecological Reference Worksheet

**Author(s)/participant(s): **J. Christensen, B. Call, B. Bestelmeyer, R. Placker, D. Trujillo, L. Hauser, D. Coalson, P. Smith, & J. Herrick
**Contact for lead author: __**jchristensen@web.com/334-556-7890_____________** Reference site used? **_**Yes/No: No**_
**Date: **03/23/2002**   MLRA: __**42____** Ecological Site: **_____Limy___**  **This *must * be verified based on soils and climate (see Ecological Site Description). Current plant community *cannot* be used to identify the ecological site.

## internet/NRCS? 

- Indicator
- Evaluation Matrix available from
- internet/NRCS?

**Step 3**. Develop Site-specific
- Evaluation Matrix Based on
- Ecol. Site Reference sheet

**Step 4. **Complete cover &
- Functional/structural
- worksheets** **(& optional
- quantitative data)

- Yes

- No

**Step 5. **Rate 17 indicators on
- Evaluation Worksheet and
- justify all ratings with
- written comments

**Step 6**. Evaluate 3 rangeland
- health attributes based on
- the ratings of the 17 indicators

- Stop

## Step 3 – Evaluation Matrix

- What is it?
- Narrative description of 5 rating categories for each of the 17 indicators – Ecological site-specific
- Generic description is included
- Develop
- Use same group of experts & Reference Worksheet
- Reference Worksheet description fits None-to-Slight
- Reach consensus on each descriptions of each rating category
- Obtain
- In future, from NRCS State Office or web at http://plants.usda.gov/ & follow links to ESIS (Ecological Site Information System).

## Add text from Reference Worksheet to None-to-Slight

- Fill-in narratives for remaining 4 classes

## internet/NRCS? 

- Indicator
- Evaluation Matrix available from
- internet/NRCS?

**Step 3**. Develop Site-specific
- Evaluation Matrix Based on
- Ecol. Site Reference sheet

**Step 4. **Complete cover &
- Functional/structural
- worksheets** **(& optional
- quantitative data)

- Yes

- No

**Step 5. **Rate 17 indicators on
- Evaluation Worksheet and
- justify all ratings with
- written comments

**Step 6**. Evaluate 3 rangeland
- health attributes based on
- the ratings of the 17 indicators

- Stop

## Step 4.Develop Functional/Structural Groups

- Step 4.Develop Functional/Structural Groups

- Appendix 5

## Step 4 – Cover 

- Step 4 – Cover

- Appendix 3

- Appendix 4

## Points for 

- Points for
- Cover hits

- 1

- 2

- 3

- 4

- 5

- 6

- 7

- 8

- 9

- 10

## internet/NRCS? 

- Indicator
- Evaluation Matrix available from
- internet/NRCS?

**Step 3**. Develop Site-specific
- Evaluation Matrix Based on
- Ecol. Site Reference sheet

**Step 4. **Complete cover &
- Functional/structural
- worksheets** **(& optional
- quantitative data)

- Yes

- No

**Step 5. **Rate 17 indicators on
- Evaluation Worksheet and
- justify all ratings with
- written comments

**Step 6**. Evaluate 3 rangeland
- health attributes based on
- the ratings of the 17 indicators

- Stop

## Step 5 – Rate the 17 indicators

- Complete reconnaissance
- Use Evaluation Matrix
- Teams preferred
- Rate each deviation:
- None-to-Slight
- Slight-to-Moderate
- Moderate
- Moderate-to-Extreme
- Extreme
- Record comments

## internet/NRCS? 

- Indicator
- Evaluation Matrix available from
- internet/NRCS?

**Step 3**. Develop Site-specific
- Evaluation Matrix Based on
- Ecol. Site Reference sheet

**Step 4. **Complete cover &
- Functional/structural
- worksheets** **(& optional
- quantitative data)

- Yes

- No

**Step 5. **Rate 17 indicators on
- Evaluation Worksheet and
- justify all ratings with
- written comments

**Step 6**. Evaluate 3 rangeland
- health attributes based on
- the ratings of the 17 indicators

- Stop

## Step 6 – Rate Attributes

- Record the Indicator number in Attribute Category
- Rate Attribute based on Preponderance of Evidence
- Not merely mean or mode
- Some indicators may be weighted
- Document your justification

## Intended Applications

- Designed to be used:
- By knowledgeable, experienced people
- As preliminary evaluation of attributes
- For identification of areas at risk of degradation
- As a communication tool for Rangeland Health
- NOT to be used:
- To identify causes of problems
- Solely for management decisions
- To monitor trend
- As a stand-alone national assessment