Healthy, productive plant and animal communities of native and other desirable species are maintained at viable population levels commensurate with the species and habitat's potential. Plants and animals at both the community and population level are productive, resilient, diverse, vigorous, and able to reproduce and sustain natural fluctuations, and ecological processes. Native plant and animal communities are spatially distributed across the landscape with a density, composition, and frequency of species suitable to ensure reproductive capability and sustainability. Plants and animals are present in mixed age classes sufficient to sustain recruitment and mortality fluctuations. Landscapes exhibit connectivity of habitat or presence of corridors to prevent habitat fragmentation.
Photosynthetic activity is evident throughout the growing season.
Appropriate plant litter accumulates and is evenly distributed across the landscape. Landscapes composed of several plant communities that may be in a variety of successional stages and patterns. All the indicators associated with the plant and animal communities standard apply. There are stable and increasing populations of endemic and protected species in suitable habitat. Suitable habitat is available for recovery of endemic and protected species.