Resource Concerns: Degraded Plant Condition - Plant Productivity and Health, Degraded Plant Condition - Plant Structure and Composition

Conservation Practices: 314, 315, 327, 342, 383, 384, 490, 612, 660, 666  

Ranking Questions: 
1. Does the conservation plan include forestland AND improve at least one of the resource concerns of Plant Productivity and Health or Composition and Structure using the practices 314, 315, 327, 342, 383, 384, 490, 612, 660, 666?

2. Does the project include planting suitable plant species to improve forest resilience where high vegetation stress, mortality, or high invasive pressure has been observed and documented?           

3. Is the project within proximity to forested areas already negatively affected by one or more of these disturbances (wildfire, pests or diseases)? 

4. Is the land located adjacent to roads, powerlines, cell towers, travel corridors or areas of critical concern where treatment will reduce wildfire risk and improve resiliency?

5. Do the planned practices reduce the risk of wildfire, insect pest, disease or environmental mortality (drought or other adverse conditions) by improving stand health?

6. Do the planned practices reduce competition stress in the stand?

Resource Concerns: Degraded Plant Condition Plant Productivity and Health; Field Sediment Nutrient Pathogen Loss - Pathogens and chemicals from manure biosolids or compost applications transported to surface water; Livestock production limitation - Feed and forage balance; Livestock production limitation - Feed and forage balance; Water Quality - Nutrients transported to surface water

Conservation Practices: 313, 314, 315, 382, 472, 512, 528, 590, 614, 317, 327, 386, 472, 561, 632, 634, 367, 516, 574, 393

Ranking Questions: 
1. Does the conservation plan include a grazed land unit and only includes practices 313, 314, 315, 317, 327, 367, 381, 382, 386, 393,472, 511, 512, 516, 528, 558, 561, 574, 575, 590, 614, 620, 632, 634, 642?

2. The applicant has completed design(s) for planned engineering practices that is approved by NRCS.  

3. Does the EQIP Plan of Operations include Nutrient Management (590) on at least 50% of the cropland and pasture in the enrolled tracts?   

4. Will the Application include practices such as, cross fencing, heavy use areas, forage, and biomass planting, or noxious weed control that allows grazing improvements and rest periods?

5. Does the EQIP Plan of Operations include one or more of the following practices along at least 25% of stream reaches needing new or wider buffers in the enrolled tracts: Field Border (386), Filter Strip (393), Conservation Cover (327) or Fence (382).

Resource Concerns: Soil Quality Limitations:  Organic Matter Depletion; Wind Water Erosion - Sheet and Rill Erosion; Degraded Plant Condition - Plant productivity and Health; Degraded Plant Condition - Plant Structure and Composition

Conservation Practices: 217, 327, 328, 329, 340, 345, 528, 382, 516, 561, 590, 614,  810, 422, 512, 484, 314, 315, 342, 490, 612, 647, 511, 325, 821,  812, 558

Ranking Questions: 
1. Does the conservation plan improve soil health using a combination of the practices 217, 314, 315, 325, 327, 328, 329, 336, 340, 342, 345, 382, 422, 484, 490, 511, 512, 516, 528, 558, 561, 590, 595, 612, 614, 647, 810, 812, 821?

2. Is there evidence of soil erosion on the project target area as documented by a farmer interview, site visit, and/or RUSLE2 evaluation and planned practices will reduce that erosion?                                          

3. Did the applicant provide a recent soil test from a NRCS approved soil health lab (within the last two years) where organic matter was evaluated (from at least one planned field)?                                              

4. Does EQIP plan of operation include no-till or reduced tillage practices to reduce soil disturbance?      

5. Does EQIP plan of operation include conservation cover and/or multi year cover crop to improve soil cover and living roots?

6. Will the Applicant include practices that improve pollinator habitat? (I.E. hedgerows, conservation cover, field borders)

7. If the conservation plan of operation includes (325) the applicant is currently marketing  their product or can document that they currently donate produce to local food pantries?                                                      

8. The application will address noxious weed issues on the operation? 

Resource Concerns: Terrestrial Habitat - Habitat for wildlife and invertebrates; Aquatic Habitat - Elevated Water Temperature; Degraded Plant Condition - Plant structure and composition, 

Conservation Practices: 314, 315, 327,  380, 382, 384,  390, 420, 422, 484, 490, 500, 512, 528, 550, 595, 612, 614, 643, 645, 649, 650, 660, 666, 822, 828

Ranking Questions:
1. Is the intent of this project to improve wildlife habitat using a combination of the following practices 311, 314, 315, 327, 380, 381, 382, 384, 390, 391, 420, 422, 484, 490, 500, 511, 512, 528, 550, 595, 612, 614, 643, 644, 645, 647, 649, 650, 660, 666, 822, 825, or 828)?      

2. Is the Applicant's property located within 1000 feet of a perennial stream with potential ESA listed species and will include practices that improve water quality of the waterway? 

3) Is the project area adjacent to another habitat restoration project that has been or is scheduled to be completed by NRCS or partners.

4) Will restoration include planting only native species and 3 years of brush and/or weed treatment as needed to ensure success of the planting?

5) Are there known priority species (birds, butterflies, ungulates), federal or state listed species present in the project site or on an adjacent property?

6) Does application include one of the following:                                                                                        
A. Oak or prairie habitat   
B. Riparian habitat  
C. not applicable

7) Will the Applicant include practices that improve pollinator habitat? (I.E. hedgerows, conservation cover, field borders)