FOR-69: Field Guide to Best Management Practices for Timber Harvesting in Kentucky
Revegetate erodible or severely eroded areas, such as logging roads, skid trails, and log landings, as soon as possible. Revegetation should be sufficient to adequately control or significantly abate erosion from the site.
This BMP uses both temporary cover species and a mixture of permanent species to revegetate disturbed areas.
Use the following tables to help determine what temporary species (Table 2-1) and permanent mixes (Tables 2-2 to 2-5) to use. In all cases, a temporary species is to be used with a permanent mix. Each species or mix has a specific seeding date.
Table 2-1--Temporary Cover Crop Species | |||
Species | Seeding Rates (lbs/ac/pls1) | Recommended Seeding Dates | |
winter wheat2 | 35 | Oct. 15 - March 1 | |
grain rye | 35 | Oct. 15 - March 1 | |
spring oats | 35 | Oct. 15 - March 1 | |
foxtail millet | 12 | May 1 - July 15 | |
Japanese millet | 15 | May 1 - July 1 | |
pearl millet | 10 | May 1 - July 1 | |
annual ryegrass | 5 | Aug. 1 - Oct. 15 | |
browntop millet | 15 | May 1 - July 1 | |
cereal rye (Aroostook) | 25 | Sept. 15 - Oct. 15 |
Table 2-2--Mixtures for Slopes Less than 10 Percent | ||||
Species Mixture | Seeding Rates (lbs/ac/pls1) | Seeding Dates for Mixture2 | Special Considerations | |
a. | orchard grass3 | 8 | Feb. 1 - May 1
Aug. 1 - Oct. 15 |
|
red clover | 6 | |||
b. | orchard grass | 8 | Feb. 1 - May 1
Aug. 1 - Oct. 15 |
|
ladino clover | 2 | |||
c. | timothy | 4 | Feb. 1 - May 1
Aug. 1 - Oct. 15 |
|
ladino clover | 2 | |||
d. | orchard grass | 10 | Feb. 1 - May 1 | No fall planting due to lespedesa |
Kobe or Korean lespedesa | 10 | |||
e. | switch grass | 1 | May 1 - June 30 | For open canopy conditions only. A good seed bed is required. No fall planting due to lespedesa. |
big bluestem | 2 | |||
indiangrass | 2 | |||
red clover | 4 | |||
Korean lespedesa | 5 | |||
f. | little bluestem | 3 | May 1 - June 30 | No fall planting due to lespedesa |
side-oats gramma | 3 | |||
Korean lespedesa | 5 |
Table 2-3--Mixtures for Highly Erodible Areas (Areas Exceeding 10 Percent Slope) | ||||
Species Mixture | Seeding Rates (lbs/ac/pls)1 | Seeding Dates2 for Mixture | Special Considerations | |
a. | Kentucky 31 fescue | 30 | Feb. 1 - May 15
Aug. 1 - Oct. 15 |
High seedling and plant vigor on droughty, exposed sites. The endophyte-free fescue is more valuable for wildlife and is acceptable on lesser slopes. |
flatpea3 | 30 | |||
b. | Kentucky 31 fescue | 30 | Feb. 1 - May 15
Aug. 1 - Oct. 15 |
High seedling and plant vigor on droughty, exposed sites. The endophyte-free fescue is more valuable for wildlife and is acceptable on lesser slopes. |
birdsfoot trefoil | 10 | |||
c. | creeping red fescue | 20 | Feb. 1 - May 15
Aug. 1 - Oct. 15 |
For use in shaded areas. |
white clover | 2 | |||
d. | switch grass | 8 | May 1 - June 30 | For open canopy conditions only. Switch grass is a native. |
partridge pea | 5 |
Table 2-4--Mixtures for Wet or Poorly Drained Areas | ||||
Species Mixture | Seeding Rates (lbs/ac/pls)1 | Seeding Dates2 | Special Considerations | |
a. | redtop | 7 | Feb. 15 - June 30
Aug. 1 - Oct. 1 |
|
alsike clover or birdsfoot trefoil3 | 6 | |||
b. | switch grass | 8 | May 1 - June 30
Aug. 1 - Oct. 1 |
For open canopy conditions only. |
alsike clover or birdsfoot trefoil | 6 |
Table 2-5--Mixtures for Establishing Native Species | ||||
Species Mixture | Seeding Rates (lbs/ac/pls)1 | Seeding Dates2 | Special Considerations | |
a. | switch grass | 2.0 | May 1 - June 30 | For open canopy conditions only. |
indiangrass | 2.0 | |||
big bluestem | 1.5 | |||
little bluestem | 1.5 | |||
partridge pea | 5.0 |
Table 2-6--Mulching Materials, Rates, and Uses | ||||
Mulch Material and Quality | Rate Per 1000 Sq. Ft. | Acre | Remarks | |
a. | small grain straw, tall fescue straw, or hay | 75-100 lbs
(1½-2 bales) |
1½ tons
(60-80 bales) |
Spread uniformly. Leave 10-20% of the area exposed. Subject to wind blowing unless left moist or tied down. |
b. | wood fiber cellulose air-dried, non-toxic, and no growth-inhibiting substances | 37-41 lbs | 1600-1800 lbs | Apply with a hydro-mulcher. No tie-down is required. Packaged in 100 lb. bags. |
c. | tree bark air-dried, non-toxic, and no growth-inhibiting substances | 6-12 tons | Resistant to wind blowing. Decomposes slowly. |
Table 2-7--Road and Trail Surface Area Determination for Fertilizer, Seed, Lime, and Mulch | |||||
Road Length (feet) | Road Width (feet) | ||||
8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 18 | |
acres | |||||
50 | .01 | .01 | .01 | .02 | .02 |
100 | .02 | .02 | .03 | .03 | .04 |
250 | .05 | .06 | .07 | .08 | .10 |
500 | .09 | .12 | .14 | .16 | .21 |
750 | .14 | .17 | .21 | .24 | .31 |
1000 | .18 | .24 | .28 | .32 | .41 |
1500 | .28 | .34 | .41 | .48 | .62 |
2000 | .36 | .48 | .56 | .64 | .83 |
5000 | .92 | 1.15 | 1.38 | 1.16 | 2.07 |
5280 | .97 | 1.21 | 1.45 | 1.70 | 2.18 |
To determine acreage and pounds of seed for other areas, such as log landings or denuded areas, use the following procedure:
Pure Live Seed is determined by multiplying percent germination by percent purity. Divide result into recommended pounds of seed per acre which gives the bulk seed needed. Example: fescue may have 98 percent purity and 80 percent germination. If you need to seed 40 pounds per acre of pure live seed, the procedure would be:
0.98 purity x 0.80 germination = 0.784
40 lb/ac / 0.784 = 51 lb of seed needed