Technical Resources

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Biology

Last Modified: 11/02/2011

Ecology

Early Successional Habitat

Riparian Systems

Stream Visual Assessment Protocol (TN 99-1)

Xerces Society Fact Sheets - The Xerces Society has publications that provide information for conservation of native pollinators.

Pollinators

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat

Native Pollinators (PDF; 430 KB)

Plants

Publications and References

Conservation Plants Pocket ID Guide
Conservation Trees and Shrubs Pocket ID Guide
Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping - Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping - Maryland
PLANTS Database
Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas
Alien Plant Invaders Fact Sheets
NRCS Southern Wetland Flora - a field office guide to plant species
NRCS Northeastern Wetland Flora - a field office guide to plant species
Mistaken Identity? Invasive Plants and their Native Look-Alikes: an Identification Guide for the Mid-Atlantic

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping - Coastal Plain Region (PDF; 611 KB)
Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping - Chesapeake Bay Watershed (PDF; 5.31 MB)
Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping - Mountain (PDF; 478 KB)
Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping - Piedmont (PDF; 678 KB)

Wetlands

Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual

The 1987 Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual (COE 87M), the Regional Supplement for the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Region, and the associated guidance documents are authorized for conducting jurisdictional wetland determinations under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. NRCS is required to use the COE 87M when conducting wetland determinations for the purposes of the Food Security Act (FSA) on non-agricultural lands and agricultural lands with undisturbed native vegetation. The vegetation and hydrology wetland indicators contained within the COE 87M are also used by NRCS for conducting wetland determinations on agricultural land for the purposes of the FSA. When the Corps of Engineers Manual is applicable, the Regional Supplement for the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain should be used for FSA determinations in the coastal plain physiographic province.

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual (COE-M87) (PDF; 1.4 MB)
Implementation of the 1987 Corps Wetland Delineation Manual (PDF; 11 KB)
Questions and Answers on 1987 Manual (PDF; 25 KB)
Clarification and Interpretation of the 1987 Manual (PDF; 17 KB)
Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain (Wetland determination data forms can be found at the end of the Regional Supplements)
Interim Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Eastern Mountains and Piedmont Region

Wetland Determination Tools

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Field Indicators of Hydric Soils, version 7.0 (PDF; 2.6 MB)
Region 1 List of Plant Species that Occur in Wetlands (1988) (PDF; 187 KB)
Field Indicators of Hydric Soils for LRR T (Eastern Shore) (PDF; 58 KB)
Common Plants Important to Wetland Determinations on the Maryland Eastern Shore (PDF; 220 KB)

Identification of Plant Species' Trinomials with Varying Wetland Indicator Status Designations: Northeast Region (TN-73)

NFSAM Wetland Mapping Conventions for Maryland

Wetland Delineation Tools (NRCS Wetland Science)

Prevalence Index

Using the point-intercept sampling method, the Prevalence Index can be used to determine whether an area has a prevalence of hydrophytic vegetation. An index of less than 3.0 demonstrates a prevalence of hydrophytic vegetation. The Prevalence Index is often used as part of a comprehensive wetland determination. More information can be found in Part IV of the Corps of Engineers Wetlands Delineation Manual

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Prevalence Index Worksheet (PDF; 46 KB)
Prevalence Index Example (PDF; 124 KB)

Publications and References

Classification of Wetlands and Deepwater Habitats of the United States

The following document requires Adobe Acrobat

Nontidal Wetlands Functions and Values (PDF; 1.7 MB)

Wildlife

Tools

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Excel.

Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Worksheets and Instructions (PDF; 118 KB)
Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Worksheets and Instructions (XLT; 179 KB)
Maryland USDA Programs Supporting Threatened, Endangered, and Declining Species (PDF; 51 KB)

Publications and References

Waterfowl Management Handbook, 1988-1992
This collection of leaflets, produced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, provides technical information on waterfowl management, including information on specific species of waterfowl. It is the reference for much of the information in the Maryland NRCS Shallow Water Area Management fact sheet.