Nevada Guidelines for Revegetation

NEVADA STATE CLEARINGHOUSE
Department of Administration
Budget and Planning Division
209 East Musser Street., Room 200
Carson City, Nevada 89701-4298
(775) 687-4065
fax (775) 687-3983

NEVADA GUIDELINES FOR REVEGETATION
July 1, 1998

Dear Cooperator:

Please find the attached Nevada Guidelines for Revegetation (hereinafter "Guidelines") for your use. Historically, the review of revegetation activities throughout the state has produced a variety of perspectives for the Nevada State Clearinghouse, creating comment conflicts between agencies. Conflict resolution has required both time and energy, resulting in economic impacts and confusion for our clients. The Guidelines represent the combined efforts of numerous State of Nevada agencies and the Nevada Seedbank Coordinating Committee, each of whom are involved in land use, transportation, research, education and/or natural resource management activities. Our goal is to bring a consistent basis and a common starting point for applicable Nevada agencies regarding revegetation activities throughout the state. It is our mutual hope that the Guidelines will assist the public and private sector in understanding the State of Nevada's position on revegetation, thus improving efficiencies and economy in environmental assessments and project design and review processes.

It should be emphasized that these are Guidelines and are not to be construed as regulatory in any form or fashion. The Guidelines can be utilized for any revegetation project in the State of Nevada, consistent with the site specific objectives of the project.

The purpose of revegetation supported by the State of Nevada is to return the land to conditions and productive use(s) as similar as practical to its pre-disturbance conditions and use(s), or to a site specific desired plant community. The Guidelines provide the reader revegetation objectives, planning considerations and general preferences for selecting plant species. Additional information is available from the Nevada State Clearinghouse (702)-687-6367.

NEVADA

GUIDELINES FOR REVEGETATION

The botanical makeup of Nevada has unarguably changed over the last two hundred years. The introduction of some exotic European, Asian, noxious and other plant species into Nevada, both accidentally and deliberately, has altered native plant communities. Some of these exotic and noxious plants can become dominant and exclude native plants from an area, and have resulted in substantial economic impacts to some sectors of the state. While usually desirable, reintroducing native plants into these areas is sometimes not practical or even possible, and the impacts on the rest of the ecosystem must be considered. In general, viable habitats and land stabilization must be the final objective of any revegetation or reclamation project. These guidelines are provided to assist in the preliminary planning process for projects involving revegetation. Consultation with appropriate State agencies is advised and encouraged for either site-specific, or general questions and concerns that may arise.

Definitions

The following definitions are offered to aid with these revegetation guidelines:

Conversion: replacement of one or more dominant plant species with another plant species.

Desired Plant Community: a plant community which produces the kind, proportion, and amount of vegetation necessary for meeting or exceeding the land use plan/activity plan objectives established for an ecological site(s). The desired plant community must be consistent with the site's capability to produce the desired vegetation through management, land treatment, or a combination of the two.

Exotic: any plant species not falling under the native definition.

Exotics Indigenous to North America: a plant species that is indigenous to North America but not to Nevada.

Invasive: tending to displace, or increase in cover relative to, surrounding vegetation.

Locally Adapted Natives: a native species that has adapted to the climate and soil conditions of a specific area.

Native: plants indigenous to Nevada immediately prior to European contact.

Non-Persistent Exotic: an annual or perennial exotic that dies off in less than 10 years, or is pushed out as native vegetation becomes established.

Noxious Weeds: any species of plant which is, or is liable to be detrimental or destructive and difficult to control or eradicate, which the Administrator (Division of Agriculture), by regulation, designates to be a noxious weed.

Off-site Natives: a native plant species whose seed source is from an area with different climate and/or soil conditions (e.g., a species that is native to one part of the State being used in another part of the State).

Purpose

The purpose of revegetation supported by the State of Nevada is to return the land to conditions and productive use(s) as similar as practical to its pre-disturbance conditions and use(s), or to a site specific desired plant community.

Revegetation Objectives

The State of Nevada urges that native or non-persistent exotic plant species be used in the revegetation process whenever and wherever possible and practical. The use of these plants can promote the long-term maintenance of Nevada's remaining native vegetation, as well as improve and restore degraded habitat. Consistent with the above Purpose, the following are the State's objectives (hereafter collectively referred to as "the revegetation objectives") for conducting or supporting revegetation projects:

To utilize native or non-persistent exotic plant species in the revegetation process whenever and wherever possible and practical, and consistent with the other revegetation objectives.

To promote the long term maintenance of Nevada's remaining native vegetation, as well as improve and rehabilitate degraded habitat.

To provide viable habitat (forage, cover, soils, etc.) for wildlife, livestock, and other species appropriate to the site.

To re-establish vegetation as quickly as necessary to minimize erosion and invasion of species inconsistent with the desired plant community.

To provide fire resistant qualities to the environment where applicable to meet ecological or public safety objectives.

To maximize the cover and diversity of locally adapted natives in the final re-established vegetation, consistent with the other revegetation objectives.

Planning Considerations

The State of Nevada requests that projects proposing the direct or indirect alteration of existing vegetation, or creating an opportunity for invasion of unwanted exotic species, fully evaluate the likely short- and long-term impacts to, and management needs of, vegetation in any accompanying environmental documentation. The State further requests:

That impacts to existing native vegetation be minimized or mitigated;

that suitable topsoil and/or growth medium be stockpiled, managed, and replaced; and

that project proponents attempt to adhere to these guidelines as closely as possible, particularly in implementing measures to avoid invasions of unwanted exotic species.

When revegetation selections or practices less preferred by the State of Nevada are proposed for a particular project, the State of Nevada requests that the reasons supporting such choices be detailed in any accompanying environmental documentation.

Plant material cost and/or availability are often impediments to using otherwise-desirable native plants. The State encourages agencies and project proponents to develop pro-active cooperative efforts with suppliers of native plant materials to address these issues.

Conversion Activities

Proposals for conversion should consider the impacts to all land users and uses on and adjacent to the site. All conversion projects should be based on site specific goals and objectives. Sites should be converted to an appropriate desired plant community with a preference for native plant species, when possible.

General Preferences for Selecting Plant Species

Below are listed the State of Nevada's general preferences in selecting species for revegetation. This listing identifies plant species selection criteria for revegetation in order of most preferred. The most preferred selection (or combination of selections) practicable under the conditions of each specific site and project, and capable of meeting the revegetation objectives, should be used. Whenever practical and possible, revegetation activities should be conducted at the time(s) of year best suited for establishment of native species, and any off-site seed used should be certified weed-free.

NOTE: Species listed as noxious weeds under Nevada Administrative Code Chapter 555.010 are prohibited and must be controlled (Nevada Revised Statute Chapter 555.010).

Use unaided natural revegetation, where the size and condition of the site make it unlikely that significant erosion, or invasion of unwanted species, would occur during plant re-establishment.

Use locally collected and adapted natives.

Purchase and use off-site natives source-identified to Nevada.

Use non-persistent exotic annuals or perennials.

Use exotics indigenous to North America.

Use non-invasive exotics not indigenous to North America.

Use invasive exotics not indigenous to North America. Invasive exotics should be used with extreme caution, and only to replace or suppress even less-desirable invasive exotics.

Last Revised 1 July 1998

These on-line guidelines are hosted by the Nevada Natural Heritage Program