CPS 342 Critical Area Planting Training Series

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

1. Ability to use Current Wind and Water Erosion Prediction Tools

• Erosion 101

  • This training module focuses on the types of erosion and the resource concerns associated with erosion.  It orients participants to the types and processes of soil erosion to prepare them to utilize the current soil erosion models - RUSLE2 and WEPS.   

• Water Erosion Prediction with RUSLE2

  • This course provides an overview of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), and instructions on how to use the RUSLE2 model to estimate sheet and rill erosion.

• Wind Erosion Prediction with WEPS

  • This course provides an overview of the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS), and instructions on how to use the WEPS model to estimate wind erosion.

2. Ability to Assess Site Soil Conditions and Prescribe Treatment and the Appropriate Vegetation

• Introduction to Agronomy Tech Note #31

  • Agronomy Technical Note #31 (ATN31) is used as a guide for the establishment of native and introduced plantings of herbaceous vegetation for the following practices:

    • Conservation Cover (327)

    • Contour Buffer Strips (332)

    • Critical Area Planting (342)

    • Filter Strip (393)

    • Forage and Biomass Planting (512)

    • Cross Wind Trap Strips (598C)

    • Restoration of Rare or Declining Natural Communities (643)

    • Upland Wildlife Habitat Management (645)

    • Wetland Restoration (657)

    This course is the first module in the series, and it provides an overview of Agronomy Tech Note 31 and an introduction to introduced, native, and invasive species.

• Seed and Seeding Methods

  • This course is the second module in the ATN 31 series, and it describes the different methods for seedbed preparation and seeding and covers seeding equipment, seeder calibration, herbicide considerations, and planting dates. This course also discusses the concepts of Pure Live Seed (PLS) and Seeds Per Square Foot (seeds/sq. ft.).

• Seeding Considerations and Evaluations

  • This course is the third module in the ATN 31 series, and it covers companion crops, temporary cover, weed control, and fertilizer and lime considerations. This course also outlines the procedures for completing stand evaluations.

• Seed Calculator Tool

  • This course is the fourth and final module in the ATN 31 series, and it provides instructions on the use of the Seed Calculator Tool for developing seed plans and completing checkouts after plantings.

• Plant Materials for Salt-Affected Sites in the Northern Great Plains

  • Information/reference material

• Cool-Season Grass Performance on Saline Soils in the Northern Great Plains

  • Information/reference material

3. Knowledge of Soil pH and Sodicity to Prescribe Appropriate Treatment

• Soil Properties and Interpretations - Module 17: Soil Salinity and Sodicity

  • The Soil Properties and Interpretations training is designed for use in the states to train soil conservationists, soil properties engineers, soil scientists, technicians, and other specialists as a basic introduction to different soil properties, site properties, and interpretations. This training includes content and activities that provide participants ways they will use and apply soil survey information to their jobs. The training is a self-study, self-paced series of standalone modules that may be taken in any order. We recommend employees at a minimum take those modules relevant to the region of the county where they work. The goal of this module is to increase your awareness of soil salinity and sodicity.

Practice Specific Training

• Tech Talk: Critical Area Planting

  • Tech Talk replay from April 6, 2020. Kelly Voigt reviews the PS342 Critical Area Planting Implementation Requirements and examples.

• Tech Talk: Seeding Calculator Workbook

  • Eric Anderson, NRCS Area Resource Conservationist demonstrates how to use the Conservation Seeding Calculator workbook to either develop a seeding plan or complete a checkout on a planting. He also shows new updates that have been made to the workbook including corrections to errors on the 342 Critical Area Planting tab and the new functionality to do seeding checkouts that document whether an applied seeding meets or does not meet practice specifications.

• Tech Talk: Seed Calculator Revisions

  • The new version of the seeding spreadsheet has the ability to do seeding checkouts based on seed tags listing a Pure Live Seed (PLS) applied column. This method streamlines the checkout data entry to just one number per species. The spreadsheet still accommodates doing a checkout with a seed tag using the traditional purity and germination data entries. It also provides for a two step process whereby a seed tag utilizing purity and germ data can be combined with a PLS style tag to get a single efficient printout to document the seeding meets standards and specs. All species included in the calculator can now be brought into a seed mix using a reference number assigned to that species. The reference number will bring in the data used for that species in mix evaluation, such as seeds per pound, bloom period and etc. The use of the reference number will streamline the process of customizing a mix.

Note: For Streambank and Shoreline Critical Area Plantings that use plugs, please refer to Biology Tech Note #14: Shoreland Habitat Restoration