How to Write a Wildlife Management Plan

Landowners have diverse goals for their forested land. Some dream of creating thriving wildlife habitats. Others want to sell timber or use their land for recreation. Whatever your goals are, a forest management plan will help you keep your forested land productive, healthy and sustainable.

There are many reasons why it is helpful to have a forest management plan for your property.

Primarily, a forest management plan helps you:

1. Understand and organize the resources on your property.
2. Consider what you might do on your property to improve its condition.
3. Save time and money, and avoid costly mistakes that may not be correctable.
4. Organize your business records and keep track of activities on your property.
5. Communicate with others who use the property or who may be caring for it in the future.

Creating a forest management plan is free, and GFC can help.

GFC’s 40+ field foresters help landowners develop custom management plans at no charge. Our foresters:

• provide general advice on all forest management topics, like timber harvesting, forest health and reforestation
• provide help with prescribed burning (including burn plan development)
• give direction on implementing Best Management Practices for forestry activities
• provide a detailed management plan, known as a Forest Stewardship Plan

Ready to build your roadmap to success?

Start here. After you complete this form, GFC’s forest management team will contact you to get the ball rolling.

Find out what’s involved in creating a plan, giving you a structured way to organise the management of woodland.

If you are writing a woodland management plan with grant funding then you need to have your grant agreement in place before you start work on your plan.

A woodland management plan gives land managers a structured way to plan and organise the sustainable management of woodland to a common industry standard.

The UK Forestry Standard sets out the UK government’s approach to sustainable forestry and woodland management, including standards and requirements, regulations and monitoring, and reporting. It applies to all woodland and woodland operations, regardless of who owns or manages it.

Why create a management plan?

1. Creating a woodland management plan can demonstrate sustainable forest management and it supports the planning and implementation of work proposals and their long term monitoring.
2. Some grant schemes ask land managers to have an approved management plan in place prior to making an application.
3. The plan of operations which makes up part of the management plan means it is possible for land managers to plan for and be issued with a felling licence for up to 10 years of felling.

If you want to create a woodland plan, you should include all woodland on your property.

How to produce your plan

For woodland holdings over 3ha, you can develop a plan using the Forestry Commission’s full Woodland Plan template, the Plan of Operations template, and your own maps. A grant is available to help fund the production of a woodland plan (Countryside Stewardship option PA3), where the full Forestry Commission template is used.

Use the small woodland plan template (macro enabled) ( MS Word Document , 560KB ) template for woodland of an area less than 10 hectares – this is to apply for a felling licence, but is not eligible for funding to prepare a woodland management plan through Countryside Stewardship.

For non-FC woodland plan templates that don’t match the Forestry Commission’s woodland plan template in structure or composition, use this cover sheet ( MS Word Document , 36.5KB ) that states the UKFS criteria being assessed and provides a consistent framework for the Forestry Commission to review the plan. Non-FC woodland plan templates are not eligible for funding to prepare a woodland management plan through Countryside Stewardship.

Download and complete the full woodland management plan template (macro disabled file) ( MS Word Document , 1MB ) (for any size of woodland) using information about the woodland, its history, its previous management, structure and composition, risks and issues and how they will be addressed, and the proposed work you intend to undertake.

Download and complete the inventory and plan of operations. It sets out your woodland inventory and must relate directly to compartments and sub compartments shown on your map(s). The Plan of Operations also gathers information relating to felling and restocking and is necessary for issuing a felling licence. Use this version with various formulas ( MS Excel Spreadsheet , 1.19MB ) , which highlights where data entry errors exist on the worksheets so you can make corrections. Alternatively, you can use the version with no formulas ( MS Excel Spreadsheet , 341KB ) – it enables you to enter data more freely, but it has no error checking and we may have to return it to you for corrections.

Produce a map – they’re an excellent way to communicate information to support your management plan. Use several maps to show a variety of topics or themes affecting your woodland. You must ensure that each compartment you show on the map is reflected in the Inventory of the Plan of Operations. You can create a map by:

• submitting a map request to the Forestry Commission
• using myForest service
• using your own Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Submit your draft woodland management plan to the administrative hub covering your area. Make sure you include:

• a completed woodland management plan template
• an inventory and plan of operations
• a map
• a plan submission proforma ( MS Word Document , 16.3KB ) if you’re receiving funding from the Countryside Stewardship scheme

Administrative hub contact details

Contact the administrative hub, which covers your area, for more information.

Check if your woodland is designated or has special features

Designated areas or features should be indicated on one of the annotated maps within your plan. If a designation applies, please provide details.

Magic Map

Use Natural England’s ‘MAGIC’ map to check if your woodland is designated, for example, as an SSSI. You can also search for other features – such as scheduled monuments, priority habitats and species – and information such as Countryside Stewardship scheme details in your area.

The Land Information Search

The Forestry Commission’s Land Information Search (LIS) is another map-based tool that allows you to search for information about land designations or features that might already apply to your woodland. Examples of these features include:

• previous felling schemes
• grant schemes

Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) are protected by law to conserve their wildlife or geology so you must declare designations, as some require consent before you begin work on your proposed plans. If you fail to disclose any designations or features you may be acting illegally.

Examples of completed woodland management plans

You can view examples of completed woodland management plans below:

Authorise an agent to act on your behalf

If you choose to appoint an agent to develop your woodland management plan you must sign a form to give an agent authority to act for you when dealing with the Forestry Commission. You can submit this Forestry Commission agent authority form as part of your application for funding.

You’ll also need to set agent permission levels using the Rural Payments service to appoint an agent to act on your behalf if you’re applying for Countryside Stewardship funding.

Contact the Forestry Commission

Contact your local Woodland Officer for advice and guidance on completing a woodland plan, and potentially having a pre-draft site visit.

Guidelines for Qualification

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Guidelines for Qualification of Agricultural Land in Wildlife Management Use PDF

Rules and Standards

• A Handbook of Texas Property Tax Rules
• Legal Summary of Wildlife Management Use Appraisal
• Standards For Qualification Of Land For Appraisal Based On Wildlife Management Use
• Texas Administrative Code: Rules for Wildlife Management Use

Wildlife Appraisal Regions by County

Wildlife Management Planning Guidelines and Forms

The Comprehensive Wildlife Management Planning Guidelines for each ecoregion are provided below and are intended to assist landowners in preparing a wildlife management plan for ad valorem tax purposes.

Forms

• Wildlife Management Plan for agricultural tax valuation (PWD-885) PDF
• Wildlife Management Plan for agricultural tax valuation (PWD-885) WORD (fillable)
  Use this form to submit your wildlife management plan to your county Central Appraisal District. DO NOT send this form to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
• Wildlife Management Annual Report (PWD-888) PDF for county tax office.
• Wildlife Management Annual Report (PWD-888) WORD for county tax office. (fillable)
• Use this form to report your wildlife management activities, if required, to your county’s chief appraiser. This form is not intended for use by landowners who are either updating their wildlife management plans, or applying for the wildlife tax appraisal. DO NOT send this form to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Sign Up for Email Updates.

Your contact information is used to deliver requested updates or to access your subscriber preferences. Children under 13 years of age must have a parent/guardian’s consent before providing any personal information to the agency.

Having a written document like a management plan is crucial to improving the quality of your deer hunting property. Management plans allow you to record current property conditions and objectively evaluate them compared to your overall goals. This is important because as your efforts progress on the property over time, it allows you to look back at past conditions, see improvements, and make changes in your management strategies based on what has and has not worked in the past.

QDMA’s Quality Deer Management Plan template is available as a digital file that you can fill out. The first step is to customize the cover with a favorite photo, then include basic property information and objectives. Next, collect some helpful maps and insert them to accompany your plan. Then visit the property and evaluate all of its habitat features and record them as well. You are now ready to fill in the rest of the template using harvest and survey records. Be sure to utilize the numerous helpful weblinks we’ve included in each section and in the Additional Resources section at the end. When complete this document will paint a much clearer picture of where you have been and where you want to go. Remember, this Quality Deer Management Plan is only pertinent for the next 3-5 years, and may require amendments within that time frame. Good luck!

To get your free template just fill out the information below, click the “Get Your Free Template” button, and download the PDF. By providing your information you are giving your consent to receive emails from QDMA. You can withdraw your consent to receive emails from QDMA at anytime.

This joint management plan template allows landowners to use one management plan to participate in the American Tree Farm System, the Forest Stewardship Program and the NRCS incentive programs.

This national template is based on the Montana Forest Stewardship and Tree Farm management plan developed by Forestry Professor Dr. Peter Kolb of Montana State University. Learn more at the MSU forestry website.

States are encouraged to add their own state-specific requirements, programs and resources to this form. To implement the template, state forester and state conservationist will have to develop a process for landowners to apply for the programs.

Download management plans and guides:

Management Plan Addendum

The new ATFS Addendum is a tool for our Certified Tree Farmers, designed to help you review your management plans, reflect on your stewardship objectives, assess the current condition and health of your woods and ensure that your management plan meets the 2015-2020 Standards of Sustainability.

Based on a wide array of feedback that we received from you, our inspecting foresters and our state program leaders and volunteers, as well as insights gained in the third-party assessment process, we have made improvements from the previous Addendum. The new Addendum a better, more easy-to-use resource for you.

Use of the ATFS Addendum is not a program requirement or a requirement for every landowner. However we hope you will take some time to review the addendum and indicate your committment to sustainable forestry

Get Started

Learn more about the meaning of ATFS certification and how to get started.

Tools & Resources

ATFS provides the tools and information to help Tree Farmers and woodland owners keep forests healthy and productive.

Take Action

It is time to take action for the health of your forest. The power of the American Tree Farm System comes from its people.

SUBSCRIBE TO E-NEWSLETTER

ATFS is a program of the American Forest Foundation (AFF). Find out how we grow stewardship from the roots by signing up for AFF’s weekly e-newsletter.

Do you want to live your vision of success?

Do you want to accomplish your dreams? What do you want out of life?

How many of us want more, dream bigger, look for balance or advancement and are used to setting goals without them coming true?

If this is you, we would like to introduce you to a basic goal setting idea called SMART. Many consultants and coaches use this technique or approach to help clients realize their dreams by setting goals.

This acronym, SMART refers to the essential elements in goal setting that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic/Relevant and Time Framed. We want you to set your goals in a way that makes them well defined and clear.

If you follow these guidelines your chances of success will increase because you are using one of the most effective ways of formulating an action plan.

SMART goal setting can be applied for and within the creative process because we ask that you create a written plan.

In terms of coaching, SMART ask that you consider reasonable and measurable long and short-term objectives. You are held accountable!

SMART is a technique that adapts to your reality, your needs and your timeframe. You are the only person to know if your goal is SMART for you!! You can start by asking yourself what you want, and begin with a long-term, ‘by the end of the year’ type of statement.

Short-term goals follow: you can include, daily, weekly or monthly targets that will move you towards your reasonable goals.

This is your action plan; your road map.

And remember to be kind to yourself! SMART

SPECIFIC
Be Specific!!

A goal must be specific and not vague, “I’ll loose weight” versus “I’ll loose five pounds this month” Get detailed.

Clearly state what is to be achieved, by whom, where and when. IF necessary, state why the goal is important. Even if these questions may not apply to every goal, your task is to make your goal setting as clear as possible.

MEASURABLE
Make sure your goal is measurable!

A measurable goal provides concrete information, such as “I will present my product to three potential customers this week.”

Quantifying the results, making them concrete is a definitive way to measure your success! Also, pose the question of quantity – how much, how often, how many? Your milestones are your personal roadmap that keep you on track in achieving your goals.

ACHIEVABLE
BE achievable!

Your goals must be achievable and therefore reasonable and do-able, not just practical.

You want to set your self up to succeed. You or your group need to have a buy in; need to believe it’s possible. Consider the time factor and your available resources.

REALISTIC:
BE realistic!
BE relevant!

Honestly evaluate yourself and make sure you don’t over do it. For example, if you are considering making a presentation to 200 people next week but you have difficulties and lack practice in public speaking, you might want to get some training and practice under your belt.

Having an action plan and getting realistic about your limitations is part of goal achievement, You set a more realistic time frame and foundation in your action plan so that you can succeed!! What is more realistic for you? In this case you might consider starting with a small group of 4 and gradually increasing your comfort level.

Your goal must be relevant to what you want to achieve and in line with your personal vision, mission and purpose. Think long-term and short term goals!

TIME:
Have a Time Frame!!

Having a set amount of time gives your action plan structure, creates a sense of urgency and the impetus to act.

Talking about someday is not going to get you there, you need an end date, a deadline to measure and monitor your progress, to motivate you into action. Procrastination is a pitfall we are all too familiar with but deciding what you want to do and having an action plan will help you figure out the next steps. It is always better to have an action plan and to know what you need to do in order to get to where you want to be.

You can achieve and live a life of full potential!

• Ph.D., Wildlife Ecology, University of Maine
• M.A., Natural Resources, Humboldt State University
• B.S., Biology, Université du Québec à Rimouski

Are you a student tasked with writing a research paper on an environmental issue? These few tips, along with some hard and focused work, should get you most of the way there.

Find a Topic

Look for a topic that speaks to you, that grabs your attention. Alternatively, choose a topic about which you are genuinely interested in learning more. It will be a lot easier to spend time working on something of interest to you.

Here are some places you can find ideas for a paper:

• Here on About.com’s Environmental Issues site. Browse the front page to see if a topic grabs your attention, or go to more specific content hubs like these ones:
  • Global warming
  • Biodiversity
  • Deforestation
  • Fossil fuels
  • Water Pollution
  • Ecology
• The science or environment sections of major newspapers and news organizations will feature articles about current environmental news and events.
• Environmental news websites like Grist or Environmental News Network.

Conduct Research

Are you using internet resources? Make sure you can assess the quality of the information you find. This article from Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab is useful to help with assessing the quality of your sources.

Print resources are not to be neglected. Visit your school or city library, learn how to use their search engine, and talk to your librarian about accessing the resources available.

Are you expected to constrain your sources to primary literature? That body of knowledge consists of peer-reviewed articles published in scientific journals. Consult your librarian for help with accessing the proper databases to reach those articles.

Follow Instructions

Carefully read the handout or prompt given to you and which contains instructions about the assignment. Early in the process, make sure you choose a topic that will satisfy the assigned requirements. Once half-way through the paper, and once when it’s done, check it against the instructions to make sure you didn’t drift away from what was required.

Start With a Solid Structure

First craft a paper outline with your main ideas organized, and a thesis statement. A logical outline will make it easy to gradually flesh out ideas and eventually produce complete paragraphs with good transitions between them. Make sure all the sections serve the purpose of the paper outlined in the thesis statement.

After you have a good draft produced, put the paper down, and don’t pick it up until the next day. It’s due tomorrow? Next time, start working on it earlier. This break will help you with the editing stage: you need fresh eyes to read, and re-read your draft for flow, typos, and a myriad other little problems.

Pay Attention to Formatting

Along the way, check that you are following your teacher’s formatting instructions: font size, line spacing, margins, length, page numbers, title page, etc. A poorly formatted paper will suggest to your teacher that not only the form, but the content is of low quality as well.

Avoid Plagiarism

First, make sure you know what plagiarism is, you can then more easily avoid it. Pay especially close attention to properly attributing the work you cite.

Deer Management in Texas has changed dramatically in the past few years. With new and more diverse permits now available from Texas Parks & Wildlife (TPW), land managers have more flexibility now than ever before to improve the quality of their white-tailed deer population.

However, with more choices comes more potential for confusion.

I hope the following information will help you become more familiar with your options:

Whether you are a landowner, a land manager, or a hunter, the starting point for any wildlife management practice is the Wildlife Management Plan (WMP). The WMP indicates your goals, the status of the current population, the condition of the habitat, the current land management practices, and the history of the deer management. Many of the permits require a WMP prior to their issuance. (more information)

Deer Census

A portion of the WMP will include the status of the current population. Deer population censuses are vital to maintaining the density that you desire. Various census techniques can be used depending on location and habitat types. Certainly the most popular are Helicopter, Spotlight, and Video Census. (more information)

Landowners/ Land Managers wishing to have more flexibility in managing their deer population through traditional hunting measures can obtain an MLD. There are several l evels of MLD Permits that can allow you the flexibility of extended seasons, enhanced bag limits, and choice of weapons. (more information)

Landowners/ Land Managers who wish to manage their deer population with a specified number of individuals can obtain an ADC Permit. This permit allows for designate harvesters to remove a portion of the deer population. This permit is often used when a large number of animals are needed to be removed by a few individuals. (more information)

Trap & Transfer Permit (TTT)

Landowners/ Land Managers who wish to restock their ranch with native white-tailed deer or improve the genetics of their current white-tailed deer population can obtain a TTT permit . (more information)

Deer Breeder Permit (DBP)

Landowners who wish to own, breed, sell, or restock properties with privately owned white-tailed deer can obtain a DBP. Under this permit, a breeder actually owns the animals and can propagate, sell, or purchase these similar to other forms of livestock. Deer belonging to a permitted Deer Breeder belong to the individual, however, if released from the Breeder Facility, the deer enters into the state’s population and becomes property of the state of Texas. (more information)

Deer Management Permit (DMP)

Landowners who wish to pursue selective breeding as part of their white-tailed deer management can obtain a DMP. There are several levels of DMP’s that allow the permittee to detain deer in an enclosure for breeding purposes. This permit is often used when a landowner wishes to breed a deer owned under a Scientific Breeder Permit with deer belonging to the state of Texas. (more information)

Thomas Barwick / Getty Images

Has a student, volunteer, or employee asked if you would be willing to provide a recommendation letter for them? If you agreed to the recommendation letter request, you may be wondering exactly how to write a letter that will impress recipients.

Recommendations can carry weight in a job candidate’s application, so it’s important to write an effective letter of support.

Discover what elements to include in your note to make it successful, and see two sample recommendation letters that you can use for inspiration as you write your own recommendation letter.

The ‘Who, Why, Where, When, What, and How’ of Recommendation Writing

Effective recommendation letters contain the “Who, Why, Where, When, What, and How” that you may be familiar with from journalism. Modified for business correspondence, this means you should explain:

• Who you are writing for;
• Why you are willing to write on the person’s behalf;
• Where and When you worked with the person you’re recommending;
• What is so special about the person (his or her unique strengths); and
• How he or she demonstrated these special qualities to you.

The most powerful letters provide specific examples and descriptions of the talents and contributions of the person you’re recommending. Like any good piece of writing, these letters should “show” how an individual shines rather than just stating it.

1. Make a list of strengths. As you sit down to write your letter, think of what has impressed you about the person you are recommending. Try to come up with at least three unique strengths.
2. Provide examples of those strengths. Then, come up with specific examples of how the person displayed these characteristics. Is he, for example, reliable? If so, “how” has he demonstrated this – perfect attendance? Or, if she is detail-oriented, did she show this through her consistently error-free monthly reports?
3. Write your letter. This will be easier once you’ve generated examples of each of the individual’s strengths.

Sample Positive Recommendation Letters

Here is a sample letter demonstrating the “5W’s and How” at work in a positive letter of recommendation for a student. Download the letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Positive Recommendation Letter (Text Version)

Jane Evans
123 Main Street, Anytown, CA 12345 · 555-555-5555 · [email protected]

September 1, 2018

College Scholars Program
University of Tennessee
123 Business Rd.
Business City, NY 54321

To Whom It May Concern:

It is with much enthusiasm that I recommend Joe Bloom for inclusion in the College Scholars Program at the University of Tennessee.

I was Joe’s instructor for multiple English classes during his four years at Morristown-Hamblen High School, including AP English his junior year. In our classes, Joe displayed a level of creativity, wit, and analytical thought that is quite rare among high school students.

His writing and research skills are truly phenomenal – for his major essay project in AP English, he researched and wrote a remarkable study of visual imagery in the works of Edgar Allan Poe.

Joe’s wide-ranging intellect is such that he would be bored by most freshman- and sophomore-level Liberal Arts courses. He is ready to assume and excel in upper-division classwork, and possesses the self-motivation to successfully create and execute an independent course of honors study.

Joe’s academic strengths are complemented by his demonstrated leadership skills – he was our band’s drum major for two years and served as Vice President of the Student Council and Editor of our high school yearbook. He is also very active in his church and in the Sierra Student Coalition.

Please let me know if I can provide any more information to strengthen Joe’s candidacy for the College Scholars Program.

He has a very special spark, and I trust he will go far in making our world a better place.

Jane Evans (signature hard copy letter)

Professional Reference Letter Sample

John Smith
123 Main Street, Anytown, CA 12345 · 555-555-5555 · [email protected]

September 1, 2018

ZBS Community Hospital
123 Business Rd.
Business City, NY 54321

To Whom It May Concern:

Kathleen Doe volunteered for four years in the Women’s Health ward at ZBD Community Hospital, where I am head nurse. During this time, she was a dependable volunteer who never missed a shift.

Kathleen was an asset to the hospital. She was always cheerful and willing to assist with any task. In addition, Kathleen was motivated and interested in learning. To this end, she often accompanied our care teams on their rounds so that she knew the status and needs of each individual patient.

Kathleen is relocating due to family circumstances, and, unfortunately, we will no longer be lucky enough to have her services.

She will be missed and I highly recommend her to any future employer or volunteer organization.

The Australian Government Minister for the Environment may make or adopt and implement recovery plans for threatened fauna, threatened flora (other than conservation dependent species) and threatened ecological communities listed under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

Recovery plans set out the research and management actions necessary to stop the decline of, and support the recovery of, listed threatened species or threatened ecological communities. The aim of a recovery plan is to maximise the long term survival in the wild of a threatened species or ecological community.

Recovery plans should state what must be done to protect and restore important populations of threatened species and habitat, as well as how to manage and reduce threatening processes. Recovery plans achieve this aim by providing a planned and logical framework for key interest groups and responsible government agencies to coordinate their work to improve the plight of threatened species and/or ecological communities.

Making or adopting a recovery plan

Recovery plan guidelines have been developed to provide information on how to go about preparing a recovery plan and explaining the content requirements for a recovery plan.

Before making a recovery plan for a listed threatened species or listed threatened ecological community, the Minister must:

• consult with the appropriate Minister of each state and territory in which the species or ecological community occurs
• consider advice from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee
• invite public comment on the proposed plan
• consider all comments received

The Minister may also adopt a recovery plan made by a state or territory provided that it meets the requirements for adoption under the EPBC Act.

• Steps in adopting a recovery plan

More information

For a comprehensive understanding of the provisions relating to nomination and listing, you should refer to:

For general information about threatened species and threatened ecological communities contact the Department’s Community Information Unit

What are environmental management plans used for?

Environmental management plans are increasingly important documents for construction and site based companies. As the planet becomes an increasingly important component of project delivery to almost all stakeholders, so does environmental management become increasingly important for your company and projects.

In order to meet the increasing pressure and scrutiny on environmental practices, companies are turning to their environmental strategy and documents. At the core of this project specific strategy and continuous environmental improvement mantra are environmental management plans.

The premise of these plans is to provide companies with a period of time and conscious thought where they can put their heads together and come up with a good environmental plan.

The purpose of this environmental management plan is to describe and outline and this specific project will ideally avoid but at least mitigate its effects on the surrounding areas and overall environment.

What’s in this outline and description? That depends on the structure the company has used in the past as well as the scope of their project work. A contractor with a large scale mega project will need to be meticulous in their environmental plan whereas a smaller subcontractor will only have to address their smaller but potentially still tangible impact.

The questions and document fields will remain largely the same for most companies, but the body of the project specific plan will vary depending on the which legislative requirements, policies, and environmental standards the project is being held to. This will inform the measures the company outlines in the plan – as well as the implementation of the plan too.

An example environmental management plan for construction and industrial projects

When preparing your environmental plan framework or template, and when documenting it and working on it, it’s important to remember the purpose of what you are doing – both from an internal and external perspective.

Some of the reasons for this document are precautionary and protectionairy:

• Highlight stakeholder requirements to ensure you are falling in line with the expectations of all stakeholders and preserving your own reputation
• Ensure that your development and works are compliant with current environmental legislation (so you don’t get in trouble)

While other reasons are process and operations based:

• Detail how your actual processes will be implemented to enable you to reach the goals and requirements set out in the plan
• Describe site specific methods statements which will be required

While finally, the plan is intended to help ensure the environment is protected – and to mitigate the effects of your work on a fragile environment.

You can preview the entire environmental management plan example below by hovering over the document and clicking the button. Open the document and flick through the pages, observing key sections about the scope of works, the environmental controls put in place and how these plans and implementations will be communicated.