Summary of Conservation Practices Used in Hawaii
Practice Name /Definition
/ Purpose / Conditions Where Practice AppliesAccess Road (560) / A travel-way for equipment and vehicles constructed as part of a conservation plan. / To provide a fixed route for vehicular travel for resource activities involving the management of timber, livestock, agriculture, wildlife habitat, and other conservation enterprises while protecting the soil, water, fish, wildlife, and other adjacent natural resources. / Where access is needed from a private or public road or highway to a land use enterprise or conservation measure, or where travel ways are needed in a planned land use area.
Access roads range from seasonal use roads, designed for low speed and rough driving conditions, to all-weather roads heavily used by the public and designed with safety as a high priority. Some roads are only constructed for a single purpose; i.e. control of forest fires, logging and forest management activities, access to remote recreation areas, or access for maintenance of facilities.
Animal Trails and Walkways (575) / A travel facility for livestock and/or wildlife to provide movement through difficult or ecologically sensitive terrain. / This practice may be applied as part of a conservation management system to accomplish one or more of the following purposes:
- Provide or improve access to forage, water and/or shelter.
- Improve grazing efficiency and distribution.
- Divert travel away from ecologically sensitive and/or erosive sites.
Brush Management (314) / Removal, reduction, or manipulation of non- herbaceous plants. / This practice may be applied as part of a conservation management system to accomplish one or more of the following purposes:
- Restore natural plant community balance.
- Create the desired plant community.
- Reduce competition for space, moisture and sunlight between desired and unwanted plants.
- Manage noxious woody plants.
- Restore desired vegetative cover to protect soils, control erosion, reduce sediment, improve water quality and enhance stream flow.
- Maintain or enhance wildlife habitat including that associated with threatened and endangered species.
- Improve forage accessibility, quality and quantity for livestock.
- Protect life and property from wildfire hazards.
- Improve visibility and access for handling livestock.
Composting Facility (317) / This is a treatment component of an agricultural management system for the biological stabilization of organic material. / To reduce the pollution potential of organic agricultural wastes to surface and ground water. / This practice applies where:
- Organic waste material is generated by agricultural production or processing;
- A composting facility is a component of a planned agricultural waste management system; and,
- A composting facility can be constructed, operated and maintained without polluting air and/or water resources.
Practice Name /
Definition
/ Purpose / Conditions Where Practice AppliesConservation Cover (327) / Establishing and maintaining permanent vegetative cover to protect soil and water resources. /
- Reduce soil erosion and sedimentation.
- Improve water quality.
- Enhance wildlife habitat.
This practice does not apply to plantings for forage production or to critical area plantings.
Conservation Crop Rotation (328) / Growing crops in a recurring sequence on the same field. / This practice may be applied as part of a conservation management system to support one or more of the following:
•Reduce sheet and rill erosion.
•Reduce soil erosion from wind.
•Maintain or improve soil organic matter content.
•Manage the balance of plant nutrients.
•Improve water use efficiency.
•Manage saline seeps.
•Manage plant pests (weeds, insects, and diseases).
•Provide food for domestic livestock.
•Provide food and cover for wildlife. / This practice applies to all land where crops are grown, except:
This standard does not apply to pastureland, hayland, or other land uses where crops are grown occasionally only to facilitate renovation or re-establishment of perennial vegetation.
Contour Farming (330) / Tillage, planting, and other farming operations performed on or near the contour of the field slope. /
- To reduce sheet and rill erosion.
- To reduce transport of sediment and other water-borne contaminants.
Contour farming is most effective on slopes between 2 and 10 percent. This practice will be less effective in achieving the stated purpose(s) on slopes exceeding 10 percent and in areas with 10-year-frequency, single storm EI values greater than 140. The practice is not well suited to rolling topography having a high degree of slope irregularity because of the difficulty meeting row grade criteria. (EI = total storm energy times the maximum 30-minute intensity).
Contour Orchard and Other Fruit Area (331) / Planting orchards, vineyards, or small fruits so that all cultural operations are done on the contour. / To reduce soil and water loss, to better control and use water, and to operate farm equipment more easily. / On sloping land where soil and water losses need to be controlled, especially if a permanent cover is not established.
Cover Crop (340) / Grasses, legumes, forbs, or other herbaceous plants established for seasonal cover and conservation purposes. /
- Reduce erosion from wind and water
- Increase soil organic matter
- Manage excess nutrients in the soil profile
- Promote biological nitrogen fixation
- Increase bio-diversity
- Weed suppression
- Provide supplemental forage
- Soil moisture management
Practice Name /
Definition
/ Purpose / Conditions Where Practice AppliesCritical Area Planting (342) / Planting vegetation, such as trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, or legumes, on highly erodible or critically eroding areas (does not include tree planting mainly for wood products). / To stabilize the soil, reduce damage from sediment and runoff to downstream areas, and improve wildlife habitat and visual resources. / On highly erodible or critically eroding areas. These areas usually cannot be stabilized by ordinary conservation treatment and management and if left untreated can cause severe erosion or sediment damage. Examples of applicable areas are dams, dikes, mine spoil, levees, cuts, fills, surface-mined areas, and denuded or gullied areas where vegetation is difficult to establish by usual planting methods.
Cross Wind Stripcropping (589B) / Growing crops in strips established across the prevailing wind erosion direction, and arranged so that strips susceptible to wind erosion are alternated with strips having a protective cover that is resistant to wind erosion. / This practice may be applied as part of a conservation management system to support one or both of the following:
•Reduce soil erosion from wind.
•Protect growing crops from damage by wind-borne soil particles. / This practice applies to cropland, or other land where crops are grown.
Cross Wind Trap Strips (589C) / Herbaceous cover resistant to wind erosion established in one or more strips across the prevailing wind erosion direction. / This practice may be applied as part of a conservation management system to support one or more of the following:
- Reduce soil erosion from wind.
- Induce deposition and reduce transport of wind-borne sediment and sediment-borne contaminants downwind.
- Protect growing crops from damage by wind-borne soil particles.
- Provide food and cover for wildlife.
This standard includes the location of cross wind trap strips and their management for identified uses. Criteria for the establishment of perennial herbaceous vegetation are in practice standards for establishing permanent vegetation, or in other places in the Field Office Technical Guide. Refer to locally accepted university or extension agronomy guides, or other accepted technical references for criteria to establish annual herbaceous vegetation.
Dam (402) / An artificial barrier that can impound waterfor one or more beneficial purposes. /
- Reduce downstream flood damage.
- Provide permanent water storage for one or more beneficial uses such as irrigation or livestock supply, fire control, municipal or industrial uses, orrecreational uses.
- Create or improve habitat for fish and wildlife.
- Topographic, geologic, hydrologic and soil conditions at the proposed site are satisfactory for constructing a dam and reservoir.
- The watershed is protected from erosion to the extent that the sediment yield will not significantly shorten the planned life of the reservoir.
- Water is available in sufficient quantity and adequate quality to satisfy the intended purposes.
Deep Tillage (324) / Performing tillage operations below the normal tillage depth to modify the physical or chemical properties of a soil. / This practice may be applied as part of a conservation management system to support one or more of the following:
- Fracture restrictive soil layers.
- Bury or mix soil deposits from wind or water erosion or flood overwash.
- Reduce concentration of soil contaminants, which inhibit plant growth.
This standard includes tillage operations commonly referred to as deep plowing, subsoiling, ripping, or row-till, performed from time to time below the normal tillage depth.
Practice Name /
Definition
/ Purpose / Conditions Where Practice AppliesDike (356) / An embankment constructed of earth or other suitable materials to protect land against overflow or to regulate water. / To permit improvement of agricultural land by preventing overflow and better use of drainage facilities, to prevent damage to land and property, and to facilitate water storage and control in connection with wildlife and other developments. Dikes can also be used to protect natural areas, scenic features, and archaeological sites from damage. / Class I dikes are those constructed on sites where:
1. Failure may cause loss of life or serious damage to homes, industrial and commercial buildings, important public utilities, or main highways and high value land, crops, or other improvements.
2. Unusual or complex site conditions require special construction procedures to ensure satisfactory installations.
3. Protection is needed to withstand more than 12 ft. (3.7m) of water above normal ground surface exclusive of crossings of sloughs, old channels, or low areas.
Class II dikes are those constructed in highly developed and productive agricultural areas where:
1. Failure may damage isolated homes, highways, or cause interruption in service of relatively important public utilities.
- The maximum design water stage against the dike is 12 ft. (3.7m).
1. The maximum design water stage against the dike is:
Mineral soils - 6 ft. (1.8m)
Organic soils - 4 ft. (1.4m)
(Exclude channels, sloughs, swales, and gullies in determining the design water stage.)
2. Damages likely to occur from dike failure are minimal.
Diversion (362) / A channel constructed across the slope generally with a supporting ridge on the lower side. /
- This practice may be applied as part of a resource management system to support one or more of the following purposes.
- Break up concentrations of water on long slopes, on undulating land surfaces, and on land that is generally considered too flat or irregular for terracing.
- Divert water away from farmsteads, agricultural waste systems, and other improvements.
- Collect or direct water for water-spreading or -harvesting systems.
- Increase or decrease the drainage area above ponds.
- Protect terrace systems by diverting water from the top terrace where topography, land use, or land ownership prevents terracing the land above.
- Intercept surface and shallow subsurface flow.
- Reduce runoff damages from upland runoff.
- Reduce erosion and runoff on urban or developing areas and at construction or mining sites.
- Divert water away from active gullies or critically eroding areas.
- Supplement water management on conservation cropping or stripcropping systems.
Diversions shall not be substituted for terraces on land requiring terracing for erosion control.
The State Conservation Engineer shall be notified if there is a threat to loss of life or high property value, before the start of planning or design.
Practice Name /
Definition
/ Purpose / Conditions Where Practice AppliesFence (382) / A constructed barrier to livestock, wildlife or people. / This practice may be applied as part of a conservation management system to facilitate the application of conservation practices that treat the soil, water, air, plant animal and human resource concerns. / This practice may be applied on any area where livestock and/or wildlife control is needed, or where access to people is to be regulated. Fences are not needed where natural barriers will serve the purpose.
Filter Strip (393) / A strip or area of herbaceous vegetation situated between cropland, grazing land, or disturbed land (including forest land) and environmentally sensitive areas. / •To reduce sediment, particulate organics, and sediment adsorbed contaminant loadings in runoff
•To reduce dissolved contaminant loadings in runoff
•To serve as Zone 3 of a Riparian Forest Buffer, Practice Standard 391
•To reduce sediment, particulate organics, and sediment adsorbed contaminant loadings in surface irrigation tailwater
•To restore, create or enhance herbaceous habitat for wildlife and beneficial insects.
•To maintain or enhance watershed functions and values. / This practice applies (1) in areas situated below cropland, grazing land, or disturbed land (including forest land) (2) where sediment, particulate organic matter and/or dissolved contaminants may leave these areas and are entering environmentally sensitive areas; (3) in areas where permanent vegetative establishment is needed to enhance wildlife and beneficial insects, or maintain or enhance watershed function. This practice applies when planned as part of a conservation management system.
Firebreak (394) / A strip of bare land or vegetation that retards fire. /
- To prevent the spread of wildfire.
- To control prescribed burns.
Forest Site Preparation (490) / Treating areas to improve site conditions for establishing a forest. /
- Encourage natural regeneration of desirable woody plants.
- Permit artificial establishment of woody plants.
Forest Stand Improvement (666) / The manipulation of species composition, stand structure, and stocking by cutting or killing selected trees and understory vegetation. /
- To increase the quantity and quality of forest products, e.g., sawtimber, veneer, wood fiber, poles, pilings, maple syrup, naval stores, nuts and fruits.
- To harvest forest products.
- To initiate forest stand regeneration.
- To reduce the potential of damage from wildfire, pests, and moisture stress.
- To restore natural plant communities.
- To achieve a desired understory plant community.
- To improve aesthetic, recreation, and open space values.
- To improve wildlife habitat.
- To improve water conservation and yield.
- To achieve a desired level of crop tree stocking and density.
- To increase carbon storage in selected crop trees.
Practice Name /
Definition
/ Purpose / Conditions Where Practice AppliesGrade Stabilization Structure (410) / A structure used to control the grade and head cutting in natural or artificial channels. / To stabilize the grade and control erosion in natural or artificial channels, to prevent the formation or advance of gullies, and to enhance environmental quality and reduce pollution hazards. / In areas where the concentration and flow velocity of water require structures to stabilize the grade in channels or to control gully erosion. Special attention shall be given to maintaining or improving habitat for fish and wildlife where applicable.
Grassed Waterway (412) / A natural or constructed channel that is shaped or graded to required dimensions and established with suitable vegetation. / This practice may be applied as part of a conservation management system to support one or more of the following purposes:
- to convey runoff from terraces, diversions, or other water concentrations without causing erosion or flooding
- to reduce gully erosion
- to protect/improve water quality.
This standard applies to natural or constructed channels. Grassed waterways with stone centers, completely stoned, and nonvegetated waterways are also included.
Grazing Land Mechanical Treatment (548) / Modifying physical soil and/or plant conditions with mechanical tools by treatments such as; pitting, contour furrowing, and ripping or sub-soiling. / This practice should be applied as part of a conservation management system to support one or more of the following purposes:
- Fracture compacted soil layers and improve soil permeability.
- Reduce water runoff and increase infiltration.
- Break up sod bound conditions and thatch to increase plant vigor.
- Renovate and stimulate a plant community for greater productivity and yield.
Heavy Use Area Protection (561) / The stabilization of areas frequently and intensively used by people, animals or vehicles by establishing vegetative cover, by surfacing with suitable materials, and/or by installing needed structures. / This practice may be used as a part of a conservation management system to support one or more of the following purposes.
- Reduce soil erosion
- Improve water quantity and quality
- Improve air quality
- Improve aesthetics
- Improve livestock health.
Hedgerow Planting (422) / Establishment of dense vegetation in a linear design to achieve a natural resource conservation purpose. / Providing at least one of the following conservation functions:
- Food, cover and corridors for terrestrial wildlife.
- Food and cover for aquatic organisms that live in watercourses with bank-full width less than 5 feet.
- Living fences
- Boundary delineation
- Contour guidelines
- Screens and barriers to noise and dust
- Improvement of landscape appearance
Practice Name /
Definition