Spring brings with it woodland flowers, songbirds and questions regarding aquatic vegetation management. Aquatic plants are not all bad though. They produce the majority of dissolved oxygen for use by fish and other aquatic animals, and provide escape cover for young fish. As a rule of thumb, a pond supporting a population of fish should have aquatic plants covering 20 percent of the surface area, while coverage above this level can cause management problems.

However, to say that Aquatic vegetation management can be complicated might be an understatement. The first complication arises from the fact that the other living organisms in your pond require oxygen and shelter which comes from vegetation. Therefore an approach that removes all plant life may have a negative effect. For example when all the rooted submerged vegetation is removed in the spring, young fish have little shelter to escape from larger predator fish and therefore reproduction in the pond is minimized. Additionally, nutrients are cycled and are available for algae, microscopic and filamentous, to grow in the later parts of the summer which turn the pond green in color.

Fish populations in ponds are also challenging to manage. Is your pond's fish population in balance or healthy? A balanced population might be one that has adequate predator fish to keep smaller fish from becoming overpopulated. A healthy fish population might be one where the fish are well muscled, not skinny. Your pond could have healthy fish and a balanced population of bass and bluegill and still not achieve your goal to produce trophy sized largemouth bass.

On March 31^st you can learn more about managing fish populations and vegetation at the University of Illinois Champaign Extension Unit office. The free workshop will run from 6:30 pm until 8:00 pm. Illinois Department of Natural Resources fisheries biologist Mike Garthaus will address the previously mentioned topics, and I will be addressing wildlife nuisance management, pond safety, fish parasites and fish consumption. The Champaign County Soil and Water Conservation District is co-sponsoring the event. Preregistration is requested, and to register call the University of Illinois Champaign Extension Unit at 333-7672.

Another spring activity to consider is developing a forest management plan. You can learn about this process by attending a forest management workshop at Lake of the Woods, Elks Pavilion on March 28^th. Participants will learn about the components of a forest management plan beginning with the identification of landowner's goals and objectives and how to conduct a forest inventory. Additional topics included in the workshop will include intermediate stand management, woodland wildlife management, and invasive and exotic species identification and control.

With the passage of Senate Bill 17 and the creation of the Conservation Stewardship Program, forest management planning has become even more important. This new program encourages landowners to maintain and protect natural resources on unimproved land, and offers the incentive of reduced valuation for property taxes. Landowners who wish to receive the special valuation are required to prepare a Conservation Management Plan.

The Wabash Valley, Lincoln Heritage, and Post Oak Flats Resource Conservation and Development Councils (RC&D) are hosting this Forest Management Planning Workshop from 8:30am – 3:00pm. The registration deadline is March 25^th. There is a $20 registration fee, which includes refreshments, lunch, and materials. For more information or to register call the Wabash Valley RC&D office at 618/943-2621, ext. 4.