Special Section: Rural Living Handbook

Resource Management Plans

There is a lot to know about owning and managing land and you’ll need to know even more if you’re raising livestock. With a little time, some knowledge and a modest amount of money, you can have a place in the country of which you can be proud, while protecting Jackson County’s natural resources.

Management Plans

A Management Plan is the first step to successful land and natural resource management. It is easy to design, starting by simply spending time on the property you propose to buy, looking around, making a sketch and taking notes on property boundaries, fences and corrals, buildings, wells, septic system, water sources, bare ground, roads and d riveways, soil type, weeds, lawns and gardens, pasture and cropland, trees and shrubs, soil type, land uses, weeds, and topography.

Next define your management objectives. Visualize how the land will be used then how it should look. Decide what is important, what to avoid and what you want from the resources on your property. A management plan will address the objectives that you outline and define.

Remember to be aware of how the plan fits in with other land uses in the neighborhood. Also, even if your plan does not make many alterations to the existing use of the land, you will need to plan to keep weeds from becoming too invasive.

For Help Developing Your Management Plan

The Jackson County OSU Extension Office is a source of much information on a variety of things associated with livestock, crops, landscaping, lawns, gardens, buildings, pest management and other subjects.

The Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District and the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has staff that can assist you in developing forestry, range, farm, wildlife and wetland management plans. In addition, NRCS administers a number of cost share programs to provide assistance with irrigation system improvements, wildlife habitat improvements and forestry improvements. The Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District can assist in acquiring grants and financial aid to fund improvements.