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COJDi'IC'; !'LASS SCGRECAF.D The presence or absence of grass and grass-like plants is a much stronger indication of relative condition than the occurrence of weed or browse species. Likewise, grass and grass-like plants furnish the bulk of the forage and exert the greatest influence in maintaining site conditions favorable tp maximum production. Therefore, for our purposes in using this scorecard, it is necessary to consider the occurrence of crass and crass-like species as the basis for judging range condition. Ordinarily the better forb and browse species will be present in the good and excellent conditions and will be replaced by less desirable species in the lower condition classes. CO'IDITION STANDARDS Determine the range condition class by evaluating both the vegetation and the soil stability. Whichever rating is the lower determines the overall condition class for the type or site- VEGETATION CO!IDITION CLASS The vegetation condition class is obtained in two steps: (1) by rating "forage density and composition," and (2) by rating "vigor." Determine the "forage density and composition rating" directly from the number .of transect hits on foraoe plants (DESIRABLES AND INTER- MEDIATES). .However, in order to qualify or rate in the excellent er good classes, a certain number of the forage hits must be on DESIRABLES. Forage Hits Per Transect Ratin Over 45 (30 or more hits must be on DESIRABLES) Excellent 36-45 (15 or more hits must be on DESIRABLES) Good 26-35 Fair 13-25 Poor 0-12 Very Poor The relative position within the class (i.e. high, medium or low) will be determined by the relative number of forage hits. For exzmple, 27.forage hits per transect would rate low fair (fair-). Vigor The above rating must be adjusted according to the vieor,.which is rated.bv comparing averzee maximum heicht or leaf length of 10 ungrazed plants with locally developed standards for optimum vigor. • -5-