Guidelines for Managing Vegetation on Earth-Covered Magazines Within the U.S.Army Materiel Command

摘要

The purpose of these guidelines is to assist land managers in establishing andmaintaining vegetation on earth-covered magazines (ECMs) in a safe, efficient and cost-effective manner. Although the vegetation management procedures discussed here are intended primarily for conventional storage ECMs, not those used for special weapons, many of the general procedures and principles presented apply to both types. In humid areas a healthy vegetative cover on ECMs is the primary factor in maintaining the stable soil cover that is required to meet safety standards. Thus, a vegetation management planning process is presented that assists land managers in defining management goals, assessing climatic and soil factors and evaluating vegetation options. Specific methods and procedures that have proven successful for maintaining and re-establishing an effective vegetation cover are outlined. Other methods used to stabilize the ECM soil cover in dry climates, where cost-effective maintenance of vegetation can be difficult to impossible, are briefly discussed as well.