The original LCTA (Land Condition Trend Analysis) protocols attempted to standardized field procedures for monitoring animal and plant communities across habitat types and installations.  The LCTA small mammal protocol included using different trap types and sizes placed along two lines covering an area (0.18 ha) that was different from the sampling unit used for birds (5.2 ha) and vegetation (0.001 ha).  Our goal was to make datasets more comparable and simplify interpretation of results for grasslands.  We focused on evaluating field protocols for monitoring small mammal and plant diversity based on 1-hectare sampling units. Various combinations of trap station density (9-144), traps per station (1-2), bait type (peanut butter, rat chow, and sunflower seeds), length of trapping period (4 vs. 8 days), and seasons (winter, spring, summer, and fall) were evaluated.  We determined that estimating species richness was most efficiently achieved with traps spaced 9.1 m apart, baited with sunflower seeds, and checked for 4 days in the fall without marking individual animals.  Lower density of trap stations (> 9.1 m spacing) required longer trapping sessions and therefore more personnel time per plot than warranted for long-term monitoring to determine trends.  We recommend determining species richness of small mammals, but not estimating abundance or indices of diversity or evenness requiring abundance estimates.