Montour Preserve, Montour County, Pennsylvania
The Montour Environmental Preserve includes 5,000 acres surrounding a central-Pennsylvania power plant operated by Pennsylvania Power & Light. In 2008, volunteers with Woodcock Limited of Pennsylvania worked alongside Pennsylvania Game Commission employees to plant 3,000 aspen and alder seedlings on 3 acres of old-field habitat. Woodcock singing ground circles are mowed each year, and PP&L and its partners are moving ahead with a project to suppress invasive shrubs while creating many more acres of woodcock feeding and brood-rearing habitat. Partners: Pennsylvania Power and Light, Woodcock Limited of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Game Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Wildlife Management Institute.
Barron Tract, Somerset County, Pennsylvania
In 2008 the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy conveyed timber rights on this 2,300-acre property in Somerset County, southwestern Pennsylvania, to the Ruffed Grouse Society. RGS is working with Appalachian Forestry Consultants to develop a cutting plan that, over the next 15 years, will create hundreds of acres of young-forest habitat. After the timber is harvested and saplings begin to push up, relatively flat areas at higher elevations will see use as feeding habitat by migrating woodcock, while lower-elevation sites along Sandy Run and Laurel Hill Creek will provide nesting and brood-rearing habitat. Cutting began during winter 2008-2009. The tract is part of the Forbes State Forest. Partners: Ruffed Grouse Society, Richard King Mellon Foundation, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Wildlife Management Institute.
Nescopeck State Park, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
This northeastern Pennsylvania park’s 3,550 acres include fallow fields, wet meadows, mature forest, and 200 acres of high-quality wetlands along Nescopeck Creek. Hunting is permitted in the park, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission gives habitat management advice. Parts of the park have traditionally been managed as woodcock habitat. Volunteers and Game Commission workers are cutting out invasive shrubs (mainly honeysuckle and autumn olive) on 73 acres of reverting fields, while sparing native shrubs such as hawthorns and crabapples to encourage their growth and expansion. Partners: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation of Natural Resources (Bureau of State Parks), Pennsylvania Game Commission, Natural Resources Conservation Service (Wildlife Habitat Improvement Project funding), National Wild Turkey Federation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Wildlife Management Institute.
State Game Lands 252, Lycoming and Union Counties, Pennsylvania
This 3,018-acre parcel is managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. It lies about 3 miles west of the Susquehanna River; soils are deep and moist, and the area is currently being used by woodcock. The Game Commission has designated SGL 252 as an early successional habitat demonstration area, with woodcock a focal species. Using mechanical means and herbicides, land managers are removing invasive shrubs, particularly honeysuckle. When the non-native species are under control, managers plan to begin logging operations and will seed areas with aspen to create young-forest habitat beneficial to woodcock and other wildlife. Partners: Pennsylvania Game Commission, Natural Resources Conservation Service (Wildlife Habitat Improvement Project funding), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Wildlife Management Institute.
Aelred Geis Memorial Woodcock Habitat Demonstration Area, Mt. Nebo Wildlife Management Area, Garret County, Maryland
This 1,863-acre management area, north of Oakland in western Maryland, includes a 130-acre wetlands complex with open glades and extensive alder stands surrounded by forest. Mt. Nebo also has around 50 acres of old fields growing up with hawthorn, viburnums, and gray-stemmed and silky dogwood. Managers in the Maryland Department of Natural Resources have planted apple trees and begun cutting aspen to renew and expand aspen stands. They will also maintain grassy openings for woodcock roosting and courtship activities, and will cut back mature alders to spur the healthy regrowth of those key shrubs. About 400 acres on six management units will be managed to provide the shrubby young-forest habitat needed by woodcock, ruffed grouse, alder flycatchers, golden-winged warblers, and other wildlife. Partners: Aelred Geis Estate, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Ruffed Grouse Society, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Wildlife Management Institute.
Wallace Tract, Bath County, Virginia
The Wallace Tract is in the George Washington National Forest along the Cowpasture River in western Virginia. Four old fields contain about 170 acres of open land growing up in hawthorn, buttonbrush, St. Johnswort, wild crabapple, and autumn olive. Much of the area is already prime woodcock habitat. To improve the tract for woodcock and other wildlife, managers will plug tiles currently draining parts of the fields; break up thick sod to open the soil for native shrubs; plant shrubs including alder, buttonbrush, and silky dogwood; and conduct logging operations to create young forest. Ruffed grouse, golden-winged warblers, and wild turkeys will benefit, along with amphibians that will breed in vernal pools that should form in restored wetlands. Partners: Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, U.S. Forest Service, Ruffed Grouse Society, National Wild Turkey Federation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Wildlife Management Institute.
Crooked Creek Wildlife Management Area, Carroll County, Virginia
This 1,796-acre property is owned and managed by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Crooked Creek WMA is in the gently rolling mountains of southwestern Virginia at an elevation of 2,400 to 3,000 feet above sea level. The tract was formerly farmland, with several old homesites on the property. Forested areas are mainly mixed hardwoods with scattered white pine stands and rhododendron thickets bordering streams. Open areas are abandoned pasture. Land managers will preserve and potentially expand a wetland area; maintain and improve grassy openings as singing and roosting habitats; and increase the acreages of shrubs to provide feeding and nesting cover for woodcock. Partners: Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Wildlife Management Institute.
Maurice K. Goddard State Park and State Game Lands 270, Mercer County, Pennsylvania
Goddard State Park has abundant wetlands and old fields bordering 1,860-acre Lake Wilhelm. WMI biologists are setting up a rotation of cuts on approximately 103 acres. One goal for 2010 is to rejuvenate 10 acres of abandoned farmland where trees and shrubs are getting too mature. Here, 100-foot-wide serpentine strip cuts will extend from wet areas near the lake to drier ground up the slope. Skid-loader-mounted mulchers and tree shears will cut vegetation; herbicides will be used to suppress invasives; and managers will plant native trees and shrubs. Openings will be maintained as singing grounds for woodcock and foraging areas for bluebirds and purple martins. State Game Lands 270 adjoins Goddard Park to the west. On SGL 270, managers planted 20 acres of former agricultural land with native shrubs in 2009, and another 15 acres are scheduled for planting in 2011. Partners: Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Game Commission, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California University of Pennsylvania, U.S. Geological Survey, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Wildlife Management Institute.
