Workshop at Duke Farms, February 20, 2013 Heather Gracie, SAF, CF - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Workshop at Duke Farms, February 20, 2013 Heather Gracie, SAF, CF Gracie & Harrigan Consulting Foresters, Inc. www.gracieharrigan.com

Who are we?  Established in the late 1970’s, the firm works with over 825 woodland properties throughout central and northern New Jersey by providing for:  Development of Forest Management Plans and Forest Stewardship Plans for private, non-profit, municipal, and State-owned lands  Forest Inventory and health assessment  Forest Stand Improvement (including non-native invasive plant control)  Forest Restoration (including non-native invasive plant control, and tree planting)  Wildlife/Riparian Habitat Protection and Restoration  Timber Management

Quality field data and analysis leads to… Predicting gypsy moth damage during the winter of 2007.

…meaningful projects with positive results! Client property Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco: 71 ½ acres exotic invasive plant control 5 acres forest stand improvement to improve forest regeneration 1 ¾ acres forest restoration (including deer exclusion fencing and tree planting) All funded through grant money in 2012.

Forest Restoration vs. The Invasive Plant Nightmare  Looking back over the last 20- 30 years… Inventory Assessments/Baseline Inventory  Non-Native, Invasive Plants:  The old guard: Japanese barberry, multiflora rose, Oriental wineberry, garlic mustard. Many introduced as landscape and wildlife plants – most are deer-proof.  The new guard: Japanese angelica tree, linden viburnum, Siebold’s viburnum, Oriental photinia, common buckthorn, and glossy buckthorn  Japanese stiltgrass – what do you do with it?  Deer impact, Herd Reduction and Management

Lesser celandine vs. Virginia bluebells along the North Branch

200+ future linden viburnums prevented

Taking Back the Forest:  A giant step backward and (many) small steps forward: Non- native invasive control and restoration projects  Site assessment: Plant species present & plant density  Common options for control: Mowing, Plant removal (including roots), Herbicides, Prescribed burning, or a combination thereof  The medium: Soil type, wetness, and productivity & Light conditions/canopy closure  Deer pressure (Quality Deer Management 1:1 Buck-Doe ratio)  Identifying Suitable Plants: Native trees and shrubs, proper selection and availability  Habitat restoration: Species diversity, age classes, forest structure  Protection: Fencing, Deer management, Regular monitoring and maintenance  Initial cost and maintenance costs

Mechanized treatment

Selective herbicide treatment

Lotsa volunteers

Moving Ahead: Here Today-Gone Tomorrow?  Collaborative efforts: Neighborhood approach – working with the landowner(s), stakeholders  Educational outreach: Workshops, Raritan Headwaters Assn., NJ Audubon, NJ Invasive Strike Team, etc.  Incentives: NJ Forest Stewardship Act, USDA NRCS cost- share, other grants, sweat-equity/cross-training (calories/hour), tax savings  Volunteers: Youth groups, BSA/Girl Scouts, school groups, corporate, “friends” groups, NJ Invasive Strike Team interns  Demonstration areas  Monitoring and maintenance: success and failures  Keeping riparian systems functioning ecologically for people and wildlife!!!

Improving the environment and engaging stakeholders