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University (MSU) with funding from the National
Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI),
the BASF chemical company, and the National Wild
Turkey Federation and its Mississippi Chapter.
(Results are now being summarized by MSU Ph.D.
candidate Ray Iglay.)
In the fire-herbicide study, we examined wildlife response to four treatments: control (no management),
fire only, herbicide only, and herbicide followed by
fire. The herbicide imazapyr was applied one time to
appropriate plots, and winter burning was conducted
during 2000, 2003, and 2006. We documented
77 bird species, 23 mammal species, 36 herpetile
species, and over 300 species of plants in our study
plots. Additionally, creation of a pine-grassland forest structure in the burn-herbicide plots caused the
bird community to shift from one composed of more
common species—such as northern cardinal (
Cardinalis cardinalis) and Carolina wren ( Thryothorus
ludovicianus)—toward a community with greater
conservation value due to greater presence of species
adapted to pine-grassland conditions, such as prairie
warbler (Dendroica discolor) and brown-headed
nuthatch (Sitta pusilla).
Even though the burn-herbicide plots seemed to
have the most positive effect on increasing biodiversity, no one study plot contained all species,
indicating that a mixture of thinned pine treatments
was of most benefit to overall biodiversity. Also
keep in mind that species we documented occurred
only in thinned pine stands and did not include
other species that occur in the mature hardwoods
of streamside management zones (SMZs) and in
young, open pine stands. Based on our research,
dispersing differently managed thinned pine stands
across the landscape, which also includes young
forest stands and SMZs, has directly benefitted biodiversity on the HCC.
Given the initial success of the HCC, we’re hoping
the concept will spread. Clearly there is broad potential for this approach in the southeastern United
States, where 40 million acres—about 20 percent
of all southeastern forestlands (Wear and Greis
2002)—are owned by the forest industry, with much
of that land available for deer hunting via recreational leases. In our experience, the HCC concept
enables managers to use QDM to satisfy a variety of
stakeholders, ultimately improving habitat for a diversity of species in a cost-effective manner. We now
hope that hunters help spread the word.
