(Return matching records with ALLANY of these words.)    ................................................................ state Choose State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illiniois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississipi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia    regions Choose region Pacific Southwest Midwest Southeast Northeast Mountain-Prairie Alaska California-Nevada All Regions    ................................................................ ................................................................ Journal Entry   Back Oak savanna restoration beginson 80 acres incentral Ohio Midwest Region, August 22, 2008 Print Friendly Version  This project will restore 80 acres of oak savanna by converting an overgrown pasture. The savanna will consist of native grasses and forbs and an open canopy of oaks and hickories. Canopy coverage will vary between 20 percent and 70 percent. Restoration will be done in phases, the first of which involves clearing all of the invasive shrubs and trees, including honeylocust, osage orange, autumn olive, and multiflora rose. Clearing was completed in 2008 using mulching units, a hydro-axe, and chainsaws. Many of the larger trees will be left and girdled to create snags, which are good for several species of wildlife. A controlled burn will be conducted in early spring, 2009, to control the understory, which consists mainly of poison ivy, brome, and fescue. Several species of native herbaceous plants survive there, as well as several large bur oaks, which indicate the presence of a historical savanna. These species are expected to respond positively to the controlled burn. Oak savannas are rare in central Ohio, and this project is increasing landowner interest in managing for savannas. It will be used to conduct workshops, and as a showcase for other landowners interested in this habitat. Many historical savannas are overgrown pastures, and restoration doesn't necessarily compete with row agriculture. Not only are oak savannas rare in this part of the state, but projects this large are rare as well. Several wildlife species will use the restored savanna, including red-headed woodpeckers, which have experienced population declines over the past several decades. The federally endangered Indiana bat, which prefers the open structure of savannas, has been caught very near the property. Migratory songbirds that prefer oaks will use the property as a stopover in the spring and fall. Also, in some of the more open areas, grassland birds such as field sparrows, dickcissels, and meadowlarks will be present. The Partners Program is collaborating with Pheasants Forever and the landowner to complete the project. The clearing in 2008 was funded by all three parties. The burn in 2009 will be funded and completed by the Partners Program. The landowner has also contributed in-kind services, such as mowing and pushing downed trees into brush piles. Enhancement needs beyond that will depend on how the seedbank responds to burning, and management will adapt to that. Contact Info: Sergio Pierluissi, 614-469-6923 x 29, sergio_pierluissi@fws.gov Send to: From: Notes: ..........................................................................................

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