This June the Forest Stewardship Institute at NorthWoods assisted in organizing two birding events to educate the public on the importance of bird habitat in Vermont, how land managers can work to create and manage important habitat features, and how to identify birds by sight and sound. The Audubon Vermont’s Birders Dozen was used as a framework to talk about the importance of forest habitat variety in Vermont. The dozen species listed by Audubon cover the breadth of forest types generally needed for the 40 forest birds identified in the Audubon Forest Bird Initiative. The presence of these dozen birds across a forest would indicate an excellent variety and quality of habitat.
At the beginning of the month NorthWoods staff along with Essex/Caledonia County forester Matt Langlais led a group of landowners on a bird walk in the Bean Brook corridor in the town of Newark Vermont. The walk focused on exploring the bird friendly practices used by farmers Kim and Ben Bangs of Honest to Goodness Farm in their efforts to create suitable habitat for a variety of birds while continuing to make a living producing hay, maple products, and raising livestock.
They have been successful in increasing nesting pairs of Bobolinks in their hay fields by changing their mowing schedules, and choosing to leave some parts of the field uncut. Populations of Bobolink have been declining across their breeding range in recent years, partially due to their tendency to nest in hay fields. They have also continued to focus on structural diversity in the forests and sugar-bush as a way to create habitat for a variety of birds, including many listed in the Birders Dozen. In the current sugarbush participants were able to identify the Black Throated Blue Warbler and the Black Throated Green Warbler, both good indicators of understory structure which can often be missing in active sugaring areas where ease of movement can be a prioritized over bird habitat. In other parts of the forest a variety of birds and habitats were observed and valuable information was shared by County Forester Matt Langlais, wildlife experts, local landowners and knowledgeable birders.
Later in the month NorthWoods joined the Vermont Woodlands Association and Audubon Vermont in hosting a bird walk at Pfälzerwald Tree Farm in Sheffield Vermont. Bird identification was led by Steve Hagenbuch, Senior Conservation Biologist and Forester with Audubon Vermont. Steve focused on ways land managers can promote management activities that will enhance the habitat value of forestland for priority bird species. Examples of these practices were seen at the Pfälzerwald Tree Farm including ongoing uneven aged management to increase structural diversity in the forest. This type of management has been beneficial for many migratory bird species who require a specific breeding season environment, including the Black Throated Blue Warbler, Black Throated Green Warbler, and other’s listed on the Birders Dozen.
In another part of the forest participants observed the results of a natural wind storm disturbance which blew over the majority of trees in a wet softwood and cedar stand. Regeneration of early successional species has created habitat favored by the Canada Warbler. The Canada Warbler populations have declined by an estimated 31% making it a member of the Audubon watchlist. Participants at the walk were treated to the sight of a Canada Warbler in this area.
In partnering with other organizations and landowners NorthWoods is better able to share concepts and examples of best practices in forest management that can support the wildlife and people who live in the forests of Vermont.