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