DISTRICT NEWS & EVENTS

Berkshire Conservation District is partnering with MassWildlife’s Forestry Program in hosting public site visits on state wildlife lands in Berkshire County this summer.  Each visit will focus on wildlife habitat enhancement goals for the property, and the forest harvesting and other habitat management activities employed to achieve those goals. Foresters and biologists from MassWildlife will lead the site walks, provide information and answer questions. The walk will occur rain or shine. Wear appropriate clothing and footgear. Consider bringing insect repellant and binoculars.

Begin at the Eugene Moran WMA in Windsor (Friday on July 18th at 2:00-3pm) where we will take a short walk up into a managed abandoned field habitat on the east side of Rt 8A (meet at the large parking area on the east side of 8A just north of the intersection of Rt 9 and Rt 8A in the center of Windsor). Kate Parsons, NRCS District Conservationist, will also provide information on the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program for private landowners. This is the same site we held a workshop on a couple years ago to demonstrate the clearing. Come see what it looks like now!

Meet at Tracy Pond on Middlefield Rd. Peru.  Tues. eve on Sept.9th 5:00 – 6pm. (Conversion of Norway spruce plantation to a diverse stand of northern hardwood, white pine, and Norway spruce and Balsam.)

UPCOMING EVENTS

BIRD WALK Limited to 20 people

Date: July 19th             
Time: TBA (early morning)
Location: Bliss Rd. Florida        

MANAGING YOUR PROPERTY FOR EARLY SUCCESSIONAL HABITAT

Location & Date: TBA

SEPTIC AND SOILS COURSES -- Dates and Locations: TBA

District Annual Meeting -- October TBA

Interested in upcoming events? To receive more information on events as plans are finalized; Email: deborah.burke@ma.usda.gov Put event name in subject of email that you are interested in.

Berkshire County Landowners Attended Wildlife Habitat Workshop

When was the last time you heard a ruffed grouse drumming in the early morning? Or the call of a whip-poor-will at sun down?  Or saw an American woodcock perform its unique mating display?  If you’re not experiencing these wildlife encounters, you are most likely lacking a habitat type very important to them- old fields, shrubs and thick sapling growth.   Unfortunately, you are not alone. Massachusetts forests are estimated to be 1% seedling/young forest, 19% sapling/pole forest, 77% sawtimber and 3% older forest. 

Research conducted in New England indicates that in a primarily forested landscape, biodiversity would be greatest with a forest age class mix of approximately 10% young forest/seedling, 30% sapling/pole forest, 50% sawtimber and 10% older forest.  Thus, biodiversity and the above species should benefit dramatically with the conversion of sawtimber into young forest or early successional habitat. 

The Berkshire Conservation District, in conjunction with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the MA Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), held a hands-on-workshop, demonstrating “Managing wetlands, fields, and forest for wildlife and biodiversity” .

The workshop was held at the Moran Wildlife Management Area on Rte 8a in Windsor, MA . It  featured a fecon mower, a vegetation clearing machine that can efficiently mulch or “eat” standing trees up to  four  inches in diameter.  Jill Liske-Clark, the Upland Program Coordinator for MassWildlife explained , from a wildlife perspective, why it was time to clear the field.  A forester  was also on hand to talk about different timber harvest prescriptions that generate early-successional habitat, and how you determine if a timber harvest is appropriate for your site. 

Kate Parsons, district conservationist with NRCS in Berkshire county talked  about the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), that provides landowners cost-share to do these types of projects. 

 The hands-on workshop for Berkshire County landowners interested in enhancing wildlife habitat on their property WAS held on Saturday, September 9, 2006 at the Eugene D. Moran Wildlife Management Area, Route 8A in Windsor. The workshop was a HUGE success! Over 25 people attended the 4hour session. 

Thank you  to all who attended!

For more information call Kate Parsons, District Conservationist, Berkshire County at 413-443-1776, x109.