Massachusetts Department Of Conservation & Recreation And Division Of Fisheries & Wildlife
DRG conducted a vegetation management program in Montague Plains Wildlife Management Area post-burn to preserve the unique xeric pitch pine-scrub oak complex. Covering 166 acres, DRG’s efforts focused on promoting native species dominance.
Preserving Unique Vegetation Habitats
Davey Resource Group, Inc. (DRG) was contracted to conduct a vegetation management program that followed a prior burn to control invasive plants. This program protected and preserved a unique and exceptionally xeric (dry) outwash pitch pine-scrub oak barren natural community, its associated biota, and its ecological processes. The Montague Plains Wildlife Management Area (MPWMA) is located in Montague, MA, and is owned and managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW).
In the spring of 2022, DRG began managing 166 acres of stump sprouts within the scrub oak-pitch pine habitat of the MPWMA. The goal of these management activities was to encourage dominance of scrub oak species and native species of the scrub oak/pine vegetative complex and provide considerable care to protect these species during management activities.
An Expert Eye
This project was completed by DRG’s field team personnel and relied heavily on their vegetation identification expertise. Following vegetation identification, herbicides were applied using battery-powered backpack sprayers and truck-mounted sprayers to accomplish sprout management. Additionally, all woody invasive species were targeted for treatment. The most prevalent species identified was Oriental bittersweet.
>> Learn more about the DRG New England team’s work
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