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Interior Highland Shortleaf Pine Initiative
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The Interior Highlands region of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma once supported vast expanses of shortleaf pine-bluestem woodlands, as well as mixed stands of pine-oak and oak-pine which were maintained by frequent fires. Over the past century 53% of these open pine stands have been significantly altered due to forest structural changes caused by eliminating fire from the ecosystem and conversion to other agricultural uses. This caused a significant decline in several priority bird species including the Brown-headed Nuthatch, Bachman’s Sparrow, Northern Bobwhite, Prairie Warbler, Whip-poor-will and federally endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker which all rely on open pine forest stands with a diverse grass and forb understory.
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Projects
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Promotion of Prescribed Fire
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The use of prescribed fire as a habitat management tool is vital for many of the priority birds in the Central Hardwoods Bird Conservation Region. Most species evolved to live in fire-mediated habitats that were common prior to European settlement. Fire suppression in these habitats is considered a significant factor in the declines of many grassland-shrubland bird populations. Promotion and protection of this management practice is important to achieving the CHJV’s population goals for these species.
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Projects
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Forest Lands
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2013 SN Portfolio: Mission is to identify and prioritize regional forest habitats and natural communities to foster resiliency in the face of current and future threats while supporting a larger multijurisdictional framework for planning and management.
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Cooperative
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2013 Science Needs Portfolio
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PDF Thematic Areas
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2013 SN Portfolio (Full Report)
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In February 2013, almost 50 experts from a wide range of technical background in both natural and social sciences, as well as geographic expertise across the entire region, volunteered to participate in the annual review of the Appalachian LCC Science Needs Portfolio. 2013 marked the first revision of the Portfolio.
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Cooperative
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2013 Science Needs Portfolio
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PDF Thematic Areas
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Fact Sheet: Habitat - Forested Stream and/or Seepage
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Forested stream environments are typically found in the buffer zones between forested land and stream banks, often known as riparian zones. Stream headwaters and seepage areas occur where ground water percolates to the surface through muck, mossy rock, and nettles. It can also be found under rocks, among gravel, or cobble where water has begun to percolate in areas near open water. Breeding grounds are commonly found beneath mosses growing on rocks, on logs, or soil surfaces in these types of seepage areas.
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Cooperative
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Publications & Outreach
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Fact Sheets
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Fact Sheet: Habitat - Forest/Woodlands
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Forest/Woodland habitats describe large areas primarily dominated by trees, with moderate ground coverage, such as grasses and shrubs. Density, tree height, and land use may all vary, though woodland is typically used to describe lower density forests. A forest may have an open canopy, but a woodland must have an open canopy with enough sunlight to reach the ground and limited shade.
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Cooperative
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Publications & Outreach
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Fact Sheets
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Assessing Future Energy Development Across the Appalachians
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Assessing Future Energy Development across the Appalachian LCC used models that combined data on energy development trends and identified where these may intersect with important natural resource and ecosystem services to give a more comprehensive picture of what potential energy development could look like in the Appalachians. Ultimately this information is intended to support dialogue and conservation on how to effectively avoid, minimize, and offset impacts from energy development to important natural areas and the valuable services they provide.
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Research
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Assessing Forest Fragmentation from Marcellus Shale Gas Development
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Expansion of drilling sites and associated infrastructure to extract natural gas from the Marcellus shale deposits has the potential to significantly reduce existing forest cover across the Marcellus field and leave what remains in a fragmented state.
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Research
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Impact of Urbanization on Priority Bird Populations
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25 bird species models were developed to determine the sensitivity of priority bird species populations to urbanization.
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Research
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Regional Glade Conservation Assessment
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Glades and glade-woodland complexes are natural communities which provide high-quality habitat for several priority bird species including the Prairie Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Field Sparrow, Northern Bobwhite, Eastern Wood-Pewee. We also recognize the importance of glade complexes to other flora and fauna species of conservation concern.
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Research
