This project is on an incredible property in eastern Pottawattamie county. This property already has a well established prairie area that rolls up into some mature hardwoods and then a slightly younger stand of hardwoods. The woods are filled with red and bur oak, black walnut, shagbark hickory, black cherry, and then a mix of low quality hardwoods. In certain areas of the woods you’ll find grasses and forbes tyring to establish themselves. For the first steps of this savannah creation the initial action is to open the canopy and flood the woodland floor with sunlight.
Underneath and mixed within the high quality trees are numerous hackberry, mulberry, bitternut hickory, elm, and some ironwood. HRF completed a very heavy and intensive thinning of specified acres to eliminate nearly all of these low quality trees. Cut stumps were treated with herbicide to inhibit regrowth or sprouting. This process opened up the canopy immensely allowing vast amounts of sunlight to reach the ground. This action also helped to eliminate all potential seed sources to decrease the opportunity for further regeneration of these low quality hardwoods. Finally, with this new lack of competition, young high quality seedlings requiring high amounts of sunlight will have a greater opportunity to flourish.
With all the thinning we arrive at the issue of all the debris left behind. To truly create a savannah this property will now be using prescribed fire as a tool to manage the weed explosion and to release new grasses and forbes that we hope are lying just below the surface waiting for release. This fire will also lend a great hand in consuming the woody debris left after thinning.
It’s going to be amazing to watch this area transform into the dreams of the landowner. These types of projects take time and dedication, but the end results are worth the sweat and toil.
