Habitat Management on State Lands
The challenges and responsibilities of stewarding public lands for all wildlife species are as diverse as the landscapes we hunt. Habitat specialists, technicians, foresters and biologists within the Vermont Fish & Wildlife and the Forest, Parks and Recreation Departments strategically collaborate to manage lands for healthy wildlife habitats while avoiding impacts to threatened and endangered plants and animals.
Our land management strategy is carefully determined through the Long-Range Management Planning Process, a comprehensive examination that considers many factors on a parcel, from wildlife species to historical value. Looking at these properties in conjunction with Vermont Conservation Design data, we prioritize management techniques needed to reach conservation goals that range from improving deer wintering areas to managing wetlands for migratory waterfowl.
Where habitats of dense coniferous tree cover are shown to provide wintering habitat for white-tailed deer, we manage forests to ensure the trees are healthy, vigorous and mature enough to provide crucial snow holding canopy. Areas with hard mast stands of American beech and oak are managed to ensure a continuous supply of beechnuts and acorns for wildlife such as black bear, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, blue jays, gray squirrels, and chipmunks.
Grasslands, shrublands and croplands are managed to provide a variety of habitat components for an array of birds and pollinators. These open spaces generate food and protection for additional wildlife, providing insect protein for wild turkey poults and other birds as well as birthing sites for deer.
Soft mast producing trees and shrubs like apple and black cherry trees are released from competing vegetation and pruned to maintain productivity. Invasive plants are controlled to maintain habitat integrity, and prescribed burning may be implemented to facilitate wild blueberry and forage plant production. Commercial timber harvests are used in forested areas to increase structural and species (plant and wildlife) diversity which provides habitat benefits and climate change resilience, particularly where previous land use has reduced the diversity of those forest stands.
Riparian areas along streams, ponds and lakes are enhanced with native plantings to protect water quality, increase shore resiliency during flooding and improve habitat connectivity. Water levels at wetlands, like those at Dead Creek WMA, are managed to create and maintain habitat for migratory waterfowl and marsh birds.
The state lands we steward are carefully managed for the fish, wildlife, plants and people of Vermont according to each parcel’s unique characteristics and management goals. Learn more about state-managed public lands and locate public lands, including Wildlife Management Areas, to explore at vtfishandwildlife.com.
