BACKGROUND: The Shoal Creek Ranger District, including the Choccolocco Wildlife Management Area, is at the northern range limit of longleaf pine in Alabama. In fact, some of the best remaining examples of the montane longleaf community are found on the District. This community type, rare in itself, contains numerous locally rare and federally listed species, such as the red-cockaded woodpecker. Most game species, such as deer and turkey, are relatively abundant on the District and would benefit by opening pine stands, thus promoting the growth of herbaceous vegetation. However, species such as the bobwhite quail and the non-game Bachman's sparrow, which are closely associated with open pine stands and a grassy under-story, have declined due to habitat loss in fire dependent pine stands.

Forested stands across much of the Shoal Creek District, particularly mature pine and pine-hardwood stands, are too dense with undesirable mid-story trees. Historically, the forest was more open as a result of Indians setting the woods on fire and a lack of any concerted efforts to suppress wildfires. In recent years, suppression efforts have allowed many mid-story and canopy trees, such as sweet gum, tulip poplar, and red maple to be much more common in mature upland pine stands. The development of a substantial mid-story layer prevents light from reaching the forest floor and reduces the amount and diversity of herbaceous vegetation in the under-story that is required by many game and non-game species. This project, tied to stands that are dense with fire intolerant species, will utilize treatments such as wildlife stand improvement and recurrent fire to open the stands making them more suitable habitat for open forest associates.

WHAT'S BEING DONE: Over the next several years we will open-up pine and pine-hardwood stands, by felling select small diameter trees and then maintaining the open conditions by the use of prescribed fire on a two- to four-year cycle. Mid-story vegetation of importance to wildlife, such as dogwood, persimmon, cherry, and other trees will remain. We will also construct and maintain linear wildlife openings, fall disking, planting of thicket forming shrubs such as Chickasaw plum, day lighting roads in select areas, and construction of fire lines that will allow prescribed burning (dormant and growing season) in blocks on a 2-3 year rotational basis.

Wildlife openings (linear strips and conventional plots) will also be established/maintained to assist in the initiative and power line rights-of-way will be maintained in an early successional state through disking, mowing, planting, and other means.