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Forest Resource Management Plan

For the Norman and Selma Greenberg Nature Reserve Landowner: New England Tropical Conservatory, Inc.; Telephone: 802-447-7419 Location: 413 US Route. 7 South, Bennington, Vermont 05201 USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Tract Identification: Farm 929, Tract 893 Total acres: 55 Plan start date: February 1, 2011 Plan end date: February 1, 2021 Landowner Signature:__________________________________ Date:______________________ Approved:__________________________________________ Date:______________________ Forester, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation

Prepared January 2011 by: RAO Ecological Consulting / Photographic Services

Robert Ott • 400 Pippin Knoll, Bennington, VT 05201 • Telephone: (802) 753-7313

email: [email protected]

NETC Management Plan—1

Table of Contents Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 2 Property Description ....................................................................................................................... 2

Location .................................................................................................................................. 2 Biophysical region, climate, and geology............................................................................... 2 General property description................................................................................................... 3 Land use history...................................................................................................................... 3 Property access........................................................................................................................ 3 Boundary lines and corners..................................................................................................... 4 Surrounding properties............................................................................................................ 4

Resource Inventory for the Entire Reserve..................................................................................... 4 Cultural resources ................................................................................................................... 4 Rare, threatened, and endangered species or natural communities ........................................ 5 Fish and wildlife habitats ........................................................................................................ 5 Riparian areas, streams, significant wetlands, waterbodies.................................................... 7 Important natural features ....................................................................................................... 8 Recreation and aesthetic values and opportunities ................................................................. 8

Inventory of Forest Resources ........................................................................................................ 9 Forest stand sampling protocol ............................................................................................... 9

Landowner Forest Management Objectives ................................................................................. 11 Forest Management Constraints ................................................................................................... 11 Forest Stand Descriptions and Management Prescriptions........................................................... 12

Forest Stand 1: Mesic Maple-Ash-Hickory-Oak Forest ....................................................... 12 Forest Stand 2: Mixed White Pine-Black Cherry-White Ash-Red Maple Forest................. 17 Forest Stand 3: Mesic Maple-Ash-Hickory-Oak Forest ....................................................... 22 Isolated forest patches........................................................................................................... 27

Forest Management Schedule ....................................................................................................... 29 NRCS Practices, 2011-2013 ......................................................................................................... 29 Glossary ........................................................................................................................................ 30 References..................................................................................................................................... 32 Appendix A: Maps........................................................................................................................ 33 Appendix B: NRCS Job Sheets..................................................................................................... 34


Introduction The New England Tropical Conservatory (NETC) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1991. NETC was formed out of concern about the effects of deforestation of tropical rainforests and the potential for extinction of tropical plants. NETC is engaged in education and research that focuses on both tropical and local ecosystems, including their biodiversity, preservation, linkages, and importance to sustainability. The NETC is the owner of the NETC Education Center and the Norman and Selma Greenberg Nature Reserve, both of which are located along U.S. Route 7 south of Bennington, Vermont. The Education Center provides a place for residents to learn about plant biology, conservation, and gardening. The Reserve currently consists of about 80 acres of fields, wetlands, shrublands, and forest, that is open to the public. A trailhead, along with a small trail system with interpretive signs, provides access to the Reserve. A meadow close to Route 7 will be the future site of a conservatory that will house tropical plants year-round, along with classrooms, laboratories, and offices. The remainder of the Reserve will remain open to the public. This management plan was developed primarily for the forested portion of the Norman and Selma Greenberg Nature Reserve. However, sections on general management unit information and on resource inventory includes information for the entire Reserve in order to provide a broader context. Please refer to the Glossary at the end of this report for definitions of technical terms. All figures for this management plan are provided in Appendix A: Maps.

Property Description

Location The Norman and Selma Greenberg Nature Reserve is located in Bennington County, in the township of Bennington, Vermont. The primary entrance to the Reserve is on the east side of U.S. Route 7, about 1.2 miles south of the intersection of West Main Street and U.S. Route 7 in Bennington. The Reserve entrance is across Route 7 from the NETC Education Center. The Reserve extends southeast from U.S. Route 7 for 0.59 mile to its southeast corner, and is 0.25 mile west of Middle Pownal Road (Figure 1).

Biophysical region, climate, and geology The Reserve is situated in the Vermont Valley, which is located between the Green Mountains to east and the Taconic Mountains to the west. The southern Vermont Valley has a humid continental climate, with cold, snowy winters and warm/hot humid summers. Winter storms called Nor’easters are not uncommon, and result in significant snow accumulations, often accompanied by wind. During summer months, heavy rain showers and thunderstorms are frequent. The Reserve is underlain by bedrock and glacial drift. Clarendon Springs Dolomite underlies the top of the hill on the eastern side of the Reserve, as well as the Jewett Brook floodplain and the low slopes near U.S. Route 7. The Clarendon Springs formation is gray calcitic dolomite interspersed with quartz knots and geodes, sandstone beds, and chert. The


forested slope east of Jewett Brook is underlain by glacial drift, which is rock material that was transported and deposited by a glacier.

General property description The Norman and Selma Greenberg Nature Reserve consisted of 96 contiguous acres when it was purchased by NETC in 2003. Since that time, the state of Vermont purchased approximately 16 acres for a highway right-of-way (ROW) for the southern leg of Vermont Route 279, often referred to as the Bennington Bypass. As a result, the Reserve now consists of about 80 acres that is bisected by the Bennington Bypass ROW (Figure 2). The portion of the Reserve to the west of the Bypass ROW consists of Jewett Brook and its adjacent wetlands, shrublands, and a meadow (Figure 2). The lowest elevation is about 748 feet along Jewett Brook, and the elevation in the meadow adjacent to U.S. Route 7 is about 770 feet. The portion of the Reserve to the east of the Bypass ROW consists of a forested slope of a small hill. The aspect of this slope is generally west-northwest. The highest elevation of the Reserve is 1,010 feet, located at the southeast corner of this forested slope. Jewett Brook, one of the headwaters of the Walloomsac River, flows through the wetlands within the Reserve.

Land use history The Norman and Selma Greenberg Nature Reserve is located on what began as a subsistence farm. Land clearing was initiated in 1763 when Barnabus Barnum purchased the property, and clearing continued through several landowners. Jewett Brook was probably channeled, and the wetlands were ditched and drained for hay fields. The upland portions of the farm on both sides of the wetlands were cleared for pasture, hay, corn and other grains, vegetables, and apple orchards. Drainage ditches were constructed to remove excess water from some of these fields. A stand of sugar maple trees was left for a sugar bush. Although the land use activity was primarily subsistence farming, some milk and apples were sold. Subsistence farming began to wane as the 20th century arrived. In 1898, subsistence farming was replaced with dairy farming on the Reserve property, when Willard and Nelson Rose assumed ownership. As a result, cattle were pastured on the property, especially in the lowlands. The Greenbergs bought the property in 1956, and the meadows were farmed for hay for a period of time. The Norman and Selma Greenberg Nature Reserve was created in 2003 when the Greenbergs sold the property to NETC. A conservation easement on the Reserve is held by the Vermont Land Trust. One of the stipulations of the easement is that any significant tree cutting requires prior permission from the Land Trust.

Property access The primary access to the Reserve, on the west side of property, is off U.S. Route 7 south of Bennington, Vermont (Figure 1). A short access road that ends in a small parking lot is located about 0.93 mile south of the intersection of U.S. Route 7 (South Street) and Vermont Route 9 (Main Street) in the town of Bennington. This access road is across the highway from the NETC Education Center. A secondary access road, 0.15 mile long, is located on the east side of the Reserve. This gated and locked access road is located within the Bennington Bypass ROW on the south side of


the Bypass haul road. The access road is 1.8 miles from the intersection of South Street and Main Street in the town of Bennington. From the north, this east access road is located 0.61 mile south along Middle Pownal Road from its intersection with Morgan Street. Access within the Reserve is provided by several trails that start at the parking lot at the main entrance. The trails extend through the meadow and wetlands, across Jewett Brook, along the trolley line rail bed, across the Bypass ROW and loop through the forest around the kettle wetland.

Boundary lines and corners Boundary lines of the Reserve are readily identifiable along the east and south boundaries of the Reserve because of existing stone fences. Boundaries lines are not readily identifiable along the north and west sides. However, the land has been surveyed and survey monuments are located at all of the property corners. The Bennington Bypass ROW is marked with survey monuments where the ROW intersects the original boundaries of the Reserve. Inside the original Reserve boundaries, the eastern side of the ROW is occasionally marked with survey monuments. The locations of the ROW survey monuments can be identified by the presence of orange plastic stakes about 3.5 feet tall. The western side of the ROW is not readily identifiable inside the original Reserve boundaries. As a result, the boundaries of the Bypass ROW were identified primarily by using engineer plans that were obtained from the Vermont Agency of Transportation.

Surrounding properties Properties immediately surrounding the Reserve consist primarily of a mix of forest, wetlands, and agricultural lands (Figure 2). A residential neighborhood abuts the Reserve along its eastern boundary. Within the larger landscape (2,500 acres), properties surrounding the Reserve consist of roughly 40-50% forest and wetland, with the remaining land in agricultural, residential, and urban use.

Resource Inventory for the Entire Reserve

Cultural resources A house for farm employees, referred to as the “Hired Hands House,” was built on the eastern side of Jewett Brook near the wetlands and adjacent to a farm road. The foundation of this house is still present, and trash piles can be found near this house foundation, as well as for several hundred yards to the north of it. The Hired Hands House lies outside of the forested portion of the Reserve, and will not be impacted by forest management activities. Water to the Hired Hands House was provided by two wells that were constructed along the slopes immediately uphill from the kettle wetland. One well is located southeast of the wetland, and one is located south of it. A buried pipe transported water to the house, and water flowed at the house foundation until the haul road for the Bennington Bypass was constructed. The wells were capped by NETC personnel. The wells are located in the forested portion of the Reserve and will need to be considered when forest management activities are being conducted in their vicinity. The Bennington/North Adams Trolley Line, operated by Bennington & North Adams Street Railway Company, ran through the Reserve property immediately east of the wetlands. This


trolley line ran for 14 miles from Bennington, south through Pownal, Vermont, and continued to Williamstown, Massachusetts. The trolley line started operation in 1907 and stopped service in 1929. The rail bed for the trolley line is still present today and is utilized as one of the trails on the Reserve. The rail bed for the trolley line is located at the edge of two small, isolated patches of forest, and its presence will need to be considered when any management activities are conducted in the forest patches. Several power poles are present in the shrublands adjacent to the meadow, and along the rail bed of the trolley line. These power poles once supported electrical wires that provided electricity to the farm house and the Hired Hands House. These power poles are not located within the forested portion of the Reserve and will not be affected by forest management activities. Several stone fences are present along the east and south boundaries of the Reserve, as well as within the forested portion of the Reserve. In addition, at least two rock piles that were created when large cobbles were removed from fields are present within the forest. Drainage ditches that were excavated to remove excess water from fields are present within the forested portion of the Reserve. Potential damage to stone fences will need to be considered during forest management activities.

Rare, threatened, and endangered species or natural communities A small population of white arrowleaf aster is located within the Reserve, but outside of the area covered by the forest management plan. This plant is uncommon in Vermont, but is not listed as a rare, threatened, or endangered species at the state, federal, or global level. In order to protect this plant population, its location within the Reserve is not depicted. However, a Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Habitat Map for the arrowleaf aster (Figure 3), provided by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is included in Appendix A. NETC staff know the location of the white arrowleaf aster population. Forest management activities identified in this management plan will not affect this aster population. Mature butternut trees are located within the forested portion of the Reserve. Butternut canker, a disease caused by a non-native fungus, has resulted in significant infection and mortality of butternut trees across its range. In the nearby Green Mountain National Forest, it is estimated that 80% of the butternut trees are infected with butternut canker. There is no known control for butternut canker. Currently, the butternut tree is not listed as a rare, threatened, or endangered species at the state or national level. However, the USDA Forest Service considers butternut a sensitive species on national forests in the Northeastern United States. In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers the butternut as a federal species of concern and nominated it as the first tree species candidate for the Endangered Species list. NatureServe, a non-profit conservation organization, gives butternut a state status rank of SU, indicating that the status of this tree species is uncertain, or uncommon.

Fish and wildlife habitats The Reserve contains four major vegetated habitat types (Figure 2) that support a number of wildlife species (Table 1). Forest comprises the majority (68.8%) of the Reserve, with a total of 55 acres (Figure 2). A tract of 52.5 contiguous acres of mature forest is located east of the Bennington Bypass ROW, and two small forested patches consisting of one acre and 1.5 acres are located to the west of the


Bypass ROW. The large forest tract is currently providing breeding habitat for a range of responsibility bird species, including ground, shrub and canopy nesting and foraging birds of hardwood and mixed conifer/hardwood forests. Invasive plant species1 within the forest habitat include European buckthorn (also called common buckthorn), glossy buckthorn, border privet, Norway maple, Japanese barberry, bush honeysuckles, oriental bittersweet, burning bush, and

Table 1. An incomplete list of wildlife species observed (animal or sign) by the current landowners and/or the consulting forester. Bird species identified with bold text and marked with an asterisk are listed as responsibility species by Audubon Vermont.

Birds Mammals Amphibians Reptiles American goldfinch Red squirrel Spring peeper Common snapping turtle Barn swallow Eastern chipmunk Black-capped chickadee Gray squirrel Blue jay White-tailed deer Northern cardinal Hairytail mole Cedar waxwing Fox (species unknown) Common grackle Eastern coyote Downy woodpecker Eastern cottontail Gray catbird Beaver Hermit thrush Indigo bunting Northern flicker* Ovenbird* Pileated woodpecker Red-eyed vireo Red-tailed hawk Red-winged blackbird Scarlet tanager* Song sparrow Tree swallow Turkey vulture Veery* Wild turkey Yellow warbler Black-throated blue warbler* American robin American crow Red-bellied woodpecker Ruffed grouse* Eastern bluebird American kestrel Killdeer Owl (species unknown) Eastern bluebird Ducks (species unknown) Yellow-bellied sapsucker*

1 Refer to the section on Forest Stand Sampling Protocol for a discussion on what makes a plant species invasive, and on the ecosystem effects of these plants.


multiflora rose. To date, the only wildlife habitat enhancement within the forest was the application of herbicide to two acres of invasive plants. Wetlands represent the second largest habitat type, with 13.5 acres (16.9% of the Reserve) being present (Figure 2). Almost all (96.3%) of the 13.5 acres of wetlands are located adjacent to Jewett Brook. These wetlands are included in the Vermont Significant Wetland Inventory2. In addition, what was once a small kettle pond, but is now a wetland, is located east of the Bennington Bypass ROW. About half of this one acre wetland is located within the Bypass ROW, and half is located within the Reserve. The wetlands adjacent to Jewett Brook are comprised of a mix of graminoids dominated by tall rushes, and shrubby vegetation dominated by red-osier dogwood, gray dogwood, speckled alder, and willows. The small kettle wetland is dominated by shrubby plant species including speckled alder, red-osier dogwood, willow, and some invasive European buckthorn up to 20 feet tall. The wetlands adjacent to Jewett Brook currently provide excellent habitat for bird species that require open areas and/or water. Shrubland habitat, some with scattered overstory trees, comprises a total of 9 acres (11.3% of the Reserve) (Figure 2). Seven and a half of the shrubland acres are contiguous and are located adjacent to the meadow on the west side of the Reserve, and 1.5 acres of shrubland is located east of Jewett Brook. The shrublands are characterized by a diverse mix of plant species, including gray dogwood, red-osier dogwood, willow, speckled alder, wild grape, and staghorn sumac. Invasive plant species in the shrublands includes European buckthorn, glossy buckthorn, oriental bittersweet, bush honeysuckles, autumn olive, Japanese barberry, and burning bush. The scattered overstory trees include paper birch, box elder, black cherry, quaking aspen, and eastern larch. The shrublands provide habitat for a number of songbirds, including several responsibility species. A small 2.5 acre meadow (3.1% of the area) is located on the western side of the Reserve near U.S. Route 7 (Figure 2). The meadow is dominated by herbaceous plants such as aster, goldenrod, and the invasive poison parsnip. The meadow is mowed annually. It provides feeding habitat for wildlife, especially white-tailed deer and songbirds. It is unknown whether bird breeding occurs in the meadow. Jewett Brook, one of the headwaters of the Walloomsac River, flows north through the wetlands for about 1,950 feet within the Reserve (Figure 2). Currently, a new span bridge is being constructed over Jewett Brook to replace a culvert that was being continually dammed by beavers. The construction of the bridge will re-establish fish passage into Jewett Brook and the surrounding wetlands within the Reserve. No state-recognized deer wintering areas (DWA) are located within the Reserve. The nearest DWA is located west of U.S. Route 7, and west-southwest of the Reserve (Figure 4). The distance from the center of the Reserve to the nearest edge of the DWA is about 0.8 mile.

Riparian areas, streams, significant wetlands, waterbodies About 16.9% (13.5 acres) of the Reserve is in wetlands, with all but 0.5 acre being wetlands adjacent to Jewett Brook that are included in the Vermont Significant Wetland Inventory (VSWI) (Figure 5). The other 0.5 acre of wetland is half of a one acre kettle wetland that is

2 Discrepancies in wetland delineation between the habitat map and the Significant Wetland Inventory map in this management plan are due to different methods of wetland delineation being used by the forester and Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. Acreage figures provided in this management plan are based on the wetland delineation provided by the forester on the habitat map.


bisected by the Bennington Bypass ROW. This 0.5 acre wetland is located along the western edge of the large forested tract on the Reserve. The wetlands along Jewett Brook are adjacent to the two small forested tracts (3 acres total) that are located west of the Bennington Bypass ROW. A portion of the two acre forest patch near Jewett Brook is included as wetland in the VSWI. Jewett Brook, one of the headwaters of the Walloomsac River, is the only significant water body/stream that is located within the Reserve. No significant waterbodies are located within the forested portion of the Reserve. Riparian zones in the Reserve are comprised primarily of the graminoid- and shrub-dominated wetlands adjacent to Jewett Brook. The riparian zone surrounding the kettle wetland is comprised of mature hardwood forest.

Important natural featuresImportant natural features on the Reserve that have not already been discussed are comprised of viewscapes and a small rock outcrop. Viewscapes can be considered from within the Reserve, as well as from outside it. All of the identified habitats are visible from the existing trail system within the Reserve. The open wetlands and portions of Jewett Brook can be viewed from along the trail that follows the trolley line rail bed, as well as from the Old Farm Road Trail where it crosses the wetlands and Jewett Brook. The forested hillside on the eastern side of the Reserve can be viewed from the meadow. Mount Anthony and the Taconic Mountains west of the Reserve can be viewed from many places on the Reserve. However, the best views are obtained from the forested hillside on the east side of the Reserve during the fall, winter, and early spring, when the trees are leafless. Portions of the hardwood forest and mixed pine/hardwood forest are visible from the trail that loops around the small kettle wetland. The Reserve also provides views to observers from outside its boundaries. The meadow near U.S. Route 7, and the forested hillside on the eastern side of the Reserve, are visible to travelers along the highway, and to visitors to the NETC Education Center. The forest is also visible to the residents who live along the eastern boundary of the Reserve. A small rock outcrop is located in the hardwood forest east of the kettle wetland, below what is known as the Birch Overlook. This outcrop is about 90 feet long, and 20-25 feet tall. This rock feature is not a sheer rock face, but is comprised of multiple small rock faces up to six feet in height, interspersed with steep slopes up to 42o. Some exposed rocks are covered with moss.

Recreation and aesthetic values and opportunities The Reserve is currently used by community members as a recreational resource. Common recreational activities include hiking, snowshoeing, and nature study. The Reserve is also used for outdoor field trips by local schools. Most recreational activities occur along the trail system (Figure 6). Trails begin at the parking lot in the meadow near U.S. Route 7. The Old Farm Road Trail extends through the meadow and wetlands, across Jewett Brook, and ends at the Bennington Bypass haul road. The Birch Overlook Trail begins and ends at the Bypass haul road after looping through hardwood forest to the east of the kettle wetland. The Trolley Line Trail intersects the Old Farm Road Trail east of Jewett Brook, and follows the trolley line rail bed to the north and south of this intersection. The Wetland Overlook Trail is a short spur trail that begins in the meadow and leads off the Old Farm Road Trail. Six sitting benches are located along the trail system.


NETC plans to increase recreational opportunities on the Reserve by expanding the trail system within the forest and wetlands on the Reserve. Suggested trail routes through the Reserve’s forest are included in this forest management plan. Please refer to the section on important natural features for a discussion regarding aesthetic values (i.e. viewscapes).

Inventory of Forest Resources

Forest stand sampling protocol Live trees and snags: The data used to describe forest stand structure in this management plan were collected using a variable plot cruise with a 10 factor prism. Prism samples of live trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥2 inches, and of snags with a DBH ≥4 inches and ≥6 feet tall, were collected using a systematic sampling grid within each of the three described forest stands. A formal forest inventory was not conducted in the two small forest patches located to the west of the Bennington Bypass ROW. A total of 43 sample plots were used to sample 53 acres of forest during December 2010. The sample intensity for each of the three forest stands is shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Stand size, sample size, and sample intensity for forest stands on the Norman and Selma Greenberg Nature Reserve.

Stand Size

(acres) Sample plots Sampling density

(acres/plot) 1 24.0 15 1.6 2 19.5 12 1.6 3 9.0 16 0.6

Total 52.5 43 1.2 Tree sampling intensity was determined for each forest stand using the following process. First, pre-inventory prism points were used to estimate the lowest and highest basal areas of commercial tree species in a stand. The range of basal areas and the average of the highest and lowest basal areas were then used to calculate a range/average ratio. Based on this ratio, the Foresters Handbook of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) provided an estimate of the number of prism points that were required to achieve the desired sampling error, which was set at 15% for the NETC forest inventory. To better assure that an adequate sampling intensity was achieved, two additional sample points were added to the sample size that was recommended by the NYS DEC Foresters Handbook. After the forest inventory was conducted, the sampling error for total basal area was then calculated for each forest stand. An acceptable sampling error was achieved for Forest Stands 1 and 2. However, two additional sample points were added in Forest Stand 3 to achieve a sampling error of 15.4%. Additional sample points were not added to reduce the sampling error to <15% because of concerns that large diameter trees would be double sampled. Data that were collected for each sampled live tree and snag included: species; DBH class (two inch diameter classes were used); whether the tree was acceptable growing stock or unacceptable growing stock (not recorded for snags); presence of oriental bittersweet (an


invasive plant) vines and/or wild grape vines; presence of a cavity; and whether the tree has the potential to become a snag or cavity tree in the future. Tree cavities could be the result of animal excavation or the result of decay processes. Trees that were determined to be potential snags and cavity trees were those live trees that had features such as large, rotten branches or knots, broken tops, dead tops, frost cracks, fungus conks, cankers, or significant crown dieback. Tree regeneration: Tree regeneration was defined as seedlings/saplings that were ≥5 feet tall3, but with a DBH <2.0 inches. A qualitative assessment of tree regeneration was conducted at the same locations where prism plots were established. Tree regeneration was classified as being light, moderate, or heavy. Regeneration was also identified by tree species and height classes. Invasive plants: Invasive plants are those that outcompete and displace native plants. Although some native plants can be invasive, most are non-native. Invasive plants outcompete native plants, including tree regeneration, by monopolizing light, water, nutrients, soil, and growing space. Some invasive plants secrete toxic chemicals into the soil that inhibit other plant species from growing nearby. The impact of invasive plants on ecosystems includes reduced abundance of native vegetation, including tree regeneration; reduced seed set of native species due to competition for pollinators from related invasive species; reduced availability of food for organisms dependent upon native plant sources; reduced quantities of nutrient rich foods for migrating birds; alteration of ecosystem processes, including nutrient cycling; reduced quantities of palatable browse for mammalian herbivores; and reduced availability of suitable habitat for insect specialists. For the NETC forest inventory, plant species were considered invasive if they are listed on the Vermont Noxious Weed Quarantine list or the Vermont Invasive Species Watch List. Invasive plants were qualitatively characterized at each location where a prism plot was established. The level of invasive plant infestation was classified as being light, moderate, or heavy. All species of invasive plants were identified for each sample plot, and the height classes of the dominant and secondary invasive species were recorded. Forest understory: The amount of vegetative cover of tree regeneration and shrubs in the forest understory, up to 20 feet4, is an important component of nesting habitat for songbirds. The more vegetative cover that is present, the better the nesting habitat. The degree of openness of the forest understory was characterized at the locations where prism plots were established. Forest understory was classified as being open, or as having a light, moderate, or heavy amount of vegetative cover. The dominant vegetation of the forest understory also was recorded. Site index: Site index was determined by coring several trees with codominant canopies in each stand. Trees were cored as close to the ground as possible, averaging about one foot above the root collar. Tree heights were measured using a clinometer. Tree cores were sanded and dampened to enhance the tree rings in the cores, allowing for a more accurate determination of

3 The minimum height for tree regeneration was set at five feet, because seedlings <5 feet tall are at much greater risk of experiencing browse damage from white-tailed deer. 4 When describing wildlife habitat, vegetation cover in forests is often separated into understory (<5 feet), midstory (6-20 feet), and overstory (>20 feet). However, vegetation cover <5 feet was difficult to access because the forest inventory was conducted in December, with a variable snow cover, and when herbaceous plant cover was not present. Therefore, the term “understory” was used to collectively describe all vegetation up to 20 feet in height.


tree age. White ash trees were cored in Forest Stands 1 and 3, and white pine trees were cored in Forest Stand 2. Site index was determined by comparing the height to age relationships of the forest stands to site index curves in the USDA Forest Service document titled, “Site Index Curves for Forest Tree Species in the Eastern United States.” Plant species of concern: Butternut trees were the only plant species of concern that were observed while conducting the forest inventory. Information that was recorded for these trees included: location (latitude, longitude), diameter, notes on tree health. This information will be delivered to Dr. Dale Bergdahl at the University of Vermont, who is gathering information on the location of healthy butternut trees within the state of Vermont. Tree and shrub species not recorded during the variable plot prism cruise: Tree species with a very low occurrence may not be represented in a forest inventory. In addition, shrubs and low-statured, non-commercial tree species (e.g. apple) were not included in the variable plot prism cruise. However, many of these plant species provide important food sources to wildlife. Therefore, the occurrence of trees and shrubs that were not included in the inventory were recorded. The locations (latitude, longitude) of concentrations of mast-producing shrubs and non-commercial trees were recorded.

Landowner Forest Management Objectives NETC’s primary goal for management of the Reserve is to provide an educational and recreational environment for the community, along with maintaining and enhancing existing natural plant communities for the benefit for native flora and fauna. Specific management objectives for the forested portion of the Reserve are:

• Reduce the occurrence of invasive plants. • Release native mast-producing trees and shrubs to enhance wildlife habitat. • Enhance vertical structure in the forest understory to improve wildlife habitat,

including nesting habitat for neotropical migratory songbirds. • Identify plant species of concern. • Identify potential routes for expansion of the existing trail system.

Forest Management Constraints Management constraints place restrictions on the types of activities that can be performed in order to protect or enhance forest resources. Forest management constraints on the Norman and Selma Greenberg Nature Reserve include:

• No commercial timber harvests or use of heavy equipment. • Protecting cultural resources, including stone fences and wells, from damage or

alteration. • When possible, conducting forest management and trail building/maintenance activities

outside of bird breeding, nesting, and fledging seasons.


Forest Stand Descriptions and Management Prescriptions Stand descriptions are based on summaries of the variable plot cruise, referencing soils maps, and observations by the forester. These stand descriptions provide the basis for developing management prescriptions that will allow NETC to the meet its forest management objectives. Stand-level prescriptions are provided in the sections discussing those individual forest stands. Forest-wide prescriptions and constraints on forest management activities are provided in separate sections.

Forest Stand 1: Mesic Maple-Ash-Hickory-Oak Forest General description: Stand 1 is located on the northeast and eastern sides of the Reserve (Figure 7). Aspect varies from west to northwest. The slope ranges from almost level at the southern end of Stand 1 to 22.5% along the slope of the hill near the kettle wetland. Elevation ranges from 1,010 feet in the southeast corner to about 795 feet at the eastern edge of the kettle wetland. Stand 1 is closed canopy, even-aged forest in the stem exclusion phase of development. This stand developed after abandonment of a combination of pastures and fields. It has never been actively managed. Several rock fences and rock piles are present. The two wells that provided water to the Hired Hands House are located in Forest Stand 1 along the slope immediately uphill from the kettle wetland. One well is located southeast of the wetland, and one is located south of it. The locations for these wells are:

• N 42o 51.5317′; W 73o 11.6211′ • N 42o 51.5220′; W 73o 11.5981′

A small rock outcrop is located in Stand 1 east of the kettle wetland. This outcrop is about 90 feet long, and 20-25 feet tall. This rock feature is not a sheer rock face, but is comprised of multiple small rock faces up to six feet in height, interspersed with steep slopes up to 42o. Large boulders, some at tall as six feet and 12-15 feet long, are scattered through Stand 1. A small kettle wetland is located on the western edge of Stand 1. As a result, the riparian zone surrounding the wetland is comprised of trees within Stand 1. The Birch Overlook Trail is located in the eastern end of Stand 1 (Figure 6). This trail begins at the Bennington Bypass haul road, extends up the slope, and loops around the rock outcrop and the kettle wetland before returning to the Bypass haul road. Two sitting benches are situated along the trail; one bench is located above (east) of the rock outcrop, and the other is located on the slope to the south of the kettle wetland. Soils: The soils underlying Forest Stand 1 are a mix of Nellis silt loam and Amenia silt loam (Figure 8). The primary soil is Nellis silt loam, 15-25% slopes, very stony. Lesser, but approximately equal areas are comprised of Nellis silt loam, 15-25% slopes, and Amenia silt loam, 3-8% slopes. Both of the Nellis silt loam soil types are derived from loamy glacial till parent material, are very deep to bedrock, and are well-drained. There are no concerns of flooding or ponding with these soils. However, due to the slope, these soils are poorly suited for roads and there is a moderate off-road erosion hazard due to slope and erodibility. The difference between these two soil types is that the one that is classified as very stony has stones and boulders on the surface.


Amenia silt loam soil on 3-8% slopes is also derived from loamy glacial till, and is also very deep to bedrock. Unlike the Nellis silt loams, however, the Amenia silt loam is only moderately well-drained, and can have a perched water table at 1.5 feet to 3 feet below the surface from late Fall through Spring. However, there are no concerns of flooding or ponding. Amenia silt loam is moderately suited for roads because of wetness, but the off-road erosion hazard is slight. Forest type/composition: Stand 1 is a Mesic Maple-Ash-Hickory-Oak Forest. This transitional forest type has characteristics of both Northern Hardwood Forests of New England, and the Central Hardwood Forests of the Appalachian Mountains to the south. Mesic Maple-Ash-Hickory-Oak Forests are found in the warmer climates of the Vermont. Soils that support these forests are drier than those supporting typical Northern Hardwood Forests, with the parent material being glacial till. Canopy trees of Mesic Maple-Ash-Hickory-Oak Forests are comprised of a mix of northern hardwood species such as sugar maple, yellow birch, red maple, and American beech, along with smaller number of trees usually associated with the central hardwoods, such as bitternut hickory, white oak, red oak, and butternut. Early-successional trees in this forest type include white pine, paper birch, and aspen5. The species composition of Stand 1 is shown in Table 3.

Table 3. Abundance (%) of live trees with a DBH ≥6 inches (i.e. overstory trees) in Forest Stand 1. Tree species Abundance Tree species Abundance White ash 21.9 American basswood 2.8 Sugar maple 19.7 Paper birch 1.7 Black cherry 11.8 Butternut 1.7 Sweet birch 11.8 American elm 1.1 Red maple 7.9 Red oak 1.1 White pine 7.3 Big tooth aspen 1.1 Bitternut hickory 5.1 Black ash 0.6 Quaking aspen 3.9 Yellow birch 0.6

The composition of live trees with a DBH ≥2 inches and <6 inches is comprised primarily of white ash (27.8%), sugar maple (27.8%), and eastern hophornbeam (22.2%). Current stand structure (live trees): Total basal area of live trees: 131 ft2/acre Basal area of acceptable growing stock (AGS): 67 ft2/acre Saplings (DBH ≥2 inches and <6 inches): 1 ft2/acre Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 24 ft2/acre Sawtimber (DBH ≥12 inches): 42 ft2/acre Basal area of unacceptable growing stock: 64 ft2/acre

Total live tree density: 315 trees/acre Saplings (DBH ≥2 inches and <6 inches): 166 trees/acre 5 Refer to the following reference for a more in depth discussion of Mesic Maple-Ash-Hickory-Oak Forests: Thompson, E.H., and E.R. Sorenson. 2005. Wetland, woodland, wildland: A guide to the natural communities of Vermont. The Nature Conservancy and the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. 456pp.


Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 96 trees/acre Sawtimber DBH ≥12 inches): 53 trees/acre

Quadratic mean stand diameter:

DBH ≥2 inches: 8.7 inches DBH ≥6 inches: 12.1 inches

Age: 60 years Age structure: Even-aged

Current stand structure (snags, cavity trees, future snags and cavity trees):

Total snag density: 20 snags/acre Saplings (DBH ≥4 inches and <6 inches): 5 snags/acre Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 13 snags/acre Sawtimber DBH ≥12 inches): 2 snags/acre DBH ≥16 inches: 0 snags/acre

Total cavity tree density: 10 cavity trees/acre Saplings (DBH ≥4 inches and <6 inches): 0 cavity trees/acre Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 5 cavity trees/acre Sawtimber DBH ≥12 inches): 5 cavity trees/acre DBH ≥16 inches: 3 cavity trees/acre

Total future snag/cavity tree density: 18 trees/acre Saplings (DBH ≥4 inches and <6 inches): 0 trees/acre Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 10 trees/acre Sawtimber DBH ≥12 inches): 8 trees/acre DBH ≥16 inches: 4 trees/acre Area: 24 acres Site quality: Forest Stand 1 is a high quality site for white ash, with a site index of 80. Tree regeneration: The stocking of tree regeneration in Forest Stand 1 is light. This is to be expected given that this forest stand has a closed canopy and is in the stem exclusion phase of forest development. During this stage of development, very little light reaches the understory to trigger seed germination. The regeneration that is present is comprised primarily of sugar maple, white ash, and eastern hophornbeam. Lesser amounts of American elm, American beech, sweet birch, and bitternut hickory are also present. One red spruce seedling was observed. Tree regeneration is commonly 10-20 feet tall, with lesser amounts being 5-10 feet tall, and 20-25 feet tall. Tree and shrub species not recorded during the variable plot prism cruise: Pin cherry, Norway maple (an invasive species), apple, hawthorn, shadbush, American hornbeam, and witch hazel are present within Stand 1. One area on the eastern side of the stand has a concentration of apple


and hawthorn that are 20-25 feet tall, along with a shadbush with a 4 inch DBH. This patch of soft mast-producing trees and shrubs is about 0.5 acre in size. The location of this patch is N 42o 51.3983'; W 73o 11.4703'. Plant species of concern: Four butternut trees, all with codominant canopy positions, were observed, and three were tallied, while conducting the inventory in Stand 1. Three of the trees are in decline (likely due to senescence), but they did not appear to be infected with butternut canker. However, canker infections in the crown would not be detectable from the ground. The locations of these butternut trees are:

• N 42o 51.5550′; W 73o 11.5148′ • N 42o 51.5510′; W 73o 11.5201′ (two trees) • N 42o 51.3846′; W 73o 11.4457′

Stand health: The overall health of Forest Stand 1 was generally good. However, several resource management issues were noted. The most significant current forest health problem is a developing invasive plant infestation. Currently, the level of infestation is generally very light to light. This light infestation, however, is expected to continue to develop. The bush honeysuckles were the primary invasive species. The majority of honeysuckle was <5 feet in height, but occurrences of up to 10 feet were observed. Other common invasive plants included European buckthorn and burning bush. A small component of Japanese barberry, border privet, and Norway maple was also present. A few patches of oriental bittersweet were observed, with some vines growing into the tree overstory. Native wild grape vines were problematic in very localized patches but were not common across the stand. Only 2.9% of the 207 live trees and snags that were tallied during the forest inventory had grape vines growing on them. Perennial target cankers were a common occurrence across Forest Stand 1. Cankers were most common on sweet birch and black cherry. These cankers, caused by the fungus, Neonectria ditissima (previously known as Nectria galligena), are common in stands that regenerate in high light environments, such as those that occur during reforestation of abandoned agricultural lands. The vast majority of white pine in Stand 1 is of low quality because of past damage from white pine weevil when the trees were growing in a high light environment. White pine weevil is no longer a forest health issue because the trees are mature and because the damage to wood quality has already occurred. Emerald ash borer, an invasive bark beetle that kills all species of ash trees, is not currently in Vermont. However, emerald ash borer is established in the neighboring regions of New York and Ontario, Canada, and monitoring for this beetle is ongoing in Vermont. The impact of emerald ash borer on Forest Stand 1 would be significant because white ash is the most abundant tree species in the stand. Deer browsing is heavy on tree seedlings that are <5 feet tall. Resource concerns: There are several positive features of Forest Stand 1 when compared to the landowner objectives. Forest Stand 1 is currently providing habitat for wildlife species that require mature, closed canopy hardwood forests. This includes nesting and foraging habitat for a range of responsibility bird species. Forest Stand 1 also provides hard and soft mast foods to wildlife, with 10 mast-producing trees/acre for trees with a minimum DBH of 12 inches. The


distribution of mast-producing trees is: black cherry, 7 trees/acre; bitternut hickory, 2 trees/acre, and red oak, 1 tree/acre. Wild grape vines in Forest Stand 1 provide additional soft mast, as well as preferred locations for gray squirrels to construct and anchor leaf nests. Cavity trees (10/acre), snags (20/acre), and future cavity and snag trees (18/acre) are abundant. The abundance of the largest cavity trees and snags, with a DBH ≥16 inches, was mostly within the recommended guidelines of having 3 large hardwood cull trees (i.e. future cavity trees or snags) per acre or three snags per acre6. The four primary resource concerns within Forest Stand 1 are: (1) the lack of vertical structure by native plant species in the forest understory, (2) the expanding infestation of invasive plants (3), heavy deer browsing of vegetation <5 feet tall, and (4) the small amount of large woody debris (LWD) on the forest floor. The lack of vertical structure limits habitat niches, including bird nesting opportunities. This lack of vertical structure is largely a result of the fact that Forest Stand 1 is in the stem exclusion stage of forest development, which is characterized as having high mortality rates of overstory trees with the addition of few, if any, new trees to the overstory. However, the forest structure that is currently present in the understory is largely comprised of invasive plants. These invasive plants outcompete native understory plant species that provide higher quality bird nesting habitat and more nutritious wildlife food sources. In addition, regeneration of native tree and shrub species is subjected to heavy deer browsing, further limiting the development of a more structurally diverse forest understory. The small amount of LWD represents a limitation on a key structural habitat feature of the forest floor. The soil types that underlie Forest Stand 1 may necessitate that care be taken when constructing recreational trails. The Nellis silt loams are prone to erosion because of the slopes on which this soil is found, and the Amenia silt loam has a perched water table for a portion of the year. Other forest health issues that were identified in Forest Stand 1 do not represent resource concerns for the landowner. Perennial target canker is abundant on sweet birch and black cherry, which would be a concern if timber production was a forest management objective. However, canker-infested trees commonly develop cavities at the point of infection of the fungus. Canker-infested trees are also more prone to storm breakage, thereby increasing the abundance of LWD on the forest floor. The low quality white pines in the stand provide nesting and feeding opportunities for some bird species, and they provide thermal cover and protection from avian predators to roosting birds. White pine seeds also represent another form of hard mast that is available as a wildlife food. The emerald ash borer is currently not a management concern. However, mortality of white ash from the emerald ash borer would result in the creation of a large number of snags, and ultimately add a large volume of wood to the LWD pool. Management recommendations: The desired future condition of Forest Stand 1 is a mature, closed canopy forest, with the following features:

• A structurally diverse understory comprised primarily of native vegetation, • An adequate amount of well-distributed LWD, • Increased production of hard and soft mast, • An abundance of snags and cavity trees, and

6 The Natural Resources Conservation Service recommends retaining a minimum of 3 actively used den trees or 3 large, hardwood cull trees per acre. Audubon Vermont recommends retaining at least 6 snags/acre with at least 3 of those snags having a DBH >16 inches.


• An expanded trail system. Management of Forest Stand 1 will consist of several activities. The invasive plant infestation will be managed in order to enhance the structural diversity by providing more opportunities for the establishment and growth of native plant species. Invasive plants will be controlled using herbicide that is applied by a state-certified pesticide applicator. Herbicide will be applied for two consecutive years. A follow up application of herbicide will be applied several years later to control persistent patches of invasive plants. Herbicide will be applied selectively (i.e. no mist spraying) to individual invasive plants in order to maintain native understory plants that are already established. The production of hard and soft mast will be increased in two ways. First, release cuts will be conducted to remove competing tree canopies from 10 trees/acre of black cherry, bitternut hickory, and red oak. Second, a release cut will be conducted for the patch of apple trees (10-12 trees) identified during the forest inventory. The release cut will result in an opening of about 0.75 acre in size. The apple trees will also be pruned. Trees that are felled during the release cut will be jack-strawed in order to impede deer movement into the area, with the intent of establishing native vegetation (especially shrubs) that will enhance the structural diversity of Forest Stand 1. No action will be taken to increase the production of LWD or to increase the abundance of large diameter snags and cavity trees. These structural features are expected to increase as Forest Stand 1 ages, with a corresponding increase of overstory tree mortality. This increased tree mortality is expected to result in increased opportunities for native vegetation to become established in the understory, thereby enhancing the structural diversity of the stand. The trail system in Forest Stand 1 will be expanded over a three year period from 2011 through 2013, including one complete trail, and portions of two other trails (Figure 9). Management activities, primarily tree felling, will be conducted in a manner that will not impact the kettle wetland, the rock outcrop, and the cultural resources (water wells, stone fences, rock piles). The small number of trees that will be cut to implement this management plan are not expected to negatively influence the aesthetic resources. NETC will utilize informational signs along the existing and newly established trails in order to educate trail users about forest management activities that are being conducted. Refer to the Treatment Schedule Table for further details regarding the proposed management activities in Forest Stand 1.

Forest Stand 2: Mixed White Pine-Black Cherry-White Ash-Red Maple Forest General description: Stand 2 is located southwest of Stand 1 and northeast of Stand 2 (Figure 7). Its southern boundary extends along the middle of the southern boundary of the Reserve. From there it extends to about the center of the forested hillside and then curves downhill to the Bypass ROW. The aspect of Stand 2 is generally west. The slope ranges from 12 to 18%. Elevation ranges from 971 feet on the eastern edge of the stand, to 820 feet at the western edge along the Bypass ROW. Stand 2 is a closed canopy, even-aged forest in the stem exclusion phase of development. Some canopy gaps are being created due to the mortality of groups of white pine (causes


unknown). This stand developed after the abandonment several fields. It has never been actively managed. Several rock fences and rock piles are present. Soils: The soils underlying Forest Stand 2 are comprised of Nellis silt loam, 15-25% slopes, very stony, and Massena silt loam, 3-8% slopes (Figure 8). The majority of soil underlying Stand 2 is Nellis silt loam, 15-25% slopes, that is derived from loamy glacial till parent material, is very deep to bedrock, and is well-drained. There are no concerns of flooding or ponding with this soil type. However, due to the slope, this soil is poorly suited for roads and there is a moderate off-road erosion hazard due to slope and erodibility. The southern third of Forest Stand 2 is underlain by Massena silt loam, 3-8% slopes. This soil type develops from loamy glacial till parent material, and is very deep to bedrock. However, moderate permeability makes this soil somewhat poorly drained to poorly drained. The water table is at a depth of 1.0-1.5 feet below the surface from late Fall through late Spring, but ponding and flooding are not an issue. Massena silt loam is poorly suited for roads due to wetness, but the off-road erosion hazard is slight. Forest type/composition: Forest Stand 2 is a Mixed White Pine-Black Cherry-White Ash-Red Maple Forest. The species composition of Stand 2 is shown in Table 4.

Table 4. Abundance (%) of trees with a DBH ≥6 inches (i.e. overstory trees) in Forest Stand 2. Tree species Abundance Tree species Abundance White pine 55.1 American elm 0.9 Black cherry 23.6 Quaking aspen 0.5 White ash 8.8 Eastern larch 0.5 Red maple 7.4 Eastern hophornbeam 0.5 Sugar maple 2.3 Eastern hemlock 0.5

Live trees with a DBH ≥2 inches and <6 inches were not dominated by any tree species. These smaller diameter trees were comprised of a mix of American beech, American elm, sweet birch, white ash, white pine, and Norway maple (an invasive species). Current stand structure (live trees): Total basal area of live trees: 186 ft2/acre Basal area of acceptable growing stock (AGS): 59 ft2/acre Saplings (DBH ≥2 inches and <6 inches): 0 ft2/acre Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 15 ft2/acre Sawtimber (DBH ≥12 inches): 44 ft2/acre Basal area of unacceptable growing stock: 127 ft2/acre

Total live tree density: 301 trees/acre Saplings (DBH ≥2 inches and <6 inches): 86 trees/acre Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 126 trees/acre Sawtimber DBH ≥12 inches): 89 trees/acre


Quadratic mean stand diameter: DBH ≥2 inches: 10.6 inches DBH ≥6 inches: 12.4 inches

Age: 55-60 years Age structure: Even-aged



Total cavity tree density: 9 cavity trees/acre Saplings (DBH ≥4 inches and <6 inches): 0 cavity trees/acre Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 7 cavity trees/acre Sawtimber DBH ≥12 inches): 2 cavity trees/acre DBH ≥16 inches: 1 cavity trees/acre

Total future snag/cavity tree density: 20 trees/acre Saplings (DBH ≥4 inches and <6 inches): 0 trees/acre Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 12 trees/acre Sawtimber DBH ≥12 inches): 8 trees/acre DBH ≥16 inches: 3 trees/acre Area: 19.5 acres Site quality: Stand 2 is a high quality site for white pine, with a site index of 70. Tree regeneration: The stocking of tree regeneration in Forest Stand 2 was light. This is to be expected given that this forest stand has a closed canopy and is in the stem exclusion phase of forest development. During this stage of development, very little light reaches the understory to trigger seed germination. The regeneration that is present is comprised primarily of white ash, varying in height from 5 to 25 feet. Lesser amounts of eastern hophornbeam, American beech, black cherry, sugar maple, bitternut hickory, and sweet birch also were present. Tree and shrub species not recorded during the variable plot prism cruise: Hawthorn (some in patches), apple, shadbush, striped maple, white oak, mountain ash, red-osier dogwood, and American hornbeam were present in Stand 2. Plant species of concern: none


Stand health: Several forest health issues were noted in Forest Stand 2. The most significant current forest health problem is an extensive infestation of invasive plants. This infestation of invasive plants varies from moderate to heavy in the understory (to 20 feet), as well as patches of moderate to heavy infestation of oriental bittersweet in the tree overstory (to 50 feet). The dominant species of invasive plant varied across the stand, and included burning bush, glossy buckthorn, bush honeysuckles, European buckthorn, Norway maple, and oriental bittersweet. In the case of bittersweet, it was growing on 10% of the 267 live trees and snags that were recorded in the inventory, with some trees being overtopped. The height of the dominant invasive species varied by growth form. Shrubby species were primarily 5 to 15 feet tall, Norway maple varied in height from 25 to 45 feet (2 to 4 inch DBH), and oriental bittersweet was present at all heights up to 50 feet. Secondary species of invasive plants included all of those listed as dominant species, with the addition of Japanese barberry and border privet. The heights of secondary invasive species at a site were generally <5 feet. Multiflora rose was present in Stand 2, but was not common. Native wild grape vines were problematic in localized patches and were fairly common across the stand. Grape was recorded as growing on 6.7% of the 267 live trees and snags that were tallied during the forest inventory. The vast majority of white pine in Stand 2 is of low quality because of past damage from white pine weevil when the trees were growing in a high light environment. White pine weevil is no longer a forest health issue because the trees are mature and because the damage to wood quality has already occurred. Emerald ash borer would have an impact on Forest Stand 2, although it would be much less significant than in Forest Stand 1, because white ash comprises <9% of the trees in Stand 2. Although the majority of tree regeneration in Stand 2 is currently comprised of white ash, the stocking level of these small diameter trees is light, so their mortality from emerald ash borer would likely have little impact on the future stocking of Forest Stand 2. Deer browsing is heavy on tree seedlings that are <5 feet tall. Resource concerns: There are several positive features of Forest Stand 2 when compared to the landowner objectives. Forest Stand 2 is currently providing habitat for wildlife species that require mature, closed forests with the presence of conifers, such as the blue-eyed vireo and the blackburnian warbler. The abundance of conifers also provides thermal cover to deer and roosting birds, including ruffed grouse. In addition, white pine seeds are an excellent winter food for a number of wildlife species. Soft mast production in Forest Stand 2 is expected to be high because of the abundance (21 trees/acre) of large diameter (≥12 inch) black cherry trees, along with the high density of wild grape vines. The combination of black cherry and wild grape extends the availability of soft-mast to wildlife, because black cherry fruit is available in the summer, whereas wild grapes are available in the fall and into the winter. The wild grape vines also provide preferred locations for gray squirrels to construct and anchor leaf nests. Cavity trees (9/acre), snags (124/acre), and future cavity and snag trees (30/acre) are abundant. The abundance of the largest cavity trees and snags, with a DBH ≥16 inches, is within the recommended guidelines of having 3 large hardwood cull trees (i.e. future cavity trees or snags) per acre or three snags per acre. The mortality of small patches of overstory white pine trees has created pockets of abundant LWD on the forest floor. The small canopy gaps that were created from these pockets of tree mortality also created opportunities for native tree regeneration (as


well as invasive plants) in the understory, thereby locally enhancing the structural diversity of the stand. Three resource concerns within Forest Stand 2 are the same as those in Forest Stand 1: (1) the lack of vertical structure by native plant species in the forest understory, (2) the heavy infestation of invasive plants, and (3) heavy deer browsing of vegetation <5 feet tall. Please refer to the section on resource concerns for Forest Stand 1 for a more detailed discussion regarding these resource issues. The high density of wild grapes is also a resource concern in Forest Stand 2, even though grapes provide benefits to wildlife as already discussed. Based on the forest inventory, grapes vines are estimated to be growing on 386 live trees within the stand (i.e. about 20 live trees/acre). The grapes are smothering some trees canopies, resulting in the eventual death of those individuals. The weight of large grape vines also has the capacity to snap tree tops, resulting in a canopy opening that enhances the growth of the vines. This process of canopy gap formation is already occurring in Forest Stand 2. The soil types that underlie Forest Stand 2 may necessitate that care be taken when constructing recreational trails. The Nellis silt loams are prone to erosion because of the slopes on which this soil is found, and the Massena has a shallow water table from late Fall through late Spring. Other forest health issues that were identified in Forest Stand 2 do not represent resource concerns for the landowner. As already discussed, white pines in the stand, although of low value for timber, provide numerous benefits to wildlife. The emerald ash borer is currently not a management concern. However, mortality of white ash from the emerald ash borer would result in the creation of snags, and ultimately increase the amount of LWD on the forest floor. Management recommendations: The desired future condition of Forest Stand 2 is a mature, closed canopy forest, with the following features:

• A structurally diverse understory comprised primarily of native vegetation, • An adequate amount of well-distributed LWD, • Increased production of soft mast from black cherry trees, • A significantly reduced population of wild grape, • An abundance of snags and cavity trees, and • An expanded trail system.

Management of Forest Stand 2 will consist of several activities. The invasive plant infestation will be managed in order to enhance the structural diversity by providing more opportunities for the establishment and growth of native plant species. Invasive plants will be controlled using herbicide that is applied by a state-certified pesticide applicator. Herbicide will be applied for two consecutive years. A follow up application of herbicide will be applied several years later to control persistent patches of invasive plants. Herbicide will be applied selectively (i.e. no mist spraying) to individual invasive plants in order to maintain native understory plants that are already established. Increased production of soft mast from black cherry trees will be accomplished by conducting release cuts for 10 trees/acre. The abundance of wild grapes will be reduced by cutting the vines at ground level. No herbicide should be required because grapes require a high light environment to


thrive, whereas the light level under the conifer-dominated canopy of Forest Stand 2 is relatively low. The target for wild grape density will be 5 live trees/acre with canopy-reaching vines (a reduction of 75%). A density of 1 to 2 trees/acre with canopy-reaching vines is recommended to allow for attachment of leaf nests by gray squirrels. The additional 3 trees/acre with canopy-reaching vines is to allow for the production of soft mast (i.e. grapes) that will be available to wildlife in the fall and winter. Grape vines growing in poorly formed hardwood trees that are not mast-producers will be preferentially retained. No action will be taken to increase the production of LWD or to increase the abundance snags and cavity trees. Snags are very abundant in Forest Stand 2, and these features will eventually collapse and be added to the LWD pool on the forest floor. The trail system in Forest Stand 2 will be expanded during 2011 and 2012, when portions of two new trails will traverse the area (Figure 9). Management activities, primarily tree felling, will be conducted in a manner that will not impact the stone fences and rock piles in Forest Stand 2. The small number of trees that will be cut to implement this management plan are not expected to negatively influence the aesthetic resources. NETC will utilize informational signs along the newly established trails in order educate trail users about forest management activities that are being conducted. Refer to the Treatment Schedule Table for further details regarding the proposed management activities in Forest Stand 2.

Forest Stand 3: Mesic Maple-Ash-Hickory-Oak Forest General description: Stand 3 is located in the southwest corner of the forested hillside of the Reserve, and abuts the Reserve boundaries on its south and west sides (Figure 7). Stand 3 has a west aspect. Elevation ranges from 945 feet at the eastern edge of Stand 3 to 820 feet at its western edge. The overall slope is of this stand is about 15%. Stand 3 is an even-aged forest in the stem exclusion phase of development. Tree stocking is variable, with areas of low stocking and scattered openings, which appear to be due to a heavy infestation of invasive plants in those areas. This stand developed after the abandonment an agricultural field. It has never been actively managed. Rock fences are present along the south and west boundaries of Stand 3. Soils: Most of Forest Stand 3 is underlain by Nellis silt loams (Figure 8). The majority of the stand is underlain by Nellis silt loam, 15-25%. The soil in the southwest corner is classified as Nellis silt loam, 8-15%. The soil in a small portion in the northeastern section is Nellis silt loam, 15-25%, very stony. All three of these silt loams are derived from loamy glacial till parent material, are very deep to bedrock, and are well-drained. There are no concerns of flooding or ponding with these soils. The silt loams on 15-25% slopes are poorly suited for roads because of the slope, and the off-road erosion hazard is moderate due to the slope and erodibility. The silt loam on the 8-15% slope is moderately suited for roads, and the off-road erosion hazard is slight. The soil underlying the northwest portion of Forest Stand 3 is classified as Galway-Farmington complex, 15-25% slopes, very rocky. The interspersion of Galway and Farmington soils results in the depth to bedrock varying from shallow to moderately deep, and soil drainage varying from well-drained to excessively drained. Ponding and flooding are not a concern. This


soil is poorly suited for roads due to the slope. There is a moderate off-road erosion hazard due to the slope and erodibility. Forest type/composition: Forest Stand 3 is a Mesic Maple-Ash-Hickory-Oak Forest. The tree species composition of Stand 3 is shown in Table 5.

Table 5. Abundance (%) of trees with a DBH ≥6 inches (i.e. overstory trees) in Forest Stand 3. Tree species Abundance Tree species Abundance White ash 28.3 Red maple 4.4 Black cherry 19.6 Paper birch 1.5 Quaking aspen 14.5 Bitternut hickory 1.5 Sugar maple 11.6 Red oak 0.7 American elm 8.7 Burr oak 0.7 White pine 8.0 Butternut 0.7

The composition of live trees with a DBH ≥2 inches and <6 inches was comprised primarily of American elm (33.3%), black cherry (19.0%), and white ash (19.0%). Current stand structure (live trees): Total basal area of live trees: 99 ft2/acre Basal area of acceptable growing stock (AGS): 48 ft2/acre Saplings (DBH ≥2 inches and <6 inches): 1 ft2/acre Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 19 ft2/acre Sawtimber (DBH ≥12 inches): 28 ft2/acre Basal area of unacceptable growing stock: 51 ft2/acre

Total live tree density: 275 trees/acre Saplings (DBH ≥2 inches and <6 inches): 137 trees/acre Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 100 trees/acre Sawtimber DBH ≥12 inches): 38 trees/acre

Quadratic mean stand diameter:

DBH ≥2 inches: 8.1 inches DBH ≥6 inches: 10.7 inches

Age: 55-60 years Age structure: Even-aged




Total cavity tree density: 7 cavity trees/acre

Saplings (DBH ≥4 inches and <6 inches): 5 cavity trees/acre Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 1 cavity trees/acre Sawtimber DBH ≥12 inches): 1 cavity trees/acre DBH ≥16 inches: 1 cavity trees/acre

Total future snag/cavity tree density: 20 trees/acre Saplings (DBH ≥4 inches and <6 inches): 9 trees/acre Poles (DBH ≥6 inches and <12 inches): 3 trees/acre Sawtimber DBH ≥12 inches): 8 trees/acre DBH ≥16 inches: 4 trees/acre Area: 9 acres Site quality: Forest Stand 3 is a moderately-high quality site for white ash, with a site index of

75. Tree regeneration: The stocking of tree regeneration in Forest Stand 3 was light. This is to be expected given that this forest stand has a closed canopy and is in the stem exclusion phase of forest development. During this stage of development, very little light reaches the understory to trigger seed germination. The regeneration that is present is comprised primarily of white ash. Sugar maple and American elm ranked second in abundance, and Norway maple (an invasive species) was present. Tree regeneration varied in height from 10 to 30 feet, with 15 to 20 feet being common. Tree and shrub species not recorded during the variable plot prism cruise: Eastern hophornbeam, sweet birch, Norway maple (an invasive species), hawthorn (some in patches), apple, red-osier dogwood, gray dogwood, and shadbush were present in Stand 3 Plant species of concern: Two butternut trees were observed along the edge of Stand 3, on the southern boundary of the Reserve. One of these trees was included in the forest inventory. Neither tree exhibited any obvious signs of butternut canker. However, canker infections in the crown would not be detectable from the ground. The locations of these butternut trees are:

• N 42o 51.3204′; W 73o 11.7691′ • N 42o 51.4092′; W 73o 11.7490′

Stand health: Several forest health issues were noted in Forest Stand 3. The most significant current forest health problem is an extensive infestation of invasive plants. This infestation of invasive plants is patchy, but mostly varies from moderate to heavy in the understory (to 20 feet). Bush honeysuckles were the most common invasive shrub species, and commonly reached heights of 10 to 15 feet. Oriental bittersweet was a common invasive vine, and occurred at all heights to 50 feet. Bittersweet was growing in 17% of the 187 live trees and snags that were included in the forest inventory, with some trees being overtopped. European buckthorn was the second most common shrub species, which was commonly distributed as


large, scattered individuals that reached 15 to 20 feet in height. Other invasive species that occurred in Stand 3 were border privet, burning bush, Japanese barberry, and multiflora rose. Native wild grape vines were problematic in localized patches and were fairly common across the stand. Grape was present in 62.5 % of the 16 areas that were sampled for the forest inventory, and 20% of the 187 trees and snags included in the inventory had grape growing in them. Some of the trees and snags were overtopped with grape vines. Most of the white pine in Stand 3 is of low quality because of past damage from white pine weevil when the trees were growing in a high light environment. White pine weevil is no longer a forest health issue because the trees are mature and because the damage to wood quality has already occurred. Aspen trunk rot, caused by the fungus, Phellinus tremulae, was a common occurrence in the quaking aspen trees in Forest Stand 3. This heart rot was detected by the presence of fruiting bodies (i.e. conks) extending from the tree boles, so its presence was likely underestimated. A total of 21 aspen trees were sampled from two aspen clones, and 57.1% of those trees were infected with aspen trunk rot. However, most of the infected trees occurred in one of the aspen clones. In that clone, 62.5% of the 16 aspen trees that were sampled were infected with heart rot. If emerald ash borer arrives in the Reserve, its impact on Forest Stand 3 would be significant because white ash is the most abundant tree species in the stand. Deer browsing is heavy on tree seedlings that are <5 feet tall. Resource concerns: There are several positive features of Forest Stand 3 when compared to the landowner objectives. Forest Stand 3 is currently providing habitat for wildlife species that require mature, closed canopy hardwood forests with scattered openings. Forest Stand 3 also provides hard and soft mast foods to wildlife, with 8 mast-producing trees/acre for trees with a minimum DBH of 12 inches. The distribution of mast-producing trees is: black cherry, 6 trees/acre; a combination of bitternut hickory, red oak, and burr oak, 2 trees/acre. Wild grape vines in Forest Stand 3 provide additional soft mast, as well as preferred locations for gray squirrels to construct and anchor leaf nests. Cavity trees (7/acre), snags (63/acre), and future cavity and snag trees (20/acre) are abundant. The abundance of the largest snags, with a DBH ≥16 inches, is less than the recommended 3 snags/acre. However, the abundance of the largest future cavity trees and snags meets the recommended guideline of a minimum of 3 large hardwood cull trees (i.e. future cavity trees or snags) per acre. Four of the resource concerns within Forest Stand 3 are essentially the same as those in Forest Stand 1: (1) the lack of vertical structure by native plant species in the forest understory, (2) a heavy infestation of invasive plants, (3), heavy deer browsing of vegetation <5 feet tall, and (4) a small amount of large woody debris (LWD) on the forest floor. Please refer to the section on resource concerns for Forest Stand 1 for a more detailed discussion regarding these resource issues. The high density of wild grapes is also a resource concern in Forest Stand 3, even though grapes provide benefits to wildlife as already discussed. Based on the forest inventory, grape vines are estimated to be growing on 495 live trees within the stand (i.e. about 55 trees/acre). The grapes are smothering some trees canopies, resulting in the eventual death of those individuals. The weight of large grape vines also has the capacity to snap tree tops, resulting in a canopy opening that enhances the growth of the vines. This process of canopy gap formation is already occurring in Forest Stand 3.


The soil types that underlie Forest Stand 3 may necessitate that care be taken when constructing recreational trails. The Nellis silt loams, as well as the Galway-Farmington complex soils, are prone to erosion because of the slopes on which these soils are found. Other forest health issues that were identified in Forest Stand 3 do not represent resource concerns for the landowner. The prevalence of aspen trunk rot in the aspen clones represents an abundance of trees that are highly suitable for cavity excavations by woodpeckers. These heart rot-infected trees are also more prone to storm breakage, thereby increasing the abundance of LWD on the forest floor. The low quality white pines in the stand provide nesting and feeding opportunities for some bird species, and they provide thermal cover and protection from avian predators to roosting birds. White pine seeds also represent another form of hard mast that is available as a wildlife food. The emerald ash borer is currently not a management concern. However, mortality of white ash from the emerald ash borer would result in the creation of a large number of snags, and ultimately add a large volume of wood to the LWD pool. Management recommendations: The desired future condition of Forest Stand 3 is a mature, closed canopy forest, with the following features:

• A structurally diverse understory comprised primarily of native vegetation, • An adequate amount of well-distributed LWD, • Increased production of hard and soft mast, • An abundance of snags and cavity trees, and • A significantly reduced population of wild grape, • An expanded trail system.

Management of Forest Stand 3 will consist of several activities. The invasive plant infestation will be managed in order to enhance the structural diversity by providing more opportunities for the establishment and growth of native plant species. Invasive plants will be controlled using herbicide that is applied by a state-certified pesticide applicator. Herbicide will be applied for two consecutive years. A follow up application of herbicide will be applied several years later to control persistent patches of invasive plants. Herbicide will be applied selectively (i.e. no mist spraying) to individual invasive plants in order to maintain native understory plants that are already established. Increased production of soft and hard mast will be accomplished by conducting release cuts for 8 to 10 trees/acre. Release cuts will focus on hard mast tree species (bitternut hickory, red oak, burr oak), with the remainder being comprised of black cherry. The abundance of wild grapes will be reduced by cutting the vines at ground level. No herbicide should be required because grapes require a high light environment to thrive, whereas the light level under the canopy of Forest Stand 3 is relatively low. The target for wild grape density will be 5 live trees/acre with canopy-reaching vines (a reduction of 91%). A density of 1 to 2 trees/acre with canopy-reaching vines is recommended to allow for attachment of leaf nests by gray squirrels. The additional 3 trees/acre with canopy-reaching vines is to allow for the production of soft mast (i.e. grapes) that will be available to wildlife in the fall and winter. Grape vines growing in poorly formed hardwood trees that are not mast-producers will be preferentially retained.


No action will be taken to increase the production of LWD or to increase the abundance of large diameter snags and cavity trees. These structural features will increase as Forest Stand 3 ages, with a corresponding increase of overstory tree mortality. This increased tree mortality is expected to result in increased opportunities for native vegetation to become established in the understory, thereby enhancing the structural diversity of the stand. Segments of two new trails will be constructed in Forest Stand 3 in 2011 and 2012 (Figure 9). Management activities, primarily tree felling, will be conducted in a manner that will not impact the stone fences. The small number of trees that will be cut to implement this management plan are not expected to negatively influence the aesthetic resources. NETC will utilize informational signs along the existing and newly established trails in order to educate trail users about forest management activities that are being conducted. Refer to the Treatment Schedule Table for further details regarding the proposed management activities in Forest Stand 3.

Isolated forest patches Two small, isolated forest patches are located on the eastern side of Jewett Brook and the adjacent wetlands (Figure 7). The forest patches serve as part of the aesthetic backdrop for users of the Trolley Line Trail. The forest patches also serve as an important wildlife corridor due to their proximity to the wetlands, and to the presence of the trail. The importance of these patches as a wildlife travel corridor will increase after completion of the Bennington Bypass, which will likely include the construction of a fence along the Bypass ROW boundary. The forest patches also represent the only transitional habitat (i.e. ecotone) on the Reserve that is comprised of the open habitat of the wetlands and the closed canopy habitat of mature forest. This ecotone provides habitat for wildlife species that benefit from the juxtaposition of these two different plant communities. The forest patches were not sampled using the forest inventory protocol that was used for Forest Stands 1 through 3, because the small patch sizes did not allow for adequate sample sizes to be collected. These forest patches were characterized based on observations that were made while walking through them, along with basal area and tree species information that was derived from the random placement of a small number of prism samples. Forest Patch 1—Forest Patch 1, which is about 1.5 acres in size, is located east of Jewett Brook and west of the Bennington Bypass ROW (Figure 7). This forest patch is locate on level ground at the base of the slope where Forest Stands 1 through 3 are located, and is adjacent to the wetlands along Jewett Brook. Part of the Trolley Line Trail runs along the eastern edge of this patch (Figure 6). Forest Patch 1 developed after the abandonment of a pasture; it has never been actively managed. The total basal area of three randomly placed prism samples ranged from 30 ft2 to 100 ft2, with an average of 60 ft2. Tree species composition based on the prism samples was: white ash, 77.8%; clack cherry, 11.1%, sugar maple, 5.6%; and butternut, 5.6%. Other tree species included American basswood, burr oak, eastern larch, paper birch, and American elm. Forest Patch 1 was classified as being a Mesic Maple-Ash-Hickory-Oak Forest type. Understory vegetation in Forest Patch 1 was heavy up to 15 feet, with invasive bush honeysuckles being the dominant species. Invasive European buckthorn was the second most


abundant understory plant, and reached heights of 20-25 feet. Native shrub/small tree species included willow, speckled alder, gray dogwood, hawthorn, shadbush, wild grape, apple, red-osier dogwood, and nannyberry. The invasive oriental bittersweet was present, but not abundant. Tree regeneration was present only in trace amounts. Forest Patch 2—Forest Patch 2, which is about 1 acre in size, is located east of Jewett Brook and west of the Bennington Bypass ROW (Figure 7). This forest patch is locate on level ground at the base of the slope where Forest Stands 1 through 3 are located, and is adjacent to the wetlands along Jewett Brook. Part of the Trolley Line Trail runs along the eastern edge of this patch (Figure 6). Forest patch developed after the abandonment of a pasture; it has never been actively managed. The total basal area of two randomly placed prism samples was 80 ft2 and 90 ft2, and averaged 85 ft2. Tree species composition based on the prism samples was: white ash, 35.3%; quaking aspen, 29.4%; balsam poplar, 11.8%; white oak, 11.8%; and black cherry, 11.8%. Other tree species included burr oak, eastern hophornbeam, and red oak, . Forest Patch 2 was classified as being an early successional variant of the Mesic Maple-Ash-Hickory-Oak Forest type because of the abundance of quaking aspen and balsam poplar, along with the dominance of white ash and the presence of white oak, burr oak, and red oak. The understory vegetation in Forest Patch 2 was heavy up to 15 feet, with invasive bush honeysuckles being the dominant species. Invasive European buckthorn was also present. Native shrub/small tree species included red-osier dogwood, gray dogwood, willow, and American hornbeam. Tree regeneration stocking was light, and was comprised primarily of white ash from 20-30 feet tall. Resource concerns: The heavy infestation of invasive plants is the primary resource concern in the forest patches. The invasive plants outcompete native understory plant species, such as dogwood, hawthorn and nannyberry. These native plant species provide higher quality bird nesting habitat and more nutritious wildlife food sources compared to invasive plant species. A consequence of herbicide treatments to control invasive plants will be a potential reduction in short-term aesthetics for users of the Trolley Line Trail because of the mortality of a large proportion of the understory vegetation. Management recommendations: The desired future condition of the forest patches is the maintenance of a mature forest canopy with an understory comprised primarily of native plant species. Management of the forest patches will consist of controlling the invasive plant infestation in order to provide more opportunities for the establishment and growth of native plant species. Invasive plants will be controlled using herbicide that is applied by a state-certified pesticide applicator. Herbicide will be applied in the forest patches for two consecutive years. A follow up application of herbicide will be applied several years later to control persistent patches of invasive plants. Herbicide will be applied selectively (i.e. no mist spraying) to individual invasive plants in order to maintain native understory plants that are already established. The Trolley Line Trail will be closed during the application of herbicide in the forest patches. The initial impact of herbicide treatments to trail users will be a reduction in the short-term aesthetics because of the mortality of a large proportion of the understory vegetation. However,


the viewscape from the Trolley Line Trail will improve after native vegetation becomes established. Refer to the Treatment Schedule Table for further details regarding the proposed management activities in Forest Patches 1 and 2.

Forest Management Schedule The 10 year forest management schedule for Forest Stand 1 through 3, and Forest Patches 1 and 2, are shown in Table 6. Table 6. Treatment schedule for forest stands and forest patches within the Norman and Selma Greenberg Nature Reserve. The treatment area/length is shown in parentheses. Year Stand/Patch Treatment* Forest Stand 1 Forest Stand 2 Forest Stand 3 Forest Patch 1 Forest Patch 2 2011 MTR (1 ac)

Trail (1000 ft) IPC_2 (2 ac) IPC_1 (5 ac) Trail (2100 ft)

IPC_1 (5 ac) Trail (900 ft)

IPC_1 (1 ac)

2012 ATR (0.75 ac) Trail (1200 ft)

IPC_1 (6 ac) IPC_2 (5 ac) WGM (10 ac) MTR (1 ac) Trail (500 ft)

IPC_1 (4 ac) IPC_2 (5 ac) WGM (4.5 ac)Trail (300 ft)

IPC_2 (1 ac)

2013 IPC_1 (5 ac) MTR (1 ac) Trail (1600 ft)

IPC_1 (6 ac) IPC_2 (6 ac) WGM (9.5 ac)

IPC_2 (4 ac) IPC_1 (1.5 ac)

2014 IPC_1 (5 ac) IPC_2 (5 ac)

IPC_2 (6 ac) WGM (4.5 ac)MTR (1 ac)

IPC_2 (1.5 ac)

2015 IPC_1 (5 ac) IPC_2 (5 ac)

2016 IPC_1 (5 ac) IPC_2 (5 ac)

IPC_S (19.5 ac) IPC_S (1.5 ac) IPC_S (1 ac)

2017 IPC_1 (4 ac) IPC_2 (5 ac)

IPC_S (9 ac)

2018 IPC_2 (4 ac) 2019 IPC_S (19.5 ac) 2020 IPC_S (24 ac) IPC_S (9 ac) IPC_S (1.5 ac) IPC_S (1 ac)

* IPC_1=Invasive plant control, first year; IPC_2=Invasive plant control, second year; IPC_S=Invasive plant control, spot treatment; MTR=Mast tree release; ATR=Apple tree release and pruning; WGM=Wild grape management; Trail=Construction of new recreational trail

NRCS Practices, 2011-2013 The forest management practices, identified by NRCS Practice Code, that will be implemented from 2011 through 2013 are shown in Table 7. The NRCS Practices that will be implemented within each forest stand and forest patch are shown in Figure 10.


Table 7. NRCS practices that will be implemented in forest stands and patches within the Norman and Selma Greenberg Nature Reserve, 2011 through 2013.

Year Stand/Patch Treatment by NRCS Practice Code* Forest Stand 1 Forest Stand 2 Forest Stand 3 Forest Patch 1 Forest Patch 2 2011 645 (1 ac)

568 (1000 ft) 595 (7 ac) 568 (2100 ft)

595 (5 ac) 568 (900 ft)

595 (1 ac)

2012 645 (0.75 ac) 568 (1200 ft)

595 (11 ac) 314 (10 ac) 645 (1 ac) 568 (500 ft)

595 (9 ac) 314 (4.5 ac) 568 (300 ft)

595 (1 ac)

2013 595 (5 ac) 645 (1 ac) 568 (1600 ft)

595 (12 ac) 314 (9.5 ac)

595 (4 ac) 595 (1.5 ac)

*NRCS Practice Codes: 314—Brush management (wild grape management); 568—Recreation trail and walkway; 595—Pest management (invasive plant control); 645—Upland wildlife habitat management (mast tree release, apple tree release and pruning) The implementation schedule for the identified NRCS Practices will be the same for each year:

• Practice 314—Brush management (wild grape management): January through April, and September through December, to avoid bird breeding, nesting, and fledgling periods.

• Practice 568—Recreation trail and walkway: May through September. • Practice 595—Pest management (invasive plant control): September through

November, to maximize herbicide up take by plant roots. • Practice 645—Upland wildlife habitat management (mast tree release, apple

tree release and pruning): November through December for apple tree release and pruning, to minimize fungal infection of pruning wounds. September through December for mast tree release to avoid bird breeding, nesting, and fledgling periods.

NRCS Job Sheets for mast tree release, and apple tree release and pruning, are provided in Appendix B: NRCS Job Sheets.

Glossary Acceptable growing stock (AGS)—Commercial trees that have the potential to produce sawlog

or better quality material, now or in the future. Aspect—The direction towards which a slope faces. Basal area—The cross-sectional area of a tree at breast height (4.5 feet above the ground). Cavity tree—A tree with a hole which was created through the decay process, or which was

excavated by an animal in a decayed portion of the tree. Cavity trees can be live or dead (i.e. a snag). Cavity trees are sometimes called den trees.

Diameter breast height (DBH)—Diameter of a tree 4.5 feet above the ground (on the high side).


Dolomite—A limestone or marble that is rich in magnesium carbonate. Even-aged stand—A forest stand in which all of the trees are essentially the same age. Graminoids—Grasses and grass-like plants such as sedges and rushes. Hard mast—Nuts and seeds of plants with a hardened outer shell or skin. Hardwood—A broad-leaf tree, usually deciduous, tree. Invasive plants—Plant species, usually non-native, that outcompete and displace other plants. Large woody debris (LWD)—Woody material on the forest floor or in a water body consisting

of large branches and logs. Large woody debris is typically defined as having a minimum diameter of 4 inches and a minimum length of 6 feet. Large woody debris is also called course woody debris.

Mast—The fruit or nut of a plant, including those from trees. Neotropical migratory songbird—A bird that breeds in North America during the summer, and

spends winter in Mexico, Central America, South America or the Caribbean islands. Overstory—The canopy in a stand of trees. Responsibility bird—A bird species in which a high proportion of its global population breeds in

Vermont, making it a priority species for conservation efforts. Riparian zone—The interface between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Sawlog—A high quality tree that contains material that can be utilized by a sawmill to produce

boards for lumber. Shrubland—A plant community dominated by shrubs. Site index—An indicator of site quality based on the height of a tree with a dominant or

codominant crown position at a specified base age (usually 50 years in the eastern United States).

Snag—A standing dead tree. Snags were defined as having a minimum DBH (diameter at breast height) of 4 inches and a minimum height of 6 feet.

Soft mast—The fleshy fruit of plants. Softwood—A needle-leafed tree. Stand—A management unit consisting of a contiguous group of trees that are uniform in species

composition, age and size class, growing site and marketing/management opportunities. Stem exclusion phase—A stage of forest development characterized by a dense tree canopy and

intense competition among trees for resources. The competition for resources results in high mortality rates of established trees, and few, if any trees are added to the population of overstory trees.

Stocking—A description of the number of trees, basal area, or volume per acre in a forest stand. Stocking of a forest stand is most often compared against a desired level for balanced tree growth and health, and is used in comparative expressions such as well-stocked, poorly stocked, or overstocked.

Unacceptable growing stock (UGS)—Non-commercial tree species, and commercial trees that do not have the potential to produce sawlog or better quality material, now or in the future.

Understory—Low growing vegetation beneath a tree canopy. Vertical structure: The presence or absence of vegetation layers in a forest, from the ground to

the top of the tree canopies. Vegetation structure is typically classified as consisting of the following vegetation strata: understory, midstory, tree boles, and tree canopy. Generally, the more diverse the vertical structure is in a forest stand, the better the wildlife habitat that is being provided.

Viewscape—The area that is visible from a specified observation point.


References Bygone Bennington on WBTN-AM 1370. No. 7 Trolleys, #2.

(http://sites.google.com/site/bygonebennington/Home/no--7). Manaras, K. 2010. Forest bird habitat assessment: New England Tropical Conservatory’s

Norman and Selma Greenberg Nature Reserve, Bennington, VT. Audubon Vermont. 21pp. Matteson, B. (Date unknown). A rose by any other name – a farm becomes a study center for

tropical plants. Bennington Banner. Matteson, B. (Date unknown). The Rose Farm saga and a history of rural land and life.

Bennington Banner. Matteson, B. (Date unknown). Wilderness to tropical preserve. Bennington Banner. New England Tropical Conservatory website. (http://netrop.org). Rossman, A.Y., and M.E. Palm-Hernández. 2008. Systematics of plant pathogenic fungi: Why it

matters. Plant Disease. 92: 1376-1386. Sanderson, H.R., C.M. Nixon, R.W. Donohoe, and L.P. Hansen. 1980. Grapevines: An important

component of gray and fox squirrel habitat. Wildlife Society Bulletin. 8: 307-310. Schultz, J. 2003. Conservation assessment for butternut or white walnut (Juglans cinerea) L.

USDA Forest Service, Eastern Region, Hiawatha National Forest. 76pp. Thompson, E.H., and E.R. Sorenson. 2005. Wetland, woodland, wildland: A guide to the natural

communities of Vermont. The Nature Conservancy and the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. 456pp.

U.S. Geological Survey. Geological units in Bennington County, Vermont. (http://tin.er.usgs.gov/geology/state/fips-unit.php?code=f50003).

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Vermont soil fact sheets—Bennington County. (ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/VT/Soils/Soil%20Fact%20Sheets/Bennington%202008).

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Web soil survey. (http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/HomePage.htm).

Vermont Center for Geographic Information. Vermont Interactive Map Viewer. (http://maps.vermont.gov/imf/sites/VCGI_basemap/jsp/launch.jsp).

Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife. 2009. Rare and uncommon native vascular plants of Vermont. Vermont Nongame and Natural Heritage Program. 24pp.

Vermont Geological Survey. 1956. Bulletin 7: Bennington—Bedrock map. (http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/geo/bull7benn/sm7benweb.jpg).

Vermont Invasive Exotic Plant Committee. Vermont invasive plants. (http://www.vtinvasiveplants.org/index.php).

Ward, J.S., S. Anagnostakis, F.J. Ferrandino. 2010. Nectria canker incidence on birch (Betula spp.) in Connecticut. Northern Journal of Applied Forestry. 27: 85-91.

Appendix A: Maps

Appendix B: NRCS Job Sheets

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