Agreement Narrative: Dynamic Forest Restoration in Southwest Virginia
Primary Funder: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)– Central Appalachia Habitat Stewardship Program
Location: Southwest Virginia
Innovation: RGS & AWS and our partners will implement active forest management that results in a mosaic of mixed-aged forests that support a diversity of songbird and wildlife species on state and private lands in southwest Virginia. We will create a Dynamic Forest Restoration Block (DFRB) focal area to diversify habitat on Channels State Forest, Hidden Valley WMA, and Clinch Mountain WMA, and
surrounding private lands. Primary objectives of the project include: 1) perform conservation planning to develop a DFRB, 2) assess the forest carbon benefits associated with the DFRB, 3) execute baseline
monitoring of forest conditions and wildlife populations, 4) implement active forest management practices to achieve desired conditions within the DFRB, 5) pilot active forest management practices that accelerate the development of older forest conditions to complement efforts to create more young forests, and 6) provide technical assistance to private forest landowners.
Impact: Our project will achieve the following outputs and outcomes: 1) 36,714-acres included within the plan for our DFRB, 2) 400 acres of active forest management practices implemented on state lands, 3) 60 private landowners reached through outreach, 4) 25 forest management plans completed for private landowners, and 5) 3 demonstration areas completed across 150 acres to showcase active forest management practices on state lands.
Partners and Chapter Contributions: We will collaborate closely with Appalachian Mountains Joint Venture, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Virginia Department of Forestry, The Nature Conservancy, TerraCarbon, and Qual Forever & Pheasants Forever.
Local contractors will be utilized for implementing the treatments on the ground.
If using NFWF’s logo, NFWF Subrecipient must obtain prior NFWF approval for the use relating to this Award of the NFWF logo or the logo or marks of any Funding Source.
Deliverables:
- Completed 107 acres prescribed fire implementation at Clinch Mountain WMA to create early successional habitat as demonstration site for focal songbird species (golden-winged warbler)
- Provided technical assistance to 1 private forest landowners in landscape surrounding our public lands focal area (DFRB) in southwest Virginia.
- Engaged 15 private landowners through the Virginia Woods and Wildlife event.
- Facilitated partner agreements and completed first draft of Dynamic Forest Restoration Block focal area plan.
- Identified treatment area locations with VDWR and DOF and confirmed acreages to meet project deliverables.
- Complete 200 acres commercial timber harvest
- Complete 100 acres noncommercial habitat improvements
