Spring Break Volunteers

Not every college students thinks beaches and parties when it comes to Spring Break.  Last week, volunteers from The University of Missouri spent their break volunteering at the Audubon Center at Francis Beidler Forest.  The students spent their evenings in our rustic (emphasis on rustic) cabin and spent their days helping us clear tasks off of our to-do list.

Cabin - Mark Musselman

Day 1 included power washing the ramps into the nature center, reattaching deck boards on the education boardwalk where the pressure treatment in the wood had corroded the uncoated deck screws, and repair to the main boardwalk where an oak's rotten base had given out and a section of the boardwalk paid the price.

Fallen Oak - Mark Musselman

Fallen Oak - Mark Musselman

Repaired Boardwalk - Mark Musselman

Day 2 involved clearing oaks from the first longleaf pine plot planted a Beidler Forest.  The plot had not been managed aggressively enough and oaks had crowded or were in the process of crowding out the longleaf pines.  A broken chainsaw and cold weather ended the day early, but not before the remaining forest of oaks snickered at the minimal damage.  We'll be back in the fall with herbicide in backpack sprayers to deal with the remaining oaks, which will give the longleaf pines the access to water and nutrients they will need to grow.  After that, routine prescribed fires will keep the competition at bay.

Day 3 involved more oak removal at a younger longleaf pine site (see previous entries here) where the oaks are young and plentiful, but easier to remove with loppers.  After cutting, the stems were treated with a dyed herbicide to prevent resprouting.

Volunteer Loppers - Mark Musselman

Treated Stems - Mark Musselman

Although a day's work only affected a small percentage of the total tract, the effect is obvious in the before/after images.

Before (area 1) - Mark Musselman

After (area 1) - Mark Musselman

After (area 1) - Mark Musselman

Before (area 2) - Mark Musselman

After (area 2) - Mark Musselman

As opposed to the previous day being able to see the fruits of their labors made for a happy group of volunteers!

Mizzou Volunteers - Mark Musselman

While at the site, students received a basic lesson in longleaf pine ecosystems, including the longleaf pine's adaptations to fire.  Although fire killed many of the younger non-longleaf pine trees, the longleaf pines long needles and tight arrangement around the terminal bud protect the bud from the heat and fire.  The needles that are brown will fall off, new needles will emerge and the tree will continue to grow without nearby competitive vegetation.

Longleaf Pine After Fire - Mark Musselman

Longleaf Pine After Fire - Mark Musselman

Longleaf Pine After Fire - Mark Musselman

Longleaf Pine After Fire - Mark Musselman

Likewise, wiregrass and other herbaceous plants will emerge after the fire and provide food, cover, and nesting sites for wildlife, including wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) and the disappearing bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus).

Wiregrass After Fire - Mark Musselman

Wiregrass After Fire - Mark Musselman

Day 4 included repair of a meeting building on the far side of the swamp that is used for fish fry meetings.  Although nothing like winter in Missouri, the cool weather was not what had been hoped for, so the day's sunny weather pushing into the upper 60Fs was a treat...even without a beach.

Thank you, Mizzou!