Fairfield residents notified of upcoming Pleasant Lake habitat restoration

Don’t be alarmed if you notice some work being done at Pleasant Lake in Fairfield. The reason for the habitat management you see is one of the following:

1) To enhance woodlands for a wide range of wildlife species;

2) To thin undesirable tree species that take up valuable growing space and outcompete our native plants;

3) To eliminate trees encroaching on prairie areas.

Woodlands provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife species. Some are year-round residents; others use our north woodlands during the warm season, but migrate south in winter. Each species needs living space as well as a distinct type and arrangement of shelter, food, and water. Although some woodland owners believe that wildlife need woodlands that are protected from harvesting, fire, insects, and diseases, that is true only for a few species. Through active woodland management you can improve the habitat for a wider variety of wildlife species.

As stands of trees grow, they often need to be weeded or thinned. Our timber here in Pleasant Lake has seen little of that in the last 25 years. Thus, we have many trees with poor vitality.

Thinning allows more space for a tree’s crown to expand and a greater soil volume from which to absorb nutrients and water to sustain accelerated growth. With thinning we can improve species composition, improve stand quality, increase tree size and encourage the growth of trees that produce seeds or fruits eaten by wildlife.

Iowa was once 80% prairie, so the conservation of prairie and prairie savanna and the species native to those areas are important to the ecosystem. Small tracts of native and reestablished prairie are found in several of our areas, including Pleasant Lake. Burning and mowing is used to rid prairies of woody vegetation but often, if the area hasn’t been maintained in a while, trees have grown to a large size and need to be cut.

For more information, please contact Cassidy Widner at 641-472-2370.