The Effects of Various Management Techniques on Herbaceous Growth in Southeastern Wisconsin’s State Natural Areas
Wildlife Ecology and Management Michaela Doyle
Wisconsin’s State Natural Areas (SNAs) are parcels of land set aside for preservation of the state’s native plant communities. Our research focused on vegetation height across multiple SNAs in the Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit and examined the management methods used over the past 15 years. In 2010, a project was established to document annual changes in these SNAs by creating multiple “photopoints” at each site, which were GPS points to be photographed at regular multi-year intervals. A vegetation height reference board was included in the photos to display relative growth, which we used to correlate technique effectiveness. Since the project’s start, we have captured 404 photos of 28 photopoints across seven SNA sites. By comparing the same points over multiple years, as well as multiple points on one site within a single growing season, we were able to analyze vegetative growth trends. We predicted that the most intense management would yield the most drastic results, but we were also curious about which plant species were prevalent only after certain treatments. Our null hypothesis was that management techniques would have no effect on the vegetation height of plant communities. Treatments of the SNAs included prescribed burn, herbicide application, targeted invasive removal, mowing, and the absence of treatment. The distribution of photopoints across a site meant that the received treatment varied, helping us to evaluate effectiveness. Continued photopoint documentation will allow greater insight into future management of the SNAs, allowing for better conservation of Wisconsin’s resources.
Advisors: Cory Peters, B.S. Shelli Dubay, Ph.D.
Subject Area: Resource Management
Type: Oral
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UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources
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