AMPHIBIANS
Wetland Restoration Partnership by Aubrey Greene, Wildlife Diversity Biologist/Herpetologist S ome of the seasonal wetlands on Sandhills Game Lands are getting a much-needed facelift thanks to our partners at The Nature Conservancy (TNC). Using grant money from the Department of Defense (Readiness and Environmental Protection Integra- tion (REPI) Challenge Grant), TNC hired a Conser- vation Corps North Carolina (CCNC) crew to manu- ally remove unwanted woody vegetation and invasive plants from wetland basins. Historically, fire would have maintained Sandhills wetlands as grassy depres- sions with few if any shrubs or trees. Over time, fire suppression in wetland basins allowed for extreme overgrowth of woody species which suck up a lot of water, causing wetlands to dry faster. When this happens, larval amphibians can’t develop before the pond dries, and eventually fewer species use the wet- land to breed. This summer the CCNC crew com- pleted woody, invasive vegetation removal at five of the eleven wetlands WRC identified as priority restoration sites. The REPI grant will provide the necessary funding to complete the work at all eleven wetlands over the next two to three years. After res- toration is complete, the Sandhills Game Lands fire crews should be able to maintain the desired grassy state with regular prescribed fires when the wetlands are dry.
MIKE MARTIN
In conjunction with these efforts, we began mon- itoring amphibian populations at the restoration ponds by dipnetting for tadpoles and larval salaman- ders. We plan to monitor seasonally for the next five years to determine if the restored ponds are providing suitable habitat for amphibians of interest like tiger salamanders, little grass frogs, and/or oak toads, to name a few.
CASON VERHINE
Top: Duke West Pond before restoration. Bottom: Duke West Pond after restoration.
40 2024 Wildlife Diversity Program Annual Report
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