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Fall Forestry & Wildlife Field Tour
October 12, 2023 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Did you know that Mecklenburg County grows a lot of trees? In fact, Mecklenburg is one of the top ten producers of timber (by volume) in Virginia. Timber harvesting creates habitat, and as such, wildlife abounds here.
- Mecklenburg County
- $45/person; $80/couple
Meet at 8:00 a.m. at Dick Cross Wildlife Management Area 6282 Bugs Island Road Boydton, VA. Tour begins promptly at 8:30 a.m.
Stop 1: Eagle Point Wildlife Management Area Mecklenburg is fortunate to have several recreational sites maintained by the US Army Corp of Engineers. At Eagle Point we will learn how to grow a hardwood forest by planting pines. It just requires advance regeneration, proper site preparation and a little good fortune.
Stop 2: Forest Management for Private Woodland Owners A current Stewardship Plan is a key component of successful forest management. See hardwoods being converted to pine forests on this farm. Stream buffers are also key to protecting watersheds, especially one that flows into a 50,000-acre reservoir.
A locally catered lunch will be served at John H. Kerr Dam
Stop 3: Virginia’s Largest (human-made) Lake! This dam, built in the late 1940’s, ends a 39-mile run of the Roanoke River along 800 miles of wooded, cove-studded shoreline in Virginia and North Carolina. There are 26 wildlife management areas on Kerr, totaling over 10,000 acres. Learn how this area benefits fish and wildlife conservation, recreation, forest management, and water supply.
Stop 4: Buffering Virginia’s Largest (human-made) Lake Forested buffers are an effective way to protect water quality. Learn how buffers are created an maintained.
Stop 5: Wetlands for Wildlife See how wetland habitats flourish just downstream of the Kerr Dam, as well as wildlife plantings, invasive plant control, and how to calibrate a small-scale sprayer for herbicide application.
For more information, contact Jason Fisher, jasonf@vt.edu@vt.edu, 434-476-2147. Please register by noon, Wednesday October 4.
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