By Bill Holimon
Two centuries ago, open pine woodlands and savannas maintained by fire dominated the landscape of the southeastern United States. These natural communities have since been significantly reduced. Dramatic declines in many plant and animal species dependent on this habitat type followed. Today, land managers in the southeast are focusing on restoration of the variety of open pine ecosystems.
Over the past three decades, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission (ANHC) and many of its partners have placed great importance on the protection and restoration of open pine flatwoods habitat in southern Arkansas. These woodlands are dominated by large pine trees spaced about 50 feet apart with sparse mid-story and shrub layers and a rich herbaceous layer supporting many plant and animal species of concern. One of the most endangered forested ecosystems in Arkansas, these open pine flatwoods once covered approximately 1 million acres along the lower two terraces of the Saline and Ouachita rivers.
One species of concern, the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Dryobates borealis, RCW), once occurred in large numbers in the state’s open pine flatwoods habitat. This species is a habitat specialist that is dependent on mature, open pine habitat created and maintained by the occurrence of fire every two to four years. The rich herbaceous layer of this habitat supports many insects. The insects spend a portion of their life cycle on the trees, making up much of the RCW’s diet.
Unlike most woodpeckers in our area that nest and roost in dead trees or the dead portions of trees, the RCW makes its home within live pine trees. The RCW meets the challenge of excavating in live pines by preferentially selecting trees with red-heart fungus (Phellinus pini). The fungus speeds up decay of the heartwood of pines, making it easier for RCWs to create a cavity chamber. The RCWs are dependent on older trees (typically over 60 years old) because they have a higher frequency of red-heart fungus and are large enough for a cavity chamber.
Unfortunately, open pine habitats have been altered by fire suppression, which results in woody encroachment. The woody encroachment crowds out the herbaceous layer reducing insect populations before they make it to the trees where the RCWs feed. In addition, forest management practices have favored younger trees, resulting in fewer potential cavity trees. Collectively, this reduces food, shelter and potential nest sites for the endangered RCW.
To address these habitat changes, ANHC and partners have increased protection and restoration at seven natural areas dominated by pine flatwoods and comprising a total of nearly 31,000 acres. In October 2010 a collective effort began to repatriate a population of RCWs at Warren Prairie Natural Area where the species had not been seen for two decades. Prior to the repatriation effort, the partners had spent more than a decade restoring habitat and managing the land. As part of this effort, in 2010 partners translocated 10 RCWs to Warren Prairie, mostly from the Kisatchie National Forest in central Louisiana. A year later, eight of those birds were still on site. During a translocation, a RCW is captured from its roost cavity at one site and then transported to another site. The following morning, the RCW is released from an artificial cavity at the new site. Only young RCWs with a lower chance of attaining their own territory in the following year are translocated, thus not adversely affecting the source population.
A short-term goal of 10 to 12 potential breeding groups of RCWs were established early on for Warren Prairie. Following additional translocations and several years of successful nesting, the five-year average of potential breeding groups was 11.2 in spring 2023. That spring also saw the highest number of breeding groups, the highest number of successful nests and the highest number of birds fledged. Short-term population goals have thus been met and will be maintained with continued ecosystem habitat management.
So, what’s next? The long-term goal at this site is 30 potential breeding groups. This will require further restoration and a continued successful prescribed fire program. In addition, many of the management units at Warren Prairie have trees only about 20 years old, so time will be required before this habitat is suitable for supporting RCWs. With patience and persistence, additional pine flatwoods habitat at the natural area will be properly restored.
Three other natural areas also support RCWs. Moro Big Pine Natural Area has over 30 potential breeding groups of RCWs. The property is owned by PotlatchDeltic with ANHC and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) holding conservation easements. PotlatchDeltic conducts prescribed burns at the natural areas and the RCWs have responded with a more than threefold increase in population size. Collectively, Huttig Pine Flatwoods Natural Area and adjacent property owned by AGFC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supports the second largest population of RCWs in the state. Pine City Natural Area has four potential breeding groups and habitat work continues there to support two more.
Ecosystem habitat management of the pine flatwoods benefits other animals such as Bachman’s sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis), northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), Diana fritillary (Speyeria diana), and monarch (Danaus plexippus), all listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Arkansas Wildlife Action Plan. Rare plants such as Wolf’s spike-rush (Eleocharis wolfii), Kral’s silkyscale (Anthenantia texana) and barbed rattlesnake-root (Prenanthes barbata) do well in high-quality pine flatwoods.
Photos:
Photo 1 — An adult Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Dryobates borealis, RCW) feeds a nestling at Warren Prairie Natural Area. Photo by Bill Holimon.
Photo 2 — Warren Prairie Natural Area with a dusting of snow on the ground.
Two centuries ago, open pine woodlands and savannas maintained by fire dominated the landscape of the southeastern United States. These natural communities have since been significantly reduced. Dramatic declines in many plant and animal species dependent on this habitat type followed. Today, land managers in the southeast are focusing on restoration of the variety of open pine ecosystems.
Over the past three decades, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission (ANHC) and many of its partners have placed great importance on the protection and restoration of open pine flatwoods habitat in southern Arkansas. These woodlands are dominated by large pine trees spaced about 50 feet apart with sparse mid-story and shrub layers and a rich herbaceous layer supporting many plant and animal species of concern. One of the most endangered forested ecosystems in Arkansas, these open pine flatwoods once covered approximately 1 million acres along the lower two terraces of the Saline and Ouachita rivers.
One species of concern, the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Dryobates borealis, RCW), once occurred in large numbers in the state’s open pine flatwoods habitat. This species is a habitat specialist that is dependent on mature, open pine habitat created and maintained by the occurrence of fire every two to four years. The rich herbaceous layer of this habitat supports many insects. The insects spend a portion of their life cycle on the trees, making up much of the RCW’s diet. Unlike most woodpeckers in our area that nest and roost in dead trees or the dead portions of trees, the RCW makes its home within live pine trees. The RCW meets the challenge of excavating in live pines by preferentially selecting trees with red-heart fungus (Phellinus pini). The fungus speeds up decay of the heartwood of pines, making it easier for RCWs to create a cavity chamber. The RCWs are dependent on older trees (typically over 60 years old) because they have a higher frequency of red-heart fungus and are large enough for a cavity chamber.
Unfortunately, open pine habitats have been altered by fire suppression, which results in woody encroachment. The woody encroachment crowds out the herbaceous layer reducing insect populations before they make it to the trees where the RCWs feed. In addition, forest management practices have favored younger trees, resulting in fewer potential cavity trees. Collectively, this reduces food, shelter and potential nest sites for the endangered RCW.
To address these habitat changes, ANHC and partners have increased protection and restoration at seven natural areas dominated by pine flatwoods and comprising a total of nearly 31,000 acres. In October 2010 a collective effort began to repatriate a population of RCWs at Warren Prairie Natural Area where the species had not been seen for two decades. Prior to the repatriation effort, the partners had spent more than a decade restoring habitat and managing the land. As part of this effort, in 2010 partners translocated 10 RCWs to Warren Prairie, mostly from the Kisatchie National Forest in central Louisiana. A year later, eight of those birds were still on site. During a translocation, a RCW is captured from its roost cavity at one site and then transported to another site. The following morning, the RCW is released from an artificial cavity at the new site. Only young RCWs with a lower chance of attaining their own territory in the following year are translocated, thus not adversely affecting the source population.A short-term goal of 10 to 12 potential breeding groups of RCWs were established early on for Warren Prairie. Following additional translocations and several years of successful nesting, the five-year average of potential breeding groups was 11.2 in spring 2023. That spring also saw the highest number of breeding groups, the highest number of successful nests and the highest number of birds fledged. Short-term population goals have thus been met and will be maintained with continued ecosystem habitat management.
So, what’s next? The long-term goal at this site is 30 potential breeding groups. This will require further restoration and a continued successful prescribed fire program. In addition, many of the management units at Warren Prairie have trees only about 20 years old, so time will be required before this habitat is suitable for supporting RCWs. With patience and persistence, additional pine flatwoods habitat at the natural area will be properly restored.
Three other natural areas also support RCWs. Moro Big Pine Natural Area has over 30 potential breeding groups of RCWs. The property is owned by PotlatchDeltic with ANHC and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) holding conservation easements. PotlatchDeltic conducts prescribed burns at the natural areas and the RCWs have responded with a more than threefold increase in population size. Collectively, Huttig Pine Flatwoods Natural Area and adjacent property owned by AGFC and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supports the second largest population of RCWs in the state. Pine City Natural Area has four potential breeding groups and habitat work continues there to support two more.
Ecosystem habitat management of the pine flatwoods benefits other animals such as Bachman’s sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis), northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), Diana fritillary (Speyeria diana), and monarch (Danaus plexippus), all listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in the Arkansas Wildlife Action Plan. Rare plants such as Wolf’s spike-rush (Eleocharis wolfii), Kral’s silkyscale (Anthenantia texana) and barbed rattlesnake-root (Prenanthes barbata) do well in high-quality pine flatwoods.
Photos:
Photo 1 — An adult Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Dryobates borealis, RCW) feeds a nestling at Warren Prairie Natural Area. Photo by Bill Holimon.
Photo 2 — Warren Prairie Natural Area with a dusting of snow on the ground.