Penobscot Valley Hunting Report: December 27, 2006
National Wild Turkey Federation Super Fund Project at Page Farm Parcel
Wild Turkey habitat management is a popular activity for landowners in this region of the state. Recognizing the winter bottleneck for wild turkeys at the edge of their known range, landowners in this region of the state of Maine have turned to conservation organizations like the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Regional Wildlife Biologists of Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, (MDIFW), for technical advise to enhance their property for wild turkeys.
The Maine Chapter of the National Wild turkey Federation has spent over $63,000 on habitat improvements in the state of Maine. These projects have consisted of:
· maintenance and development of brood habitat
· wildlife openings
· prescribed fire
· tree planting
· riparian restoration
· water development projects
· control of invasive plant species
· support for seed subsidy and conservation seed programs
Currently, MDIFW and the Maine Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation have an ongoing project at the MDIFW-owned Page Farm parcel, part of the Mattawamkeag River System Wildlife Management Area, located in Drew Plantation. Located on this parcel are two abandoned farmsteads and their associated reverting fields. After reviewing the area with representatives of the local Penobscot Valley Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, (NWTF), a superfund project was co-developed to restore some of the reverting fields through mowing and herbaceous seeding. Additionally the project will rejuvenate the apple trees through pruning, fertilizing, and liming, nurture some of the soft-mast producing shrubs such as high bush cranberry by liming and fertilizing, and supplement the hard-mast producing trees by planting additional trees such as red oak and American Chestnut throughout the hardwood stands on appropriate soils. The superfund program provides funding from NWTF acquired through the local membership at banquets, raffles, and membership dues to assist in completing selected projects.
Habitat restoration and enhancement implemented by landowners throughout the state can benefit many species of upland wildlife. Proven techniques such as those employed at Page Farm parcel can be used on smaller or larger parcels of privately owned land. The NWTF website, http://www.nwtf.org/ has a wealth of information for the landowner wishing to actively manage their property. Habitat improvement information is also available through workshops sponsored by NWTF and other conservation groups, as well as through your Regional Wildlife Office. With the ongoing partnering of NWTF and MDIFW, and habitat improvement projects on private land, Maine now has Wild Turkeys occupying areas of the state once believed not capable of supporting Wild Turkey flocks. Coupled with habitat conservation efforts, the restoration of the Wild Turkey is an extremely successful wildlife management effort.
