The Land Department has partnered with the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) to create habitat for Golden Winged Warblers (GWWA). These birds have been identified by the Minnesota DNR as a species of greatest conservation need, largely because of huge declines on other parts of its breeding range. MPJ Enterprises mowed several sites in Wrenshall, Barnum, and Moose Lake Townships on County lands to manage for early successional habitat.
Target conditions included the thinning of the dense shrub understory. Trees greater than 5 inches diameter were left as reserve trees for warbler song perches. Tree and Shrub patches retained are approximately 30% of the original canopy cover. In addition to the GWWA, these project sites will provide important cover for nesting, brood rearing, and foraging of a variety of wildlife species. As conditions re-vegetate we will monitor for presence of GWWA and Woodcock.
Find a copy of the official project report below.
GWWA Habitat Project 2016-17 (PDF)
GWWA Habitat Project 2017-18 (PDF)
GWWA Habitat Project 2018-19 (PDF)
During 2017 and 2018, avian surveys occurred at 6 locations in Carlton County. Find a monitoring report assessing avian response to the habitat project sites from 2017 and 2018 below.
Avian Monitoring Summary 2017-2018 (PDF)