My goal on Martin Farm is that I would slowly steer it back towards it’s pre Columbian condition that I see as both natural and ideal. I have always wanted to not manage for any individual species but instead to nudge the habitat and ecology to support the broadest group of locally adapted flora and fauna possible. Even as I realize that Longleaf is a keystone species in my region and recently, on my property (as evidenced by the large number of stumps from that bygone forest still in place), I recognize that I have very few Longleaf here now but many mature loblolly that are filling a similar ecological role. So I use the loblolly as overstory, whilst simultaneously trying to prevent its regeneration and activity putting Longleaf seedlings in its shadows. Another recognition is that the ecology and forest of 200 years ago will never come back unchanged. Too much has happened. We have brought other species from around the world that have forever changed our native landscapes.( topic of a future post) They are now a part of this landscape in perpetuity and will be evolving and competing and even symbiotically cooperating into the future. So the only way to see the forest of the past in the future will be with a Time Machine, because they can never be recreated in that future.

So I believe in setting up the right conditions to allow locally adapted species to survive and thrive. In my location, this means an open canopy forest and vibrant groundcover with minimal midstory. A condition that is created and maintained by frequent, low intensity fires. So although I have many years still of migrating this landscape back towards that ideal, much progress has already been made. In four years, the forest has become much more open, there is much more light to the ground and much less duff and fuel on the ground. Slowly, floral composition is changing. And along with it faunal composition.

Which brings me to…. Turkeys on Martin Farm ! We have had turkeys here for about 30 years, since they have returned or have been restocked. But in the last couple of years since fire has returned, their frequency and abundance have both increased. I see that as only getting better over the next years when I go from a one year fire return interval to a two year interval. At that time, my burn blocks should provide both nesting habitat and brooding habitat, as well as open areas for strutting and showing off during the breeding season.

My son in law, Josh Mays has limited on Martin Farm gobblers this year. Here are a few pictures that I think are good. Hopefully the same changes that are helping the turkeys are helping all native plants and wildlife. Next year could be even be better !