The Green Mountain Audubon Center functions as a demonstration site to promote a wide range of bird-friendly habitat management. The Audubon Center features early successional and open bird habitat, some created by wind disturbance and other areas maintained by regular brush-hogging or seasonal mowing.  In our working forests, we integrate firewood and timber harvesting, as well as Bird-Friendly maple sugaring, with improving habitat for a variety of forest birds.

Project: Timber Harvest with Birds in Mind (harvest date: winter of 2013)

This harvest demonstrates concepts and practices developed through the innovative Foresters for the Birds project, which is building a network of foresters who are helping landowners integrate timber and songbird habitat managment throughout Vermont and along the Atlantic Flyway.

Project Goals:

• Improve breeding habitat for songbirds associated with mature forest.  Black-throated Blue Warbler, Wood Thrush and Eastern Wood Pewee will benefit from new understory and midstory nesting habitat created by this harvest.
• Improve tree vigor and future forest productivity.
• Contribute to the local forest-based economy.
• Demonstrate an integrated approach to management for songbird habitat and timber.

Questions?
Contact Chittenden County Forester, Keith Thompson: 802-879-5694
or Audubon Center Director, Kim Guertin: 802-434-3068

Want to Learn More?
Read more about our Forest Bird Habitat Demonstration Sites.