State Game Lands
At our local council of sportsmans clubs meeting tonight our Game lands manager for Lawrence county was there. He explained to us that the PGC is changing how gamelands are managed and are implementing a 10 year program. Every gamelands in the state will be managed differently for different species, depending on the area.
They based thier plans using aerial photography in mid winter to show overwinter cover, inventoried the species on the game lands with a combination of biologists and foresters. Game Lands 216 here in Lawrence county will be managed much differently. Aerial photography showed that due to the large amout of acres planted in crops 120, the game lands did not look significantly different than the surrounding farms. In mid winter there was very little cover available. So this game lands will be managed for early successional stage shrub habitat. When it grows beyond that trees will be cut and sprayed to retain that type of habitat. This gamelands is slated for woodcock, wood duck and deer habitat. The amount of crops will be dropped to 20 acres and everything else will be allowed to revert to successional stages.
They are also removing all invasive/non native plants from this gamelands through tree spiking and spraying also. This will continue for the duration of the program. So gone will be the autumn and russian olive and multiflora rose, tartarian honeysuckle & such. All the mowing we are used to will also cease to allow areas to provide more cover.
Very interesting stuff and good to see that they are making some changes.
He also stressed that the appeance of lower maitnence is not due to lack of funds, but just different types of maitnence, cutting and spraying invasives & such, but that he is sure that the rumor will begin to spread that they don't have the money to maintain them and that is why they will not look like people are used to.
Better too far back, than too far forward.