Prairie Works is excited to announce that two new services will be added to an already diverse service list. In response to recent trends we will now be offering forest management plans and professional bird surveys.
Forest Management Plans
Prairie Works will provide forest management plans under a new division called Forest Works. All management plans will be handled by a dedicated plan writer experienced in the woodlands of Northwest Illinois.
We started Forest Works because we saw a need for a holistic perspective in the traditional practices of forestry industry. Forest Works seeks to meet the needs of our forested areas and help guide landowners through economic decisions that affect the health of their forests. Forest ecology is a very important part of landscape in the upper Midwest, and like many habitats, our forests have been through great change over the past century. As we change these forests, we bring upon ourselves great responsibilities of stewardship.
There are many consulting foresters who do excellent work to ensure timbers are managed and harvested sustainably. There are also many ecological restoration companies that eradicate invasive species and restore oak savannas and remnant prairies. But no one is combining training from both schools. This approach is the Forest Works difference. We seek to sustainably manage forests for ecological health, diversity and economic interests.
In Illinois, the Forestry Development Act program does not require a sampling of trees less than two inches in diameter. It is like the program assumes trees naturally spring forth from the ground large enough to manage. Our timber management plans sample all woody vegetation less than two inches in diameter to get a true perspective on what is replacing the existing timber stand and recommend what should be done to sustain the long-run health and diversity of the forest.
We see the entire forest’s biodiversity, looking beyond just the health and diversity of the timber. We see all the plants growing in a forest, from the first spring wildflowers to the fall woodland goldenrods. Not all foresters recognize what they are seeing under their feet, but we think these species are important indicators of forest health and diversity.
With a background in ecology as well as forestry, we see not only the good but also the bad. Invasive and non-native plants can threaten a forest’s diversity, and we know what can be done to increase that diversity. From garlic mustard and multiflora rose to autumn olive, Japanese barberry, buckthorn and honeysuckle, we see it and know what needs to be done to eradicate it.
Forest Works can handle all your stewardship issues. Beyond writing your management plan, we can also work with you to implement your plan. Whether providing the advice to carry out a management plan or conducting the work for you, Forest Works will be your stewardship partner. With Prairie Works, we can also help steward oak savanna, remnant prairie or native landscaping. By partnering together, we can offer a holistic approach to all your stewardship endeavors.
Bird Surveys
Prairie Works has teamed up with Dan Wenny, former ornithologist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, to provide birding services. Dan offers a wealth of birding knowledge and experience with professional surveys and education. Dan’s expertise is now available to the public in the form of bird inventories, habitat studies, outreach and education for the private landowner.
A Prairie Works bird inventory can offer valuable information about your land and can assist in deciding what management activities are neccesary for greater bird diversity.
A bird survey can be customized to suit any needs. Typically, a comprehensive list is provided of all breeding bird species that occur on your land stemming from three separate visits. Typically, these visits occur in May, June, and July. More detailed studies are also possible.
Dan Wenny’s Experience
Dan Wenny, an ornithologist, previously worked for ten years with the Illinois Natural History Survey, based at the former Savanna Army Depot. During that time he developed research projects and biological monitoring programs involving birds and their habitats.
Ph.D. in Zoology from University of Florida
M.A. in Biology from University of Missouri-Columbia
B.A. in Biology from Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana.
15 years of experience with bird surveys, ecological research, and outreach
Federal bird-banding Master permit with extensive experience capturing, measuring, and marking birds for research projects.
Over 20 scientific articles plus numerous technical reports and popular articles.
Contact Prairie Works for more information about these and all of our services: info@prairieworksinc.com
