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DVIDS-News – Tulsa District programs work together to improve the environment

DVIDS-News – Tulsa District programs work together to improve the environment

DVIDS - News - Tulsa District programs work together for the good of the environment

TULSA (Okla.) Although special hunts, prescribed burnings, and forestry seem to have very little in common, they all play an important role in the vast environmental mission of Tulsa District Corps of Engineers.
Although the relationship may not be obvious, controlled deer hunting and the environment go hand-in-hand. Hunting is an integral part of wildlife conservation. Hunts are an important part of wildlife management in Tulsa District USACE projects.
Jeff Knack, chief Natural Resources and Recreation Branch, said that controlled hunts are the best solution for areas where deer populations need to be managed but harvest needs to be limited.
These controlled hunts are an outreach to hunters who might not otherwise have the opportunity. Hunts are geared towards veterans, youth, and disabled hunters.
Josh Wingfield, Texoma Area’s environmental specialist, stated that getting kids outdoors teaches them how to protect the environment around them. These hunts teach them about ethics, patience and respect as well as responsibility and emotion control. These are the things they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
The ultimate goal in wildlife management is to maintain a healthy population.
Knack says that the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has formed a partnership to help achieve the goal of wildlife management.
ODWC staff conducts spotlight surveys during the summer months. These counts show changes in population, harvest, participation, and other factors over time. This information is used to determine how hunts should take place to manage the population.
These trends tell a much bigger story than looking at one year. Temperature and precipitation can have an impact on the trend, said Michah Holmes assistant chief of communications and education division Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Prescribed burns (also known as controlled burning) are a method to set fires that meet management objectives. They are an important part in wildlife management.
According to Stacy Dunkin, Tulsa District Environment Biologist, these burns enable staff to maintain and enhance habitat diversity.
These burns are used to reduce fuel consumption and to restore natural habitats, which is good for both the deer population and other wildlife that live around the projects.
The soil is replenished with nutrients by the burning of leaves and other debris that has fallen to the forest floor. This encourages new growth of healthy vegetation for the deer as well as other wildlife.
Tulsa District has added a forester to its district for the first-time in October 2019, adding another layer of environmental protection to the program.
A well-managed forestry program can thin the vegetation. This benefits the ecosystem by removing dead trees in an area. It also allows more sunlight to reach the forest floor.

The additional sunlight helps to regenerate the growth, which provides food for wildlife such as turkeys and deer, according to Reilly Cloud (Tulsa District forester). The forest health and wildlife are both improved by thinning the trees.
Cloud uses guidelines such tree diameter, height, and age when determining the area’s thinning needs.
Cloud uses an increment bore to take a tree sample. He can then count the rings to determine the tree’s age. Once he has all the necessary information, the sample can be returned to the tree. The tree will remain healthy.
Cloud considers more than just the age of a tree. It also considers the height, and diameter of trees within the stand.
A sight index table uses the factors to calculate a number that shows how trees are doing in a given area. The higher a tree grows, the better it stands. The trees that perform well are left standing while the ones that are not suitable for the area are trimmed to meet management goals.
All of these programs work together for the benefit of the environment. The preservation of the habitat in a sustainable manner is key to the survival of the species for future generations. Tulsa District manages over 1 million acres of lands, and waters.

Date Taken: 01.18.2022
Date of publication: 01.18.2022 12:36
Story ID: 413009
Location: TULSA (OK, US) 

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