Natural Area Stewardship

Natural Area Stewardship is critical to maintain the ecological health of restored and remnant natural areas. Newly restored natural areas need at least three years of intense stewardship to confirm that native plants and other components of the ecosystem mature and establish before moving into less intense long-term stewardship. Stewardship of remnant natural areas assists in maintaining the health of these unique ecosystems for future generations.

Invasive Species Management
Baxter & Woodman Natural Resources removes and controls invasive and/or non-native herbaceous, shrub, and tree species from restored and remnant natural areas by pulling, spot spraying herbicide, mowing, cutting with chainsaws, and by other means. Invasive species management is generally conducted on an annual basis as needed.

Prescribed Burning
Prescribed burns are a useful tool in keeping natural areas healthy in the long term. Prescribed burns help remove duff, restore nutrients to soil, and increase native plant diversity and composition. Baxter & Woodman Natural Resources has a staff of certified Burn Managers and others trained in performing safe burns. Prescribed burns are generally performed every three years.

Ecologist Monitoring & Reporting
Baxter & Woodman Natural Resources assigns restoration ecologists to visit all of our natural area sites prior to sending out stewardship staff. The ecologist walks each site and determines precise stewardship needs, then relays this information to stewardship staff so they can focus in on management needs when arriving at the site. The ecologist also prepares memo reports at the end of each growing season documenting stewardship activities performed and the status of any applicable vegetation performance standards.