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At PRI we are excited about a NEW INITIATIVE! --- a focus on the ecological management of woodlands. No one else has the professional restoration staff to provide private and public sector customers with services and information about the importance of the planning, restoration and subsequent management of important woodland properties.
Forests of the upper Midwest, prior to European settlement, were substantially different from the woods we know today.
In naturally occurring conditions they were shaped and determined by elements of disease, wildlife, fire, weather and Native American lifestyles. The happy result was plant communities consisting of diverse mixes of trees, shrubs and ground covers---all well adapted to existing soils, light and moisture conditions.
Today we see dramatic changes. Sadly, some original woodland flora and fauna have disappeared---such as American chestnut and American elm, not to mention elk and passenger pigeons, which once populated Midwest forests. New exotics—Siberian elm, buckthorn, amur maple and others have been introduced, creating a highly problematic new mix. Without serious control measures it is impossible to maintain diverse, stable, healthy woodlands.
Look to PRI for comprehensive woodland planning services, including:
- Inventory and assessment of existing species and conditions.
- Enhancement recommendations--- planning, seeding and planting, trail construction, stand reduction and thinning.
- Savanna reclamation and management---oak wilt and red cedar control, as well as controlled burning plans.
- Exotic species control and/or removal--- garlic mustard, burdock, nettle, thistle, buckthorn, amur maple and other invasive woody plants.
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