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Healthy Forests Success Story

Smooth Coneflower / Pine-Oak Woodland Restoration on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, Habersham, and Stephens Counties, Georgia
2008

Project Background

Smooth coneflower, a federally endangered species, is a rhizomatous perennial growing best in open to partially open habitats such as xeric woodlands, savannas, and/or grasslands. Historically, much of the species’ habitat was maintained in an open condition by fires caused by lightning or Native American burning. However, fire suppression and other human-use changes have degraded this species’ habitat and caused it to become increasingly rare.

This species is currently only known to occur in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, but has been reported historically from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Alabama, and Arkansas. On the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest (CONF) in Georgia, smooth coneflower is known to occur only on the Chattooga River Ranger District in Habersham and Stephens Counties. There are 25 known sites on National Forest land in Georgia, ranging in size from 1 individual to approximately 1000 plants.

In order to preserve this species and meet the recovery objectives as outlined in the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Smooth Coneflower Recovery Plan, the CONF has collaborated with several other Federal, State, and Non-Governmental agencies in order to improve habitat for the species at the landscape-scale. Habitat improvement goals and objectives for the species are primarily focused at restoring a mosaic of pine-oak woodland habitats within existing smooth coneflower sites, as well as at other "suitable" recruitment sites. Specifics of this project are as follows:

Project Specifics

  1. Identify and prioritize smooth coneflower / pine-oak woodland restoration areas among all partners.
  2. Identify landscape scale prescribed fire units that meet restoration goals and objectives for the species and for the pine-oak woodland ecosystem. Landscape scale prescribed fire units are identified in collaboration with Forest Service fire managers, so that prescribed fire units are designed to meet multiple goals and objectives, such as treating hazardous fuel conditions in addition to restoring pine-oak woodland habitats. To the extent possible, prescribed fire units are designed to incorporate streams and existing roads as "natural" control lines as opposed to using "plowed" control lines.
  3. Identify mechanical treatment units that meet restoration goals and objectives for the species and for the pine-oak woodland ecosystem, particularly when prescribed fire alone is not effective in meeting project goals.
  4. Collect local seed from rare woodland-obligate plant species, propagate seed and then outplant into suitable restoration areas.
  5. Monitor success of rare species out planting treatments.
  6. Monitor long-term vegetation response to pine-oak woodland restoration treatments.

Project Successes

  1. A strong, cohesive partnership has been established with a variety of agencies and organizations who are working to meet mutual goals and objectives. This partnership is part of a statewide network known as the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance (GPCA.) In 2005, the coneflower habitat restoration project was voted a priority project by GPCA. Some GPCA members that have collaborated on this project include Georgia Department of Natural Resources - Nongame Conservation Section, State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Atlanta Botanical Garden, US Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of Georgia. These members, as well as organizations such as Georgia Forest Watch have taken an active role in the on-the-ground implementation of restoration activities. Funds have been leveraged across all agencies in order to meet the goals and objectives of this project.
  2. Prescribed fire restoration treatments have evolved from the "site" scale to the "landscape" scale. Thanks in large part to the collaborative efforts of local Forest Service fire managers, the average size of "restoration" smooth coneflower burns has grown from 5 acres to approximately 200 acres, with some burns being as large as 1,000 acres. In addition, prescribed fires are now being designed to meet multiple goals and objectives, such as hazardous fuel reduction and ecosystem restoration.
  3. A variety of partners assisted with mechanically treating approximately 20 acres of smooth coneflower habitat in 2007 alone.
  4. To date, approximately 500 smooth coneflowers have been propagated by the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and out planted into suitable habitats within the project area. In addition, three other very important rare, woodland-obligate plant species are also currently being propagated and planned to be out planted within several of the coneflower restoration areas. These 3 species are: The Federal Candidate species Georgia Aster (Symphotrichum georgiana), State Protected species Frazers Loosestrife (Lysimachia fraseri) and the Locally Rare species Curlyheads (Clematis ochroleuca).
  5. To date, six long-term vegetation-monitoring plots have been installed and measured within the project area. Preliminary results suggest that prescribed fire is being effective in meeting oak-pine woodland restoration goals.