Come October, 1999, a project planned by Menunkatuck Audubon Society gets underway on Willard's Island at Hammonasset Beach State Park. As many of you know and appreciate, Willard's Island is an upland area about 13 acres surrounded by tidal salt marsh. An observation platform is located at its northern tip on a tidal creek that drains into the Hammonasset River estuary.

Early on, this area was farmed, and in 1920 became part of the Park campground. When retired as an active campground in 1972, the area was mostly open grassland with a few large fruit trees, some large red-cedars, and occasional oaks and red maples. Subsequently, red-cedar regeneration accelerated and, today, the central portion of the "island" is essentially a monoculture of red-cedar.

While large red-cedars are favored roosting sites for great-horned and saw-whet owls and their berries are eaten by some 30 species of birds, the developing dense stand of cedars will become less and less desirable for owls and other species as lower branches of large trees become shaded and killed, and as openings that once supported grasses and shrubs disappear.

Our project, planned for October, is designed to maintain and restore vegetational diversity of Willard's Island by maintaining, enlarging, and in some cases, connecting upland grassy areas that still exist. Five "patches," totaling about an acre in size, have been selected for treatment. One of these is a 0.1-acre area cleared of trees in 1994 by Charlie Rafford and Henry Ferris. The fact that this area is still mostly grass indicates the the mechanical removal of woody vegetation to favor a grassy groundcover is a feasible approach.

Trees, vines, and large shrubs within the designated patches will be cut and removed and then either piled or chipped. Periodically, thereafter, the areas will be mowed to keep trees from reinvading. If necessary, bare areas will be seeded or planted with grass plugs to hasten grass establishment.

Prior to removal of trees, and every spring and fall thereafter, students from Daniel Hand High School in Madison will conduct a survey of the number and kind of small mammals present. While we don't know for sure, it seems likely that an increase in abundance of upland grasses will lead to an increase in population of small mammals - animals that are prey of resident and migrating raptors.

(See follow-up story - Upland Grass Areas Are Enlarged at Willard's Island, Hammonasset State Park.)

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Last updated 18 September, 2004 .