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MPG North

MPG North

Protecting Open Space for Future Generations

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Planted Shrub and Tree Report

Beau Larkin describes the progress with planted trees and shrubs. Plants in large fences grew taller and wider than plants in small plastic exclosures.  

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Summary

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Shrub and Tree Growth - Progress and Challenges

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Near Entrance Pond, willow, dogwood, and birch tripled in size between 2012 and 2016.

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Conifers near the Entrance Gate struggled from 2012 to 2015.

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Mountain ash’s lackluster establishment and growth suggests that MPG North is too dry for this plant.

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We measured trees and shrubs in most of the planted areas this year

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This large hawthorn near Cooney Creek. stood 10.2 feet tall and 5.5 feet wide

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Deer remove all growth that escapes the exclosure every year.

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Metal Fences Lead to Rapid Increase in Growth

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 Near Home Pond, the field crew’s fence cut through the middle of a plot

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 Near Home Pond, the field crew’s fence cut through the middle of a plot

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Stars on the map above show the locations of metal fences that the field crew built.

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Over the summer, the field crew also built seven buck and rails around planted areas, cottonwoods, and aspens.

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The crew built a large buck and rail around Entrance Pond.

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On the west side of Entrance Pond, most of the shrubs are still less than 4 feet tall, so we will leave the plastic exclosures on for one more year.

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Orange borders on the map show where the field crew build buck and rails in 2016.

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Height by Year of Planted Species

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Growth in Plots
  • Grassland or Open
  • Mixed Conifer

Location(s): 

  • Cooney Creek
  • Entrance Marsh
  • Entrance Meadow

Tags: 

  • hawthorn
  • cottonwood
  • serviceberry
  • red-osier dogwood

Project: 

  • Shrub and Tree Planting

Related

  • Restoration Shrub and Tree Monitoring
  • Cooney Creek Wildlife - White-tail Deer Rut
  • 05-13-16 Field Work Field Note

Photos

Cottonwood
Cottonwood
Red-osier Dogwood, by Jeff Clarke

About MPG North

Established in 2005, the property boundary at MPG North encloses 200 undeveloped acres in Western Montana’s Swan Valley. Researchers and field staff manage the property to improve habitat quality for wildlife, discover new ways to restore damaged landscapes and study forest ecology. We also create opportunities to share what we've learned with local conservation organizations, students of all ages, management agencies and volunteers. Through these education and outreach efforts, we seek to inspire others to work together and protect undeveloped landscapes.