The Sandplain Grassland Network has published an article summarizing the state of globally rare sandplain grassland habitats in coastal areas of Massachusetts and New York that are rapidly disappearing due to a variety of causes including invasive species encroachment, climate change, and sea level rise.
The article will appear in the Journal of Restoration Ecology later this year but is currently available for early, open access by clicking here.
New England Blazing Star, Liatris novae-angliae
Sandplain grasslands of the northeastern U.S. are iconic hotspots for biodiversity and important conservation priorities because of their relative rarity, limited geographical range, and the diversity of uncommon plant and animal species that they support. These habitats, which mainly occur on Cape Cod, Long Island, and the coastal islands of both states, have been managed by conservation groups and agencies for decades.
The Network performed a literature review and manager interviews and determined that our management efforts need to expand to reduce woody plant cover that is impacting rare species and driving succession.
“We have been managing and creating grasslands in globally rare sandplain habitats for nearly 40 years,” said Dr. Sarah Bois, Director of Research and Education at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation on Nantucket. “Our review of the state of management of sandplain habitats demonstrates that while we have made good progress in the short-term and have learned a great deal about these habitats, our management is currently not adequate to maintain this system over the long-term considering both current conditions and the implications of climate change.”
Recommendations for moving forward include experimenting with different combinations of management techniques including prescribed fire, mowing, and direct removal of woody plants to reduce the amount of woody cover which is limiting grasses and wildflowers.
“We need to manage these habitats more intensively than we have done in the past,” said Dr. Chris Neill, an Ecosystem Ecologist with the Woodwell Climate Research Center. “Climate change will also be a challenge as managers will have to consider species movement, changes in precipitation, and impacts on management techniques such as prescribed fire.”
“We are fortunate to have the opportunity to build off the research of past and current grassland managers to ensure adaptive sandplain grassland management at an ecoregional landscape scale within the Atlantic Pine Barrens Ecoregion,” said Polly Weigand, Science and Stewardship Program Manager of the Central Pine Barrens Commission. “This leadership is key to advancing effective sandplain grassland protection and conservation and the Network extends our appreciation to those that helped develop this critical review.”
The Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius ) depends on sandplain grasslands for hunting and nesting.
The Sandplain Grassland Network is a regional partnership among researchers and managers that formed in 2016 to advance understanding and effectiveness of the management of sandplain grasslands. The Sandplain Grassland Network shares methods and understanding gained from experiences with managing grasslands across the region to better protect and foster the unique and rare species that sandplain grasslands support. The Sandplain Grassland Network contains representatives from Central Pine Barrens Joint Planning and Policy Commission, Linda Loring Nature Foundation, Nantucket Conservation Foundation, the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, The Nature Conservancy, The Trustees of Reservations, and Woodwell Climate Research Center. Contributors range from Kennebunk, Maine to Long Island, New York.