Conservation land owned by Audubonis monitored, and managed when necessary, to ensure that the features thatfirst made the land environmentally special are perpetuated. Rather than acreagebeing preserved as museum pieces, vulnerable to "benign neglect," we recognizethat Audubon land is dynamic. New challenges arise every year such as invasivespecies -- a worldwide threat to native biological diversity. We are currentlyaddressing and restoring the land surrounding our Kingston Wildlife ResearchStation.

Ongoing Orchard and Hayfield Restoration

Goals: Onegoal of restoring approximately 6-acres of orchard and hayfield at the KingstonWildlife Research Station (KWRS) in South Kingstown, is to increase mist netcapture rates of birds migrating through Rhode Island in the fall.  Declining representation of certain birdspecies may be correlated with increasing invasive woody species (e.g.,honeysuckle, multiflora rose, autumn olive) at KWRS. An overarching goal at KWRSis to bring back a small part of what the property looked like during activemanagement.

Rationale:Since 1956 birds have been banded during fall migration at KWRS. Years ofgrowth of shrubs, vines and trees had partially obstructed flight paths throughmost of the permanent net lanes. Removal of invasive plants and restoration ofnative vegetation should provide wildlife forage, cover and nesting habitat forresident and migrating species. Grasses are largely bunch-type perennialgrasses and native wildflowers offer nectar for pollinators and seeds forbirds.

University of Rhode Island professors Scott McWilliams andPeter Paton conduct some of their research at Audubon refuges. These professorsrun the Kingston Wildlife Research Station banding program.

According to Dr. Paton, "Each year from early-August tolate-October, we capture birds in mist nets, document characteristics of eachbird caught, band the birds, and then release them. This information isreported to United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) every year and isavailable to scientists that request it. We use such information to determinepopulation changes through time, timing of migration for each species (and howthis changes across years in relation, to for example, global climate) andaffect of habitat change on abundance of species."

This banding program is particularly important because it isone of the longest running banding stations in the U.S. with more than 50 yearsof information. McWilliams adds, "Since 1998 the banding program has been ajoint URI-Audubon project that will be continued forever as planned. Thebanding station is not open to the public, but the information is readilyavailable via USFWS."

Progress:Funding from the United States Department of Agriculture - Natural ResourcesConservation Service (NRCS) has supported the first phase of this project. Woodyvegetation (except for selected trees) has been removed from the orchard andfield side of net lanes. Stumps and boulders were removed and fields have been seededwith a mix of native grassland plant species. Additionally, the hayfield northof the house was mowed.

Future:In addition to tracking establishment of grassland vegetation and control ofwoody invasive species, Audubon Society of Rhode Island will census summerflora and fauna (ex. butterflies) at KWRS. Mid-summer mowing-after nesting isdone but before banding-will help control reemergence of woody invasive plants.The need for fall mowing will be based on growth of woody vegetation.

Special Considerations:Activities operate around the August-November bird banding schedule.During the stewardship of this refuge and throughout the restoration processevery effort is made to minimize impacts to the surface and groundwater.

Ethel M. C. Newman Wildlife Sanctuary - Ongoing GrasslandRestoration

Goals: Thegoal of this ongoing (since 2004) project has been to enhance and improve thenative wildlife habitat that has been degraded, altered or eliminated as aresult of agriculture and changes in land use and plant community structure.Our specific goal is to restore approximately seventeen un-grazed acres of thetwenty-five acres of grassland at this refuge in Smithfield and Glocester.

Rationale:Grassland habitats and early successional habitat in general and the animalspecies that inhabit them are areas of concern in Rhode Island. Grassland birdsare declining in Rhode Island and nationwide.

Progress:Funding from NRCS has supported most phases of this project and continues until2009. Control of woody vegetation and seeding with native warm season grasslandspecies is the main approach. This February and March 2007 we completed ourfinal fields earmarked for the first phase of woody vegetation removal.

Future: Breedingbird census will take place this summer. In the fall of 2007 all fields will bemowed for the first time since taking ownership. Every-other-year mowing shouldbe sufficient management protocol to halt the establishment of new invasivewoody plants.

SpecialConsiderations: The pros/cons of cows on a portion of the fields arebeing considered. Conservation of streamside habitats and water quality is beingdiscussed with RIDEM and NRCS.