NFWF Grant Profile

Georgia Department of Natural Resources will install 110 artificial cavity inserts on the Silver Lake Wildlife Management Area in Georgia to replace the red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) cavity trees destroyed by Hurricane Michael in order to help stabilize the RCW population. The loss of cavity trees causes the birds to have to roost without the protection of the cavity, increasing predation risk and exposure to inclement weather. The storm damage also created large amounts of downed trees. This debris limits access to the property and especially to the RCW clusters, and creates challenges for the continued implementation of prescribed fire, which is essential for RCW, gopher tortoise, Bachman’s sparrow, and longleaf pine management. This project will also remove storm debris from RCW sites, road edges, and fire breaks, which will help prevent fire damage to residual cavity trees, reduce the likelihood of intense fire behavior, and reduce potential for smoke management issues.