Houlton Farm Planning Committee Meeting 2016-02-02

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grapevine provide an important food source for birds in the fall, and make a unique habitat matrix on the island. The floodplain forest along the main Mississippi River channel is relatively free of invasive species, though other areas toward the center of the floodplain island are dominated by an understory of buckthorn. In particular, a buckthorn sub -canopy largely dominates the west and north sides of the floodplain island. Here, the forest is less uniform, with abundant smaller and less valuable tree species like hackberry, elm, box elder, and green ash, and occasional large trees like hackberry (75.4-96.5 cm dbh). The buckthorn ' often large (-18.5 cm dbh) and multi -stemmed, creating an almost uniform sub -c ,(Photo 14). In the buckthorn -dominated areas, groundcover is variable and range am areas of dense Pennsylvania sedge to areas of dense wood nettle and various fo rse woody debris is abundant throughout, though other areas are wetter and in ope are often dominated by reed canary grass. Management of this unit w 1 he mo icult of the FF units, owing to both the access difficulties and the hetero of the sub Other notable features include abundant beaver ac 'Nnefj Mississippi and a large eagle's nest that sits in a ha c 15). In 2015, three eagles fledged from this nest and throughout the property. This nest is locat d alon%g th is at risk of potential human disturbance property i the edge of the clearing could warn hunte isitol the nest - USFWS recommends 330 feet - a use season. Y A I y+a A r �-' main chanAl of the ledge of a clearing (Photo n seen flying and perching of trails on the island and d to the public. Signs at eep a safe distance from especially during the nesting �-X .OA, r .. 7 t .- Photo 11. Remains of the sawmill foundation are still visible on the north side of the small channel that creates the floodplain island Friends of the Mississippi 42 W.H. Houlton Conservation Area NRMP