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Award-Winning Conservation Efforts in Wyoming

Jennifer Walker, a fire ecologist with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) High Plains District near Buffalo, Wyoming, is one of three BLM employees to receive the “National Making Tracks with the BLM” Award. The awards are presented jointly each year by the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in recognition of the conservation efforts of outstanding people and successful conservation projects implemented on BLM-administered lands.

Walker spearheaded the current Bitter Creek and Parks Thinning Project, which includes 810 acres where conifers are being thinned to reduce competition for water resources and decrease the chances for large wildfires. Use of merchantable forest materials from the area by logging has decreased and fire suppression efforts have been successful thereby creating conditions of dense pine stands and juniper woodlands. These fuels are being thinned to reduce competition for scarce water and light resources and to decrease the chance of large habitat-altering fires. Removing some conifers would release light and water resources to promote understory habitat enhancement of forbs and grasses.

At Bitter Creek, approximately 100 acres were treated on BLM surface, with an additional 80 treated on private surface. At the Park Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) side of the project, the treatments total 162 acres on BLM and private lands within or adjacent to ponderosa pine woodlands.

Wildlife in the area, including turkeys, will benefit from the increased age-diversity of ponderosa pine woodlands. Treatments should moderate future fire behavior and help decrease the chances of large, stand replacing fires, which have become common in the area in recent years. In addition, the pine stand’s resistance to drought and bark beetle outbreaks will likely improve as a result of the treatments. Thinning conifer woodlands that turkeys use for cover and roosting helps to preserve these habitat types on the landscape in the project areas. Also, thinning the conifers maintains more meadow habitats and provides a release to understory vegetation, both important for foraging.

Congratulations to Jennifer for her hard work to improve habitat, public safety, and recreational opportunities as well through this project.