Townsend WPA Wetland Restoration and Tree Removal

The 338 acre Tungseth Tract was in agricultural production when purchased by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 2011 for addition to the Townsend Waterfowl Production Area. Uplands were restored to native grasses and forbs, but additional work is needed to restore 8.5 acres of altered and degraded wetlands, as well as 9 acres of tree removal. Benefits will include habitat for wildlife (waterfowl, birds, mammals, amphibians, and insects), improved water quality, ground water recharge, erosion control, and flood protection. We plan to restore 8 temporary and seasonal wetland basins by constructing earthen ditch plugs and/or removing sediment, restoring hydrology by breaking and removing tile, placing erosion mats at spillways, and seeding disturbed areas with a diverse native seed mix. Removing trees and treating stumps will help maintain an open prairie landscape which is important to many grassland nesting birds.