Fall is Approaching!
 With fall approaching, so are hunting seasons including the October 1 opening of pheasant season, which is very popular hunting activity on the Bellamy WMA. Visitors to the WMA are encouraged to put on a bright orange article of clothing when they head afield this fall. Wearing a fluorescent orange hat, vest or jacket makes you highly visible, one of several key safety precautions for hunters, hikers and others enjoying the autumn woods.
For details on hunting seasons and dates click here.
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Maintaining Healthy Marshes
Contractors will be on site on or about September 19 to eradicate the few remaining stems of Phragmites in several brackish marsh habitats on the Bellamy WMA. These sites were treated last year, but the extensive root systems of Phragmites are hard to exhaust. They sent up a few shoots this growing season that we'll be targeting. Contractors will be on site for only a few hours as they do their work. Treatments will not be occurring near existing woods roads where folks generally walk, but you may see the contractor out and about on a UTV as they travel from spot to spot.
The Bellamy hosts a number of brackish marsh habitats with at least one considered an exemplary example by the NH Natural Heritage Bureau. Some of these marshes were invaded by the European form of Phragmites australis, or common reed. Dense Phragmites stands out-compete native plants, alter wetland hydrology, and decrease the quality of wetland habitat, particularly for migrating waders and waterfowl species. We will be working with licensed herbicide contractors to treat the few remaining plants with an herbicide safe and licensed for use in wetland systems in order to keep Phragmites from taking over once again.
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The Bellamy River WMA hosts some outstanding brackish marsh habitats.
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Shrub Planting Completed
Over the last 6 years, and with the help of hundreds of volunteers, we've planted over 40,000 stems of shrubs including different types of dogwoods, northern arrowwood, native Virginia rose, and other types of shrubs towards our goal of creating and maintaining nearly 200 acres of shrubland and young forest habitat on the Bellamy WMA. All of these plantings have occurred in the southern half of the property. We had planned on planting shrubs along field edges in the northern half of the property, but those edges are growing in with shrubs on their own so, at least for the time being, shrub planting is completed. Now, we just have to wait for the shrubs that we've planted to grow into suitable habitat. We'll continue to monitor those areas to see how they're progressing. If stresses like drought kill off too many of the planted shrubs, we may have to replant some areas, but so far so good. We'll keep you updated on the progress.
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