Written by Matt Stanton
At LIISMA’s spring Partners Meeting and Workshop, we welcomed Kim Stever, Development Director at Quogue Wildlife Refuge. We were thrilled to hear from Kim about the Southern Pine Beetle Forest Restoration and Trail Safety Project, a new initiative aimed at addressing the impacts of the invasive southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis, SPB) at the Refuge.
The Refuge first began managing SPB when the beetle’s presence was detected in 2017. At that time, affected trees were removed and buffer zones were established to protect healthy stands. Although the buffer zones successfully mitigated the northward spread of SPB, the Refuge still saw significant pitch pine loss across 168 acres. Now with funding by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Invasive Species grant, the Quogue Wildlife Refuge will advance hazard tree removal, pine barrens restoration, and ongoing invasive species monitoring.
This summer, the project will begin by supporting the removal of hazardous dead
trees from around Old Ice Pond, improving visitor safety along reopened trails and reducing wildfire risk. In fall and spring, the Refuge is excited to engage with the community to plant pitch pines and other native plants in cleared areas. Furthermore, guided walks and interpretive signage will provide visitors with opportunities to learn about SPB and the restoration efforts. In the winter, the program will focus on stand-thinning to mitigate future SPB spread. Ongoing invasive species monitoring will be employed to promote early detection in the long-term.
By 2029, the project aims to plant 6,000 pitch pines as part of New York State’s “25 million trees by 2033” initiative. This effort will not only restore critical habitat at Quogue Wildlife Refuge, but will promote environmental education and community engagement along the way.
LIISMA is excited to continue working with Quogue Wildlife Refuge and we look forward to future updates on this ambitious project. You can hear more from Kim Stever in LIISMA’s Partners Meeting recording here: https://youtu.be/3kYLYpyP7fM?si=o_UtAQWxGWyKxZsG