Neithercut Management Plan
Rob Herman
Mandy Oberholzer
Don Brown
December 2, 2009
Central Michigan University
Wildlife Biology and Management
BIO 541 Fall 2009
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Table of Contents
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3
Species Background…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...3
Management Goals and Objectives………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12
Area Description……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..12
Past and Present Land Conditions……………………………………………………………………………………………………......................16
Management Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..17
Evaluation Techniques and Monitoring Plan……………………………………………………………………………………………………......20
Criteria for Identifying Success……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...23
Timeline………………………………………………………………………………………..................................................................................23
Budget……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….24
References……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………26
Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………….................................................................................29
Tables and Figures
Figure 1. North American Porcupine…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
Figure 2. North American Porcupine…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
Figure 3. Distribution of North American Porcupines……………………………………………………………………………………………….6
Figure 4. Eastern Cottontail Rabbit…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7
Figure 5. Eastern Cottontail Rabbit…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..7
Figure 6. Distribution of Sylvilagus floridanus……………………………………………………………………………………………………....9
Figure 7. Eastern Gray Squirrel……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..11
Figure 8. Eastern Gray Squirrel (black color phase)………………………………………………………………………………………………..11
Figure 9. Native Distribution map of Scirus Carolinensis…………………………………………………………………………………………..11
Figure 10. Map of Neithercut woodland…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12
Figure 11. Photograph of Josiah Littlefield…………………………………………………………………………………………………………13
Figure 12. Soil types of Neithercut woodland………………………………………………………………………………………………………14
Figure 13. Landuse/cover types of Neithercut woodland…………………………………………………………………………………………...15
Figure 14. Land Cover of Neithercut woodland…………………………………………………………………………………………………….16
Figure 15. Proposed thinning areas in Neithercut woodland………………………………………………………………………………………..18
Figure 16. Brushpile construction steps…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….19
Figure 17. Mowing/disking strategies………………………………………………………………………………………………………………20
Figure 18. Hair Collection Tube…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….21
Figure 19. Timber Sale Bid Report………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….25
Table 1. Budget…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………......27
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Abstract
This management plan is intended to benefit three small mammals, the North American
porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), Eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus), and the Eastern
Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). The plan involves some minor and major habitat
alterations to help improve the quality of the habitat for these species. This plan will be
accomplished by utilizing management techniques such as: prescribed burns, timber harvests,
mowing/disking of grasslands, and brush pile constructions. This plan will be monitored with
the help of volunteers as well as some hired workers that will carry out different monitoring
techniques such as: trapping, locating and counting den sites, as well as live counts. The
estimated costs for this management plan is about $9,000 dollars, but will net (profit) of
approximately $41,000 dollars.
Introduction
North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
Life History
The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) is the second largest rodent on our
continent, behind only the beaver. Porcupines are a very unique animal, and taxonomically it is
the only species in its genus. They are a solid dark brown color, and their quills are dark brown
as well. The quills on the porcupine’s back may have some yellow mixed in with the brown, and
the tips of the quills are usually white. Porcupines can weigh anywhere between 10-30 pounds,
and they can be 2-3 feet long. The quills are about 7.5 cm long on a fully-grown porcupine, and
there are about 30,000 total quills (Weber, C. and P. Myers. 2004). Every quill has a microscopic
barb on the end of it, so body heat and movement help to work the quill in deeper into the flesh.
This can cause a nasty infection and possible death. Animals that take quills in the face can
starve to death because it is too painful to try and eat.
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Porcupines are very good climbers, and they prefer to be up in trees because the majority
of their predators are ground dwelling. They are suited very nicely for climbing, because they
have 4 claws with a thumb on their fore-legs, and 5 claws on their hind-legs. Also, they have
very leathery palms which further aids in climbing. The main natural predators to porcupines are
fishers and mountain lions. Fishers repeatedly attack the face until the porcupine is wounded
enough to be flipped on its back and attacked on the soft ventral side. Other animals that have
been known to prey on porcupines are lynx, bobcats, great horned owls, wolves, coyotes, and
wolverines.
Figures 1 & 2: North American Porcupines.
Porcupines are sexually dimorphic with the males being
larger than the females (Sweitzer and Berger, 1997). Breeding takes place once a year during the
fall. Males compete for a female, and the largest male is usually selected by the female. Males
can have more than one female mate, and therefore polygamy is exercised. The gestation period
lasts around 200 days, so the baby is born in the late spring. There is usually only one baby born
at a time, but sometimes there are two. The baby is weaned for about 4 months, and after 5
months the baby becomes independent. Sexual maturity doesn’t occur in females until 25
months, and 29 months for males (Weber, C. and P. Myers. 2004).
Porcupines spend a majority of their day foraging for food, and they can eat up to 10% of
their body weight in a day (about a pound). Their diet is strictly herbivorous, and they like to eat
the bark, cambium, and needles from many trees. Porcupines love to eat beech saplings, aspen,
and hemlock trees, but they also like the buds of sugar maples before the leaves begin to sprout.
Beech nuts and acorns are also gathered when they are still in the trees so the porcupine does not
have to compete with squirrels and deer when they are on the ground. In the spring they may
expand their diet to berries, nuts, plant buds, and twigs. They do most of their eating at night to
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take advantage of the higher nutrients in the plants during respiration (Roze 1989). Hemlock
trees are the most useful tree to the porcupine, because they are high in nutrition, provide good
cover for predator protection, retain body heat well, and are strong (Weber, C. and P. Myers.
2004). However, porcupines do not feed in the same trees that they rest in. Porcupines have a
strong attraction to salt, which can make them a pest because they have been known to chew on
housing structures, vehicles, and are often killed by cars eating the salt on roads in the winter.
Porcupines can be a nuisance to the timber industry, because they can disfigure and stunt the
growth of possible lumber trees. However, their overall affect on the timber industry is quite
insignificant.
Porcupines are not very social creatures, and each porcupine has its own home territory.
Dominant males have a home range of about 20.7 hectares, and subordinate males have a home
range around 12.9 hectares. Females have a home range of about 8.2 hectares, and males may
overlap 3-10 female ranges during breeding season (Sweitzer, 2003). Porcupine population
densities in viable habitats range from 1-9.5 individuals/km2. They have cyclical population
peaks every 12-20 years (Woods 1973). The Neithercut Woodland is a prime habitat for
porcupines, not only because the vegetation is appropriate, but also because it is large enough to
support 1-9.5 porcupines. It is a forest of 242 acres, and that converts to just about 1.02 km2.
Porcupines sometimes den together in the winter, but there is no correlation between porcupines
that mate together will also live together. Porcupines make their dens in hollow logs or trees,
small caves, rock piles, or brush piles. They are active all year round, are nocturnal, and they do
not hibernate (Weber, C. and P. Myers. 2004).
When porcupines feel threatened they try to do everything they can to avoid using their
quills. Initially, they will make a chattering noise will their teeth to alert the nuisance that they
want to be left alone. If this doesn’t work they will emit a foul odor, and lastly they will use
their quills if need be. Porcupines generally have a lifespan of about 6 years in the wild (Kurta,
1995; Roze, 1989).
Habitat
Porcupines can live in a wide variety of habitats. They are commonly found in tundra,
deserts, and deciduous forests at varied climates and elevations. They are capable of living both
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on ground and up in trees. Time spent on land tends to correlate with amount of trees in the area.
Porcupines of the forest tend to spend the majority of the time in trees, while porcupines of the
southern deserts spend all day on land. Rock dens are generally their first choice during winter,
but they are just as capable as using trees for dens. North American porcupines are listed as
animals of least concern (Weber, C. and P. Myers. 2004).
Range
The North American porcupine’s range consists of the Yukon Territory down throughout
the southern Canadian provinces, then south along the West and Midwest U.S. into northern
Mexico. It is also found in the New England states, but is less common moving south along the
eastern coast. The porcupine can be found in desert areas, but its desired habitat is a mixed
conifer/hardwood forest.
Figure 3: Distribution
of N.A Porcupines.
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus)
Life History
The cottontail’s genus name, Sylvilagus, connects the Latin word silva, meaning “forest”,
and the Greek word lagos, meaning “hare”. The eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), is redbrown or gray-brown in appearance, having large hind feet, with a fluffy white tail, hence the
name “cottontail”. Its ventral surface is white, and they show their white underside of its tail
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when it’s running. Cottontails have large ears, eyes, and incisors. They undergo two molts a
year, one being in spring with a short summer coat of red-brown and the other in the winter with
a longer gray-brown pelage. An adult cottontail can reach 16.5 inches in length and 2-4 pounds.
A female (doe) is larger than the male (buck) cottontail.
Figure 4 and 5: Eastern Cottontail Rabbits
Cottontails have a breeding season beginning in March which will run until late summer.
They have a gestation period of 28 to 29 days, but can also range between 25 to 35 days. The
average litter size is 3 to 4, but can range from 1 to 7. The number of litters per year is 3 to 4
(Chapman, Hockman, Ojeda 1980). At birth, the young are about 4 inches long and weigh
approximately one ounce, covered with fine hair, blind, deaf, and completely helpless. The
young are able to leave the nest 14 to 16 days after birth (Chapman, Hockman, Ojeda 1980).
Cottontails experience high mortality each year of up to 80% (Wildlife Habitat Council 1999).
Cottontails build nests in slanting holes that contain an outer lining of grass, or herbaceous
stems, with an inner lining of fur. Eastern cottontails in Michigan display a spring change from
woody winter cover to upland herbaceous cover for the creation of nest sites (Chapman,
Hockman, Edwards 1982). Limits in the breeding season are related to the availability of
vegetation (Chapman, Hockman, Ojeda 1980).
The eastern cottontail eats a wide variety of food depending on the seasons of green
vegetation and woody plants. Herbaceous species were eaten during the growing season, and
woody species were eaten during the dormant season (Chapman, Hockman, Ojeda 1980).
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Winter food sources include winter wheat, oats, buds, branch tips, bark of blackberry, raspberry,
sumac, dogwood, maple, etc. In the spring, summer, fall, food includes native and introduced
grasses such as wheatgrasses, orchard grass, timothy, bluegrasses. Various fruits, wild
strawberry, dandelion, sedges, and white clover are also eaten (Wildlife Habitat Council 1999).
Cottontails will also eat garden vegetables, such as green beans, peas, lettuce, cabbage, and
others when given the occasion (Wildlife Habitat Council 1999).
The cottontail has many predators which include the, domestic dog, fox, coyote, bobcat,
domestic cat, weasel, raccoon, skunk, mink, owl, hawk, snake, and humans. They are also
susceptible to a variety of diseases and parasites, such as tularemia, rabbit tapeworm, fibroma,
sarcocystis, and ticks and fleas. Tularemia is a bacterial disease, and can be potentially serious
to humans if untreated. This infectious disease can be transmitted through bites of flies, lice, and
fleas to cottontails as well as humans. Hunters should be aware of rabbit behavior and handle
with care an infectious rabbit to minimize exposure (Yeatter, Thompson 1952). Rabbit
tapeworms (Cittotaenia variabilis), reaches the adult stage in the cottontail’s digestive tract.
They are flat, segmented tapeworms, but there is no evidence that they create serious problems to
the host (Lyman 1902). Fibromas are fibrous tumors on the skin and are usually found on
rabbits’ nose, legs, ears and feet. They are transmitted by biting insects, and are harmless to
humans (Dalmat, Cunningham 1959). Whitish streaks in the muscles of rabbits are cysts of the
genus Sarcocystis. There is no evidence that it is a threat to humans, and the parasites are
destroyed by cooking the cottontail (Erickson 1946).
Habitat and Range
Habitat preference vary from season to season, between latitudes and regions, and with
differing behavioral activities (Chapman, Hockman, Ojeda 1980). The eastern cottontail inhibits
a wide range of successional and transitional habitats (Chapman, Hockman, Edwards 1982).
Cottontails thrive off of dense vegetation growing as edge between woody vegetation and open
grasslands. Dense grasses and forbs growing along open fields, meadows, orchards, farmlands,
fence rows, stands of deciduous trees, low growing brush, shrubs, vines, and hedgerow thickets
are preferred. Open grasslands offer areas of resting cover, and protection from predators and
weather. Escape cover is essential and can be provided by dense underbrush, low growing and
thorny vines and bushes. Cottontails can also be found in abandoned orchards, old homesites
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and suburbs. Home ranges vary in size and are affected by habitat stability and dispersion food
and cover, age, sex, and competition. Their range may vary from one to sixty acres, but
averaging around six to eight acres for males and two to three for females (Chapman, Hockman,
Ojeda 1980). The eastern cottontail occurs sympatrically with six other species of Sylvilagus and
six species of Lepus. The eastern cottontail has the ability to occupy diverse habitats and has the
widest distribution of them. The cottontail is found in most of the eastern United States,
southern Canada, and as far down as South America (Chapman, Hockman, Ojeda 1980).
Figure 6: Distribution of Sylvilagus floridanus.
Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
Life History
Sciurus carolinensis, or eastern gray squirrel, is a medium sized tree squirrel that is
typically medium gray in color but can have color variations from black to cinnamon-brown or
black with a cinnamon tail. Albinism also occurs in the gray squirrel, although it is not common.
Gray squirrels range in length from 14.96 to 20.67 inches with up to half their length coming
from their long, bushy tails. Grey Squirrels typically range in weight from 1-3 lbs.
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E. gray squirrels spend most of their lives in the treetops descending down to feed and
store food or move from tree to tree. Gray squirrels are mainly active in the hours just after
sunrise and just before sunset. Gray squirrels also live in trees where they build a nest of leaves
and twigs (called a dray) in the fork of a tree which is used during the summer and fall months.
During the winter and spring months, gray squirrels live in a hollow portion of the tree where
they den up for hibernation or raising their young. Gray squirrels feed mostly on nuts, flowers
and buds of oaks, hickory, pecan, walnut and beech tree species. Gray squirrels also consume the
fruits, seeds, bulbs or flowers of maple, mulberry, hackberry, elm, bucky, horse chestnut, wild
cherry, dogwood, hawthorn, black gum, hazelnut, hop hornbeam and gingko trees. The gray
squirrel also feeds on the seeds and catkins of certain gymnosperms such as cedar, hemlock,
pine, and spruce. Gray squirrels also eat a variety of herbaceous plants and fungi. In agricultural
areas crops, such as corn and wheat, are readily eaten, especially during the winter months.
During the summer months insects are eaten and are probably especially important for juvenile
gray squirrels. Gray squirrels will eat other gray squirrels although highly unlikely, and may also
eat bones, bird eggs and nestlings, as well as frogs. Gray squirrels bury food in winter caches
using a method called scatter hoarding and locate these caches using both memory and smell.
These caches when forgotten by the squirrels are thought to be important for the dispersal of
many different seeds which leads to the growth of many trees.
Gray squirrels normally mate during two time periods per year; once during the months
of December-February and again during the months of May-June. Males will “court” females
for up to 5 days before the female enters estrous. Once the female enters estrous the pair will
breed. Females have a gestation period of 44 days. Gray squirrels produce two liters of two-four
young twice during each breeding season.
Eastern gray squirrels are preyed upon by a variety of predators ranging from
weasels to coyotes to bobcats to hawks (Lawniczak 2002).
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Figure 7: Eastern Gray Squirrel
Figure 8: Eastern Gray Squirrel (black color phase)
Habitat and Range
The Eastern Gray Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, is a native species to central and eastern
North American spanning from southern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Gray squirrels have
been successfully introduced to western N. America as well as Europe, S. Africa, and Australia.
The gray squirrel’s preferred habitat is continuous, mature hardwoods and mixed forest types
common throughout much the squirrels’ range, preferably with mast producing trees such as
oaks, walnut, beech, etc. An understory consisting of a diverse mix of vegetation is also
preferred. Gray squirrels can tolerate highly fragmented landscapes and are therefore found in
urban areas as well.
Figure 9: Native distribution map of Sciurus carolinensis
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Management Goals and Objectives
 Maintain stable populations of North American porcupines, Eastern gray squirrels, and
Eastern cottontails through habitat improvements.
 Maintain corridors/edges between woody vegetation and open grassland.
 Preserve dead-standing snags and downed logs for dens.
 Conduct an uneven-aged management selection technique (thinning) timber harvest of
100 acres of northern hardwood and lowland hardwood trees to open up the canopy and
provide ground cover for all species.
 Limbs from felled trees are utilized to construct brush piles for cover/dens.
 Mowing/disking of upland areas to stimulate new growth.
Area Description
General:
Figure 10: Map of
Neithercut woodland
Neithercut woodland is located on the south side of M-115 in Farwell, 30 minutes north
of Mount Pleasant, Michigan, in Clare County. It contains 252 acres of diverse habitats, such as
conifer plantations, fields and meadows, cedar and shrub swamps, hardwood forests, beaver
flowages, a creek and a vernal pond. The vernal pond is a temporary pond which forms after the
first thaw and rains of the spring. It accommodates many species of frogs and other amphibians.
The cedar swamp is an important aspect of the woodland, because it provides plenty of shelter
for many species. Also, it provides the area with a continual source of necessary water.
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Neithercut includes four marked trails, the Arborvitae Trail, Brookwood Trail, Freedom Path,
and the Littlefield Trail for outdoor recreation and education. There are two creeks that flow
throughout Neithercut, but the main stream that flows southwest throughout the woodland is Elm
Creek. Elm Creek is a very narrow spring-fed water system, and is important ecologically
because it supports a Brook Trout population. The hills and deep ravines of the woodland were
largely determined by the effects of the massive glaciers that covered the Great Lakes region
over ten thousand years ago. Neithercut woodland supports a very diverse community of various
mammal, bird, amphibian, fish, insect, and reptile species.
Neithercut History
Figure 11: Photograph of Josiah Littlefield
Josiah L. Littlefield owned the Neithercut woodland in 1871. He was very dedicated to
conservation, which shows up in his preservation of his woodland. After Littlefield’s death in
1936 his family transferred almost 252 acres to Central Michigan University in the years of
1959-1968.
A Flint banker, William Neithercut, was a former president of the CMU Alumni
Association. Neithercut was a very important factor in donating the necessary funds to maintain
the woodland, which in turn helped to provide future educational opportunities for CMU students
as well as others. The Wakelin McNeel Nature Center, built in 1973, is located in the Neithercut
woodland, and it is a very useful location for educational public outreach.
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Soils
Figure 12: Soil types of Neithercut woodland.
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The soil types in Neithercut woodland consist primarily of McBride Sandy Loam,
Menominee Loamy Sand, Au Gres Loamy Sand, Sims Clay Loam, Nester Loam, Lupton Muck,
Montcalm Loamy Sand, and Graycalm Sand.
Vegetation
Figure 13: Landuse/cover types of Neithercut woodland
There are many tree and shrub species found in the Neithercut woodland. The tree
species are American Basswood, American Beech, American Elm, Bitternut Hickory, Black
Cherry, Black Willow, Eastern Hemlock, Ironwood, Jack Pine, Largetooth Aspen, Musclewood,
Paper Birch, Red Maple, Red Oak, Red Pine, Scotch Pine, Silver Maple, Sugar Maple,
Tamarack, Trembling Aspen, White Cedar, and White Pine (See appendix for scientific names).
The shrub species are Blackberry, Choke Cherry, Common Elder, Dogwood, Juneberry,
Michigan Holly, Red Osier Dogwood, Speckled Alder, Staghorn Sumac, Sweet Fern, and Witch
Hazel (See appendix for scientific names). There are also many different types of herbaceous
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plants, mosses, fungi, and ferns found throughout the woodland (See appendix for scientific
names).
Past and Present Land Conditions
Various areas in the northwest area of the Neithercut woodland were used at one time as
a landing area for logging. The majority of the Brookwood Trail was formed by a railroad grade
that was used to transport logs. The land in Clare County has historically been used for the
timber industry, agriculture, and oil drilling. After the timber industry died out the soil was
nurtured back to productivity by the farmers. Also, during the 1930’s large oil fields were
discovered.
Currently the land in Neithercut woodland is used for educational and recreational
purposes. It is being preserved in its natural state by Central Michigan University, and there are
four hiking trails for people to use. Highway M-115 borders the property to the north, and US10 junction borders it to the east. A gravel driveway leads from M-115 to the Wakelin McNeel
Nature Center. The current habitat/land cover is ideal for the managed species, and management
goals. Therefore, there are no major potential limiting factors of the habitat for the managed
species.
Figure 14:
Land Cover
of Neithercut
woodland
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Management Recommendations
Overall Goal
The main goal of this management plan is to maintain a stable population of Eastern
cottontails, North American porcupine, and Eastern gray squirrels through habitat improvements
to Neithercut woodland.
Maintain corridors/edges between woody vegetation and open grassland

This objective will be carried out by using prescribed burns in areas where open
grasslands meet the tree lines. This will prevent feathering affects between the two
systems that will ensure the maintenance of distinct edges/transition zones. These burns
will be conducted during the spring of the year to prevent fires from spreading out and
threatening other areas of Neithercut. These fires will also take place on a rotational
basis so that it will provide different successional stages throughout this habitat.
Preserve dead-standing trees (snags) and downed trees or logs for dens

This objective will be carried out by making sure that naturally dead, standing or downed
trees are not accidentally taken down or removed either by the proposed timber harvest or
by CMU Neithercut authorities. This will ensure denning and cover sites for the species
being managed.
Conduct an uneven-aged management selection technique (thinning) timber harvest of
approximately 100 acres of northern hardwood and lowland hardwood trees to open up the
canopy and provide ground cover for all species
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Figure 15: Proposed thinning areas in Neithercut woodland

This timber harvest will be conducted to thin the existing sections of Northern hardwoods
and lowland hardwoods found on the Neithercut property. This will open up the forest
canopy allowing light to penetrate and for the understory to grow up. This in turn will
provide both food and cover in the form of emergent herbaceous vegetation as well as
shrubs for all the managed species. This timber harvest can be conducted every 50-60
years which will ensure new growth as well as veneer quality saw logs which in turn will
help offset the cost of all the proposed management objectives. “Properly managed long
rotations in which merchantable trees are removed and natural reproduction periodically
thinned can provide ideal small game habitat” (Yarrow 2009).
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Limbs from felled trees are utilized to construct brush piles for cover/dens

This objective will be carried out by using the leftover limbs, branches, and other slash
from the logging operations to construct brush piles throughout the Neithercut woodland.
This operation will benefit all species in the management plan by providing denning,
cover, and hiding spots from predators. The brush piles will be constructed by basically
gathering up and throwing a bunch of the slash material in a pile, but ensuring bigger
sized limbs as the base from the brush pile so that the species can move about inside of
the brush pile. The brush piles will be built on a basis of one brush pile for every five
acres, ensuring fifty brush piles located throughout Neithercut.
Figure 16: Brushpile construction steps
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Mowing/disking of upland areas to stimulate new growth
Figure 17: Mowing/Disking
strategies

This objective will be carried out by simply mowing or disking the open grassland areas
in strips. This will be done every year but only to certain areas (strips) of the grassland.
Each strip will be of a different size and shape according to how the grassland is laid out.
This will be done for a period of five years where then it will be decided if further
mowing/disking is necessary.
Evaluation Techniques & Monitoring Plans
Eastern gray squirrel
The evaluation techniques that will be used to determine how well or not well the habitat
improvements worked are: 1) Visual method, 2) hair-tube surveys, and 3) Drey counts.
The visual method involves “making standardized ‘time–area’ counts of squirrels using
direct sightings. If the surveys are carried out each season over a number of years this technique
can be effective in monitoring changes in squirrel populations over time. It is best to carry out
visual surveys in late winter/spring in broadleaved woodlands, if it is not possible to carry out
surveys in every season of the year, as visibility is limited when trees are in leaf. ” (Gurnell et al,
2009).
The hair-tube survey involves “specially adapted lengths of plastic drainpipe which are
baited to attract squirrels. Hairs are collected on sticky tapes inside the tubes as the animals enter
the tubes to get the food. Collected hair is removed from the tubes periodically for examination.
Hair tubes are good for detecting the presence of squirrels and if calibrated by carrying out
comparative trials with other methods can provide an index of population trends.” (Gurnell et al.,
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2009). The process for making these trap is as follows: 1. Make the hair tubes from 300 mm
lengths of plastic drainpipe: 65 mm diameter round, or 65 mm x 65 mm square ended. 2. Place a
wooden or plastic block (2.5 x 2.5 x 0.5 cm) covered with double-sided sticky tape inside the
roof at either end of each tube around 3 cm in from the entrance. Hold the blocks in place with
the sticky tape or clips made out of fencing wire. 3. Attach the tubes to the branches of trees at a
convenient height, i.e. it should not be necessary to use a ladder. The tubes can be attached using
wire, straps or terry clips. Clips allow the tubes to be removed and replaced quickly. 4. Use up
to 20 tubes to survey an area of woodland by placing them 100–200 m apart in lines or in a grid
pattern. A standard number of tubes should be used for each site in any survey. 5. Bait the tubes
sparingly using sunflower seeds, peanuts or maize, once at the start of the survey. 6. Retrieve
and number by location the sticky blocks after a standard time period (such as 3, 7 or 14 days).
Protect the hairs by covering the blocks with a strip of waxed paper or polythene sheet to prevent
them being damaged. 7. Leave the tubes in place if needed for future surveys.
Figure 18: Hair Collection Tube
The last method for monitoring the gray squirrel is the drey count. Drey counts “are used
to establish the presence of squirrels in a forest or woodland. Active dreys are a reliable
indication of squirrel presence, and the density of dreys can give some idea of squirrel numbers.
Dreys tend to be semi-permanent when squirrels are resident, and thus the number of dreys tends
21
to reflect squirrel numbers over a season, a year or even longer.” (Gurnell et al., 2009). These
techniques will be carried out yearly in the late winter/early spring.
North American Porcupine
The most useful and most efficient method for counting porcupine populations is by
doing a visual count. Porcupines in Neithercut will den in either standing dead hollow trees
(snags) or brush piles. Volunteers can walk around and check the man-made dens for signs of
porcupine activity, or the porcupines themselves. Another obvious way to determine porcupine
nesting sites is by looking for scat piles at the base of snag trees. Because porcupines generally
do not den together socially, it can be assumed that there is only one porcupine per nesting site
(Weber, C. and P. Myers. 2004). The dens can be checked yearly in the winter so that there is
less vegetation cover, which will make the porcupines more easily visible.
Eastern cottontail rabbit
To begin our monitoring of Eastern cottontail rabbits, we should map and record our land
areas and identify rabbit feeding areas, burrows, rivers, streams, brush piles, areas of low,
medium, high rabbit infestation, rabbit free areas, boundary fences (rabbit proof/ not rabbit
proof). There are a number of different types of monitoring that can be used. The common and
simple methods are spotlight transects, warren monitoring, warren/rabbit counts, and the Gibb
and McLean Scales (Bloomfield 1999). Spotlight transect counts give a good sign of the general
numbers and density of rabbits across the spotlighted area. Spotlight transects can only provide
an index of changes in rabbit numbers and are not a measure of absolute population levels in an
area. (Bloomfield 1999). Spotlight counts must be done on at least two consecutive nights.
There can be a variable of results, because of weather, changes in vegetative cover and
differences in spotlighting techniques by different people. We should do the spotlight transect
every 4 months in off breeding season and at least every month during breeding season. The
Warren monitor site counts active and non-active entrances. We count how many burrows are
active or non-active over a period of time. The basic estimate for a warren system is that for
each three active entrances there is one rabbit (Bloomfield 1999). The Warren/rabbit counts,
involves counting rabbits that emerge from warrens at specific times. This method can also be
used to determine breeding season and disease outbreaks. One must count the number of
juvenile, sub-adult, and adult cottontails from a warren in an elevated and hidden position
22
(Bloomfield 1999). Another method used to monitor cottontails is the Gibb and Mclean Scales.
Gibb is a scale of sign, such as rabbit droppings, and Mclean is also a scale of sign, but of rabbit
numbers. Both these scales can be used to point out relative rabbit abundance (Bloomfield
1999). Integrating all of these monitoring methods will help with a more accurate assessment.
Criteria for Identifying Success
The criterion for identifying success for this management plan is pretty straightforward.
If it is determined through the yearly population counts of the species that it there are stable
populations, then the management plan will be deemed successful. There will be slight
variations from year to year, but as long as the numbers do not change drastically then the
populations can be assumed stable. In conclusion, as long as the population counts show signs of
these species present in Neithercut there will be no additional management strategies
implemented.
Timeline
Year One:
Spring – 2010

Meeting with foresters to survey the land for the timber harvest.
Summer -2010

Open up bidding to local timber companies for the woodland.
Winter – 2010

Initial population counts conducted of the species.
Year Two:
Spring – 2011

Initial mowing/disking of a strip of open grassland.
Summer – 2011

Timber harvest conducted.
Fall – 2011

Brush piles constructed from slash results of timber harvest.
23
Winter – 2011

Second population counts conducted of the species.
Year Three:
Spring – 2012

First prescribed burn takes place in the upland grassland.

Second mowing/disking of a strip of open grassland.
Winter – 2012

Third population counts conducted of the species.
Year Four – Six:
Continue steps previously taken throughout the first three years (except timber harvest).
Year Seven:
Reevaluate management plan to determine if it should be continued, altered, or discontinued.
Budget
The equipment annual costs for this management plan are summarized in Table 1. The
first year’s expenses will be covered by applying for grants from either the U.S Department of
Agriculture or the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. If need be this plan could also take out a small
loan from a local bank, which could be easily paid off following the timber harvest and the
revenue from that. The benefits to CMU are an increase in the biodiversity of Neithercut
Woodlands ecosystem, and to continue to provide educational opportunities for CMU students as
well as the surrounding communities. This management plan will also benefit CMU by donating
several thousand dollars to the CMU Biology Department (you’re welcome). The appraised
value for the timber sale was estimated using present timber sale bids of state land forests
conducted by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (MDNRE).
24
Figure 19: Timber Sale Bid
Report
25
References
http://www.mymichigangenealogy.com/mi-county-clare.html#eh
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Sciurus_carolinensis.html.
Bloomfield, T. 1999. Rabbit: monitoring rabbit populations. Department of Primary Industries
http://new.dpi.vic.gov.au/home
Chapman, J.A., J.G. Hockman, and M.M. Ojeda C. 1980. Sylvilagus floridanus. Mammalian
Species 136: 1-8.
Chapman, J.A., J.G. Hockman, and W.R. Edwards. 1982. Pages 83-123 in J.A. Chapman and
G.A. Feldhamer, eds. Wild mammals of North America: Biology, management,
Economics. John Hopkins Univ. Press, Baltimore, MD.
Erickson, A.B. 1947. Helminth parasites of rabbits of the genus Sylvilagus. J. Wildl. Mgmt.,
11:255-263.
Fyvie, A., and E.M. Addison. 1979. Manual of common parasites, diseases and anomalies of
Wildlife in Ontario. Ontario Min. Nat. Resour. Ottawa, Ont. 120pp.
Gorton, P.B. 1978. Land Use and Interpretation at Neithercut Woodland. Thesis for the
Degree of M.S. Central Michigan Univeristy.
Gurnell, J., Lurz, P.W.W., Pepper, H., 2009. Practical Techniques for Surveying and Monitoring
Squirrels. Forestry Commission Practical Notes, no. 11, 12 pp.
Kurta, A. 1995. Mammals of the Great Lakes Region. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Lawniczak, M. 2002. "Sciurus carolinensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web
AccessedNovember 29, 2009 at.
Pejza, J. 2003. Neithercut Woodland: A Conservation Education and
Environmental Interpretation Facility. www.cst.cmich.edu/centers/niethercut
Roze, U. 1989. The North American Porcupine. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution
Press.
Squirrels. Forestry Commission Practical Notes, no. 11, 12 pp.
Sweitzer, R. 2003. Breeding movements and reproductive activities of porcupines in the Great
Basin Desert. Western North American Naturalist, 63/1: 1-10.
Sweitzer, R., S. Jenkins, J. Berger. 1997. Near-Extinction of porcupines by mountain lions and
consequences of ecosystem change in the Great Basin Desert. Conservation Biology,
11/6: 1407-1417.
26
Weber, C. and P. Myers. 2004. "Erethizon dorsatum" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web.
Accessed November 29, 2009 at
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Erethizon_dorsatum.ht
ml.
Wildlife Habitat Council. 1999. Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus). Wildlife Habitat
Management Institute, Washington, D.C., USA.
Woods, C. A. 1973. Erethizon dorsatum.
Yeatter, R.E., and D.H. Thompson. 1952. Tularemia, weather, and rabbit populations. Nat.
Hist. Surv. Bull. 25(6): 351-382.
Tables & Figures
Figures
1. http://www.animalwebguide.com/Porcupine-1.jpg
2. http://blackramfarm.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/porcupine-1.jpg
3. Parks Canada/B. Morin/06.60.10.01(01)
4. http://thundafunda.com/3993/images/animals/wild-animals-cute/baby-eastern-cottontailrabbit-indiana-pictures.jpg
5. http://psp.88000.org/18_-_Baby_Eastern_Cottontail_Rabbit.htm
6. http://en.wikipedia.org.wiki.File:Florida-walkaninchen-world.png
7. http://www.snowmancam.com/images/grey_squirrel.jpg
8. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3348/3257206925_7b07f350e7.jpg
9. http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna/image_info.cfm?species_id=298
10. www.googleearth.com
11. http://neithercut.bio.cmich.edu/images/littlefield.jpg
12. http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mgdl/?rel=cext&action=Clare
13. www.google.com
14. www.google.com
15. www.google.com
16. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/wabrush.gif
27
17. Wildlife Habitat Council. 1999. Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus). Wildlife
Habitat Management Institute, Washington, D.C., USA.
18. Gurnell, J., Lurz, P.W.W., Pepper, H., 2009. Practical Techniques for Surveying and
Monitoring Squirrels. Forestry Commission Practical Notes, no. 11, 12 pp.
19. http://www.michigandnr.com/ftp/forestry/tsreports/bidopen/2009/Gaylord%20Office/Gay
lord%20Office%202009-11-18.PDF
Tables
Table 1.
Neithercut
Management
Budget
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Prescribed
Burning
0
0
967.83
967.83
967.83
967.83
Timber
Harvest
$50/hr*12hr
= $600 total
0
0
0
0
0
Brushhog
Rental
0
47.50/day
47.50/day
47.50/day
47.50/day
47.50/day
Tractor Rental
0
257.00/day
257.00/day
257.00/day
257.00/day
257.00/day
Squirrel Trap
Equipment
300
0
0
0
0
0
Flashlights
150
0
0
0
0
0
Fuel
0
75
75
75
75
75
Miscellaneous/
Maintenance
Costs
100
100
100
100
100
100
Labor
200
200
200
200
200
200
Totals
$1,350.00
$679.50
$1,647.33
$1,647.33
$1,647.33
$1,647.33
Total Costs
$8,618.82
Income from
Timber
Harvest
0
Approximately
0
0
0
0
Net Total
$41,381.18
50,000
28
Appendix A
Mammals
Blarina brevicauda Shorttail Shrew
Canis latrans Coyote
Castor canadensis Beaver
Citellus tridecemlineatus 13-Lined Ground Squirrel
Erethizon dorsatum Porcupine
Glaucomys sabrinus Northern Flying Squirrel
Lepus americanus Snowshoe Hare
Marmota monax Woodchuck
Mephitis mephitis Striped Skunk
Microtus pennsylvanicus Meadow Vole
Mustela frenata Longtail Weasel
Mustela vison Mink
Myotis lucifugus Little Brown Bat
Napaeozapus insignis Woodland Jumping Mouse
Odocoileus virginianus Whitetail Deer
Ondatra zibethica Muskrat
Peromyscus leucopus White-footed Mouse
Procyon lotor Raccoon
Scalopus aquaticus Eastern Mole
Sciurus carolinensis Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus niger Eastern Fox Squirrel
Sorex cinereus Masked Shrew
Sylvilagus floridanus Eastern Cottontail
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Red Squirrel
Tamias striatus Eastern Chipmunk
Taxidea taxus Badger
Vulpes fulva Red Fox
Birds
Acanthis flammea Common Redpoll
Accipiter cooperii Cooper’s Hawk
Agelaius phoeniceus Red-winged Blackbird
Aix sponsa Wood Duck
Ammodramus henslowii Henslow’s Sparrow
Anas discors Blue-winged Teal
Anas platyrhynchos Mallard
Ardea herodias Green Blue Heron
Asio otus Long-eared Owl
Bartramia longicauda Upland Sandpiper
Bombycilla cedrorum Cedar Waxwing
Bonasa umbellus Ruffed Grouse
Bubo virginianus Great Horned Owl
Buteo jamaicensis Red-tailed Hawk
Butorides virescens Green Heron
Cardinalis cardinalis Cardinal
Capella gallinago Common Snipe
Caprimulgus vociferus Whip-poor-will
Carpodacus purpureus Purple Finch
29
Certhia familiaris Brown Creeper
Charadrius vociferus Killdeer
Chordeiles minor Common Nighthawk
Circus cyaneus Marsh Hawk
Cistothorus platensis Short-billed Marsh Wren
Colaptes auratus Common Flicker
Contopus virens Eastern Wood Pewee
Coragyps aura Turkey Vulture
Corvus brachyrhynchos Common Crow
Cyanocitta cristata Blue Jay
Dendrocopos pubescens Downy Woodpecker
Dendrocopos villosus Hairy Woodpecker
Dendroica coronata Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dendroica petechia Yellow Warbler
Dendroica virens Black-throated Green Warbler
Dolichonyx oryzivorus Bobolink
Dryocopus pileatus Pileated Woodpecker
Empidonax traillii Least Flycatcher
Eremophila alpestris Horned Lark
Falco sparverius American Kestrel
Geothlypis trichas Common Yellowthroat
Hesperiphona vespertina Evening Grosbeak
Hylocichla mustelina Wood Thrush
Icterus galbula Northern Oriole
Iridoprocne bicolor Tree Swallow
Junco hyemalis Dark-eyed Junco
Lanius excubitor Northern Shrike
Megaceryle alcyon Belted Kingfisher
Melanerpes erythrocephalus Red-headed Woodpecker
Melospiza melodia Song Sparrow
Mniotilta varia Black-and-white Warbler
Molothrus alter Brown-headed Cowbird
Nyctea scandiaca Snowy Owl
Otus asio Screech Owl
Parus atricapillus Black-capped Chickadee
Parus bicolor Tufted Titmouse
Passer domesticus House Sparrow
Passerella iliaca Fox Sparrow
Passerina cyanea Indigo Bunting
Pheucticus ludovicianus Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Philohela minor American Woodcock
Pinicola enucleator Pine Grosbeak
Pipila erythrophthalmus Rufous-sided Towhee
Pirango olivacea Scarlet tanager
Plectrophenax nivalis Snow Bunting
Pooecetes gramineus Vesper Sparrow
Quiscalus quiscula Common Grackle
Regulus satrapa Golden-crowned Kinglet
Riparia riparia Bank Swallow
Sayornis phoebe Eastern Phoebe
Seiurus aurocaapillus Ovenbird
Setophaga ruticilla American Redstart
Sialia sialis Eastern Bluebird
30
Sitta canadensis Red-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta carolinensis White-breasted Nuthatch
Sphyrapicus varius Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Spinus tristis American Goldfinch
Spizella arborea Tree Sparrow
Spizella passerina Chipping Sparrow
Spizella pusilla Field Sparrow
Strix varia Barred Owl
Sturnella magna Easern Meadowlark
Toxostoma rufum Brown Thrasher
Troglodytes aedon House Wren
Turdus migratorius American Robin
Tyrannus tyrannus Easetern Kingbird
Vermivora ruficapilla Nashville Warbler
Vireo olivaceus Red-eyed Vireo
Zenaida macroura Mourning Dove
Zonotrichia albicollis White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys White-crowned Sparrow
Reptiles
Chrysemys picta Painted Turtle
Diadophis punctatus Ring-neck Snake
Heterodon platyrhinos Hog-nose Snake
Lampropeltis triangulatum Eastern Milk Snake
Opheodrys vernalis Eastern Smooth Green Snake
Storeria occipitomaculata Northern Red-bellied Snake
Thamnophis sauritus Eastern Ribbon Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis Eastern Garter Snake
Amphibians
Ambystoma laterale Blue-spotted Salamander
Bufo americanus American Toad
Hemidactylium scutatum Four-toed Salamander
Hyla crucifer Northern Spring Peeper
Plethnodon cinereus Red-backed Salamander
Pseudacris triseriata Western Chorus Frog
Rana clamitans Green Frog
Rana sylvatica Wood Frog
Fish
Clinostomus elongatus Redside Dace
Cottus bairdi Mottled Sculpin
Lampetra lamottei American Brook Lamprey
Lepomis cyanellus Green Sunfish
Lepomis gibbosus Pumpkinseed
Notemigonus crysoleucas Golden Shiner
Rhinichthys cataractae Longnose Dace
Salvelinus fontinalis Brook Trout
Salmo trutta Brown Trout
Umbra limi Common Mudminnow
31
Appendix B
Trees and Shrubs
Acer rubum Red Maple
Acer spicatum Mountain Maple
Alnus rugosa Speckled Alder
Amelanchier sp. Serviceberry
Betula papyrifera Paper Birch
Cornus alternifolia Alternate-leaved Dogwood
Cornus racemosa Pinacled Dogwood
Cornus stolonifera Red-osier Dogwood
Crataegus sp. Hawthorn
Larix laricina Tamarak
Picea canadensis White Spruce
Pinus sylvestris Scotch Pine
Populus balsamifera Balsam Poplar
Populus deltoides Cottonwood
Populus grandidentata Big-toothed Aspen
Populus tremuloides Trembling Aspen
Rhus typhina Stag-horn Sumac
Rhus radicans Poison Ivy
Ribes floridum Black Currant
Sambucus canadensis Elderberry
Taxus canadensis American Yew
Tilia americana American Basswood
Thuja occidentalis N. White-cedar
Ulmus americana American Elm
Ulmus rubra Slippery Elm
Vibernum acerifolium Maple-leaf Viburnum
Vibernum lentago Nannyberry
Vitis sp Grape
Herbaceous Plants
Achillea millefolium Yarrow
Alopecurus geniculatus Marsh Foxtail
Ambrosia artemisiifoilia Ragweed
Andropogon gerardi Big Bluestem
Andropogon scoparius Little Bluestem
Arctium lappa Great Burdock
Arctium minus Common Burdock
Asclepias incarnata Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca Common Milkweed
Aster novae-angliae New England Aster
Avena fatua Wild Oats
Berteroa incana Hoary Alyssum
Bidens sp. Sticktights
Brassica campestris Field Mustard
Capsella Bursa-pastoris Shepherd’s Purse
Cenchrus longispinus Sandbur
Cerastium vulgatum Mouse-ear Chickweed
Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum Ox-eye Daisy
32
Crisium arvense Canada Thistle
Cirsium vulgare Bull Thistle
Clematis virginiana Virgin’s Bower
Convolvulus sepium Hedge Bindweed
Cornus canadensis Bunchberry
Cypripedium sp. Lady-slipper
Daucus carota Wild Carrot
Eleocharis sp. Spike Rush
Equisetum scirpoides Sedge-like Equisetum
Equisetum pilosa Small-tufted Love Grass
Erigeron philadelphicus Daisy Fleabane
Eryngium yuccifolium Rattlesnake-master
Eupatorium perfoliatum Boneset
Eupatorium purpureum Joe Pye Weed
Fragaria virginiana Common Strawberry
Gaultheria procumbens Wintergreen
Goodyera pubscens Downy Rattlesnake Plantain
Helenium autumnale Sneezeweed
Helianthus giganteus Tall Sunflower
Hordeum jubatum Squirrel-tailed Grass
Impatiens biflora Jewel-weed
Iris versicolor Large Blue Flag Iris
Lepidium virginicum Peppergrass
Liatris sp. Blazzing Star
Lycopodium complanatum Trailing Christmas-green
Maianthemum canadensis Canada Mayflower
Marchantia sp Liverwort
Melilotus alba White Sweet Clover
Mitchella repens Partridgeberry
Oenothera biennis Evening Primrose
Panicum capillare Old Witch Grass
Poa annua Spear Grass
Polygala paucifolia Fringed Polygala
Polygonum pensylvanicum Knotweed
Potentilla recta Rough-fruited Cinquefoil
Prunella vulgaris Heal-all
Pyrola elliptica Shinleaf
Ranunculus septentrionalis Marsh Buttercup
Ranunculus acris Meadow Buttercup
Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan
Rudbeckia laciniata Green-headed Coneflower
Setaria glauca Yellow Foxtail Grass
Silphium intergrifolium Rosin Weed
Silphium laciniatum Compass Plant
Silphium terebinthinaceum Prairie Dock
Smilacina racemosa False Solomon’s Seal
Smilax hispida Hispid Greenbriar
Sonchus oleraceus Common Sow Thistle
Solidago gigantea Late Goldenrod
Thalictrum dioicum Meadow Rue
Trifolium pratense Red Clover
Typha latifolia Broad-leaved Cattail
Urtica dioica Stinging Nettle
33
Uvularia perfoliata Large Flowered Bellwort
Vicia americana Purple Vetch
Xanthium strumarium Cocklebur
34