Drum army base in new york to benefit both maneuverability in military training areas and nesting habitat for the golden-winged warbler, a DOD partners in flight (PIF) mission-sensitive species and…

The University of Maine System received a $739,231 Cooperative Agreement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 5 under the Migratory Bird Monitoring, Assessment and Conservation program (CFDA 15.655), awarded August 1, 2025, with completion scheduled for June 1, 2029. This five-year project will conduct invasive shrub management research at Fort Drum Army Base in New York, tracking the response of non-native shrub species to mechanical and chemical treatments while assessing impacts on military training maneuverability and habitat quality. The University of Maine will utilize advanced remote sensing technology, including optical satellite imagery, to detect and map non-native plant species across the installation and evaluate habitat quality necessary for effective land management.

The project specifically focuses on the golden-winged warbler, a Department of Defense Partners in Flight mission-sensitive species and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service bird of conservation concern. Deliverables include comprehensive analysis of how invasive shrub management affects food resources, predation risk, and nest-site availability for ground-nesting birds, with evaluation of the broader forest bird community response to habitat management activities. Findings will inform management guidelines applicable to Fort Drum, other Department of Defense lands, and additional properties, supporting dual objectives of enhanced military training capabilities and wildlife habitat conservation.

Drum army base in new york to benefit both maneuverability in military training areas and nesting habitat for the golden-winged warbler, a DOD partners in flight (PIF) mission-sensitive species and a species on the US fish and wildlife service s list of birds of conservation concern. The funds for this agreement come through a grant from the US army specifically for the purposes of conducting this work. This 5-year project will track the response of invasive shrubs to both mechanical and chemical treatments to maintain adequate maneuverability for military training activities and also assess the impact that invasive shrubs have on food resources, predation risk, and nest-site availability for ground-nesting birds, focusing on the golden-winged warbler, at fort drum.advanced remote sensing technology such as optical satellite imagery will be used to accurately assess non-native plant species detection, their extent of cover across fort drum, and habitat quality needed for effective land management. This project will also evaluate how the full forest bird community at fort drum responds to the invasive shrub management benefiting training maneuverability and will inform management guidelines for this army base, other department of defense lands, and other properties.