The kirtlands warbler KW is a globally rare songbird that is dependent on expansive and dense young jack pine forest for breeding in michigan

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a $560,000 Project Grant under the Fish and Aquatic Conservation - Aquatic Invasive Species program (CFDA 15.608) to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Over the 4-year award period from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2028, the DNR will use the funding to purchase equipment to annually masticate (shred/grind) an average of 500 acres of commercially unavailable jack pine. This will create and maintain young jack pine forest habitat critical for the recovery of the threatened Kirtland's warbler, a globally rare songbird, on United States Forest Service lands in Michigan under the Good Neighbor Authority agreement. The equipment will also be used to maintain other open and semi-open habitats benefitting a variety of common and rare wildlife species. The project aims to address a shortage of young jack pine needed to sustain the Kirtland's warbler population.

Historically dependent on large wildfires KWS now rely on managed young jack pine forests in michigan. KWS are still listed as a threatened species at the state level because nearly their entire breeding population resides in michigan and is reliant on continued management and conservation efforts. The michigan department of natural resources midnr will purchase equipment to annually masticate an average of 500 acres of commercially unavailable jack pine for the next 4 years to address a shortage of young jack pine needed to sustain the recovery of KW. The equipment would be used to supplement commercial harvest of jack pine with mastication of trees that are no longer used for breeding but are too young for commercial harvest. In addition to creating areas for KWS breeding habitat this equipment would be used to maintain open and semiopen habitats including OAK savanna oakpine barrens dry sand prairie and forest openings. This work would primarily occur on united states forest service USFS lands under the good neighbor authority GNA an agreement between the midnr and the USFS that allows the midnr to accomplish authorized restoration activities on national forest system lands. The midnr would be able to use the equipment on national forest lands to benefit many common and rare wildlife species including wild turkey whitetailed deer black bear karner blue butterfly eastern massasauga rattlesnake upland sandpiper eastern box turtle wood turtle blandings turtle and monarch butterfly.