• Home
  • How We Work
  • Where We Work
  • News Room
  • About Us
  • My Nature Page

The Nature Conservancy in Africa - Conservation in Africa

The Nature Conservancy in Asia Pacific - Conservation in Asia-Pacific

The Nature Conservancy in the Caribbean - Conservation in the Caribbean

The Nature Conservancy in Central America - Conservation in Central America

The Nature Conservancy in North America - Conservation in North America

The Nature Conservancy in the United States - Conservation in the United States

The Nature Conservancy in South America - Conservation in South America

Previously Unknown Plant Species Studied at Camp Shelby

Camp Shelby Witch-Hazel

Camp Shelby Witch-Hazel
© Steve Leonard

Fowler's Toad

Fowler's Toad
© Jim Lee / TNC


 

The highlight of the year was publication in the journal Sida, Contributions to Botany, the scientific description of the big-leaved, red-flowered Camp Shelby witch-hazel (Hamamelis ovalis S.W. Leonard), currently only known to occur on Camp Shelby. It is a rare event to describe a shrub species in the United States that was previously unknown to science. Inventory efforts also documented the following previously unreported species on Camp Shelby: brown bullhead, Fowler’s toad, diamondback water snake, rough earth snake, smooth earth snake and Mediterranean gecko (non-native species). The mole salamander was thought to breed in only one wetland on Camp Shelby; however, in 2006-2007 seven additional breeding pools were discovered.

Under sponsorship of the Mississippi Army National Guard, Conservancy scientists continued their collaborations with the U.S. Forest Service, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Army Corps of Engineers, Mississippi State University and University of Southern Mississippi to gather information important for management of gopher tortoises and black pine snakes. In addition, Conservancy scientists monitored Louisiana quillwort and habitat for Camp Shelby burrowing crayfish. Research and monitoring will be continued to protect these rare species on Camp Shelby. The Conservancy also organized a field day in collaboration with the Boy Scouts of America, U.S. Forest Service and Mississippi National Guard to remove smaller shrubs and trees to improve habitat for Camp Shelby burrowing crayfish.

More than 30 acres of the invasive non-native plant cogongrass were treated in and around the gopher tortoise refuge. Over the next year, staff will investigate use of native species to improve control of cogongrass.

For more information on the Camp Shelby Conservation Program, please contact Melinda Lyman, Project Coordinator.

The Nature Conservancy

Camp Shelby Conservation Program
CSTS-ENV, Building 6678
Camp Shelby, MS  39407-5500
(601) 558-2931