Fort Hood Project

Vegetation Ecology Research and Management

Basal girdling of infected Texas red oak to prevent the spread of oak wilt         © The Nature Conservancy

Conservancy scientists at Fort Hood are working on a number of habitat-related vegetation projects.  We are monitoring the recovery of a large patch of golden-cheeked warbler habitat which burned in a wildfire in 1996, documenting how the vegetation recovers over time.  We are also applying adaptive management principles to the management of oak wilt in warbler habitat by monitoring the effects of treatment on the species composition of the woodland habitat as well as warbler utilization of that habitat.   Oak wilt is a disease which affects oaks and may be changing the species composition of the juniper-oak woodlands used by golden-cheeked warblers for nesting habitat. Upcoming vegetation-related projects include a vegetation map of Fort Hood and a systematic fire-effects monitoring program.