Golden Winged Warbler Program
Golden-Winged Warblers nest along the Appalachian Mountains and Upper Mid-west. Their numbers have been declining because of a lack of suitable habitat. In fact, there has been a 66% decline since the 1960’s.
These Warblers require a mix of aged hardwoods and younger forest growth in order to nest and thrive. These types of forest lands are created when forests catch fire and burn, but because we have become more skilled in preventing forest fires, forests in the Warbler’s nesting grounds are becoming primarily aged growth, lacking the new growth necessary for the bird’s survival.
Landowners with 10 acres or more of woods can help restore the Golden Warbler’s habitat, and in so doing, help increase the Warbler population.
Funding is available through EQIP, (which is an NRCS funding source), to help landowners in this area pay for a Forest Stewardship Plan and to remove some older trees and plant new growth to create a more diverse forest.
The program has an open enrollment, so applications can be submitted at any time during the year, but funding generally occurs once or twice a year.
For more information, please call our office at 301-501-5886 or email jacob.metcalf@usda.gov. Landowners must have at least 10 acres of woodland to apply.