POINT FARM REFUGE PLANTING (TE-14)

TE-14-MSPR-1095-1
PROGRESS REPORT NO.1
for the period
February 04, 1993 to October 1, 1995

Project Description/Status
The Point Farm Refuge Planting project is located on the Point Farm Wildlife Refuge east of
Montegut in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana (figure 1). A minimum of 100 acres of abandoned
agricultural fields and shrub habitat will be enhanced by this project at the southern edge of the
refuge.
The objectives of the Point Farm Refuge Planting Project (TE-14) were to convert existing
agricultural habitat to bottomland hardwood habitat, increase wildlife resource production associated
with bottomland hardwood habitat, and provide for habitat diversity in a predominantly coastal
marsh environment. The design of the project included the planting of a mixture of bottomland
hardwood tree species. The tree species planted were pecan (Carya illinoensis), water oak (Quercus
nigra), cow oak (Quercus michauxii) and nuttall oak (Quercus nuttallii) at a density of 363
trees/acre on 150 acres. Seedlings were planted according to soil type compatibility within 4
separate units during February 1993. The project goal was to exceed 70% survival of tree seedlings.
Monitoring Design
Seedling survival rate will be determined at 6 mo, 1 yr, and 3 yr after planting by taking a 5% sample
of the entire seedling population within all four planting units (units 5, 6, 8, and 9; figure 2). The
survey of seedling survival will be conducted on permanent diagonal transects established across the
four units. The diagonal lines will zig-zag across the planting area covering a 72-ft-wide or 6-treewide area.
Results/Discussion
The first postconstruction monitoring was conducted in July, 1993. The survival rate for the
seedlings sampled was 79% (table 1). The survival rate for individual tree species could not be
determined because of the random planting of the 4 tree species. In February 1994, an attempt was
made to conduct the 1 yr postplanting monitoring. The entire planting area was overgrown by

volunteer grass, shrub and tree species prohibiting access to conduct the transects. A systematic
herbicide application will need to be applied by Refuge personnel before additional postplanting
monitoring can be conducted.

Prepared on September 21, 1995, by Vincent Cheramie.

LDNR Monitoring Manager:
LDNR Project Manager:
Local Sponsor:
Construction Start:
Construction End:

Vincent Cheramie
(504) 447-0996
NR Geoscience Specialist 1
Arthur Long
(504) 851-1885
LDWF/Mark Castille
(504) 594-5494
January 2, 1993
February 4, 1993

f:\..\te14prg1.doc

Table 1. Seedling survival rate of tree species planted (pecan, water oak, cow oak, and nuttall oak)
on the Point Farm Wildlife Refuge. Sampling date is July, 1993.
Unit

Sample Size (n)

Live Seedlings

Dead Seedlings

%Survival

1134

870

264

77%

401

338

63

84%

1102

884

218

80%

333

249

84

75%

Totals

2970

2341

629

79%