Vegetation

In conjunction with the ecosystem management program under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) and U.S. Army Memorandum of Agreement, the USFWS will be developing a forest-interior management plan and grass management program.

In support of the natural resource management program at JPG, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, assisted by the U.S. Army, conducted a prescribed burn of approximately 4,000 acres to maintain a grassland habitat for the Henslow's sparrow, a Federal species of concern. Approximately 3,300 acres of Henslow's Sparrow habitat exist north of firing line. JPG provides breeding habitat for one of the five largest remaining Henslow's sparrow populations in the world, about 751 breeding pairs, according to the American Bird conservancy. During the breeding season, Henslow's sparrows have very specific habitat requirements. They are mostly found in fallow fields supporting tall, dense grassy and weedy cover with a high density of standing dead vegetation as well as scattered bushes or very small trees. When not singing, Henslow's sparrows skulk through the grassy vegetation and are rarely seen. The Audubon Society has more information on Henslow's Sparrow

Forests

More than 75 percent of the 55,265 acres at JPG is covered by a variety of tree species. The most abundant tree is the red maple, located near the wetlands. White oak and yellow poplar dominate the northern end of the installation, while red cedar predominates in the well-drained areas.

Less dominant tree species include the hickory, pin oak, red oak, sweet gum, beech, elm, ash, sugar maple, sycamore, walnut, black cherry, and sassafras.

Timbering at JPG was conducted for many years, reaching a high of 300,000 to 400,000 board feet harvested in the mid 1980s. Since the late 1980s, no further timbering operations have occurred at JPG.

Plants

Twenty-nine species of listed plants were documented in a 1993 survey. The dominant shrubs and vines in the area include the river alder, flowering dogwood, hawthorn, honeysuckle, smooth sumac and blueberry.

Native grasses include big bluestem and broomsedge.

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