Long-term Trends in Wooded Draw Vegetation in the North Dakota Badlands
Eric S. Michel1*, Alexis J. Duxbury2, John D. Schumacher2, Jonathan A. Jenks3, and William F. Jensen2
1Farmland Wildlife Populations and Research Group, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Madelia, MN, 56062. 2North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Bismarck, ND, 58501 (AJD, deceased). 3Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007. *Corresponding Author.
Praire Naturalist, Volume 53 (2021):36–45
Abstract
Wooded draws comprise about 1% of the landscape in the Northern Great Plains but provide various mammalian and avian species, including some listed as species of conservation priority, with food, cover, and protection. However, understanding the status of wooded draw health is lacking. Therefore, our objectives were to identify if wooded draws were regenerating by assessing long-term trends of sampled wooded draws while using predictive equations to assign the seral stage of each sampled wooded draw as an indicator of wooded draw health in North Dakota, USA. We found decreasing numbers of green ash (Fraxinus pennslyvanicus) and American elm (Ulmus americanus) stems temporally while percent cover of Prunus spp and Symphoricarpos spp increased temporally. However, we found a general trend for percent shrubby cover to decrease within our microplots. Using predictive equations, we classified 61% of wooded draws as late seral stage, 7% as late intermediate, 8% as early intermediate, and 24% as early successional by their last year of data collection. Our results indicate most wooded draws in North Dakota are aging and not regenerating. Given the importance of this rare cover type, management strategies aimed at regenerating wooded draws are discussed.
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E.S. Michel, A.J. Duxbury, J.D. Schumacher, J.A. Jenks, and W.F. Jensen
2021 53:36–45
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2021 PRAIRIE NATURALIST 53:36–45
Long-term Trends in Wooded Draw Vegetation
in the North Dakota Badlands
Eric S. Michel1*, Alexis J. Duxbury2, John D. Schumacher2,
Jonathan A. Jenks3, and William F. Jensen2
Abstract - Wooded draws comprise about 1% of the landscape in the Northern Great Plains but
provide various mammalian and avian species, including some listed as species of conservation
priority, with food, cover, and protection. However, understanding the status of wooded draw health
is lacking. Therefore, our objectives were to identify if wooded draws were regenerating by assessing
long-term trends of sampled wooded draws while using predictive equations to assign the seral
stage of each sampled wooded draw as an indicator of wooded draw health in North Dakota, USA.
We found decreasing numbers of Green Ash (Fraxinus pennslyvanica) and American Elm (Ulmus
americana) stems temporally while percent cover of Prunus spp. and Symphoricarpos spp. increased
temporally. However, we found a general trend for percent shrubby cover to decrease within our microplots.
Using predictive equations, we classified 61% of wooded draws as late seral stage, 7% as
late intermediate, 8% as early intermediate, and 24% as early successional by their last year of data
collection. Our results indicate most wooded draws in North Dakota are aging and not regenerating.
Given the importance of this rare cover type, management strategies aimed at regenerating wooded
draws are discussed.
Introduction
Wooded draws only comprise about 1% of the entire landscape in the Northern Great
Plains but serve an important role in providing wildlife habitat for numerous species (Bjugstad
and Girard 1984, Rumble and Gobeille 2001). They provide wildlife species with
food, cover, and protection, particularly during winter months (Bjugstad and Sorg 1985,
Hodorff et al. 1988, Severson and Boldt 1978). Based on a United States Forest Service
(USFS) songbird monitoring program report, over 84 percent of the land birds found on the
Little Missouri National Grasslands (LMNG) are dependent at some level upon woodland
habitat types (Hutto 1995). Consequently, wooded draws are used by several avian species
including Wilson’s Warblers (Wilsonia pusilla Wilson), Eastern Kingbirds (Tyrannus
tyrannus Linnaeus), and Orchard Orioles (Icterus spurius Linnaeus; Rumble and Gobeille
1998). Various small mammal species, such as Meadow Voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus
Ord), Pocket Gophers (Geomys bursarius Shaw), White-footed Mice (Peromyscus leucopus,
Rafinesque), and Deer Mice (P. maniculatus Wagner) also are commonly found in
wooded draws. Species such as Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos Linnaeus), Red-headed
Woodpeckers (Melanerpes erthrocephalus Linnaeus), Merriam’s Shrews (Sorex merriami
Meriam), and Long-eared Bats (Plecotus auritus Linnaeus) are included on North Dakota’s
list of “species of conservation priority” and depend upon wooded draws (Dyke et al. 2015).
Therefore, understanding various aspects of wooded draws, such as current health status and
age, is important because losing this habitat type on the landscape could negatively impact
wildlife biodiversity.
1Farmland Wildlife Populations and Research Group, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources,
Madelia, MN, 56062. 2North Dakota Game and Fish Department, Bismarck, ND, 58501 (AJD, deceased).
3Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings,
SD 57007. *Corresponding Author: eric.michel@state.mn.us.
Associate Editor: Gregory Pec
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Given the importance of wooded draws on the landscape, the USFS in collaboration with
North Dakota Game and Fish (NDGF) have monitored up to 138 research macroplots on the
LMNG for the past 30 years collecting data, such as basal area of various tree species, the
number of seedlings and saplings found in each macroplot, and percent coverage of several
understory shrub species. Recently, however, there has been concern by NDGF biologists
regarding the consistency in which data from these research macroplots has been collected
and how that might affect the ability to detect changes in wooded draw health over time.
Therefore, our objectives were to evaluate this dataset and identify if wooded draws were
regenerating by assessing the long-term trends of sampled wooded draws and to use the
equations presented by Uresk et al. (2015) to assign the seral stage of each wooded draw as
an indicator of wooded draw health.
Materials and Methods
Study Area
We collected data at 138 unique macroplots in Billings, Golden Valley, McKenzie, and
Slope counties, in southwestern North Dakota, USA. Badlands terrain encompasses 6,200 km2
and is restricted to the drainage system of the Little Missouri River (Fig. 1). Elevation ranged
from a low of 615 m above mean sea level in the Little Missouri River bottoms to a high of
913 m at plateau tops. This region is characterized by abrupt changes in substrate, slope, and
soils. Badlands are a type of dry terrain where clay-rich soils and softer sedimentary rocks
have been widely eroded by wind and water that result in steep slopes, minimal vegetation,
and high drainage density. Native prairie is generally the main habitat on shallow slopes.
Rocky Mountain Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum Sargent) dominates much of the remainder
of the badlands, with stand densities increasing on a south to north gradient. Important tree
species include Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall) and American Elm (Ulmus
americana Linnaeus), with Ash-hardwood stands found on about 2% of the study area and
generally occuring on gradual slopes with a northeastern orientation (Jensen 1988). Important
shrub species include Wild Plum (Prunus americana Marshall), Pin Cherry (P. pensylvanica
Linnaeus), Chokecherry (P. virginiana Linnaeus), Snowberry (Symphoricarpos spp.), Wood’s
Rose (Rosa woodsii Lindley), Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia Nuttal), Poison Ivy
(Toxicodendron rydbergii Greene), Wild Black Currant (Ribes americanum Miller), Missouri
Gooseberry (Ribes missouriense Nuttal), and Golden Currant (Ribes odoratum Wendland).
North Dakota’s climate is continental and characterized by large variance in temperature,
both on a seasonal and daily basis. Mean annual temperature is 4o C, ranging from a mean of
-6o C in January to 31o C in July (Ciuti et al. 2015, Seabloom 2020). Average yearly precipitation
is about 43 cm. Snow cover typically occurs between November and April. Snow cover is
variable and often sparse, with cover maintained throughout the winter only in shaded areas.
Large herbivores found on the LMNG include Domestic Cattle (Bos taurus; Linnaeus, 1758),
Domestic Horse (Equus caballus Linnaeus), Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus Rafinesque),
White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann), Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana
Ord), several small herds of Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis Shaw), and Elk (Cervus
elaphus Linnaeus; Jensen 1988, Seabloom 2020).
Data Collection
All sample macroplots were located on USFS, National Park Service, or North Dakota
State School public-owned lands within the jurisdictional boundaries of the LMNG. Macroplots
were generally limited to one per township, and we randomly selected sections for
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sampling. We then positioned macroplots based on slope that were large enough to encompass
a 9.1 m by 22.9 m macroplot. A large “tag” tree served as one corner of the macroplot
with metal stakes marking the other three corners. We recorded aspect, percent slope, and
elevation of the macroplot. Soil-types, occurrence of erosion, and general condition of the
wooded draw was noted, and photo points were established. We recorded the GPS location
of the tag tree and corner stakes in 2001.
Initially, vegetation sampling of the canopy species involved each tree within the macroplot
being classified by diameter at breast height (DBH, 137 cm above ground). We categorized trees
as sapling (<2.5 cm), young (≤10.2 cm), or pole (>10.2 cm) and recorded if the tree was living,
decadent, or dead. We determined basal area and species composition for all live trees in each
macroplot. In 1993, we only measured tree DBH to the nearest 2.5 cm but did not place them
into a category. We established five microplots, each 45.7 cm by 1.8 m, along the width of the
macroplot by the tag tree. Shrubs were classified as either <45.7 cm or >45.7 cm tall. Broadleaf
trees <45.7 cm tall were classified as seedlings, trees >45.7 cm, but <1.8 m tall were classified as
Figure 1. Distribution of woody
draw macroplots in western
North Dakota (n = 138).
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saplings. We classified taller trees as either pole (height > 1.5 m and <10.2 cm DBH) or mature
(>10.2 DBH). In 1993, we added two belt transects, 46 cm by 22.9 m, about 4.5 m apart running
the length of the macroplot. We counted all tree seedlings (<46 cm tall) and saplings (46 cm to
183 cm tall) and identified them to species. Twenty-five Daubenmire plots (26 cm by 52 cm)
were evenly spaced about 1m apart down each belt transect and were scored for shrub canopy
cover of Prunus spp. and Symphoricarpos spp. (Daubenmire 1959). Score cards consisted of
six potential cover classes (i.e., 0–5%, 5–25%, 25–50%, 50–75%, 75–95%, and 95–100% shrub
canopy cover). We then calculated the mean percent cover for each belt transect and classified
shrub canopy as either closed (>75%), moderately open (50 to 74%), or open (<50%) based
upon the Daubenmire (1959) score card for 50 microplots. Resampling of each macroplot was
scheduled for five-year intervals because of logistical constraints.
Statistical Analysis
Given the potential variation in data collection methods across time and the lack of an
initial designation of seral stage and stand age, we analyzed data in several ways to identify
if similar trends amongst analyses existed. We assumed wooded draws followed the
traditional Clementsian pattern of succession (Clements 1916). Therefore, we attempted
to detect changes across time by using a mixed linear model framework in Program R
(R Core Team 2017 version 3.3.1; Bates et al. 2015). Our response variables included
number of Green Ash and American Elm stems, seedlings, and saplings, as well as other
understory vegetation, including Prunus spp., Amelanchier spp., Snowberry, and Wood’s
Rose (Table 1). We included year as our dependent variable and individual macroplot ID
as a random effect to account for repeated measurements of the same macroplot across
years. We then used the r.squaredGLMM function in the MuMIn package (Barton 2017,
Nakagawa et al. 2017) to establish the marginal (fixed effects only) and conditional (fixed
and random effects) R2 values.
Using this same model structure, we attempted to account for additional variation by
grouping the data five ways. First, we restricted our database to study macroplots for which
we had data recorded for each year. We then combined data by the tree canopy closure category
assigned in the first year of data collection. This allowed for three additional groupings
of the data: open, moderate, and closed canopy. Lastly, we used this mixed model structure
to assess variation across time for our microplot data.
Table 1. Description of variables used in mixed linear models to describe age/seral stage and health status
of wooded draws in North Dakota, USA.
Variable Description
Mean Percent Snowberry Percent Snowberry recorded from Daubenmire plot measurements
Mean Prunus spp. Percent Prunus spp. recorded from Daubenmire plot measurements
Basal Area Basal Area
Total Number of Saplings Total number of saplings regardless of tree species
Total Number of Seedlings Total number of seedlings regardless of tree species
Total Number of FRAPEN Saplings Total number of Green Ash saplings
Total Number of ULMAME Saplings Total number of American Elm saplings
Total Number of FRAPEN Seedlings Total number of Green Ash seedlings
Total Number of ULMAME Seedlings Total number of American Elm seedlings
Total Number of FRAPEN Stems Total number of Green Ash stems
Total Number of ULMAME Stems Total number of American Elm stems
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We also combined data based on the canopy closure category assigned during the last
year of data collection. This allowed us to determine what percentage of macroplots could
be classified as immature or mature. We then ran an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) in
Program R to assess if the same variables we used in our linear mixed models varied by
tree canopy closure. If significant, we ran a Tukey’s post hoc test to assess which canopy
closures differed. This analysis would allow us to assess whether wooded draws in North
Dakota were potentially regenerating by establishing whether saplings and seedlings were
more prevalent in open or closed canopied macroplots. If macroplots were regenerating, we
would expect an increased number of tree stems in open canopied macroplots.
Finally, we adapted the equations presented by Uresk et al. (2015) to estimate seral stage
(Late, Late Intermediate, Early Intermediate, Early) in the most recent year of data collection
for 138 wooded draw macroplots. Uresk et al. (2015) calculated Fisher’s coeffecients to use
with basal area of Green Ash and canopy cover of American Plum and Chokecherry along with
a constant to estimate seral stages of wooded draws in South Dakota, USA. The equation that
produced the largest value was the seral stage that is designated (Uresk et al. 2015; Table 2).
Although we had most data for this analysis, specific Prunus spp. (e.g., Prunus viginiana and
P. americana) Daubenmire plot (Daubenmire 1952) data were not available. Therefore, we
used all available Prunus spp. data and not the combination of P. virginiana and P. americana.
We also did not have tree-specific DBH for F. pennsylvanica, so we calculated basal area using
the average of the group within which each stem was placed. For example, if two stems were
recorded in the 13 to 15 cm category, we used an average DBH of 14 cm to calculate basal area.
Results
Assessing Long-term Trends
Between 1986 and 2014, we sampled 138 macroplots a total of 828 times. We established
long-term trends of wooded draws by assessing how vegetative characteristics varied across
time within our macroplots. We found that the number of stems of tree species generally decreased
throughout time while percent shrubby cover increased. For example, the total number
of Green Ash stems and American Elm stems decreased across time. Conversely, percent
Prunus spp. and percent Snowberry (Table 3) increased across time. We further assessed how
vegetative characteristics varied across time for macroplots where data were collected each
year (Supplemental Table 1; for all Supplemental Tables, see Supplemental File 1, available
online at https://eaglehill.us/prnaonline/suppl-files/prna-005-michel-s1.pdf) and after grouping
by canopy closure (closed canopy, Supplemental Table 2; moderate canopy, Supplemental
Table 2. Example of variables used in the equations proposed by Uresk et al. (2015) to assign seral stage
of wooded draws in South Dakota, USA as either Late, Late Intermediate, Early Intermediate, and Early.
Table adapted from Uresk et al. (2015).
Green Ash Prunus spp.
Seral Stage (Coeff1*Var2) + (Coeff*Var) + Constant = Score
Late (0.497*44 + 0.071*26) - 23.415 = 0.299
Late Intermediate (0.099*44 + 0.350*26) - 11.632 = 1.824
Early Intermediate (0.260*44 - 0.033*26 - 6.607 = 3.9753
Early (0.072*44 + 0.022*26) - 1.905 = 1.835
1Coeff = Fisher’s coefficients used for classification.
2Var = variable, basal area (ft2/a) and canopy cover (%).
3Assigned seral stage.
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Table 3; open canopy, Supplemental Table 4) and found similar relationships as we did when
analyzing all data combined; Green Ash and American Elm generally decreased across time
while Snowberry and Prunus spp. generally increased.
Results from our microplot data differed from our previous results. Although our microplot
data showed the amount of Symphoricarpos spp. increased temporally, which was consistent
with our other linear models, other shrub species decreased temporally (Table 4). For
example, Amelanchier spp. significantly declined temporally.
We further investigated whether wooded draws were regenerating by calculating the
percent of macroplots that were classified as either closed, moderate, or open canopies in
their last year of data collection. Most macroplots were categorized as either open (48%) or
moderate (40%), while only 12% of macroplots were categorized as closed. These results
alone indicate that wooded draws may be regenerating. However, after comparing vegeta-
Table 3. Results from linear mixed models assessing how variables varied temporally for 566 data points
collected from 138 wooded draw plots located in western North Dakota, USA. Plot ID was used as a random
effect to account for repeated measurements. Model structure was: response variable~year+(1|plot.id).
Response Variable Beta STD Error P-Value Marginal R2 Conditional R2
Mean Percent Snowberry 0.241 0.099 0.015 0.004 0.683
Mean Prunus spp. 0.684 0.094 <0.001 0.024 0.790
Basal Area -0.208 0.190 0.273 0.000 0.851
Total Number of Saplings -0.199 0.048 <0.001 0.024 0.176
Total Number of Seedlings -1.939 0.622 0.002 0.013 0.056
Total Number of FRAPEN Saplings -0.019 0.053 0.724 0.000 0.204
Total Number of ULMAME Saplings -0.078 0.042 0.063 0.060 0.051
Total Number of FRAPEN Seedlings -0.201 0.577 0.728 0.000 0.013
Total Number of ULMAME Seedlings -1.420 0.716 0.048 0.070 0.025
Total Number of ULMAME Stems -0.232 0.025 <0.001 0.640 0.067
Total Number of FRAPEN Stems -0.714 0.064 <0.001 0.083 0.069
Table 4. Results from linear mixed models assessing how variables varied temporally for 703 data points
collected from 145 wooded draw microplots located in western North Dakota, USA. Plot ID was used as a
random effect to account for repeated measurements. Model structure was: response variable~year+(1|plot.
id). Only microplot data were used in these analyses.
Response Variable Beta STD Error P-Value Marginal R2 Conditional R2
FRAPEN 0.019 0.085 0.821 0.00 0.145
ULMAME -0.105 0.096 0.274 0.002 0.020
PRUNUS 0.107 0.102 0.298 0.001 0.606
AMEALNa -0.111 0.023 <0.001 0.006 0.833
SYMPHOa 1.489 0.253 <0.001 0.023 0.554
ROSWOOa -0.558 0.052 <0.001 0.104 0.396
RIBESa -0.071 0.026 0.006 0.006 0.489
TOXRYD -0.034 0.039 0.391 0.001 0.380
aShrubby species.
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tive characteristics among the three canopy closure categories, we found the number of
Green Ash stems (F2,78 = 6.05, p = 0.004), number of American Elm stems (F2,78 = 9.72, p
< 0.001), and percent Snowberry (F2,78 = 5.51, p = 0.006) varied among the three canopy
closure categories, while the number of Green Ash seedlings approached significance (F2,78
= 2.57, p = 0.083; Table 5). Tukey’s post hoc test results indicated that there were more
Green Ash and American Elm stems in closed canopy macroplots compared to open canopy
macroplots (p ≤ 0.004; Table 6). If stands were regenerating, we would expect there to be
more stems, seedlings, and saplings in open and moderate canopies; however, our results
show the opposite indicating that stands are likely old and not regenerating.
Table 5. Analysis of Variance results comparing vegetative characteristics among wooded draw plots
described as open, moderate, or closed canopied in their last year of data collection in western North
Dakota, USA.
Variable Num DF Den DF F-Value P-Value
FRAPEN Stems 2 78 6.05 0.004
ULMAME Stems 2 78 9.72 <0.001
FRAPEN Saplings 2 78 1.84 0.166
ULMAME Saplings 2 78 0.80 0.454
FRAPEN Seedlings 2 78 2.57 0.083
ULMAME Seedlings 2 78 0.39 0.680
Total Saplings 2 78 1.10 0.338
Total Seedlings 2 78 2.05 0.135
Mean Percent Snowberry 2 78 5.51 0.006
Mean Prunus spp. 2 78 1.19 0.310
Table 6. Results of Tukey’s post hoc test comparing vegetative characteristics among wooded draw plots
categorized as open, moderate, or closed canopied in their last year of data collection in western North
Dakota, USA. Different letters indicate significance at p ≤ 0.05.
ANOVA Comparisons
Canopy Cover at Last Data Collection Period
Variable Open Moderate Closed
Mean FRAPEN Stems 4.51a 8.81ab 14.00b
Mean ULMAME Stems 0.10a 0.16ab 2.20c
Mean FRAPEN Saplings 1.31a 3.75a 2.10a
Mean ULMAME Saplings 1.23a 0.56a 0.90a
Mean Total Saplings 2.74a 4.81a 3.00a
Mean FRAPEN Seedlings 7.36a 24.09b* 12.50ab
Mean ULMAME Seedlings 2.26a 1.66a 3.40a
Mean Total Seedlings 9.67a 25.78a 16.10a
Mean SYMPHO Average 28.56a 17.58b 11.85b
Mena PRUNO Average 19.96a 18.39a 10.16a
*p = 0.068
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Assigning Seral Stage
We assigned seral stage by adapting equations presented by Uresk et al. (2015). We classified
61% of wooded draws as late seral stage in their last year of data collection. Only 7%
and 8% were classified as late intermediate and early intermediate, respectively, while 24%
were classified as early successional.
Discussion
Results from our linear mixed models and ANOVAs support the classifications we
obtained through the Uresk et al. (2015) equations but should be interpreted with caution
given the changes we made with our available data (e.g., using all available Prunus spp.
data instead of combining P. virginiana and P. americana). Ground truthing these macroplots
is therefore necessary to accurately and confidently identify seral stage and stand
age. Nevertheless, total number of Green Ash stems and American Elm stems decreased
across time indicating that total number of important tree species are declining in wooded
draws in North Dakota. Conversely, percent Prunus spp. and percent Snowberry increased
across time. Regardless of whether we restricted analyses to macroplots where data were
collected in each year or we grouped data by canopy closure, we found similar results as
when we analyzed all available data. Therefore, our data indicate that understory vegetation
increased temporally while the number of tree stems decreased. Although this trend appears
to indicate that these macroplots are early successional, the decrease in tree stems across
time indicates these stands are aging and not regenerating trees into the overstory canopy.
Although we documented temporal changes in vegetation, there is much variation associated
with each macroplot. The marginal R2 (fixed effects only) for significant variables using
all data ranged from 0.004 to 0.083 whereas the conditional R2 (fixed and random effect) for
important variables ranged from 0.025 to 0.790, which suggests there is much variation attributed
to individual macroplots. As such, creating criteria to categorize each macroplot into a
seral stage and health status would likely be more appropriate and would allow for easier data
manipulation, potentially allowing for better use. Given we used all data in our analyses and we
did not have specific criteria to establish current age/seral stage for each macroplot, we could
not determine what percentage of wooded draws are currently in a healthy state in North Dakota.
Rather, we were only able to assess what the long-term trends were for these macroplots.
Collecting additional data may help improve our ability to monitor wooded draws in
North Dakota, USA. For example, future data may include not only the diameter at breast
height (DBH; ≥2.5 cm) and height of living trees but also the height of all living shrubs
(Rumble and Gobeille 1998; Uresk et al. 2009). All dead trees (snags) along transects also
should be recorded (Rumble and Gobeille 1998). In addition to overstory canopy cover,
canopy cover and foliage height density of important grass, forb, and shrub species should
be measured (Rumble and Gobeille 1998), which will help assess whether the macroplot is
regenerating, though, this needs to be ground truthed. To establish seral stage and increase
accuracy of the Uresk et al. (2015) equations we used, the percent canopy cover of P. virginiana
and P. americana should be collected as well as tree-specific DBH (Uresk et al. 2015).
Measurements could then be averaged by site for analyses (Uresk et al. 2009). Efforts must
also be made to locate stakes at each transect, make them visible, and record their GPS
coordinates so they can be maintained for future data collection.
Additionally, obtaining more accurate information on the distance from a wooded draw
to a water structure may help assessments of wooded draw health. Although we could measure
the distance from the center of each wooded draw to the nearest water structure, results
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from that information would also need to be interpreted with caution as distances would
need to be ground truthed for the presence of obstructions. For example, a water structure
may be in close proximity of a wooded draw, but that distance may not be related to any
impact that cattle may have on the health of wooded draws if a fence or steep terrain is
present and if cattle use of the wooded draw is restricted. Presence of structures like fences
may or may not be detected from aerial photos. Therefore, identifying if cattle can access
water structures or if there are any potential features that might limit their access is needed
before we can accurately assess the influence of the distance from wooded draws to water
structures on wooded draw health. Information gained from these types of analyses would
help direct future management efforts.
Conclusions
Although our results should be interpreted with caution, wooded draws in North Dakota
seem to be aging and potentially not regenerating, though, more specific data and analyses
are needed to verify regeneration status. Collaboration among agencies would facilitate
obtaining needed information. For example, cooperating with USFS requires that it provide
data relating to grazing systems and GIS layers in a timely manner. Even more importantly,
the USFS must maintain consistent data collection methodology, so long-term datasets can
be analyzed. Concomitantly, if management goals include regenerating wooded draws,
then strategies such as excluding livestock and removing decadent overstory trees should
be implemented (Uresk et al. 2009). These strategies can be implemented on local scales to
assess efficacy before implementing management at broad scales.
Acknowledgments
Over the course of this study numerous North Dakota Game and Fish Department and U.S.
Forest Service staff assisted in data collection. We apologize, but the first names of some field assistants
were not recorded on data sheets and others only noted initials. As a result, names of some
participants have been forgotten over time. Those recorded included: Adams, Anderson, J. Berger,
B. Bitterman, R. Burcham, K. Burnelle, W. Cook-Carnahan, K. Dalzell, J. Dekker, J. DiBenideto,
J. Dockter, D. Dolatta, K. Dolatta, P. Crooke, A. Duxbury, S. Dyke, D. Freed, C. Gilder, M. .Girard,
S. Gommes, C. Grondahl, G. Gullickson, W. Hartmann, B. Heidel, Heine, F. Heisner, L. Hill,
Houle, J. Ingalls, P. Isakson, W. Jensen, A. Johnson, L. Johnson, R. Johnson, S. Johnson, J. Kienzle,
L. Knotts, B. Kreft, R. Kreil, K. Kruger, N. Krump, D. Kubik, D. Lenz, Madrid, M. McKenna, V.
Murphy, R. Neito, Nordsven, C. Oukrop, J. Otto, G. Petik, J. Powell, K. Privratsky, B. Renhowe,
R. Renner, R. Rocha, R. Rollings, K. Sanchez, Schmidt, C. Schmitz, J. Schumacher, K. Sollatta, A.
Turck, D. Valenzuela, A. Warm, J. Washington, Weber, J. Williams, and S. Williams. Special thanks
to E. Mueller, C. Parent, and C. Penner for assistance in preparing this manuscript. Support in
preparation of this report was provided by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. We thank
reviewers for their helpful comments. This manuscript is dedicated to Alexis J. Duxbury who spent
more than 20 years collecting and managing this dataset.
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