The Natural Resource Conservation Service, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, plans to carry out an invasive tree removal project on the Bhagyam Federal Waterfowl Production Area in Section 30 of Freeman Township, according to a press release. Bhagyam WPA was purchased, restored and is managed as a historic prairie wetland landscape to benefit nesting waterfowl and other grassland wildlife.

Unfortunately, non-endemic trees have been pioneering into and degrading the native grassland on the WPA, the release stated. The prescribed burning has not been effective enough at keeping fast-growing trees such as cottonwood and red cedars in check, so a contractor is on site to remove the invasive vegetation.

In addition to shading out and eventually replacing limited grassland habitat, woody vegetation also attracts an inordinate amount of nest predators that significantly reduce wildlife production, according to the release. Some properties in Glenville, Emmons and Twin Lakes could possibly be affected.

A timeframe for the project was not listed in the release. Contact the Windom Wetland Management District at 507-831-2220 for more information.