Keeping the Forest Full of Life

Wildlife in the forest and wetlands of Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge are supported through active habitat management aimed at providing food, water, shelter, and space. Staff manage forest areas by removing some trees, planting others that benefit wildlife, and combating insect pests, helping songbirds, the endangered Delmarva fox squirrel, and many other animals flourish. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Southern pine beetle devastated several stands of loblolly pine trees, so staff removed infected trees and replanted the areas with hardwoods to create new homes for wildlife; some dead trees were left standing for woodpeckers and other species, and wildlife later returned and thrived. In fall and winter, the refuge’s wetlands become important habitat for waterfowl, including snow geese that gather by the tens of thousands and feed in nearby farm fields and saltmarshes, American black ducks that dabble for submerged plants, green-winged teals that feed along pond edges on soft plant parts, northern shovelers that scoop small plants and animals from the water, and northern pintails that glean seeds from the muddy bottom.

Virginia · United States