MDC partners with City of Sedalia to restore oak woodland habitat around Spring Fork Lake

SEDALIA, Mo. - From the wildflowers of Paintbrush Prairie to the forested land around Spring Fork Lake, habitat diversity is a key component of keeping Sedalia’s natural areas thriving. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has partnered with the City of Sedalia to revitalize 20 acres of oak woodland near the lake.

“It’s rare to find a good, intact woodland, because without proper management it will return to a dense, overgrown state,” said MDC Forester Mary Lass.

MDC and the city have an existing agreement through MDC’s Community Assistance Program (CAP) to manage Spring Fork Lake. The two will continue their partnership with a management plan for the surrounding land. As the area transitions to a healthy woodland habitat, MDC hopes to see deer, turkey, and native pollinators return to call it home.

“We have a lot more than just a lake here,” said Lass. “Historically, what you would see in this region is a complex of prairies and woodlands, naturally enhanced by fire. This area will offer lots of choices for wildlife species when cared for correctly.”

Woodlands are a midway point between prairies and forests. In good conditions, they should have an open canopy which allows more sunlight between the trees, yielding a ground cover of wildflowers, grasses, and sedges. With intentional management, little bluestem, wild sunflowers, wild bergamot, tick trefoil, slender lespedeza, fragrant sumac, serviceberry and dogwood are just some of the species that could emerge from dormancy in the seed bank.

Sedalia Public Works staff Justin Bray, Harley Norton, and Nick Smith spent a week in February clearing the site of overgrown cedar that had prevented true woodland habitat from developing. The three-man crew worked 10-12 hours for five consecutive days, returning removed timber from the area as mulch to enrich the soil and promote new growth.

“No matter what you do, all of us need to be conservationists at heart,” said Bray, Public Works Operations Director for the City of Sedalia. “I truly believe in the proper management of the land. I think about our future, being able to have something that everyone can benefit from for a long time.”

That recent cedar removal is the first step in a 10-year plan developed by MDC forestry staff to restore this woodland. The next stage will include prescribed burns to reintroduce fire that historically had kept woody overgrowth from forming.

“This is a great opportunity to collaborate with the Conservation Department,” said Bray. “We’re already doing a lot of this work in the city, trying to clear underbrush and open up the lines of sight, so having guidance with MDC on the best places to put our efforts is awesome.”

For more information on Spring Fork Lake, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/spring-fork-lake-sedalia-water-department.