Background, Landscape & Habitat

This 1,337-acre site is located in George County, Mississippi adjacent to Highway 57, approximately five miles north of the intersection of Highways 57 and 26 at Benndale, Mississippi. Historically, this bottomland hardwood system served as farm and timber land.

Restoration Activities

– Numerous exotic and invasive species removed.

– Elimination of impediments to desired hydrology (removal of roads, berms, filling of ditches, ruts, etc.), and natural hydrology reestablished.

– Herbicide application used to prevent re-sprouting.

– Removal of sweetgum thickets, loblolly and slash pine; planting to maintain existing oak species.

Notable Achievements

• Planted 300,000 bottomland hardwood trees comprised of 15 different species.
• Improvement in hydrologic and geomorphic integrity in Pascagoula River Basin.
• Downstream flooding reduced through the reestablishment of wetland vegetation.
• Wildlife habitat created; food and shelter provided for important species.
• Natural diversity of native bottomland hardwood species restored.