Question

Forests in Michigan, as well as forests throughout the states, are under increasing development pressure. Parcelization is the division of ownership into smaller and smaller parcels. Fragmentation is when the forest canopy is dissected for houses, lawns, driveways, and other infrastructure. Together, parcelization and fragmentation have impacts on forest ecology and forest biodiversity.

Which would NOT be a reasonable plan to stop both?

Responses
A Create corridors of trees along fencerows or streams as natural pathways for wildlife connecting forest fragments.Create corridors of trees along fencerows or streams as natural pathways for wildlife connecting forest fragments.
B Put your land in a conservation easement to insure that it won’t be fragmented in the future.Put your land in a conservation easement to insure that it won’t be fragmented in the future.
C Reforest gaps between nearby blocks of forest and fill in odd areas to make larger blocks.Reforest gaps between nearby blocks of forest and fill in odd areas to make larger blocks.
D Use carefully controlled burns as a management tool to maintain plant communities.Use carefully controlled burns as a management tool to maintain plant communities.

Answer 1

D

Controlled (prescribed) burns are a vegetation-management tool that can benefit plant communities and reduce fuel loads but they do not prevent land being subdivided (parcelization) or stop forest canopy from being fragmented by development. The other options (corridors, reforestation, and conservation easements) directly address fragmentation and/or parcelization.