Manuel F. Correllus State Forest
Encyclopedia
Manuel F. Correllus State Forest is a Massachusetts
state forest
located on Martha's Vineyard
. The forest borders Martha's Vineyard Airport
on three sides and is chiefly in the towns of West Tisbury
and Edgartown
. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation
(DCR).
principally used for biking and hiking
.
Situated in the center of Martha's Vineyard, the park is the focus of one of the largest environmental restoration projects in the country as the DCR is working to bring back the park's native ecosystem
.
The park lies within the Atlantic coastal pine barrens
ecoregion
. Landscapes within the park include grassland
s, heathlands, pine barrens
, and woodland
s. Oak
and pine
are the dominant trees within the park. Many rare species may also be located here.
of the heath hen
, a type of grouse
that lived in the pine barrens of New England. Unfortunately, by late 1938 the last heath hen had disappeared from the forest and the species was officially classified as extinct. The forest later took the name of the superintendent who ran it from 1948 to 1987
Despite widespread land clearing for farming and other purposes across Martha's Vineyard throughout its history, much of the area within Correllus State Forest did not suffer this fate. However, due to forest fires and other natural processes, the forest is not considered old-growth.
Frequent fires have been a problem in the Correllus State Forest. Between 1867 and 1929 there were sixteen fires of more than 1000 acres (4 km²) each on Martha's Vineyard. In 2003, the DCR, in conjunction with the University of Massachusetts began evaluating methods for controlling fuel sources in the Pitch Pine and Scrub Oak areas. Methods included thinning of pitch pine stands, mowing of shrub understories, and grazing of regrowth by sheep. In 2008 about 110 acres (44.5 ha) of dead red pine was removed to reduce fuel loading and to restore pitch pine – scrub oak sand plain through USDA Forest Service funding.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state forest
State forest
A state forest is a forest that is administered or protected by some agency of a sovereign state.The precise application of the term varies by jurisdiction...
located on Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard
Martha's Vineyard is an island located south of Cape Cod in Massachusetts, known for being an affluent summer colony....
. The forest borders Martha's Vineyard Airport
Martha's Vineyard Airport
Martha's Vineyard Airport is a public airport located in the middle of the island of Martha's Vineyard, three miles south of the central business district of Vineyard Haven, in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. This airport is owned by Dukes County and lies on the border between the...
on three sides and is chiefly in the towns of West Tisbury
West Tisbury, Massachusetts
West Tisbury is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,467 at the 2000 census. Along with Chilmark and Aquinnah, West Tisbury forms "Up-Island" Martha's Vineyard.- History :...
and Edgartown
Edgartown, Massachusetts
Edgartown is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,779 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Dukes County. Edgartown has the largest population and area in the entire Dukes County and Martha's Vineyard.- History :In 1642....
. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation
Department of Conservation and Recreation (Massachusetts)
The Department of Conservation and Recreation is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. As of May 24, 2011 the Commissioner of the DCR is Edward M. Lambert, Jr...
(DCR).
Description
Correllus State Forest is a 5100 acres (21 km²) forestForest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
principally used for biking and hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
.
Situated in the center of Martha's Vineyard, the park is the focus of one of the largest environmental restoration projects in the country as the DCR is working to bring back the park's native ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
.
The park lies within the Atlantic coastal pine barrens
Atlantic coastal pine barrens
The Atlantic coastal pine barrens is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of the northeastern United States.-Setting:This ecoregion covers a disjunct area of 8,975 km² including the New Jersey Pine Barrens on the coastal plain of New Jersey, and smaller areas of southern Long Island in New...
ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
. Landscapes within the park include grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s, heathlands, pine barrens
Pine barrens
Pine barrens, pine plains, sand plains, or pinelands occur throughout the northeastern U.S. from New Jersey to Maine as well as the Midwest and Canada....
, and woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
s. Oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
are the dominant trees within the park. Many rare species may also be located here.
History
Created in 1908 as the "Heath Hen Reserve", the original purpose of the reservation was to prevent the extinctionExtinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
of the heath hen
Heath Hen
The Heath Hen was a distinctive subspecies of the Greater Prairie Chicken, Tympanuchus cupido, a large North American bird in the grouse family, or possibly a distinct species....
, a type of grouse
Grouse
Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. They are sometimes considered a family Tetraonidae, though the American Ornithologists' Union and many others include grouse as a subfamily Tetraoninae in the family Phasianidae...
that lived in the pine barrens of New England. Unfortunately, by late 1938 the last heath hen had disappeared from the forest and the species was officially classified as extinct. The forest later took the name of the superintendent who ran it from 1948 to 1987
Despite widespread land clearing for farming and other purposes across Martha's Vineyard throughout its history, much of the area within Correllus State Forest did not suffer this fate. However, due to forest fires and other natural processes, the forest is not considered old-growth.
Frequent fires have been a problem in the Correllus State Forest. Between 1867 and 1929 there were sixteen fires of more than 1000 acres (4 km²) each on Martha's Vineyard. In 2003, the DCR, in conjunction with the University of Massachusetts began evaluating methods for controlling fuel sources in the Pitch Pine and Scrub Oak areas. Methods included thinning of pitch pine stands, mowing of shrub understories, and grazing of regrowth by sheep. In 2008 about 110 acres (44.5 ha) of dead red pine was removed to reduce fuel loading and to restore pitch pine – scrub oak sand plain through USDA Forest Service funding.
Recreational opportunities
- Bike Paths
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding Trails
- Hunting (restricted)
- Mountain Biking
- Skiing (Cross-Country)
- Walking Trails
External links
- Park Website: http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/southeast/corr.htm
- Trail Map: http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails/corellus600.gif