The Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation is receiving $75,000 in state funding to help prevent the spread of the invasive Southern pine beetle on the Island.
The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game announced on Friday it would distribute $365,000 in grants to protect 234 acres of habitats across the state, which included funding for Sheriff’s Meadow.
The foundation will be using its grant funding to manage Southern pine beetle infestations at Phillips Preserve in Tisbury.
The beetles are an invasive species native to the southern U.S. and Mexico; the insects burrow into pine trees and cut off their circulation. An outbreak can lead to multiple generations of beetles infesting one tree to the next if left unchecked. The foundation has been working to prevent the spread of Southern pine beetles on Martha’s Vineyard, although they have been spotted in several parts of the Island.
For Phillips Preserve, the foundation was looking to use a burn box, which Tisbury Fire Chief Greg Leland described in previous coverage as a device similar to a dumpster that burns the loaded wood within itself. The equipment helps prevent fires from spreading while getting rid of the tree.
“Partnership and collaboration will be essential for meeting our ambitious biodiversity and climate goals. Most forests and other wildlife habitats in Massachusetts are not state-owned, and we rely on conservation organizations, cities and towns, private landowners, and other partners to greatly expand our impact,” Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Tom O’Shea said in the release. “This program provides us with the unique opportunity to not only directly benefit threatened species, but also create new outdoor recreation opportunities and support the sporting community.”
“Protecting habitat on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard is key to ensuring local wildlife survives and thrives for many years to come,” State Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, said in the release.
The Nantucket Conservation Foundation also received $75,000 to remove, chip, and safely dispose of pitch pine infested with Southern pine beetles from Ram Pasture.