Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat HORT RGSC 302 J.G. Mexal Spring 2008

What are the benefits??

Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Rediscovered in Big Woods of AR (Apr/05) Singer Tract, LA, Photo credit: David Allen Colorized version of version

Monarch Butterfly Neotropical Parrots Wildlife in the Forest/ Ciencia Forestal

SUMATRA BORNEO (P. p. pygmaeus) (P. p. abelii) ORANGUTAN (Pongo pygmaeus)

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/Guanaco in Chile

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat

Jaguars in the Chiracahuas

Wildlife Corridors

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/ U.Mass. CES 1993

Florida Sand Pine Forests “The endangered bird lives in young sand pines that grow low to the ground, trees that generally are less than 15 years old.” “a mature sand pine forest, you are not going to find successful gopher tortoise burrows….”

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat Concerns: –Big animals deer, elk, turkey, bear, cougar thermal cover, hiding cover, food, corridors (forest fragmentation –Little animals fish, prey (mice, etc), insects –Threatened & Endangered Species western goshawk, red cockaded woodpecker, spotted owl (Mexican & northern), wolf

Meadow Conversion & Grazing Conifer invasion into meadow coincided with cessation of sheep grazing in Three Sisters Wilderness Stand replacement fires can require centuries to convert back to forests Invasion essentially complete after 30 yrs or so in both cases Avg age ≈90yrs ≈50yrs ≈20yrs

Bird response to prescribed fire Science Findings PNW Station May’08 SpeciesResponse Black-backed woodpecker+++ American robin+++ Western bluebird++ White breasted nuthatch+ Hairy woodpecker+ Western wood pewee½+ Gray flycatcher½+ Pine siskin- Swainson’s thrush- Ruby-crowned kinglet- Cassin’s vireo- Clark’s nutcracker--

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/Harvesting decreases standing deadwood (Science Findings 42:3/02) Forest Type Snags (>20”)/ac

Red-cockaded Woodpecker Prey Wild. Soc. Bull. 31:131:’02 Number/treeBiomass (mg/tree)

Eastern Wild Turkey Habitat: A mixture of mature hardwood forests and open fields. Understory vegetation. Food: Acorns and other mast (hard fruit), fleshy fruits, corn, a variety of seeds, and invertebrates. Young turkeys (particularly) feed heavily on insects. Interesting facts: Turkeys frequently can be seen foraging in the fields that border forestland. Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection Nature Photography by Gary D.Tonhouse Wildlife Gallery

Northern Bobwhite Quail Habitat -weedy/brushy -found in roadsides & successional areas -non-migrant (300 ac) -woodlands/crop fields -endangered Food: corn, seeds, insects Source: All Things Quail

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/clearcuts have food! 71% 22% 17% 10% 17% % of total BA

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/clearcuts have food! Harvest method Soft mast cover (%) Ouachita NF, AR/OK Wildlife Soc. Bull. 27:915:99

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/clearcuts have food! Harvest method Soft mast production (kg/ha) Ouachita NF, AR/OK Wildlife Soc. Bull. 27:915:99 A B C

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/clearcuts have food! Pine BA (m 2 /ha) Soft mast production (kg/ha) Ouachita NF, AR/OK Wildlife Soc. Bull. 27:915:99 Clearcut Group Shelterwood Single-tree Unharvested

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/soft mast species muscadine grapes blueberries blackberries wild roses sumac American beautyberry hackberry dogwood plums cherries mulberry pokeberry holly sassafras green briers poison ivy Wildlife Soc. Bull. 27:915:99

Flying Squirrel Population (food for spotted owl) Science Findings 80/ Feb’06 Squirrel/ha Biomass (kg/ha) Squirrel Survival (%)

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/ Small mammals vs patch size/ SEAFWA Proc Individuals captures/100 nights

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/ Small mammals vs patch size/ SEAFWA Proc. 1997

542 captures (307 individuals) –Peromyscus polionotus (44%)[field mice] –Sigmodon hispidus (36%)[cotton rats] –Peromyscus gossypinus (16%) –Reithrodontomys humilus (2%) –Neotoma floridana (1%[wood rats] –Mus musculus (0.3%)

White-tailed Deer The white-tailed deer is an herbivore or plant eater. It follows well-used trails to its feeding areas. It eats green plants in the spring and summer. In the fall, it eats corn, acorns and other nuts. In the winter, it eats the buds and twigs of woody plants. If deer have enough food, water, shelter, population can grow quickly. Live in wooded areas New Hampshire Public Television Frizzell 2003 – Valley Forge

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/clearcuts have food! Years after Logging Ungulate Fecal Groups (no/ha)

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/Elk like clearcuts! Science Findings 22/feb2000 PNW Res. Stn. Elk Body Weight Change (%)- OR

Forestry & Society Wildlife Habitat/review questions Why are forest gaps good for wildlife? Why are forest gaps bad for wildlife? What kinds of trees do wildlife need? How do you keep the ‘critters’ and the ‘loggers’ happy? Pileated woodpecker