1. Foresters for the Birds
© Rodney Campbell
Thank you Jon, and thanks to everybody for being here today. The Foresters for the Birds program engages private land owners who wish to manage their woods for forest bird habitat. They may wish to simultaneously manage for timber, or other forest products, as an important economic resource. Or, they may simply want to be good stewards to their land and enhance the bird habitat, but lack the technical know how or have financial constraints.
The Foresters for the Birds program considers a landowners goals and identifies opportunities to enhance forest bird habitat though sustainable forestry practices. This is important because monitoring programs such as the Breeding Bird Survey and Mass Audubon’s Breeding Bird Atlas have highlighted the conservation need for groups of forest bird species.

2. Early Successional Habitat
Schlossberg and King 2007
Massachusetts >90% decline
One group of conservation concern is birds that breed in young regenerating forests, termed early successional habitat, such as the Chestnut-sided Warbler and Eastern Towhee. Broadly defined as areas with an open canopy, and a high density of shrubs and saplings, Massachusetts has lost more than 90% of our early successional habitat since 1950, largely contributing to the decline of many species that require it for breeding.

3. Chestnut-sided Warbler
© Daniel Arndt
For example, a mini case study here. Looking at the Chestnut-sided Warbler, the Breeding Bird Atlas shows that we’ve lost this species from breeding in many areas in the southeast and east, were there are downward red arrows, and the Breeding Bird Survey shows an steep decline across the state.
They generally breed in areas of ___________, so in other words, early successional habitat, and conditions that can be created through forestry.
year old hardwood forest
<30% canopy cover
Dense shrubs and saplings

4. Mature Forest Habitat Low structure High structure
On the other side of things, past land use, such as clearing of Massachusetts’ forests for agriculture, and popular forestry practices, has left much of our older, closed-canopy forests in a relatively homogenous condition. A complex vertical structure, such as shrubs and trees in the understory and midstory, as well as gaps in the canopy, provides better habitat for forests birds, which nest and forage within various layers of the forest.
Many of our mature forester breeders have also declined.
High structure

5. Wood Thrush Moderate mid-story and understory closure
© Sheila Carroll
For example, looking briefly at the Wood Thrush.
Also conditions that can be addressed with forestry.
Moderate mid-story and understory closure
Diversity of hardwood tree species
80% closed canopy

6. Foresters for the Birds
Trains foresters to evaluate forest bird habitat
Empowers landowners to manage for birds
With all this in mind, Mass Audubon partnered with the DCR and the MWI to bring the Foresters for the Birds program to Massachusetts. Originating in Vermont, the program provides technical assistance to landowners by training foresters to evaluate the existing bird habitat, and give recommendations for improvements. This can include creating early successional habitat, or creating a complex structure within older forests. The foresters also helps to outline financial strategies to achieve the management objectives.
Thank you for listening, and feel free to get in touch or come see me throughout the day for more information or questions.
© Davey Walters

7. Key Players: organizers

8. Key Players: consulting foresters

9. Key Players: landowners

10. National Woodland Owner Survey
Subset of Reasons for Owning Forest (10+ acres) in Massachusetts
According to the NWOS, which conducted as part for the FIA by the USFS… This is just a subset of many reasons why people own forest. Note that each category is not mutually exclusive, so owners can indicate many reasons. Some maybe want to manage for timber and birds. Foresters for the birds –technical assistance to achieve landowner goals. By bringing birds into the discussion this opens minds and properties up to management.
67.8%
17.4%
About 26% of landowners have a forest management plan
Butler et al 2016

11. Tools for Engaging Landowners Effectively (TELE) www
Tools for Engaging Landowners Effectively (TELE)
Woodland Retreat Owners
Key Motivations
Stewardship ethic
Natural beauty and wildlife protection
Enjoyment of woods with family (e.g. hiking, camping)
Barriers to Management Action
Lack of knowledge
Perception that the woods should be ‘left to themselves’
Fear of taking action that will cause damage
Financial constraints
SFFI is a collaboration among Yale, Forest Service, and the Center for Nonprofit Strategies, who put out TELE. Using data gathered in the National Woodland Owner Survey, 4 types of landowners are defined. Family Forest Research Center (FFRC) is a collaborations of Umass Eco and the Forest Service Northern Research Station, they administer the survey WHAT DOES TELE ADVOCATE? TARGETING!

12. Tools for Engaging Landowners Effectively (TELE) www
Tools for Engaging Landowners Effectively (TELE)
Woodland Retreat Owners
Key Motivations
Stewardship ethic
Natural beauty and wildlife protection
Enjoyment of woods with family (e.g. hiking, camping)
Barriers to Management Action
Lack of knowledge
Perception that the woods should be ‘left to themselves’
Fear of taking action that will cause damage
Financial constraints
SFFI is a collaboration among Yale, Forest Service, and the Center for Nonprofit Strategies, who put out TELE. Using data gathered in the National Woodland Owner Survey, 4 types of landowners are defined. Family Forest Research Center (FFRC) is a collaborations of Umass Eco and the Forest Service Northern Research Station, they administer the survey WHAT DOES TELE ADVOCATE? TARGETING!

13. Keep working forests working
© Rodney Campbell

14. Keep forests as forests
50% of landowners >65 years old

15. Foresters for the Birds
© Rodney Campbell
Thank you Jon, and thanks to everybody for being here today. The Foresters for the Birds program engages private land owners who wish to manage their woods for forest bird habitat. They may wish to simultaneously manage for timber, or other forest products, as an important economic resource. Or, they may simply want to be good stewards to their land and enhance the bird habitat, but lack the technical know how or have financial constraints.
The Foresters for the Birds program considers a landowners goals and identifies opportunities to enhance forest bird habitat though sustainable forestry practices. This is important because monitoring programs such as the Breeding Bird Survey and Mass Audubon’s Breeding Bird Atlas have highlighted the conservation need for groups of forest bird species.