Managing for wildlife on private forests in Washington

Presented as part of the Coached Forest Management Planning course for WSU extension and WA- DNR Presenters:

Jim Bottorff, Stewardship biologist, Washington Dept. of Natural Resources Janean Creighton, Wildlife extension coordinator, Washington State University Extension

Habitat is the “key” to wildlife?

Habitat is only part of the story

Habitat is 1 of 3 keys to wildlife:

Life History Population Structure Habitat & Environment

Wildlife “Management”

Direct: Removal; either relocation or lethal Indirect: Control of resource availability

What do wildlife want?

•Acquisition of resources • Reproduction

Habitat Characteristics Plant succession/Edge Limiting factors: food, water, cover, space Vegetative diversity Stand and landscape scales Level of disturbance

Considerations at the Landscape Scale

0

Horizontal Diversity:

Succession

Time in years 200

Primary succession Secondary Succession After a volcanic eruption After a forest fire

Horizontal diversity Vertical diversity

The thing about succession is….

“Whenever you alter the environment to benefit one species you will impact another.”

Edge Effect

Induced Inherent

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + + + + + +

Landscape Fragmentation

Rodents Brown-headed cowbird Elk/deer Red fox

Wildlife responses

  

increased diversity attracts edge dwelling species Increased predation?

Ravens/crows Cougar Kestrel

Lynx Fisher

Wildlife responses

 

Decreases in interior forest habitat impacts edge-sensitive species

Boreal owl Northern goshawk Hermit thrush American (Pine) martin

Limiting Factors

Food Cover Water Space

All an animal needs is…

a space of one’s own

-Juvenile dispersal -Seeking mating opportunities -Seasonal movements

How much space does an animal need?

Which patch has a potentially viable population?

Forest management approaches to improve wildlife habitat

General Habitat Requirements for Wildlife

 Food and water  Areas to breed and rear young  Areas to hide and rest  Areas to escape adverse weather  Areas for travel

Excavators: 16 birds + 0 mammals 16 Species of cavity users: 39 birds + 23 mammals 62 Occupy existing cavities: 30 birds + 23 mammals 53

What do wildlife want?

•Acquisition of resources • Reproduction

What do we want ?

•Continued use of natural resources •Clean water and air •High quality of life

Are they compatible?

Guidelines for landowners

1. Define objectives:  Human: harvest value, stand improvement, visual enhancement, fire prevention  Wildlife: diversity, game species  Wildlife outcome depends on patch size, site productivity, and species present.

Human and wildlife values can be compatible!

2. Evaluate your stand(s)  Make a vegetation and wildlife inventory.

 Define site productivity, or potential for expected change after treatment.

 Identify habitat elements present or possible – i.e food, cover, water.

 Appropriate for target species?

3. Put stands into landscape context.

 Will target wildlife be able to find, use, and persist at site?

 Can you work with adjacent landowners to meet needs of wide-ranging wildlife?

4. Actively manage for structure

     Variable-retention thinning to maximize diversity. Snag & defective tree retention or creation critical .

Nest boxes a good short-term cavity dwelling species.

option for some Leave large woody debris, or scattered slash piles. for cover and foraging sites.

Under-planting vegetation for forage, fruit & seed.

Wildlife habitat is messy!!

Good wildlife management is a commitment to long term management…

3 months 5 years 1 year 10 years 50 years