Effects of silvicultural practices on

edge and interior species of wildlife

 

A.  Even-aged management

 

1.        tends to favor edge species initially

 

Clearcuts and seed-tree systems remove most of the food and cover for forest species, but create opportunities for openland species.

 

Shelterwood cuts create edge and diverse structure in the forest during the initial cuts, but result in more uniform structure with less edge after the final harvest.

 

2.        may favor edge or interior species as forest matures

 

B...  Uneven-aged management

 

1.        may favor interior species

 

2.        results in fewer changes in the understory

 

Single tree selection results in very little change in the structure of the stand relative to wildlife food and cover.

 

Group selection created more openings in the canopy and more shrub and herbaceous vegetation at ground level. 

 

 

C.  Of what value is dead wood?

 

1.  Snag - any dying or dead tree that is at least 4" dbh and 20' tall

 

2. Stages of snag succession

      Stage 1 – Live tree beginning to deteriorate

      Stage 2 – Only a few live branches, tree mostly dead

      Stage 3 – Tree totally dead, but branches and bark intact

      Stage 4 – Bark begins to loosen

      Stage 5 – Bark stripped clean and limbs fallen

      Stage 6 – Top breaks off and snag is soft (bole is rotten)

      Stage 7 – Rotten stump standing

 

a.   Provide different structure

 

                        b.   Provides for a variety of  wildlife food and cover

 

3.Goal:  minimum of 2 snags/ac

 

4. Downed wood provides the same benefits as snags but at ground level

 

 

 

Proper forest management and management for wildlife can be compatible or incompatible, depending on the techniques being used and depending on the goals for the forested land.