P1247676903JiKfW

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Dead wood
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Structural characteristics influencing wildlife
populations
Vertical structure
Horizontal structure
Standing dead wood
Fallen dead wood
Vegetative species diversity
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Functions of Dead Wood
Nutrient storage and mobilization
Substrate for regeneration of trees
Substrate for fungi, lichens, and plants
Habitat for invertebrates
Habitat for wildlife
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Dead wood on the forest floor
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Protective cover Foraging Moisture
Den sites
Den sites Foraging
Protective cover Foraging Nest sites
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Decay classification
Five Decay Classes of Logs Condition of twigs,
bark, texture, shape, portion on
ground. (Maser et al. 1979)
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Hollow logs provide important values for
wildlife Hollow logs ONLY come from hollow trees
Lynx kits in hollow log
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Use of Logs in Coniferous Forests in
Oregon (Oregon Nongame Wildlife Mgmt Plan)
Total Using Logs Species
Herptiles 28 24 66 Birds 89 13 15 Mammal
s 63 44 70
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Oregon Forest Practices Act Standards for Down
Logs
Two down logs or down trees At least 1
conifer Each at least 6 feet in length and 10
cubic feet Logs gt 20 cu ft count as 2 logs (!!??)
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Oregon Forest Practices Act Standards for Down
Logs
1 Acre (43,560 square feet)
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Leaving cull and low value logs in the stand as a
management strategy?
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Snags and standing dead wood
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Roosting
Den sites
Den sites
Foraging Nesting Roosting
Nesting
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Cavity excavators (primary cavity-nesting
birds) Mostly woodpeckers
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Cavity excavators typically a new cavity each
year, and thus there are a number of
unoccupied cavities available for other species
Northern flicker
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Red-breasted nuthatch
A few other species of birds are also
cavity-excavators
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Secondary Cavity Users many songbirds, birds of
prey, bats, forest carnivores, arboreal rodents
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Use of Snags in Coniferous Forests in
Oregon (Oregon Nongame Wildlife Mgmt Plan)
Total Using Snags Species
Herptiles 28 undetermined Birds 89 33
37 Mammals 63 24 38
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Habitat use by forest-dwelling vertebrates in
British Columbia
(from Bunnell et al. 1999 Environ. Rev. 797-146)
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Size matters!
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Relationship of size of bird and dbh of nest tree
from Boyland and Bunnell www.forestry.ubc.ca/atlas
-simfor/webdocs/extension/Vertebrates2020Dead2
0wood.pdf
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Minimum requirements 20
Minimum requirements 12
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Mean DBH of snags and trees used for roosting by
bats in western coniferous forests 27.8 inches
(68 cm) (based on 10 studies)
Mean height of snags and trees used for
roosting by bats in western coniferous forests
91.5 feet (27.9 m) (based on 8 studies)
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Crevice roosts in trees and snags used by bats
Tall and large diameter trees and snags
Stage of decay allowing formation of crevices or
cavities
Located in gap, occur along edge, or emerge
above canopy
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Decay classification
Five Decay Classes of Snags Condition of
branches, top, bark, sapwood,
and heartwood. (Cline et al. 1980)
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Interaction between forest condition and stage of
decay
Forest Tree decay
stage condition Live cavity tree Hard
snag Soft snag Young
House wren American kestrel
Western bluebird Mature Red-breasted
Red-bellied Red-breasted
nuthatch woodpecker
sapsucker Old growth Spotted
owl Pileated woodpecker Northern flying

squirrel
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Relationship between snag density and
richness and abundance of cavity-nesting birds in
clearcuts in western Oregon
(From Schreiber and deCalesta 1992, For. Ecol.
Manage. 50299-316)
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Oregon Forest Practices Act Standards for
Wildlife Trees
Two snags or green trees At least 1 conifer Each
at least 30 feet tall and 11 inches DBH
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(Prepared by Jennifer Weikel)
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(Prepared by Jennifer Weikel)
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100
90
80
70
60
of species provided for by each size class
50
40
30
20
10
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Snag diameter (cm.)
(Prepared by Jennifer Weikel)
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Simulated snag densities under intensive forest
management (simulations given occupational safety
and Washington state environmental requirements)
Prescription Plant at 1075 TPH (435 TPA) PCT at
age 15 to 741 TPH (300 TPA) CT at age 30 to 346
TPH (140 TPA) Clearcut at age 50
(From Wilhere 2003, For. Ecol. Mgmt. 174521-539)
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The world according to Hayes
The single-most important characteristic that can
be manipulated to improve wildlife habitat in
most managed forests is current and
future availability of snags.
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Opportunities for Management
Cull logs with minimal commercial value Providing
legacy structures Snag creation
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Strategies for snag management for wildlife
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Strategies for snag management for wildlife

• When possible, maintain existing snags
• during timber harvest
• For safety concerns and operational
• considerations, clump in patches
• when necessary
• Goals best met if snags are distributed
• in a variety of topographic settings

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Strategies for snag management for wildlife
2. Plan for future recruitment Trees with
defects and of poor economic quality are good
choices!
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Legacy the elements of a pre-disturbance
system that are inherited by a post-disturbance
system.
Elements typically include snags and logs. It
may also be an old-growth stand, a remnant
meadow, soils, etc.
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Strategies for snag management for wildlife
3. Augment snag resources when necessary by
creating snags Even tall stumps provide some
value