Integrated Habitat Management for Fox Squirrels, Deer, Turkey,

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Integrated Habitat Management for Fox Squirrels,
Deer, Turkey, Quail on Ft. Bragg
Jason Scott, Bob Warren, Steven Castleberry,
Mike Conner
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Background

• Sikes Act (1960)
• DOD must manage natural resources under an
  integrated system (mission constraints)
• Current management at Ft. Bragg emphasizes RCWs
• No measure of effect on other species

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Goal Develop framework for integrated habitat
management

• Requirements
• Spatially explicit habitat models for multiple
  species
• Validate models with independent data
• Simultaneously evaluate effect of habitat
  management on each species

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Objectives

• Develop, refine, and validate habitat models for
  WTD, Fox Squirrel, Turkey, Bobwhite on Ft. Bragg
• Develop an integrated habitat management tool for
  Ft. Bragg to predict effects of habitat changes
  on multiple species

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Ft. Bragg - Area Access
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Prescribed Fire Rotation
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Road Network
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Methods Sample Locations
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Methods

• Direct observations of target species
• Track surveys (all 4 species)
• Baited camera traps (all 4 species)
• Spotlight surveys (deer)

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Methods
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Methods

• Direct observations of target species
• Box traps (fox squirrel)

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Methods
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Methods
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Methods

• Direct observations of target species
• Box traps (cottontails)
• Line transects (bobwhite - unsuccessful)
• Male call counts (summer bobwhite)
• Funnel traps (winter bobwhite)

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Progress - July 2009
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Spatial Model

• Occupancy modeling (observed vs. absent)
• Logistic regression (observed vs. random)

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Spatial Model

• 15 overstory habitat parameters e.g., stand
  type stand age site index trees/acre for 3
  size classes of pines and hardwoods basal area
  for 3 size classes of pines and hardwoods
• 9 understory habitat parameters e.g.,
  cover grass forbs shrub at 3 height
  classes legume at 3 height classes

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Model Validation Integration

• Model validation methods
• 10-fold cross validation with original
  observations (10, without replacement)
• Use independent data collected by army biologists
  (annual surveys for deer and quail)
• Use ArcMap and Model Builder to link individual
  species models into one model

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Model Integration

• Impose 3 potential habitat management scenarios
  (e.g., thinnings, burnings) on the landscape and
  assess impacts on all species
• Make recommendations to Ft. Bragg

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Spatial Model

• Caveat assessing habitat use, not preference
• Species observations could be occurring in
  sub-optimal habitat
• Alternative was too expensive

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Jason Scott University of Georgia scottj_at_warnell.u
ga.edu