ENHANCING WILDLIFE HABITATS

THROUGH SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

S U S T A I N A B L E F O R E S T R YI N I T I A T I V E S M P R O G R A M

he American

Forest & Paper

Association

(AF&PA) is committed

to growing America’s

forests with their boun-

tiful wildlife, biodiversity

and other environmental

and social benefits for

future generations.

Through the Sustainable

Forestry Initiative (SFI)SM

program, AF&PA has

developed a comprehen-

sive program of forestry

and conservation prac-

tices designed to ensure

that future generations of

Americans will witness

the same abundant

forests and wildlife that

we enjoy today, while

providing the forest

products the public demands. The range of

forest management practices provides some of

the most important wildlife habitat enhance-

ment tools available, primarily because forestry

practices can be tailored

to improve a wide variety

of wildlife habitats while

providing a continuous

source of revenue, includ-

ing timber production.

Many forest owners have

successfully integrated

mutually beneficial timber

and wildlife habitat

management on their

lands. Ten million citizens

privately own 49 percent

of the forestlands in the

United States. The

rewards for good manage-

ment on these lands are

enormous in terms of

enhanced wildlife

diversity and abundance,

recreation opportunities,

aesthetics, timber

revenue, and the

personal satisfaction of land stewardship. For

more information about our commitment to

sustainable forestry, visit our website at

www.afandpa.org.

ENHANCING WILDLIFE HABITATSTHROUGH SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

T

TFORESTLAND AND WILDLIFE IN AMERICA

he 20th Century arrived in

America with wildlife popula-

tions depleted by the massive

immigration of people throughout

North America. Forests fell to build

civilization and fuel new industries. By

1900, market hunting and the domesti-

cation of vast tracts of land left many

once-common wildlife species in dan-

ger of extinction. Concerned citizens

rallied Congress to legislate wildlife

conservation and private conservation

organizations worked to reestablish

depleted populations. Through private

and public conservation efforts, many

wildlife species dependent on forests at

some stage of their lives have rebound-

ed across North America, including

white-tailed deer, elk, moose, beaver,

many duck species, bear, turkey, bob-

cats and others.■ When European settlers first arrived

in America, about one billion

acres—or half of the United States

land area—was covered in forest.

Presently, the United States supports

747 million acres of forestland, main-

taining approximately two-thirds of

the forest cover present in 1600

and experiencing an increase of 10

million acres since 1990. There are

144 forest types in the United States

and Canada: 89 in the east and 55 in

the west. Nonindustrial private land-

owners control about 49 percent of

the forestland and 58 percent of the

timberland in the United States.

FORESTLAND OWNERSHIP IN THE

UNITED STATES

2

Forest Industry 9%

Private Nonindustrial49%

747 Million AcresSource: Smith, Brad W. 1999. Forest Resources of theUnited States, 1997 (Review Draft)

USDA Forest Service, based on data from Elk ofAmerica, updated by Rocky Mountain ElkFoundation.

National Forests &

Other Public42%

■ In 1600, there were an estimated

10 million elk in North America. By

1930, fewer than 60,000 remained.

Elk, with few exceptions, are associ-

ated with forests. Active elk man-

agement, including forest manage-

ment by conservation organizations

such as the Rocky Mountain Elk

Foundation, has contributed to

increasing the elk population to

around 880,000 in 1995.

■ Wood ducks are frequent visitors to

forest wetlands. Hunted to near

extinction by the early 1900s, the

wood duck now occurs throughout

its historic range, thanks to the

dynamic cooperation between

private landowners, conservation

organizations such as Ducks

Unlimited, and state and federal

agencies. Mallards, black ducks and

other waterfowl also are attracted to

forest wetland habitats and benefit

from the rich supply of acorns, seeds

invertebrates and other forest foods.

TRENDS IN U.S. ELK POPULATIONS

1900-1995

In T

hous

ands

3

Based on data from the National Wild TurkeyFederation

“Our family owns close to 1,000

acres of loblolly/longleaf pine

forest and open areas. When we

first purchased the property, it

was a combination of worn-out

farmland and cut-over

timber. With the help and

advice of many natural

resource professionals, my

family and I spent a consider-

able amount of time and effort

replanting trees for timber

production and wildlife habitat.

We also created a good number

of water impoundments and

wetlands for wildlife. Because

of these improvements, the

diversity and numbers of wild-

life increased on our property

to a point where we were able

to start a hunting lease pro-

gram for game species that

provides us with a source of

supplemental income from

hunters. More importantly, as

a family working together, we

have seen our land trans-

formed into a beautiful and

productive tract that provides

us with a source of income and

countless hours of enjoyment.”

Skeet & Gail BurrisCypress Bay PlantationBeaufort, SC2000 National OutstandingTree Farmers

TRENDS IN U.S. WILD TURKEY

POPULATIONS 1900-2000

■ Wild turkeys, once proposed by

Benjamin Franklin to become the

national symbol of the United

States, declined to less than 30,000

by 1900. Turkey require a diversity

of habitat that varies seasonally.

Early successional forest habitats are

needed for rearing young. In win-

ter, turkey seek high-energy forest

foods such as acorn, beechnut, pine

seed and other sources of hard

mast. Thanks to the efforts of

conservation groups such as the

National Wild Turkey Federation,

turkeys are again a common sight

across the forested landscape of

America.■ Nearly all of North America’s 45 bat

species rely on forests for their

roosting or foraging needs. As

primary predators of night-flying

insects, including many costly pests,

bats play an essential role in forest

health. The timber industry is col-

laborating with Bat Conservation

International and state and regional

bat working groups to design and

implement forest management plans

that benefit bats by conserving

existing and future roost trees and

by creating small forest openings

and stand structure that bats prefer

for foraging.In T

hous

ands

he exciting part about being

a forest owner is that

through forest management,

you can provide habitats for a multitude

of wildlife species. The key to making

this happen is: 1) understanding the

habitat(s) needed by the wildlife species

you are interested in attracting to your

land; and 2) providing these habitats

through forest management practices.

Let’s take a brief look at forest wildlife

habitats, and how landowners can tailor

management practices to enhance both

timber production and wildlife habitats

on their property.

Forest structure, the arrangement of

trees and plant communities in a forest,

helps determine the value of a forest for

wildlife. As a forest grows, forest struc-

ture changes over time. This natural

progression of change is called succes-

sion. Some wildlife, such as elk, quail

and rabbits, prefer the early stages of for-

est growth or succession, where grasses

and herbs are abundant and produce an

assortment of seeds, forage and cover.

As a forest continues to grow, fruit-pro-

ducing woody plants and shrubs

become more commonplace, evidence

of a changing wildlife habitat during the

mid-successional growth of a forest. As

a forest matures, tree canopies expand

and limit the amount of sunlight reach-

ing grasses, herbs and woody shrubs on

the forest floor. As a result, forest floor

plant communities decline as mature

trees overshadow them and produce a

variety of nuts, berries and other seeds

eaten by wildlife. Mature forests also

provide denning sites and nesting cavi-

ties utilized by martens, squirrels, rac-

coons, wood ducks and other wildlife.

As forest succession progresses, the con-

tinuum of wildlife habitat changes over

time.

In general, three distinct wildlife

habitats exist over the life of a forest:

1) early successional forest; 2) mid-suc-

cessional forest; and 3) late successional

forest. Some species of wildlife only

need one of these forest habitats to

thrive, while others require a mixture of

habitats. Research has shown that in

many areas, early successional habitats

are in decline as are some associated

species such as bobwhite quail and

several neotropical ground-nesting

birds. A popular misconception today

is that mature forests with big trees pro-

vide more and better habitat for wildlife

species. The reality is that a diversity of

early, mid- and late successional forest

habitats are needed across the land-

scape for wildlife.

Many forestry practices can be used

to favor and enhance specific wildlife

habitats, from early to late-successional

forests. This gives landowners the flexi-

bility to manage their forests for a diver-

sity of wildlife, including those with

unique habitat needs. By recognizing

the impacts of forestry practices on

wildlife habitat, landowners can tailor

management activities to benefit many

species of wildlife, while at the same

time minimizing or altering practices

that may negatively affect some wildlife

species. The following guide lists many

forestry practices, as well as other man-

agement considerations, that forest own-

ers may use to maintain and improve

wildlife habitats on their lands. With

careful planning and the assistance of

natural resource professionals, these and

other management practices can be

implemented to meet both timber pro-

duction and wildlife enhancement

objectives.

TENHANCING WILDLIFE HABITAT

THROUGH FOREST MANAGEMENT

4

Forest management is not simply a

means to harvest valuable wood

products and other commodities,

but a means to provide diverse

forest habitats required by ruffed

grouse, chestnut-sided warblers,

yellow-breasted chats, American

woodcock, mourning warblers and

thousands of other wildlife species.

The fact that landowners can profit

by managing their lands for wildlife

can make forest ownership a pretty

good deal. More importantly, since

nearly 49 percent of the forestland

in the U.S. is owned by nonindustrial

private landowners, the future of

many forest wildlife species is in the

hands of private forest owners.

Some biologists report that 90 per-

cent of the nation’s threatened and

endangered species have part of

their habitats on private lands.

5

FOREST HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE

All wildlife requires a place to live—or

habitat—that provides enough quality

food, cover, water and space through-

out the year. Habitat requirements

vary. Some wildlife have unique habitat

needs while others are generalists, able

to survive almost anywhere. Habitat

needs may differ slightly or greatly

during the year. Many habitat require-

ments can be provided by actively

managing the forest.

Early successional forests are

created through catastrophic events

such as hurricanes or fire or by a tim-

ber harvest known as a clearcut. The

resulting early successional forest, nat-

ural or planted, provides habitat for a

diversity of plant and insect species,

which in turn support a variety of ani-

mals such as mice, snakes, lizards, rab-

bits, fox, deer, raptors, quail, turkey,

ruffed grouse, elk, ground nesting

neotropical birds and numerous others.

Mid-successional forests generally

support numerous young trees that

create forest thickets. This stage of

forest development is characterized by

intense plant competition for sunlight,

water and nutrients. Many of the low

growing grasses, herbs and shrubs that

thrive in the early successional forest

diminish in the mid-successional forest.

This thick forest stage provides signifi-

cant cover for many animals such as

rabbits, deer and songbirds, but many

species avoid the mid-successional

stage because it is too thick to navi-

gate. This is the stage to apply forest

management practices to establish the

desired future forest composition and

influence the wildlife species attracted

to the area. Thinning to open the mid-

successional forest canopy can again

encourage the growth of beneficial

grasses and herbs and increase access

for wildlife.

Mature forests provide habitat for

yet another group of animals and

plants. Squirrels are one common

example of a species that prefers

mature forests where acorns and other

nuts and seeds are available.

The red-cockaded woodpecker is

attracted to open stands of mature

pine forests for nesting and foraging.

Prescribed fires are a tool used to

control understory growth and main-

tain this type of open, mature forest.

Research shows that planned timber

harvests can create forests that attract

red-cockaded woodpeckers.

A diverse forested landscape pro-

vides habitats for a wide array of plant

and animal species. Forest management

provides many of the tools necessary

for achieving specific wildlife goals

such as wildlife recovery or recreation.

Natural & ArtificialReforestation

Natural reforestation often produces multi-ple layers of forest canopies composed ofa variety of tree species. Managed naturalreforestation provides an opportunity toenhance timber production and wildlifehabitat. Artificial regeneration usually pro-duces a single forest canopy.

Natural and managed natural reforestationfavors wildlife attracted to habitat diversityfrom the ground to the canopy in the sameforest. Artificial regeneration usually favorswildlife that prefers habitat diversity acrossthe landscape such as fields, differentstages of forest succession and wetlands.

Seedtree & Shelterwood Removes the majority of mature trees,leaving those needed to produce seed andprovide shade for regenerating a new forest. Following the harvest, the site favorsgrass, herb and shrub growth.

Favors the same wildlife as clearcuts.Provides some habitat for tree-dependentwildlife species such as red-cockadedwoodpecker and forest roosting bats.

Selection Cuts (Group & Individual Trees)

Creates small forest openings intended toregenerate small areas of forest or improveremaining trees. Provides a mixture ofgrasses, herbs, and shrubs, intermixedwithin a mature forest. Can provide for adiversity of tree species, age and size.

Benefits western and mountain bluebirds,hooded warblers, bats, mice, gray and redfox, black bear, elk, deer and other wildlifeattracted to forest openings.

Clearcutting An area of forest in which all mature treeshave been harvested. The site remaining isan early successional forest that favorsgrass, herb and shrub growth. The benefitsto wildlife can be influenced by the size,shape, and distribution of clearcuts, andthe use of streamside management andother buffer zones.

Benefits small mammals, ground-nesting/feeding birds, and other wildlife such asruffed grouse, doves, yellow warblers,chestnut-sided warblers, rabbits, quail,rodents, reptiles, turkey, kestrel, woodcocks,deer, moose, elk and black bear.

Forest Herbicides

Selective herbicide use may control unde-sirable vegetation. Plant response variesdepending on the herbicide, time of appli-cation, rate and forest conditions. Consult aherbicide specialist for creating desiredwildlife habitats with herbicides.

Small mammals and ground-feedingwildlife such as quail and dove. Deer benefit from increased browse from a combination of herbicides and burning.

Mechanical Intensive methods (shearing, raking, andwindrowing) temporarily increase grassesand herbs valuable for wildlife. Less inten-sive methods (roller-chopping and burning)favor fruit-producing trees and shrubs.Time of year will also influence plantresponses after site preparation.

Intensive methods benefit small mammalsand ground-nesting birds. Less intensivemethods favor deer and above-groundnesting birds.

6

FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICESTHAT CAN BE USED TO ENHANCE WILDLIFE HABITATS

Forest Management Practice Wildlife Habitat Enhanced Favored Wildlife

Site Preparation

Forest Harvests

Timber & Wildlife Stand Improvement Practices

7

Windrows Provides cover and travel corridors forwildlife across newly harvested timberstands. Accumulation of debris and seedsquickly produces herbs and woody plantsvaluable for wildlife food and cover.

Small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, deer many bird species.

Timber Thinnings Increases sunlight reaching the forest floor,stimulating the growth of grasses, herbs,shrubs and other woody vegetation.Increases vertical habitat diversity.

Benefits a wide array of wildlife and birds,including ground foraging mammals, deer,elk, quail, turkey, chestnut-sided warblers,Eastern wood pewees and scarlet tanagers.Provides open flight space for aerialspecies such as bats, owls and flying squirrels.

Prescribed Burning Greatly enhances habitat diversity acrossthe landscape by stimulating growth ofgrasses and herbs valuable to wildlife. Alsoincreases insect abundance, a primarysource of food for many wildlife species.Positive effects greatly enhanced when coordinated with timber thinnings. May tem-porarily reduce habitat diversity from theground to the canopy, or vertical habitat.

Benefits a wide array of wildlife such assmall mammals, quail, deer, turkey, and avariety of songbirds. Combined with timberthinnings, is a primary habitat manage-ment tool in the Southeast for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.

Cutting or Herbicide Injection of Poor Quality Trees

Enhances growth of desirable timber andwildlife trees. Opens forests for grasses andherbs. Creates standing dead trees, knownas snags, that provide denning and nestingcavities. Fallen trees provide cover andinsect food.

Small mammals and ground-feedingwildlife such as quail and turkey. Deer benefit from increased browse andacorn/nut production. Raccoons, wood-peckers, squirrels, wood ducks, bats andother wildlife benefit from increased number of tree cavities.

Best Management Practices(BMPs)(Follow your State Forestry Agency

guidelines.)

Designed for the protection of water quality and wetlands.

Most wildlife

Salvage Cuts Creates forest openings that increase over-all forest habitat diversity, and stimulatesthe production of native grasses and herbsvaluable to wildlife.

Seed, forage, and insects produced in theseareas are key wildlife food sources.

Forest Management Practice Wildlife Habitat Enhanced Favored Wildlife

Forest Fertilization Depending on the fertilizer, growth andpalatability of some grasses, herbs andshrubs increases. Select application to oaksincreases acorn production.

Wildlife dependent on grasses, herbs and acorns

8

Manage Openings (logging decks, woods roads, timber harvests, timber salvage cuts, utility rights-of-way, firebreaks)

Increases production of native grasses andherbs valuable to wildlife. Openings can beplanted as wildlife food plots.

Seed, forage and insecSeed, forage and insec ts produced ints produced inthese these areas are key wildlife foodareas are key wildlife foodsources. Excellentsources. Excellent sites for nesting,sites for nesting,brood rearing and feedingbrood rearing and feeding for a varietyfor a varietyof wildlife such as quail, turkey, elkof wildlife such as quail, turkey, elkand deerand deer. Excellent forag. Excellent forag ing habiting habitat forat forbats.bats.

Light Disking or Mowing in Forest

Stimulates gStimulates growrowth of native gth of native grassesrassesand herbs. Best conducand herbs. Best conducted after timberted after timberthinnings to enhance plant gthinnings to enhance plant growrowth.th.IncIncreases habitreases habitat diversity within a at diversity within a forest.forest.

Seeds and forage are important to a variety of ground-feeding mammals andbirds such as rabbits, quail, turkey anddeer.

Maintain Riparian Forests andStreamside Management Zones(SMZs)

Riparian forests and streamsides are gener-ally moist fertile sites with a predominanceof woody plants, conifers or hardwoods,providing mast, cavities and travel corridorsfor wildlife. SMZs act as buffers that protectwater quality in streams for fish and otheraquatic life.

Benefits most wildlife. Enhances bird diversity by providing feeding and breed-ing areas for many migratory birds. Widthis important and varies for different wildlifespecies.

Forest Corridors Often connects forested habitats that areseparated. Provides forested buffersthrough harvested stands which maintainwildlife food and cover. Also serve aswildlife travel corridors.

May benefit terrestrial wildlife.

Leave Dead Wood—Logs & Timber Slash

Provides food (fungi and insects) and cover.Returns nutrients to the soil and provides amicrohabitat for new plant growth valuablefor wildlife.

Variety of wildlife including salamanders,toads, turtles, snakes, mice, shrews, skunks,opossums, ruffed grouse, turkeys, chip-munks, Rufous-sided towhees, fox, deerand black bear.

Create Brush & Rock Piles When cover is limited, provides shelter forcertain wildlife.

Rabbits, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.

Retain Mast Trees & Shrubs Retaining a variety of fruit-producing treesand shrubs provide essential food sourcesfor wildlife throughout the year.

Benefits most wildlife.

Create & Maintain Snags Provides both food and cover for insect-feeding and cavity-dwelling wildlife.

Cavity-dwelling and insect-feeding wildlifesuch as Eastern bluebirds, Carolina chick-adees, red-bellied woodpeckers, red-headedwoodpeckers, loggerhead shrikes, northernflickers, owls, several species of bats,martens, raccoons and squirrels.

Forest Management Practice Wildlife Habitat Enhanced Favored Wildlife

Additional Forest Habitat Improvements for Wildlife

99

Maintain & Enhance Firebreaks Increases habitat diversity by providinghabitat transition zones in forests. Can bemaintained in native grasses and herbs, orplanted in a wildlife food plot.

Quail, turkey, rabbits, deer, elk, and otherwildlife.

Leave Strips Provides buffers between timber harvestsites that maintain wildlife food and cover.Also serve as wildlife travel corridors.

Most wildlife.

Protect Highly-Valued Areas Inventory and protect existing habitatsvaluable to wildlife before beginningforestry practices. Examples are bays, bogs,swamps, beaver ponds, other wetlands,coves, cave entrances, cliffs, talus, fruit-pro-ducing shrubs and trees, old home-sites,thickets that provide cover, and otherunique habitats.

Most wildlife. Many of these sites providehabitat for threatened and endangeredspecies.

Multiple Forest StandManagement

Management to maximize differencesbetween forest stands increases wildlifehabitat diversity.

Benefits wildlife that require a diversity offorest habitats, but may increase predators,affecting the wildlife dependent on unbroken forest.

Natural and Artificial WaterImpoundments

Provides valuable habitat for many terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. Extremelyvaluable in arid regions of the country.Beaver ponds and other impoundmentscan be managed for maximum value towildlife.

All wildlife, especially those associated with wetlands. Bats particularly visit waterthat is accessible while flying.

Multiple Ownerships orLandscape Management

Coordination of timber and wildlife habitatmanagement with adjoining landowners.Interconnects important wildlife habitatsacross the landscape.

Favors most wildlife, especially those thatneed large areas of similar habitats such asblack bear, moose, elk and some speciesof neotropical migrant songbirds.

Artificial Nesting and DenningStructures

Provides nesting and denning cavitieswhere natural cavities are limited orabsent.

Squirrels, raccoons, wood ducks, red-cockaded woodpeckers, Eastern andWestern bluebirds, bats and other cavity nesting and denning wildlife.

Forest Management Practice Wildlife Habitat Enhanced Favored Wildlife

Manage Forest Roads Openings along forest roadsides or entirelogging roads can be managed for nativegrasses and herbs or planted in wildlifefood.

Quail, turkey, rabbits, deer, elk and other wildlife.

10

our next step is to decide

what wildlife you are inter-

ested in attracting to your

land, and then tailoring timber manage-

ment plans to enhance forest habitats

for these species. A wealth of informa-

tion and assistance is available to

guide you in this process. Assistance

from natural resource professionals

can: 1) help determine or refine your

timber and wildlife management

objectives; 2) help modify existing

timber management plans for wildlife

and develop new plans; 3) supply you

with technical guidance to implement

and monitor management activities;

and 4) provide cost-sharing for man-

agement practices that enhance

wildlife habitat.

YWHERE TO BEGIN

“Our 1,320-acre ranch includes

over 1,000 acres of coastal

redwood and Douglas-fir

forest. On our timberlands, we

have patches of old-growth

trees. We have used a variety

of timber harvest methods to

provide us with income and

improve wildlife habitat.

During and after a timber har-

vest we make sure that brush

piles are created with logging

slash, snags are retained for

woodpeckers, existing animal

trails are kept free of logging

slash, grasses are planted on

logging roads and landings,

and berry bushes and apple

trees are left for wildlife. We

also have many natural springs

that we protect during our

timber operations. For wildlife

and aesthetics, we have chosen

not to cut any really large trees.

Unique to our property are two

pairs of northern spotted owls.

By working closely with our

private consulting forester and

state biologists, we have been

able to actively manage our

property for timber and still

retain critical northern spotted

owl habitat.”

Betty and George HowlettCaliforniaTree Farmers

USDA Cooperative StateResearch, Education andExtension Service andPartner Universities

State Wildlife Agency

State Forestry Agency

USDA Natural ResourceConservation Service

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

USDA Forest ServiceState and Private Forestry

Forest Industry LandownerAssistance Programs &Company Foresters &Biologist

National Association ofConservation Districts

Private Natural ResourceConsultants

SOURCES OF ASSISTANCE

11

Information and educational publications, videos, programs onforest and wildlife management.

Regional, state orcounty offices.

Technical guidance, wildlife educational materials and, in somecases, cost-sharing for select wildlife habitat management practices.

Regional, state or county offices.

Technical guidance, forestry educational materials. Administersincentive programs for wildlife, forests, soils and conservation.

Regional, state or county offices.

Technical, educational and financial assistance through fieldoffices where they work directly with individuals, communities,state, local and tribal governments. Help plan, apply and maintainconservation systems that are site specific and economically andenvironmentally sound. Programs include the Wildlife IncentivesProgram, Wetlands Reserve Program, Forestry Incentive Programand the Conservation Reserve Program.

Local county office.

Agency or Organization Types of Assistance Contact

Limited technical, educational and sometimes cost-sharing assis-tance. Programs include the Endangered Species ProtectionProgram and Private Lands Program.

Regional, state or county offices.

Forest and wildlife management educational materials. They alsoprovide technical assistance for the Forestry Incentive Programand have responsibility for the Forest Stewardship Program,Forest Legacy Program and several others.

Regional, state or county offices.

There are nearly 3000 conservation districts—one in almostevery county in the United States Conservation Districts educateand help local citizens conserve land, water, forests, wildlife andother natural resources. The districts run numerous programs.

State and county offices.

Many forest products companies have developed forestry andwildlife programs that provide technical and sometimes cost-sharing assistance.

Contact State ForestryAgency for listings ofcompanies that provide landownerassistance in your area.

Provide technical and management assistance for developingand implementing wildlife and forest management plans.Organizations that can help locate local consultants, technicalinformation, or that offer educational or other programs include: American Forest Foundation:

Tree Farm SystemAmerican ForestsAssociation of

Consulting Foresters

Contact State ForestryAgency and WildlifeAgency for a list ofregistered or certified consultants.

Private ConservationOrganizations

A variety of conservation organizations provide educational,technical, and cost-sharing assistance to landowners: Bat Conservation InternationalDucks UnlimitedLongleaf AllianceNational Fish and

Wildlife FoundationNational Wild Turkey

FederationQuail Unlimited

For a list of conserva-tion organizations thatprovide assistance inyour locality, contactyour State WildlifeAgency, Department ofNatural Resourcesoffice, State ForestryAgency or StateForestry or WildlifeAgency.

Quality Deer Management Association

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation

Ruffed Grouse SocietyThe Wildlife Society Wildlife Habitat CouncilWildlife Management Institute

Forest Resources AssociationNational Woodland Owners

Association

artificial reforestation (regeneration): establishing a forest by plantingor direct seeding instead of relying on the trees to reseed themselves.

American Forest & Paper Association: The national trade association ofthe forest products industry, consisting of 250 companies and relatedassociations that represent approximately 84 percent of paper produc-tion, 50 percent of solid wood production, and 90 percent of the indus-trial timberland in the U.S.

browse: leaves, buds, twigs and bark of shrubs and trees used as foodby wildlife.

clearcutting: a method of timber harvest and regeneration thatremoves essentially all mature trees, producing a fully exposed micro-climate for the development of a new age class of trees.

corridor: a link between isolated habitats that serves as a travel routefor wildlife moving from one place to another. Corridors can be stream-side management zones, forested strips connecting separated habitats,or brushy fencerows and ditch banks running through an open area.

early successional forest: beginning stages of forest growth when treeseedlings are small and the vegetation is dominated by grasses, herbsand woody shrubs.

even-aged forest: a forest that contains trees approximately the sameage and size.

forestland: land at least 10 percent stocked with forest trees.

forest stand: a group of trees that are treated as a single unit in a forest management plan.

greentree reservoir: temporary flooding of hardwood forests forwaterfowl, using water control structures.

horizontal habitat diversity: change in forest or other vegetation typesacross the landscape.

late successional forest: forest condition occurring when mature treesbecome the dominant vegetation in a forest.

leave strips: strips of trees and other vegetation left after a timber harvest to connect forest stands.

mast: the fruit of trees or shrubs which can be either hard (nuts) or soft(berries).

mid-successional forest: the middle stage of forest growth whenyoung trees begin to become the dominant vegetation along withwoody shrubs.

natural reforestation (regeneration): young trees that originate fromseeds or sprouts of trees present in an area that has been harvested orleveled from natural occurrences.

neotropical migrant songbirds: birds that breed in the spring andsummer in North America but winter south of the United States.

prescribed burning: the use of controlled, low intensity fire as a timberand wildlife management tool.

riparian forest: forest adjacent to water, usually a stream or river.

salvage cuts: timber harvest that removes dead trees killed or damagedby fire, wind, insects or disease to recover economic value that wouldotherwise be lost.

seed tree: a tree left standing for the sole or primary purpose of pro-ducing seed to establish a new forest stand.

selective harvest: a method of timber harvest that removes individualor groups of trees from a forest stand.

shelterwood harvest: a method of timber harvest that removes treesin a series of cuttings over time to establish new seedlings.

site preparation: preparing a site for reestablishing a new forest, usingequipment, fire, herbicides or a combination of these practices.

snag: a standing dead tree. Snags provide perches, denning and nestingcavities, and insect-feeding sites for wildlife.

streamside management zone (SMZ): bands of vegetation adjacent tostreams and rivers left intact after timber harvests to prevent erosionand maintain water quality and wildlife habitat.

succession: the natural process of one community of plants graduallysupplanting another community over time.

Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)SM program: A program that all members of the American Forest & Paper Association must commit toand report annually. The SFISM Program is a comprehensive system ofprinciples, objectives and performance measures that integrates the per-petual growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife,plants, soil and water qualitiy.

sustainable forest management: practicing a land stewardship ethicthat integrates the reforestation, managing, growing, nurturing, and harvesting of trees for useful products, with the conservation of soil, air,water quality, wildlife and fish habitat, and aesthetics.

talus: the accumulation of dislodged rock fragments at the base ofcliffs or other steep slopes that provides burrows and cover for somewildlife.

timberland: forestland that produces a minimum of 20 cubic feet ofwood per acre per year.

timber slash: tree stems, branches, leaves, and other debris remainingon the forest floor after a timber harvest.

timber thinning: removing a portion of trees in a forest to reducecrowding, and provide better growing conditions for the remainingtrees.

uneven-aged forest: a forest that contains trees of multiple ages andsizes.

vertical habitat diversity: levels of forest plant growth ranging fromthe ground level (fungi, grasses and herbs), mid-level (woody shrubs &small trees), to the top level or canopies of mature trees.

wildlife and timber stand improvement practices: methods whichremove trees that are inferior for timber production and low in qualityfor wildlife. Poor trees are either removed by cutting, girdling or injec-tion of a herbicide.

wildlife habitat: a place where wildlife live that provides food, cover,water, and space.

windrows: rows of forest debris (limbs, unmerchantable logs, andstumps) that have been pushed into piles/rows after a timber harvest.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

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Cover Bear–Don Farrall

Kestrel–Jeremy Woodhouse

Box turtle–Georgia-Pacific Corporation

Inside Cover Elk–Gerry J. LamarrePage 1

Page 2 Forestland Ownership–Weyerhaeuser Company

Elk–Gerry J. Lamarre

Wood ducks–Ducks Unlimited

Page 3 Turkey hens–South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

Indiana bat–Merlin D.TuttleBat Conservation International

Seedling–Longleaf Alliance

Page 4 Bobcat–John Sweeney,Clemson University

Page 5 Forest–DigitalStock photography

Forest–Westvaco Corporation

Red-cockaded woodpecker–Georgia-Pacific Corporation

Page 6 Natural & artificial reforestation–Hancock Timber Resource Group

Seedtree & shelterwood–Dan DesseckerRuffed Grouse Society

Turkey–National Wild Turkey Federation

Red fox–Alan and Sandy Carey

Ruffed grouse–Ruffed Grouse Society

Quail–Gerry J. Lamarre

Page 7 Rabbit–David Baggett,Champion International

Timber thinnings–Westvaco Corporation

Prescribed burning–Texas Forest Service

Forest fertilization–DigitalStock photography

Chipmunk–PhotoLink

Deer–USDA Forest Service

Best Management Practices–Willamette Industries, Inc.

Wood duck–Ducks Unlimited

Page 8 Pheasant–Gerry J. Lamarre

Disking–Greg Yarrow,Clemson University

Opening–Greg Yarrow,Clemson University

Forest corridors–Weyerhaeuser Company

Cedar waxwing–USDA Forest Service

Snags–USDA Forest Service

Amphibian–USDA Forest Service

Page 9 Fawn–USDA Forest Service

Forest roads–Westvaco Corporation

Highly-valued areas–Georgia-Pacific Corporation

Wetland–Rick Cantrell, AF&PA

Artificial nesting and denning–Weyerhaeuser Company

Owl–USDA Forest Service

Timber and wildlife habitat–Georgia Pacific Corporation

Page 10 Raccoon–Gerry J. Lamarre

Moose–Jeremy Woodhouse

Butterfly–USDA Forest Service

Page 12 White-tailed deer–David Baggett,Champion International

For more information regarding this publication or toobtain additional copies, contact the American Forest &Paper Association by visiting our website at www.afandpa.org.

For more information about the SFISM program, visit ourwebsite at www.aboutsfi.org.

PHOTO CREDITS

Growing Tomorrow’s Forests Today®

American Forest & Paper Association1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 800

Washington, DC 20036Visit our website at www.afandpa.org

Developed by AF&PA working in cooperation with the University of Tennessee, through the

U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service.

Text by Dr. Greg Yarrow, Associate Professor of Wildlife, Clemson University.

20% Total Recycled Fiber