Transcript Birds Play Important Roles in Ecosystems

Revisiting the CFIRP:
Assessing long‐term
ecological value and
characteristics of snags
created for wildlife
J.W. Rivers & J. Hagar
Snags provide critical
habitat!
• Huge contribution to
biodiversity
• > ¼ of forest species use
dead wood
• Woodpeckers create
habitat
College of Forestry Integrated
Research Project
• Large‐scale, long‐term
manipulative experiment
• Tests effects of
alternative harvest
methods
• 3 treatments: clear-cut,
patch-cut, 2-story
• Historical bird and snag
data from 0-5 (Chambers),
10 (Walter), and 18 (Huff)
years post-harvest
Study Objective #1
Quantify contemporary
use of 25-year old
created snags
• Document nesting
species
• Quantify reproductive
success
• Method: snagcentered observations
Study Objective #2
Measure avian
community response
to created snags
• Stand-level diversity
and abundance
• All bird species
• Method: Point counts
Study Objective #3
Assess effect of
silvicultural treatments
• On decay rates and
characteristics of snags
• On snag use by cavity-nesters
• Methods:
 quantify snag status and
decay;
 assess bird response to
snag status
Summary
• First comprehensive analysis of
long‐term response of wildlife
to created snags
• Provides information needed to
improve effectiveness of snag
creation
• Builds on long-term CoF
investment; treatments already
implemented, uses existing
methods
• Results will be synthesized with
existing data sets for longterm, dynamic perspective.