Forest Sciences Commons^™

Ungulate Herbivores As Drivers Of Aspen Recruitment And Understory Composition Throughout Arid Montane Landscapes, Elizabeth S. Reikowski, Tyler Refsland, J. Hall Cushman

Aspen Bibliography

Herbivory by wild and domestic ungulates can influence tree recruitment and understory forest communities throughout the world. Herbivore-driven declines in tree recruitment have been observed for quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), a foundation species whose health and management is recognized as a critical priority throughout much of its range. Livestock fencing is commonly used to promote aspen regeneration, but its effectiveness is rarely assessed, especially across large spatial scales. Using a livestock-reduction experiment, we evaluated the effects of ungulate herbivory on aspen in the Great Basin and southern Cascades, an expansive and environmentally heterogeneous region where aspen faces the …

Mr449: Allagash Wilderness Waterway Visitor Survey 2019, John J. Daigle, Ashley Cooper

Miscellaneous Reports

Quality in outdoor recreation can be defined as the degree to which recreation opportunities provide the experiences for which they are designed and managed. Key to protecting the backcountry experiences is an understanding of the different types of visitors to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway, each one with different needs and expectations, and the different levels of importance they place on recreation opportunities and conditions. In this report, visitor management implications and suggested further research focus on the diversity of use of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway in order to maximize the quality of the visitor experiences while protecting the unique natural …

Wildlife Forage Recovery Following Boreal Wildfire, Alexis Jorgensen, Jennifer Baltzer

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Climate change is altering the boreal wildfire regime through increases in the extent and severity of burning and reductions in fire return intervals. These changes can alter the regeneration trajectory of canopy species and ground vegetation, with implications for wildlife habitat. There is some uncertainty about the timelines of when different animal species will use burned areas as their preferred forage taxa recover following fire, and how such recovery is mediated by environmental factors. Here, we aim to address these knowledge gaps through the following questions: 1) What are the main forage types consumed by boreal wildlife and how much …

Mammals Of Cedar Breaks National Monument, S. Nicole Frey, Natalie D'Souza, Ethan Hammer, Bryan Larsen, Jake Nielson

All Current Publications

This document is the result of a study of the terrestrial mammals found at Cedar Breaks National Monument from 2017-2019. During this time, we conducted a survey of mammals using a series of trail cameras. We used survey results to provide an index of terrestrial mammals (excluding bats) within the park. Our goal is to provide a beginner’s guide to the mammals at Cedar Breaks National Monument. We include information regarding appearance, diet, habitat, and population status according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The guide represents the species a visitor to Cedar Breaks National Monument …

The Ecological Value Of Spruce Plantations In Massachusetts, Calvin Ritter

Masters Theses

The establishment of monoculture plantations of exotic tree species is common practice for supplementing native timber stocks. Such plantations typically provide inferior habitat for wildlife compared to native forest, which may result in a net reduction in biodiversity. However, some studies report that plantations may increase net biodiversity at the landscape scale by introducing novel habitats or supplementing existing natural forests. Using point count surveys, I examined six mature Norway spruce (Picea abies) plantations in western Massachusetts in 2016 and 2017 to evaluate bird use of these habitats relative to native forest stands. Count data were analyzed using …

Forest Grouse In The Fall, Chuck Carpenter Iii, Skyler Farnsworth, David K. Dahlgren

All Current Publications

This bulletin describes the two types of forest grouse that inhabit mountain forests and rangelands in Utah, the ruffed grouse and the dusky grouse. It tells the species differences such as breeding, survival and reproduction, and broods. It includes tips for forest grouse hunters.

From Wilderness To Timberland To Vacationland To Ecosystem: Maine’S Forests, 1820–2020, Lloyd C. Irland

Maine Policy Review

The 200 years since Maine statehood span a series of changing metaphors used by people to understand the forest and its values: the forest as wilderness, as timberland, as vacationland, and as ecosystem. These metaphors have succeeded each other over time, but broadly speaking, they all persist to one degree or another. These ways of viewing and using the forest can conflict or can come to uneasy truces, but new developments can revive the tensions. Public policy is always well behind the shifting needs as timberland comes to be seen as vacationland and vacationland as ecosystem. Further, conflicts between different …

Protecting Biodiversity On National Forests: The Evolution And Implementation Of Forest Planning Regulations, Anna Wearn

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

In 2012, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) promulgated new forest planning regulations that significantly altered national forest management. One of the most controversial and important advancements was the inclusion of what were meant to be stronger biodiversity protections. An analysis of USFS’s rationale in revising the biodiversity regulations provides insights into how to interpret the substantively and procedurally new ecosystem and species protections. Examining this regulatory history reveals three key changes to the manner in which national forests are required to manage and monitor biodiversity: 1) a greater reliance on science to inform planning, 2) a new emphasis on ecological …

Population Viability And Connectivity Of The Federally Threatened Eastern Indigo Snake In Central Peninsular Florida, Javan Bauder

Doctoral Dissertations

Understanding the factors influencing the likelihood of persistence of real-world populations requires both an accurate understanding of the traits and behaviors of individuals within those populations (e.g., movement, habitat selection, survival, fecundity, dispersal) but also an understanding of how those traits and behaviors are influenced by landscape features. The federally threatened eastern indigo snake (EIS, Drymarchon couperi) has declined throughout its range primarily due to anthropogenically-induced habitat loss and fragmentation making spatially-explicit assessments of population viability and connectivity essential for understanding its current status and directing future conservation efforts. The primary goal of my dissertation was to understand how …

Analysis Of The White-Tailed Deer Population Of Hobbs State Park, Jesse Morrison

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

White Tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are the only deer species native to Arkansas, playing a crucial role in the ecosystem. Healthy deer populations are important for environmental and human wellbeing, and overpopulation can lead to poor herd health, overgrazing, increased vehicle collisions, and transmission of diseases. Monitoring deer populations through surveys can be a useful tool in managing wildlife and maintaining Arkansas’ natural resources.

This study analyzed trends in Hobbs State Park’s deer population and estimated the current roadside deer population of the park. Data from past surveys was analyzed for trends using a Mann-Kendall Test, and a distance sampling …

The Three Creeks Allotment Consolidation: Changing Western Federal Grazing Paradigms, Taylor Payne

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The federal government owns approximately 47% of all land in the western United States. In the state of Utah, about 64% of the land base is managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The government has historically issued permits to owners of private lands to allow the owners to graze their livestock on public lands. The permits (allotments) are generally of 10-year duration and allow for an annual season of use. In some cases, continued and repeated historical annual grazing practices may not be ideal for permit holders and their communities nor …

Reconstruction Of Piñon-Juniper Forest Structure To Examine Historic Wildlife Habitat Characteristics In The Davis Mountains, Usa, Brian P. Oswald, John R. Lanham, James C. Kroll, Mohammed M. Bataineh, Yanli Zhang

Faculty Publications

Changes in piñon-juniper (Pinus spp., Juniperus spp.) communities across the southwestern United States have often decreased ecological diversity of the understory and increases of exotic species. Reconstructing age and establishment patterns provides essential understanding to guide treatments and management for anthropogenically-altered forests. The goal of this study was to determine how patterns of piñon and juniper growth in the Davis Mountains, Texas, varied over time and how this pattern influenced wildlife habitat of several indicator species. Establishment patterns and basal area growth progression were identified, canopy cover estimates regressed from pre-developed canopy regression equations to re-construct historic forest stand …

Ash Decline: An Opportunity For Young Forest Wildlife, Bianca Beland

Honors College

The overall decline of ash tree health presents an opportunity for landowners to salvage dying trees, thus contributing to state and federal efforts to create young forest habitat for a wide variety of wildlife species, in addition to benefitting from the financial and recreational opportunities that come following salvage operations. This case study examines the results of a decision made by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC, Hartford, CT) to conduct a timber salvage operation on its public water supply watershed land to remove dying white ash (Fraxinus americana) trees and at the same time meet the goals of the …

Quantifying Effects Of Quaking Aspen Silvicultural Treatments On Aspen Regeneration And Residual Growth, Philip W. Williams

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Many quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) populations are in decline across the western United States, a trend likely driven by ongoing climate change and past management that has led to increased competition with conifers. Restoration of aspen is a management goal potentially achievable through active forest management, but treatment effects on regeneration and residual growth have not been comprehensively studied. This project examined if removal of competing conifers altered aspen regeneration density, ungulate browsing, and residual adult aspen diameter growth using a control-impact study design. Sampling occurred at the Burnt Fork (ten treatments, four controls) and Bandy (seven treatments, four controls) …

4-H Wildlife Habitat Education Program: A Qualitative Study On Career Exploration, Ronnie Lee Cowan

Masters Theses

There are documented studies on the Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) that relate to building life skills of participants. However, no literature was found that measured the perceptions of the participants towards a career in wildlife after participating in WHEP. To add validity to the program a focus group was conducted at the Tennessee 4-H wildlife judging contest to describe the WHEP participants’ perceptions of careers in wildlife after the completion of the annual program. Focus group participants indicated that participating in WHEP peaked their interest in wildlife and provided an opportunity to experience the importance of natural resource management.

First Year Biomass Production Following Application Of Various Size Strip Thinnings In A Young Hardwood Stand In West Virginia., Ashlee Martin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Strip thinning can reduce stand density to promote better growth of residual trees and has potential to create a woody bioenergy feedstock in addition to enhancing and maintaining early successional habitat for wildlife. However, little research has been conducted on strip thinning within young hardwood stands to determine if these are viable attributes of strip thinning. The goal of this study was to assess the first year biomass production after strip thinning among three different cut strip widths (8 ft, 12 ft, and 16 ft) in a 22-year-old mixed mesophytic hardwood stand. Woody biomass production from stump sprouts and true …

Syllabus: Wildlife Habitat Management, Paige Warren

Sustainability Education Resources

This course provides an in-depth exploration of wildlife-habitat relationships, illustrated through basic field zoology and natural history, evolutionary biology, and ecological theory. We introduce you to quantitative tools used to explain ecological processes and their influence on wildlife and their environment. We will examine the dynamics and management of various habitats in New England, North America, and elsewhere through field visits and use of primary literature. We will place particular emphasis on managing wildlife habitat in an urbanizing world. By one estimate, roughly 9% of the land area of the United States is in a zone of wildland-urban interface, but …

Quantitative Analysis Of Woodpecker Habitat Using High-Resolution Airborne Lidar Estimates Of Forest Structure And Composition, James E. Garabedian, Robert Mcgaughey, Stephen E. Reutebuch, Bernard R. Parresol, John C. Kilgo, Christopher E. Moorman, M. Nils Peterson

USDA Forest Service / UNL Faculty Publications

Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology has the potential to radically alter theway researchers and managers collect data onwildlife–habitat relationships. To date, the technology has fostered several novel approaches to characterizing avian habitat, but has been limited by the lack of detailed LiDAR-habitat attributes relevant to species across a continuum of spatial grain sizes and habitat requirements. We demonstrate a novel three-step approach for using LiDAR data to evaluate habitat based on multiple habitat attributes and accounting for their influence at multiple grain sizes using federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW; Picoides borealis) foraging habitat data fromthe Savannah River Site (SRS) …

Pb 1769 A Guide To Successful Wildlife Food Plots Blending Science With Common Sense, Craig A. Harper

Wildlife and Fisheries

Planting food plots is by far the most popular habitat management practice among landowners wanting to enhance wildlife habitat. NOTE: Hard copies of this publication are currently unavailable.

A newer version of this title is available: https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/PB1874.pdf.

Wildlife-Associated Recreation Trends In The United States A Technical Document Supporting The Forest Service 2010 Rpa Assessment, Miranda H. Mockrin, Richard A. Aiken, Curtis H. Flather

USDA Forest Service / UNL Faculty Publications

The Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act (RPA) of 1974 requires periodic assessments of the condition and trends of the Nation’s renewable natural resources. In this report, we document recent and historical trends in hunting and wildlife watching to fulfill RPA requirements. Using data from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation we present historical trends back to 1955 as well as recent changes from the past 10 to 20 years to evaluate changes in recreation since the 2000 RPA Assessment. We report on several attributes of wildlife …

Oregon Aspen Project, Forest Restoration Partnership

Aspen Bibliography

The Oregon Aspen Project was initiated in response to the decline of aspen groves in Oregon and throughout the Western United States, and the lack of information to guide managers interested in stewardship to enhance this resource. There were three central goals and accompanying objectives for this project which are listed below. The project accomplishments are provided below each bulleted objective

Slides: Climate Change And Public Lands: Examples From National Parks, Stephen Saunders

The Past, Present, and Future of Our Public Lands: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Public Land Law Review Commission’s Report, One Third of the Nation’s Land (Martz Summer Conference, June 2-4)

Presenter: Stephen Saunders, President, The Rocky Mountain Climate Organization (Denver, CO)

40 slides

Slides: The Spotted Owl Controversy: An Example Of The Esa's Dominant Role In Federal Land Use Planning, Norman D. James

The Past, Present, and Future of Our Public Lands: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Public Land Law Review Commission’s Report, One Third of the Nation’s Land (Martz Summer Conference, June 2-4)

Presenter: Norman D. James, Director, Fennemore Craig, PC (Phoenix, AZ)

17 slides

Slides: America's Redrock Wilderness, Scott Groene

The Past, Present, and Future of Our Public Lands: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Public Land Law Review Commission’s Report, One Third of the Nation’s Land (Martz Summer Conference, June 2-4)

Presenter: Scott Groene, Executive Director, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (Moab, UT)

23 slides

Agenda: The Past, Present, And Future Of Our Public Lands: Celebrating The 40th Anniversary Of The Public Land Law Review Commission's Report, One Third Of The Nation's Land, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center

The Past, Present, and Future of Our Public Lands: Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Public Land Law Review Commission’s Report, One Third of the Nation’s Land (Martz Summer Conference, June 2-4)

Sponsors: US Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management; Western Resource Advocates; The Wilderness Society; National Wildlife Federation; Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation Grants Program, Red Lodge Clearinghouse; United States Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.

Conference moderators, panelists and speakers included University of Colorado Law School professors William Boyd, David H. Getches, Sarah Krakoff, Mark Squillace and Charles F. Wilkinson.

In 1964 Congress established the Public Land Law Review Commission to review the public land laws of the United States and to determine whether revisions were necessary. The Commission was comprised of six members appointed by the President, …

Genetic Diversity, Structure, And Recolonization Patterns Of Kentucky Black Bears, John Tyler Hast

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

After nearly a century of absence, the black bear (Ursus americanus) reappeared in Kentucky during the late 20th century and has since increased in number. Recolonization of bears in the southeastern portion of the state was thought to have been caused by emigration of bears from adjacent states into the Commonwealth, while in the south-central area, bears originated, or natural recolonization may have been supplemented by the translocation of 14 individuals into the Big South Fork National River Recreation Area. To investigate the recolonization patterns of bears in Kentucky, I used 20 microsatellite loci to determine the genetic …

Slides: Next Evolutionary Steps In State Instream Flow Programs, Lawrence J. Macdonnell

Western Water Law, Policy and Management: Ripples, Currents, and New Channels for Inquiry (Martz Summer Conference, June 3-5)

Presenter: Lawrence J. MacDonnell, attorney and consultant, Boulder, CO

27 slides

Sustaining The Allideghi Grassland Of Ethiopia: Influences Of Pastoralism And Vegetation Change, Almaz Tadesse Kebede

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Allideghi Wildlife Reserve in the Amibara District of Afar Regional State, Ethiopia, has international significance for harboring endangered Grevy's Zebra and other wildlife dependent on grasslands. The reserve is increasingly used by pastoral people and their herds. Impacts of livestock on native vegetation include direct effects of grazing and indirect effects from livestock-facilitated dispersal of an invasive plant, Prosopis juliflora. The main research objective was to determine effects of pastoralism and vegetation change on prospects for sustaining the Allideghi Wildlife Reserve as grassland habitat for Grevy's Zebra. Methods included use of driving surveys to quantify resource use by …

Slides: The Future Public Law Of Private Ecosystems, J. B. Ruhl

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

Presenter: J.B. Ruhl, Florida State University Law School

18 slides

Agenda: The Future Of Natural Resources Law And Policy, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation

The Future of Natural Resources Law and Policy (Summer Conference, June 6-8)

The Natural Resources Law Center's 25th Anniversary Conference and Natural Resources Law Teachers 14th Biennial Institute provided an opportunity for some of the best natural resources lawyers to discuss future trends in the field. The conference focused on the larger, cross-cutting issues affecting natural resources policy. Initial discussions concerned the declining role of scientific resource management due to the increased inclusion of economic-cost benefit analysis and public participation in the decision-making process. The effectiveness of this approach was questioned particularly in the case of non-market goods such as the polar bear. Other participants promoted the importance of public participation and …