Purpose

2. Purpose “The conservation objective in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley is to provide forested habitat capable of supporting sustainable populations of all forest dependant wildlife species.”

3. Purpose • To define desired forest conditions that result from management of bottomland hardwood forests where the primary objective is the conservation of wildlife • To provide technical recommendations for the restoration of bottomland hardwood forest on areas that have been converted to non-forested land uses (e.g., agriculture) that reflect the cumulative knowledge and experiences of land managers and researchers from the past decades of active reforestation • To recommend protocols and procedures for coordinated inventory and monitoring of forest resources on public lands managed for wildlife conservation such that restoration and management can be implemented in an adaptive manner.

4. Findings • “To achieve these habitat conditions requires managers to reassess traditional methods of silviculture, placing greater emphasis on retaining and promoting forest structure and senescence to benefit priority wildlife.” • “…aid on-the-ground managers and program managers …in implementing forest management strategies for wildlife conservation.”

5. Findings • “Furthermore, we anticipate that these recommendations will be instructive to private landowners targeting wildlife conservation as part of their overall land stewardship objectives.”

6. Forest Log(Oregon Dept. of Forestry - Newsletter) • “Among the findings, the study found that by using structure-based management, ODF is moving the primarily ‘middle-aged’ forests toward a mixture of habitats, including complex forest stands which are similar to old-growth.”

7. NRCS Technical Note No. 190-34 • Bird Use of Reforestation Sites: Influence of Location and Vertical Structure

8. “Research suggests that in mature second growth forests, selective timber harvest will benefit many species of forest birds. Harvest should encourage two forest conditions:” • A reduced forest canopy, which encourages light penetration of the forest floor, resulting in an increase in understory vegetation, and • Retention and development of dominant trees with crowns that are emergent above the average forest canopy.

9. On reforested sites with densely stocked, closed canopy stands, selective harvest should be undertaken to increase understory vegetation.

10. However, the management action most beneficial to birds would heterogeneously distribute harvest within a reforested site; some areas would be subjected to intense harvest whereas other areas would remain unharvested.

11. Beggs, 2004, Thesis “…variable thinning response…” Excerpt from thesis:  "... Study  was developed to test if thinning could accelerate development of late-successional habitat in young managed ... forests...the goal of this study was to investigate short-term responses of vegetation to thinning treatments and to evaluate this response in relation to long-term objectives of late-successional development."  Results:  "...current trends indicate that a moderate to heavy thinning in combination with gap formation can hasten development of late-successional features...".

13. Wildlife Forestry • Greater large tree retention • Deadwood/snag retention and development

14. Wildlife Forestry • Midstory and understory development • Species richness • Maintenance of shade-intolerant regeneration

15. Recommendations • “Because these recommendations reflect the collective technical judgment and experiences of many biologists, foresters, and researchers, they have been developed with the expectation of being incorporated into the forest management programs and forest conservation efforts of LMVJV partners.”

16. Recommendations • “…although these recommendations reflect our current knowledge and experience, refinement and modification is expected as we increase our knowledge, understanding, and experience in the science of bottomland hardwood forest restoration and management.”

17. Recommendations - high points Restoration: • Initial planting density of 435 seedlings per acre, including early successional shade intolerants as well as late successional shade tolerant species • Plantings should result in an average of >300 trees/acre, preferably in a matrix of high stem density patches and gaps

18. Recommendations - high points Management: • Management actions undertaken early in development of stands (e.g., circa year 1 post planting) • 70-95% of the forest area be actively managed • 35-50% of active managed forest area meet DFCs

19. Recommendations - high points Management: • Retention of a component of snag and stressed stems for cavity/deadwood • Promote development of 2 to 4 dominant stems (average per acre) in the overstory canopy • 5-30% of the landscape representing broad forest types be passively managed

20. Recommendations - high points Monitoring • Extensive inventories of forest within local landscapes (e.g., WMA or Refuge) to assess habitat conditions and aide in formulating silvicultural treatments • Design and implement coordinated monitoring program to evaluate wildlife use of forest stands following prescribed treatments (allowing exchange of data across political boundaries) • Establishment of a long-term, permanent monitoring plot system (i.e. continuous forest inventory)

21. The Next Steps • Management Board Approval • Publication of Report • LDWF graphics staff preparing the report for the printer • USDA Forest Service Forest Stewardship Program to provide funding for printing • Implementation in the MAV