I NITIATIVE SM F ORESTRY P ROGRAM ENHANCING WILDLIFE HABITATS THROUGH SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

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1 S USTAINABLE I NITIATIVE SM F ORESTRY P ROGRAM ENHANCING WILDLIFE HABITATS THROUGH SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

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3 ENHANCING WILDLIFE HABITATS THROUGH SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT The American practices can be tailored Forest & Paper to improve a wide variety Association of wildlife habitats while (AF&PA) is committed to growing America s forests with their bountiful wildlife, biodiversity and other environmental and social benefits for future generations. Through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) SM program, AF&PA has developed a comprehensive program of forestry and conservation practices 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 enhancement tools available, primarily because forestry providing a continuous source of revenue, including 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 management 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

4 The 20th Century arrived in America with wildlife populations 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 domestication of vast tracts of land left many once-common wildlife species in danger 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 rebounded across North America, including white-tailed deer, elk, moose, beaver, many duck species, bear, turkey, bobcats and others. FORESTLAND OWNERSHIP IN THE UNITED STATES National Forests & Other Public 42% Private Nonindustrial 49% Forest Industry 9% 747 Million Acres Source: Smith, Brad W Forest Resources of the United States, 1997 (Review Draft) FORESTLAND AND WILDLIFE IN AMERICA In Thousands TRENDS IN U.S. ELK POPULATIONS USDA Forest Service, based on data from Elk of America, updated by Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. 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, maintaining approximately two-thirds of the forest cover present in 1600 and experiencing an increase of 10 million acres since There are 144 forest types in the United States and Canada: 89 in the east and 55 in the west. Nonindustrial private landowners control about 49 percent of the forestland and 58 percent of the timberland in the United States. In 1600, there were an estimated 10 million elk in North America. By 1930, fewer than 60,000 remained. Elk, with few exceptions, are associated with forests. Active elk management, including forest management by conservation organizations such as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, has contributed to increasing the elk population to around 880,000 in 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. 2

5 Wild turkeys, once proposed by Benjamin Franklin to become the national symbol of the United States, declined to less than 30,000 by Turkey require a diversity of habitat that varies seasonally. Early successional forest habitats are needed for rearing young. In winter, 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. In Thousands TRENDS IN U.S. WILD TURKEY POPULATIONS Based on data from the National Wild Turkey Federation 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 collaborating 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. 3 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 considerable 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 wildlife increased on our property to a point where we were able to start a hunting lease program 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 transformed into a beautiful and productive tract that provides us with a source of income and countless hours of enjoyment. Skeet & Gail Burris Cypress Bay Plantation Beaufort, SC 2000 National Outstanding Tree Farmers

6 The 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 structure changes over time. This natural progression of change is called succession. Some wildlife, such as elk, quail and rabbits, prefer the early stages of forest 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-producing 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 reaching 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 cavities utilized by martens, squirrels, raccoons, wood ducks and other wildlife. As forest succession progresses, the continuum of wildlife habitat changes over time. ENHANCING WILDLIFE HABITAT THROUGH FOREST MANAGEMENT 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 percent of the nation s threatened and endangered species have part of their habitats on private lands. 4 In general, three distinct wildlife habitats exist over the life of a forest: 1) early successional forest; 2) mid-successional 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 provide 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 landscape 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 flexibility to manage their forests for a diversity 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 management considerations, that forest owners 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 production and wildlife enhancement objectives.

7 FOREST HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE All wildlife requires a place to live or habitat that provides enough quality food, cover, water and space throughout 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 requirements can be provided by actively managing the forest. Early successional forests are created through catastrophic events such as hurricanes or fire or by a timber harvest known as a clearcut. The resulting early successional forest, natural or planted, provides habitat for a diversity of plant and insect species, which in turn support a variety of animals such as mice, snakes, lizards, rabbits, 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 significant cover for many animals such as rabbits, deer and songbirds, but many species avoid the mid-successional stage because it is too thick to navigate. 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 midsuccessional 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 maintain this type of open, mature forest. Research shows that planned timber harvests can create forests that attract red-cockaded woodpeckers. A diverse forested landscape provides 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. 5

8 FOREST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT CAN BE USED TO ENHANCE WILDLIFE HABITATS Forest Management Practice Wildlife Habitat Enhanced Favored Wildlife Forest Harvests Natural & Artificial Reforestation Natural reforestation often produces multiple layers of forest canopies composed of a variety of tree species. Managed natural reforestation provides an opportunity to enhance timber production and wildlife habitat. Artificial regeneration usually produces a single forest canopy. Natural and managed natural reforestation favors wildlife attracted to habitat diversity from the ground to the canopy in the same forest. Artificial regeneration usually favors wildlife that prefers habitat diversity across the landscape such as fields, different stages of forest succession and wetlands. Seedtree & Shelterwood Removes the majority of mature trees, leaving those needed to produce seed and provide shade for regenerating a new forest. Following the harvest, the site favors grass, herb and shrub growth. Favors the same wildlife as clearcuts. Provides some habitat for tree-dependent wildlife species such as red-cockaded woodpecker and forest roosting bats. Selection Cuts (Group & Individual Trees) Creates small forest openings intended to regenerate small areas of forest or improve remaining trees. Provides a mixture of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, intermixed within a mature forest. Can provide for a diversity of tree species, age and size. Benefits western and mountain bluebirds, hooded warblers, bats, mice, gray and red fox, black bear, elk, deer and other wildlife attracted to forest openings. Clearcutting An area of forest in which all mature trees have been harvested. The site remaining is an early successional forest that favors grass, herb and shrub growth. The benefits to wildlife can be influenced by the size, shape, and distribution of clearcuts, and the use of streamside management and other buffer zones. Benefits small mammals, ground-nesting/ feeding birds, and other wildlife such as ruffed grouse, doves, yellow warblers, chestnut-sided warblers, rabbits, quail, rodents, reptiles, turkey, kestrel, woodcocks, deer, moose, elk and black bear. Mechanical Site Preparation Intensive methods (shearing, raking, and windrowing) temporarily increase grasses and herbs valuable for wildlife. Less intensive methods (roller-chopping and burning) favor fruit-producing trees and shrubs. Time of year will also influence plant responses after site preparation. Intensive methods benefit small mammals and ground-nesting birds. Less intensive methods favor deer and above-ground nesting birds. Forest Herbicides Selective herbicide use may control undesirable vegetation. Plant response varies depending on the herbicide, time of application, rate and forest conditions. Consult a herbicide specialist for creating desired wildlife habitats with herbicides. Small mammals and ground-feeding wildlife such as quail and dove. Deer benefit from increased browse from a combination of herbicides and burning. 6

9 Forest Management Practice Wildlife Habitat Enhanced Favored Wildlife Windrows Provides cover and travel corridors for wildlife across newly harvested timber stands. Accumulation of debris and seeds quickly produces herbs and woody plants valuable 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 aerial species such as bats, owls and flying squirrels. Timber & Wildlife Stand Improvement Practices Prescribed Burning Cutting or Herbicide Injection of Poor Quality Trees Greatly enhances habitat diversity across the landscape by stimulating growth of grasses and herbs valuable to wildlife. Also increases insect abundance, a primary source of food for many wildlife species. Positive effects greatly enhanced when coordinated with timber thinnings. May temporarily reduce habitat diversity from the ground to the canopy, or vertical habitat. Enhances growth of desirable timber and wildlife trees. Opens forests for grasses and herbs. Creates standing dead trees, known as snags, that provide denning and nesting cavities. Fallen trees provide cover and insect food. Benefits a wide array of wildlife such as small mammals, quail, deer, turkey, and a variety of songbirds. Combined with timber thinnings, is a primary habitat management tool in the Southeast for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. Small mammals and ground-feeding wildlife such as quail and turkey. Deer benefit from increased browse and acorn/nut production. Raccoons, woodpeckers, squirrels, wood ducks, bats and other wildlife benefit from increased number of tree cavities. Forest Fertilization Depending on the fertilizer, growth and palatability of some grasses, herbs and shrubs increases. Select application to oaks increases acorn production. Wildlife dependent on grasses, herbs and acorns Salvage Cuts Creates forest openings that increase overall forest habitat diversity, and stimulates the production of native grasses and herbs valuable to wildlife. Seed, forage, and insects produced in these areas are key wildlife food sources. Best Management Practices (BMPs) (Follow your State Forestry Agency guidelines.) Designed for the protection of water quality and wetlands. Most wildlife 7

10 Forest Management Practice Wildlife Habitat Enhanced Favored Wildlife Manage Openings (logging decks, woods roads, timber harvests, timber salvage cuts, utility rights-of-way, firebreaks) Additional Forest Habitat Improvements for Wildlife Increases production of native grasses and herbs valuable to wildlife. Openings can be planted as wildlife food plots. Seed, forage and insects produced in these areas are key wildlife food sources. Excellent sites for nesting, brood rearing and feeding for a variety of wildlife such as quail, turkey, elk and deer.. Excellent foraging habitat at for bats. Light Disking or Mowing in Forest Stimulates growg rowth of native grassesg and herbs. Best conducted after timber thinnings to enhance plant growg rowth. Increases habitat at diversity within a forest. Seeds and forage are important to a variety of ground-feeding mammals and birds such as rabbits, quail, turkey and deer. Maintain Riparian Forests and Streamside Management Zones (SMZs) Forest Corridors Riparian forests and streamsides are generally moist fertile sites with a predominance of woody plants, conifers or hardwoods, providing mast, cavities and travel corridors for wildlife. SMZs act as buffers that protect water quality in streams for fish and other aquatic life. Often connects forested habitats that are separated. Provides forested buffers through harvested stands which maintain wildlife food and cover. Also serve as wildlife travel corridors. Benefits most wildlife. Enhances bird diversity by providing feeding and breeding areas for many migratory birds. Width is important and varies for different wildlife species. May benefit terrestrial wildlife. Retain Mast Trees & Shrubs Retaining a variety of fruit-producing trees and shrubs provide essential food sources for wildlife throughout the year. Benefits most wildlife. Create & Maintain Snags Provides both food and cover for insectfeeding and cavity-dwelling wildlife. Cavity-dwelling and insect-feeding wildlife such as Eastern bluebirds, Carolina chickadees, red-bellied woodpeckers, red-headed woodpeckers, loggerhead shrikes, northern flickers, owls, several species of bats, martens, raccoons and squirrels. Leave Dead Wood Logs & Timber Slash Provides food (fungi and insects) and cover. Returns nutrients to the soil and provides a microhabitat for new plant growth valuable for wildlife. Variety of wildlife including salamanders, toads, turtles, snakes, mice, shrews, skunks, opossums, ruffed grouse, turkeys, chipmunks, Rufous-sided towhees, fox, deer and black bear. Create Brush & Rock Piles When cover is limited, provides shelter for certain wildlife. Rabbits, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. 8

11 Forest Management Practice Wildlife Habitat Enhanced Favored Wildlife Maintain & Enhance Firebreaks Increases habitat diversity by providing habitat transition zones in forests. Can be maintained in native grasses and herbs, or planted in a wildlife food plot. Quail, turkey, rabbits, deer, elk, and other wildlife. Leave Strips Provides buffers between timber harvest sites that maintain wildlife food and cover. Also serve as wildlife travel corridors. Most wildlife. Manage Forest Roads Openings along forest roadsides or entire logging roads can be managed for native grasses and herbs or planted in wildlife food. Quail, turkey, rabbits, deer, elk and other wildlife. Protect Highly-Valued Areas Natural and Artificial Water Impoundments Inventory and protect existing habitats valuable to wildlife before beginning forestry practices. Examples are bays, bogs, swamps, beaver ponds, other wetlands, coves, cave entrances, cliffs, talus, fruit-producing shrubs and trees, old home-sites, thickets that provide cover, and other unique habitats. Provides valuable habitat for many terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. Extremely valuable in arid regions of the country. Beaver ponds and other impoundments can be managed for maximum value to wildlife. Most wildlife. Many of these sites provide habitat for threatened and endangered species. All wildlife, especially those associated with wetlands. Bats particularly visit water that is accessible while flying. Artificial Nesting and Denning Structures Provides nesting and denning cavities where natural cavities are limited or absent. Squirrels, raccoons, wood ducks, redcockaded woodpeckers, Eastern and Western bluebirds, bats and other cavity nesting and denning wildlife. Multiple Forest Stand Management Management to maximize differences between forest stands increases wildlife habitat diversity. Benefits wildlife that require a diversity of forest habitats, but may increase predators, affecting the wildlife dependent on unbroken forest. Multiple Ownerships or Landscape Management Coordination of timber and wildlife habitat management with adjoining landowners. Interconnects important wildlife habitats across the landscape. Favors most wildlife, especially those that need large areas of similar habitats such as black bear, moose, elk and some species of neotropical migrant songbirds. 99

12 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 harvest 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 Howlett California Tree Farmers Your next step is to decide what wildlife you are interested in attracting to your land, and then tailoring timber management plans to enhance forest habitats for these species. A wealth of information 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 10 WHERE TO BEGIN and monitor management activities; and 4) provide cost-sharing for management practices that enhance wildlife habitat.

13 SOURCES OF ASSISTANCE Agency or Organization Types of Assistance Contact USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service and Partner Universities State Wildlife Agency State Forestry Agency USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry National Association of Conservation Districts Forest Industry Landowner Assistance Programs & Company Foresters & Biologist Private Natural Resource Consultants Private Conservation Organizations Information and educational publications, videos, programs on forest and wildlife management. Technical guidance, wildlife educational materials and, in some cases, cost-sharing for select wildlife habitat management practices. Technical guidance, forestry educational materials. Administers incentive programs for wildlife, forests, soils and conservation. Technical, educational and financial assistance through field offices where they work directly with individuals, communities, state, local and tribal governments. Help plan, apply and maintain conservation systems that are site specific and economically and environmentally sound. Programs include the Wildlife Incentives Program, Wetlands Reserve Program, Forestry Incentive Program and the Conservation Reserve Program. Limited technical, educational and sometimes cost-sharing assistance. Programs include the Endangered Species Protection Program and Private Lands Program. Forest and wildlife management educational materials. They also provide technical assistance for the Forestry Incentive Program and have responsibility for the Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Legacy Program and several others. There are nearly 3000 conservation districts one in almost every county in the United States Conservation Districts educate and help local citizens conserve land, water, forests, wildlife and other natural resources. The districts run numerous programs. Many forest products companies have developed forestry and wildlife programs that provide technical and sometimes costsharing assistance. Provide technical and management assistance for developing and implementing wildlife and forest management plans. Organizations that can help locate local consultants, technical information, or that offer educational or other programs include: American Forest Foundation: Tree Farm System American Forests Association of Consulting Foresters Forest Resources Association National Woodland Owners Association A variety of conservation organizations provide educational, technical, and cost-sharing assistance to landowners: Bat Conservation International Quality Deer Management Ducks Unlimited Association Longleaf Alliance Rocky Mountain Elk National Fish and Foundation Wildlife Foundation Ruffed Grouse Society National Wild Turkey The Wildlife Society Federation Wildlife Habitat Council Quail Unlimited Wildlife Management Institute Regional, state or county offices. Regional, state or county offices. Regional, state or county offices. Local county office. Regional, state or county offices. Regional, state or county offices. State and county offices. Contact State Forestry Agency for listings of companies that provide landowner assistance in your area. Contact State Forestry Agency and Wildlife Agency for a list of registered or certified consultants. For a list of conservation organizations that provide assistance in your locality, contact your State Wildlife Agency, Department of Natural Resources office, State Forestry Agency or State Forestry or Wildlife Agency. 11

14 GLOSSARY OF TERMS artificial reforestation (regeneration): establishing a forest by planting or direct seeding instead of relying on the trees to reseed themselves. American Forest & Paper Association: The national trade association of the forest products industry, consisting of 250 companies and related associations that represent approximately 84 percent of paper production, 50 percent of solid wood production, and 90 percent of the industrial timberland in the U.S. browse: leaves, buds, twigs and bark of shrubs and trees used as food by wildlife. clearcutting: a method of timber harvest and regeneration that removes essentially all mature trees, producing a fully exposed microclimate for the development of a new age class of trees. corridor: a link between isolated habitats that serves as a travel route for wildlife moving from one place to another. Corridors can be streamside 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 tree seedlings are small and the vegetation is dominated by grasses, herbs and woody shrubs. even-aged forest: a forest that contains trees approximately the same age 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 for waterfowl, using water control structures. horizontal habitat diversity: change in forest or other vegetation types across the landscape. late successional forest: forest condition occurring when mature trees become 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 when young trees begin to become the dominant vegetation along with woody shrubs. natural reforestation (regeneration): young trees that originate from seeds or sprouts of trees present in an area that has been harvested or leveled from natural occurrences. neotropical migrant songbirds: birds that breed in the spring and summer in North America but winter south of the United States. prescribed burning: the use of controlled, low intensity fire as a timber and wildlife management tool. riparian forest: forest adjacent to water, usually a stream or river. salvage cuts: timber harvest that removes dead trees killed or damaged by fire, wind, insects or disease to recover economic value that would otherwise be lost. seed tree: a tree left standing for the sole or primary purpose of producing seed to establish a new forest stand. selective harvest: a method of timber harvest that removes individual or groups of trees from a forest stand. shelterwood harvest: a method of timber harvest that removes trees in a series of cuttings over time to establish new seedlings. site preparation: preparing a site for reestablishing a new forest, using equipment, fire, herbicides or a combination of these practices. snag: a standing dead tree. Snags provide perches, denning and nesting cavities, and insect-feeding sites for wildlife. streamside management zone (SMZ): bands of vegetation adjacent to streams and rivers left intact after timber harvests to prevent erosion and maintain water quality and wildlife habitat. succession: the natural process of one community of plants gradually supplanting another community over time. Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) SM program: A program that all members of the American Forest & Paper Association must commit to and report annually. The SFI SM Program is a comprehensive system of principles, objectives and performance measures that integrates the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife, plants, soil and water qualitiy. sustainable forest management: practicing a land stewardship ethic that 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 of cliffs or other steep slopes that provides burrows and cover for some wildlife. timberland: forestland that produces a minimum of 20 cubic feet of wood per acre per year. timber slash: tree stems, branches, leaves, and other debris remaining on the forest floor after a timber harvest. timber thinning: removing a portion of trees in a forest to reduce crowding, and provide better growing conditions for the remaining trees. uneven-aged forest: a forest that contains trees of multiple ages and sizes. vertical habitat diversity: levels of forest plant growth ranging from the 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 which remove trees that are inferior for timber production and low in quality for wildlife. Poor trees are either removed by cutting, girdling or injection 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, and stumps) that have been pushed into piles/rows after a timber harvest. 12

15 PHOTO CREDITS Cover Inside Cover Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Bear Don Farrall Kestrel Jeremy Woodhouse Box turtle Georgia-Pacific Corporation Elk Gerry J. Lamarre Forestland Ownership Weyerhaeuser Company Elk Gerry J. Lamarre Wood ducks Ducks Unlimited Turkey hens South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Indiana bat Merlin D. Tuttle Bat Conservation International Seedling Longleaf Alliance Bobcat John Sweeney, Clemson University Forest DigitalStock photography Forest Westvaco Corporation Red-cockaded woodpecker Georgia-Pacific Corporation Page 7 Page 8 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 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 6 Natural & artificial reforestation Hancock Timber Resource Group Seedtree & shelterwood Dan Dessecker Ruffed Grouse Society Turkey National Wild Turkey Federation Red fox Alan and Sandy Carey Ruffed grouse Ruffed Grouse Society Quail Gerry J. Lamarre 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 to obtain additional copies, contact the American Forest & Paper Association by visiting our website at For more information about the SFI SM program, visit our website at

16 Growing Tomorrow s Forests Today American Forest & Paper Association th Street, NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC Visit our website at 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