cover photo of canvasback duck courtesy of william vingel ...€¦ · many forest service...

Cover photo of canvasback duck courtesy of William Vingel, U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service

Birds are important components of biological diversity, and their ecological, cultural, recreational, and eco-nomic benefits are recognized nationally and internationally.

Forest Service employees in the National Forest System, Research and Development, and State and PrivateForestry Deputy Areas and International Programs are working together to play a pivotal role in bird con-servation.

Forest Service ranger districts, supervisor offices, regional offices, and national office staffs are workingtogether with public and private partners to implement programs and activities for the conservation andmanagement of bird populations and their habitats. Scientists at Forest Service research stations areresponding to the needs of public and private partners to advance bird conservation science and addressmanagement concerns. The agency’s efforts are making the vision of integrated “all-bird” conservation areality across the national forests and grasslands, the United States, and the rest of the Americas.

Many Forest Service accomplishments could not have been realized without the contributions, dedication,and passion of the Forest Service’s many conservation partners. These partnerships are crucial to further-ing “all-bird” conservation in the future.

The accomplishments displayed in this document illustrate the agency’s commitment to integrated, “all-bird” conservation and to sustaining the health, diversity, and productivity of ecosystems to meet the needsof present and future generations.

DALE N. BOSWORTHChief

March 2004 ❘ 1

T H E F O R E S T S E R V I C E I S A R E C O G N I Z E DL E A D E R I N B I R D C O N S E R VAT I O N .

Photo courtesy of Art Weber, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Bird Accomplishments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Mission and Strategic/Emphasis Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11International Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11National Forest System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Research and Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14State and Private Forestry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Bird Accomplishment Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Western Boreal Forest Initiative . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16Kirtland’s Warbler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Winging Northward: A Shorebird’s Journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Inyo National Forest, Eastern Sierra Riparian Bird Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Northern Region Landbird Monitoring Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Hiawatha National Forest, Raco Plains Barrens Restoration Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Citizen Science: A Partnership for Bird Conservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Plans . . . . . . . .22International Grassland Bird Conservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Lower Mississippi Valley Large-Scale Watershed Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Vegetation Structure and Wildlife Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Forest Management for the Red-cockaded Woodpecker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Northern Goshawks and Implications for Forest Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Nicatous Lake Forest Legacy Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

USDA Forest Service Course to the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

March 2004 ❘ 3

Photo courtesy of USDA Forest Service

March 2004 ❘ 5

Birds Are Important!The ecological, recreational, cultural, and economicbenefits provided by a diversity of bird species areincreasingly recognized both nationally and interna-tionally. Healthy bird populations are an integralcomponent of healthy ecosystems. More than 75million Americans hunt, photograph, watch, study,or enjoy birds in other ways. Wildlife-watching activi-ties, which include bird watching, generate over $32billion in annual retail sales. Moreover, birds areessential for sustaining many indigenous human cul-tures. Yet many bird species are declining as a resultof habitat loss and fragmentation, pesticide use, andinvasive exotic species.

USDA Forest Service Plays a Pivotal Role in Bird ConservationThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ForestService manages 8.5 percent of the total land area inthe United States, which includes large blocks of habi-tat used by migrant and resident bird populations. TheUSDA Forest Service has a central role in bird conser-vation as a key partner in national and internationalbird conservation initiatives, studies, and programs—such as the North American Bird ConservationInitiative.

Integrated Bird Conservation Programs and Activities The USDA Forest Service, through its diverse partner-ships, is delivering a coherent, effective bird conserva-tion program consistent with multiple and sustainableuses of forest and other grassland ecosystems. Bird

conservation outcomes result from a variety ofNational Forest System (NFS), Research andDevelopment (R&D), State and Private Forestry(S&PF), and International Programs (IP) activities,including research, integrated planning and assess-ment, population and habitat inventory, survey andmonitoring, conservation education, and habitatrestoration and protection.

Bird Accomplishments for Fiscal Years 2000–2002The NFS, R&D, S&PF, and IP have worked collabora-tively and independently to further bird conservationnationally and internationally. The appendix (FS-773Aavailable at http://www.fs.fed.us/biology/resources/Pubs/wildlife/bird-report_appx) to thisreport displays USDA Forest Service bird conservationaccomplishments. While the projects and activitiesidentified in the appendix are not a complete list ofUSDA Forest Service bird conservation efforts, theydo display a substantial portion of USDA ForestService bird conservation accomplishments in fiscalyears 2000–2002.

Future Opportunities and ChallengesIn the next decade, the USDA Forest Service will havemany opportunities to face the challenges in meetingbird conservation needs. These challenges includeaccelerating levels of habitat change associated withland conversion and habitat fragmentation, speciesinvasions, hydrologic manipulations, environmentalcontaminants, global climate change, and other natu-ral and anthropogenic disturbances. A sustainedUSDA Forest Service commitment to bird conserva-tion, national and international cooperation, and for-mal partnerships with agencies and nongovernmentalorganizations is required to address these challenges.The diverse skills and experiences of the USDA ForestService workforce will provide a strong foundation forbird conservation in the coming years. The agency’smultiple use capabilities and know-how will be impor-tant not only within the United States, but throughoutthe migratory ranges of birds in other nations.

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A RY

National Forest System.

Photo courtesy of Gary Kramer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

March 2004 ❘ 7

Americans place a high value on the more than850 species of birds that can be found in theUnited States. In fact, more than 75 millionAmericans hunt, photograph, watch, study, andenjoy birds in other ways.1 Bird watching is thefastest growing wildlife-related outdoor activity inthe United States!2 Wildlife-viewing activities,which include bird watching, generate over $32billion in retail sales.3 For tens of thousands ofcommunities and businesses, birds mean incomeand jobs. Moreover, birds are essential for sustain-ing many indigenous human cultures. Americansincreasingly recognize that healthy bird popula-tions are an integral component of healthy ecosys-tems. They are vital links in many food webs, andoften serve as highly visible biological indicators ofoverall ecosystem health.

Increased competition for forest and grasslandresources, coupled with increasing human pres-sures, are resulting in greater challenges for birdconservation. Many bird species are declining.Those in the greatest need of conservation,approximately 100 bird species, are protectedunder the Endangered Species Act, but hundredsof other species face mounting threats. Habitatloss and fragmentation, predation, pesticide use,invasive exotic species, and other factors areincreasing the risks to species and to both nationaland international conservation investments.

Because birds use both public and private land,national forests and grasslands play a critical rolein meeting the life-cycle needs of many species.Indeed, approximately 192 million acres ofnational forests and national grasslands provideessential habitat for many bird species. Theselands comprise one of the largest areas of breed-ing bird habitat under single ownership in theThe U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest

Service legal mandates require protection of bio-diversity, active management to improve foresthealth, and the continuation of other uses ofthese lands. The USDA Forest Service is calledupon to maintain and enhance bird habitat and toprovide information about the effects of manage-ment alternatives on avian populations.

State and Private Forestry (S&PF) programsdeveloped in cooperation with State foresters andothers make valuable contributions to conservingbird habitats. For many bird species, especially inthe Eastern United States, private lands are essen-tial to sustain them. Forests, wetlands, and con-servation of other habitats on these private landsthrough S&PF programs are crucial.

The USDA Forest Service plays a pivotal role inconserving bird populations and their habitat byproviding information and management alterna-tives to facilitate other land uses, while meetingpublic demands for bird-related recreationalopportunities and protecting biodiversity.Toward that end, the USDA Forest Service hasbeen engaged in activities such as research, inte-

I N T R O D U C T I O N

1 The 1999-2002 National Survey on Recreation and the Environment (NSRE), USDA Forest Service, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The NSREis the most recent of the National Recreation Survey series begun nationally in 1960. For more on this series, go to http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/trends.

2 For a presentation of H. Ken Cordell’s research that draws on the National Recreation Survey go to http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/trends/birding.html.

3 The 2001 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife Associated Recreation is posted at http://www.federalaid.fws.gov/.

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grated planning and assessments, populationmonitoring, and habitat enhancement andrestoration for many years.

It is primarily the skills, training, and commitmentof its employees that make the USDA ForestService effective. USDA Forest Service employeesanalyze, plan, and deliver effective habitat manage-ment and research studies, not only in the UnitedStates on National Forest System (NFS) and privateforest lands, but in other nations where birds fromthe United States migrate for part or most of theyear. USDA Forest Service research scientists pro-vide valuable information for bird conservationthroughout the Americas. A foundation of soundscience is essential.

Over the years, Federal and State agencies haveestablished initiatives and programs to strengthenbird conservation. Since January 2000, the USDAForest Service has been implementing theagency’s Landbird Strategic Plan. The USDAForest Service’s Taking Wing (water-dependentmigratory birds), Answer the Call (quail habitatmanagement), Dancers in the Forests (grouse andwoodcock habitat management), and MakingTracks (wild turkey habitat management) programshave advanced bird conservation on nationalforests and grasslands. USDA Forest ServiceInternational Programs has established the People,Wings, and Forests Program to help conserve migra-

tory bird habitats in Latin America, theCaribbean, and Canada. The USDA ForestService’s S&PF Deputy Area, through the ForestLegacy and other programs, has been protectingforest land from conversion to nonforest uses andin so doing has been helping to protect importantbird habitat.

Recent developments in migratory bird conserva-tion have compelled the USDA Forest Service tofurther strengthen its role in promoting bird con-servation priorities established in the continentalconservation plans and in national forest landmanagement plans. Furthermore, a PresidentialExecutive order explicitly directs Federal agenciesto work more cooperatively to meet their respon-sibilities for migratory bird conservation. Thesedevelopments help the agencies fulfill theirresponsibilities in research and land and resourcestewardship, but will require increased effort andcollaboration.

Future bird conservation efforts will take intoaccount new realities in bird conservation thatrequire the USDA Forest Service to reach acrossorganizational, State, and international boundaries.Furthermore, economically efficient strategies arenecessary to conserve avian biodiversity whilefacilitating land uses. In fact, all of the USDAForest Service bird conservation efforts emphasizeconservation partnerships. Federal expertise andresources are leveraged through partnerships withconservation organizations, communities, Stateand Federal agencies, tribal governments, andinternational governments. Organizational bound-aries are bridged through partnership-based birdconservation initiatives. These initiatives nowinclude the North American WaterfowlManagement Plan (NAWMP), the WaterbirdConservation for the Americas Plan, Partners inFlight Bird Conservation Plans, and ShorebirdConservation plans for the United States, Canada,and Mexico. Joint Ventures were formed in themid-1980s as the implementation arm of the

8 ❘ Working with Partners for Bird Conservation

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March 2004 ❘ 9

NAWMP and delivery system for on-the-groundwaterfowl conservation. These entities are inde-pendent, autonomous, self-directed, and regionallybased in North America to deliver bird conserva-tion. Recently, Joint Ventures have expanded theirmissions to include implementing all the other birdconservation initiative plans. All these plans, inwhich the USDA Forest Service has been an activeparticipant, are the result of work by State, Federal,and tribal governments; nonprofit organizations;industry; and foundations.

Conservation strategies must act across the entirerange of migratory birds. More than 35 percent(300+ species) of the 850 species in the UnitedStates leave the country each year and return inthe spring. The North American BirdConservation Initiative (NABCI) serves as a forumfor enhancing bird conservation and dealing withthe complex and often difficult challenges of inte-

grating bird conservation at regional, national,and international levels. The goal of NABCI is todeliver the full spectrum of bird conservationthrough regionally based, biologically driven,landscape-oriented partnerships.

Within the USDA Forest Service, NFS, Researchand Development (R&D), S&PF, andInternational Programs (IP) have worked togetherto achieve major accomplishments in avian con-servation. Given the agency’s experience in habi-tat management over large scales, its researchskills, and its strengthening connections withnational and international cooperators, the USDAForest Service will take an expanded leadershiprole. The USDA Forest Service is uniquely posi-tioned to pull the varied avian interests togetherinto a coherent, effective conservation effort thatis compatible with sustainable uses of forest andgrassland resources.

Photo courtesy of Craig Rudolph/Richard Conner, USDA Forest Service

Overview

USDA Forest Service success in incorporating birdconservation into management activities hasincreased significantly over the past decade.Accomplishments over the last 3 years exemplifyprogressive and innovative approaches to integrat-ing species and habitat conservation including mul-tiple-use management objectives. At the same time,efforts are increasing in cooperative partnerships,with many facilitated by the international frame-work provided by NABCI and its all-bird conserva-tion approach.

The appendix to this report displays a diverse vari-ety and remarkable number and quality of USDAForest Service accomplishments on national forestsand grasslands. In addition, the work of S&PF, andoverseas work of IP, is increasing the number ofbird conservation accomplishments. The followingis a summary of findings generated by reviewing themany accomplishments identified in the appendix:

• Administrative studies, research, and inventoryand monitoring efforts are improving the abilityof the USDA Forest Service to measure the sta-tus of migratory birds and to predict the effectsof habitat change on birds, whether resultingfrom natural or management disturbances.

• Research on the effects of habitat fragmentation,invasive plants, off-highway vehicles, fire, andforest harvest on avian populations and commu-nities provides valuable input to managementdecisions.

• Integrating bird conservation and monitoringobjectives into forest planning on nationalforests and grasslands has become a manage-ment emphasis. Scientists are developing andapplying tools and scientific information neces-sary for integrating all-bird conservation intoforest planning.

• A variety of habitat restoration and improvementactivities benefiting birds are being implementedacross NFS lands. Given the bird conservationassessments and plans being prepared across theUnited States, it is evident that many moreopportunities exist.

• USDA Forest Service R&D scientists are in highdemand, both here and abroad, for their techni-cal expertise and knowledge of bird researchmethodologies, and the management implica-tions of their work.

• The USDA Forest Service is actively supportingdomestic and international partnerships, andthese are playing a major role in USDA ForestService bird conservation efforts and in conserv-ing migratory birds of the Americas.

• The USDA Forest Service is actively involved inbird conservation outreach and education,including bird-related Web site development,community festivals, brochures, articles, fieldtrips, school activities, and other efforts.

• The USDA Forest Service at all administrativelevels is involved in bird conservation workinggroups and steering committees. The USDAForest Service plays a leadership role in many ofthese bird conservation cooperative effortsincluding the NABCI.

• The NFS, S&PF, R&D, and IP are working toimprove the conservation of all birds throughtheir respective missions and programs of work.

Mission and Strategic/Emphasis Areas

International Programs The IP advances sustainable forest managementand biodiversity conservation worldwide and focuseson four major goals: (1) protecting forest healththrough fire and invasive species management; (2)conserving migratory species of concern that breed

March 2004 ❘ 11

B I R D A C C O M P L I S H M E N T S


in the United States and spend their nonbreedingseason in other countries; (3) restoring and enhanc-ing habitats for bird species most at risk; and (4)protecting the United States conservation interestsabroad. The IP emphasizes conservation partner-ships and fosters collaboration among USDAForest Service field personnel and with national andinternational partners.

A major emphasis for IP is the conservation ofmigratory birds. The IP’s—People, Wings, andForests—program for migratory bird conservation isguided by the following 10 criteria: (1) addressspecies and habitats under serious direct threat; (2)help build conservation capacity in other nations;(3) address weakest links in species migration habi-tats; (4) connect and expand perspectives/skills ofUSDA Forest Service field personnel; (5) developnew partnerships and partners; (6) work in siteslinked to the conservation of major United Statesecosystems; (7) develop new bird conservationexpertise in the USDA Forest Service; (8)increase/leverage funding with partners; (9) helpprotect United States conservation investments athome; and (10) strengthen the scientific and eco-logical basis for priority bird conservation work.

More than 300 species of birds migrate to theCaribbean and Latin America in the winter andreturn to the United States to breed. Unfortunately,many of these species are declining due to habitatlosses in the United States or in the Caribbean andLatin America. Tropical forests, and other importantbird habitats, are experiencing rapid declines as aresult of human population growth, land develop-ment, deforestation, and other causes. Habitat lossesoverseas contribute to the listing of several speciesof migratory birds under the United States Endan-gered Species Act. IP works internationally to helprecover listed species and prevent the need for newlistings, both of which help maintain more U.S. landmanagement options and protect bird conservationinvestments made in the United States.

The United States spends millions of dollars eachyear on domestic recovery efforts for species likethe endangered Kirtland’s warbler, which nests andbreeds in Michigan but spends most of the year inthe Bahamas, where very little is known about itshabitat requirements. By investing dollars outsidethe United States, recovery for this species hasimproved and the USDA Forest Service’s domesticfinancial investment in Kirtland’s warbler recoveryand management is more effective and is protected.

The United States urgently needs to take conserva-tion actions for declining bird species popula-tions—both at home and abroad. Examples of otherspecies at high risk include Bicknell’s thrush(northern boreal forest of Vermont, New York, andparts of Quebec—winters in the DominicanRepublic); the golden-cheeked warbler (Texas—winters in Central American highlands); thecerulean and Swainson’s warblers (MississippiValley—winters in the Andes in South America);numerous species of North American water birdsthat winter in Latin America and the Caribbean;and many species of short-grass prairie birds likethe mountain plover and Baird’s sparrow that win-ter in Mexico. The IP is addressing the threat tomany of these species internationally.

The IP’s work benefits migratory birds in two ways:directly through such activities as habitat improve-ment projects and studies, and indirectly throughconservation training, technical assistance and part-nership projects in fire management, reducedimpact logging, watershed restoration and improve-ment, landscape-scale applied conservation biology,planning, ecological assessments, protected areamanagement, and the control of invasive species.The IP works hard to provide technical assistanceand effective U.S. natural resource policy assistanceto help sustain migratory birds.

The IP is making lasting contributions to reversingdeclining population trends and sustaining species.

Additional background information about IP can befound at http://www.fs.fed.us/global.

National Forest SystemThe USDA Forest Service manages 192 million acresof national forests and national grasslands, knowncollectively as the NFS. Located in 44 States, PuertoRico, and the Virgin Islands, the NFS is managedwith a multiple-use approach, and under the princi-ples articulated in the National EnvironmentalPolicy Act, National Forest Management Act, andMultiple-Use Sustained-Yield Act. The NFS strivesto provide tangible benefits and products for peoplein a sustainable manner without impairing theecosystem or damaging the environment.

National forests and grasslands comprise 8.5 per-cent of the total land area in the United States. Themanagement of NFS lands has a profound effect onthe quality and quantity of habitats available to birdspecies. Although many bird species are generallyabundant and exhibit stable population trends,concerns about declines of some bird populationsare growing. These declines are most apparent forsome western and midwestern grassland and east-ern forest-dwelling species.

The NFS Deputy Area is uniquely positioned tomake lasting contributions to reversing decliningpopulation trends and maintaining stable andabundant bird populations. By enhancing, restoring,and protecting a variety of terrestrial and aquatichabitats necessary to sustain migratory and residentbird populations, the NFS provides for biologicaldiversity, while meeting the public demand for bird-related recreation opportunities.

The NFS actively supports and participates in theNABCI, which coordinates and integrates the fol-lowing proactive partnership-based, all-bird conser-vation initiatives: Partners in Flight, the NAWMP,the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, and theWaterbird Conservation for the Americas Plan.Furthermore, the NFS implements bird-related

activities associated with programs such as TakingWing, NatureWatch, Dancers in the Forest, Answer theCall, and Making Tracks.

The success of the NFS bird conservation programhinges on accomplishments in key focus areas,including the following:

• Partnership Enhancement—Partnerships are atthe core of the program’s success to date, andare critical to future success. This strategic areaemphasizes maintenance of existing partnershipsand development of new ones at local, State,regional, national, and international levels.

• Institutional Commitment—Broad-based sup-port for the bird conservation program withinthe USDA Forest Service is critically important.It is not enough for the “biologist community”within the USDA Forest Service to be programsupporters; line officers, land management plan-ners, and others must share in the understand-ing of, and desire for, this program’s success.

• Organizational Effectiveness—Program effortsmust be closely aligned with those spelled out inwatershed restoration plans, land managementplans, and plans under the frame work ofNABCI. Without such close coordination, well-intended efforts will not have the maximum pos-sible impact.

• Recreation and Economics—Program success isclosely tied to an increased understanding of thesignificance that birds have in our society today.When bird conservation efforts are described interms of meeting recreational demand andenhancing economic activity, the program’s val-ues to society are highlighted in a new way.

• Inventory, Monitoring, and Studies—Scienceplays an important role in successful bird con-servation. This strategic area emphasizes suc-cessful incorporation of inventory, monitoring,

March 2004 ❘ 13

administrative studies, and research efforts intothe program. A significant monitoring compo-nent is essential to understand the trends andconditions of birds and their habitats. It is neces-sary to ensure the quality of monitoringapproaches and link them to monitoring con-ducted at different locations and scales.

Research and DevelopmentUSDA Forest Service R&D scientists conduct avianresearch to understand the effects of habitat, natu-ral ecosystem disturbances, and management deci-sions on bird populations and the ecosystemprocesses that influence them. The goal is to providesolutions based on sound science that maximize thepositive effects of forest and range management onbirds. Research information is critical to the agency’scapabilities to meet requirements of key environ-mental statutes, including the National ForestManagement Act, Endangered Species Act, andMigratory Bird Treaty Act. Research provides thetechnical basis for developing conservation assess-ments or recovery plans for species at risk, includ-ing threatened, endangered, and sensitive birds.These assessments and plans contribute to thedevelopment of land management alternatives inforest planning.

Research contributes to species conservation in theUnited States and internationally through studies,inventories, and monitoring of bird populations andbird habitats. USDA Forest Service scientists workin partnership with other research and managemententities and scientists on large-scale ecosystemresearch and ecological analyses.

Research is conducted at six research stationsacross the United States and at the InternationalInstitute of Tropical Forestry in Puerto Rico. Withinthese stations, approximately 25 research workunits are working on more than 70 avian researchprojects. Researchers have provided information forforest planning and an array of associated manage-ment decisions in addition to numerous publica-

tions and technical papers. Recently, the agency’swildlife research program has focused on the fol-lowing areas:

• Forest Management—Management activities caninfluence numbers and breeding success of birds bychanging structural habitat configuration and nestsite and food availability. Researchers are investigat-ing effects of timber harvest in different habitattypes on breeding birds. Natural disturbance offorests can also influence bird communities; this isparticularly important in some tropical areas.

• Fire—Effects of natural and prescribed burns oncavity nesting and migratory birds depend on thenature of the burn and salvage or restoration activi-ties that follow it. Understanding the nature ofthese effects provides a foundation for integratingforest management activities with bird conservationobjectives.

• Grazing—Researchers are investigating how live-stock grazing influences birds, with a special focuson songbirds of the Chihuahuan Desert grasslands,Southwestern willow flycatchers (a riparian species),and Mexican spotted owls.

• Plant Invasives—Riparian areas in the drySouthwest are being invaded by woody plants, suchas saltcedar (Tamariz chinensis) and Russian olive(Elaeagnus angustifolia), that can radically change thehabitat structure, hydrology, and fire regime.Researchers are studying the effects of woody inva-sions, as well as plant removal in response to invasion,on bird communities. They also are investigatinghow weedy invasive plants affect bird communitiesby changing habitat structure and food availability.

• Animal Invasives—Research shows how forestpests, such as hemlock wooley adelgid, that causetree mortality can radically change bird habitat, andhow larger animals such as norway rats andEuropean starlings interfere with nesting and survival.


• Urbanization/Fragmentation—Researchers arestudying the effects of forest fragmentation onsongbirds in western, midwestern, and easternforests, and the effects of urbanization on songbirdcommunities. Researchers have demonstrated thatrates of nest predation are higher when a forestedge is nearby.

• Wilderness—If wilderness areas are to serve as areservoir for native species and natural processes,their effectiveness in this role must be understood.Researchers have investigated how well the diversityof bird species is represented by birds in wildernessareas, the response of these birds to recreation, andthe effects of urbanization near wilderness bound-aries on birds.

• Monitoring—Effective monitoring is essential todetermine the effects of management on avian com-munities. Researchers have been working tostrengthen monitoring methods. Methods forimproving the effectiveness of point count and mistnets for monitoring numbers of birds in differenthabitats have been investigated. Furthermore, scien-tists are developing applications of radar technologyfor the purpose of population monitoring and todocument landscape-scale population responses toland management activities.

State and Private ForestryThe USDA Forest Service’s S&PF program worksclosely with the 50 State foresters and other non-Federal forest landowners to advance forest andnatural resource stewardship throughout theUnited States. More than 490 million acres ofAmerica’s forests—more than 66 percent of thetotal United States—are in private hands. Of theseacres, about 70 percent are owned by more than 9.9million nonindustrial private landowners. The fateof wildlife in the United States is closely tied to thestatus, condition, trends, and management activitiestaking place on these non-Federal forest lands.America’s private forests are declining due to frag-mentation, parceling out of land, urban sprawl, and

impacts of forest insects and disease. S&PF plays animportant role in addressing these threats—particu-larly in the Eastern United States. Unlike the West,where much of the land is publicly owned andmanaged, the East has significantly less public land,making the importance of private land for wildlifeall the more important.

S&PF programs enhance conservation of bird habi-tats by encouraging sustainable forest managementof more than 300 million acres of nonindustrial pri-vate forest lands. Furthermore, S&PF programs playa vital role in implementation of the forestry, wet-land, and other provisions of the Farm Bill.Migratory birds and their habitats are directly andindirectly conserved through watershed and ripari-an restoration and improvement, sustainableforestry, maintenance of forests and open space inurban areas, and forest and wildlife conservationeducation in urban areas. S&PF works through vol-untary and nonregulatory programs to protectforests from being converted to nonforest uses.These programs include the following:

• The Forest Stewardship Program works withlandowners to develop and implement foreststewardship plans for private lands.

• The Stewardship Incentive Program’s financial sup-port helps private landowners implement foreststewardship plans. Forests, wetlands, and riparianareas are restored and enhanced.

• The Forest Legacy Program identifies and protectsenvironmentally important private forest landsthreatened with conversion to nonforest usesthrough easements and fee simple land purchase.

• The Economic Action Program helps rural communi-ties and businesses dependent on forest-basedresources become sustainable and self-sufficient.

• The Urban and Community Forestry Program pro-vides technical assistance, education and training,public awareness assistance, and cost-share pro-grams to conserve urban forests and open space.

• The Forest Health Protection Program provides tech-nical and financial assistance to manage forest

March 2004 ❘ 15

pests on both Federal and non-Federal lands,including monitoring, risk assessment and man-agement, and emergency pest suppression.

• The Cooperative Fire Protection Program assists Statesand volunteer fire management operations onnon-Federal lands and complements the WildlandFire Management Program that operates withinthe boundaries of the NFS.

Increasingly, S&PF programs are building partner-ships to conserve migratory bird habitats throughmultilandowner landscape conservation planningand large-scale ecological assessments. In thesetypes of projects, S&PF demonstrates the crucialrole that forest management plays in migratory birdconservation. One such example of the expandingrole of S&PF is described in the Lower MississippiAlluvial Valley case study on page 24 of this report.S&PF sees these partnerships as promising oppor-tunities to advance bird habitat conservation acrossthe landscape. In addition to their domestic contri-bution to the USDA Forest Service mission, S&PFexpertise is valuable internationally.

Bird Accomplishment Highlights

Western Boreal Forest Initiative Covering two-thirds of Canada’s landmass, thewestern boreal forest is home to numerous migra-tory birds, including 23 species of ducks. Isolated byits remoteness, the western boreal forest has longbeen an essential habitat for millions of NorthAmerica’s birds that leave and return during thebreeding season to this northern landscape offorested wetlands composed of spruce, pine, aspen,and birch. With large expanses of water lying withinits boundaries, the forest is a very productive breed-ing and resting ground for waterfowl, waterbirds,shorebirds, songbirds, and other wildlife.

Ducks Unlimited’s Western Boreal Forest Initiative(WBFI) area holds a wealth of wetland complexesimportant to migratory birds. The boreal forest ischoice habitat for millions of songbirds, shorebirds,

and other waterbirds, such as grebes, loons, white-crowned sparrows, cormorants, terns, and lesserscaup, as well as the Western Arctic snow goose,white-fronted goose, and Canada goose.

Currently, oil and gas development, logging, agri-culture, and other activities are gradually alteringthis resource-rich area. Working in collaborationwith the USDA Forest Service IP and other part-ners, the WBFI was established in 1997 and focuseson land cover inventory and mapping, changedetection, management impacts, and waterbird andwater quality inventories to monitor and protectimportant boreal wetlands. The data collected inthis project will be useful for the Canadian partners,as well as the USDA Forest Service and its manage-ment of Alaska’s boreal forests on the ChugachNational Forest.

Through the WBFI, scientists hope to learn moreabout these ecosystems. Specifically, scientistswould like to know what kind of wetlands exist inthis area, where they are, how they function, andwhat bird species they support. Finally, scientistswant to obtain a clearer sense of how humanactivity in the area is affecting the wetlands, espe-cially the migratory birds they support, so moreeffective actions can be taken to sustain thesehabitats. The management goal is to determinehow the biodiversity and productivity of the


Common loon.

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region can be maintained and protected whileland-use practices continue.

The IP is one of the primary funding partners in theWBFI, and has contributed to the WBFI for fiscalyears 1999-2002. Other collaborating groupsinclude the Government of the NorthwestTerritories; Ducks Unlimited Canada, DucksUnlimited Inc.; Alberta-Pacific (Al-Pac) ForestIndustries, Inc.; Syncrude Canada, Ltd.; BritishColumbia Hydropower; Gwich’in RenewableResource Board; Inuvialuit Game Council; PewCharitable Trusts; and the Sahtu First Nations. Thiscoalition received a USDA Forest Service TakingWing award in April 2002.

Kirtland’s Warbler Over the past quarter century, the Kirtland’s warbler(Dendroica kirtlandii) has generated a lot of attentionand concern. With only approximately 2,100 adultsleft in the world, this species is in serious decline,and is listed as endangered under the EndangeredSpecies Act. As a result of collaboration between

the NFS and R&D Deputy Areas, the needs of theKirtland’s warbler’s breeding habitat in the UnitedStates have been researched, documented, and inte-grated into the management of the Huron-Manistee National Forest. Millions of dollars havebeen spent to better manage the jack pine forests ofnorthern and central Michigan, where Kirtland’swarblers reside and breed in the summer season.

Despite all the conservation work focused on theKirtland’s warbler during the 3 months it spends inthe United States, little else is known about thisspecies during the other 9 months of the year. TheKirtland’s warbler winters exclusively in theBahamas and very little is known about its winterrange and habitat requirements. The USDA ForestService and The Nature Conservancy have formed apartnership that focuses attention on the Bahamas—the other side of the conservation equation. TheUSDA Forest Service contributors to this partner-ship are IP, the International Institute of TropicalForestry, and the Huron-Manistee National Forest.This work complements the conservation invest-ments made in the United States, and is vital inpreparing and implementing conservation strategiesnecessary to save this species from extinction.

In March 2002, representatives from the BahamasNational Trust Ornithology Group and the USDAForest Service International Institute of TropicalForestry formed a team in the Bahamas to study thewarbler. The team also included colleagues fromThe Nature Conservancy and the BahamasDepartment of Agriculture. No one was expectingto spot one of these elusive warblers; however, the

March 2004 ❘ 17

Western Boreal Forest Wetlands.

Researcher tagging red-legged thrush on Andros Island, Bahamas.

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group has now identified at least 30 individualKirtland’s warblers on the island of Eleuthera.

Initially surprised by the sightings, the researchersregained their focus and placed leg bands on six ofthe birds, a first for the species in the winter season.By studying the color-banded birds, the specialistswere able to deduce that these particular birdsreside at the Eleutheran site through most of thewinter and leave for Michigan by early May. Overtime, the researchers will learn more from thesebirds, especially what the birds need in the winter tosurvive and what researchers need to do to success-fully recover this endangered species.

Winging Northward: A Shorebird’s Journey Shorebirds are true ambassadors for our world.Migrating to Alaska from many places, such asMexico, Central and South America, Japan, Hawaii,and the West Coast of the United States, someshorebirds fly as many as 7,000 miles one way.Their numbers are declining, however, and scien-tists are concerned about their future.

To bring the excitement and understanding aboutshorebirds into classrooms, the educational pro-gram Winging Northward: A Shorebird’s Journey wascreated. The program included a Web site and aculminating live, interactive television broadcast toteach students what they can do to protect shore-birds and their habitats.

Winging Northward combined distance learning withlocal classroom education, bringing over 500,000students on a virtual field trip to a remote coastalcommunity in Alaska. Aimed at fourth througheighth graders, this innovative program encom-passed an entire curriculum that used shorebirds asa basis for a semester-long biology class. Studentslearned about migration, life history, and the impor-tance of wetland conservation throughout the fly-way, from Alaska to South America.

Teachers from the United States, Canada, and LatinAmerica signed up via the Internet (at http://shore-birds.pwnet.org) for the free service. The dynamicWeb site contained a teacher resource center andexciting classroom activities that were correlated tonational education standards. Part of the curriculumincluded Maya, a caricature of a western sandpiper(Calidris mauri) that traveled from Peru to Alaska. Aposter contest had students drawing their waythrough shorebird migration. As the program pro-gressed, students and teachers interacted by emailwith participants throughout the hemisphere. A totalof more than 850 school districts registered, cover-ing 30 States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Brazil, andCanada. By the end of the broadcast, students wereable to (1) describe how shorebirds are uniquelyadapted to live in wetlands; (2) list the three habitatareas shorebirds need for a successful life cycle; (3)explain why shorebirds depend on wetlands in thesethree habitats areas for a successful life cycle; and (4)demonstrate that they can help wetlands by develop-ing a class project that shares their new knowledgewith others or helps protect a local wetland.


Winging Northward Day on the Chugach National Forest.

Kirtland’s warbler.

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This Winging Northward electronic adventure was ajoint effort among the IP, Pacific NorthwestResearch Station, Ducks Unlimited, ChugachNational Forest, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, PrinceWilliam Network, and Manomet Center forConservation Sciences.

Inyo National Forest, Eastern Sierra Riparian Bird Study The Eastern Sierra Riparian Songbird ConservationProject’s principal goal is to develop baseline infor-mation on the riparian bird community and itshabitats in eastern California. Songbirds are modelorganisms for monitoring the health of riparian sys-tems and the effects of various land managementpractices on these systems.

This collaborative Partners in Flight effort includesFederal, State, and private organizations. Since1998, the Inyo National Forest, in collaborationwith the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)Bishop Field Office, California Department of Fishand Game, Point Reyes Bird Observatory, EasternSierra Audubon Society, Mono Lake Committee,Eastern Sierra Institute for Collaborative Education,Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, SierraNevada Aquatic Research Laboratory, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Cornell University, and theMono Lake Tufa State Reserve, has gathered base-line songbird breeding and habitat data over a largeportion of the eastern Sierra Nevada/western GreatBasin regions. In 2000, the project expanded tomore intensively investigate the riparian songbirdbreeding “hotspots” that the study identified in theMono Basin, and the factors that influence birdabundance and productivity in these areas.Songbird habitat has gradually improved in thebasin as a result of the rewatering of stream chan-nels flowing into Mono Lake.

Project partners must continue to document andmonitor these changes as part of the watershedrestoration program. To investigate the potentialimpacts of pack-station operations and high-inten-

sity recreation sites—such as campgrounds andday-use sites—on songbird abundance, diversity,and productivity, the project expanded to includehigher-elevation riparian habitats on the InyoNational Forest in 2001. Additionally, riparian studysites on BLM and Humbolt-Toiyabe lands withinthe East and West Walker River drainages wereadded. The study’s long-term objectives are tomonitor a subset of the vast array of existing moni-toring plots to document bird population changesover time, provide outreach and education opportu-nities for biologists and the public, and continue tomonitor riparian restoration projects in the easternSierra Nevada bioregion as recommended in theSierra Nevada Partners in Flight Riparian BirdConservation Plan.

The study has aided the Inyo National Forest inmeeting its National Forest Management Act “man-agement indicator species” monitoring obligations,which include monitoring riparian songbird popu-lations and evaluating songbird species abundance,diversity, and productivity relative to habitat condi-tions and land management activities. Study resultshave improved scientific contributions to NationalEnvironmental Policy Act analyses and landscapeanalyses directed by the Sierra Nevada Forest PlanAmendment of 2001. In addition, the study is con-tributing to the forest plan revision process scheduledto begin in 2004. The process will include revisingthe forest plan management indicator species list tobetter reflect species that can indicate the effects ofland management, as well as species that can beadequately monitored. This study is a landmark

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Western sandpipers on the Copper River Delta, Alaska.

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cooperative venture in the eastern Sierra that livesup to the vision of the Partners in Flight programand demonstrates how agencies and the public canpool their limited resources to accomplish regional,large landscape monitoring programs.

Northern Region Landbird Monitoring ProgramThe Northern Region of the USDA Forest Servicehas been using point count surveys to monitorlandbirds every year since 1993. The program isoperated in conjunction with the University ofMontana and consists of two separate efforts con-ducted in alternating years: (1) monitoring morethan 330 transects that are located in a geographi-cally stratified random manner across all NFS landsin Montana and northern Idaho; and (2) monitoringthe effects of specific USDA Forest Service manage-ment practices on birds across the region. The first

component focuses on accumulating long-term birdpopulation trends and habitat relationships data.The second component focuses on collecting short-term monitoring data to help answer specific ques-tions posed by field personnel. These questionsinclude describing differences in bird communitiesin relation to prescribed burning, sanitation timberharvest, and different grazing intensities in selectedriparian habitats.

The landbird program is the first step in providingbaseline information to assess trends in bird popu-lations, gain a first approximation to bird habitatrelationships, and suggest possible relationshipsbetween bird populations and USDA Forest Servicemanagement activities. Information obtained fromthese programs is being supplemented by moreintensive investigations on demographics, habitatrelationships, and the effects of management pro-grams. The program has already resulted in a num-ber of publications and has stimulated researchprojects by a number of investigators. Hutto andYoung’s review of the program is summarized in theFall 2002 issue of The Wildlife Society Bulletin.

Over the years, this program has been very success-ful in recruiting new partners, including Statewildlife agencies, private timber companies, tribalgovernments, and other Federal land managementagencies such as the BLM, the National ParkService, and the National Wildlife Refuge System.Data from all cooperators are pooled, analyzed bythe University of Montana, and made available topartners. Summary data are posted on the Web.Cooperation resulting from the USDA ForestService landbird program has evolved into astatewide effort to monitor birds and their habitatsacross all of Montana. The Montana Department ofFish, Wildlife & Parks, Partners in Flight, and theother bird conservation initiatives coordinated thisnew and exciting effort called the Montana BirdConservation Partnership. This partnership is wellinto its developmental stages and is envisioned to bea forum to implement comprehensive all-bird con-


Data collection in the field.

Bobolink.

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servation throughout the State. Idaho is nowembarking on a similar program.

Hiawatha National Forest, Raco Plains Barrens Restoration Project For a number of years, the Hiawatha NationalForest has treated more than 400 acres annually toimprove habitat for a host of wildlife species. Themaintenance of openlands and pine barrens usingmanagement techniques that mimic the effects ofhistoric, relatively frequent ground fires is a treat-ment emphasis. Several Regional Forester SensitiveSpecies and species of management interest, includ-ing the sharp-tailed grouse, prairie warbler,LeConte’s sparrow, northern harrier, and uplandsandpiper, have directly benefited from these habitatimprovement efforts.

In fiscal year 2002, the Hiawatha National Forestand the Michigan Wildlife Conservancy (formerlythe Michigan Wildlife Habitat Foundation) cooper-ated to maintain 150 acres of jack pine barrens onthe Raco Plains in Michigan’s eastern UpperPeninsula. Without intervention, the usefulness ofthis area as habitat for openland wildlife species wasin jeopardy because of long-term fire exclusion andsubsequent encroachment by woody vegetation.Intervention was also needed to perpetuate andstimulate a decade-old, 30-acre seeding of warm-season grasses. Fruit-bearing trees, such as sandcherry, hawthorn, and some jack pine, were retainedto provide the structural diversity characteristic of apine barren savanna.

The conservancy and Hiawatha National Forestshared the $4,000 project costs. Implementation of

the project on the ground involved a two-stepprocess spanning two seasons. In the fall of 2001,USDA Forest Service personnel began the prepara-tory work. Using a tractor and bush-hog, USDAForest Service personnel mowed approximately 75acres of outer perimeter which reduced woody vege-tation, created a fuel break, and expanded the exist-ing openland. During the spring of 2002, USDAForest Service personnel established control linesand treated 75 interior acres with prescribed fire.

The Raco Plains Barrens Restoration project andother similar efforts have been very successful inmaintaining and restoring openland wildlife habitatin the Hiawatha National Forest. Continued vigi-lance and active management will ensure that theseimportant habitats remain a viable feature on thelandscape.

“Citizen Science”: A Partnership for Bird ConservationIn 1999, the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology(Lab) entered into an agreement with the USDAForest Service to develop and administer avian citi-zen science research opportunities on nationalforests and grasslands. The program encouragedpartnerships by linking private citizens with USDA

March 2004 ❘ 21

Landbird monitoring in Montana.

Field observations are critical.

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Forest Service personnel in avian research andmonitoring. Two efforts resulted from the agree-ment, which continued from 1999 to 2002: Birds inForested Landscapes and Birds in Recreation Landscapes.

In the first year, the partnership focused on theLab’s Birds in Forested Landscapes project, whichinvestigated the effects of forest fragmentation onbreeding thrushes and accipiter hawks throughoutNorth America. A total of 110 citizen scientists con-tributed 2,300 hours to gather data at more than300 study sites using a standardized protocol devel-oped by the Lab and the USDA Forest Service.Accomplishments include the production of A LandManager’s Guide to Improving Habitat for ScarletTanagers and Other Forest-interior Birds, which wasdistributed to USDA Forest Service and other landmanagers. The partnership has produced additionalguidelines for thrushes and hawks and used a newCD with songs of 50 high-priority forest birdspecies to study the habitat needs of these addition-al species throughout North America. Results ofthese studies are in several peer-reviewed scientificjournals and are incorporated into Partners inFlight bird conservation plans.

The Birds in Forested Landscapes program was modi-fied in 2000 to help the USDA Forest Service studythe effects, if any, of recreation development on thepresence and nesting success of forest-dwellingbirds. In cooperation with the USDA Forest Serviceavian research community, the citizen science Birdsin Recreation Landscapes program was developed. Theproject involved 100 campgrounds, with 90 citizens

contributing 3,000 hours. A final report showing theresults of the project will be completed during 2004.

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, NevadaPartners in Flight Bird Conservation Plans The Great Basin Bird Observatory, Nevada Divisionof Wildlife, BLM, Lahontan Audubon Society, andUSDA Forest Service joined together in 1993 as theNevada working group of Partners in Flight.

The intent was to create a cooperative, multientityprocess to address management concerns for thebirds of Nevada. Since that initial partnership wasformed, the Nevada Partners in Flight published theNevada Partners in Flight Bird Conservation Plan(Neel 1999). This citizen-based, habitat improve-ment plan is coordinated at the State level and isdesigned to (1) recruit and combine funding; (2)develop and implement long-term monitoringefforts that establish bird population trends andpredict effects from land management activities; and(3) plan and implement conservation education thatdevelops public support for implementing the plan.

The implementation of the plan is based on strongcollaboration among agencies, nonprofit organiza-tions, and individuals throughout the State. Thiscollaborative process has resulted in several accom-plishments to benefit birds in the State of Nevada.The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest has been aleader in completing several of these efforts. Theyinclude the following:


Raco Plains Barrens, Hiawatha National Forest.

Citizen science volunteers.

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• The Nevada Breeding Bird Atlas. Through amultiyear agreement with the Great Basin BirdObservatory, the forest was a major participantin completing the Nevada Breeding Bird Atlas in2002. This volunteer-based, statewide effort hasdeveloped species lists for each county inNevada, species accounts for each bird recorded,and interpretation of these data for land man-agers to predict species presence when complet-ing land management analyses.

• Nevada Breeding Bird Monitoring Project. In2002, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, inpartnership with Nevada Partners in Flight, initi-ated the first year of the Breeding BirdMonitoring Plan. This plan includes (1) provid-ing a continuous, long-term, extensive point-count sampling effort that will allow future pop-ulation trend analyses for birds of Nevada’smajor habitat types; (2) addressing bird monitor-ing needs identified in the Nevada Partners inFlight Bird Conservation Plan as thoroughly asfeasible, given funding limitations; and (3) pro-viding resource managers with a database fortangible uses while also meeting the criteria ofrandom statewide sampling. This is a volunteer-based monitoring project implemented throughan agreement with the Nevada Division ofWildlife, BLM, and Great Basin Bird Observatory.

International Grassland Bird Conservation Historically, grassland birds were found in vastnumbers across the prairies of the western GreatPlains. These species migrate annually betweenCanada, United States, Mexico, and countries far-ther south for the nonbreeding season. Today, these

grassland birds (for example Sprague’s pipit, Baird’ssparrow, horned lark, Cassin’s sparrow, grasshoppersparrow, burrowing owl, lark sparrow, ferruginoushawk, bobolink, and mountain plover) are showingsteeper, more consistent, and more geographicallywidespread population declines than any othergroup of North American migratory bird species.Leading threats and causes for these declines aregrassland loss and fragmentation, livestock grazing,energy development, invasive species, and pesticideuse, on both the breeding habitats in the UnitedStates and Canada and the wintering grounds southof the United States.

In 2002, a new partnership among the USDAForest Service Northern Region, Rocky MountainResearch Station, IP, The Nature Conservancy’sPrairie Wings initiative, and the Northern GreatPlains Joint Venture (NGPJV) was formed to lead aninternational effort to reverse population declinesand conserve grassland bird species. The USDAForest Service Northern Region and The NatureConservancy are leading the effort.

In the summer of 2001, the Dakota PrairieGrassland hosted several Mexican biologists and sci-entists, under the joint sponsorship of The NatureConservancy’s Prairie Wings initiative and the IP. InFebruary 2002, personnel from the Dakota Prairie

March 2004 ❘ 23

Spotted towhee being banded.

Western tanager.

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Grassland, Thunder Basin National Grassland, andNebraska National Forest participated in a northernMexico grassland habitats tour with Mexican biolo-gists and conservationists, and The NatureConservancy. Subsequently, IP sponsored a partner-ship team meeting in Bismarck, ND, to advance thepartnership action plan.

Through these exchanges, the partners have identi-fied the need to use intensive and extensive grass-land bird surveys in northern Mexico to determinefocus species distributions. Also, IP is sponsoringdevelopment of management plans for bird habitatson the Janos and Saltillo grasslands in northernMexico, both essential habitats for survival of grass-land bird species that migrate from the UnitedStates and Canada. New partners and funding havebeen secured to track ferruginous hawks (Buteoregalis) through the application of satellite telemetryand feather stable isotope markers. In the winter of

2002, two ferruginous hawks in Mexico were fittedwith satellite transmitters. This research will make itpossible to identify which Mexican grassland areasare key to ferruginous hawk and other grasslandbird populations during the nonbreeding season aswell as show where these birds spend the breedingseason in the United States and Canada.

This partnership between the NFS, R&D, and IPdemonstrates effective interdeputy collaboration.Working with The Nature Conservancy and others,this effort serves as an excellent example of the“integrated all-bird conservation” embodied in thevision of the North American Bird ConservationInitiative.

Lower Mississippi Valley Large-Scale Watershed Project The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley covers morethan 24 million acres in parts of seven Statesextending from southern Illinois to the Gulf ofMexico. Historically, the valley was largely bottom-land hardwood forest. Flooding of the mightyMississippi River and its tributaries shaped thisland and the migratory bird habitats found there.Rich soils left by these floods produced a vast,forested wetland that sheltered a great diversity ofwildlife. Unfortunately, by the 1980s, human inter-vention had reduced the original forest by morethan 80 percent.

The USDA Forest Service’s Center for BottomlandHardwood Research, in Stoneville, MS, provides animportant source of knowledge and informationabout this bottomland hardwood ecosystem.Wildlife studies at the center document the effectsof management activities in the bottomland hard-wood ecosystem on the associated terrestrial animalcommunities. One of the primary focuses of thework is assessing management effects on, and deter-mining silvicultural prescriptions for, neotropicalmigratory birds, whose populations in these frag-mented habitats are limited. The center conductsresearch on the distribution and abundance of the


Black tailed prairie dog town in Janos, Northern Mexico.

The Nature Conservancy, USDA Forest Service, and Mexicangrassland bird conservation partners.

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Cerulean warbler (Dendroica cerulean), a neotropicalmigrant that winters in the Andes of SouthAmerica. This species’ population numbers havedeclined by more than 50 percent in the past threedecades, and it has been petitioned for listing underthe Endangered Species Act.

The USDA Forest Service is a member of theRestoring the Delta partnership with DucksUnlimited, Inc., and many other partners. The goalof this partnership is to develop a strategic allianceto help landowners establish a watershed approachto sustaining the ecological integrity of the valley’sbottomland hardwood ecosystem. More than 90percent of the valley is privately owned, so develop-ing economically viable options is critical to restoringand sustaining the valley’s ecological values. To thatend, the USDA Forest Service hired a valley water-shed coordinator to guide restoration of bird habi-tats in the valley. To date, the Delta National Foresthas completed some very important wetland con-servation projects with partners. These project areaswill serve as anchor points for conserving manymigratory bird species.

Recently, the USDA Forest Service Forest LegacyProgram acquired the 12,856-acre Anderson-Tully

property, an important tract of privately owned bot-tomland hardwood forest on the Mississippi Riverin west Tennessee. This tract of land is located atthe confluence of the Hatchie and Mississippi riversand is connected to 24,000 acres of public landsthat include Lower Hatchie National WildlifeRefuge, Cold Creek State Wildlife ManagementArea, Sunk National Wildlife Refuge, Fort PillowState Park & Prison Farm, and the mid-MississippiAlluvial Valley (MAV)-Fullen State WildlifeManagement Area.

The restoration journey has begun. Numerousagencies and organizations including the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, State natu-ral resource agencies, USDA Forest Service, NaturalResources Conservation Service, Corps ofEngineers, Environmental Protection Agency,Business Council for Sustainable Development,Delta Council, and Lower Mississippi Valley JointVenture, are playing a variety of roles in restoringthis valuable bottomland hardwood ecosystem.

Vegetation Structure and Wildlife Distribution Scientists at the Northeast Research Station areinvestigating the relationships between NewEngland forest habitats and wildlife. Researchefforts are directed at the distribution and ecologyof vertebrates in relation to forest habitat and man-agement practices. Projects include the distribution

March 2004 ❘ 25

Aerial photo with graphic overlay of the Anderson-Tully acquisitionin Tennessee.

What’s Happened to theBottomland Hardwood Forest

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Acreage of bottomland hardwood forest in the Lower MississippiAlluvial Valley.

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of birds in relation to forest cover type, size-class,and habitat structure; the distribution of birds,small mammals, and amphibians to forest/clearcutborders; the predation rates of real and artificialnests in relationship to landscape characteristics,forest/clearcut borders and roads; the distributionand reproductive success of early successionalshrubland birds in relation to patch size and plantsuccession; the identity of nest predators on real andartificial nests as indicated by still photography andvideography; the habitat use and habitat-specificsurvival of fledgling neotropical migrants; and, mostrecently, the distribution and reproductive successof shrubland birds in powerline rights-of-way.

The research is designed to answer questions man-agers posed about the effects of their practices onwildlife. For this purpose, coarse-grained investiga-tions of animal distribution in relation to habitatand management provide a valuable approximationof the effect of management on wildlife. Source-sink dynamics can, however, obscure the relation-ship between animal distribution and habitat quali-ty because animals regularly reside in suboptimalhabitats in which they are unable to reproduce suc-cessfully. Therefore, research emphasizes the effectof habitat and management practices on fitness,including nest success, net seasonal productivity,and fledgling survival, as well as the mechanisms

affecting bird distribution and fitness among habi-tats. This detailed level of study gives managersaccess to accurate and comprehensive informationon the effect of their practices and policies onwildlife populations.

The process of identifying research questions,designing and conducting research projects, andensuring that the information reaches the researchcommunity, resource managers, and the publicinvolves a wide range of participants. Researchquestions are frequently identified through consul-tations with national forest biologists and personnelfrom State land management agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). National for-est managers’ frustration regarding a paucity of datafrom extensively forested landscapes resulted in earlier investigations of bird distribution and fitnessin relation to forest management. Researchers areinitiating projects now on the management of earlysuccessional communities using wildlife habitatopenings in response to requests by national forestand State management agencies. Through cooperationwith the Massachusetts Audubon Society, research isunderway on the management of powerline rights-of-way with a grant from Northeastern Utilities.

The products and outcomes include numerouspublications in peer-reviewed journals and talks at

Even-aged management of spruce-fir stands in the White Mountains of New Hampshire provides habitat for a diverse array of birds.

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scientific conferences; however, researchers makean effort to ensure that the results reach managersand the public as well. For example, researchers arein close communication with biologists on thenearby White Mountain National Forest, and areregularly called upon to lend expertise to thenational forest in meetings and on panels. Researchresults are incorporated in White MountainNational Forest policies, and are widely used byprofessional consultants and NGOs as well. Also, incooperation with other scientists from theNortheastern Research Station, researchers haveprovided explicit guidelines for the management ofwildlife habitats in “New England Wildlife:Management of Forested Habitats” (NE-144). Thispublication was recognized by a Chief’s Award forTechnology Transfer in 1994. Finally, researchresults are available to the public in the form ofpopular articles in outlets such as the WoodlandSteward, the publication of the MassachusettsForestry Association.

Forest Management for the Red-cockaded Woodpecker The red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis)received legal protection in 1973 under theEndangered Species Act. Adapted to live in old-growth pine forests of the Southeastern UnitedStates, this woodpecker has nearly disappeared asthese forests have been cleared for and fragmentedby agricultural, commercial, and residential usesover the last two centuries. Fire suppression has dis-rupted the natural frequent fire regime that normallyremoves the hardwood mid-story at 1- to 3-yearintervals, maintaining an open park-like pine habitatthe woodpecker prefers. In the altered forested land-scape of the South today, active forest managementis necessary to create and maintain conditionsessential to the perpetuation of the species.

To understand the management needs of the red-cockaded woodpecker, many USDA Forest Serviceresearchers have studied habitat relationships of thespecies. At the Southern Research Station in

Nacogdoches, TX, researchers have focused on thespecial characteristics of living pines as cavity treesfor the red-cockaded woodpecker. Researchers havefound that pines suitable for cavity excavation gen-erally exceed 100 to 120 years in age, possessingheartwood of sufficient diameter to permit cavityplacement well above the fires that naturally fre-quent these pine systems. Older pines also have ahigher rate of occurrence of red heart fungus thatdecays the heartwood, allowing easier cavity excava-tion. Preferred cavity trees have relatively thin sap-wood, further reducing excavation time. Still anoth-er characteristic of suitable cavity trees is their abili-ty to produce resin in adequate quantity and with aparticular chemical makeup. The woodpeckersexcavate resin wells above and below cavityentrances that create effective barriers to predationby rat snakes.

The extended length of time required to excavatecavities and the complexity of factors that dictatecavity tree suitability result in a natural rarity ofsuitable cavity trees and, therefore, cavities in theecosystem. With the substantial alteration of theseecosystems by human activity further eroding avail-able suitable habitat, research to understand the

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Red-cockaded woodpecker.

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needs of the species and inform targeted manage-ment has become vital to the recovery of thisunique species.

Northern Goshawks and Implications for Forest ManagementConcern has arisen that northern goshawk popu-lations may be declining across the country due tohabitat loss associated, in part, with forest man-agement practices. The Rocky Mountain ResearchStation, along with eight cooperating scientists, isleading a 13-year project on the Kaibab Plateau inArizona to increase understanding of the relation-ship between goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) andforestry practices. An overarching, long-range goalof this research is the refinement of forest man-agement recommendations from the southwest-ern region and their adaptation across the rangeof the goshawk.

A goal of this research is to understand what con-stitutes quality goshawk habitat, accomplished by

identifying the links between goshawk demographyand the composition, structure, and landscape pat-terns of their habitats. Specific objectives of thisresearch include (1) estimating age-specific survivaland reproductive rates of the Kaibab goshawk pop-ulation; (2) determining the relative importance oflimiting factors such as habitat, food, predators, andcompetitors on goshawk survival and reproduction;and (3) identifying the vegetation attributes thathelp define habitat quality.

Researchers should understand juvenile populationdynamics to determine how forest managementpractices influence goshawk populations and permitidentification of post-fledging habitats. Findings arealso contributing to an understanding of emigrationand immigration patterns and their implications forgene flow among western goshawk populations,factors vitally important to the persistence ofregional populations. This information will improvetargeted management and conservation strategies atlocal and regional scales.

Research is also targeting the vital role of, and fac-tors related to, food abundance in the nesting suc-cess of goshawks. Results reveal that variation ingoshawk reproduction closely tracks variations inprey abundance. To help understand the factorsaffecting prey abundance, researchers are investigat-ing possible correlations with forest type, manage-ment prescription, and climatic variations associat-ed with wet and dry cycles.

Goshawks placed competing with red-tailed hawks(Buteo jamaicensus) for food is another potential lim-iting factor under investigation. Results suggest thatas forests are opened and fragmented, occupation


Red-cockaded woodpecker nest box placement.

Northern goshawk captured in Ponderosa pine forest, Kaibab Plateau.

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by red-tails increases, leading to direct dietary com-petition with goshawks and loss of quality nestingsites formerly available to goshawks.

Constraints placed on reproduction and populationsize by the availability of quality nesting habitat isanother factor under investigation. Spatial habitatmodeling shows that suitable nest habitat is abun-dant and randomly distributed, and, therefore, notlimiting the breeding population. Instead, territori-ality appears to set the population limit. Choice ofnest location is, therefore, constrained by the avail-ability of suitable habitat within spaces defined byneighboring territories.

Study results are validating existing management rec-ommendations, and yielding more managementtools. For instance, the habitat model discussed abovemay be used to simulate the effects of forest changethrough management and/or natural disturbance ongoshawk populations. By modeling populationdynamics within simulated landscapes, researcherscan learn how many reproductive pairs are neededwithin a region to maintain viable populations.

Nicatous Lake Forest Legacy Project Hancock County, ME, is home to 20,268 acres ofland around Nicatous (pronounced Nic-a-TAO-is)and West Lakes. A conservation easement createdApril 24, 2000, protects the land from future devel-opment. The property contains 34 miles of shoreline,seven remote ponds, wildlife habitat, and a large

block of contiguous forest land. It offers hiking, boat-ing, camping, hunting, and fishing opportunities.

The Trust for Public Land, the Forest Society ofMaine, and Maine Coast Heritage Trust pooled theirskills and resources to bring the project to fruition.They worked with the landowners, Robbins Lumberand Champion International, to shape a conserva-tion easement on the property. This coalition ofnonprofits brought the project before Maine’sForest Legacy committee, where its outstandingattributes made it a top priority for Forest Legacyfunds. The USDA Forest Service also promoted theproject nationally.

Maine’s congressional delegation secured $3 millionfrom the Forest Legacy Program, and the Land forMaine’s Future Program allocated $750,000 towardthe acquisition of the Nicatous and West Lakesconservation easement.

The Forest Legacy Program protects importantforests from conversion to nonforest uses. Theseforests provide essential wildlife habitat, protectwater quality, offer outstanding recreation opportu-nities, afford outstanding scenic views, are home tohistoric sites, and provide the opportunity to con-tinue traditional forest uses. A Federal-State part-nership allows landowners to keep their land private

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Nicatous Lake Forest Legacy Project, Maine.

Northern goshawk.

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while ensuring it remains forest forever through theuse of conservation easements.

The Nicatous Lake Forest Legacy project won theHabitat Award, one of four Taking Wing awards for2001. The mission of Taking Wing is to be a part-ner in managing wetland ecosystems for waterfowl

and wetland wildlife. Each year the Taking Wingprogram presents awards to USDA Forest Serviceunits/employees and partners who enhance wildlifehabitat. This is the first time a Taking Wing awardhas been awarded to a USDA Forest Service S&PFproject.

The USDA Forest Service still has work to do inbird conservation. In the next decade, the

agency, as a leader in bird conservation nationallyand internationally, will strive to meet bird conser-vation challenges and address unmet opportunitiesin a proactive and cooperative manner. Bird conser-vation leadership will—

• Restore, enhance, and maintain habitat fornative bird populations;

• Work nationally and internationally to protectthe full life-cycle needs of birds;

• Strengthen bird research and monitoring andintegrate results into programs and activitiesusing an adaptive management approach;

• Actively participate in national and internationalbird initiatives and partnerships;

• Pursue opportunities to work outside of nationalforest and grassland boundaries, and across allland ownerships; and

• Enhance and exchange bird conservationknowledge with cooperators and the public.

To meet these goals, the USDA Forest Service birdconservation program’s course to the futureincludes land managers, scientists, conservationpartners, and the general public—

• Joining together to manage ecosystems in amanner that promotes bird conservation andthe conservation of biological diversity due toan awareness and understanding of the impor-tance of resident and migratory birds and theirhabitats.

• Integrating bird conservation objectives intoland management planning and considering theimpacts on bird populations and habitats inmaking land management decisions.

• Continuing to provide quality opportunities forthe public to participate, learn, and share in “all-bird” conservation activities and educationalevents on national forests and grasslands.

• Continuing to recognize national forests andgrasslands as providers of essential bird habi-tat and outstanding birding and huntingopportunities.

• Viewing the program as an integral part of theUSDA Forest Service’s major initiatives andstrategies, such as the National Fire Plan and theHealthy Forests Initiative.

• Accepting the program as a model for how gov-ernment agency conservation programs can beeffective. Working with a wide array of partners,from conservation groups and other Federal,tribal, and State agencies to communities andindividual citizens, the USDA Forest Serviceserves as a catalyst that brings disparate intereststogether to enhance bird conservation.Encouraging and supporting participation ofpartners to fuel the sustained vibrancy and qual-ity of the program.

Further, these goals will be achieved by accomplish-ing the following:

• Strengthening the agency’s work with otherFederal, State, and local agencies, tribal govern-ments, NGOs, and willing private landowners in assessing the state of our Nation’s birdresources and identifying research and conserva-tion priorities.

• Renewing the agency’s commitment to high-quality research to understand the causes of

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U S DA F O R E S T S E R V I C E C O U R S E T O T H E F U T U R E

avian declines and to inform management deci-sions.

• Striving to protect, restore, and enhance habitatof all birds and prevent or minimize the loss ordegradation of habitats on NFS lands.

• Emphasizing an interdisciplinary, collaborativeapproach to migratory bird conservation incooperation with other governments, State andFederal agencies, and nongovernmental partnerswithin the framework of the North American

Bird Conservation Initiative’s Bird ConservationRegions.

• Working with domestic and international part-ners to promote migratory bird conservationinternationally.

The USDA Forest Service looks forward to workingwith other agencies and conservation partners todeliver its bird conservation vision for the future.


March 2004 ❘ 33

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pro-hibits discrimination in all its programs and activi-ties on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual ori-entation, and marital or family status. (Not all pro-hibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons withdisabilities who require alternative means for com-munication of program information (Braille, largeprint, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TAR-GET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA,Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W,Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue,SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202)720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equalopportunity provider and employer.

FS-773March 2004

cover photo of canvasback duck courtesy of william vingel ...€¦ · many forest service...

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