Early Successional Forest Management on Private Lands as a Coupled Human and Natural System

Facilitating voluntary conservation on private lands is a crucial element of policies that seek to mitigate forest habitat loss and fragmentation around the world. Previous research emphasizes the role of social factors (e.g., landowner characteristics, economics) in forest management, but environmental outcomes of past management can also affect landowner decisions. Our objective was to evaluate how positive outcomes for wildlife and habitat might reinforce or amplify landowner efforts to manage forest habitats. We applied the lens of coupled human and natural systems to investigate private lands management for early successional forests, which are declining along with associated wildlife in rural areas of the eastern U.S. Efforts to restore early successional forest in this region involve active forest management to create patches of successional forest in native, mature mixed hardwood stands. By integrating field-based monitoring of wildlife with surveys of landowner perceptions, we examined how landowners observed, interpreted, and responded to property-scale ecological outcomes of forest management. We recorded presence of Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) and American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) and estimated bird species richness in spring 2015 and/or 2016 on private properties located in the Appalachians (Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania) and Upper Great Lakes (Minnesota, Wisconsin). These properties were enrolled in early successional forest management programs administered through the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Bird surveys were paired with landowner responses to a telephone survey conducted from January to May 2017 (n = 102). Most (71.6–81.6%) landowners’ perceptions of avian presence on their properties matched monitoring results. These perceptions were informed by personal observations and by outreach from agency partners and field technicians. Landowners who already completed their conservation program contracts (n = 85) continued managing early successional forests. Continued management for early successional habitat was positively associated with perceived benefits to birds, forest health, and scenery. Our findings give insight into how private landowners respond to environmental effects of forest management. We conclude that positive environmental outcomes of these conservation programs are related to continued early successional forest conservation by private landowners.

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Does Proximity to Wetland Shrubland Increase the Habitat Value for Shrubland Birds of Small Patches of Upland Shrubland in the Northeastern United States?

International Journal of Forestry Research ◽

10.1155/2014/329836 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bill Buffum ◽

Richard A. McKinney

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Bird Species ◽

Private Landowners ◽

Population Declines ◽

Northeastern United States ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Point Counts ◽

Habitat Value ◽

Shrubland Birds ◽

The Impact

The loss of shrubland habitat is linked to population declines for many wildlife species, including several bird species of conservation concern. Conservation agencies in the northeastern United States encourage private landowners to clearcut patches of forest to create shrubland habitat. Many private landowners are only willing to create small clearcuts; therefore, it is important to understand how to maximize the impact of small clearcuts on bird habitat use. In this study we examined whether proximity to wetland shrubland increases the habitat value of small patches of upland shrubland. We conducted point counts at 22 sites containing small patches of upland shrubland ranging in size from 0.1 to 7 ha. Shrubland bird species richness was significantly positively correlated with the proportion of wetland shrubland habitat within 100 m of a site, and with the extent of all shrubland habitat within 100 m, but not with the proportion of upland shrubland. Occupancy modeling indicated that the size of adjacent wetland shrub patches increased occupancy at the sites for five of eight species observed with sufficient rates of detection. Our results suggest that creating clearcuts adjacent to existing areas of wetland shrubland may enhance the habitat value of the patches for shrubland birds.

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Early seral hardwood vegetation increases adult and fledgling bird abundance in Douglas-fir plantations of the Oregon Coast Range, USA

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x2012-035 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 42 (5) ◽

pp. 918-933 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Tana M. Ellis ◽

Andrew J. Kroll ◽

Matthew G. Betts

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Pacific Northwest ◽

Management Practices ◽

Bird Species ◽

Relative Magnitude ◽

Breeding Habitat ◽

Population Declines ◽

Private Lands ◽

Bird Abundance ◽

Catharus Ustulatus

Recent evidence suggests that population declines of bird species associated with early-successional forest conditions may be associated with reduced quality of breeding habitat. Increasing intensity of forest management on private lands and decreased harvest rates on federal lands in the Pacific Northwest, USA, have resulted in a loss of diverse young forest stands, typically called early seral forest. Previous studies suggest that the amount of early seral broadleaf cover within conifer forests is linked to the composition of foliage-gleaning bird communities. However, information regarding productivity and juvenile use of post-breeding habitat in highly modified plantation habitat is lacking. We examined the relationship between vegetation structure resulting from intensive forest management practices and the abundance of five species of leaf-gleaning, neotropical migrants: orange-crowned warbler ( Oreothlypis celata (Say, 1823)), Wilson’s warbler ( Wilsonia pusilla (A. Wilson, 1811)), MacGillivray’s warbler ( Oporornis tolmiei (J.K. Townsend, 1839)), Swainson’s thrush ( Catharus ustulatus (Nuttall, 1840)), and black-headed grosbeak ( Pheucticus melanocephalus (Swainson, 1827)). All species, except MacGillivray’s warbler, showed positive associations with the amount of early seral hardwood cover as fledglings, breeding adults, or both. However, the relative magnitude of these associations varied, suggesting that other factors may also have influenced avian responses. Abundances of breeding pairs and young are likely to show positive responses to management practices that increase early seral hardwood cover in regenerating stands. If adopted at landscape and regional scales, such practices may positively influence population trends of several declining bird species.

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Wildlife Communities Associated with Even-Aged Reproduction Stands in Two State Forests of Pennsylvania

Northern Journal of Applied Forestry ◽

10.1093/njaf/16.2.89 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 89-95 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Leigh Ann Boardman ◽

Richard H. Yahner

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Forest Management ◽

Management Practice ◽

Bird Species ◽

Ground Level ◽

Breeding Birds ◽

Individual Species ◽

Dense Layer ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Forest Management Practice

Abstract The effects of even-aged forest management on wildlife have been studied extensively in the northeastern United States. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry recently adopted a new forest management practice termed "even-aged reproduction stands with reservation guidelines," hereafter termed EAR stands, which is intended to replace clearcutting as the primary method of even-aged forest management. We examined wildlife communities (breeding birds and small mammals) in 16 stands (8 EAR stands and 8 reference) in central Pennsylvania from February to October 1995. Species richness and abundances of total birds, foraging guilds, and individual species did not differ (P > 0.05) between large (> 30) and small (< 20 ha) EAR stands. Bird species richness was similar between EAR and reference stands, but abundances of total birds, ground-shrub foragers,common yellowthroats (Geothylpis trichas), and chipping sparrows (Spizella passerina) were significantly higher in EAR than in reference stands. Conversely, abundances of canopy-sallier foragers and red-eyed vireos (Vireo olivaceus) were considerably higher (P < 0.05) in reference than EAR stands. Abundance of the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in small compared to large EAR stands but was similar between EAR and reference stands. Because of the concerns about forest fragmentation, we recommend that EAR stands be less than 40 ha in size, which is typical of those created by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry. Overstory trees and snags in EAR stands serve as important substrates for breeding birds. Furthermore, EAR guidelines promote regeneration and growth of a dense layer of vegetation near ground level which is beneficial to wildlife. North. J. Appl. For. 16(2):89-95.

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Landscape structure and bird species richness: implications for conservation in rural areas between natural parks

Landscape and Urban Planning ◽

10.1016/s0169-2046(00)00053-0 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 49 (1-2) ◽

pp. 35-48 ◽

Cited By ~ 94

Author(s):

Joan Pino ◽

Ferran Rodà ◽

Josep Ribas ◽

Xavier Pons

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Landscape Structure ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Bird Species ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Natural Parks

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List of Birds Sigthed on Livestock Farms in Sucre, Colombia

Global Journal of Science Frontier Research ◽

10.34257/gjsfrcvol20is1pg7 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 7-16

Author(s):

Sampedro A. ◽

Camargo K.

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Wildlife Conservation ◽

Bird Species ◽

Total Sample ◽

Chi Square ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Breeding Populations ◽

Livestock Farms ◽

Cattle Farms ◽

Degree Of Similarity

The rural areas of the Department of Sucre, Colombia, have a considerable bird species richness, but there are not many reports on this. In this work, we classify and record the species we sighted in nine cattle farms in the region. We obtained information on the relative abundance of each species (frequency of observation about the total sample), and biotopes where we observe them. We use chi square to know if there was an association between these parameters and also about to the food guild to which the species belong. We obtained the latter in the specialized bibliography. We use the Sorensen Index, to determine the degree of similarity of the communities of species in each biotope. We spot 103 species of birds. The best-represented order was Passeriformes, with eleven families and 36 species. Most of the species were abundant, and the biotope with the highest sighting was the open area, although many species were present in more than one biotope. We found no association between the abundance of species and the biotope in which we observed them, nor about the food guild. Among the species sighted, 21 are migratory, mostly wintering with permanent breeding populations. In this paper we discuss the importance of livestock farms for wildlife conservation.

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Functional evenness of bird communities varies along the elevational gradient in Europe: Conservation implications

10.32942/osf.io/sx9n8 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Federico Morelli ◽

Yanina

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Elevation Gradient ◽

Bird Species ◽

Elevational Gradient ◽

Negative Association ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Breeding Bird ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Large Spatial Scale ◽

Functional Evenness

ContextThe negative association between elevation and species richness is a well-recognized pattern in macro-ecology. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate changes in functional evenness of breeding bird communities along an elevation gradient in Europe. MethodsUsing the bird data from the EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds we estimated an index of functional evenness which can be assumed as a measure of the potential resilience of communities.ResultsOur findings confirm the existence of a negative association between elevation and bird species richness in all European eco regions. However, we also explored a novel aspect of this relationship, important for conservation: Our findings provide evidence at large spatial scale of a negative association between the functional evenness (potential community resilience) and elevation, independent of the eco region. We also found that the Natura2000 protected areas covers the territory most in need of protection, those characterized by bird communities with low potential resilience, in hilly and mountainous areas.ConclusionsThese results draw attention to European areas occupied by bird communities characterized by a potential lower capacity to respond to strong ecological changes, and, therefore, potentially more exposed to risks for conservation.

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Three hundred years of House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) persecution in Germany

Archives of Natural History ◽

10.3366/anh.2007.34.2.307 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 307-317 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

J. SEITZ

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

House Sparrow ◽

Bird Species ◽

Passer Domesticus ◽

Second World War ◽

Population Increase ◽

World War ◽

Large Numbers ◽

Urban And Rural Areas ◽

Second World

Modernization of agriculture, economic development and population increase after the end of the Thirty Years' War caused authorities in many parts of Germany to decree the eradication of so-called pest animals, including the House Sparrow. Farmers were given targets, and had to deliver the heads of sparrows in proportion to the size of their farms or pay fines. At the end of the eighteenth century German ornithologists argued against the eradication of the sparrows. During the mid-nineteenth century, C. L. Gloger, the pioneer of bird protection in Germany, emphasized the value of the House Sparrow in controlling insect plagues. Many decrees were abolished because either they had not been obeyed, or had resulted in people protecting sparrows so that they always had enough for their “deliveries”. Surprisingly, various ornithologists, including Ernst Hartert and the most famous German bird conservationist Freiherr Berlepsch, joined in the war against sparrows at the beginning of the twentieth century, because sparrows were regarded as competitors of more useful bird species. After the Second World War, sparrows were poisoned in large numbers. Persecution of sparrows ended in Germany in the 1970s. The long period of persecution had a significant but not long-lasting impact on House Sparrow populations, and therefore cannot be regarded as a factor in the recent decline of this species in urban and rural areas of western and central Europe.

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Forest Management In Mongolia – A Review Of Challenges And Lessons Learned With Special Reference To Degradation And Deforestation

GEOGRAPHY ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY ◽

10.24057/2071-9388-2019-102 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 133-166 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Alexander Gradel ◽

Gerelbaatar Sukhbaatar ◽

Daniel Karthe ◽

Hoduck Kang

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Land Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Forest Health ◽

Hydrological Regime ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Ecosystem Functions ◽

Special Focus ◽

Driven System ◽

The Status

The natural conditions, climate change and socio-economic challenges related to the transformation from a socialistic society towards a market-driven system make the implementation of sustainable land management practices in Mongolia especially complicated. Forests play an important role in land management. In addition to providing resources and ecosystem functions, Mongolian forests protect against land degradation.We conducted a literature review of the status of forest management in Mongolia and lessons learned, with special consideration to halting deforestation and degradation. We grouped our review into seven challenges relevant to developing regionally adapted forest management systems that both safeguard forest health and consider socio-economic needs. In our review, we found that current forest management in Mongolia is not always sustainable, and that some practices lack scientific grounding. An overwhelming number of sources noticed a decrease in forest area and quality during the last decades, although afforestation initiatives are reported to have increased. We found that they have had, with few exceptions, only limited success. During our review, however, we found a number of case studies that presented or proposed promising approaches to (re-)establishing and managing forests. These studies are further supported by a body of literature that examines how forest administration, and local participation can be modified to better support sustainable forestry. Based on our review, we conclude that it is necessary to integrate capacity development and forest research into holistic initiatives. A special focus should be given to the linkages between vegetation cover and the hydrological regime.

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The birth of oppida: small towns in Hungary in the Angevin period

Urban History ◽

10.1017/s0963926821000298 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-18

Author(s):

Katalin Szende

Keyword(s):

Fourteenth Century ◽

Thirteenth Century ◽

Small Towns ◽

Development Strategies ◽

Private Landowners ◽

Private Lands ◽

Private Interests ◽

The Right ◽

Mendicant Orders ◽

Century Development

Abstract This article revisits the origins of small towns in medieval Hungary from the perspective of their owners and seigneurs. The fourteenth-century development of small towns on the estates of private landowners resulted from the coincidence of several factors. Among these, the article considers the intersection of royal and private interests. The aristocrats’ concern to endow their estate centres with privileges or attract new settlers to their lands was dependent on royal approval; likewise, the right to hold annual fairs had to be granted by the kings, and one had to be a loyal retainer to be worthy of these grants. The royal model of supporting the mendicant orders, which were gaining ground in Hungary from the thirteenth century onwards, added a further dimension to the overlords’ development strategies. This shows that royal influence, directly or indirectly, had a major impact on the development of towns on private lands in the Angevin period (1301–87).

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