Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Maine
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Maine Project

Effects of forest management practices in the Acadian Northern Hardwood/Conifer Forests of Maine on forest bird communities, with emphasis on species of regional conservation priority and concern (Collaborators: D. harrison, P. Wood, C. Loftin)

August 2012 - December 2018

Personnel

Participating Agencies

  • USGS Science Support Partnership Program
  • Cooperative Forestry Research Unit
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service, Region 5, Migratory Birds

The goal of this study is to examine effects of Maine’s forest harvest practices employed in the northern deciduous/coniferous forest on diversity and abundance of the forest bird community of selected species of conservation interest (e.g., Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Cape May Warbler). The study will document bird communities in manipulated stands compared to reference stands and within the larger landscape context. Time since harvest will range from > 60 years (i.e., mature residual stands) to 17-40 years in regenerating clearcuts, and 14-18 years since initial harvest entry in selection harvest, shelterwood establishment, shelterwood overstory removal stands, with a gradient of harvest intensity from clearcut with herbicide to selection, to shelterwood establishment, to shelterwood overstory removal. This project is a collaboration of the US Geological Survey Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, the USGS West Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, the University of Maine, the Cooperative Forestry Research Unit, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The information learned in this study will inform our understanding of avian responses to stand age and structure as relates to habitat quality and in the context of changing land use practices in the northern forest landscape.

Research Publications Publication Date
Rolek, B. W., D.J. Harrison, C.S. Loftin, and P.B.Wood. 2018. Regenerating clearcuts combined with postharvest forestry treatments promote habitat for breeding and post-breeding spruce-fir avian assemblages in the Atlantic Northern Forest. Forest Ecology and Management 427: 392-413. Data DOI: 10.1111/jav.01779; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2018.05.068 November 2018
Technical Publications Publication Date
Rolek, B., D. Harrison, C. Loftin, and P. Wood. 2016. Bird communities of coniferous forests in the Acadian region; their habitat associations and responses to forest management. Annual report to the Cooperative Forestry Research Unit. 14pp. December 2016
Presentations Presentation Date
Rolek, B., C. Loftin, D. Harrison, P. Wood. 2015. Bay-breasted Warbler abundance and associations with forest management and vegetation in northern New England coniferous forests. Presentation at the Joint meeting of the Association of Field Ornithologists, Society of Canadian Ornithologists, and the Wilson Ornithological Society, 15-19 July, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada. July 2015
Rolek, B., C.S. Loftin, D. Harrison, and P.B. Wood. 2014. The influence of silviculture on New England bird communities in northern coniferous forests. Presentation at the 70th Annual Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, April 13-15, Portland, ME. April 2014
Rolek, B.W., C.S. Loftin, D.Harrison, and P.B.Wood. 2015. Effects of forrest management on avian abundance in spruce-fir forests of new England. Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit's Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting, Wells Common, Orono, ME, 25 March. March 2015
Rolek, B.W., C.S. Loftin, D.Harrison, and P.B.Wood. 2015. Effects of forrest management on avian abundance in spruce-fir forests of new England. Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit's Annual Coordinating Committee Meeting, Wells Common, Orono, ME, 25 March. March 2015
Rolek, B.W., C. Loftin, D. Harrison, and P. Wood. 2015. Methods, Data, Analysis, and Future Directions of the Northern New England Forest Birds Project. USFWS Migratory Bird Division. Hadley, MA, USA. 8 October. October 2015
Rolek, B.W., C. Loftin, D. Harrison, and P. Wood. 2016. Softwood Forest Birds and Silviculture in Northern New England. Annual Meeting of the Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit's Coordinating Committee Meeting, Orono, ME. 23 March. March 2016
Rolek, B.W., C. Loftin, D. Harrison, and P. Wood. 2016. Softwood Forest Birds and Silviculture in Northern New England. Annual Meeting of the Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit's Coordinating Committee Meeting, Orono, ME. 23 March. Poster. March 2016
Rolek, B.W., D. Harrison, C.S. Loftin, P.B. Wood. 2017. Workshop on spruce-fir birds, management, and habitat associations. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Hadley, MA. 12 January. January 2017
Rolek, B.W., D.J. Harrison, C.S. Loftin, and P.B. Wood. 2017. Regenerating clearcuts and post-harvest treatments increase spruce-fir avian assemblages and richness in managed stands. Presentation at the Annual Meeting of The Wildlife Society, Albuquerque, NM, 23-27 September. September 2017
Rolek, B.W., D.J. Harrison, D.W. Linden, C.S. Loftin, and P.B. Wood. 2016. Long-term effects of forest harvesting on spruce-fir avian communities. Presented at the 2016 North America Congress for Conservation Biology, Madison,WI, 17-20 July. July 2016
Rolek, B.W., D.J. Harrison, M.Hartley, C.S. Loftin, and P.B. Wood. 2016. Long-term effects of four silvicultural treatments on spruce-fir avian communities. Presentation at the 2016 North American Ornithological Conference, Washington, D.C. August 2016