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

Staff Member

Brian Rolek

Brian Rolek
PhD
Email: brian.rolek@maine.edu

Links:

Education

  • Ph D University of Maine 2019
  • MS Auburn University 2009
  • BS University of Massachusetts 2003

Biography

My research has generally focused on conservation of wildlife. I have published on the effects of climate change on bird communities and habitat association of birds; with a focus on modeling. I am originally from Southeastern Pennsylvania but have since moved to the East Coast of North America to pursue my interests in biology and wildlife. I enjoy everything outdoors. A few of my favorite activities include traveling, hiking, camping, and bird watching. . I am currently working towards my Ph.D. with the USGS Cooperative Unit at the University of Maine. My research investigates the influence of forestry management practices in New England on diversity and composition of bird communities at multiple scales. I will also focus on species of concern that may be affected by these management practices.

Research Publications Publication Date
Rolek, B.W., D.J. Harrison, D.W. Linden, C.S. Loftin, P.B. Wood. 2021. Habitat associations of breeding conifer-associated birds in managed and regenerating forested stands. Forest Ecology and Management. October 2021
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
Project Completion Date
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) December 2018
Evaluation of representative bird species Landscape Capability models January 2018
Presentations Presentation Date
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
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, 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. 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., 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. 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., 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. 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., 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., 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
Loman, Z., W. Deluca, D.Harrison, C. Loftin, B. Rolek, and P.B.Wood. Identifying error in forest landscape capability models. 136th American Ornithological Society Meeting, 9-14 April, Tucson, AZ. April 2018
Harrison, D. J., B. W. Rolek, C.S. Loftin, P.B. Wood. 2017. Effects of forest management practices in Acadian conifer forests on spruce-fir bird communities. Presentation to Irving Corporation Wildlife Biologists and Foresters and to the New Brunswick Forest Research Advisory Committee Advisory, Sainte Anne de Madawaska, New Brunswick, Canada, 30 May. May 2017
Harrison, D. J., B. W. Rolek, C.S. Loftin, P.B. Wood. 2017. Effects of forest management practices in Acadian conifer forests on forest bird communities, with emphasis on species of conservation priority. Presentation to Advisory Committee of Maine Cooperative Forestry Research Unit, Orono, Maine. 12 April. April 2017
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
Rolek, B. W., D. Harrison, C. Loftin, P.B. Wood. 2018. Influence of harvest treatments, vegetation, and edges on abundance of breeding spruce-fir avian species in regenerating forested stands. USGS annual report. West Virginia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. December 2018
Rolek, B. W., D. Harrison, C. Loftin, P.B. Wood. 2018. Influence of harvest treatments, vegetation, and edges on abundance of breeding spruce-fir avian species in regenerating forested stands. USGS annual report. Maine Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. December 2018